I'm Green!

I was on the phone with my dear friend Mo last night and we had a wonderful conversation about the progress that our community and country is finally making towards protecting our precious Earth but how in some ways we are still behind the times. In discussing this, I recanted to Mo a funny story that I thought that I would share with you all.

I was at a discount store a couple weekends ago and headed towards the cash register with a much needed sweater. Greeted by a very friendly and older sales associate, I handed over the sweater and watched as she rung it up. I swiped my card and just as she reached for a plastic bag, I said to her "Oh that's ok, I don't need that". And this is how the rest of the conversation went...

"Oh are you sure?"

"Yup, that's ok. I don't need a bag. Thank you though".

"Ok, well I'll cut the tag off".

"Oh no, please don't do that just in case I want to return it".

"Oh ok"......"but you might rip the sweater if you pull out the tag, I can just cut it off for you".

"That's ok, you can just leave the tag on".

A look of confusion splattered across the lady's face.

"And you don't want a bag?"

"No thank you I don't need a bag".

And that's when it dawned on me that she thought I didn't want a bag because I was going to wear the sweater right away. And unfortunately I was a bit frustrated at that point so I said to her a little too hastily...

"I don't want a bag because I'm Green."

Really wasn't her fault. I guess she's not used to my kind of folk. Of course I turned around and saw Rich walking up to me after he finished purchasing something and he had a big plastic bag from the store. Sigh. Work in progress. :)

Anyway, Mo and I had a good chuckle about this story and then went on to discuss how different our country is today than 5 years ago or arguably even a year ago. Wherever you go, you see green dishwashing soap, green laundry detergent, recycled notebooks, recycled tissue...etc, etc. The list is endless! We now have green taxis (Toyota Prius taxi cabs) and I even saw a Prius plastered with ads for an environmentally friendly home cleaning service. Oh and get this - I saw an ad in USA Today for a green burial. Yes it's true. I can't remember which company it was but here is one that is similar. Wow. Seriously wow.

So what is my point? It really makes me smile to watch the green movement begin to ripple through our communities. Have you heard of the book "The Tipping Point"? Well ladies and gents (do I have any male readers? if so hollah!) I believe that we finally reached the tipping point when it becomes to basic consumerism. I'm not sure that products are being sought and purchased at the rate that at least I would like to see but at least the products are there. You don't have to go searching in that small section in the grocery stre to find what you need. Green products are now immersed in to regular aisles. Huuuuge accomplishment! It's happening! It's beginning to happen! (Yes you can envision me jumping up and down with glee).

Now all we need is for more big business' to move in that direction. We need companies to offer green only products. Clorox, Johnson & Johnson - do you hear me now? How about NOW? :) Ok I'll stop yelling. But my point is that without discounting how far we have come in the past year, we still have ways to go. We really need to shift our thinking around energy. Mo and I discussed that the technology is certainly out there - it just needs to be supported financially and morally. Can we do it? Yes We Can! That's right...that was Obama speaking because we can do it. We really can.

Sigh. (happy sigh that is).

I'm excited guys. I'm just excited. I sincerely hope that I can write a post this time next year and use even more exclamation marks, more caps lock and more dramatic pauses. I believe that it can happen because change can occur and we are smart enough to get it done.

Question: Can we do it?

Answer: Yes - We - Can!