Earth Friendly

No doubt I'll be accused of being a tree hugger after this post.
I'll have you know I only hug trees if they look especially sad. And never maple. They're sticky, not to mention a little sappy.
Get it?
Heh. Sorry.
Ok, moving on...

While I'm not a tree hugger or a member of PETA (heaven help us) I do believe that we have a responsibility to take care of our earth and all its inhabitants. Not, of course, at the expense of human life or essential livelihood, but simply because taking care of the earth makes good sense!

There are tons of little ways you can make a contribution. And there is no way I'm espousing the "It's Easy Being Green" doctrine that's so popular. As Taylor's newspaper The Echo pointed out, even Kermit could tell you that's a lie. What they usually mean is "It's The Latest Fad to be Green". It's NOT always easy to be earth friendly; sometimes it requires a little extra thought but I think it's definitely worth it.
Here are some little ways I try to do my part.

-If I'm not buying much at the store I either bring my own bag or just carry my purchases. Obviously not going to work for major grocery trips. ;-)

-Eating vegetarian a couple meals a week is not only healthy it reduces the amount of animal product waste, which really adds up. Of course, I'm vegetarian all the time but I know a lot of people can't handle it. Just remember, vegetarian does not mean boring. Spaghetti, rice dishes, casseroles... lots of good stuff out there!

-I try to cover all my errands in one trip and I'm likely to cart one or two of my friends around at the same time. Plus, with the price of gas fluctuating, this is also a good money saver.

-Try out some earth friendly soaps. Hand soaps, shampoos and detergents often contain harsh chemicals which are bad for your body and also bad for the water. I like Beauty Without Cruelty's Lavender shampoos. I'm not gonna lie, sometimes these options can be a little more expensive, but it is a good option if you can manage it a couple times a year.

-You heard it on Sesame Street first. Don't let the water run longer than you have to. Same for electrical appliances, or lights. Lamps are better than overhead lights.

-Buy organic foods every once in awhile. I love it because I can support local farmers, and the fruit is generally fresher. Also, they're less likely to use pesticides.

See? That wasn't so bad. I didn't even ask you to buy a wind turbine or solar panels. But hey, if you feel so led I won't stop you. ;-)

There will probably be more on this later, but I'm feeling a tad brain dead. Love!

'Quel