On Consumption -or-A post that got way longer than I ever thought it would!

Consumption is a topic that I have been thinking about a lot recently. I feel as though society, myself included, is turning a blind eye to the amount of stuff that we use. I find myself asking; Why are the habits of this generation and this time so different than the behaviors of the past? When did it become OK to use, use, use, without any care or concern for how things will be replenished? How can I reduce what I use, appreciate what I have, and help create a richer place for the future? I wonder if this is a topic that most ever stop and think about. Is the average everyday person out there stopping to think about the effect of their actions? Do people realize that the tiniest of things that we do today will have an effect on tomorrow?

I stopped at the grocery store on the way to work this morning and purchased one item; a small box of food coloring. The grocery attendant happily put my one box (which was already wrapped in plastic) into a plastic grocery bag. I carry a HUGE purse and could easily put a sack full of groceries inside. I told her 'I don't need a bag, thanks', and was on the receiving end of a questioning glance (as always). Why is 'no bag, thanks' so hard to understand?

This could easily turn into a plastic vs. paper vs. reusable bag debate; the issue is much larger. Why are we drinking bottled water when the tap is usually cleaner and tastier? Why is it OK for you to throw your cigarette butt out the window of your car? Who needs to eat strawberries in the middle of January? Are we taking advantage of local recycling programs? Why do we need brand new cars every 4 years? Do you know what chemicals are in your [fill in the blank (shampoo, chicken, carpet, laundry detergent, etc.)]? When did shopping become a hobby? Why does a newlywed couple need a 4 bedroom house?

I believe that this issue boils down to the fact that 1. we have lost sight of wants and needs and 2. we have stopped thinking for ourselves and instead have come to accept the status quo.

We have become used to needing a lot of pointless stuff. We have also become used to getting what we want and therefore, somewhere along the line, convincing ourselves that we need it. I think that we as a society would greatly benefit from weighing our wants and needs and making sure that the two are in check.

I also think that we would greatly benefit from taking a long look at our current lifestyles and practices and deciding whether or not this is really how we want to live. When was the last time you asked yourself 'how is this made' 'what effect does this have on me' 'why do I want this' 'will I really use this'? We have fallen under the veil of consumerism and prosperity and have stopped living our own lives. Instead, we are puppets of TV commercials, the Joneses, housing bubbles, and the like.

What does this mean for me? How do I turn these thoughts into action? What about you? Are you stopping to think? Do you really 'need' everything you say you do? Is your life helping or hurting those around you and future generations?

Love it or Fix it

Here's a really great video from the folks at Good Magazine (great magazine! loved their food issue; chickens eating chickens!) about how most of our major problems today are related. High gas shortages, crazy weather, the weaker dollar, the higher cost of food. It really is mind blowing to think about how rapidly things around us are declining, and how short of a time it's been.

I can remember paying $0.75 for gas in the last 10 years... now the price has gone up over 500%! Farmers we know around here cannot believe the price they're getting for their corn. Definitely a good thing for them, perhaps not so good for the rest of the world. So check out this video. Perhaps look at the source page at the end for some further research. What are we going to do to fix this?

To idle or not to idle?

Interesting information I found today while traveling the Internets...

I have always wondered if I should turn off the car when waiting for something/one or if I should leave it on. According to this site, off is the way to go. This is good information in our current times of $4 (and rising) gas prices. Here's the Cliff's Notes version of the information...

If you're in a drive-through restaurant/business line or waiting for someone and you'll be parked and sitting for 10 seconds or longer... turn off your car's engine... For every two minutes a car is idling, it uses about the same amount of fuel it takes to go about one mile. Research indicates that the average person idles their car five to 10 minutes a day... The recommendation is: If you are going to be parked for more than 30 seconds, turn off the engine. Ten seconds of idling can use more fuel than turning off the engine and restarting it... An alternative to idling is to park your car, walk inside, do your business and then go back to your car.

Now about that time in high school when my keys were locked in my running car for at least 30 minutes...

Happy Earth Day!

It's Earth Day, of which I have several fond memories.


Every year at my lovely Montessori school we'd celebrate. We would get little trees to plant in our yard. One of my trees actually lasted for several years, until the suburban deer population got the better of it. The local news stations would come and we'd be on TV. "Kids who actually care about the earth!" and the like. Do kids celebrate Earth Day in school now? Kids these days...

So, what are you planning for Earth Day? I might get my porch vegetable garden started today, and we're definitely going for a bike ride to pick up trash in the neighborhood. Do something good for the Earth today, OK? OK!