Going Green

New year, new resolutions, new green look even.

I always had the regular resolutions: quit smoking (done 4 years ago), lose weight (almost every year), but there comes a point where you say "oh yes, this year I am going to lose weight, and then four days in your inhaling a cheeseburger and fries because that resolution just doesn't mean the same thing after you've made it and broken it a thousand times!

This year I decided just to expand on something I have been half heartedly doing or trying to do for the past few years. I want to be greener, and I want to support my local businesses, particularly restaurants and farmers.

I used to live in Vermont (ahhh..big home sick sigh here) and when you live in Vermont it's fairly easy to be green. Recycling was required (big old fine if you didn't); there are small local restaurants and businesses everywhere you turn. However, out here in the Midwest it's not that easy. Or wasn't when I first moved here. Change is in the air. It seems that being an organic locavoir is catching on around here. Before you know it there will be furry women wearing sock and Birkenstocks, swinging their dreads as they walk past you in their hemp clothes smelling of patouchli to get into their BMW SUV... it will be just like home. Oops... sorry my bitch was showing there for a minute.

Anyway, it is day 6 of Eileen going Green and so far it hasn't been as easy as you might think. Going green seems easy doesn't it? Well.... it's not!

Day 1: Remembered reusable grocery bags. Score! Forgot reusable coffee mug and water bottle... doh!

Day 2: Remembered reusable coffee mug and water bottle... yay! Standing in line at Target realized I forgot the bags, and had too many items to carry... shoot!

Day 3: Remembered the coffee mugs, didn't need bag... yes!

Day 4: Remembered both the coffee mug and the bags! Yay me!

You get the picture. One, it's a work in progress. Two, I shop waaaaaaaaaaaaay to much apparently. Although, I loved the look on the people at Express's face when I busted out a cloth bag for my purchase. I am getting the sense that being green may have its moments of embarrassment. And possibly a lot of them since I have determined that if I forget the bags from now on I will run out to the car to get them, and if I forget the cups I don't get coffee. That ought to be an easy one to remember.

Here is an estimate of my total from 2009 (sadly these are probably true, do not judge me Vermonters):

Paper cups used: 1000 (seriously... ouch) YIKES!
Non-degradable Plastic Garbage bags used: 450 Cringe
Plastic Grocery bags (reused mind you but still): 400
Amount of stuff recycled: 0 (I am hanging my head in shame)
Local/Organic products consumed: I'm better about this because local stuff just tastes better: Cheese, eggs, and some produce
Local Restaurants: Not sure, but I am going to say most because I don't like chains. Other than
         McDonald's here and there. What can I say?  I love it.
Number of Fast Food Meals consumed: Too many to count... hello thunder thighs!
Number of Bottles of Wine consumed: Too many to count... hello liver damage (I have no
        intention of changing this one... sorry resolutions).

Okay now I am getting out of hand and just listing everything. I haven't been keeping track to date but I will attempt to track it from here on out. P.S. I count Bruegger's as local because it comes from my beloved Vermont. Cheating I know, but so were the chocolate chips I ate straight from the bag last night at10pm.  Long live the weight loss resolution!