I’m going to be replacing it in a couple of years with the Saturn Vue, and most likely not a hybrid as I’ll be then living in Miami and don’t feel like picking people out of my back seat for being rear ended on the highway by a lambo or some other super fast super expensive car! It is safe, reliable, and the BEST OPTION for my family.

I do my best to live green, but there is only so much we can do, and for ANYONE to cast the first stone at you is ridiculous! We all need to do our part to help our planet AND our families. I don’t think of things as green if they are only safe for the planet but maybe not my family. I need what is best for my family, and I will not sacrifice my family’s needs, but I will do what I can to improve my family’s lives and live gentler to our planet.

Hypocrite? NOPE. Just an HONEST woman, who will put her family above everything, just as everyone should!

In addition, I also walk when & where I can or take the light rail to go downtown. I love the idea of a hybrid, but as of now they don’t weigh out to be cost effective in my opinion. In the long run, I think we are making a sustainable choice!
I do agree with the commenter who mentioned urban sprawl being a related problem to this issue. I’ve recently realized the benefit to living close to work as my husband has been able to ride his bike to work almost every day this summer. It is definitely an issue we’ll consider next time we move. If we live closer to work, school, shops, family/friends, etc, then it matters less WHAT we drive, because we drive LESS.

Gidgets last blog post..Mañana…

The other difference may be that we both consider “possible” to be two different things. Like you, I am all in favor of doing what is possible. I seem to think that more is possible than you. “Possible” is linked to “necessary”. If I think what is necessary to be done is so much more than you, it is no surprise our perception of “possible” differs.

People like to live well. That means, in my mind, living according to what you value highly. There are two paths to get there. You can attempt to adjust your life-style, or you can adjust your values. Since what is still considered valuable in mainstream North America is way beyond what all humans could possibly do on this planet, I favor a change of our value system. No doubt, doing this slowly is better; I just don’t believe (!) that we have time to do this slowly. And I have to admit, from what I read here, I do not believe that you or most of your readers (since the ones who were upset with your for buying and SUV left) feel the urgency as much as I do. I grew up in a country that has a very different infrastructure and history and has managed to adjust over the decades to more costly energy. Yet they struggle a lot with the current energy prices. They are ready but it is tough. North America is NOT READY. We have not even glimpsed how dependent almost all we do is on fossil fuels and cheap energy. It is going to be beyond tough. Is this a picture of misery and gloom? Sure it is! Is it not a distinct possibility though? Is it better to show this picture and prepare people for what seems to come if we just sit on our rear-ends and do nothing (or just a bit)? I think that is more than fair. At the same time (!), we need to encourage people to do the right things, point out what can be done and makes a difference, inspire people to search for better solutions, etc. I am with you there.

I do agree that I may be leaving comments at a blog that caters to readers who rather feel better about themselves when doing a few things right rather than feeling guilty for only doing a few things right. While guilt, reason, and worries about the future motivate me to do better all the time, guilt and worries are not motivating in a society that still allows individuals to stick their heads in the sand and get away from it all. I will try to pay attention to this and if I read something here that just does not make sense, I will phrase it so it induces less guilt while still carry the urgency I think it should and offer the practical advice to do better.

BTW, I find it a weird, wide-spread American thing to reject “finger pointing”. We now live in a world in which most human actions need to be considered everyone’s business. Freedom is not unlimited any longer (as if it ever was!). If I point out that something seems to be not going right, I do not mind being “proven” wrong. Nonetheless, I think that not accepting reasonable criticism on those grounds is pretty lame. It is a strategy to reject the messenger, not the message. It is personal rather than problem-oriented. Accusing someone of finger-pointing or judging distracts from the arguments made, claims moral higher grounds, and shifts the discussion away from the facts to the character of the person questioning the actions.

Karsten

You are welcome to leave comments. You’re welcome to have your beliefs and they are your beliefs. I encourage and want more readers to do good things for the environment, every day. I just don’t subscribe to the notion that making people feel guilty is necessary or positive. When something isn’t great that doesn’t mean it isn’t worthwhile or good. I want readers to feel comfortable here and not like they are reading something that makes them feel like they aren’t doing enough. Your site is great and I’ve been there several times and you have lots of great information to offer, I do not discount that what-so-ever.

I also don’t see you as the messenger trying to tell my readers the urgent, pressing environmental new and I want to squash that and hide them from what is going on. That’s absurd. They know. I know. We all know we have to do something to make a change for our health, the environment and for the sake of the future. Nobody discounts this and that’s exactly what I am trying to do, help moms do something, be some shade of green to make a difference. A lot of ripples make a large wave. There’s no wool to be pulled over anyone elses eyes and can a blog really hide the truth about what is happening, I think not. To even imply this is just insulting.

Again, I think you are missing the point about G&CM being uplifting, encouraging and postive. That is all I am trying to do and my comment to you was to make you aware of what G&CM is trying to do and what I am doing. I’m not being ungreen by doing this nor am I “hiding” anything. I put myself into no particular group other than a group of green moms doing their best and not feeling guilty about what they don’t do but rather proud of what they are doing and inspired to continue learning and doing more. Typing words like “YOU” does imply me and even after rereading the post, I do indeed still feel as though there was a finger pointing, regardless of the “if”.

The tone is important Karstan and they are your beliefs and thoughts. You believe and think that “You need to know, accept, and live by that it is not enough to do just a few little things.” Well, I don ‘t believe this. I believe and think that knowing is power and doing little things is enough if it’s what a person can do. Maybe the next day they can do more. They need to feel inspired to do more though. They need to feel supported, encouraged and motivated to do more. That is what G&CM is about.

Thanks for the dialogue and thought provoking beliefts your present. I am happy to welcome them, I’d just rather not be weighed down by them. If I have two pictures: One of hope and inspiration and one of miserary and gloom…I’m going for the hope and inspiration picture!

What you write in response to my comment is very interesting. You apparently see yourself in a group that I did not put you in. You judged yourself to be part of the people who “don’t look beyond your personal interests, your family’s interests, your wallet, and your backyard”. There was an “if” in this sentence and you included yourself (and even your readers). While I intentionally phrased it to leave open the “possibility” that there are some in that group to be found here (as they seem to be everywhere) I left that judgment to the reader. Don’t blame me! All you had to say is “That’s not me!”.

I think that your readers most likely are overworked mothers and other people interested in doing the right things. They should know what little difference some (!) actions have and which actions could have a higher impact. They should also experience support for doing the hard things that have a big impact rather than support to continue doing the wrong things or for things that do not make much of a difference. I criticize if actions that do cause little positive change are portrayed as the opposite. It looks like you do not want that sort of objective analysis (you call it “judging”). Weird.

What I presented are not my “thoughts” or “beliefs”. What I presented was the fact that you cannot end an unsustainable life-style of a society that is caused by the terrible over-consumption of millions of people by asking all of those people to change their life-style just a little bit. I am offering better solutions. I have offered much good advice at your site. Practical advice that makes a difference and that anyone can do. Real ideas and reflections about how other people in similar situations have tackled the issues we now struggle with. And you are asking me to comment somewhere else? Does that not strike you as peculiar and decisively un-green?

I agree, generally speaking, I am not the don’t worry- be happy kind of person. Nevertheless, I am surprised that you basically tell me to leave. There is much work to be done and it is very urgent. Being sensitive about logical conclusions and inconvenient facts, and asking the messenger to go away does not reflect well on this site. I cannot image you intend this. It cannot be just about “feeling” green.

So, please forgive my abrasive (and occasionally provocative) words and the depressing scenarios I paint. I am extremely concerned and worried and, while I may be in the minority here, there are more people who feel like me out there. I know you all want to do the right thing. It is hard and I know that. Keeping people in the dark about the urgency is not going to help. I also know (from experience) that it is possible to change a lot and I know what makes a big difference. Forget my tone – find the best things you can do and do them. The motto on my website is “Know what you could do – Do what you can do”. Read it, discuss it, write about it, etc., but don’t just dismiss what I can offer. I like to help but I will never tell anyone that what they do is great if it is not.

Karsten
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http://www.polluteless.com
Practical Advice to Pollute Less

Your comments and beliefs are very passionate and they are yours. You have a right to your opinion but I think you might have found the wrong blog to preach to. You see, Green & Clean Mom is about being positive, doing your best, helping one another, not judging, not preaching, not making one another feel guilty. Posting comments that are going to degrade my readers, myself and the theme of my blog by writing comments such as:

“If you don’t look beyond your personal interests, your family’s interests, your wallet, and your backyard life on this planet will become less than enjoyable for all. Feeling guilty is a small price to pay for that.” I am offended for you to think that I do not look beyond my family’s interests or my own and that I don’t or my readers don’t see beyond their backyards. Readers and participants at Green & Clean Mom are doing wonderful and making a dent and a impact on the environment in a good way.

“Millions of people doing not enough results in even more people doing less than that. We cannot afford that little participation. You need to know, accept, and live by that it is not enough to do just a few little things.” Green & Clean Mom is about doing what you can. Even a little is better than nothing. If this is not in line with your thoughts, that is okay but take them else where, please.

Karsten, they do nothing spiritually to motivate, encourage and inspire others to do more. They instead create negative energy that makes the already overwhelmed mom think that yes, she has to bathe in rain water, compost, drive a hybrid, have dreads, not shave, milk her own cow and then just say, “screw it!” Going green is a movement and is something to be embraced and celebrated because more awareness and knowledge equals more change. Making those feel “guilty” is not the way to get others to do anything. I’d much rather the comments and participation at Green & Clean Mom be more positive and encouraging verses negative and finger pointing. It is clear we have very different opinions but I still respect all you do to help the environment and to live a more sustainable life. It is what works for you and what you feel comfortable doing. I have the same respect, however, for all those who do something, regardless of their shade. I’m thinking you have not understood the theme and purpose of this site.

All the best to everyone who is doing something each day to make an impact, big or small!

Green & Clean Mom

I believe we have enough data to show that doing nothing (or too little) may cause enormous “difficulties” for future generations of humans on this planet. We are talking hunger, riots, violence, death, .. here. It sure does not look great if nothing happens or we wait until we see that it is actually happening and then begin doing something. It may be an evolutionary response to react slowly rather than change course every time there is data that could justify a course change, but we have not changed course in a long time and things are not going right. This said, I often compare violating the environment and the rights and living conditions of our children or future generations (or currently living people in areas we abuse to permit our pleasures) with child abuse or rape. The differences are great, but the similarities may be great too. I am lucky to not have experienced either. Nevertheless, future generations may feel that this is exactly what we are doing: Causing pain and suffering to get what we want. In one case to individuals, in the case of the environment to all people. In one case all the suffering for one person, in the other case a little bit for all people.

Now, this may not make you feel good. Be that way. I think we have to work VERY hard on ending the abuse and violations of people’s rights. Not just reducing it without jeopardizing our convenient lives. I am not talking to those who buy used SUVs or keep the one they have PLUS drive it as little as possible, bike and walk instead, etc. I am talking to those who still by new SUVs, still travel the planet, still use the electric clothes dryers, still eat meat, etc. and find a million reasons why this has to be.

If you don’t look beyond your personal interests, your family’s interests, your wallet, and your backyard life on this planet will become less than enjoyable for all. Feeling guilty is a small price to pay for that.

It is good to do your best. It needs to go beyond just limiting luxuries though. Millions of people doing not enough results in even more people doing less than that. We cannot afford that little participation. You need to know, accept, and live by that it is not enough to do just a few little things. Don’t do just “something” good. Inform yourself what is the “best” thing to do and do that first. See the website below to get some ideas on what makes significant differences.

We have lived nicely at the expense of our children for e few generations. It is time to end this so they can just live at least as good as (most of) our great-grandparents. Making life easier and more convenient for yourself today is hurting your children tomorrow. We have started to change – we have to do so much more and involve others. Don’t rest! Limit yourself! Live simply so that others may simply live!

Karsten
–
http://www.polluteless.com
Practical Advice to Pollute Less

People are people. They are going to do with makes them feel comfortable. They are still going to buy too much but perhaps they will buy green. They are still drive too much but perhaps they will carpool or maybe inflate their tires more often than not. My feeling is the little things that count in life. Let’s look at our accomplishments not our flaws. Keep up the good work and thanks for being honest.

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