Do you have an Eco Confession?
We did a terrible thing yesterday and will now be stripped of our official green membership card. Actually, Michael did it. But he wouldn’t have if I hadn’t begged him to.
We turned up the thermostat on our hot water heater.
Icebergs will melt and polar bears will be stranded because I couldn’t handle one more luke warm shower. This morning, standing in the steamy heat while my skin turned red and blistered, I thought, “How can something that feels so good be so wrong?” And then I started belting out Like A Virgin.
My mom would totally understand. Here’s a picture of her in Hawaii recently when the temp dropped to a frigid 70 degrees F!
This post has nothing to do with plastic but everything to do with questions about how willing we are to make personal sacrifices to care for the wider world outside our own skins. And my skin was screaming for heat.
Fake Plastic Fish readers sometimes make little comments about how they could never be like me in the plastic department. In fact, one of them who will be rooming with me at the Blogher Conference wondered if she’d measure up as my roommate.
She was just joking. I think.
Because what’s easy for me may not be for others. And what sucks for others might be no sweat for me. Washing my hair with baking soda to avoid a plastic shampoo bottle and to save money? No problem. Doing it in tepid water? Forget about it!
In my defense (because, you know, I’m all about being defensive) I don’t shower every day. So I rationalize that my long, hot showers (Did I mention that they’re long?) should really be considered as several day’s worth. Still, I wonder what Crunchy Domestic Goddess would think (she doesn’t shower every day either), just as Lisa Sharp wonders what I would think when she buys plastic.
What are your eco sins, children? Please confess. I think we can all use a bit of absolution once in a while. On the other hand, if there really is someone out there without eco sin, please go ahead and cast your stones. I can take it — as long as I can be warm. And as long as we can all have a good laugh at the end of the day.
I have a swimming pool. It came with the house, and I don’t have the heart to get rid of it. We live in AZ so it gets a lot of use in the summer, but I feel horrible about wasting all that water and electricity to run the filter. 🙁
First of all, this is a fantastic post, I love the concept. Makes me feel better to know that others have guilty pleasures too. 🙂
I have a salt tooth. Some people have sweet tooths, and I have those too, but I think I may be addicted to salt.
As a result, once in a blue moon I can’t help but enjoy a bag (consumed over days/weeks) of chips. Doritos, tortilla chips, and/or Humpty Dumpty BBQ potato chips (only available in Maine and sinfully delicious). Every time I indulge, I feel guilty, which I guess is a good thing! Someday I’ll try making my own chips and/or finding another way to get my salt fix! O:-)
Hi Caitlin. I did find this article online:
http://www.marketingwithmeaning.com/2009/02/09/sun-chips-becomes-a-meaningful-brand/
The relevant paragraph says:
“Now the company is driving aggressively to do more in support of SunChips by doing more for the environment. Kumar described how Frito-Lay is working to invent the first completely biodegradable bag. A teaser video claimed that they are targeting Earth Day 2010 for its arrival, and he promised to give away the technology to all competitors. Naturally, SunChips will be the first to bring it to market.”
So I guess they are working on it but not ready to make it public? And, just to make sure we’re on the same page, you do still consider it a sin even if it comes in a biodegradable bag, right? Repent! Repent!
🙂
Some of these are better than the joke comments a couple weeks ago!
Anarres — what do you smoke?
Anonymous — I’ve used the No Kids excuse myself at times. Is it truly valid?
greeen sheeep — Yes, you will burn in hell.
Clif — Crap! Could that be why my hair has been drier than usual for the last two days? Crap oh crap!
Green cat — You’re going to burn with greeen sheeep. Hell is filling up with little green animals.
Nollij — Double crap! But wait. Only the boys have mentioned dry skin. Maybe it doesn’t affect girls the same way. Right?
Mrs. Hoppes — “drying the toilet paper” Please, please, please explain. Enquiring minds have got to know what this means.
Undersharing — I think you just overshared. Remind me to keep my amputee orphans out of your way.
Carmen — Oh man, me too. I do stay away from McDonald’s as much as possible, by I have the occasional slip up. It reminds me of childhood. Gotta hand it to their marketing.
Condo Blues — Hug or headlock? I guess we’ll have to wait and see.
The rest of you — Go and sin no more. Or sin some more. Who am I to tell you what to do?