I'll admit, some days I wish I could turn off my brain, and not think about the environmental impact I an having. I wish I could just turn away when I see people doing wasteful things.
I decided to start a list of reasons why caring about the environmental can be frustrating, and often leads to downright anger.
Here is what I have so far. Please add more to the list in the comments area...
I decided to start a list of reasons why caring about the environmental can be frustrating, and often leads to downright anger.
Here is what I have so far. Please add more to the list in the comments area...
- Waiting for public transportation to arrive
- Scanning labels and reading the ingredients to see how many organic or vegan items are in the product
- Riding your bike in bad weather
- Carrying your recyclables around with you for hours until you find a place to recycle them
- Feeling guilty for throwing anything away
- Spending time breaking down items down to their smallest possible piece, so some of it can be recycled
- Spending time analyzing the pros and cons of products you have to buy, based on: materials, packaging, country of origin, distance from manufacturer, company background, certification, labor practices, etc.
- Repairing and mending clothing to get a few more uses out of them
- Searching for places that will recycle unique items that you can't bear to throw away
- Carrying your coffee mug and water bottle around with you all the time
- Making sure you don't forget your reusable bag when you leave the house
- Being cold in the winter with the heat low or off, and hot in the summer with the air conditioning low or off
- Feeling guilty about buying anything new
- Constantly turning down napkins, bags, papers/handouts, receipts, and other freebies
- Figuring out how to make a vegetarian meal at a restaurant, something other than a salad
- Sending special request for vegetarian/vegan meals for every event you attend
- Storing items in your house because you don't know how to properly recycle it
- Getting frustrated at the stupidity of people, especially politicians and your close friends
- Having to constantly explain the difference between carnivores, vegetarians, and vegans
- Explaining to people why they need to care, and getting a blank stare
1 comment:
Regarding using cloth napkins, real plates and cups during family gatherings...... comments such as 'are you doing that environmental thing and not using paper again?' 'It's easier if we use paper plates, now I have to help wash the dishes.' 'you have to use water to clean the dishes, how is that being ahead environmentally?'
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