I couldn't let this day pass without blogging because what kind of environmentalist would I be if I didn't blog about ways we can be "green." I hate to be so cliche, but as Asian as I like to be, I really am a white on the inside.
Just glancing down the list of StuffWhitePeopleLike, I'm pretty sure I'm just as white as some of the Daughters of the American Revolution out there. Just this week, I've had coffee (#1) every day. On Monday, my bicycle (#61) was stolen. I've been to Whole Foods (#49) twice this week and will probably go tomorrow night. Today I drove my Toyota Prius (#60) to a specialty running store so I can get calf compression sleeves so I can continue training for my marathon (#27).
All of this to say: we should focus on #64 Recycling. This is what StuffWhitePeopleLike has to say about it:
Recycling is a part of a larger theme of stuff white people like: saving the earth without having to do that much.
Recycling is fantastic! You can still buy all the stuff you like (bottled water, beer, wine, organic iced tea, and cans of all varieties) and then when you’re done you just put it in a DIFFERENT bin than where you would throw your other garbage. And boom! Environment saved! Everyone feels great, it’s so easy!
The article gets much funnier after this portion, especially when it goes into the case study of what white people do when they think you don't recycle. You should read it. [ie. "Advanced white recyclers will uses these grocery bags as garbage bags."]
The truth is I do feel guilty about my wastefulness and the ways we are taking the earth's resources for granted. The other day, I was listening to NPR (#44 Public Radio) and they featured this author/environmentalist, Bill McKibben, who's book is titled Eaarth. He believes our planet is no longer the same planet we were born into, therefore, needing a new name. Here are some statistics he stated to demonstrate that Earth is now Eaarth:
The atmosphere holds about five percent more moisture. The oceans are about 30 percent more acidic. We just learned from NASA in the last couple of days that we've just come through the warmest 12-month period in history, the warmest winter around the world. 2010 is almost certain to be the warmest calendar year on record.
And here I thought global warming was over because of all the blizzards and snow storms we had this winter. I'm so confused...
I turn off the electric power strip my lamp, cell phone charger and Apple Products (#40) are plugged into whenever I leave for work for the day. I carry my reusable water bottle everywhere. I turn off the water when I'm shaving my legs, granted that doesn't happen very often. [Seriously, I just shaved because I noticed my leg hairs were starting to curl. Reason #429 why I'm still single!] What else can we do?!
Mr. Bill suggests that we all sign up to participate during his organization's, 350.org, Global Work Day on 10.10.10 so that all of our efforts on one day will make it clear to the world that we are ready to join Captain Planet and the Planeteers and combine our powers to plant a tree, install solar panels, bike to work, pick up trash and educate others on ways we can help Mother Earth get her groove back. So who's with me?
Let me just mark the date down in my moleskin planner (#122).
"It isn't pollution that's harming the environment. It's the impurities in our air and water that are doing it."
- Dan Quayle
- Dan Quayle
Haha I love this!! I guess I'm white too, even though Yoni tried to make me check "other" (for Jewish) on our census. Bikes, Whole Foods, Apple products,and Moleskin are a few of my favorite things too!
ReplyDeleteKathyLee: My campaign (trying to make kids not fat)has been involved in seven community events around being green, being healthy and saving our planet. The other night, I was nursing my overworked legs from putting on activities for thousands of children, and I thought that I probably drove more this month and used more gas from lugging around large banners and prize wheels than I would have in non-Earth Day months of the year. Made me think of A. Gore and how much petrol (and electricity for his multimedia presentations, AND paper he used for that one book about truths and inconvenience)he used to travel around and give his talks. Maybe it all has to do with idea of spending money to make money...like, you gotta pollute to make the earth more green.
ReplyDeleteGreat post by the way. I don't know if it's a good thing or bad thing that I find myself frequently associating with so many things white people like and living up to the coconut/banana stereotype of a minority who grew up in the burbs. Check out #130 Ray Ban Wayfarers in my FB pictures of New Zealand. Also reminds me of Corral Canyon Christmas Party 2005 (#118 Ugly Sweater Parties).