Happy Earth Month

Earth Day is coming up on April 22nd. You can find out more atthis website, who claims They are cleaning the air, promoting land conservation, and improving water quality, or this website, who claims They are not.

Yes, environmentalism can be a complicated political issue.

I am trying to avoid being preachy here, while at the same time sharing some of the ways I am trying to be a more conscious Earth-dweller. So don't take this post as a sign that I will soon show up at your house with a gang of eco-terrorists and slash the tires on your SUV.

Responsible Citizen Effort #1 - Gas is expensive and I hate sitting in traffic, so I bought a bus pass. Hopefully I am also causing less air pollution, although with the Port Authority, you never know. I like to sit on the bus and grade papers, read, or just stare out the window and try to get my blood pressure back under control before arriving home. As a result of riding the bus, I am also walking about 4 miles a day to and from the bus stop. This is not a great amount of exercise, but it's something, and I feel better already for it. There is also a direct fiscal benefit, as a bus pass is cheaper than filling up my car with gas four times a month, to say nothing of the other auto-related expenses (insurance, registration, car payments, maintenance, etc.). So, hopefully this is actually an earth-friendly gesture, but if not it is a K-friendly one.

For all the years I was car-less, I yearned to have wheels of my own. I thought, boy, wouldn't it be great to transport myself around town in a protected environment, and not ever to have to sit next to a crazy or smelly person? Wouldn't it be great to get everywhere faster and on my own schedule?

I finally got those wheels when I was in Phoenix and it has been the curse of me ever since. For some reason, with the car, I think that I will be able to get errands done in a more timely fashion. But having easier access to Target has not greatly improved my quality of life, I am sad to say. Not to mention that fact that just by living in a neighborhood where I have easy access to several groceries, a drug store, dry cleaner's, restaurants, banks, clothing stores, shoe stores, dollar stores and coffee shops, once I get home I have no reason to drive at all, save for traveling out to the suburbs to work (good Lord, what was I thinking taking that job?). And while I truly appreciate a roof over my head in rain, wind, sleet or snow, I now have a very nice raincoat, that accomplishes the same thing. And maybe the grass is always greener on the other side, but I think I'll be spending my time and money in an effort to drive even less over the next year.

There is a matter of that 6:18 am bus to catch, though. So when you are tucked cozy in your bed at 5:30 am this week, think of me trekking to the bus stop in whatever weather is falling from the sky. I will be doing it joyfully.