I’ve been doing some traveling lately. Some in the air and some walking around my new neighborhood.
Everywhere I go, I find wasted energy.
Flying over Manhattan and the whole east coast at night just makes on wonder. Why are all those lights on? And why is so much of the light is shooting up into the sky where it helps no one get from the barn back to the house, or from the store to your car. Imagine if all that light shooting up into the sky was actually reflected back to the ground where it could be used. Fewer watts could be used if more were directed where it could actually help.
I walked from my newer apartment complex to the new mall. There are not sidewalks from one to the other as if they don’t want people to walk. It is only a 15 minute slow walk. And there are apartments in my complex that are only 5 minutes away. It drives me crazy.
The other day I had to go into the drug store and outside was one of the biggest trucks I have ever seen. A woman was inside with the windows up, engine running. When I looked at her, she looked a little embarrassed.
Why do we throw so much energy away?
Part of me thinks it is just old bad habits. Part of it is just thoughtlessness. Last night I was at the grocery. They had a nice chianti on sale so I bought it along with some organic greens. That was it. Two things. She wanted to give me three thick plastic bags. One for the greens (which were already in a plastic container); one wrapped around the wine bottle and one to put the wrapped bottle in. Since I was too busy figuring out how to use the pinpad device (why is it that almost each store has a different interface with Yes and No in different places?), I did not notice what she was doing, but I was able to stop her before I was at three plastic bags for two items.
And I, too, wasn’t thinking. I didn’t need one plastic bag. IT WAS ONLY TWO THINGS. and I have two hands.
So do I have the personal energy to think about and limiting the number of plastic bags I get? And yes I could get a cloth bag, but I know I am mostly a space cadet about things and I would leave the bag in the car or at home. But I can think a little bit. I can remember a few things. I can turn off my lights. I can turn off my car. I can walk to the mall and other places.
It isn’t that hard.
