GREENER THAN THOU? Let’s talk Stuff, Let’s talk Trash.

Yep - you read it right….I am asking - what is really and truly Green? Well, the answer as I see it - is - everything is relative…yep, ok , seems like an easy out to say this. But, after years of living Green, doing my own “Green thing” - and discovering my strong and weak points in the deal, it looks like we are each doing some things “Greener Than Thou” and other things are “Not so Green”…it is an individual style. We need each other to show the way.  Hey, this is not a contest, by the way - and “Greener Than Thou” is a sticky issue…who wants to be guilt tripped into doing stuff?  Into getting rid of stuff?  Into not buying stuff??  etc…anyway, I think it is fun to challenge myself about my sustainability options.  That works for me.

Anyway - back to the relative points of green, and how we are all made differently.   My recently ended relationship points this out immaculately. B____ has a terrible time recycling, he just can’t seem to get it - what is recyclable and what is not! I always became the “Recycling Police” and pulled weird stuff out of the Recycle bin, and also went through the trash finding lots of goodies that could be sent to the recycle center instead of landfill. I prided myself on a small bin of trash only every 3-6 months. Without me he is doomed… recently I looked into his garage to see a horrifying pile of “trash” that could mostly be separated and recycled or composted. I retreated before the urge to organize came over me.

But, at the same time - I was a shopper, I loved to get more STUFF!…could not dare go into Ross or Dollar Store or any other sale…would come out with some wonderful bargains of new cotton sheets or a beach towel, or even a pair of shoes that I ended up not wearing. (made in China?) Pathetic.

I stay out of stores, but that is not the point. We all are so used to having whatever we want, to buying things because we can afford them - we think that affordability and priviledge means it is “OURS” - like we own it, it is MINE - whatever we want as long as we pay for it. What I am trying to say is that the waters, the air quality, the resources that are being mined and extracted to give us these many “things” belong to everyone, belong - in fact - to the Earth herself, and just because I am wealthy and an American does not mean that i get to have it all…read George Carlin’s wonderful rant on STUFF.

The recent change in our mutual economic fortunes may give us all pause long enough to change some bad habits. Maybe we’ll slow down on our Stuff buying…Maybe becoming Green will be an economic necessity. In fact, really- people have not lined up for sustainable lifestyle in great hoards before now… we may be pushed to the new Green World kicking and screaming… our cold dead hands pried off the steering wheels of our SUV’s ( sales are way down for SUV’s - finally!!!)

Ok, this is a rant - I can tell by the punctuation.

If I were to write it in a succinct and intelligible manner, I would repeat the above, but - like this…

We cannot easily quantify the ecological impact of production, distribution, consumption & dump-tion of our consumer choices. How to make informed decisions? Green by Choice - not chance? This takes a team of researchers for every subject, every item. I believe that without merely “Green washing”, our Ecomania can be appeased by stopping and breathing deeply for a moment.

The dirty secret - is that NO purchase is better for the environment that anything you can buy - whether it is organic, or “reused” - esp if you tire of it and need to now pass it on or dispose of it. The dump-tion footprint is there eventually. But, you say - are we doomed to live in a cave eating with our fingers?

I for one, will probably not be willing to go there, being over a certain age and no longer finding enjoyment in sleeping on rocks. I doubt most of my friends would either. So, we make our compromises, find our strengths, encourage each other in ways that matter to us, and take encouragement from others when the strong point is in their favor. Slowly we wean ourselves from excess - from big cars, from lights left on in empty rooms, from shopping without a list, from impulse purchasing, from junk foods and imported beer. These are the small changes that will give us opportunity to take on bigger challenges, and not a moment too soon!

Atmospheric carbon is at an all time high. Turn off that air conditioner, and lie on the ground under the shade of an oak tree. Give thanks that that tree is standing. Simple acts will save us from the crazy thoughts of what is “Greener than Thou”?

If you need a booster to start undoing your STUFF additction - see the movie - “Trashed”

“Trashed” is a provocative investigation of one of the fastest growing industries in North America. The garbage business. The film examines a fundamental element of modern American culture…the disposal of what our society defines as “waste.” It is an issue influenced by every American, most of whom never consider the consequences. Nor, it seems, the implications to our biosphere. At times humorous, but deeply poignant, “Trashed” examines the American waste stream fast approaching a half billion tons annually.    

What are the effects all this waste will have on already strained natural resources? Why is so much of it produced? While every American creates almost 5 pounds of it every day, who is affected most? And who wants America to make more?

The film analyzes the causes and effects of the seemingly innocuous act of “taking out the garbage” while showcasing the individuals, activists,corporate and advocacy groups working to affect change and reform the current model. “Trashed” is an informative and thought-provoking film everyone interested in the future of sustainability should see.

STUFF! To Have or Have not…

Do you have a lot of stuff? Are you trying to find places for your “new” stuff, but are having trouble due to so much “old” stuff being in the way? Does dealing with your stuff take up a lot of your time? You have to get it, sort it, carry it around, find a place for it, clean it, and finally get rid of it! Notice that we hardly ever actually repair our stuff anymore. Except for cars and houses,most stuff is disposable, and in fact - becomes undesirable to have around due to the nature of the snazzy newer stuff that we would rather have…

Your stuff has a story.

The story of your stuff and my stuff starts with the Earth, the free bounty of which is extracted by someone who knows that you want more stuff. These natural resources- from iron for cars & stainless steel bottles to silver for jewelry and photos or trees reaped from precious forests to make paper & lumber are transported and transformed so that you can have your stuff.

Coal taken from dynamited mountainsides, oil extracted from threatened habitats are used as the energy needed to make the stuff we all consume.

The story of our stuff ends with waste–the stuff we tire of and eventually toss-the “waste stream”-which ends up in landfills, incinerators, or someone else’s backyard where they must deal with the messy, dangerous and deadly consequences of our wastefulness.

There are ways we can do better–for the planet and for our future.

I am currently very aware of my stuff because I am moving out of a home I stored stuff in for over 14 years! It is a big house, and somehow over time my stuff expanded to fill all the spaces allotted for stuff. I confess that much of the stuff is hard to get rid of. It might come in handy when I find my next house. It might even be original art, craft - or is certainly good looking & usually of very high quality. It is filled with history and indeed - has a story to tell. Yes,these are the reasons I am now packing dozens of boxes with my stuff. I am of course - not going to be like those people who rent a storage unit only to find that after 10 years they have not looked into those boxes, used much or even any of their stuff,and yet - must hold onto it!

Ok, so I don’t know how this will turn out - perhaps I will let you know later, or maybe I will be so embarrassed by my lack of ability to deal with these of piles stuff that I will never reveal what has happened to my boxes of stuff. What I do know - is that I began to NOT buy any more stuff several years ago. Somehow I found out I could do without more stuff. I have been wearing the same clothes and shoes, using simpler and older versions of techy stuff, fewer tools & kitchen stuff, and generally getting by without new stuff! Oh, yes - I fall off the wagon occasionally - especially when I smell the scent of a bargain or sale. But, I am a recovering Stuffaholic and want to hear your story too.
Starting today, you can rewrite the story of your stuff. Tell me what you have done to reduce your stuff, help me out here!
And - more importantly - let’s celebrate Earth Day together by not buying any stuff at all - Including gas for our cars. Now - that is a great way to begin making our future - a future beyond stuff.
Happy Earth Day!