Earth Day

OK. Sick little baby is now asleep... (Poor thing is mostly fine, but when she was "talking" this evening, she had this little smoker's voice that was cute and sad at the same time. She also needs some extra love, but her symptoms don't seem too bad. Her teacher today at daycare said she sneezed an enormous sneeze all over herself and cried out of shock, but that was only once.)

...leaving me time to right about EARTH DAY!

I get frustrated some times when pushed too much towards positive change because I feel I do what I can for the environment anyway, but lately I've been doing some new things that I'm proud of. So, though I didn't do these things FOR Earth Day -- I'm doing them for EVERY day, and for the future -- I'd like to share some things I'm proud of:

1. Taking A Stance
Here's an annoying story to share... last week there was a calendar meeting at the school that I was too sick to go to. On a scale of one to ten, the environmental consciousness at our school is about zero. So I wanted to go in order to get Earth Day on the calendar. I figured that would be a start towards some kind of programming. I could plan something for the whole school or just try to share ideas with other teachers to do in their own room. Hard to say. In any case, since I couldn't go, I called up a friend (a very well-respected friend) to push for it for me. When I told her my agenda, she laughed supportively but said, "Yeah, you and me, the two democrats of the school." I laughed back, but it left me feeling a little upset. Behaving responsibly in order to leave behind a planet for your children to live on strikes me as practical rather than political. But whatever... In any case, despite the fact that I've had some problems at the school in the past, and besides the fact that I feel as lonely on this as a polar bear on a drifting ice float, I'm ready to put myself out there. I just have to be careful how I do it. I don't want to piss people off or they won't take me seriously. So I'm starting small, such as...

2. Putting A Paper Recycling Box In My Class Room
I don't know what I'll do with it when it fills up. I've lived here almost two years and I still haven't figured out where to take it, but I guess once my trunk starts to fill up with used paper, I'll HAVE to find a way. In the meantime, my dad has made some helpful suggestions of how I can further investigate my problem, and, REGARDLESS, anyone who comes in my room, including the 32 kids who go through that room each day, will be impacted by the sight of this action.

3. (Shhhhh... On This, Or I Might Never Finish This, But...) Writing A Children's Book
I met a children's book author in shul with whom I discussed writing for awhile. She said I really ought to write children's books. People have said that to me for a long time, but somehow this is the first time where I really think it could work. I have a book in mind that I won't discuss here other than to say it's on an environmentally relavent topic. (I find talking about writing too specifically to be a surefire way to doom my plans.) So I've started a draft and have definitely been working through the ideas in my head. So far, it has actually proven to be rather difficult to write this.

4. Using gDiapers
I've already talked about that plenty. As for those of you who have asked how they're going... I still love them. I have considered buying a starter pack every time someone in our shul has a baby, but I'm a little afraid it would be a fruitless exercise.

5. Living In An Apartment
U. and I don't have a lot of choice right now, given the price of living in this area. But even though we've been ogling over owning a house someday, -- (George, can I feed the rabbits?) -- I'm feeling good right now about living in a place that takes up less space and is easier to maintain based on being part of something larger. There are a lot of us living in this building... a building that takes up the same size as some of the McMansions in the neighborhood that hold single families.

6. Avoiding Buying New Stuff
I have not pledged off buying new stuff, but I have been renewing my interest again in finding used rather than necessarily buying new. One helpful resource internationally is Freecycle.

7. Avoiding Plastic Bags
This one's harder than it should be. How often do I forget to get the old bags out of the trunk? But U. and I have agreed to TRY to ban future plastic bags from enterring our home. It really helps that we're BOTH trying to do this. Also, I've been collecting snazzy reusables by donating to COEJL, buying reusables at the store, etc. The advantage of having snazzy canvas ones is that people notice them whereas they don't notice you reusing old plastic ones. See number 1: I'm trying to stand out here.

8. Trying Really Hard To Turn Stuff Off
It just takes reminders now and then. But I'm shutting my computer off instead of putting it to sleep a little more often. Also turning off lights more. I've also heard the suggestion of unplugging power strips when they're not in use. It seems so small, but somehow I'm not quite up to it yet. It's hard to think of bending down to turn them on when they're wedged behind furniture and you know you have a baby with you.

9. Eating Cold Food For Shabbat
'Tis the season. Gazpacho, salmon and salads are plenty during the summer. No need to leave on hot plates, or even kitchen lights.

10. Buying Green Products
It's sometimes daunting to see the price of toilet paper made from recycled materials. So every time I buy TP or paper towels etc., I buy one package cheap and one recycled. Later I may just do the latter.

11. Buying Music Online
iTunes puts it right onto my computer. No CDs, no plastic, no waste, no nothing.

12. Buying Less In General
Or at least aspiring too.

13. Writing About All Of This Here
I know I'm doing more than everything above, but can't think what else to tell right now, and I suppose there is no reason I have to. There are plenty of lists out there already on the topic. Just none of them talks about what I am doing personally.

Just like nothing else talks about the wonderful daughter to whom I want to leave all of this lovely world as long as it's still lovely.