Just say no

Giveaways. Every company's answer to anything. Everyone wants free stuff. The next time you are faced with a goody bag of free stuff, just say no. Please take a moment and really think about what you are getting. I appreciate you not taking it for the plastic bag it is in, the real crime lays inside. Do you really need a stress ball? An XXL t-shirt? Another pen? A teeny-tiny Richard Petty bobble head? The answer is probably no. I am sure there are exceptions to this rule. I am sure there is a decent goody bag out there somewhere, but 95% of the time, you don't need it or want it. Sure, you'll squeeze the stress ball a couple of times, throw the pens in your drawer, maybe eat that piece of candy, but in the long run, did anything benefit you?

When it comes down to it, goody bags are pollution. They fill the landfill because no one wants any of it. They deplete our resources in their existence and they pollute the Earth in the manufacturing and shipping. Just say no to needless items. Please. If you say no, maybe the keychains, weak magnets, and golf tees will go away. We have enough, thank you.

Requests and Follow-ups

OK, after my Olympic post, my highly-educated NBC- loving cousin Sarah enlightened me on what's really going on with the swimming. (feel free to read the comment she posted) This is why I knew I should have watched a little more before I jumped to a conclusion. It seems like a modern marvel and a PR spin at the same time that you can go faster just by digging the pool deeper, but I am not a rocket scientist, so I admit I do not understand it completely. Since SO many people are getting new records set, this explains it a little more. I still believe that there is doping in the Olympics, but apparently not as drastic as I thought (which restores my faith in the games). If you want to read how the swimmers are cheating without drugs, here is an interesting article.

http://www.slate.com/blogs/blogs/humannature/archive/2008/08/13/olympic-inflation.aspx

Also, here is a link to good-for-you, good-for-the-earth household cleaners. The best part is that they are actually cheaper than using the typical cleaners.

http://www.eartheasy.com/live_nontoxic_solutions.htm

The Pink Elephant

I haven't really been watching the Olympics to much this year. For some reason it has been 82 degrees with no humidity in St. Louis so I have been taking advantage of the weather and not sitting inside my air-conditioned cave watching TV. It has been great, don't get me wrong, but my post is about the Olympics. I have caught tidbits from CNN and radio. Last night I did watch one race and I had to turn it off.

Has anyone else noticed that many many records have been broken this year? I have not done the research to find the exact numbers so forgive my lack of journalism, but this just seems obvious. Lay off the drugs people. The race I watched last night was women swimming. My first clue into doping was the no-necked huge animals poised to jump in the water. These were not women. At the end of the race the first, second, and third place swimmers had all broken the record. What? It should not be that easy. There was another swimming race and the person broke the record by over 4 seconds.

In our world of stalking paparazzi with a mission to expose every celebrity's secret, why isn't there a journalist trying to uncover this obvious doping elephant in the room?! Everyone seems to be going along with it too. It is really frustrating me. A journalist will dig and dig to find out secrets about someone's church minister, an affair done with twenty years ago or to uncover someone's sexual orientation, but with the eyes of the world are focus on one place for a brief moment, we allow these people to cheat and take away the true competition and glory of the games. What frustrates me more is that this will become a scandel in the next year. Athletes will be punished and in a very unglorious moment the doped-up athletes will be stripped of their medals and the true athletes will be awarded, but without the honor and ceremony they deserve.

Is there something you use to enjoy as a kid, but as you get older the "man behind the curtain" is revealed and you now feel the event seems a little empty?

p.s. the pic is of some true athletes. This is the first, second, and third place teams in the Race Around the Lou, a scavenger hunt arount St. Louis. Yes, that is me with my sister-in-law Rachel.

I Heart Reading

Yesterday I was looking through my books and falling in love all over again. There are so many books that I love. I am sorry, but I don't like to lend out books. I know it's not a very environmental viewpoint, I will recommend something and you can go to the library. I have found some trustworthy souls that return books lately. Some of my favorite books are the Harry Potter series. The classic tale of good and evil. Doing what right instead of doing what's popular. It's great on every level. While I enjoy the movies (next movie is November 21!), I am sad that there are millions that will never know the story in their imagination alone. There are my fluff books I love (Shopoholics and Summer Sisters) . There are many books that I like the concept, but not the execution (anything Piccoult). There are books I read that have helped heal me (Eat, Love, Pray by Gilbert and 102 minutes by NY Times writers on September 11)

If I had to recommend books to anyone they would be: Nineteen Minutes by Piccoult, The Omnivore's Dilemma by Pollan, and the Harry Potter series, but I could go on and on.

If I had to tell anyone to avoid a book, I would say the DaVinci Code. Sorry, folks, one picture cannot have that many meanings taking from every religion and ritual that every existed. It was just too much of a stretch for me.

What book do you recommend? What book do you tell people to avoid? What book is your guilt pleasure?

There is enough in this world for everyone's needs, but not everyone's greed." -Gandhi

I know that I am not a selfless person. I know that I should give up my car and turn off my AC. I also know that I can't. I have limitations. I just wish other people did too. I was reading an article about how my generation is still living off their parents in one way or another. Sad.

I am also saddened by the fact that the US is 5% of the world's population, yet we produce 40% of the world's trash. How is that possible?! I do know how that is possible. How many pairs of shoes do you have? How old is your computer? car? cellphone? We live in a disposable society. The worst of it? Plastic. I am begging you to stop drinking bottled water. I will get into the sad, sad statistics in another post.

I leave you today with this question: What can you live without? I am not asking about big ticket items. I am asking about the small changes you could easily give up with a conscious effort. Could you switch from paper towels to a dish towel? Could you start using a travel mug to get your coffee? (QT charges you less if you bring your own cup) Could you give up Ziploc bags for tupperware? Can you give up super duper toxic cleaner that costs 2x's as much as vinegar, ammonia, and alcohol? It's the small things that make a BIG difference. What small things have you already given up?

I am not apologizing, I am just aware now.

Doing research on solar panels for my company, I have learned a lot about electricity rates. I have learned that Missouri has one of the lowest rates in the country (we are one of the 10 lowest states in the country). According to an article in Business week last week, MO's rates have actually decreased in the last 2 years. Yes, folks, your bills went down (even though I haven't personally noticed). While it is unfortunate that solar panels make no sense to install on my house, I am very thankful that I am paying $.0783 per kWh instead of California that pays $0.14 and even $.089 in AL. Next time, you want to curse Ameren, just turn off your lights instead. We don't have it too bad. This is not an apology to Ameren for all the letters I have wrote them. It is me admitting that I understand some things now and I appreciate what they do (well, what the government does, because I am sure they would charge more if they could). Missourians enjoy your AC today.

Meet my friend Lars

Quick, nice blog since my last post was quite a long rant.

Lars and the Real Girl. If you are looking for an easy movie that is funny and entertaining, see this movie. One of the main characters is a blow up doll, but don't let that scare you off. It is a sweet movie. It stars Ryan Gosling, which some of you may know from Kids Inc, The Notebook, or Half Nelson. This movie makes up for all of those. He does a great job and should have been nominated for something.

Watch Lars and the Real Girl. It's great.