When I first came to the US, this definitely was my attitude. However, the glitz ultimately caught up with me in small measures, and the abundance of resources led me to waste them unnecessarily. Over time, I got exposed to a number of articles, a lot of discussion, and soon came to see the links between my life's everyday actions and global social and political problems facing us. Thus, I started reverting back to my older ways of minimum waste knowing that I should not contribute to problems if I can help it. Yet, I also know that while I have made significant progress in my understanding and my actions, while I have influenced a number of people to rethink, I still have a long way to go.
Habits die hard.
But, having taken the initial steps, it looks like it is a matter of keeping up the momentum and not letting go. I then understood the significance of my actions and their impact on the world and have become more sensitive as a result. The understanding I have now will never leave me and I can never revert back to my earlier wasteful ways. The process continues and I continue to make progress in becoming more responsible for my actions. Many of us arrive with a certain sense of awe about this country, about its people, about its wealth, and about its strength in the world.