Ramblings on 'my little failures'...

This summer I went to the local big box lawn and garden center to help me out in the garden. I needed some tools, some seeds, and some plants to pretty up the front yard (at the moment I won't get into how the plants weren't organically grown, and were probably grown by people in a foreign land that were paid squat to grow and tend my new azaleas). I was armed with my new knowledge about saving the earth - I had watched the SOS Concert for the Earth (I wanted to see the Police perform!) and let's face it - you know everything when you watch tv!

I really needed to get rid of some pesky weeds that would not go away no matter how many times I tried to pull their roots from the earth (or rather parking pad). But I did what I had to do. What would you have done in my place?

So, I bought - gasp - Roundup... I literally hid it in my cart and tried not to make eye contact with the cashier. Then to add insult to injury - the cashier place the gallon of Roundup - which had a handle, mind you, into a plastic bag!

This summer I also committed the following offenses:

I traveled over 6500 miles - mostly by car and one long plane ride

I cleaned out the fridge (using a baking soda paste - good)
but I had to throw away a few glass and recyclable plastic containers (bad)... I really couldn't handle trying to tame the black/blue/green/white stuff out of various and sundry containers. Besides - the stuff growing in there was probably toxic. Would you have wanted that in your drinking water?

I used the air conditioner unapologetically! (It's still on!)
I like to pretend that my allergies are the main reason - but let's face it - I LOVE air conditioning. The room should be at a nice comfortable 65 degrees for me to sleep. I think it is the 8th deadly sin: fridgid-ity? Coolness? I'll stop.

I watered the lawn
Really not the most responsible use of water - especially after visiting areas seriously affected by drought. Ed Begley Jr got rid of his lawn altogether - I do like him...

I'm sure I could tell you more about why I'm an Earth-Failure - but then who would you turn to for guidance and support... Besides, we are all bound to mess up once in a while, that's why I am extra-militant about the things that I can do. (I bought Seventh Generation toilet paper - sacrificing comfort for the greater good. Isn't that almost the Jesuit motto?)

Well - Good night - I may be going to go to bed now in my 65 degree bedroom but tomorrow - I... shall... ride my bike... once again!!!

(Triumphant exit music)

I rode my bike to school yesterday...

which also happened to be the hottest day of the week! (way to think ahead)

The whole trek is 4.2 miles (roundtrip) - and I - the coward that I am (or klutz) rode illegally on the sidewalks. Not that anyone was using them to walk on, in fact I'm lucky I didn't bite it a few times due to the sidewalk's lack of upkeep.

This is my new bike: a Schwinn cruiser - Jag - u - ar... oh yeah, the klassy-est of bikes - almost like the Jaguar of bicycles???

Not a classic Schwinn - but still cool none the less.

I hope to use it to run errands, do grocery shopping etc... I wish St Louis didn't have so many slight inclines. Maybe I should see a doctor!

My husband bought the Men's bike - now we match... awww...

And my students think that I'm nuts!

thanks to doodiepants for the heads up...

This guy has a fabulously wonderful blog (it helps that he is a writer - whateva' - yes, I'm hip, I'm down with the cool lingo) and is working on his new book about this crazy experiment he has been living - and dragging his family along with him! He takes a good look at consumption and the impact of one person in and on the world. I am hoping to keep this blog a little less philosophical - only because others can do that much more eloquently than I... Instead I hope to help people take those first baby steps into the greener lifestyle.

no impact man's blog

I wonder how much of this I could get away with here in my home? Hmm my husband without his computer?

As I sit here and watch him trying to reassemble a "vintage" mac laptop that he has ceremoniously taken apart and laid out piece by precious piece over the last couple of days I think: I'll probably try switching the toothpaste with baking soda before I take the computer away.

Alu - min -e - um

is how they say it in England...

Here are some new uses for it once it is done covering that pan of brownies...

(or perhaps clean new foil might be best)

Here is the uber-long link:
http://www.realsimple.com/realsimple/gallery/0,21863,1154386,00.html?nid=8515070919-1663159