I know I've discussed this in the past but, as part of the Green Moms Carnival, this month we are posting about our eco-confessions. Things that we indulge in that, well, aren't exactly eco-friendly. It's being hosted by Jenn at The Green Parent so get ye over there on June 24th and check out all the self-flagellations.To start, just like Diane, we still get the NY Times and a bunch of magazines. So, sue me. There's just nothing that can complete with the printed word. Sure, I'm covetous of the Kindle and it's a heck of a lot easier to read than previous electronic devices, but honestly I hate reading anything substantial online. Maybe that's why my posts are always kinda short.
Like Micaela, I still drive instead of bike and, also like Lisa, I indulge in using plastic produce bags rather than my cloth produce bags. My kids and Karen both have an affinity for tape. And I let them. Hey, it's better than drugs.
Similar to the other Lisa, I drink way too much coffee and eat way too much chocolate. But, what else are you going to do when the skies are dark gray 10 months out of the year? At least this year I'm growing my own tea bush. As for Eco Burban Mom, I'm all down with the soft, lotiony tissues when someone is sick. I just make up for it later with the scratchy, recycled kind.
And, I'll throw in the following for good measure: I don't save my shower warm-up water anymore, the clothing line has gone north for the summer, I've temporarily switched back to an anti-perspirant instead of the Rock, and I don't pee on my plants as much as people attribute to me. But, the rest has remained the same and I still do more rather than less.
What about you? What are your guilty non-eco-friendly pleasures?
Update: Ack! I just realized that the reason why the title of my post sounded so darn familiar is because it's the name of a book I started reading a while back: Confessions of an Eco-Sinner: Tracking Down the Sources of My Stuff! Sorry Fred...
24 comments:
Okay, off topic, but is that book good? And is it light reading? I'm looking for fun stuff now that exams are almost over....
Um... food! I eat way more than my share to be sustainable. And I'm not a vegetarian. And I love taking delicous local produce and turning it into pie. If you couldn't tell by all my posts (and my hips).
WHAT!! You don't pee on your plants everyday? You're not the green superhero I thought you were! (Kidding of course)
I'm just on a different wavelength than the eco bloggers these days, it seems, and I pointed out some of the reasons why here.
Moving in different directions.
Like Ruchi, is that book any good? And can I get it on my Kindle . . .
Okay, I have to say I'm a little disappointed about the lack of peeing on plants. My son loves to pee outside and I convinced my husband it was green because you do it. Aaargh.
I drive everywhere. Oh, and I eat a lot of chocolate. I'm choosing more organic and fair trade, but it still comes from halfway around the world.
You do what you can, and try not to drive yourself too crazy with the rest I say.
Our family flies to Mexico almost every year (to visit family - so at least it's not a hedonistic tourist trip). We drink coffee and eat bananas. We have a 10 cylinder gasoline pick up (farm truck). Now I really want to list all the things I do right to assuage my eco-guilt.
I do lots of eco-sins and remain aware of them so that I can look for better solutions (which I often find in places like this site, so thanks!) that don't make day to day life overly stressful.
Since you mention one of your sins: one thing I've been doing right for years, for not always the eco reason, is using handkerchchiefs instead of tissue. They just work better, and they are easier to transport as well. I have allergies and a chronically runny nose. They don't scratch like recycled tissue, and are easier to use on an itchy nose as well. I have collected enough over the years that I don't need new ones, but when I run across them at estate sales I pick them up, because I don't know where to find them in a store!
Banana - tons of bananas.Driving. And, most shameful of all, paper towels. My husband LOVES them, and buys them when I refuse. Oh yeah, and a kid who goes around leaving all the lights on all the time.
I keep forgetting to bring my cloth bags to the grocery store. This produces a huge amount of eco guilt. And I have never peed on a plant in my yard.
Some things just can't be local and make life too nice to live without...like GOOD wine, avacados, and really overly delicious and smelly french cheese.
My eco-sins.... where do I start?
Well, for one, my looonnnng showers. I take 25-30 minute showers. NOTHING, and I mean NOTHING feels better than just standing in the hot shower, taking my sweet time washing myself. I've tried cutting my showers short, but I really can't. It's my me-time, and it helps me wake up and prepare for the day.
We also eat a lot of bananas around here.
And..... plastic produce bags.
I can't top what Mindful Momma said haha! That's just funny. I will have you know because of your "golden showers" my husband now always asks if I need him to "water" my plants. Thank you for that. ;)
It's been quite awhile since my last confession. Mine is that my husband is a HUGE consumer, uses as many plastic bags as he can, doesn't recycle, and would use a roll of paper towels a day if i bought them. WTF? My whole being revolves around treading lightly upon the Earth, and he's negating anything good I do? Any suggestions? He thinks it's all crap:-(
KeenBeen - try hankettes[dot]com . They ARE made in Canada but you may find that your local eco-supply store carries them.
I confess, to, I am a driver and my showers are just way too long.
And for using either poor punctuation or spelling. I couldn't tell after I reread that post. Sigh.
I drive an SUV and my husband drives a pickup. I am not vegetarian. I drink tea. I like hot showers. I buy A LOT of books - I really should get a kindle.
Carly, thanks for the referral for hankies! I have been wanting some!
Probably the least sustainable thing I do is spending hours and hours in front of a computer screen instead of getting out into the world that I say I want to protect.
I did have an opportunity yesterday to spend the morning weeding at a creek restoration project in Berkeley. And today, I'm sore. Is that pathetic or what?
Wow, I am just shocked, shocked...Seriously, I am surprised that you use soft cotton tissues. There are some Green bloggers out there that I just put in the category of "Saint." Beth from Fake Plastic Fish is one. Diane MacEachern is another. And so are you (or you were...) Just joking! Thanks for the always entertaining post.
Great timing ... my daughter has a nasty cold and I finally confessed to her, "I have a box of Puffs With Lotion downstairs that I will open so your nostrils don't bleed." Now she is running around saying, "Puffs are wicked cool!!"
Seriously, why doesn't Seventh Generation or somebody make a super squishy but recycled tissue for sick days?
I think between driving and using way too much water, I've eco-sinned my way into eco-purgatory... I wonder if my eco-unsins can make up for forgetting to turn off the soaker hose on a regular basis, my love for a long hot bath, and my larger-than-need-be car...
--Erika
Yup, I'm right there with you on most of these confessions!
Tape! My girls love it too. You have to pick your battles. You know what else? Markers. Markers have a short life in my house, and they are plastic and awful and thrown away. Ugh!
http://www.non-toxickids.net
ever so pleased to find a kindred tape fan, I tell you there's simply no other way my "things" would make it down my treacherous victorian stairs into the moving van unless they were ever so taped up into a box!
Post a Comment