How One Guy Saved His Planet

October 15, 2008


It never ceases to amaze me how many ordinary people I run into doing extraordinary things – which in my mind makes them extraordinary! Here’s one more. I was in my friend Todd Case’s office getting some age spots removed (TMI?) when one of the staff gave me a little book. The name of it is “How One Guy Saved His Planet.” Her husband, Richard, wrote the book to simply share some vignettes about things he had done to make a difference in his neighborhood, in his home owners association and on the planet.

Here’s his introduction. “Thank you for your interest in making your corner of the world a wonderful place to be. I hope these vignettes, all based on real actions I took in my own neighborhood, motivate you to take small steps of your own.” How great is that?

Richard turned a little patch of vacant land in his neighborhood from a pile of junk to a desert habitat; after every rainy season, he cleaned out the wash behind his house, taking junk to the dumpster; and he used donated paint from a friend to wage a one person battle against graffiti.

At the end of this little booklet, Richard shares some closing thoughts which are all wonderful – such as “Make room for nature to re-emerge. It doesn’t take much help for a little mini-ecosystem to develop, even in the smallest or most unlikely place.”

I loved reading what he wrote from cover to cover. One person makes a difference – starting a small fire. Gotta love it.

p.s. If you would like a copy of this little booklet, here’s Richard’s email address: rejohnson26@comcast.net