My college experience was unlike anything I have ever experienced before or since. I went to UC Davis, a school of about 25,000 with around 700 Black students. I attended school between 1989 and 1993. During that time period, there was a rebirth of ethnic pride, and with the rise of Louis Farakhan and professors such as Leonard Jeffries, the uneasy understanding between Blacks and Jews was getting rocked daily.

Jewish people were confused. “We walked with you in Selma! We have been oppressed; there was a Holocaust.” we exclaimed. My Black friends would counter with “Jews are no different than other Whites. Oppressed? Holocaust? Tried 400 years of slavery and the millions and millions of Africans killed in transit from Africa.”

I went to lectures by Leonard Jefferies, I attended rallies and open forums. Many of my friends were Black, and as they started to join historically Black Fraternities, I also looked into pledging. I looked at the White fraternities as well, and at the end of the day, decided that the Greek Life wasnt for me.

I decided to give up pork as a show of solidarity with my Jewish people. I spent hours and hours in discussion about the “Black-Jewish” question. After all, thats what college is all about, learning and understanding.

Then one day, a bunch of friends were over at my house during Passover. For many Jews, we usually give up leaven bread for seven days. Matza becomes a meal staple. I was making one of my favorite meals, matza with sardines. Gross sounding, but oh so good…

One friend turned to me and say, “Micah, what the fuck is that?” And before I could respond, another friend said “Thats some of his Jewish shit, leave him alone.”

It was at that moment when I realized where true diversity comes from, it comes from unthinking. Unthinking is when an action or statement becomes so second nature, that thought is not necessary. Breathing, for most people, is unthinking.

When Diversity becomes something you no longer have to discuss in a group, then the group has truly achieved diversity.

The same is true with Environmentalism. I am an environmentalist because I do things like recycle, pick cars based on fuel efficiency, turn the lights off in my house, because it has become second nature. Could I do better? Sure. Who couldnt?

So, today, being Blog Action Day, take a moment to decide to be unthinking about environmentalism. Learn what you can and cant do daily to be an environmentalist. Then stop thinking about it, and start doing it. Become the Unthinking Environmentalist.