Why Earth Day…

…kind of aggravates me.

Earth Day is a wonderful concept; everyone takes a day to appreciate this planet and do a little to pitch in. But this is our home and we treat it like a wasteland – so one day of appreciation isn’t going to cut it. I even found myself thinking today ‘I am an environmental educator – I do my part, at least more then others- so I am good.” I am most definitely not good. I need to be a better environmentalist and do more. I don’t mean to disparage the good intentions of the day either – we just need to have those intentions more then one day per year. Even well meaning folks who show up for beach cleanups show up with a bunch of one use plastic bottles. I am like GUYYYYYYS really? Then I go home and drink a Gatorade out of a single use plastic bottle. So, I need to be better for our planet and we can all be better for our planet every day. Make a small change – everyday. All this small changes/drops in the bucket can add up. But we all need to commit to it. Let’s try and take care of our collective home. Earth my be the only truly universal thing we all have in common. If we are going to come together, saving the planet seems like a good place to start. Believe the science y’all. Trust the science. We need to do something now – everyday. Maybe coming together for this common goal could even move the world to work together in other ways too. We should try.

Social media is also not helping. I see these companies posting about earth day and all the great things they are doing. I am sure they are trying a little bit, but you need to show me what your huge company is doing on more then just Earth Day. What are you doing on the regular, even if it cuts into profits. Show me that, and I will be impressed, like and share whatcha got. Posting about it today feels less motivated from good and more motivated to show how great these companies are and how much we should be like them. MMMMM doesn’t ring true to me today.

Sorry for the negativity. Kudos to everyone doing something awesome for the planet today. It’s awesome. Just carry it all year 🙂 I will try to be better too.

Actively Choosing to Be Positive…

…in the face of selfish and stupid (OK mostly positive).

People are protesting the stay at home order. Look, it sucks, I get it. I miss going to the movies, wine club, and hugging my friends too but it’s important to stay at home and not do social things in close physical range together right now to keep each other safe. Heck, I even miss work but we have a lot of comforts at home. We have forms of entertainment (TV, Books, Family, Imagination) at home. We have forms of socializing at a distance. For instance, I am hosting a zoom happy hour this evening with my friends. Is it the same as meeting up for a martini? No, but it is sure better then no contact at all.

There is a lot of talk on Social Media about these protest (and protest of the protest which are awesome) so I started to share one I truly think is amazing (see below). The original poster posted it in the spirit of getting others thinking, not actually denying medical care. I really hope it works and gets folks thinking.

While I completely think it makes a great point (if you are risking the health and yourself and others by violating this order in protest you should consider waiving your right to medical care for it should you contract the virus), I chose to delete it after I shared it. There are few reasons for this, but mostly I want my social media to be positive and this would have done nothing short of invite negativity from the aforementioned selfish/stupid people. Secondly, I have people I love in the medical field who wouldn’t even consider not giving someone care for any reason whatsoever because they are AMAZING people. So, for these amazing people – please follow social distancing and staying at home as best you can. Let’s be and stay positive.

I know, there are so many of us out of work (yep I am one of them) but life will return to normal someday and all we can do is the best we can. So do your best to keep everyone safe.

Who Knows What to Believe…

…and what not too.

The whole Corona Virus, panic purchasing, and seeing the ugly side of humanity in the US has me questioning what to trust and what not too.

Seems to me that mass buying toilet paper is not the answer to anyone’s problems here. I went the grocery store at 7:12 am to buy a diet coke and donut and it was already cleaned out. The nice lady at the register said she worked 12 hours yesterday because of all the demand. I know it’s an intimidating thing, the outfall of a pandemic, but does there need to be this much panic yet? Do we need 150 rolls of toilet paper and screw anyone who couldn’t get to the store in time (like the elderly or families with kids)? I understand providing for yourself and you family in scary times – a plan b is great – but let’s not forget there are other people in this world to take care of.

All the news, social media, etc are all corona virus, toilet paper all the time. I know it isn’t helping the situation but it makes it even harder to know what to believe and what not too. How panicked should I really be? How prepared should I really be? Even with everything the CDC released to help people prepare and be safe people are still freakin’ me out. No where in those instructions did it say wipe the stores out of TP and any paper product or deli meat. Is this all just paranoia or is it as bad as panic shoppers are making it seem? I have no idea because I am so confused with every new or different story out there.

Also, if I am buying things I think might not be available in the future I am personally hitting the produce section. If anything is gonna go away it’s healthy, fresh food. I know people want stuff that isn’t perishable but you can eat the fruits and veggies now…

Also – I had a bad day a few days ago and my dude went to the store and got me trash bags and paper towels (need both) while he was shopping. I truly think that was so freakin’ cute and romantic and I really appreciated it. Especially in the times and panic around paper products right now. If that ain’t love I don’t know what is?

What do you all think??