Earth Day -sort of, and kind of late.

Thor had a business conference in D.C. last week, which meant I got to travel with him, and travel I did! The day we landed we went straight to the hotel and died! Such a long day! The following morning I got up and headed down to Durham to visit The Scholar!

It was an interesting drive to say the least (another post on that experience!). After 4 hours on the road I finally met up with her and we began to visit while she toured me around Duke, and of course, Durham (which is a fascinating place!).

As the day drew on we needed to stop a few places to pick up items we needed and I discovered that back east (at least D.C. and North Carolina) they charge 5 cents per bag they issue after your purchase. It was fun to watch The Scholar pile up her purchases in her arms and carry them out to the car. (Unexpected trip to the store mean she didn't have her bags with her at the time.) Granted they were few and a bag really wasn't that much of a help, but still, I loved it! (My inner hippy chick was so pleased to see that the hippy gene was trickling down the family tree.) Inside I kept thinking about the different bags I had at home, ready to pack away my groceries, I even have several to take with me for traveling...but with certain restrictions put on my suitcase this trip, I left all non essentials at home.

I made that trip from D.C. to Durham and back to D.C. twice! Then I also drove out to Rehoboth Beach (Delaware) so I could see the Atlantic Ocean for the first time. Let's just say, I drove a lot, and every where I drove, they wanted a nickle for a sack! Good for them. I think if CA. charged for a sack we'd all figure out a way to remember to bring all those linen bags we have at home. "Save a fish or kill a tree?" Just bring your own bag.

Well, I decided that I would make a huge, gynormo purse that I could use as both carry on luggage (if need be) and also haul a good grocery bundle or Target run without having to look as if I was using store branded or company logo totes.

I found a piece of Hawaiian print bark cloth (my weakness) for .99! I also found gorgeous green dotted material that grabbed my eyes about two years ago (I have been pining a long time) which was on clearance for $2.00 yd., and lastly some pleather on sale for $3.00. After my $4.50 (total) purchase I went to work without a pattern.

8"wx27"lx16"d with a 40" twisted strap so that I can carry it over my shoulder or over my body - hands free, which is nice if I need my hands for other things. I put in 12 grommets and made a pull string to open and close the top. A small leaf button helps slide the string closed and kept in place or slide open. A few more buttons on the bottom of the strings to keep them from slipping all the way through the top, and I was done.

The result is a huge tote, and I love it. I think it will work out well for me. Large enough to carry a large laptop and probably and additional watermelon! Plus, it's reversible!

Do me a favour, 'k?

Alright, it's the weekend and you probably have tons of other stuff to do. But, if you have an extra 20 minutes (I promise it's really only 20 minutes), take a gander at the link to the right. The one that says "The Story of Stuff, with Annie Leonard".

It's easy to understand, has basic information we all need to know, and doesn't really preach at the end, just lets you decide what to do with the information she has given you. That's easy.

Please, please, please, if you do choose to follow the link, give yourself the 20 minutes and actually watch the entire presentation. She makes some very good points, most of us already know, but, for most of us, we need reminding of. Now shoo, go on now, watch and relearn.

Thanks.

Is it easy being green?

This morning I was watching the "The Morning News" and it has been proposed that LA follow the lead of some European Countries and charge 15cents for each plastic bag one uses at a retail store. This, they explain, will help reduce the consumer use, reduce the landfill, encourage recycling, and avoid a tax.

In the same hour on another network they are promoting carpooling, and following up that report with a promotion to encourage the exchange of standard bulbs with the curly "eco-friendly" bulbs.

My experience with bringing my own bags has been both great, and well, not so great. I really got into the whole canvas bag idea. I have a ton of them that I have collected over time. But I can't get the entire family on board. Some do, some don't. At best we aren't consistent. Some don't like having to keep them in the car and then having to carry them around a retail store. Some feel like a "bag lady". Some feel weird because they get "the look". I get that. I have actually received curious looks from retailers, especially in malls and larger retail stores. The security gets perked up a bit if you're scanning the merchandise with a handy-dandy bag ready to fill. There is a social weirdness of having a tote full of canvas bags while shopping at Nordstrom's. Is there a bag large enough, or convenient enough to have handy if all the sudden you find that large crock pot, a pile of kid's clothing, or that cute leather coat?

The other problem for me has been from the folks in line behind me. When they see me pull out the canvas it is as if I have just laid another full shopping cart on the belt. It takes about twice as long for a bagger to fill the odd sized floppy fabric bags that don't fit in their bag assisting hangers.

As of April 22, Whole Foods is removing all the their plastic bags. They decided that Earth Day would be a grand day to kick off their program. In addition to leaving plastic at the curb (so to speak) they offer a large bag made from recycled plastic for 99cents, or (and this is good "or") they will refund you 5cents for every bag you bring in to use. It's not a lot, but hey, it's 5 cents!

Target and a few other retailers have also offered cheap alternatives to plastic, although I rarely see them being use. ( I have to say I LOVE the Target bag because it zips into itself like a small makeup pouch and can be stashed in a purse while shopping. Less Dork/Less Security.)

More and more I am reading how terrific the new eco-friendly bulbs are. Heck they are even given out as door prizes or laid free in your mailbox as promotions from retailers. The good is they are supposed to last much longer, use less energy, thus making less of a mess in the land fill, and less money from your wallet. The problem? They are considered a bio-hazard when it comes to land fills. How do you dispose of them? What happens when one of them BREAKS!?! That's a huge problem!

So where are you all on this? Is your family on board? How do you carry your bags from store to store, and where do you store them so that you remember to take them with you? Does it drive you crazy when someone is in front of you at the counter and it takes more time to fill their canvas rather than the plastic? Do you consistently use your own bags? What do you think of the 15cent fee? What are your thoughts on "eco-friendly" bulbs?

Let your conscious be your guide!

Let your conscious be your guide!
Originally uploaded by S'mee.

I took this photo a while back and because I have nothing pertinent to proclaim this Sabbath morn, allow me this:

Obviously standing side by each (as dear ol' ma used to say) on a prime piece of Disney property. Jimminy would prefer you recycle; but if that's not your cup 'o tea, then go ahead and waste -please!

Happy Earth Day Mom

the fifth day
Originally uploaded by S'mee.

"...Let them have dominion over the fishes of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth." - Moses 2:15

I remember the very first Earth Day. It seems so long ago, but like other national events, a collective remembrance easily brought back to our emotional and rational consciousness.

I was in grade school and my teacher prepped us for this new holiday day by day for weeks. We had more frequent trips to the library, extra time saved at the end of the day to read, search and find all kinds of new and interesting things about our "mom". Some things, like rain forests and polar ice caps were fascinating and grabbed our eyes as well as our minds. Then there were the scary things we were learning about that grabbed my heart. The tiny valley where I lived was the hole in the donut of hills and mountains around us, and learning about "inversion layers" was mind blowing to me. I could walk outside at recess and actually see the accumulation of vapors daily and felt really smart and observant. Smog was new back then. Just as communism, and the threat of bombs scared me -so did smog. I saw it coming, staying, hovering, and all the well meaning reassurance of my teacher could not dissuade the feelings of impending doom; and all it would wreak on me, my family and my future.

We were given tasks to accomplish, both as a class and individually. As Earth day approached our anticipation of the celebration did as well. On the actual day we had a "play day" full of activities. Special games and contests, and in the afternoon the excitement of an assembly! The walk to the cafeteria was electric! We met with other classes, all in line and a twitter with the party atmosphere that seemed to be our special guest that day. We all sat down on the benches and watched as one 6th grade class presented a play. A poem was recited by the kindergarten, and art work from our class was prominently displayed, taped to the tables still upright and folded into the walls. Pictures of all kinds and varieties. Frogs and waterfalls. Trees and slogans. Mine was a collage.

I remember it was on manila tag board. I had cut various photos from magazines and glued them over my original art. It was a city scene. I had learned how to draw perspective and so I enjoyed drawing streets and sky scrapers. Because of my newly acquired knowledge of Smog, it was keen and so important for me to express and educate others of this common enemy. The manila colour of the tag board was the perfect backdrop for my city of "progress". Heavy swirls of golden brown haze rose to the top of the paper. Sky-scapers lost their spires in it's gloomy breath. A black and white, rather sad faced cartoon of a cat was cut from a magazine and set to stroll down the sidewalk. I used my mom's Tri-Chem Fabric Embroidery - Turquoise Blue to draw a dead fish floating down the gutter. "My fuchur" was written on a bill board atop one of the lower buildings in black Magic Marker.

We ended the day by planting a tree in the front of our school. We held hands and stood in a circle as we sang "This Land Is Our Land". Then we went home. The end of the school year came and to my utter surprise I was awarded with my first trophy: 1st Place Artist for "My fuchur" an Earth Day Poster. I was evidently impressed and humbled as I remember both the events on this current Earth Day.

So here we are a thousand years later and what has happened since? Well, to my surprise California passed laws and regulations that have in the past 30+ years actually dropped auto emissions to the point that our air is actually better than it was when I was in grade school. Good job guys!

I am still a bit of a hippy chick. I am still fearful and worry about our eco-systems and environment. I fear we are more concerned about money than resources. I am hopeful and assured that there are others out there who are dedicated and making things better for all of us. I recycle and reuse, I try not to waste my water and resources. I participate in our community clean up days. I am part of a group that has an "adopted highway". If I could, I would morph myself into Ed Begly Jr and be as self sufficient as he. I think the point here is this: God created this big blue marble for us to spin around on and then blessed us with the responsibility to care for it. So, for today, at least, let's think and rethink how we can beef up our efforts and be a better steward. Let's make our momma proud.