Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Be Greener

"Let every individual and institution now think and act as a responsible trustee of Earth, seeking choices in ecology, economics and ethics that will provide a sustainable future, eliminate pollution, poverty and violence, awaken the wonder of life and foster peaceful progress in the human adventure."
— John McConnell, founder of International Earth Day

I guess I should come clean about something. I'm a tree hugger. Now I'm not the best tree hugger in the world. I drive a gas-guzzling-half-eaten-dinosaur-spitting van. I live in a house built in the early 80's - therefore not very green in construction. I "buy buy buy" with the best of 'em when it comes to gadgits and what not. I would say I haven't offset my Carbon footprint very much in the last couple of decades since my birth.

But I still love the Environmental Causes.

In my limited time here on our "little blue dot" (Carl Sagan, love him!), I have noticed when you make things easy people tend to do them. Like recycling.

Growing up we recycled our cans. We would crush them on the front step (oh what FUN that was! talk about your stress relief!), toss them in a wardrobe box leftover from the last move lined with a trash bag, and take the full bag to the recycling center. At the center they were weighed and we were paid. I remember collecting cans from trash cans in parks to pay for a ski trip one year. We made some money with our cans. But it was a pain in the butt going to the recycling center.

Now I rinse the cans or bottles and toss them in the recycle bin in the garage. On Mondays the county comes along and carts them off to the landfill where they are recycled. Easy. Everyone does it.

The county gets to pocket the revenue from all the recycling and I don't get a tax break for it. I just get to feel better for recycling. It could be worse. In some counties here in Florida you get fined for not recycling. Now there is some motivation!

All in all recycling is a simple way to keep our world greener. And I wanted to share with you a website devoted to greener things in general. They have a daily newsletter with ideas for greener living and greener products. It's called Ideal Bite. Check it out, see what you think.


I think the website stresses our greatest way to effect change in this great country of ours (that would be the US of A) which is through our wallets. We are a Free Market society. That means we vote with our dollar. To truly express how serious we are about clean water, clean air, safe food supplies (organic food supplies) and what have you, we have to buy them. Right now that may not be the cheapest product on the market. But if we keep buying it, one day it will be.

Crane Update:

I obiviously did not make the can art myself! So here are the credits:

Indian Peacock created with drink cans and ring pulls by Val Hunt. His website is:

http://www.arthunt.co.uk/

R2D2 is a recycled spray can and was on exhibit at the Crewest Gallery in LA. (I couldn't find an artist credit)

Recycling can be pretty! Although, I think I'll just stick to the craft addictions I currently have and not start cutting up cans.

Just another thought to ponder. Be seein' ya! Peace!

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