As we close in on Earth Day 2007

As April 22^nd, Earth Day 2007 approaches, I’m giving some thought to what changes I’ve made and things I’m thinking about changing to reduce my footprint on the landscape. I'm also giving some thought to what I'd like for my birthday. I'd like to win that nifty Reware solar power juice bag from Ideal Bite. Alternatively, someone could just buy me one.

Selling Books

Once I’ve read them, off they go to half.com. The reasons are numerous.

1. The books get recycled.
2. It opens up space in my shelves and mind for new ideas.
3. I ride my bike to the post office to ship them off.
4. It generates income which will be used to offset the purchase of a more energy efficient refrigerator.

Green Authors

Regarding books, authors, and ecorazzi’s Authors can be green too column of April 19, 2007, another author to add to the list – Sara Gruen , author of Water for Elephants, Riding Lessons, and Flying Changes lives with her husband, three children, four cats, two goats, and a horse in an environmental community north of Chicago.

Those of us who realize the fastest way to make our voices heard, the strongest vote is how we spend our money will soon be considering making choices about what books to read, what movies to watch based on the environmental stand of the artists involved. We’ll be doing business with the stores who give credits for those of us who bring our own bags, reading books written by green authors, getting our hair done by stylists who ride their bikes to work.

Speaking of hair….. any idea how much those boxes of hair color contribute to landfills? I’ve not colored my hair in over two years now. Just for the sake of round numbers, let’s call it 24 months.

I formerly colored my hair every 6 weeks. In 24 months, that’s SIXTEEN glossy boxes, each containing two plastic bottles of synthetic, oxidative and petroleum based dyes (containing lead acetate) and hydrogen peroxide, a sheet of plasticized paper with plastic gloves bonded on the back.

Do I miss having each hair the same color as its’ neighbors? Not so much. In fact, I appreciate that I can swim in chlorinated pools without fearing that my hair will be a different kind of green, and not the good kind.

Lawn Solutions – my front lawn could be mailed with a .39 cent stamp, my thighs; not going to say, at least not in writing. Solution, an old fashioned push mower

Makes me look like a convict, but a green convict.

Transportation

Yesterday’s car miles – zero. Bike miles; about 12.5 with a funky derailleur , on a ride that included trip to post office to drop off books, CD’s, and DVDS, then to Mazzaro’s for picnic fare, followed by a trip back home to drop off said groceries, followed by a trip to the best bike service in the universe, ABC Bicycles to get said funky derailleur out of its’ funk. Rick fixed it up in about three seconds and gave me some tips to prevent reoccurrence. It’s likely the cable got knocked from its’ moorings when I was loading or off-loading Carol’s bike and my bike for our recent ride of Fort DeSoto.

Electricity

Another SIX light bulbs retired to storage by replacing them with CFL’s. Only the lights in the kitchen and dining room remain…. Rarely used, but still there, a grim reminder from the department of ‘WHAT WAS I THINKING!!!!’

Natural GAS It’s meter reading day! I anticipate a huge reduction in the gas bill, since I’ve turned down the thermostat on the heater, and washed in strictly cold water.

I’m doing all I can. Really.

Virtually Green Baby Showers and Life Partner/Bridal Showers

Imagine the benefits of hosting a virtual green baby shower. Those who are environmentally motivated would receive gifts they actually wanted, and the givers of the wonderful gifts would have an opportunity to learn something about products that had reduced negative impact on the environment. By hosting a virtual shower, you can include friends and family all over the globe.

Here’s how it works:

1. Have prospective adoptive – birth- foster parents, about to become life partners, or the bride and groom register online at websites that provide wishlists, like Shirts of Bamboo..
2. Send email invitations to the guests with the links to the wishlists. Let them know the time and date of the shower, and set up a room for instant messaging so they can participate in the activities.
3. Have one of the local guests bring a video camera to the actual event and put the video on the Internet for those who cannot attend. Alternatively, a camera attached to a computer could bring those from far away to the party itself.

For adoptive parents and those anticipating the arrival of babies, Shirts of Bamboo offers an adorable Onesie, baby blankets, hooded towels, socks, and beanies to keep little one's head warm.

For couples, towels, soaps, matching robes would make wonderful gifts to start a new life together.

For everyone, the benefit of reduced plastic shopping bags, wrapping paper, wasted gas to return duplicates or unwanted items.