We are getting all “environmental” over here.
It is not that we have ignored our part in the past to be “green”. Matthew and I have big bins that we put all of our recycling in. Once they become an eyesore for our neighbours (2 acres away), we (meaning he) head off to the recycling depot. If I told you how much money we make from recycling our pop bottles and cans, you would probably organize an intervention for me. There is no need to do so, as I think that my Diet Coke consumption is entirely within acceptable limits.
*twitches*
My close friend Amanda posted her thoughts after watching Earthling last week. I do not think that my weak stomach (and weepy nature) would do well in watching that movie. Amanda and I have had many conversations this past week about the whole issue, as have Honey and I.
We buy most of our meat from local ranchers. Well, we did. The Government in all of its wisdom has decided to place huge restrictions on the little guys, and now they cannot sell their meat. When our freezer full of meat empties, we will have to figure out what we are going to do.
We already have chickens (Yes. Yes, we do.) that we use for eggs only. Honey has suggested that we also raise chickens for meat, and he has no problem being the butcher. Good for him.
I have posted before that I am not a huge carnivore. Most days I can take it or leave it. I hate handling raw meat, but I know that there are essential vitamins and such that my body needs. I make it as tasty as I can, and for the most part enjoy it. Especially bacon.
Mmmm…bacon.
I have a husband and a younger brother (who lives with us) who really like their meat. I also have small children who have different preferences, but each of whom likes some form of the meatiness. For now, I think that I will continue to offer both meaty and meatless dishes. My only concern is not being able to get meat from good sources.
The other day my (Twitter) friend Buzz Bishop e-mailed me to alert me to a post that he had written about BPA (Bispehenol A), which is all about the bad plastics. You may have seen the link on my side blog, if you are one of the few who use a feed reader.
I have been busy purging my cupboards of any of the Bad Plastics. Luckily, the majority of what we use are the “good” plastics. It was not as bad as I thought it would be. But still. I am leery of plastic.
Plastic is drastic, yo.
As if the above was not crazy enough, we were informed last week that we are on severe water restrictions. Not alternating days, not a minor warning. We are forbidden to wash our vehicles, water the garden (Ha! Garden is not planted DUE TO THE SNOW), to flush the toilet more than necessary.
(We already abide by the “If it’s yellow, let it mellow. If it’s brown, flush it down” lifestyle. Sick? Yes. Environmentally friendly? Also a big YES. Just don’t be offended if you come to our house and the toilet water is, um, yellow. I promise it won’t be brown.)
The local news station came out here to interview Honey about the whole water issue. You can watch the news clip HERE.
This week has felt a bit burdensome. We are doing so much, or so it seems, and yet we need to be doing so much MORE. In one of our email exchanges, I told Buzz to take heart after one of his commenters chastised him and suggested that maybe his wife should breastfeed. His wife could not breastfeed, but pumped breast milk for many months and fed their son via a (Gasp!) bottle. I told him that I had close friends who had struggled with the same, and told him this as well:
YOU DO WHAT YOU CAN.
Yes, I would love to be the perfect human being. I want to leave the smallest environmental footprint, while leaving the largest spiritual footprint that I can. Attainable? Likely not. But I am aware and I am trying. That is the best I can do.
Baby steps, people. Baby steps.
28 Comments
The amount of Diet Coke I consume is also quite sickening. That reminds me - I should head to the recycling depot this week. I could use the money that my refund will bring! 
Good for you for doing your part. Like you said, we do what we can, and no matter how big or small that might be, it’s awesome.
Sharon’s last blog post..Sun Run - I did it!
Comment by Sharon on April 20th, 2008 @ 7:49 pmI agree, you have to do what you can…There are so many things that we could be doing to make a difference but it really is about taking small steps.
Comment by Michele on April 20th, 2008 @ 8:13 pmGood for you! I like reading these sorts of posts - because they always give me a good idea of other stuff I could be doing. I do really need to look through my plastics and see what needs to go - but I am very afraid I’ll have nothing left.
And, I really hate shopping 
Rhi’s last blog post..Wherein my neighbors try to get in shape
Yes, yes - do what you can. I’m realizing there is a lot more I can do too. I want chickens but don’t think I could raise them for meat. Eggs only for me. :o)
Shalet’s last blog post..Earth Day!
Comment by Shalet on April 20th, 2008 @ 8:25 pm… that last link doesn’t work.
“I want to leave the smallest environmental footprint, while leaving the largest spiritual footprint that I can.”
I like that. I do I do.
Mrs. Wilson’s last blog post..My Weekend. Again.
Comment by Mrs. Wilson on April 20th, 2008 @ 9:19 pmBaby steps are awesome.
Kerri Anne’s last blog post..A Link-Laden Week In Review
Comment by Kerri Anne on April 20th, 2008 @ 10:34 pmGood job on doing your part!
I have to figure out what the deal is with our plastic items. We have new sippy cups for the little guy (he never used bottles) and I am not sure if they are the good or bad plastic. My fear is bad. I need to do some more research soon.
TheAngelForever’s last blog post..Happy Passover - 2008 Seder 1
Comment by TheAngelForever on April 21st, 2008 @ 4:29 amYou should really consider Honey’s idea of eating your own chickens. They taste so much better. You know the eggs do. And then, you could find out for yourself what a chicken with its head cut off flops around like. And photograph it. Post the pictures in the dining room while you say “Eat your yummy chicken, kids.”
Okay. Maybe not.
witchypoo’s last blog post..Peeps Get Highlighted
Comment by witchypoo on April 21st, 2008 @ 4:59 amif we all continue to take ‘baby steps’ there will still be a ton of change. baby steps are better than no steps at all. as you would say… YO!
Comment by Holly on April 21st, 2008 @ 5:09 amThis plastic thing has me feeling overwhelmed. We should have talked about this on Sat too! Did you just get rid of #3, 6 and 7’s then? Because what I read about it confused me. Those are bad and 1, 2 and 5 are better.
WHAT DOES BETTER MEAN?
Only one extra head instead of two?
We went to the Imax yesterday and watched an amazing show on the Colorado river that runs through the Grand Canyon. It doesn’t even make it to the ocean anymore. It was heartbreaking.
This world we live in? Messed up.
But as you know, we too do what we can. I want to start buying meat locally too. I must get that organized though it sounds like that may not be possible due to the restrictions you mention. GRRRR….
Kami’s last blog post..Guess what came today!
Comment by Kami on April 21st, 2008 @ 7:18 amI take my hat off to you for schlepping your own recyclables to the center. (I guess if you don’t have fire crews out there, it makes sense that you wouldn’t have recycling pick up!) I have to say, they pick up almost every type of recyclable out our curb and still I see many people who are too lazy to sort their garbage.
And if you figure out what to drink out of, let us know. I am completely confused by all the conflicting information out there.
Sue’s last blog post..This Couldn’t Be Easier
Comment by Sue on April 21st, 2008 @ 7:37 amevery little bit makes a difference
you’d go crazy if you tried to follow every “rule” that’s out there
hills’s last blog post..Take It Down Out To The Laundry Scene
Comment by hills on April 21st, 2008 @ 7:50 amI hear ya, I feel ya. So much to do, it can be overwhelming.
But you’re right, all we can do is do what we can.
Good post.
Amanda’s last blog post..A Smoker’s Laugh Makes It All OK
Comment by Amanda on April 21st, 2008 @ 7:58 amI am ridiculously anal retentive about recycling and it drives me crazy when others aren’t. Truly obnoxious and yet now people in my office are starting to listen to me. Either they caught on or they’re sick of hearing me complain. Either way, it’s working. So jokes on them.
Heather B.’s last blog post..In which I decide to start showering regularly
Comment by Heather B. on April 21st, 2008 @ 8:03 amOur city does not have recycling…I have to have it stored in our garage…but we’re trying!
I love hearing our friends up north with their little Canadian accent…living so close to you guys…we love our little Canadian friends.
We do practice the ‘let is mellow’…but only in our bathroom. I just can’t seem to bring myself to do it in the guest bathroom! : )
Amy’s last blog post..I remember it all too well…
Comment by Amy on April 21st, 2008 @ 9:36 amI may or may not have been distracted from reading this post when you mentioned bacon.
mmmmmm….bacon.
songsinblue’s last blog post..Randomness
Comment by songsinblue on April 21st, 2008 @ 9:59 amI think it is great everything you are doing. I am slowly trying to make some changes. We FINALLY got recycling in my building, so I’m insane about it. Before, I would keep stuff to bring over to my brother’s to use his recycling bin.
I am trying to use less harsh chemicals to clean and raided the Method section of Target the last time I was there.
I hate to quote a Walmart commercial, but seriously if every person did one small thing to help, it would make a HUGE difference!
Kristabella’s last blog post..4/19/08 - The Day I Officially Became Old
Comment by Kristabella on April 21st, 2008 @ 11:13 amI’m trying to buy things like organic milk and farmer’s market vegetables. But I also still buy tater tots and frozen cookie dough, packed with unpronounceable chemicals and unabashed in its plastic packaging. I figure change is a slow process.
Moose’s last blog post..This Post Was Going to Be Longer, But the Coffee Shop is Closing
Comment by Moose on April 21st, 2008 @ 11:20 amIf everyone does their best then I think the earth will be a better place. Do what you can and that’s a great thing.
Kristie’s last blog post..Life comes at ya fast.
Comment by Kristie on April 21st, 2008 @ 11:27 amgreat…so, #7’s are bad and that is what heinz sells it’s baby fruit in. i suppose it is only bad when heated though right? not sure why all other baby puree foods seem to be sold in glass and that has remained plastic….hmmmm
Comment by Melissa on April 21st, 2008 @ 12:32 pmEverybody has to start somewhere, right? I’m sorry to hear about the extreme water restrictions, though, it makes things difficult, and also puts matters in perspective, when you realize how lucky we (usually!) are in the North.
Meg’s last blog post..As promised:
Comment by Meg on April 21st, 2008 @ 2:21 pmI love that motto: You do what you can. And we should never presume to think people aren’t doing what they can do because it doesn’t match what we can do. I just couldn’t agree more with you. Great post.
She Likes Purple’s last blog post..Eleven
Comment by She Likes Purple on April 21st, 2008 @ 2:36 pmThere will always be something to feel quilty about in environtmental issues. I mean we recycle everything here and our town just started doing green carts, so yay us. But they get picked up at the curb for us which means more trucks driving around…..or we have to haul it to a place which means more car emissions……It’s like parenting; find what you can do and stick to, then do it and don’t feel guilty for what you aren’t doing.
Comment by Amanda Franks on April 21st, 2008 @ 3:45 pmAll I’ve made steps towards so far is using reusable bags at the grocery store and only microwaving in glass. It’s not much, but it’s something.
moosh in indy.’s last blog post..A Mother’s Lurve.
Comment by moosh in indy. on April 21st, 2008 @ 6:08 pmWe call it “selective flushing” in our house. Csilla thinks it’s a real giggle to “pee on my pee”. Weird kid.
Baby steps is right. Check out “The Good Life” at wwf.ca. It gives lots of tangible and practical ideas on how to do small things that, if everybody did them, could have a huge impact.
Keep doing what you can do… and I’ll keep doing what I can do, and together we’ll do the do. Pretty much.
Carolyn’s last blog post..do you suffer from sarcasm?
Comment by Carolyn on April 21st, 2008 @ 11:45 pmIf you have to pluck chickens in order to eat them, you just might give up on meat all together.
To answer you nonexistent quesition? Yes, I have plucked many a chicken in my lifetime.
Comment by gorillabuns on April 22nd, 2008 @ 5:42 amI try to use glass or ceramic containers instead of plastic now. And it’s really easy to throw another bowl over a plate to heat things up in the microwave. All the little things are what matter!
180/360’s last blog post..Green Thumb
Comment by 180/360 on April 23rd, 2008 @ 9:01 am
Good for you! Sorry about the water situation - we’re in the midst of rain, rain and more rain and could use some drying out. Keep us posted on the EV-friendly actions!
Kate’s last blog post..Another Vacation Please!
Comment by Kate on April 20th, 2008 @ 7:42 pm