Ok, so I know it's easy to feel like we're all going to hell in a water-logged hand basket, and the recent apocalyptic ash-vomiting a la Eyjafjallajökull isn't helping matters (though surprisingly, it's not actually making them that much worse*). But don't stop raging against the dying of the light! There's still SO MUCH we can all do to save the only home we'll ever have. Just turn off the apathy, turn down the sarcasm, learn some new skills and get crafty (in all senses of the word)!
Here's what you can do for yo mama today (and every day):
- Have a rice & bean burrito: It requires 2,500 gallons of water to produce one pound of beef. You will also also save some trees. For each hamburger that originated from animals raised on rainforest land, approximately 55 square feet of forest have been destroyed. Not to mention all the statistics about methane. Who wants our species to perish because of cow burps and farts? How uncivilized!
- Revisit the drinking fountain of your youth: Nearly 90% of plastic water bottles are not recycled, instead taking thousands of years to decompose. Scary! Also, the EPA's standards for tap water are more stringent than the FDA's standards for bottled water. So don't buy that crap!
- Stick your groceries down your pants, or at least put them in your backpack. Plastic bags don't biodegrade, they photodegrade—breaking down into smaller and smaller toxic bits contaminating soil, waterways, fish and humans. At the very least, learn where you can go to recycle your bags.
- Recycle your tricycle: Most of us are lucky to have recycling and composting programs. In San Francisco, we're particularly lucky to have mandatory recycling & composting! It's easy, just find out what you can recycle and compost where you live! There's always a way.
- Tell the corporations to stick it up theirs! At least 100 million trees are destroyed each year to produce junk mail, and 28 billion gallons of water are used to produce the paper. Add yourself to the national do not mail list, cancel your paper bills, and learn other tricks.
- Give the Gov a gob of your mind! The United States alone consumes 20.8 Million barrels of oil a day. That's just flat out dirty! Now be a good citizen (if you are one) and sign some petitions! And while you're at it, sign the climate declaration, too.
- Learn some new skills, like knife sharpening, sewing, xeriscaping, or making your own kefir from local, organic milk! Every little bit helps.This site is amazing! For serious!
- And lastly, honor your other mother with a homemade gift this Mother's day, instead of giving in to all the consumerist cow crap. Mother's day is May 9th.
I love you all, and I love our home. Don't you?
