Oh it was sweet falling asleep last night. With both bedroom windows open, the fresh air blew through the room. And this morning, the sun made me an irresistible offer to start a new day. Okay, okay…. I’ll stop with all the sweet stuff. But really, if you live in a cold climate like I do, you might agree that the first bright warm day in spring makes it easier to get out of bed.
Earth Day. Going Green. Global Warming. Melting Polar Ice Caps. Yikes! How can one person make a difference? For me it starts by looking out at the sunrise, by looking up at the falling snowflakes, or by looking down at the bumble bees and flowers. But I really get it by looking inward – for a moment being keenly aware of the earth around us and how fragile, beautiful and temporary it all is, at least for us human beings. Some call it being present, others Zen, living fully, nirvana, gratitude, aware, conscious. You know exactly the feeling I mean.
The awareness found in these moments makes it a little easier for me to buy compact fluorescent light bulbs and to stop buying water in plastic bottles. Lucky for me, beer already comes in glass and aluminum, which are recyclable. The next car I buy will be fuel efficient and used. I bought LED lights this year for the Christmas tree. I stopped using toxic lawn chemicals that, during a rainstorm, travel down the hill to the river below our neighborhood. Kids fish and swim there regularly. I joined a C.S.A. last summer – fresh locally grown produce delivered weekly. My goal this year is to make or buy a rain barrel to catch the water from the gutters for gardening. I guess that’s how I will make a difference, a new goal every year to get a little bit greener.
~Contributing blogger - Jane R.