be like bill, well we can at least try

Do you remember Bill Nye the Science Guy? He was the quirky science nerd on PBS that somehow peaked the interest in little kids to learn and have fun with science. Well, Bill Nye is still around. Yup, in the Times they did an article on Bill Nye and his green house. Apparently Bill not only talks the talk, but walks the walk with science.

The article is good. It talks about how Bill converted his 1939 home into a new eco-friendly home. Although to me there seems to be two disconnects between him and the reader. The first: Bill’s got a lot of time on his hands. He is filming a new show. And while its true that some stars may work ten or twelve hour days, I don’t get the impression from the interview that Bill is having long work days. In today’s world however people are working sixty to eighty hour weeks, running around their kids to ten different things a week, and hoping they don’t get stuck in rush hour traffic. People are busier than ever. Whether this is good or bad is not the issue (although I would debate bad). The reality is that people are pushing the limits of their time. What does this mean? It means, unlike Bill, there is no time to grind organic coffee beans and sip a cup of coffee at the kitchen table or have fresh squeezed orange juice every morning. There is no time to grow your own lettuce in your yard (if you even have a yard), or ride a bike everywhere.

Second, Bill’s got a little more green to be green than most people. Let’s see: $20,000 for new windows, $32,000 for solar panels, all organic food, rain barrels (Probably $100 each), and a Prius. Don’t get me wrong, these aren’t bad things that Bill Nye is doing. Quite the contrary - they are great things. Besides the raging jealously I am feeling towards those who simply have a house, but then to add solar panels, eat all organically, and have his own garden, its clear that his lifestyle just can’t be obtained by everyone. Once again, this is not a knock at Bill Nye, but merely the ideals and culture that make it difficult to live a life that sees less as more, sees a love for creation, and a sense of protection instead of destruction.

The article teaches us a lot about our culture in regards to time, money, creation, and resources. In a world that is seeking more green, but putting aside actually being green, maybe a more suitable life is closer to Bill Nye’s than the millionaires and billionaires.

Bill Nye article