This blog was started, and is intended to illustrate that environmentalism happens through small acts, is not difficult, and that it does not always have to be some big life changing event that forces you to live in the tree tops with no electricity. All that being said, one of my small acts was to start this blog to gain some friends to help me save the world.

Thursday, May 14, 2015

My Drought, Your Drought

Yes, yes, I know I am on a "break", but bear with me just had to get a little something off my chest.
Look, we all know I am no saint, even on a good day I am still in constant contact with the dark side (like my little Star Wars reference).  But I do get one thing, that the environment, for good or bad, is not mine, or yours, it is not a possession.  Yet my well-being is directly connected to the well-being of the planet’s environment.  So if I am experiencing a drought, I know all my neighbors and friends are as well.  This is why it bothers me when I read stuff online about the drought in my area and how it is affecting only individuals.  I am baffled when I hear people talking only how the drought affects them.  People seem more worried because their grass looks bad, or they can't wash their car, or the best one where will I get my avocados, geez wth!  Look dude, who cares about your grass, or your car, be grateful you have either shouldn’t your concern be as a human we need water to LIVE!  And if you are so worried about your produce grow your own.  This drought is man-made and will require big man-made (go with it, people did not flow here) actions to even attempt to fix it.  But if we all remain so self-centered and unwilling to change our comfortable lives it won't happen.  Yeah this blog has always been about small actions being done by a lot of people to make big change.  So turn the water off when you wash your hair, do not shower every day, and the always powerful if it is yellow let it mellow.  These are all very small actions, so don't make them a big deal.  We are all a little too comfortable sometimes and forget that half of the world's population (which 1/2 is still in the billions) do not have access to water, and when we are asked to reduce how much we water we use we have the nerve to complain about grass.  What is wrong with this picture?  Sorry this drought is bothering you but guess what it is affecting all of us, and it is because of people who refuse to change.  So I will say it again, do not get overwhelmed with the big picture, work on what you can do.  You are one person, but one person can do so much.  Turn off your water.  For me it always helps me to remember how lucky I am to have access to water, or a dishwasher (which is only run full, very full), or a washing machine (also run very full).  Thinking of others can motivate our own actions to go a little further sometimes (and like I said at the start I am far from perfect so don't start painting the saint Charlotte picture, because that ain't real).  We are all in this together, which can be a comfort or a freaking nightmare, depending on how you look at it.

The last thing I am going to say (yeah right I thought I was on a break too) is think outside the box.  People are looking for ways to save water and it might not always involve your tap and faucet.  Think about what you buy, is there a ton of packaging in or on it? Did that packing require water to make it? Can I not buy it (scary source reduction)?  Yes you can, look at that you are an official drought helper.  Or give up meat for a few days a week. Those veggies and fruit are getting a bad rap right now because they require water, but think of how much water it takes to raise a cow that will be used for beef.  Just saying, it is OK to think outside the box.  I know we can do it.  I will get off of my soap box now. Please have a super terrific Thursday!

Also wanted to share a great article.  Enjoy!


Thursday, March 26, 2015

Few Announcements

Many happy greetings to all. I wanted to briefly discuss a new conservation effort I have recently started to practice.  Pretty sure that I have mentioned that where I currently live there is a major drought.  So not letting myself get too overwhelmed my the macro big picture I thought about what I could do on the micro small picture level to help conserve water.  I do all the required actions and some non required.  I recycle as much water as I can and conserve where I can.  But I found a new way that actually makes me feel like I am really helping.  Disclaimer this may be old news to some folks, but in my house this is a new one, so bear with me.  Anyway we know not to run the water while brushing our teeth, we know to water certain things at certain times of the day, keeping showers short, but what about taking that last one (the shower thing) one step further.  I do keep showers short, and only when needed (I know some that might cringe at that thought), but what about turning off the water during your shower when you are washing you hair?  As I mentioned you may be steps ahead of me and doing this already, just go with it.  I feel like it really helps save some water.  I was skeptical at first, what if the water gets cold and I freeze to death when I turn in back on?  But that has not happened (at least as of yet).  Yet another example of a super small action that can really help.  It is super easy, the water is off for mere seconds, but what a great way to conserve.
It is, like I have said many times before, that you have do to something, doing nothing is not an option.  And this is an option that is so undisruptive to our daily lives.  I am not telling anyone to not shower, but rather just turn off the water for a bit while you do shower.  It is always hard for people to do extreme things, for example before I started doing this I had proposed the idea of just not washing our hair at all.  That was quickly shot down, probably too extreme of an idea for this family at this time.  So I was happy to compromise, did some research and found this idea and ran with it.  Remember we do not all have to go live in the tree tops to show that we want to help.
So that part of the post was the first announcement, this part of the post is the second announcement (hence the title few announcements). So as many have noticed I have taken an unofficial break from the blogging.  I am announcing that I am hereby making it official.  Although I still love this blog and believe very firmly in all the words that I have expressed on it, I, at this point in time, am going to take a break. As schedules, priorities, and responsibilities change we mere mortal humans must adapt and change with them, which is what I am doing (sort of).  I hope to come back to it one day very soon.  When I can really kick my butt into high gear.  Until that time I hope that everyone out there who has read this blog, and all those who do not, will start saving the world one day at a time.  We need to make sure that everyday we pass along some peace and love towards each other and the planet.