Seven Evil Ways I Harm the Planet
November 18, 2007 by Jennifer
A while back at the b5media forum we got to talking about baby wipes. I don’t love them because there are better greener, non-toxic alternatives such as plain washcloths and water. Then the topic moved somehow to why it’s hard to be green.
It wasn’t a long conversation but Shai; one of the b5media team members got me thinking about how no one can be green all the time. Frankly, you’d have to a hermit in a cave to achieve perfect eco-sensibility and as I’ve mentioned before simply by being born you’ve used too much energy and you can’t take that back.
I’ve gotten emails from people asking me how I find all this green stuff so easy. I don’t; green is hard. We all get frustrated when trying to go green and we all have things we could do better. There are a lot of die-hard green resources out there and when everyone looks so nice and green (Tree Hugger comes to mind) it’s easy to say that green has too many expectations. I hate when people give up trying to go green because they can never live up to someone else’s standards. Don’t be the person who gives up.
I’ve been told that I have crazy green standards. Not true.
Honestly, I think I have reasonable green standards. In case you think my standards are impossibly high I thought I’d share some of the ways I am currently evil to the well-being of the planet.
- I forget to recycle toilet paper rolls. My recycling is not in the bathroom and I just forget. I try not to but I have thrown some toilet paper rolls away this year. They add up.
- I LOVE coffee. My local grocery store does not sell Fair Trade so I have to drive a bit to get some. If I happen to run out of Fair Trade coffee and I’m on a writing deadline then I will run quickly to the store and grab some plain old coffee. I always feel bad, yet I do drink it.
- I like cherry Pepsi. Do you know how toxic this junk is? Seriously. It takes all this energy and chemicals to make this crap and I will drink it sometimes.
- I own both an obscene amount of books and art supplies. We unschool so we do use the art supplies and books but we could cut down.
- Twice I got really frustrated with all the junky little toys that people give Cedar — like happy meal toys, cereal toys, and so fourth. He didn’t want them so I gathered them all in a bag and threw them out. I didn’t try to recycle them, give them away, or anything I just threw them out. Twice.
- I don’t always use recycled ink cartridges because I don’t think they work as well — I did a test and it’s true but still what’s more important the planet or me being picky about ink.
- This is really bad and almost too embarrassing to admit but for the sake of this post I’ll say it… I own a can of… Raid. Yes. Raid. Do you know why. I am deathly afraid of spiders.
So deathly afraid that once when I was 12 years old my mom and siblings went to the beach but for some reason I stayed home. While they were gone I saw a spider in my bedroom — a big hairy brown Oregon spider. I ran down the hall and to the living room and basically curled up waiting for someone to come home and save me. The whole time I thought the spider was coming for me. It’s irrational but that’s how I am. I’m still like this.
When I had roommates or lived with my ex I had back-up. Now I live alone with just my son. He’s no help so if I see a spider I have no choice but to stand really far away and spray it dead. Truth is, even getting close enough to spray them gives me an almost heart attack. I’ve tried to use a vaccum cleaner with a long hose but I always think the spider is still in there and will climb out. Nothing works.
Raid is my biggest green sin. I’m completely against it and what’s in it. It’s evil — like me when I use it.
Now, am I really evil. I doubt it. Can people help the planet even if they fail to be perfect? Yes, absolutely. Even though I may do some things that are less green I will still talk all day long about living more eco-sensibly because I do know about green issues and I do care about them. Do you think that makes me a hypocrite? Maybe you do.
My point is, that in today’s world, with all that we have, all the temptations, even the greenest green eco-talking people have a few sins up their sleeve.
What’s one of your eco-sins? How bad do you feel about it and does it make you think twice about supporting green living efforts?
None of us have to be perfect, but all of us have to do a lot better. We have to save ourselves and the planet for future generations. If that means we move into smaller houses and plant more trees, so be it. If that means we can stop and think “do I need this” before buying, we’ve all taken a step.
Your can of Raid isn’t going to hurt anyone but a few spiders.
Jennifer, maybe you can try the spider relocator http://www.progressivekid.com/shop/InsectRelocation.aspx if you dare to get close enough!
I feel guilty using paper cups in the muffin pans when I bake muffins. If I don’t do it the pan gets yuckier and more difficult to clean. So, I abuse trees for the sake of a neat muffin pan. I do feel guilty about this.
Also, I don’t use recycled TP.
Peggy, try the silicone muffin cups..they are awesome.
Jennifer…I am sorry you are not perfect. I may decide not to take over the word with you, after all.
Kate ~ perfect point. I think I try harder in other areas because I do have flaws. Maybe flaws are good that way.
Peggy ~ The only way that spider catcher would work for me is if I tied it to he end of a long broom; and then how would I get the cap on? I would be terrified. Also, Marye’s silicon muffin cups are amazing! You will love them. I’ll try to find them and post them here.
Marye ~ Too bad. I will have to take over the world with someone less amazing. Hmmm, who should it be? Maybe I should interview people.
No..don’t I take it back…I grok you. and believe me, there aren’t many people shoved in THAT closet.
by the way,
::whispering:::::::
when I am having a chocolate craving and I can’t get fair trade…umm…I don’t care where it comes from as long as it is chocolate….
AND
remember, I have 8 kids which is totally not environmentally friendly.
AND…
:::don’t tell anyone::::
I use chemical fire ant killer named orthene..nasty awful stuff but it is the only thing that kills those darn fire ants.
wow..I feel so much better now…thanks.
I grok you too! I could never really take over the world with anyone else. Orthene is bad but I can’t talk and fire ants do suck so…
We own way too much stuff, and I have a hard time getting rid of things so they’re usually in storage until they’re worthless to pass on to anyone anyway.
To my credit though, this is something I’m trying very hard to tackle. We just made a skirt for my dd, for instance, out of an old winter jumper we’ve used for each of our children. (Actually she kind of made it on her own … and then I helped fix it. lol)
Wow. Thanks for sharing this. My list will probably be a lot longer than yours. But, I guess, as we talked about – a little green is better than NO green at all. But, hopefully, we can get better and better as more and more people become aware of sustainability or ‘greener’ options.
Hey Hil; I read in a simple living book once that if you put an item in a box and don’t need it, use it, or remember what it is after six months to a year you feel better about giving it up. It’s true. It works pretty well. I like to keep stuff too. Luckily I don’t buy much but once I have it I hate to part.
Hi Shai; that conversation got me thinking and once someone called me perfectly green in an email and it sort of freaked me out — no one is perfect so I figured I’d post it. I agree too; now that more ‘green’ is out there people can do more to help. Thanks for visiting.
Hey Jennifer. I used to have a problem with the TP rolls. You know what I did. I got a teeny tiny garbage pail (like $2) for each bathroom and it sits next to the regular garbage. Now, when we change the roll (while we’re still sitting, lol), we just toss it in the bin next to the toilet.
I am so green it’s not even funny. That said, I own Lysol spray, Jyle drinks lots of coffee AND… I use plastic utensils on occasion (when we are so busy and tired that we cannot even think of doing dishes).
You better send me one of those devil pics ’cause, well, I’m evil
What’s up soul mate. You know what; after this post I did get a little box and set it in the bath. Ha, are you shocked — great minds I tell you. Lysol is very evil though. For your birthday I will send you an evil shirt. I know a good one. Kisses! And as always thanks for coming by.
Ha ha ha!!!!! That is hilarious! My husband told me that you had quite the week. I hope things have settled down for you. Hugs and kisses!
Hey did you ever hear of the Patty Duke Show? I think we are Cathy and Patty, lol.
Wait; I thought Cathy and Patty were opposites? Lib is my opposite soulmate remember. Also, if I had to choose girls to base my opposite life on I’d pick Sharon and Susan from the Parent Trap. My sister and I spent an embarrassingly large amount of our youth singing, “Let’s Get Together” to each other and to everyone else. We loved that movie. We need role models who are more alike. Hmmmm… You know I can’t think of anyone like that. I guess just don’t make us the Olsen twins.
Cathy and Patty are different but identical!!!! I write about Idols and Beyonce, you write about Hippies and Tree hugging – but we’re the same anyway
Let’s get together, yeah yeah yeah, why don’t you and I combi-ine? – Love the Parent Trap, lol.
The Olsen twins? *shudders*