You must be the change you wish to see in the world. -Mahatma Gandhi.

Hey all,

You know what gets me is that some people are saying that the fight against global warming is becoming a fad. Well its a fuck of a lot better fad then say - Pog. (I can only imagine how many trees were cut down for that waste of time) And others are saying its a corporate conspiracy to make money (what?) and that global warming is just a fear tactic. (I'm getting this info from the general public I talk to at work). But the truth is we are fucking our planet up hard core. Even if global warming wasn't happening (which it is) there is still ample evidence of the mass consumption and wasted energy and products all around us. Why, walking home from work today I picked up 5 plastic bags, a styro egg carton, and a bunch of random plastic crap. God knows how much i detest plastic. Plastic is the devil.

Anyway, my real point of this post is to show that you don't have to go to extremes to help out the environment. Here are a few things that i've been doing for a few years now, and things i've decided to do to help out my earth:

1. Walk to work or when I'm working in the North end, take the bus.
2. Recycle everything.
3. If i can't recycle, then reuse. For example, I buy shredded cheese in those zip up bags, I almost threw it away today, but then i thought, why am I throwing it away? its just as good as a zip-lock bag. so i washed it, and is now in my zip-lock bag box.
4. Speaking of which, I have decided to stop buying zip-lock bags. instead, i will use washable containers.
5. Wear a sweater or cuddle with rob if i am cold, instead of turning on the space heater.
6. Turn off all the lights, electronics etc. when not in use.
7. Grow a garden in the summer, reduces transportation emissions, pesticides, and tastes way better than store bought. If I can't afford to put in a garden this year, then I plan on buying my veggies from the farmers market. pretty much accomplishes the same thing.
8. Hang laundry out to dry in the summer. I really wish i could do this now, but i think our clothes would shatter. goddamn -40!!!!
9. Invest in green energy. i realize that you don't actually get the green energy around here, but at least it lets the crown corporation know that we want it.
10. As an artist, i feel like an ass for the amount of paper i go through. i try to sketch out stuff on the backside of printer paper. But for the upcoming drawings that i want to show in a gallery i am planning on making my own paper out of recycled flyers and so forth.
11. Make the change from paper bills to e-bills.
12. Use environmentally friendly cleaning products. It's really amazing what vinegar can do. Also Rob's mother bought us this amazing laundry soap called Malaluka. (not sure if thats the correct spelling, but I don't really feel like running downstairs to check). Anyway its environmentally friendly and so forth. I have found biodegradable dish-soap (presidents choice, for sensitive hands) and biodegradable bathroom cleaner called Method (found at shoppers drug mart) it is made out of corn. You can also buy Green paper products such as toilet paper and paper towels (Presidents Choice) that is 100% post-consumer recycled paper. I don't recommend the Green garbage bags, as they don't seem to stay together, unfortunately. Most of these products are quite affordable, so there is no excuse for not using them.
13. Buy groceries from those bulk bins whenever possible, such as pasta, trail mix,etc. There is less packaging that way.
14. Buy clothes from value village, not because I'm poor (even though i am), but to reuse perfectly good clothes. Plus i love old man plaid pants.
15. convince the Dunlop to stop using styrofoam at receptions.
16. become free from the material world, reduce my consumption to the minimum

The other day I was a little glum, because I thought that there wasn't anything I could do. I had a meteorologist come into the gallery and tell me that we are screwed. I was really depressed because I thought that the little things I do were hopeless and pointless on a global scale. My favorite quote ran through my head - "You must be the change you wish to see in the world." I realized that every little bit helps. We have to start a sustainable living revolution. So i'm doing my very best to help in the cause. You should too.

vive la revolution!
kat