Wandering Wednesdays

Happy Earth Day!

I have mixed feelings about this day. You see, the SO and I try to live in the most environmentally conscious way possible. For the past two years we have slowly been changing our habits such as: reducing consumption of goods, recycling and reusing items, changing all of our light bulbs, reducing the number of electrical vampires, purchasing local goods from local businesses, showering together (hehe), riding bikes to work, eating more vegetarian meals and the list goes on and on.

This year for Earth Day the SO and I decided to try a no lights day. Basically this morning and evening we have a no lights rule. Candle (and right now computer screen) light only. Cooking dinner tonight was a little interesting! But grilling tofu on the Foreman, cooking couscous and cutting up cucumber wasn't too hard! It was different, but not too bad, and really we should do this more often! Kyle has been having a BLAST! I think the dark is making him more hyper as he has been running around like crazy!

So why am I mixed about this day? Here is my Jiminy Cricket moment, "every day should be Earth Day." But nonetheless, I am glad that we have such a day. For instance, when I joined my lab, they wasted so much! Simple things such as plastic and paper would get chucked into the trash. Items that could be reused would also get chucked. When I became lab tech that all changed, but my labmates could still get better. And I know that even with my daily griping they still need work. Most people don't have an annoying lab tech to bug them about this stuff every day. So I know, that many others out there could also do better. So even though Grist (see below) says Screw Earth Day, and yes in a way I agree, I think we still need to embrace the day rather than screwing it.

My favorite sites for environmental news and ideas? Grist, Treehugger and NPR. Go check it out, the are great sites! But also who am I talking to here? Knitters mostly. And come on, I know you guys rock in terms of being conscious of local businesses and goods and just overall being creative and environmentally aware!
So today for Wandering Wednesdays I leave you in the dark with me... but for today, I think it's a good thing. :)

(The SO was happy to model our dark living room for all of you!).


lunaticraft said…
That is such a cool idea. I would love to have a candles only night, and not even because it benefits the environment, but because it's cool! The environment thing is a bonus! Sadly, I don't think I'd be able to convince my family it's that cool... =(
Megan said…
Seems romantic!

This is a great idea, and I agree we should be more focused on this everyday. My husband and I try to do it too.

Happy Earth Day!