Happy Earth Day!!

Happy Earth Day.

Here's a quick link to Earth Day History:
http://www.earthday.net/
Begun in 1970 by a Wisconsin Senator, the unfortunately named Gaylord Nelson, to focus some attention on the environmental costs of our way of life.

Again with the leadership in the midwest! First Earth Day and then the right to legal marriage affirmed. And only 39 years apart.

Anyway, I like to celebrate Earth Day. It will be low key today. I've done some garden planning (may never make a garden but it's good to plan) and am trying to figure out what to "give up" to help the environment (and as a side effect these things always help the budget). Last year I gave up shampoo and conditioner about this time of year. For the past year I have not aquired a single plastic bottle for either of those things and my tub drain is shiny clean from all the baking soda and vinegar.

This year I don't know. I may give up industrial lotions. I use mostly unrefined shea butter anyway. Or I may try to totally give up plastic beverage bottles. I've mostly given that up, but now and then I've forgotten to bring a water bottle and end up buying a gallon (more cost effective and less plastic per ounce). This could be tough when camping and sometimes in the field but I think it could work if I just remember to keep containers in the car and in my field bag. I keep a 3 gallon jug of water in the car...plastic jug that isn't refillable...most of the time so I'll have to find a better container. I used to have a gallon thermos jug. I wonder if that is still around. I could also use the iced tea jar I forget is under the counter.

I'll let you know what I decide to do.
Eventually I may give up all forms of industrial meat. Only fish I catch (with the Tribe's stocked trout ponds there is a guarantee of a steady catch), stuff I kill (and I don't hunt at the moment so there won't be much of that), stuff killed by people I know, or buffalo from the guy who raises it himself and has it custom butchered. Chicken from my friends who raise their own would be fine too. This would be super hard on vacations so may need a caveat for that, or a switch to vegetarian travel food.

Alright, I'm at work so best get at it.