KirstenL4W

Everyone talks about being “green” these days and what we can do to help save the planet. I saw some great suggestions on Blissfully Domestic, but there are a number of reasons why I can’t follow these particular suggestions. Here are the suggestions, followed by my comments (in italics).

1. Plant a garden. The average American meal travels about 1500 miles to get to your table. You will cut out a lot of carbon by growing some of your own food. It will also be fresher and better for you and your wallet. I live in the desert. My backyard “landscaping” as installed by the builder is a bunch of rocks - not even a variety of different rocks. All the same rocks. Oh, and the HOA won’t allow water features or irrigation to be installed.

2. Get a rain barrel. Rain barrels save water that runs off you of roof so that you can use it to water your plants. I could put a barrel in the yard, but it would be filled with dust. And cobwebs. That’s how often it rains here.

3. When spring cleaning use natural cleaning products or better yet make your own! I spotted a bottle of Simple Green under the sink the other day. I’ll have to use some of that. But mostly, to avoid using harsh chemicals when cleaning, I just avoid cleaning.

4. When planting flowers go with native plants. They will do better in your climate. Native plants here are sagebrush, which isn’t much to look at and turns into tumbleweed when it doesn’t rain for a year. I’ll stick with the all rock look, thanks.

5. When feeding your native plants and food garden use TerraCycle’s plant food. It’s all natural and will help your plants thrive. No need to feed tumbleweed. It does just fine on its own.

6. To keep bugs away from your other plants, plant marigolds. See above comments about plants. As for bugs, there’s just a few spiders in the backyard. And one out front by my garage.

7. Spring is a wonderful time to check the farmers markets in your area. You will not only get wonderful fresh local food, you will also be helping to support your local farmers. If there are farmers markets in the area, they won’t be local. Everything will be shipped in from California, just like at the grocery store.

8. To keep your family safe from bug bites use EcoSMART’s organic bug spray. I just avoid the resident spiders, because they can kill.

9. EcoSMART also sells bug sprays to spray around your home to keep the bugs out of your house. I don’t have bugs in the house, but sweeping and vacuuming from time to time helps keep them away.

10. With the weather getting better ditch your car and walk when you can. You will not only reduce your impact but get some good exercise. The good weather came and went. That lasts about 2 weeks here. It’s now summer. Yes, I’d lose weight if I walked, but I’d also be so sweaty and stinky they’d ban me from the office.

Sure, my answers might seem like they are in jest, but there are a lot of suggestions out there that just can’t work for everyone. I would love to plant my own garden or even just be able to shop at a farmers market with real local produce. Back where I grew up, there were farm stands all over the place that people flocked to like flies on poo when anything was in season. I also went to high school in a town that was known for the apple orchards. But that stuff just doesn’t grow with no rain, water restrictions and 110 degree heat (45C to those of you who prefer Celcius).

I also don’t like harsh chemicals. I don’t like things to smell like chemicals, and my hands crack and dry from mild hand soap, so it’s not too great on my skin either. My house *is* clean, though not always as clean as I’d like it to be because I’m busy and don’t always have time for that. But I don’t go for chemically sanitary.

And the car. Everyone has to talk about the car. Take the bus instead, they say. Sure, I wish I could spend less on fuel. Who doesn’t? But I go through about 1 tank of gas about every 2 weeks in my compact car. I drive back and forth to work, go to church, and to Target every few weeks. I grocery shop on my way home from work, at a place that is on the way home. And while my husband has a big old truck, we almost never drive it, because he’s not going out during the day when I’m at work. At most, he has to go out maybe once or twice a week, but that doesn’t happen every week. If he hasn’t been out in awhile, we will take the truck out to ensure that it still runs after sitting out in the blazing hot sun. But there’s another side to this story - while the truck isn’t fuel efficient by any means, it’s cheap. It’s paid for and is in decent shape. It has high mileage but keeps going just fine with routine maintenance, which doesn’t cost any more than my car. But why don’t I take the bus instead? Because it would take me over an hour to get to work, when I can drive there in 10-15 minutes. My time is more valuable than the money I would save on gas or the feel-good feeling I would get by not driving. I would have to leave the house before 6am in order to make it to work on time, instead of 6:45 like now. I wouldn’t get home until 5:30-6pm, and that doesn’t include any shopping I need to do. Today I did grocery shopping and was still home by 5:30. Oh, and in this weather, I’d shower a lot more and have way more laundry to do. In this parched landscape that I live in, it’s not worth it. I choose being frugal over being green here.

So I will continue to drive to work, look at the boring rocks in my backyard, avoid cleaning my house, and staying away from spiders, all in my effort to help save the planet.

Other Posts Like Me:

• Just a Few Notes
• My Sister Sells Mary Kay
• 99 Things
• Spring Renewal
• Happenings

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