Commitment and Going Green

I am writing Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of this week no matter what. Then I'm going on a visit to N.C. Then, I may make a commitment to write next week too, we'll see. It may be three sentences or three paragraphs, with three readers or no readers but I will write.

I find it interesting, being St. Patricks Day, how many news programs and events have made this the day for "going green". As if the green of St. Patricks Day celebration and the green poster child color for environmental awareness had anything to do with each other. Though they don't, I think I am glad for the stretches people will take in encouraging the public to indeed "go green."

Congratulations Al, environmentalism is finally in vogue. Today The View gave us a show of "Eco-friendly fashions." Jeans made without pesticides, organic cotton tops, blood-free diamonds, and even handbags made from recycled candy wrappers (just don't take that purse out in the rain). Advertising is flooded with words like "organic" and "earth-friendly" and "green" because it sells. This months Readers Digest gave me a myriad of ways to lower my personal carbon emissions while easing my conscience of a few things that "don't make that much of a difference." There's one thing, strangely, that I haven't had anyone tell me yet. One little idea that seems to have evaded the public thought process.

Buy less stuff.

Huh.

Don't drive your car, even if it is a hybrid, to the mall every weekend. Don't buy another pair of jeans that were made in a large factory by an underpaid employee in another country and shipped to you in a big truck or plane. You don't need another pair anyway. Don't buy a mass copied piece of pre-framed printed "art" to hang in your living room. Save up and support a local artist. Don't eat out just because it's convenient. Eat something green in your own dining room. Just, buy less. It seems like a good idea to me.