GREEN WITH GUILT

Everyone's GOING GREEN these days! Look at  this impressive line-up...






Human history becomes more and more a race between education and catastrophe. -H.G. Wells


 
The end of the human race will be that it will eventually die of civilization.
-Ralph Waldo Emmerson

I finally purchased my first package of those wierd-looking squiggly light bulbs. Been thinking about it for a long time but the cost was a factor and I wasn't sure about those odd looking bulbs anyway. Yeah, they're supposed to be helpful to the environment. I just didn't know-wasn't sure.They look strange. Do they really work?  Funny though, as soon as I bought them I felt immediately better. So, I also invested in some cloth grocery bags. It's addictive! I felt like part of the solution instead of the problem. Interesting how little gestures can make you feel empowered to do more.

I have believed in the cause of ecology for many years. Believed in it-yes-did something about it-no! You know how the saying goes: That which is not acted upon is not learned. So, with that, I am making my own stand for the cause of going green.My dirty little secret is that ever since I've lived here in Michigan, I have not recycled at home. That's 12 years~ I am feeling extreme GREEN GUILT!! I called Allied Waste this week and asked for a recycling bin, instructions, and a calendar showing the recycling pick-up days. I am ready to do my part~



So, we all know we should be doing all we can to conserve the resources on our planet. Why don't we, then? If you want to get the ecological hell scared out of yourself, just watch Al Gore's documovie, An Inconvenient Truth. It will make you think...


Here's my personal treatment plan for curing my case of GREEN GUILT:
I am going to start recycling.
 
I am going to gradually replace appliances as needed with energy efficient models. Same goes for water-conserving plumbing, and opting for a hybrid when it's time for a new car.

I am not going to leave the water running while I brush my teeth or any other unnecessary wastes of water.

I am going to ride my bike or walk for more of my errands.

I am going to be conscientious about use of electricity, home natural gas use, and cut down on trips in the car.

I am going to buy used (aka recycled) items whenever possible-which saves resources AND some coin!

I am going to shop at the local farmer's market for my produce.

I am going to look into composting and finding cleaning and household products that are more earth friendly.

I will purchase products from companies that produce environmentally friendly versions of items I need and already use.


That's just for starters! I really do believe that we all need to participate in taking care of the environment in which we live. There are a lot of different resources available for information on living in an environmentally friendly way. Google anything/everything green or ecology related and you'll get tons of stuff. One site I like is greenmatters.com. If you click on the helpful links there are some good connections there.

For energy related information: 
www.eere.energy.gov
www.nrel.gov
www.repp.org
energystar.gov/products
Global Warming:
www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/globalwarming.html
Food:
localharvest.org
csacenter.org
eatwellguide.org 
 
This is but a SMALL sampling of all the information out there about taking care of the earth...start small and build-even one thing makes a difference! Going green is an evolutionary process. Rome was not carved in a day. The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. You can be a force for the good.


I am only one, but I am still one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something.
--Helen Keller