Re-making America Part 1

These days everyone is trying to be a little greener and yet they are doing it primarily in the way that we have been conditioned to by the economy: buy something new. Our first impulse is not to conserve or reduce or reuse or recycle, it is to buy the latest gadget or device that has some green kudos attached to it. This is not to say that we shouldn’t replace those things that are no longer performing the job we bought them to do, but don’t just throw something out and replace it with some new ‘green’ thing without giving it some careful and informed consideration.

For the last few years it has been all the rage to go and buy new energy efficient florescent light bulbs. Well you can make that number 1 on your list if you to, but it really won’t change much of anything. What really has to change is your mega view, your outlook on what and where your place is in the world. And then you have to adjust your behaviors to support this new world view.

It seems appropriate to repeat President Obama’s call to action: “Our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions, that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.”

SO let’s consider some other things we can do:

1- TURN OFF THE TV! --- except for the Red Sox games and maybe the Patriots. Almost everything else on the tube is basically crap (‘programs’) wrapped in more crap (advertising). A totally non-nutritional, non-compostable shit sandwich, so stop eating it.
2- Become more informed about the physical world you live in. One place to begin is learning about ecological foot printing. And then look into watersheds, and then try composting and then ........
3- Take deliberate and conscious steps to reduce your personal (and your family’s) consumption of practically everything…. From energy to water to gadgets.
4- Try making a chart that lists what you consume and how much and from what source(s) and what you ‘borrow’ or ‘use’ e.g., water. While this sounds like a real chore, maybe even a PITA, you can make it fun if you have kids. Try it out for a little while. If nothing else, the experiment may make you more aware of what you take out of and put back into the world around you. If you pull out an atlas and check out where some of the stuff that makes up the ‘stuff’ of your life comes from, you’ll also familiarize yourself with how the world is connected, and learn some geography at the same time. (I’ll post a sample chart here in the next couple of days.)
5- If you live in a neighborhood where you actually know your neighbors maybe there are some activities you can do together or equipment that you can share that will not only save you money, but conserve energy and build relationships as well.
6- Are they any appliances or gadgets or equipment you can recycle or donate? In Great Britain over the last few years there has developed a new kind of party called a ‘cadge’ party. Folks get together around exchanging, trading or re-circulating un-wanted gadgets or equipment. Usually there is a theme, like ‘personal electronics’, e..g., PDSa, cell phones, etc. An evening is set aside, usually with a pot-luck dinner involved, folks gather with their stuff and the exchanging and bartering begins. It’s communal, comical and a hell of lot of fun.
7- Garden, if you can and if you want to make the commitment, but if you can’t or don’t want to make that kind of physical investment, try to locate a CSA (Community Supported Farm) near you and join. No matter what, go to local farmers' markets as often as you can and support them with your dollars. More on gardening later
8- Shop locally as much as you can. Support the merchants in your own community. Going to BBS (Big Box Stores) may save you money, but BBS don’t tend to keep much, if any, of their profit money in the local community. Worst of all, they are relentless predatory and muscle smaller retailers out of business. Not only that, if you have to drive more than 10 miles one way to a BBS, you may not be saving any significant amount of money any way, at least not on small to medium purchases. Moreover, you will be adding CO2 and other pollutants to the environment as well as putting wear and tear on your car.
9- Form a shopping pool. When you must go shopping, try as often as possible to buddy up with someone you know who is likely to be wanting or needing to go on a similar errand. It may add a little extra time but it will pay you back major social dividends and save some money too.
10- ENOY!
11- Think of some other green activity you can do with friends and family.......