I’ve always wondered what inspires a person to drive to a destination two blocks away; ask for a plastic bag for one grocery item at the store; leave a trail of litter behind them as they waltz into their environmental studies class the next morning.

Not all of us behave this way. In fact, as we have become such an environmentally conscious generation, many of us don’t. We keep the “reduce, reuse, recycle” mantra in our heads as we go about our day. Walking, biking, and carpooling have slowly become more popular forms of transportation not only in Santa Barbara, but nation-wide as well. Unfortunately, there are still individuals who are simply not willing to put in the effort.

Perhaps apathy promotes this hypocritical, careless behavior. Maybe laziness is at work, or even oblivion. But, most likely (and most unfortunately) it’s that frightening, yet all too common ideal. The one that reads: I’m an American. I have the freedom, nay, the right, to do whatever I want, wherever I want, however I want.

What those who raise that freedom flag highly, mightily and, to be frank, quite ignorantly don’t seem to realize is that this very same American individualistic attitude keeps us from making any real progress as individuals, let alone as a country. You see as Americans, we do have obvious and inherent rights; the right to choose how we wish to treat our bodies, the right to decide who we want to spend our time with and the right to pick what we want to do with our lives.

But it’s when that very same cherished freedom encroaches on the rights of others – that’s where the problem arises. Because wasting resources – using the outdoors as personal dumping grounds – driving by yourself to a destination that’s walking distance, in your unnecessarily colossal-sized truck – these things don’t only affect you. No, they affect everyone and everything around you. And they affect it all negatively. And that is not the kind of freedom to pride oneself upon.

It’s understandably difficult to imagine how reusing and recycling alone can change the world. Maybe utilizing eco-friendly transportation more often won’t alter the course of your life. But hey, it might improve our crowded and chaotic parking conditions.

So, as I begin to lower myself off my admittedly pretentious soapbox, I leave you with a thought… A new American ideal, if you will.

Let us take that individualism, that pride, and the coveted ability to choose, and improve upon it. Transform that very same ideal from selfish to selfless. Because I say as Americans, we have the freedom, nay, the right, to do so.