Having to spend each day the color of the leaves
When I think it could be nicer being red or yellow or gold
Or something much more colorful like that
The idea of a “green” society is compelling, but easier said than done. We are all so accustomed to the horn of plenty that we have been living in for the past 40 years that it’s hard to accept that ours is a lifestyle that is increasingly unacceptable to the rest of the world. It seems you blend in with so many other ordinary things
And people tend to pass you over
Socially unacceptable because many have so little while a few have so much, but economically unacceptable too as the world’s resources are being depleted. Kermit the frog was right. It ain’t easy. Pursuits that are worthwhile never are.Cause you’re not standing out like flashy sparkles in the water
Or stars in the sky
Look at all the lists that are put out about how to "live lightly" and how to "reduce your carbon footprint" .Some of these suggestions seem pretty obvious; others make you slap your head and say, “Why didn’t I think of that?” Well, most of us don’t think.
But green’s the color of Spring
And green can be cool and friendly-like
We live our life emulating King Sisuphus of Greek Mythology. (He pushed a rock up a mountain every day, and at the end of each day, it rolled back down.) Sound familiar? We can get stuck in a loop that’s hard to break. We do the things we do because we’ve always done them that way. We’re on auto-pilot. And green can be big like an ocean
Stop!
Reconfigure!
Today is when everything that’s going to happen from now on begins! Before you go to work tomorrow consider these ideas:
Take a shower rather than a bath. (I haven’t bathed in years!…hehehe.)
Buy clothes from thrift stores. It’s fun.
Use biodegradable cleaning products. biodegradable cleaning products"
(Thanks to Mike Andruczyk, VCE-Horticulture Agent for the City of Chesapeake for this link!)
Avoid clothes that need to be dry cleaned.
Buy recycled products.Run the dishwasher only when it’s full.
Turn down your thermostat.
Take public transit.
Bike or walk to work.
Carpool.
Drive more slowly.
Or important like a mountain
While you are at work try some of these:Send emails instead of letters.
Convert to PDF for paperless document sharing.
Scan documents instead of copying them.
(The more you do online, the less paper you need.)
Print on both sides of the page.
Reuse your binders and folders.
Use misprints as notepads.
Encourage employees to use payroll direct deposit.
Use Instant Messaging or video conferencing.
Use natural daylight as a free source of lighting for the office.
(It has been proven to improve worker productivity and satisfaction.)
Add plants to your office.
Or tall like a tree
It’s lunch time. Did you do any of these?Bring lunch to work in a reusable container.
Grow your own vegetables or buy local produce.
Do not buy foods containing genetically modified organisms.
Say NO to GMO's!
Break the bottled water habit, use a mug or glass. Drink tap water.
It could make you wonder why
But why wonder why?
The afternoon rolls by:You see that many tasks are still undone. You may begin to wonder where all the time went. Take some comfort in knowing that scientists studying the Earth’s motion say that the planet has been spinning faster in recent years, and thus the days ARE shorter. It’s not you.
I am green and it’ll do fine.
It’s time to leave for the day! Did you remember these?Switch off lights you don’t need.
Unplug machines when not in use.
It’s beautiful!
Now before you pull in your driveway, swing by the library and check out some books!READ, RETURN, REPEAT
And I think it’s what I want to be.
Books on RecyclingSneaky green uses for everyday things by Tymony, Cy
Don't throw it out by Baird, Lori
Re-creative: 50 projects for turning found items into contemporary design by Dodds, Steve
High tech trash by Grossman, Elizabeth
Redux: designs that reuse, recycle and reveal by Roberts, Jennifer
Taking out the trash: a no-nonsense guide to recycling by Carless, Jennifer
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