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recycling programs, but this doesn't seem likely. Company executives are out there to make as much money as possible for themselves and their investors. Many will cut a few ethical corners to do so.

As individuals, we don't usually think about our trash because it just gets taken away. Also - there is so much of it - who wants to think about it? It's really overwhelming. We need to vote against products that destroy our environments - with our dollars. Translation: If no one buys the worst products, they'll stop being made. In this way education needs to be improved. But the government can't be relied upon to do everything. The auto industry is a very powerful interest group in our society, more organized and able to influence legislation than many smaller citizen groups. Really, we need to think for ourselves, try to buy from companies that are making a difference, and really encourage our legislators to support these companies' attempts.

Companies are offering more environmentally-friendly products all the time, but at higher prices than consumers are used to paying. Perhaps the government should offer tax subsidies on more environmentally-products in order to make them cheaper for the average citizen. We have seen in recent years the beginnings of this in regard to some Energy-Star products, but this doesn't help the rainforest. Paper might seem like something that is necessary and minimally destructive, but that's because we haven't seen all of our paper products we've used throughout our lives piled up before us.

If we don't examine the ways in which we as individuals contribute to the trend of, for one example, deforestation, and ways the government can support us as we try to take an initiative as consumers and citizens, the whole process of governments "spending billions" is similar to someone going out and committing crimes and then simply hiring extra police to deal with it - without thinking about the violence itself.

Learn more about this author, Lindsey Feldman.
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