I am the Solution

Sometimes I feel resentful when I read another article, or hear another newscaster exhorting me (the average citizen) to solve the problem of America’s dependency on foreign oil. “Drive less! Turn off your lights! Raise your thermostat!” as if my little, low impact self would really make a difference. I drive maybe 12000 miles a year. Okay, reduce that by 10% … big deal, 1200 miles and 60 gallons saved. Big deal. Now if everyone reduced their consumption it might work, but of course, everyone won’t. We’d be lucky to get 10% of the population to do that.

Why should I be scolded for using the technology that is available? I didn’t invent cars. Why should I be scolded for not solving the problem? I’m not a scientist who will come up with an alternative. I’m not even a politician who could vote to make it easier for innovative ideas to flourish.

How could I possibly make any perceptible impact on world-wide problems like this? Here’s how:

Networking!

Sure, sounds trite, but really, one way that we can affect change like this is to create strength in the people and businesses around you. They might be individuals, too, but they support larger companies with their business. They then can help grow and develop the companies around them, eventually reaching those who have an impact on research and development, or who are large consumers themselves.

Maybe two people you bring together in your networking efforts are entrepreneurs with a part of the solution. Or it might be less direct: you connect two people who eventually end up connecting someone else.

But we’re all a part of a larger picture that we don’t see our own impact on, day to day. You just have to have a little faith in doing your part.