Earth Day 2018

Day 191: Above any other motto which might apply to my life, Zeno's words are the light which guides me. I'm not the best example by any stretch, but I *try,* and that is something we all can do. It's hard to avoid plastics in this throw-away culture of ours, and it's next to impossible to function in a civilized country without consuming fossil fuels of one sort or another. While refusing plastic bags and committing ourselves to recycling are steps in the right direction, it is my considered opinion that our greatest impact might come from a willing reduction in consumerism. Consider what you're about to buy: do you really need it? Could you make do with a second-hand version? Will the old one suffice for another year or two, even though it doesn't have all the bells and whistles of the newest model? And consider what you're planning to throw away: do you know someone who'd make use of your unwanted items? Don't sell them. Pass them along, and break the "money chain" which drives the engines of consumerism. On this Earth Day, I offer another of my life-slogans: "Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without." And don't think it doesn't make a difference. Even the small things count.