It's Not Easy Being Green

Truffala Trees from Dr. Seuss' The Lorax

Happy Earth Day! If you've spent any time online today, you're sure to notice all of the Earth Day related promotions. Yes, you can get a free cup of coffee or tea today at Starbucks if you bring in a reusable mug.

These sales (25% off Tarte Cosmetics w/ code EARTHDAY2011, 20% off all organic bedding at West Elm, $5 off all green products from Diapers.com) while encouraging purchase of green products, still encourage ACCUMULATION OF STUFF.

Wouldn't the greenest way to celebrate Earth Day be a day of not buying anything. I know, that would be a nightmare for our economy. I'm just sayin'. And I'm not judging. Not at all.

I feel like an evil environmental home wrecker given that we use disposable diapers. They NEVER decompose. Ever. We have our reasons for why we use them. We share a washer and dryer with our neighbors and can't guarantee that the "bad" detergent wouldn't get into cloth diapers. We also pay for the laundry at $1.00 a load and would be spending way more to do cloth diapers. So we use disposable.

I keep thinking about my grandma who reused paper towels. She would use a paper towel and then dry it out on the counter. And use it again. She did this not because the Earth wanted her to, but because it saved money. We still buy paper towels. Why? I don't know. No reason. Because. Habit. We have these reusable rags that work wonderfully for drying dishes, counter tops, hands, picking up spills, etc. Why not just use these?

I googled "Reuse paper towels" and came across a very interesting blog post about a movement against paper towels and the environmental implications about the proposed solution-- Are Reusable "Paper" Towels the Next Eco-Conundrum? 

In the war against paper towels, Inhabitat has teamed up with PeopleTowels to create an alternative reusable hand towel. The idea is that we would carry our own hand towel around with us through life so we'd never have to reach for a paper towel in a public bathroom or anywhere else. Isn't that what hand dryers are for? But I digress. These PeopleTowels would be, essentially like hankies. Or reusable bags.

Now, this blog post actually evaluates the benefits of we humans carrying around our own personal hand towels. And makes a really valid point:

"As I was reading about the campaign, I couldn’t help but wonder if these reusable towels will just be another reusable bag. Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against reusable bags, in fact I have them in every color. While they have positive environmental impacts, their numbers are becoming a problem. People are drawn to trends and, even more so, reusable trends.  Such high demand for reusable bags led to an increase in the import of these products. According to United States International Trade Commission, over three billion reusable bags have been imported into the United States since 1999, mainly from China, and chances are a number of underlying environmental attributes in the import and distribution process of these bags have not been accounted for."

It's not easy to get around this is it? I mean, we try to be "good." To treat each other and the Earth well. We use our reusable bags and Sigg bottles. We don't buy bottled water anymore. But now companies are making and importing reusable bags and bottles thus increasing the carbon footprint, and therfore undermining our motivation for buying these things in the first place.

So how much actually makes a difference? 

Okay, this is beginning to get a little depressing. Let's lighten the mood. As this post emphasizes... the important thing is to REDUCE first.... and then REUSE.

We can do that, right? I mean, Bob and I have been reducing for the last two years. Let's be honest, monetary motivation is the best. I mean, we were forced to reduce. And in the process we saw the many benefits. They go beyond the wallet. Way beyond!

As new parents we have every opportunity to go off the deep end in terms of accumulation. BUT... 98% of Malcolm's clothes come from hand-me-downs or thrift stores/ resale shops. I highly recommend always checking your thrift store, resale shop, Freecycle or Craigslist before buying anything for a baby new. There are scores to be had. And isn't this a wonderful way to be green?

I believe so, yes. And there are so many people out there that feel that way. There are people out there really making a difference for the earth.

Bob and I met a remarkable 88-year-old woman at the dog park in Friday Harbor who won San Juan Islands' Citizen of the Year in 2009 for getting Styrofoam banned from the islands. Her name is Doris Estabrooks. She really struck a chord with us because at 88 she made a difference. She is one of those people fighting for the earth and is a wonderful example and role model. Thank you, Doris!

As for me... what do I promise for Earth Day? I promise to stop using paper towels in my home. From this moment forward. And maybe I'll start carrying around my own personal hand towel. I carry around a spit cloth for Malcolm. So, why not?

And lastly, I will keep distinguishing between WANT & NEED in an effort to continue to REDUCE, REDUCE, REDUCE.

What about you?

Happy Earth Day, everyone! I hope you take some time to appreciate the earth today. Even if it's to just notice the smell of the rain and enjoy the pitter pat of the raindrops on the roof (yep, it's raining in Chicago.)

Back to basics, how to cut through red tape and can thinking like your grandma really save the environment?

Good morning, everyone! Traffic's humming, garbage trucks are beeping and the birds are chirping... it must be Earth Day in L.A. (This picture, by the way, is not L.A. This is where I go in my mind when I'm stressed-- The Abacos.)

Anyway...

Today I have a collection of links to share and I'll kick the first one off in honor of Earth Day (I know, I know. EVERY day is Earth Day.)

1. It's time to live green (without spending too much of it)! by Ashley Fielding/ GainesvilleTimes.com

I love the perspective in this article. I've been thinking about it a lot lately-- how our 'new' economy might actually force a return to the basic concept of "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle." Humans are motivated more by money than anything else. Nobody has money to waste anymore. The limitation of resources could actually shift us collectively towards a more 'green' way of living... not for altruistic reasons, but financial. And I say, hey, whatever it takes.

Here's an excerpt:

But just because you can’t afford a Prius does not mean that living “green” and saving money are mutually exclusive pursuits. In fact, the recession might just be an opportunity to reconsider your lifestyle choices, Hall County Extension Agent Debbie Wilburn said. And in most cases, making environmentally-sound choices can save money, said Cindy Reed, director of Keep Hall Beautiful.

Keep Hall Beautiful holds to the old adage of reduce, reuse and recycle, but Wilburn calls it getting back to the basics. In a nutshell, if you want to save the environment, buy less and think like your grandmother, Wilburn said.

“My grandmother didn’t generate nearly the trash that most people do now,” Wilburn said.

My grandma always saved leftovers and encouraged us to use no more than 2 squares of toilet paper. I could never get on board with the two squares concept, but she made her point. What did your grandma teach you?

2. Congressmen help constituents cut through red tape in tough times by Dana Bash/ CNN.com

It works! When we reached our breaking point with Countrywide thanks to the endless runaround, I got on the phone and just started making calls. I called our Congresswoman, the Department of Treasury and Governor Schwarzenegger's office. It was the Governor's office that finally helped us cut through the red tape.

If you're in foreclosure or pre-foreclosure and are trying to negotiate a modification with the bank, but aren't getting much response (if any) it certainly can't hurt. Call everyone: Your Congressperson, Senator, Governor, Councilmember... Just keep reaching out. It worked for us. And for the people mentioned in this article. It might work for you too.

3. Thy Neighbor's Mortgage by Randy Cohen/ NewYorkTimes.com

I read this article on my lunch break and found the perspective rather poignant. Of course, I agree with the thesis. Here's an excerpt:

Some people do take extravagant chances with other people’s money. We call them hedge fund managers and we reward them lavishly. Ours is an age that glorifies risk-taking entrepreneurs. (Or did until five minutes ago.) It seems inconsistent to condemn that trait in a home-buyer, particularly when rapidly rising housing prices promised big profits to all. Home ownership itself has been exalted as a national virtue, an essential element of the American Dream. It would be odd to suddenly scorn those who chased that dream, albeit a bit too vigorously, and assisted by those financial steroids, the subprime mortgage.

What do YOU think? Agree? Disagree? Why? (Make sure to read the full article)

4. This I Used to Believe This American Life episode 378

I can't get enough of This American Life and I especially loved this one. Act 1 is especially timely and appropriate to "Love in the Time of Foreclosure." A little synopsis for ya:

Act One. Scrambled Nest Egg.

One day in January Alex French got a call from his mom, saying that she’d been laid off. A few hours later she called to say that so had his dad. Alex takes a trip to Massachusetts to see how his parents are getting by since entering unemployment for the first time, in his father’s case, in 30 years. (9 minutes)

Listen via Podcast: This I Used to Believe on Thislife.org
(Ira Glass, you are a radio god... even though you don't believe in God.)

Happy Earth Day, everyone. Go wind energy!