Green Options

This debate has already taken so many faces, and been argued so many times, that I cannot hope to add much more to it.

But I’ll try anyway.

A new study published by the Journal of Consumer Research has found that many Hummer owners excuse their large, oft-unnecessary H1 and H2s by crying patriotism and quoting American ideals like individualism. So are Hummer owners the morally righteous in the debate of anti-consumerism versus over-consumption?

In a previous post, I listed five of the best things I think you can do in order to live a sustainable lifestyle — #6-10. Now, here is the top five list.

I wish this blog had a News of the Weird category.

You know BlogHer, right? It’s a huge community for what my Papa would probably describe as “lady bloggers,” with a web presence, an ad network for female-written blogs, and huge, popular, and influencial conferences every year (full disclosure: my personal blog is a member of the BlogHer ad network, and I love it).

So, 1) this conference in Chicago is women-centered. 2) It has a LOT of attendees, quite a few of them very influential in the blog world (and beyond…!). And 3) As at any big conference, there are a lot of companies who want to schmooze you.

Now, the BlogHer conference is about as baby-friendly as a conference on this Earth could be. Female bloggers often have children, ya know? And so, you are not going to beLIEVE(!) what Nikon did!

A comment on one of my posts last week gave me the idea of writing on the relationship between Christianity and the environment. Generally, when we think of this connection, many of us think about the “Religious Right” and their strong conservative beliefs and anti-environmental policies.

What is at the root of Christianity, though? Can anti-environmental language and beliefs be found in the Bible?

The Bible seems to proclaim that nature was made as it should be and is something that should be respected and protected. In Psalms 104:25,30, it is written: “In wisdom you made them all, the earth is full of your creatures. There is the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number - living things both large and small…. When you send your Spirit, they are created and you renew the earth.” The general spirit is one of positivity and love here.

This week Bill Maher’s “new rules” for America cover everything from the mysterious disappearance of bees, greed and health care, to climate change, war profiteering and Ronald Reagan.

I was particularly disturbed by a recent article in Newsweek. The magazine sat around my house for weeks (what parent has time to read a whole article?) until the article Tales of a Modern Diva caught my attention.

This story shared some shocking statistics about this generation of young girls, and their use of cosmetics that stopped me in my tracks. As a feminist and critic of the relentless media exposure most children face daily, I aggressively limit the amount of media my girls are exposed to. But ultimately, it will catch up with them, by way of their peers.

First of all, the whole idea that there is a reality show about the beauty industry of toddlers makes me nauseas (Toddlers and Tiaras on TLC). Add that to the fact that now there are actual spas for the girls and the preteen set, and I am tempted to take my girls and run for the hills in a hut with no Internet, TV and home schooling. In some ways, though, I might just be putting off the inevitable.

Here are a few statistics to consider from this article:

Australian musician Ben Lee brilliantly weaves daunting issues such as the global water crisis, religious intolerance, hunger, renewable energy and climate change into this catchy pop song. Lee has also been named one of PETA’s world’s sexiest vegetarians.

No one will find this post on any search engine. It’s not a snazzy or snappy title. Or a timely news item. But that’s okay.

My husband and I just went into the basement and to put all the kid’s presents in bags and label them.

During the process we both stopped and had to give each other pep talks. That’s because we took turns freaking out.

There aren’t that many presents! Only a handful for each and some little things for the stockings. Are we bad parents? Are we depriving our kids? Of course we want to shower them with all good things!

When the you’ve grown up in the 80s, and you’ve seen too much media, piles and piles of presents under the tree are burned in your retinas. Normal Rockwell paintings, or Maxwell House coffee commercials. Happy, shiny faces surrounded by mountains of gifts. Even if we fight it, even if it doesn’t fit in with our life philosophies, we still doubt ourselves in our decisions. At least that is what we did.

Did we do enough for them? Will they feel enough love and happiness?

There is a simple life cycle for recycled goods: the things you place out in the recycling bins are picked up, recycled, and then resold to you as something new. Your old phone book, newspaper, and paper bag comes back as a cardboard box to ship Christmas presents off in. Yet, with the economic decrease and consumerism dropping is that cutting into the cycle of recycling? Should we be spending more money and consuming more goods to keep recycling going?

Should we consume more to recycle more?

That is the basic premise of an interesting article on NPR - Recycling Industry Slows As Consumers Shop Less. The story shares how one man in the recycled fibers business is seeing declining profits. As fewer people shop there is a lower demand for the packaging boxes made from recycled products.

When giving gifts for the holidays, we try to follow a couple of guidelines.

Homemade or hand-made items always outrank mass-produced. If we have to buy something that is mass-produced, we go to an independent business, not a chain, because spending our cash locally makes a difference in our communities. We try to think of others who aren’t as fortunate as us, so organizations that teach and help people to sustain themselves get our vote.

I’d like to share my list of 6 gifts that make a difference. Maybe you’ll see something that calls to you as a gift for that someone that has everything.

Heifer International

Heifer’s mission is to end hunger and poverty while caring for the earth. For more than 60 years, Heifer International has provided livestock and environmentally sound agricultural training to improve the lives of those who struggle daily for reliable sources of food and income. And since 1944, we have helped 48 million people through training in livestock development and livestock gifts that multiply.

You can give the gift of honeybees, a goat, a llama, or a flock of ducks to a family or community in need. These gifts aren’t charity, they’re an investment in people and villages all over the world.

The last couple of weeks a realization has hit me… when I don’t go into stores, I want for little (this goes for wanting to buy things for my children). Our lives are full, we all have what we need and more. As Christmas approaches I have ventured out into the stores on a few occasions and BAM! “Oh, the kids would like this and that… isn’t that pretty… this would look great on the table…”

Commercials seem to have this effect on my kids, when they get to watch television they suddenly want EVERYTHING. There is nothing I see advertised that I then think, “oh, I want that”. For me, its a touch and feel kind of thing, which is why I also don’t do much online shopping.