Since when does an apple need a wrapper? This picture illustrates just how disconnected from nature we have become. As you walk into a walgreens here in Chicago you are greeted with this display stand. Discounted Twinkies and fruit shrouded in plastic. I couldn’t leave the store without saying something so, I asked a manager what the email address was for customer feedback at Walgreens. He looked a little suspicious of me because I had my camera phone in hand. I assured him that I would not mention his name or the specific location of the store and then asked him why would Walgreens sell fruit wrapped in plastic. He said because there was a concern about keeping the fruit safe.
I then asked him how does a banana get dirty when you don’t eat the peel and that most people would wash an apple before eating it. He paused for a moment, clearly not having previously considered the absurdity of the packaging in front of us. He then said, "I think you are right."
Most people I have met want to do the right thing and when they don’t it is more often because they have given no thought to what the right thing is in that situation. When it comes to plastic, we have not done enough thinking. NOT AT ALL!! We continue to take a soon to be diminishing resource and continue to waste it on disposable uses.
As walgreens to do it’s part to stop this absurdity. If you are reading this post, I request that to copy the url of this page, create a humorous caption for this picture and then go to Walgreens corporate feedback page and let them know what you think.
Walgreens has the power to change just like you and me.
Last year, I got curious about the our food supply and where food comes from. For the first time in our adult lives, my wife and took up gardening. The video footage below was shot over the course of last summer. .
On Earthday 2009, I am looking back at last summer and what we had do say about our motivations for doing this. Our motivations remain unchanged and infact we are even more passionate about local food and have dedicated ourselves to learning more about it. We are out to inspire the people we know to do the same. One day my neighbor Tony popped his head over the fence while I was out back working and said "Hey Man! I see you’re gettin your garden on. Thats cool." It made me think, that is what the experience is like. Gardening is like getting a groove on with the earth.
We invite you to "Get your Garden On"
Last year, I made a commitment to gradually eliminate my lawn and found a patch of ground that didn’t seem to like grass much anyway. A friend of mine came across some discarded stone from a building that was torn down and said I could have it if I was willing to come and pick it up. So in two trips with my homemade trailer I collected several tons of free limestone.
I had some unused cement from a previous project and at about noon on Easter Sunday I couldn’t wait any longer and got to work in my back yard creating a raised bed for vegetables. I was flipping through the radio channels and came across the Mike Nowak Show. To my delight I called in just as they were giving out the call in number and I got to ask my questions on the show. I was thrilled by how knowledgeable Mike Nowak is and I even got to even share about Low Carbon Home on the radio. Listen here.
Mike is a wonderful host with an infectious enthusiasm. On this particular show he was interviewing master gardener Scott Thalman. My question was about what vegetables are best to grow in my side yard (see related video). I was even more excited to know that his show is on for two hours every Sunday from noon until 2pm. In the Chicago area you can tune into AM 820 and FM 92.5 (west) FM 92.7 (north) FM 99.9 (south). Mike Nowak has been on the radio for more than a decade sharing his passion for gardening and all things horticultural is a vast resource for anyone who wants to learn how to garden. More of us need to!
I will be tuning in on Sundays from now on!
As the US congress argues over what is going to go into the stimulus bill, something that must not be forgotten is that while the economic crisis started in the housing and credit markets, it was immediately preceded by a massive spike in fuel prices. Global demand for oil had reached the absolute limit of the supply chain. The faucet could not open up any further. While the economic crisis has dropped demand and prices have dropped to a 5 year low the price will certainly go up as soon as the economy begins to pick up.
There will be arguments for continuing with fossil fuels because in the near term they will be cheaper and if we succumb to that temptation it will be a mistake. Most oil experts agree that we are certainly at the peak of supply. Future economic growth will have to take place while the price of fuel increases in price at an ever higher rate. Going green is neither a slogan nor a choice. It is the only way forward. We must all be involved and we must be creative.
