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thanksgiving, 6 weeks early
By heather | October 15, 2007
Who’s writing challenge was this anyway? (Oh right…mine, which is why I was up at 5 this morning trying to think of something to write about.) And with something like a gazillion blogs participating in Blog Action Day – TODAY – I’ve been not only been agonizing over what to write, but how to write it so it wouldn’t sound like the same old thing…recycling tips, how to live green, my baby has changed my outlook and stuff like that. I thought about making a list of things I was going to try to do better, a blog action day resolution of sorts.
But with the gigantic environmental issues and unknowns we face in solving them, such a list can make you feel small and hopeless and insignificant, like what you do doesn’t really matter.
I will admit up front that I am not the best example of someone who lives green. I will probably never be Liz Seymour or even use cloth diapers. I drive a Pathfinder. I live in an old house and we can’t afford to replace all the windows right now to become more energy efficient. But I turn off the water when I brush my teeth and recycle my newspapers. I will try to teach Alex about using things gently and making them last. I am trying (God help me I’m trying) to cook dinners and to shop for products that haven’t been processed to a different color, taste, and texture.
So instead of commentary or a “do my part” cheer, you my lovely, get a list and some pictures, let’s call it early Thanksgiving.
I am thankful:
- that my son was born healthy and without disease or debilitating illness that is found in so many parts of the world caused by unclean water or lack of facilities
- that I can open the windows on fresh fall days like today, take a deep breath and not smell smoke or exhaust
- that every day I am stunned by the water shimmering on both sides of me as I drive across the bridge to work
- that I was able to have a place like this growing up
- that even though I function in an allergenic haze for 2 weeks every spring, that when the fog lifts I have flowers and trees and grass
- that I am financially able to afford to practice “green” things like buying organic
- that there are people with the courage to give up what most of us would consider everything, to help the environment and champion their causes
- that despite what technology has done to the environment we have things like treatments for cancer and an economy that can sustain our society
I believe that
- the environmental issues we face are both better and worse than we know
- technology won’t be able to fix everything
- as resources become scarce we will re-define our normalcy and adapt, for better or worse
So there you go: hope, green tips, philosophy, and a hug all wrapped up and tied with a bow. And I still don’t know what this entry is about.
NB: I wrote this without reading any of the other entries in my feed reader because I knew if I didn’t I would never be able to post something I was satisfied with. So if you wrote something for Blog Action Day, please leave me a link in case I don’t already read your blog! I’d love to read your thoughts.
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