I have been asked on several occasions how I started to be concerned for our environment and why I am seriously involved with saving energy. The answer is mostly due to a lasting impression that was made on me by a television commercial I saw when young. I will never forget the tear coming down the face of the actor who represented Native Americans after viewing the ways people littered upon the water and land from his canoe. I was able to understand the commercial’s meaning probably because I had just learned about the Iroquois Nation in school and other Native American Nations in Cub Scouts. Also during our summer vacation in a rural area of New York that year, my Dad and I worked together on several merit badge projects I had for Cub Scouts. For a Brooklyn kid to learn from his parents about respecting nature in the country, well that was more fun than any adventure I could dream up while exploring an abandoned apartment building in the city. I came to understand why and how our environment was so vital and respected by all Native Americans. An understanding sorely lacking in mainstream society.

Several years later we moved from Brooklyn and I had to write my first thesis paper for Mrs. Mayer, my tenth grade English teacher at John Glenn High School. She gave the class numerous topics that we could select from. I chose to write about pollution because of that commercial and additional encouragement from my father who was looking forward to me writing my first “thesis” much more than I. By the time I completed my thesis I had a deeper understanding as to why that commercial was so appropriate and realize the symbolism of the thrown litter onto the Native American's feet. I don't know if this symbolism was intended, nevertheless, our environment wasn't exclusive to being littered upon.

When attending St. John’s University as an Environmental Studies major, I was enthralled by the gasoline shortage of 1979 and how our country’s economy was intertwined with our environment and energy supply. Thus, the powerful connection between saving energy and saving Earth. Many class projects had two steps: collect all the data and study all the facts of a specific situation or problem. Then develop a workable solution and implement it. I thoroughly enjoyed the field trips and challenges created by Professor Nieter at St. John’s University. Collecting data and learning all the facts about a project became a personal challenge for me. However, I relished devising a solution, creating a better way and then proudly enjoying the improvements after implementation. I am still like that today. Let me collect the data, study the facts on a topic, and then find another way, a better way of doing something. By the way, I do practice what I preach.

America is smarter than being dependent on foreign energy supplies and we are better than the way we still produce energy. The data is there, the facts are there, the solutions are there, but profit has prevented the implementation. Becoming independent of foreign fuel supplies should now be an American obligation.

I find no better satisfaction than working together on developing a better way and then speaking about the work to bring a simple, yet powerful message to everyone. Just like the message spoken so clearly by one teardrop in a commercial so many years ago.