Reasonably So

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Today’s theme is green! Green Beer! Green Potatoes! Green Small People! Green Blogs! Green Lifestyles! Mostly those last two…

My first entry was kind of poking fun at being “green,” but since November the reality of Green living has become something I am much more willing to adopt. I try to turn off the lights and water when I don’t need them, and I still recycle as much as I can. On top of the other small-time changes (toilet paper, dish soap) I have in-store for myself, the subtle-eco-consciousness to Spoken Contract’s bike-riding-commuting-lifestyle-blogging has caused me to mull over the shade of Green I might already be (I’m thinking Asparagus, but that might just be a result of liking the taste of it). In yet another attempt to free myself of some guilt, I’ll admit something to you right now:

I drive at least 10 miles every day. Usually I am driving solo. I don’t even want to think about my carbon karma. I drive for 14 minutes per day. The alternative? Walking 20 minutes to take a bus for 20 minutes to take another bus 20 minutes and then doing that all AGAIN to get home? We’re talking 2 hours of commuting if I decide to give the Earth a big fat kiss every day. Does it make me an asshole that I can’t afford the time it takes to commute consciously? I have things to do, Momma Nature, I’m sorry! Right now, I don’t really feel like I have much opportunity to be greener in the ONE way it would really make a difference.

However, lots of big changes are in the wind for me:

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The trash receptacle seen above was observed today (Nov. 15, 2007 - approx. 10:20am) at the Arlington Street MBTA Station in Boston, Mass. If you manage to decipher the headline on the top newspaper (apologies for the cell-phone-quality-image) you’ll see it reads:

“IT IS INEXCUSABLE”

Yes, yes it is. Look at all that wasted news! Look at those one-time-use beverage cups! It is INEXCUSABLE that there is not enough “green” reading and “green” beverage consumption for the commuting public.

I see this need, and I’ll offer you this: I cordially encourage you to sit back, settle in, and sip from a reusable mug or glass while you absorb some words, photographs, oddities, and wisdom that wouldn’t dare waste paper.

You’ve already earned a hearty pat on the back for (nearly) making it through this, my first blog post. What are the chances of finding a blog abandoned on top of a trashcan?

Most of REASONABLY SO will not be about the environment, but I’m happy to help “green”-up the world by starting with the Green Line. And just in case you’re too stubborn to give up the Dig, the Post, or the L… please recycle when you’re finished reading!

- Emily S.