The Power of Our Example

President Obama mentioned that now is the time for us to lead by the power of our example, I think it's time we changed the example we're setting. I'm currently writing from Salamanca, Spain where I'm studying until June, and it's interesting seeing the reaction people have when they hear I'm an American. Generally it's the following:

So you eat McDonald's hamburgers all the time right?
Is it true you guys drive everywhere and never walk?
Obama?
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The idea that I'm an American Vegetarian who doesn't have a car seems to shock them. So I'm here doing my part to change the perception of gas guzzling, environmentally callous Americans one conversation and one meatless meal at a time. Occasionally people will try to call me out on environmental and energy conservation hypocrisy by pointing out that I flew here. I've done some back of the envelope carbon footprint calculation and being a vegetarian for a year (compared to a typical American meat intensive diet) has more than doubly offset my flight to Spain. It's interesting how small choices add up to have big impacts on our energy footprint.