Monday, April 21, 2008
Owning up
I've got an itch for change, man. I can feel it when I'm wasting away in my cubicle, I can feel it when I'm sitting in my car for (at least) two hours a day on workdays, I can feel it when I spend $30 a week filling up my gas tank and telling myself that I can't feel outraged at the price because I know -- I KNOW -- that I'm fucking contributing to the problem. I can feel it when I'm at the store surrounded by cheap plastic crap, I can feel it when I'm grocery shopping and everything just seems so over-lit and sad. I can feel it when I'm sitting here bitching instead of making things happen.Awhile back Maven wrote some great stuff on her blog about making ethical choices, about how "cheap" does not equal "fair," nor does "easy" equal "right." I've been thinking a lot about this lately, about how my own decisions don't always come from a thoughtful place. Mostly I've been thinking about my choices as a consumer. It can be so simple for people whose lives are dominated by a major source of time-and-energy-suckage like an intense job or, in my case, a baby, to tell themselves crap like "Dude, I am way too overloaded to worry about [insert issue here] now." But seriously? For me anyway -- if I've got two hours to stalk the popular kids from my high school on Facebook, I've got five minutes to do a google-search on the company that manufactured the chicken in this here sammich I'm cramming in my mouth.
Here's what I want to do better, spelled out here on the interwebs so you all can hold me accountable. Feel free to unload your own pretty baggage in the comments if you're so inclined:
1. Eliminate the waste. Like, how hard is it to shell out ten bucks for some reusable grocery totes at Trader Joe's? Apparently pretty tough since I haven't done it yet, and every time I go to Jewel I end up leaving with about 30 half-empty plastic bags of groceries. Right now we're using our massive stockpiles of said bags to pick up dog-doo, but I know that there are biodegradable baggies we can buy for the same purpose. No more excuses. This week I start bringing my own grocery bags.
2. Stop feeding shit to my family. I'm not talking about shit as in junk food; I will always dangle potato chips and chocolate cake in front of my child. That's just the way I roll. I'm talking about shit as in meat from dubious sources, cheese and eggs and milk of unknown origins, boxed products made by companies called, like, "Sav-a-bunch" (so cheap, they can't even afford the "e"). Buy more organic and suck up the extra cost -- it's not that much more, we're privileged enough to be able to afford it, know that it's worth the extra money to eat well. Know where your food comes from whenever possible. Buy local. I've already researched the farmer's market in New CollegeTown Home and found a couple of farms where we can buy beef and pork. This is a challenge for me. I was raised on coupons and sale-shopping. A work in progress. I want to feel better about what I am eating and who my grocery dollars are supporting.
3. Don't necessarily buy less -- just buy smarter. Buy handmade when you can. I have become obsessed with Etsy. I want to fill up Cletus' new playroom with beanbags and soft balls and rag dolls and homemade wooden puzzles. And I want to fill up my own room with vegan lotions and adorable toiletries bags. Hey, and by the way, if any of you want to carry around one of the most fabulous handmade bags you've ever seen, you should stop by my friend Robyn's Etsy shop. Her handbags are gorgeous and functional -- I have one and I am always getting compliments on it:
Or if you're buying toys, try this little wood shop in Austin, TX. I visited the store on my last trip to see my close friend who lives in Austin, and ever since I've been accumulating blocks and push toys and puzzles for Cletus. It's a real mom-and-pop operation -- they make the toys right there in the shop, their stuff is ridiculously affordable for the quality, they're super nice and helpful, and they ship!
I realize that this has somehow turned into a commercial of sorts, but I'm enthused! Share my enthusiasm!
Also part of #3 on my list is: buy used. I'm one of those psychos who troll CraigsList first thing in the morning. And now I've discovered Freecycle, which is taking over my life one grocery-sack-of-smudged-children's-books at a time.
4. Give more. I'm embarrassed at how little of my and the the husband's paychecks we donate. I mean, we pretty much do our yearly NPR membership and make a couple of small pledges for friends who are doing events like the AIDS Ride or (Maven shout-out #2) Bowl for Choice, and that's it. We don't volunteer anywhere. We don't rock out like the PIRGs for good causes. We need to step it up. Recently I read about this family and it made me lose my mind a little about how fragile we all are. I gave a little; I think I'm gonna go give a little more. Maybe check it out if you've got time? If you can't give money, maybe a prayer.
5. Get the rage under control. Yes, it sucks that I am in this car. Yes, it sucks that I will be in this car for another 45 minutes, and then for another hour later on in the day. Yes, it sucks that traffic is backed up for a mile and that woman is putting on mascara while driving and that man just flicked his cigarette butt out the window at me. But remember this: no one is forcing me to be here. I make my choices, I chose to work in the middle of suburb hell, and I can choose to stop if I want to. Own the situation and make the best of it, Melinda. Own the situation and make the best of it, Melinda. Lather, rinse, repeat.
by Melinda at 8:19 PM |
10 Comments:
Right on, milady (and thanks for the shout-outs). I think Radical Responsibility is the name of the game, and it's something I've been thinking about plenty in addition to all of the new food choices I'm making. Conscientious consumption is great and an important thing for me, but what about all the shit that I let OWN me instead of saying "okay but no one is forcing me to have this reaction, so what do I do about it?"
Being a grownup is bullshit sometimes.
I was talking about the grocery bag thing with Corbett the other night (after seeing California trying to charge 15 cents for every grocery bag you need---Go CA!), and have like 5 or 6 tote bags sitting in my closet. I have always meant to keep them in the car to bring to the store, but haven't. I am doing this right now. And if I need more, I will buy more!
Ya know, though - on these "Days" like this earth day stuff, it's so easy to be Critical of all of our choices - but you know what? Even the little things make a difference. Stop beating yourself up.
Two words for your car/traffic-induced rage: Audio. Books. They work and are lovely and will make you never want to get out of the car. And they save the environment because they're not on paper...
Also, thanks for the shout out :-) I have something for you that I've been remiss in giving you...email me!
I just wrote an nice long preachy comment, and then erased it. Sigh. All I really want to say is, I hear you. Fighting the Good Fight With You, my sister.
Awesome, rad, dude, yes, rock on.
All good things, those. I have finally got myself in the habit of having the canvas bags with me every single time. And I'm so with you on your Facebook motivation--I think the same thing sometime about myself when I catch myself thinking I don't have time to do something generous. Oh, it's gonna be grand when you can start all over in college town.
rock on. it's not like everyone has to do huge things like buy a prius to change - start with the small stuff and work up.
and even though some of the stuff costs a bit more (organic milk, etc.) lots of the other stuff saves money (buying green light bulbs, using reusable napkins and dish towels, etc.)
Word.
Also, I love my envirosax. They rock out. You should check them out!
Rock on.
The most frustrating thing is having the totes and forgetting to put them in the car for shopping.
My list looks a lot like yours. Except it also includes the need to convince my MIL that you don't need to bleach everything to have a clean house.
We are finally composting here! Yay!
Post a Comment
<< Home