The Meaning of ‘Live ECO’
You’ve seen it all over my blog by now: “Live ECO.” I chose it as my mantra for Verdant Growth. It’s in my logo, it’s on my blog, and it’s even on my water bottle.
But I’ve never taken the time to explain what ‘Live ECO’ means to me. So I thought as we enter 2021, it’s a good time to get that explanation out of the way.
‘ECO’ Pronunciation
First, let’s talk about pronunciation: if you’ve heard me on my YouTube channel, you’re probably already aware: I don’t pronounce “eco” like most people would pronounce “eco.” I pronounce it like you probably pronounce “echo.” Here’s why:
I have spent the last 7 years of my life living in Japan. On a daily basis, I talk to my wife and daughter in Japanese and live in Japan, so I speak far more Japanese than I do English. In Japanese, they use the term ‘エコ’, pronounced ‘Eh-ko’ to describe anything that is environmentally-friendly. Anything that is reusable, is good for the environment, or electric rather than gasoline powered they call “eko.”
So for me, “eh-ko” is just more natural to me than “ee-ko.”
What does ‘ECO’ mean?
But there’s also another reason I choose that pronunciation, and it’s tied with the meaning I give to ECO, as well as the message I want to relay:
Living ‘Environmentally-friendly’ starts with recognizing that you are connected to the environment. All the time. Not just when you go hiking on the weekend. Not just when you take a trip to Hawaii over the summer. You are always connected to nature.
When you turn on the lights, you have an effect on nature.
When you take a shower, you have an effect on nature.
When you eat something, you have an effect on nature.
You always have an effect on nature. You are intricately connected to nature all the time. And if you want to learn how to live more environmentally-friendly, you must recognize that connection. And the more you recognize that connection and become conscious of it, the more you will want to reduce your impact.
The first step of living ECO is to first Live Environmentally COnscious.
I don’t know about you, but I pronounce the word “environmental” with an “eh” sound. Therefore, “Eh-ko”, or “echo”.
Live ECO
So that’s it. You now know all about living ECO. You now know why I consider living ECO to be so important. It’s the first step to a more sustainable life that is more in balance with nature: be conscious of the connection to nature you always carry around with you. You’re always deeply connected to nature. And if we want to continue to live on this planet, we’re all going to have to learn to live more in balance with nature. We’re all going to have to learn to Live ECO.
Because that’s not what we’re doing now.
