Happy Earth Day!
Ok, so if you've known me very long, you wouldn't necessarily think of me as a Greenie, right? I'm actually quite critical of the tree huggers and environmentalists who seem to be bent on destroying our economy and limiting access to our enjoyment of the Earth's natural wonders.
On the other hand, I was raised in a fairly rural area of the country, and spent a lot of time outdoors hunting, fishing, camping, so I get as angry as the next guy when idiots who litter, dump chemicals, or senselessly destroy wildlife or pristine settings screw up my excursions. By the time I was twelve years old, the mantra, "leave a camp cleaner than you found it" was engrained deeply within my psyche.
I've actually been a bit "green" for far longer than it's been in fashion. Take, for example, the organic vegetables that most groceries and farmers' markets charge top dollar for. My Auntie Kay(a staunch Goldwater conservative), whom I stayed with every summer in the late 60s, had an organic garden which we worked in and ate fresh veggies from. When I bought my own home, I began to garden in the same manner as I'd been taught, and have been doing it for more than twenty years. I just never made a big deal out of it. I didn't care about saving the planet, I just love the flavor of home grown tomatos, corn, squash, cucumbers...
In the matter of conserving energy, I started turning down the thermostat a long time ago, just because I'm a cheap bastard. Oh, you can call it frugality or thriftiness, but either way it's the same result.
When the price of gas went to $1.40 a gallon, I decided I didn't feel like driving my big truck to work at that price, so I went out and bought a motorcycle. I've been commuting on one ever since, and have saved hundreds, if not thousands, of gallons of gas. Call me green if you like, but the bottom line is the bottom line.
ReUse, Reduce and ReCycle is the order of the day, but I've been in that groove for ages. My paternal grandfather was one of the truly great packrats and Re-Users of all time. Having lived through the depression, he never threw anything away that he could possibly find a use for later. I have boxes and drawers and bags filled with items I might need later, so I'm not out there contributing to rampant consumerism unless I absolutely have to. I've been recycling newspaper, glass, aluminum and plastic for as long as I can remember. The city recyclers get everything but the aluminum, which I take to the recycling center and cash in on when I get a big pile.
Anyway, me and Kermit D Frog know it's just natural to be green.
On the other hand, I was raised in a fairly rural area of the country, and spent a lot of time outdoors hunting, fishing, camping, so I get as angry as the next guy when idiots who litter, dump chemicals, or senselessly destroy wildlife or pristine settings screw up my excursions. By the time I was twelve years old, the mantra, "leave a camp cleaner than you found it" was engrained deeply within my psyche.
I've actually been a bit "green" for far longer than it's been in fashion. Take, for example, the organic vegetables that most groceries and farmers' markets charge top dollar for. My Auntie Kay(a staunch Goldwater conservative), whom I stayed with every summer in the late 60s, had an organic garden which we worked in and ate fresh veggies from. When I bought my own home, I began to garden in the same manner as I'd been taught, and have been doing it for more than twenty years. I just never made a big deal out of it. I didn't care about saving the planet, I just love the flavor of home grown tomatos, corn, squash, cucumbers...
In the matter of conserving energy, I started turning down the thermostat a long time ago, just because I'm a cheap bastard. Oh, you can call it frugality or thriftiness, but either way it's the same result.
When the price of gas went to $1.40 a gallon, I decided I didn't feel like driving my big truck to work at that price, so I went out and bought a motorcycle. I've been commuting on one ever since, and have saved hundreds, if not thousands, of gallons of gas. Call me green if you like, but the bottom line is the bottom line.
ReUse, Reduce and ReCycle is the order of the day, but I've been in that groove for ages. My paternal grandfather was one of the truly great packrats and Re-Users of all time. Having lived through the depression, he never threw anything away that he could possibly find a use for later. I have boxes and drawers and bags filled with items I might need later, so I'm not out there contributing to rampant consumerism unless I absolutely have to. I've been recycling newspaper, glass, aluminum and plastic for as long as I can remember. The city recyclers get everything but the aluminum, which I take to the recycling center and cash in on when I get a big pile.
Anyway, me and Kermit D Frog know it's just natural to be green.