I’ve been really, really trying to emphasize the first “R” of the three-R’s in the arrow, but I had to break down and buy a new book–Go Green: How to Build an Earth-Friendly Community. It’s super-reader friendly and full of next steps.

Among them:

1. Get an energy audit done on our house to reveal all the hidden ways we’re wasting energy and to help us prioritize our next steps.
2. Replace all our incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent lightbulbs (I think we’ve done this for the most part, but I’m not sure).
3. Look into getting a tankless water heater.
4. Plug everything into power strips that can be turned off

Nalgene bottles are under attack.

Alas.

The bad news is that the bad plastic is also in eyeglasses (sucks for me), baby bottles, and even dental sealants (sucks for me again).

But, honestly, what did we expect? The more we process and produce things, adding ingredients that help us make a more durable and sellable product, the more we screw ourselves over.

The unintended consequences of our actions are so difficult to predict. And even when they are predictable, the immediate promise of profit overshadows prudence.

A huge part of the responsibility is on us as consumers. We have to look at convenient products through wary eyes. And then … Read More

Phew. A friend of mine from high school performed Reader Rescue. He said the plant was a jade. Then I was able to perform Google Rescue and learn that I was sunburning my plant. Jades like sun, but they need time to re-acclimate. Thanks, Paul!

In other news, I planted the Chia Herb Garden that Matt bought for me in the depths of the dark winter. It comes with these bizarre soil sponges. They are really sponges that seem to be made out of soil. You’re supposed to get the entire thing wet and then squeeze it out. Next you put it into the terra cotta pot and simply lay … Read More