Organic
Eco... blah blah.
You're not helping the environment buying eco-crap if you have not cut down your consumption.
Use less, people.
I am not saying to live a year without new clothes or not to use toilet paper or to build a tree house.
Just be smart. Everyday. When you buy three things at the store - don't use a bag, just carry the stuff to your car.
Reuse bits of paper for lists or notes left on the counter for the kids.
Turn some stuff off in your house.
Waste less food, start by buying less.
Buy a Subaru over one of the new hybrids.
Better yet, buy a used Subaru.
Recycle, Reuse, Repurpose
little things add up.
Here is a fun article on the subject. The author balances the ridiculousness of buying green ...
“Green consumerism is an oxymoronic phrase,[...]. The fruit at Whole Foods in winter, flown in from Chile on a 747 — it’s a complete joke. The idea that we should have raspberries in January, it doesn’t matter if they’re organic. It’s diabolically stupid.”
while considering that having folks just begin to think about being 'green' is a good first step.
“We didn’t find that people felt that their consumption gave them a pass, so to speak,”... But they do it as a practice of mindfulness. They didn’t see it as antithetical to political action. Folks who were engaged in these green practices were actually becoming more committed to more transformative political action on global warming.”
but...
"...sustainably-harvested caviar..."
pulleeezzeee.
11 comments:
Nice post.
I'm trying to be more carbon neutral this summer by riding my bike to work as much as I can. This actually makes me not have to go to the gym, which is a good thing, as. uhm. hate the gym.
I'm with ya on this.
I also try really, really hard to NOT buy stuff with a lot of packaging. Sure, sometimes it can't be helps, but sheesh...do you need to buy tomatoes in styrofoam trays all plastic wrapped?
I was first disillusioned a while back when I found out some recycled paper I used was not as recycled as I thought. Post consumer waste included the ends of stuff cut in a mill that never saw the consumer. I understand it is still better, but misleading.
So, if the fruit is already at Whole Foods, and we have spent the gas to go there to shop anyway, are we to resist the evil and just buy fruits somewhat locally produced and those that are typically in-season?
there's always the option of not owning a car and using one's bike year round...using cloth grocery bags, only buying items that don't use over packaging, buying a pump oil sprayer for cooking instead of cans of cooking spray, i could go on.
Have you read Barbara Kingsolver's Animal, Vegetable, Miracle?
It is incredible and says basically the same thing your article did. That expecting fruit out of season is ridiculous and actually takes away from the pleasure of it. To eat fruit and vegetables in season is such a joy. Peas in May. Corn in August. Ah.
And once you have grown your own tomatoes, you can NEVER go back to the store bought ones. They taste so...pink. I like a big (or small) juicy tomato that tastes both sweet and salty at the same time. Hard to describe, but once you taste it, you can't go back to the other tomatoes.
Maria, there is no joy to be found in peas no matter what the season. :)
We're working to be at least "light green" here. We try, but don't always succeed. We're doing better than we did a year ago, though.
I so agree about the tomatoes. We only eat the ones we grow now.
As for a bike... well thats not really an option here. Ok...ok... what I mean is - that not an option for me. too far, way to hilly. (hmm, tho i would be very fit).
its all about just doing a little better.
Will someone clue in the clueless - namely me? Why buy a Subaru (used or otherwise) over a hybrid? I must be missing something here. Why a Subaru? (Maybe I should go read the article...)
We recycle/re-purpose everything we possibly can. Not always easy, but it is the right thing to do.
subaru is not in that article.
but do some research on the company.
they have a plant in Indiana I think with 0 waste. ZERO.
nothing leaves that plant and goes to a landfill.
This is not the same as the toyota or honda plants... so it actually works out better environmentally that they hybrids.
Gosh, how I wish I could grow tomatoes. Or rather, had a place-to grow tomatoes.
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