i am so intrigued by the dialog going in this post.  it is so wonderful to hear that so many are going through the same process and in turn, the same struggles.  i feel so blessed - so blessed that i have the opportunities to make these types of decisions for my family - when there are so many who can not.  but regardless of what you do to make changes - everything counts.  my husband and i joke that we are so spurned on to take action because of our guilt over what we drive - his company, which he founded just three years ago, sees to it that this will be our mode of transportation for some time.  in turn, we do everything else we can to make up for it - so to speak.  but he is now researching means of making these engines nearly twice as efficient - everything counts; i carry these religiously - i don't remember the last time i brought a plastic or paper bag home and we try to purchase items with the least amount of excess packaging - everything counts.  so one day at a time, one challenge at a time.  thank you all for reminding me of this and thank you for all of your insightful comments and sharing your experiences - i hope this is just the beginning. 

xoox~jla

p.s.  you must visit jen's new space - i can not wait to see the beauty to come...

Comments

[Jen]

Thanks jen for the little highlight on my behalf. And yes, every little bit helps when it comes to conservation.

[Diane Schuller]

ah yes, I too carry cloth bags; in fact, I LOVE receiving them as gifts. A person can never have too many. I write a weekly environment column and my readers know this is the one thing I continually urge them to embrace. Great post, great thoughts

[Tartelette]

I have become more and more aware of the little things I can do to make a contribution. I carry totes or baskets to the grocery store, we re-routed the AC drip outside to the tomato plant and he just installed a huge container and gutters to recuperate rain water for watering the yard. Because of our different shifts we need 2 cars and the buses are really difficult to catch but on the weekend we have a one car policy that we stick to. What bugs me is that this world is changing drastically and yet too many people pretend that it is not. Thank you for your fresh take on things :)
Almost forgot: congratulations on the book!

[Suze]

I don't want to be rude here....but why are you advertising that you drive an arrogant symbol of capitalist greed and wealth that basically rapes the environment; and to curb the guilt you feel you carry an “envirosax?” Are you kidding? What, you husband's company forces you to drive this? Please.

Look, I read your blog from time to time, it's cute and you have some interesting photographs; but may I offer a suggestion? Don't blather on and on about how you and the family are all organic and vegetarian and use reusable bags and such and write things like “everything counts!” and then practically in the same breath announce that your drive around in such a ridiculous piece of machinery. It is a wee bit of a contradiction, don't you think?

[jen]

suze, thank you for that um, polite opinion. our cars are over 13 years old {English Dinosaurs} – the point of the company is to help the average RR enthusiasts who loves the rich history of the car company to be able to afford to keep their late models on the road without being taken at the dealership – i assure you, there is not a drop of arrogance in what my husband does – i find that truly offensive. you believe that since you see new RR’s depicted in videos and movies that everyone who drives them must drive models pimped out that just rolled off the show room floor and they are mindless corporate drones? as mentioned my husband is developing technology to make these vehicles twice as fuel efficient as they currently are. besides the fact that i have three babies four and under who i personally would not feel comfortable throwing in the backseat of a Prius – the cars work for our family. i don't recall claiming i was by any means the poster child for green living - if you read the posts you will realize that we are discovering ways we can make changes. i am sorry you feel like you need to judge me because of the relics we drive – strip mining rapes the environment, coal plants rape the environment - i encourage you to do more research on what you apparently feel so adamant about before waxing dramatic on subjects. if you would like to continue this discussion i would be happy to do so via email, but i will delete any further comments that come across as so blatantly – what was the word you used? rude.

*** i encourage readers to leave constructive comments that voice their opinions in a clear manner that encourages dialog we can learn from – even if they are dissenting – i personally want to hear from all sides. however, if you can not compose your comment with dignity, and if they are deemed hurtful to anyone – other readers or myself - they will be deleted. there are other blogs that encourage that type of dialog – if that is what you are after – you are in the wrong place.

[sara]

Well done Jen.

[Toast 2 Mom]

Yes, well done Jen.
Aren't we all contradictory when it comes to this green thing. Come on. There is a long list of ways to make things better/green and we can't all possibly do them ALL. You have made that very clear that you're aware of your environment and are trying to make differences. Others are kidding themselves and "rude" to point fingers as if they're not contradictory themselves.