Some time last week I was in the kitchen getting lunch ready while my 4 year old was nearby playing a game on the PBS kids website. Those high pitched, slightly nasally, and often times lispy puppet voices all start to sound the same after a while---but one suddenly stood out.
"Liam" I said--"click that guy again. What did he say?"
Liam clicked.
Puppet, asking a 'choose the right picture' kind of question, repeats:
"Which is more green?: Flying in an airplane? Driving in a car? or rowing in a canoe?"
"What is the answer Mom?" Liam asks.
"I think it's the canoe" I said.
Liam: "What's a canoe?"
Me: "The boat".
Liam: "But that's not green, it's brown"......
Such innocence. Give him a few years and I'm sure he'll soon be like my 9 year old who came home from school in tears a few months ago because he'd learned that we were destroying our planet by driving our car too much, and that everything was going to get burned up, and we could die. He said, amidst his sobs: "We need to help and get some of those twisty light bulbs right now Mom!"
Yeah, ok......so here's the dealio--
I'm not an evil nature hater. I believe in leaving a healthy planet for our children. Making sure the water stays clean. Planting trees so that we can breathe our air. Recycling and reusing what and when we can. We are stewards over this earth, and we need to take care of it--and I do my reasonable part. But whereas "green" has become such a money maker as of late, it feels like things have just gotten out of hand. How is it that our planet went for all those millions of years heating and cooling and changing on its own without any help from us? Are we really so arrogant to think *we* are somehow the cause of whatever slight temperature change is occurring now by driving a pickup instead of a Prius?
I know that many people-- maybe even some of you -- feel very strongly on this issue. But I for one would like to make sure that "green" stays the name of one of my favorite colors, and not the name of some new form of earth worship.
If you don't agree--have at me. Of course, I won't be here. I'm off to row my canoe to the Target to buy twisty light bulbs..... :) .
41 comments:
I completely agree...going green seems like the chaos Y2K caused in 1999. Remember all the people stockpiling food and buying generators to be prepared? I completely agree that it is important to do our part and reduce, reuse, recycle because we do live in a materalistic culture, but seriously making kids fear that the planet won't be here when they are adults is going a bit too far.
On another note, I recently saw a 20/20 episode...one of those "Gimme a Break" segments and the announcer was describing how footage from Al Gore's film was taken straight out of the film "The Day After Tomorrow." Seriously...melting iceburgs created for a film were shown to be proof of global warming! And the announcer had a whole team of 10 scientists that said global warming is just not happening, there is very little scientific evidence to prove that it is taking place.
Sorry this is so long...I just read your blog and felt complelled to share!
Oh thank YOU for putting this down in print! I second everything you said and more!
We do our part, but I can't help feeling like most of our efforts are just ego stroking whims.
I hope to establish enough responsibility in our kids to 'limit' our footprint on this earth WITHOUT creating overzealous treehuggers....no offense to anyone!
I 100% agree! It is funny how every few years there is a new 'cause' that is the popular one. All the celebrities get behind it and the rest of the world tends to just believe every word of it without doing their own research....
and then you are suddenly the bad guy if you aren't behind that cause.
I'm with you on that. I'll do what little things I can without breaking the bank. But seriously someone is making some major bucks on the "green revolution"! We're not a green household, but we do our part!
Get on that already, no twisty lightbulbs!?! LOL, too cute on the twisty lightbulbs! So cute!
I have noticed in a lot of classic read alouds with my kids that they use the word "queer" a lot (as an adjective) and I often find myself saying "strange" instead----that's not a word I feel comfortable with my young children going around saying in this day and age.
But I'm right there with you on the green stuff. Hope you can find a parking place for your canoe at Target!
AMEN.
I so love you more and more with each passing day.
I hear ya sister!!! Our family does it's part, I think....but seriously...I don't think WE are the complete reasons of the temperature changes and so on and so on. And I'm so sorry I've been missing out on some of your posts...particularly the third in your series...you've come along way by yourself in one year. Found out just how strong you can be...even if you don't want to. YOU are amazing! Now...be careful rowing that canoe to Target ;)
I loved this! I remember when we moved up here a year and a half ago and my friend kept telling me about these great green houses she liked by her house. I went and looked and couldn't find any "green" houses! Oregon was a little ahead of the "green" curve I think.
And my daughter is the same way. She is a vegetarian (between meals) and constantly concerned about cutting down the trees in the rain forest! Their music program was all about environmental issues. . .every. single. song. I had to roll my eyes a little. I am with you on the whole we couldn't have caused this warming/cooling issue.
I agree.... but growing up in SW Washington was a whole other story. We ALWAYS recycled... in fact I had never known that people DIDN'T recycle until I went to schol in Idaho!
**I remember thinking... what do I do with all this cardboard and these pop cans? I'm supposed to throw them in the garbage?
*****WHAT?!******
I do think that green is being overmarketed though. Preach it sister.
You put into worlds - so perfectly, I might add - the things that have been jumbling around in my head. People have gotten so caught up in being "green" that they turn into evil, ugly monsters towards people who have "too many" children and they value the life of a baby seal far more than a baby human. It's bizarre and ungodly. There must be balance, in any ideology.
I actually take my kids out of school when they are talking that section. I just do not agree with it, but it has become a must in public education and a bunch of hooey to this mom. I agree with being responsible but to "brian-wash" our kids is actually abuse. DQ's 4th grade teacher just skipped over that part in her schedule and I do not recall anyone going nuts cause we did not hear all the hype about global warming. It is just another thing to preach and make more money off of people that are easily freaked out. Go J go!!!!
I sing a classic song called "Scarlett Ribbons" to my children at night and one of the lines describes the ribbons as 'gay'. I have not changed the wording--but I do think about it.
Awesome. Yeah I think going green is GAY. And I don't have enough green to go green anyway, if you know what I mean. I should probably shell out the $11 for recycling to get picked up at my house though. But that's like, a new shirt! At least half of one.
Yeah, moderation in all things in my opinion. I'm not a very good recycler. My husband is but I tend to mix it all together haphazardly. Oh well.
It's good to be back and catching up on your blog again. I hope this week was better than last. At least it's a little warmer, right? :)
Amen.
My friend's mom growing up was had the name "Gay". Nice lady. But she had to change her name in recent years. It just wasn't her anymore :)
Lets do lunch sometime! I want to hear all about your trips to California and I want an explanation as to why you still refuse to take me along! :) Sometime after the 16th would be good for me! :)
It's gone far beyond arrogance and gotten well into hubris.
http://wattsupwiththat.com is a very good site about it, if you need some ammo to combat the crap.
Well you know I'm a hybrid driving recycling pyscho....but I also think anything the media can do to get attention...they'll do it. Being green......the sad thing is so many people need that hype to sit up and pay attention. There are so many horrible things happening to this planet that ARE because of humans. It's becoming a toxic waste land. The temp changes are not the only concern. And like you, I think there will be some natural changing as what has happened in our past history of this planet.
Basically, I think people need the hype to pay attention.....to bad it then looks like hype or that people/business' use it to promote themselves. I see where you're coming from.
The twisty bulbs will save you money and the grid. :)
Agreed sista! I mean I'm all for doing things and changing things to help our planet...but lordy lordy, it is just getting a bit pshyco-ish. I would like "green" to stay a color as well.
Anyway, guess I'd better go do some laundry...just pulled out my washboard and lye soap. Hope you had fun in the canoe adventure to Target.
Agreed sista! I mean I'm all for doing things and changing things to help our planet...but lordy lordy, it is just getting a bit pshyco-ish. I would like "green" to stay a color as well.
Anyway, guess I'd better go do some laundry...just pulled out my washboard and lye soap. Hope you had fun in the canoe adventure to Target.
Agreed sista! I mean I'm all for doing things and changing things to help our planet...but lordy lordy, it is just getting a bit pshyco-ish. I would like "green" to stay a color as well.
Anyway, guess I'd better go do some laundry...just pulled out my washboard and lye soap. Hope you had fun in the canoe adventure to Target.
Woops, my finger got a little heavy on the publish button.
AMEN!
Not only "going green" is a fad, but I have a really hard time with the people who push "organic" food...
I think it's all a money trap.
We recycle, up here in SW Washington. I cannot remember a time when we did not recycle. They charge you TO recylce, and they charge you TO NOT recycle.
Ever noticed how the items made from "recycled" materials are like three times more expensive than the earth polluting stuff? Kind of like the price different between organic and non organic...
My sister tried to get us to go "green" with our cleaning agents. She was trying to talk my husband into it stating that these cleaners were all natural and whatnot. He just looked at her and said, "Nature kicks out some pretty wicked stuff you know..." and that was the end. ;)
Hey there! I agree with you! Hooray! I don't think we get any environmental thumbs up for terrifying kids. Sometimes people go too far trying to prove a point.
A large and loud AMEN sister! I'm not even going to start on my rant, thanks for putting it so graciously. BTW, I gave you an award for just such this reason, your attitude and gratitude. Love your blog!
I think going "green" benefits people more than the earth itself. Like using natural products is healthier for us. I am not too worried about the Earth. I am more worried about people destroying each other :( But I try not to dwell on that too much.
Why is it called "green", though? Because trees are green?
I like the planet and everything but $10 for a lightbulb? I'm not convinced.
Amen sister.
And I love that you used the word dealio.
Howdy-Ho from the green capital of the USA!!!!
I'm usually only really green when it saves me the "green" stuff. Being green CAN be good on the pocket book....sometimes.
Someone recently asked me why I didn't use paper towels or paper napkins. (We use always just use cloth.) She thought that I must be really "green." I told her "Thanks for thinking so highly of me, but I'm actually just cheap."
:-)
A-FLIPPEN-MEN
We've been keeping weather records for a little over 100 years.. how in the skeedoodle to we presume to think that we know dookie about what happens in the cycles of the earth..
You rock sista!!!
Amen!! There should be balance in all things especially with our children. You could scare them to death. And someone will always find a way to make money off the newest craze, ie, 'being green'.
Well, I am off in my canoe also, must get groceries!!
Lisa Q
YOU are good stuff! I loved this post...was laughing my arse off!! ;) I am missing you. When are you coming back? When can we luncheon again?
4 boys for one crying girl? Really? That actually sounds ok to me. ;) xxx K
I'm with you Jenn! It's not easy being green.
And about the gay stuff, why didn't they make up their own word?!? And they stole the rainbow too! That one just pisses me off!
It's good to be back in blogland. Thanks for the comment. We, moms of boys, gravitate towards each other ;)
Love to you,
Priscila.
Oh man....once again, must I be the only different one?
Okay, I have a pretty neat background. Both of my parents worked in the timber industry. They were BOTH extremely "anti-green. "Green people" were always trying to put the forestry business, OUT of business (tree hugging and such). There has been a nice balance going on since those days of extremism.
In my youth, my timber loving upbringing came face to face with "tree huggin'" types. I got SO mad at "them" for blaming everyone for ruining the earth, and I confronted one girl. I confronted her about the pen she was using; that it was made of plastic and the like. She defended herself accordingly, and we had to be shushed by a peer.
That moment was over 15 years ago....and I've pondered things since then, A LOT.
This is where I'm at now. I worry about generation gaps. There used to be a whole generation of men who thought it was SO wrong that women voted. There used to be another generation who thought that race meant you were better (yes, I know, I'm getting all sentimental and a bit too serious. I don't mean to, but I do want to make my point).
I just worry that I might be in the midst of a generation who can see air pollution, landfills gallore, reservoirs emptying and oceans becoming filthy, and worry, "am I THAT generation, the one who says, 'oh come ON....our earth is COMPLETELY FINE (cough) and I didn't do a thing to harm it'?"
Okay, okay, okay....I know, I know....we're all talking about extremism here, and the "all important dollar" to be made off of fear, "green fear". BUT, on the other side, I DO wish that companies who made products, also thought about ways to discard of their product without ME footing the bill. The big companies get to make all of the money, and don't think twice about how their $1.00 plastic packaging will cost the average american $2.00 to clean it up in the long run. It seems that the "average american" is always left footing the bills with the clean up. I want companies (people laughing all the way to the bank, in my mind) to have to actually be accountable for their carbon footprint AS MUCH AS REASONABLY POSSIBLE==NOT OVERKILL.
I just wonder, "Can you really not make a profit, if you have to also think about how to take care of your product once it's life has been lived....really?" Do average americans always have to come up with a way to fix the problem?
I dunno. I just DON'T like that I have to clean up somebody else's profit, and they thought nothing of how their product was going to affect me in the long run, only about how to make the most money and be the least responsible for it. "Let the city/government (me)take care of my garbage/pollution."
I don't like being part of a generation who never plans for tomorrow, but then again, what person doesn't think of themselves first I guess?
I hate "doomsdaying", but honestly, deep down in my heart, I really don't think people will change their ways until it's too late. They'll think, "Whew, at least I got my dollar before it all went sour." It seems like the whole world is scoffing at the warnings, and I can't help but be a little concerned.
I can't believe I'm going to publish this comment. It's one of few I usually publish. Do you know I do this all of the time on your blog, and never publish? I guess not agreeing with the crowd is not the easiest road to travel...but here goes anyway.
Cheers!
just found your blog today! Very cute. Check mine out too... www.lazymoms.com
oh, and homeschooling 4 kiddos...you must be a superhero!!!
This post left a BIG smile on my face.
A developer is building a green subdivision near my parents' home; they can get started now that they have stripped the land of every tree in sight. I thought that was an odd choice, but maybe I'm a little green on environmental issues.
I'm so with you (and several weeks behind on my reader)! Everytime I see something billed as organic, natural, or green, I just think someone is making a lot of money off of this.
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