Editor's Post-What can WE do Mom?

My Lovely Macynn came out of my room crying this morning. When I asked what the matter was she sobbed, "The president was on TV(she caught a re-run of the address), and we have to go help the animals on the Gulf Coast.” She ran to her room and pulled out this GIANT map to show me EXACTLY where we had to go.


Knowing that we couldn't up and drive across the state today I got online to see what we could do from home.

The first bullet to appease my little love and her immediate desire to ACT was DONATE HAIR. She got hers cut last week and so we called the salon and they DID in fact DONATE Mace's hair to Matter of Trust. Thank goodness, she’d be asking to cut it again if not!



We have decided to volunteer at a local turtle rescue center, which is short handed because the scientists and students HAVE gone to the gulf to assist.



I kept reading and found this, parts of which really resonate with me and so I'd like to share(mind the soap box for a minute or two);



”Consume less petroleum



I personally will begin my reduced petroleum consumption by avoiding BP and all its subsidiary brands, including Castrol, Arco, Aral, am/pm, Amoco, Wild Bean Cafe, and Safeway gas. I recognize that there's a lot of kickback against a boycott, saying it won't do any good; but if you want to chastise me over what I fully confess is largely a matter of principle, then I would like to draw your attention to a moving blob the size of Ireland, and made of poison.



I'm not saying this is rational, and let me be the first to admit that I'm flailing, here (trying to teach my children something from this mess). After all, do you think I have warmer feelings for Exxon Mobil - undoubtedly one of the world's great polluters? For Chevron - perpetrators of the Amazon Chernobyl? No. But this isn't their mess (this time), and they aren't the ones gloriously screwing up (right now).



There's no winning this one. All you can really do is make a commitment to use as little of their product as possible.



However, I have lived outside of the city for much of my life, and I understand that not everyone can just quit driving and take up public transportation -- or even necessarily choose which gas station to buy from when there's only one or two in town. Obviously the ideal here is to look into other technologies -- which I say as someone who can't afford a hybrid car, so yeah, I know.



The next best thing is to carpool, ask to work form home, and to organize trips so that you get more done in one large outing, rather than come-and-go in many small outings. Walk when you can, or ride a bike. And don't forget: There's more than one way to cut back on your petroleum consumption.



Consume less petroleum: Redux



Become an informed consumer. Take note of which products are made with petroleum,(check out this site Ranken-energy.com) and do your best to avoid them when you can. Many of these things are available in more eco-friendly forms, made with glycerin or other vegetable byproducts instead of petroleum byproducts.



Lastly stop polluting your own neighborhood. We can’t complain if we’re not practicing good habits in our personal spaces. Pick up the trash that the garbage man stings through your yard, and down the street. Stop throwing your cigarette butts (people still smoke?) out the window and into storm drains. Recycle or re-use grocery bags (bring your own), and teach these things to your children for they will grow to do as you do.”