I have been thinking of some green goals for myself and the family for 2008. Funny how one color can now encompass a large range of ideas.
One of the main ones is to reduce the amount of driving I do. I would like to have one car-free day a week as a goal. As I think of the environment, simplicity, frugality, and waste reduction, I quickly distilled out how much of an impact driving has.
I thought that when I drive I am consuming gas , polluting, sometimes going somewhere that involves consumption like the store,"entertainment", or food. Risk of impulse-purchases are high. Then there are the resources involved in packaging or getting goods home, and time involved. I know I must have missed a few impacts, but the simple act of driving really does impact a whole bunch of things. I think it would be nice to have a low-key day, to just BE with family instead of DOING with family, a Sabbath of sorts. I was convinced once I actually figured the impact:
One day of no driving per week=4 days per month= 48 days per year= about 1.5 months of no driving- at all-per year. I just gained a whole month and a half per year to spend on something other than driving and consumption.Any green goals for you in 2008?
2 comments:
We're experimenting with Greening our family as well. I was most intrigued with your reference to a sabbath - we've been exploring this, and I'm surprised what a counter-culture move it is, how hostile our world is to just. Stopping. It's been said that the Sabbath commandment is the only one that we brag about breaking.
I loved Wayne Muller's book "Sabbath" - it's given me a lot to think about.
We two also want to go GREEN this year. We are starting to take reusable bags to the supermarket. No more plastic flying around the streets. Recycle will save millions of pounds in the landfills. But we all must do more--so we will add more shades of green during 2008.
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