Not sure why this is not getting more attention

This is something I think we should all be very concerned about.

South Africa Water Crisis

Boomerang Bags

Been super busy and away from the blog for a while, I know, no excuses.  But saw this and loved this idea so much I had to share.

http://boomerangbags.org/

New Links

Hello it is me again, just wanted to let you know I have added a few more links on the links page if anyone is interested.  Enjoy!

The Patch Job Election

OK here's the deal, I had a whole other post I wanted to write but I went and read something, and well this is what happens when I am left alone for too long.  Don't worry I may get around to the other post one day.   

It is an election year right now in the US, and a crazy one at that.  This election seems to be gaining a little more international attention than normal, so although I try to limit my political opinions online, you know so I do not get beat up, I felt the need to say something, as this election may be a little more relevant to more people globally due to the extra attention it seems to be getting.  Now this is not me bashing any one party, just making an observation and trying to offer some alternative points to think about.
During elections, no matter where you live, lots of promises are made, which can be very exciting. But the issue that I am noticing with all these promises is that they are essentially meaningless empty ideas that could never come to fruition.  Now I am sure you are all saying, wow Charlotte you are such a downer, which, hey might be true, but here me out.  Politicians like to make promises related to money and taxes, pledges about the fixing the economy or education, and vows made to create social justice.  What is missing from all those amazing promises, you guessed it, the environment.  It seems so simple, this topic should be the front runner, yet it seems to be minor footnote at best. Without some sort of serious effort to protect and preserve the only planet that, as far as we know, can house us insane humans, all those other issues become irrelevant.  This might also be why crazy politicians, and the rest of our mixed up human race, continue this cycle of making the same promises over and over with no permanent solutions.  Because to quote the great Taylor Swift, "band aides don't fix bullet holes" (oh man I just went there, hopefully it makes sense to you like it does in my head).  We need to stop the patch jobs and work to fix something that impacts us all, our home.

Now you all know what happens to my little brain when I read stuff, that's right I go all crazy and start thinking and then talking (or worse writing) (maybe not always in that order).  So back to my point, I read recently in the the book, The Story of Stuff  by Annie Leonard, to think of systems as a whole (in order to keep the post short I using a very macro level approach to "systems"), and to fully understand that everything is connected (a recurring theme on this blog).  Now this is certainly not a new concept to most, but it puts a whole new light on this election if we think of what is being promised in this way.  They are many systems on this planet, there are man made systems, like political and economic systems, and there are natural systems like oh I don't know the natural environment and everything else that humans like to mess up.  These systems have to work together, why, because I said so.  And also because if we blow ourselves up (and we have lots of different ways that we can do that now, scary), those other man made systems are all well, pointless.
Look I know there are a million different issues out there that can divide us and make us all go crazy (for some, myself included, it might be too late, the crazy is upon us), but there is one issue that should unify us, our home, this planet, we all share it and we all depend on it.  Without our world, which provides us with some essentials, such as oxygen and water, what point is there to fighting over what religion your are, what political party you back, where you come from, you name it, it all becomes irrelevant.  Seems like we might have some misguided and unorganized priories.  Looking at the system as whole makes you wonder why?  Why do we argue over over the petty stuff? And when can we focus on issues (the issue) that matter.  You can roll your eyes about the rise in sea level, you can debate the impacts of climate change (if you are doing this PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE read the children's book Buried Sunlight by Penny Chisholm).  The man made systems that we seem to fight and bicker over so much are part of the problem and distract us from making any change or improvements in the status quo.  Whatever system it is, whether economic or political, they have either made us too complacent and comfortable to even think of change (yikes scary short term thinking).  Or they have created such levels of poverty that make life unbearable.  Or they have made a very few folks so rich that they see absolute no need for change, because well they are really really rich.  This must stop.  Lets work together to fix one thing, the place that we all live, and see what the rest look like after.  I know it can be done, because otherwise what are we fighting for really?  Everything else really be obsolete without our home, and I think that could be a great unifier.   To quote my hero John Lennon, IMAGINE.

Disclaimer: I know that this is extremely oversimplified look at natural and human systems, but hopefully it will spark some great discussion, and who knows what else.  Now vote for someone who seems to have this issue on their radar.

Call me lazy

Alright a few things, one I am not sure if I am "back" or not, and  two this post is less environmental and more a chest relieving exercise (you know getting something off my chest, I am a clever girl) so I will just get right too it.  I have been in a righteous mood (just ask the people I live with) the last few days dealing with what has become my new favorite catch phrase, first world problems.  Yes woe is me, and if you would like you may join in on my pity part, bring whatever party favors you like.  But as I listen to the news every morning I realizes how insane I am, and how unimportant my problems are, and I try to get over myself.  And then when I think about it I realize how lazy I am.  But maybe in this rare case lazy works.  As always I will try to get to the point.  Current events have become just a stream of bombs, blow ups, and shoot outs.  It is so sad that there is that much hate in the world to do all that stuff each other.  It is sad that we can focus so much on our made up differences (yeah I said made up) instead of focusing on our similarities.  I don't care where you are from, or what you look like, or what you believe.  I am just that lazy.  And it is not that I do not care about other people, I really really do, I am just too lazy to muster up enough energy to hate them because they do something I don't.  I feel like it takes way too much energy to hate, and aren't we supposed to be conserving energy right now (bam! just worked in the environment).
If you have ever traveled there are two things you most likely have noticed, one the modern world is very global and you can get the same crap in most parts of the world as you can get in your own home town (thanks giant corporations for taking over, I mean uniting), and two people everywhere need the same basic things to survive, water, shelter, food, clothing, and happiness.  So what if one culture puts a different spice in there food or wears a different article of clothing.  Enjoy it, because those differences are to be celebrated, and seem to be fading.  Oh and the other reason is because I am too lazy to dislike it.  Seriously people move on.  Stop blowing everyone up and stop blowing up at everyone.  Yeah you don't like what I do and I not super fond of what you are doing or saying, BUT WHO FREAKING CARES.  So I think we should (myself included) get over ourselves.  Deal with real problems, like those who do not have water or food (maybe due to climate changes, man I just brought it around full circle again) and stop creating more problems.  Stop focusing on differences, come on be lazy, save some energy so we can start fixing actual all world problems.  OK I feel better, and bit smaller, and more humbled in this giant ever expanding universe.  And I send out warm lazy wishes for some energy efficient world peace.

My Drought, Your Drought

Yes, yes, I know I am on a "break", but bear with me just had to get a little something off my chest.

Look, we all know I am no saint, even on a good day I am still in constant contact with the dark side (like my little Star Wars reference).  But I do get one thing, that the environment, for good or bad, is not mine, or yours, it is not a possession.  Yet my well-being is directly connected to the well-being of the planet’s environment.  So if I am experiencing a drought, I know all my neighbors and friends are as well.  This is why it bothers me when I read stuff online about the drought in my area and how it is affecting only individuals.  I am baffled when I hear people talking only how the drought affects them.  People seem more worried because their grass looks bad, or they can't wash their car, or the best one where will I get my avocados, geez wth!  Look dude, who cares about your grass, or your car, be grateful you have either shouldn’t your concern be as a human we need water to LIVE!  And if you are so worried about your produce grow your own.  This drought is man-made and will require big man-made (go with it, people did not flow here) actions to even attempt to fix it.  But if we all remain so self-centered and unwilling to change our comfortable lives it won't happen.  Yeah this blog has always been about small actions being done by a lot of people to make big change.  So turn the water off when you wash your hair, do not shower every day, and the always powerful if it is yellow let it mellow.  These are all very small actions, so don't make them a big deal.  We are all a little too comfortable sometimes and forget that half of the world's population (which 1/2 is still in the billions) do not have access to water, and when we are asked to reduce how much we water we use we have the nerve to complain about grass.  What is wrong with this picture?  Sorry this drought is bothering you but guess what it is affecting all of us, and it is because of people who refuse to change.  So I will say it again, do not get overwhelmed with the big picture, work on what you can do.  You are one person, but one person can do so much.  Turn off your water.  For me it always helps me to remember how lucky I am to have access to water, or a dishwasher (which is only run full, very full), or a washing machine (also run very full).  Thinking of others can motivate our own actions to go a little further sometimes (and like I said at the start I am far from perfect so don't start painting the saint Charlotte picture, because that ain't real).  We are all in this together, which can be a comfort or a freaking nightmare, depending on how you look at it.

The last thing I am going to say (yeah right I thought I was on a break too) is think outside the box.  People are looking for ways to save water and it might not always involve your tap and faucet.  Think about what you buy, is there a ton of packaging in or on it? Did that packing require water to make it? Can I not buy it (scary source reduction)?  Yes you can, look at that you are an official drought helper.  Or give up meat for a few days a week. Those veggies and fruit are getting a bad rap right now because they require water, but think of how much water it takes to raise a cow that will be used for beef.  Just saying, it is OK to think outside the box.  I know we can do it.  I will get off of my soap box now. Please have a super terrific Thursday!

Also wanted to share a great article.  Enjoy!

Few Announcements

Many happy greetings to all. I wanted to briefly discuss a new conservation effort I have recently started to practice.  Pretty sure that I have mentioned that where I currently live there is a major drought.  So not letting myself get too overwhelmed my the macro big picture I thought about what I could do on the micro small picture level to help conserve water.  I do all the required actions and some non required.  I recycle as much water as I can and conserve where I can.  But I found a new way that actually makes me feel like I am really helping.  Disclaimer this may be old news to some folks, but in my house this is a new one, so bear with me.  Anyway we know not to run the water while brushing our teeth, we know to water certain things at certain times of the day, keeping showers short, but what about taking that last one (the shower thing) one step further.  I do keep showers short, and only when needed (I know some that might cringe at that thought), but what about turning off the water during your shower when you are washing you hair?  As I mentioned you may be steps ahead of me and doing this already, just go with it.  I feel like it really helps save some water.  I was skeptical at first, what if the water gets cold and I freeze to death when I turn in back on?  But that has not happened (at least as of yet).  Yet another example of a super small action that can really help.  It is super easy, the water is off for mere seconds, but what a great way to conserve.
It is, like I have said many times before, that you have do to something, doing nothing is not an option.  And this is an option that is so undisruptive to our daily lives.  I am not telling anyone to not shower, but rather just turn off the water for a bit while you do shower.  It is always hard for people to do extreme things, for example before I started doing this I had proposed the idea of just not washing our hair at all.  That was quickly shot down, probably too extreme of an idea for this family at this time.  So I was happy to compromise, did some research and found this idea and ran with it.  Remember we do not all have to go live in the tree tops to show that we want to help.

So that part of the post was the first announcement, this part of the post is the second announcement (hence the title few announcements). So as many have noticed I have taken an unofficial break from the blogging.  I am announcing that I am hereby making it official.  Although I still love this blog and believe very firmly in all the words that I have expressed on it, I, at this point in time, am going to take a break. As schedules, priorities, and responsibilities change we mere mortal humans must adapt and change with them, which is what I am doing (sort of).  I hope to come back to it one day very soon.  When I can really kick my butt into high gear.  Until that time I hope that everyone out there who has read this blog, and all those who do not, will start saving the world one day at a time.  We need to make sure that everyday we pass along some peace and love towards each other and the planet.