What really makes us happy

Like professor Hirsh said “is that 25,000 dollar driveway really worth all the money it costs?” Putting this in an environmental perspective, is that gas guzzling Hummer people drive really making them happy? Our society has a problem, we want it and we want it now. Maybe this is what drove America to have the highest GDP but on the other hand, is this what we really want? In order to consume more goods and services we need to make enough money. Now for the most part people go to college and get a job when they are finished with their education, those that have highly succeeded are the ones destroying the environment with their Hummers. Now I know we all destroy the environment but as we further and further progress we come up with new technologies that deplete the condition of our environment. Some people think in order to be happy we need to be that guy/girl driving that hummer or consuming these new technologies. Due to this false notion we want more and more in order to be happy. This is what leads to the depleting condition of our environment. Now I know this from first hand that you do not need a lot of money or new technologies or fancy cars in order to be happy. I have been working in restaurants as a cook the past six years and most of the people in which I work with are those that live pay check to pay check. Although these people may not have a lot of money in order to even buy a car or afford insurance, it does not mean that these people aren’t happy. The bottom line is just because you may not have the latest technologies or you do not have a car it does not mean that you cannot be happy. Most of these people I have worked with are some of the happiest people I have ever encountered. They have just enough money to get buy and I bet if I were to calculate their ecological footprint I am sure it would be much less than most of ours. Most of my co-workers took public transportation to work or rode a bicycle. Just because they didn’t have a car it didn’t mean they weren’t happy. If we continue to use and want these new technologies we have to figure out a way to do it efficiently and sustainably.