Every Little Bit Counts

Today's going to be a quickie since our power was out all evening.

Today's Earth Day, and I was feeling a bit bad as the day was winding down that I hadn't really done much to celebrate it (even though our power was out and it was like the environment's little joke on us, which was very appropriate). Then I saw two exposes related to animal cruelty and decided to take some late night action. I wrote a letter to the University of Utah to denounce their awful laboratory practices on animals. Tomorrow I'm calling and boycotting Petco and Petsmart for the foreseeable future because of the horrendous things their pet provider company engages in, in addition to mistreatment that the stores themselves participate in.

Some might say that my activities will have little or no bearing on any positive outcomes or improvements. I used to think that, and once in awhile the thought still crosses my mind, but now it's easier to believe the contrary. I remember in high school when I volunteered for Amnesty International writing letters to international governments on behalf of prisoners of conscience being held in different countries. I realized that there isn't always that huge, obvious payoff after you contribute your time and energy to something you believe in. Other times, there is. After I had written letters and gone on my merry way, I received a bulletin from Amnesty International detailing the first prisoner I had written about--he had been released. It dawned on me that my actions, no matter how "insignificant" I had felt they were at the time, had also potentially and probably contributed in some way to that man's liberation from prison.

Even if you don't get to see the big payoff in the end or the obvious successes, every action counts, no matter how big or small, even if it only means that you know you're being a better person.