Liberal Guilt - Doing Good by Feeling Bad

In my introductory blog post, I hinted at what what makes me "crimson." I am by and large conservative, socially, politically and fiscally. The one significant drop of "blue" in my philosophy and interest is the environment. As noted, I don't drive a Prius plastered with activist bumper stickers, and my house isn't a self-sustaining, solar-powered bio-orb. But I do recycle, turn the air off when I leave the house, and have CFLs through most of the house.

I follow developments in environmental technologies, and keep an open mind to all emerging trends. I am critical of some that I believe are inefficient or ineffective, such as corn ethanol, and supportive of others that I believe could help our national security through energy independence, such as coal gasification and liquefaction,  and increased use of natural gas as a transportation fuel.
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But the unfortunate tone I see in a lot of pro-environment media, whether broadcast, print, or online, is an underlying tone of guilt as motivation to do good. Perhaps the environmental activists believe this is an effective motivator. And it certainly has gained plenty of willing allies on the political left.

The consequences of non-compliance, if we are to believe our leafy lefty compatriots, is widespread and imminent coastal flooding, polar bears dying untimely deaths on breakaway icebergs, droughts of epic proportions, and indigenous tribes being plowed under the tracks of bulldozers in the Amazon. I could go on and on with clichés of the devotees of radical environmentalism, but you get the point.

Although some have done an admirable job of putting a cheerful face on the environmental movement (I'm personally a fan of Renovation Nation with Steve Thomas), others continue to hammer the hackneyed stereotypes to goad us into giving up our T-bone steaks, V-8 powered Camaros and Mustangs, motorhomes, and by extension, most modern conveniences and luxury items.

Now, am I saying everyone should drive a musclecar, SUV or pickup, eat steak seven days a week, and terrorize the desert dunes in our ATVs? Far from it. I think people should enjoy their lives as much as possible. I also believe that many people, when presented with a demonstrably better alternative to the products, practices or services they currently use, are willing to change.

I'd like to hear from you. Have you made any changes in your purchasing decisions or lifestyle through learning about more responsible alternatives? What made the difference for you between dismissing it as a fad, and adopting it into your routine?