Friday, June 8, 2007

The [Green] Week in Review

Someone once said (and I can't remember who and as a librarian that really bugs the c**p out of me) "Trying to breathe in DC in the summertime is like sucking whale blubber through a straw". Well, the blubber has arrived. You never like to see this on your local news station's website (in all caps, no less):

A HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING.

SOUTH WINDS AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT WILL BRING HOT AND HUMID AIR

INTO THE MID ATLANTIC REGION THIS AFTERNOON. HIGH TEMPERATURES IN

THE MID AND UPPER 90S WHEN COMBINED HIGH HUMIDITY WILL RESULT IN

HEAT INDEX VALUES OF AROUND 100 DEGREES.

A HEAT ADVISORY MEANS THAT A PERIOD OF HOT TEMPERATURES IS

EXPECTED. THE COMBINATION OF HOT TEMPERATURES AND HIGH HUMIDITY

WILL COMBINE TO CREATE A SITUATION IN WHICH HEAT ILLNESSES ARE

POSSIBLE. DRINK PLENTY OF FLUIDS...STAY IN AN AIR-CONDITIONED

ROOM...STAY OUT OF THE SUN...AND CHECK UP ON RELATIVES AND

NEIGHBORS.

So as I sit in my air-conditioned bliss, I decided to look back over the week and see how well I took my own advice.

Use one less napkin: I did consciously take one napkin when required and did not suffer for it nary a bit. You just keep folding that bad boy over again until you find a clean spot.

Take the soda can home: Not only did I take the soda can home, but I took my BANANA PEELS home (yes, I was yelling). I mean, is that dedication or what?

Don't drain the kiddie pool: Not much opportunity to *fill* the kiddie pool during the work week, but we'll see how the weekend goes.

Unplug the cellphone charger: I'd say we remembered to do this 50% of the time.

Hang one load of wet laundry out to dry: I did exactly that and no more. Kind of difficult during the work week. For those who need a wee bit more inspiration, see Mom Go Green's post and kick ass graphic.

Displace a liter with a liter: Okay, well first of all I think it is a TWO liter bottle and second of all from the neglecting my marriage department, when I told my husband about this *brilliant* idea of mine, he was like, "Uh, honey, I did that about six months ago." Note to self: get your freakin' nose out of the computer and back into your real life.

Follow the feds up the stairs: Okay, now here was an interesting phenomenon. I always took the stairs, up or down, *when I remembered*. I mean, I am so programmed to take the elevator that I would find myself waiting for the elevator or actually in the elevator before thinking, "Wait a second, I was supposed to take the stairs." Also, any of you have this situation: at work the stairwells are no where near the elevators? Waz up with that?

Drive the speed limit, save gas: Uh, that would be a no.

Get back to nature: Negatory.

Plant one seed: The only seed I planted this week was in the heads of my loyal readers? Maybe?

If you have accomplished all 10 of the above and you want a little extra credit, get out that vacuum cleaner. What kind of animal do you have under *your* fridge?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Cell phone unpluged...great! i think i read that you save on electricity if you unplug your computer at home while you are away from work all day! any more information on that one?

Unknown said...

After reading your hot weather warnings to John, he informed me that he will not be joining the boys and I on the DC leg of our trip.
RD
P.S. Don't forget to cancel Best Western.

Anonymous said...

I hate that kind of heat. And, I'm terrible about the speed limit too.