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I confessed to driving an SUV. Gasp. This caused me to lose some readers and that made me sad. I got over it. I gained far more from this article than I lost. Wanna know why? I’m honest and hands down there are more of me out there who drive the SUV but give a damn than those that are more “extreme”. I love Mother Earth too…I’m just not a hippie (which is cool to be if that is you) and excuse me but I’m not a green washin’ mama either. When I posted on my driving an SUV, Green Daily picked up on this and posted on how I made a good point on people shouldn’t judge those that drive the SUV and that it does nothing for the green movement to be so judgmental. Amen!
Except there were a few thoughts and then one posted on my site and then a few emails, basically saying that us, SUV drivers are full of good intentions but that’s about it. That we don’t want to give up our luxury vehicles because were selfish and that we convince ourselves we need something so we don’t have to give up anything. Yup…that’s me! Eye roll. It’s best to do nothing verses something and the least us SUV driving people can do is feel guilty. “Ecological change is not in your heart or heads – ecological change can be observed, measured and compared. Perception, good intentions, and green-washing will not save us.”
Here are my thoughts on these comments and this frame of mind, rather. Feel free to actually view the entire discussion and article for yourself.
1) I do not feel guilty. I will not feel guilty. I can afford to drive what I drive and I choose this for many reasons. I live in the U.S. and if I wanted to live in another country where things were different than I would. I live here and I’m doing my best every day and that counts.
2) Going green is becoming way too much like religion and politics. It’s becoming controversial and argued about. You shouldn’t have to be just one shade of green. Did you know there are 33 different shades? When there are green confessions, glares from those at Health Food Stores because of what you drive or that you didn’t bring your reusable bag, things have gone too far. Not too far for the environment but for humankind. It’s great that more people are trying and doing something. It’s great that there is awareness and motivation to make a difference and a change. It is not good for others to treat one another like a different class of citizen for their “ungreen” choices. We are humans who should be supporting, encouraging, and promoting change…not inhibiting it. Comments, thoughts and negative attitudes do not help those that are doing their best to be some shade of green. It sure the heck doesn’t make them feel welcome to join the cause and frankly, I didn’t know going green was a club with rules!
3) What I drive or what you drive does not mean anything when it comes to chemicals and pesticides in my children’s food. So if I go to the farmers market for fresh chemical-free food in my SUV it just might not have anything to do with global warming. This doesn’t mean I can time my trip and make other stops along the way or carpool with others.
4) Ecological change is in the hearts and heads of moms and others throughout the World. What is in my heart is knowing I want my children to breathe clean air and for their children and their children’s, children! It is what makes us moms such motivating, driving forces and our impact is very much measurable. Take all the moms that read this blog and all of the ways they are trying and that equals less waste in the landfills, more companies knowing that they want chemical-free products and pesticide-free foods. The impact of what we moms do from our heads, hearts, and good intentions is significant and powerful. This doesn’t mean we’re contributing to green washing or not caring. It means we are trying and we don’t have to feel guilty for not being perfect.
Drive what you drive. Make the best choices for your family with the environment in mind and if you can get a hybrid, do it. High five someone who does something good for the environment and encourages earth-friendly changes through your own behavior but don’t make going green like a club for only those that can do this or that. Be an advocate not a spiritual hindrance to humankind and yes, use your heart to guide you.
Well…I can see both sides. It is personal choice but as you stated in comment on my blog re: Clorox Greenworks…it is supporting a product that goes against the fundamental values of green. I think to many driving an SUV is tantamount to using dispoable plates and cups. It is wasteful. That said however, I car share and many times I drive in my friend’s SUV when we have all the kids between us and her Durango gets 25 mpg…which is about the same as many compact cars and sedans. I see no difference between driving my car and her SUV really.
There is no way to be “perfect” in this regard and live the life we all grew up with. Even having kids is not green as it puts more strain on earth’s recources but I won’t be telling anyone not to have kids. I actually have a guy that emails me often to blast me about that very issue.
It all boils down to priorities. Many greenies out there put car emissions and travel very high on the list and can’t grasp why somone one else might prioritize something else….that in the long run won’t have the impact that that the hybrid/car/SUV choice will. I can see their point becuase perhaps they can also afford an SUV but choose to do without for the environment’s sake. That is awesome IMO. But no they shouldn’t guilt their SUV driving friends….
Great post! I love your last paragraph (and point 2), especially! It is becoming something like a religion/cult/sorority!
We are getting a used SUV (Honda Pilot) at the end of the month…yes, it’s a bit of a gas hog (though better than some other full sized SUV’s) and not terribly “green.” I do my best, and I am very sorry to hear you lost readers because of your confession.
I am new to this whole green thing. I just got some reusable bags, have started recycling and am limiting the waste that is coming out of my house. But… my SUV will be paid off in 3 months and we are going through a VERY tight money period in my house… I just can’t afford to run out and buy a green vehicle just because someone gives me a dirty look at the health food store. I CAN say that hubby and I have talked about getting one once my (or his) car is on its last leg.
Great post!! I drive an SUV and agree completely with you. Just because I drive an SUV doesn’t mean I am anti-green or don’t do my part in other areas of conservation. I do so many other things to help the planet that I have no guilt. Besides, when I see someone in their little hybrid driving down the road puffing on a cigarette and throwing the butt out the window I have to wonder how green that person really is (yes, I saw that once…shame on you litterbug!). But who am I to judge? Maybe they were just borrowing their friends car, mad at the world, or didn’t have an ash tray.
Thanks for your honesty on the subject, it’s refreshing.
GGM: I’m with you. I drive an SUV, too. This is because I have kids and need the utility of my SUV for outdoor activities…not that I need an excuse. I use my SUV responsibly. I work in walking distance and always walk to work. So does my wife. I live in an urban environment that allows me to bike to the market. I guarantee that our carbon footprint from driving our SUV is smaller than any Prius driver who commutes everyday. So by their reasoning, anyone who commutes cannot be green. We also live in a climate (by choice) where we need very little to no artificial cooling or heating. That’s why LA is the greenest city in the continental US.. Again, by their reasoning, living in Phoenix or Anchorage makes you a greenwasher.
When people get all high and mighty about their greenness, it starts to feel like a religion. I have little tolerance for judgmental zealots and fundamentalists of any stripe, whether it’s Christian, Muslim, Alcoholics Anonymous, or Environmentalists. Call it a flaw of human nature, but some people just need to feel like they’re better than others…that they are among the “saved” or “chosen” or “enlightened” ones. That’s precisely what this is, and I want no part of it.
Keep up the good blogging.
Wow… I shouldn’t say that I can’t believe you lost readers over your driving an SUV, but that disappoints me. You hit the nail on the head with the comments on it becoming like politics or religion with a very Holier Than Thou attitude about much of it. Every bit is better than none….
SUVs really are (in many cases) practical. If global warming and peak oil were not issues, the SUV would not be an issue. Our home has a RAV4 (small/mid-size SUV) and a Corolla. Both cars are good for different uses, but we’d have a heck of a time getting our recycling to the center or picking up used furniture off of Craigslist in the corolla! Even Danny Seo recently posted on renting SUVs for practical purposes (I think he does normally drive a Prius).
Another major issue for me is safety. I live in a city and have a bike and a bike trailer. Ideally I could ride my bike with my son in the trailer on many many of my errands. Unfortunately, about a mile out from my home bike paths and side walks get sketchy and or disappear and the speeds on the roads are often 35 to 45 miles per hour. There is no way I am going to put my son’s life at risk, by riding him in a bike trailer on a road with Ford F150s roaring by!
The result? I often laugh at myself by running close to home errands by bike and then getting in the RAV4 to drive across town! Ha. Some good that does. What we really need is better infrastructure to make it safer for bikes and small electric vehicles. Next we need the guys at the top to stop making gas guzzlers and make clean burning vehicles. And, they need to make vehicles whose parts can be recycled. And, the hybrids that we have need to be able to run on electric only and or plug in to charge, so we can use alternative energy sources as fuel!
Thanks G&CM for bringing up this issue and acknowledging that it is not all cut and dry!
Hi Mom,
I’m the poster from treehugger; imagine my surprise when I went out to get a Prius and came home with a Honda CRV. This was a remarkable experience. Your article is insightful and terrific… and for the 80 million Americans who rely on SUVs, trucks, and vans, it’s a guidebook to the green way forward.
With gas prices rising, it’s harder for parents to make these family transportation choices. Perhaps your SUV has reduced trade-in value and you are making car payments, and it’s tough to swap out right now. Let me suggest this – you can do it! If you either (a) cut your mileage in half or (b) get a paying customer for each and every trip, you can still easily make your SUV purchase work for you. It may seen like you have only lemons, but you can still make lemonade.
mark ontkush
very well written sommer 🙂
i drive a honda odyssey, i have 4 children and can’t fit them all in an electric car, or a prius. if i attempted that then i would have children’s services jumping down my back for putting children in the front seat or the trunk.
over my 10 year mothering career i have learned everything in moderation is key. we try to not waste, we try to not judge and we try to live by example, those that chose to judge haven’t walked a mile in my moccasins as far as i can tell.
keep up the great job blogging 🙂
Sommer, I agree that judging people’s driving choices may not be the most productive way to demonstrate our greenness. However, I also agree with Karsten: that doesn’t mean we can’t analyze other people’s choices.
A couple people have mentioned driving small SUVs like the RAV4 and Honda CRV. These cars get 20-26 mpg. A Yukon XL (the car Sommer has) gets 14-20 mpg–about the same as a Hummer. If you can’t afford to swtich or made the purchase before you knew any better, that’s one thing . . . but perhaps switching from a huge SUV to a smaller one would be somewhat of a compromise. You’d still have a lot of room and four wheel drive, but you’d be using less gasoline. (By “you” I am just speaking generally here.)
Thanks for this interesting discussion!
Rebecca,
Sommer here, aka G&CM, you’re very right about down sizing to a smaller SUV but finanically that is a compromise that many cannot make. I bought the SUV (hubby rather) and it was long before I was eco-savvy. It was the idea of safety, 30 miles of snowy back roads, new baby and two, 200 pound St. Bernards at the time. They took up half the vehicle and went everywhere with us. Not sure why I never mentioned this before. Anyhow, even when I do make a change, which should be soon, I won’t be driving a hybrid. Not at this time in my life. This doesn’t mean I don’t do green things or care. There is often a misconception there.
Sommer,
You bring up another issue. Urban and suburban sprawl. It sets us for failure really because it makes and SUV the best option. This is one reason I left an 80 acre farm…you would think it was green to be out in the middle of nowhere on a farm but it was so NOT. I had to drive to much, burn my garbage, etc. Now I am back living in the city (albeit on 3 acres which is nice) but I can get away without driving for a week or more now. I can walk to preschool, ride a bike to the store, the mall and grocery are literally a 2 minute drive. Its awesome. I was able to pair down to one shared median size car and we “might” add a Vespa to the mix. I don’t have a hybrid either for the record. Whenever we need a bigger vehicle we borrow or rent one.
But I just wanted to point out that this whole American thing of urban and suburban sprawl is why this has become such an issue. We need to stop spreading out and start living together again…in cities. In America it is a sign of status to be able to afford to live away from the city. In Europe and most other countries it is the opposite…the place to be is in the city and the less fortunate live outside it. Good topic….
I love point #2. Let’s work with each other, not against.
Way to spark the debate Sommer. Glad to see all of the thoughtful and reasonable comments. I’ve been wanting to write a post about green fundamentalism. This is a great motivator.
Sommer, I am glad you brought up this discussion. I am like Julie and have 4 kids so I drive a mini van. So, I guess I am not as green since I (gasp) have 4 kids who eat alot (all boys) and drive a minivan which does not get great gas miles. Does that stop me on my blog from trying to help people turn greener? No. Do I get upset if people don’t take my advice. Heck, no. If you throw ten things at people and one sticks great.
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.
Annas last blog post..Rebounces Repurposes Old Tennis Balls to Give Them a New Bounce
Well, maybe I am one of those green fundamentalists. I do not know how to tell and do not know whether it is a bad thing to be one.
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
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http://www.polluteless.com
Practical Advice to Pollute Less
Karsten,
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
Dear Green & Clean Mom:
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
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!
You sure make it sound like we still have plenty of choices and that it is a matter of personal opinion how to evaluate the track of human beings and the impact of small actions. Gravity is not my “belief”, nor is it my belief that going too little too slowly to end the linear and wasteful processes on a finite planet is going to prevent the disastrous collapse of our energy and food supply. Maybe that is the difference: I look for prevention, you look for slowing down. I am looking for emergency braking – you find easing of the gas pedal acceptable and honorable.
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
I drive an SUV too! Here’s a few reasons why I don’t feel guilty about it and still think I’m green… 🙂
– we bought it because we needed a safe, 4×4 vehicle when we moved to the snow
– we bought a brand that is known for lasting a long time (toyota) and we plan to keep it as long as it lasts rather than upgrading to the next big thing in a few years
-we hope to have more kids and will therefore need the space
-we fill it to the BRIM when we go camping/traveling
-we can cart around visitors rather than them having to rent a car
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…
Hey, I’m with you! I drive a 3.8lt V6 supercharged Grand Prix, which is WORSE than an SUV!!! That supercharger makes me go through gas, I fill up twice a week! The car was purchased used, it was all I could afford at the time, and since my truck had broke down and I had no vehicle, I need the car THAT day!!
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!