Resolutions 2007�

2007-01-02

1. Leave a smaller footprint on the planet.

This one is actually difficult. I have to drive to work. I don't have enough land to grow much of my own food. But I will try to be a more conscientious consumer. Buy food with less packaging. Do I really need to drink Diet Coke? Wouldn't I be better off if I just drank water. Buy a cup to keep at work. One for water/soda, whatever, one for coffee or tea. Stop throwing away a cup every time I want some coffee. OK, maybe this isn't so difficult as I thought. Baby steps, just take baby steps.

This was partly brought on by watching "An Inconvenient Truth." Something I hadn't done 'til now. No one has to convince me of the importance of this issue. But it's startling and heartbreaking to see and understand more of the details. All I can do is take a deep breath and try to think more about what I do.

2. Work out more.

Already started this one. I'm walking or doing weights 4 or 5 times a week. Changing the time to after work has helped. Nothing is going to make me get up any earlier. Also going for �walk for 30 minutes� instead of �walk 3 miles� has helped. Take smaller bites; they�re much easier to chew.

3. Do more around the house.

I hate housework. Repetitive and unrewarding. That said, there are a bunch of little things that niggle at the edges of my perception. Take 5 minutes and do them. Then they�ll stop bothering me. For a while.

Tonight�s task � clean out the spice shelf

4. Garden more. And less

I�ve let the yard get away from me. I�ve got a thousand little pots all over the place. Find a spot for them or get rid of them. Too much clutter. If something isn�t doing well, throw it out or cut it down.

I cut down one of my miniature bananas. A. It wasn�t so miniature; topping 8 feet. B. It was leaning alarmingly to one side. A good breeze would topple the whole thing. Besides, it had a sprout along one side. I cut down the leaning tower and incidentally learned that banana plants are mostly water. My gloves were sopping before I was done.

5. Eat better.

This is something else I�ve been doing for a while. And it incidentally fits nicely with #1. I can buy things at the whole food mart and take it home in a bag, instead of a bag inside of a box inside of more plastic wrap. Fewer processed foods. Less meat and more veg.

Wasn�t able to practice that this week. The Wonderful Spouse was home all week and planned all of meals around the meat of the day. I don�t think we�ve had that much meat in years. All were delicious, but I�m not used to that kind of stuff anymore.

I�ve incidentally had trouble finding vegetarian recipes. There are lots of them out there, but they�re all about �making sausage pizza with tofu sausage.� If I want a hamburger, I�ll eat one. I find food to be disappointing when it�s supposed to taste like something, but it doesn�t.

I make resolutions every year and keep very few of them. But I make them and I think I�ll keep making them. I figure you have to be aiming at something to hit it.

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