Going green or being green or watching your carbon footprint is such a trendy thing to do these days. Growing up, I remember recycling was just something we just did. It was fun to haul all the soda cans to the recycle place and watch them get sucked into the machine and then end up with enough change to buy a popsicle. I wore hand-me-downs and passed my clothes on to others. We ate leftovers and we had compost piles. I made gifts out of pieces and parts of things – and here we are again talking about recycling and saving and reusing.
What’s really changed?
I still go to the thrift store and look for useful items. I still try to reuse, my kids share clothes at times and I still get grumpy when leftovers are thrown out instead of eaten. Is the new trend to Go Green just a marketing pitch to remind us we can make a difference? It’s entertaining to me how now there is this big bandwagon we can jump on, dance together in green happiness and declare ourselves conscience of the world around us and how we interact with it.
From my perspective, my family could cut down the the things we throw away and focus a bit more on how to reuse or recycle. I’ve even made a collection of eco friendly penguins to aid in the reminding of the earth we have to take care of. However, I’m pretty sure all penguins are eco friendly, mine simply like to brag about it. I have heard penguins in general are pro-green… they poop quite a bit – they’re so very helpful to be fortifying the soil for our veggie growing, don’t you think? Yes, I know, too bad they don’t waddle in my garden.
Sure, we use plastic more these days than when I was a kid – except tupperware maybe. I think the plastic push started with the “Save the Trees” campaign – use alternatives to paper. Now our landfills are filling up with plastics that won’t decompose so we’re back to paper or using other fibers and fabrics. Will the next trend be “Save the Sheep”, because they’re all hairless and cold? Will computers and other advances in technology be encased in boxes made of corn husks?
I love the concept of “Go Green”, I think it’s important to be aware of our resources and be mindful how we use them. I think the concept is even more important than the global issue, we need to conserve within our homes and families and offices. I think it’s also important to give back and replenish what we use. It’s like the Girl Scout cookies in the cabinet.. they aren’t always available so you have to watch how quickly you eat them, and if you are the one to eat the last cookie, you better have a plan to make sure there are more for everyone else.
I’d you’d like to look trendy, I suggest you grab a Recycle penguin t-shirt and wear it with pride!
