Do Something, Not Everything

In Earth Life, I made some suggestions as to how everyone can do a few simple things to green their lives a bit. Below is the second list I promised, in which I set out some green challenges for myself. And just in case my first post on this issue came across as if I live in glorious balance with the Earth and all others need to get with the program, I am also including a short list of confessions. Because the fact is, much as I love the environment and try to lessen my impact on it, there are some things that I just can’t or simply haven’t given up for practical (read: convenience) reasons. I include this only as a way to say, just because you’re not doing everything to be green, doesn’t mean you can’t do something.

So, these things are my bad. I am not proud of them, but I’m not ready to give them up either.

1. I use disposable diapers. I know that diapers make up an obscene percentage of our landfills, but I still use them.
2. I drive an SUV, and it’s not a hybrid.
3. I eat tropical fruits (mangoes and bananas) that have to be flown long distances to get to me.
4. I sometimes set my heat above 70 degrees in the winter. (On the flip side though, I hate A/C in the summer. So maybe that one balances out?)
5. I had my lawn sprayed with herbicide this year after my organic attempts at weed control last year failed miserably. I’ll probably do it again next year. (Damn you, Creeping Charlie!!)

But here’s what I will do:

1. Supplement my CSA food with produce from local farmers’ markets rather than supermarket produce.
2. Attempt a veggie garden for the first time. (More on this soon.)
3. Write to President Obama, Mitch McConnell (R- KY) and my other representatives about ending farm subsidies that benefit large factory farms and hurt small farmers.
4. Sign Jamie Oliver‘s “Food Revolution” petition to encourage the use of fresh foods, rather than processed foods, in school lunch programs.
5. Take Lilly camping and hiking this summer so that she also learns to love and respect nature.

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