1) Stop using contraceptive drugs. They pollute the ground water and contribute to genetic changes in fish. Use Natural Family Planning and be open to life and love.2) Love your spouse and family. Don't get divorced. A couple who stays together lives in one housing unit instead of two. That saves trees and other natural building materials, reduces energy because of shared appliances, and reduces stress on the kids making them more likely to hug a tree instead of kick it. Studies show that kids whose parents divorce have a lower life expectancy and engage in riskier behavior. Do the planet (and your kids) a favor by staying together through "good times and bad."
3) Instead of wasting time and money at the mall on stuff you don't need, take a hike and praise God for giving us this beautiful earth and making us its stewards.
4) Take your kids or grandkids on a litter walk. (Wear gloves.) Tell them stories about being responsible and caring for their neighborhoods. "Once upon a time there were two little children who lived in a pleasant village. Unfortunately, it had a McDonalds on one end of town which was a Big Mac away from their house. Every day they found foil wrappers, fry holders and empty drink cups scattered on their front lawn...."
5) Don't use weedkillers on your yard. Let the dandelions give it that cheery color. You'll be doing the honeybees a favor too. They like dandelions! In fact, if you don't use herbicides you can eat dandelions. The leaves are good in salad and the flowers can be breaded and fried. Really! Maybe I'll make some for dinner.
6) Have a garden swap. Trade plants with your neighbors. You'll add new plants at no cost. If you want lamb's ear I've got plenty. Also I'd be glad to share daffodils and lilies. The forsythia is volunteering as well. And the chives are growing everywhere. Want some Greek oregano? Got that too. Gardeners are the best friends on earth. They love to share!
7) Ignore the environmental wackos who think the best thing you can do for the planet is kill yourself. God made you in His image and likeness to take care of and enjoy the earth. You are the pinnacle of His creation. Tell a friend!
Love it! You are exactly right on all your points. Isn't it great when they tell us older people about saving the environment after we were brought up with and used the "waste not want not" philosopy of our parents all our lives and are way ahead of them on the issue and even came from larger families? Especially when some of them never canned fruit or vegetables a day in their lives. I also just love it when they tell us Californians not to drink bottled water to save the environment. What the heck do they expect us to drink in case of an earthquake, and we don't have any water on hand? It also has to be recycled, too. So here's a toast to bottled water!Long may it flow -- into my mouth that is and to heck with the environmetalists. They don't know what they are talking about anyway, at least many or most of them.
ReplyDeleteWe stopped using weedkillers in our yard last year simply because we couldn't afford the lawn care anymore. I will tell you, we had more insects and pollinators in our garden than ever before, AND we had a whole family of praying mantis all over. I must have found at least 5 all over the yard all summer, and one took up residence on the watermelon vine we grew right outside our screen door. I would spend hours just watching him stalk his prey, and even found egg sacs which I took care to place in safe places to fare the winter. It was a great teaching tool for my nieces and nephews, too, since they're all homeschooled.
ReplyDeleteI've vowed to never use weedkillers again. Besides, I could certainly use the exercise I get from pulling the weeds myself.
And have you ever noticed how beautiful weeds are? I go around my yard admiring the knowweed and chickweed and other "weeds" that by another name are "wildflowers." I love the cornflowers that grow along the side of the road and the Queen Anne's Lace." I used to have a neighbor who was obsessive/compulisive about her yard. Every waking hour she was weeding and whacking and working. Unfortunate lady had to live next door to us. LOL! My philosophy was you can't grow a beautiful lawn and have a houseful of children at the same time. And how I would have missed all those dandelion bouquets. Life is good and weeds are a gift in many ways. The difficulty of pulling them up (from a position on our knees) is a reminder that the spiritual life is also a challenge and vices have taproots as long as dandelions.
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