the laid.back Buddhist has MOVED...back!

Monday, October 15

In Action, We Take


WHAT GOES AROUND…COMES AROUND – JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE

What goes around, goes around, goes around
Comes all the way back around…


Today is (still!) Blog Action Day. The topic is environment. And I’m a big music junkie.

As you will see, those three things are somehow related.

For starters, the music should keep you company as I’ve got quite a lot to say…



CRUISIN’ – GWYNETH PALTROW & HUEY LEWIS

You're gonna fly away
Glad you're goin my way
I love it when we're cruisin' together
Music is played for love
Cruisin' is made for love…


…and love is shared to be spread.

When we love this world we live in, we’re also loving ourselves more.

In fact, we end up loving each other better.

And who doesn’t love that?

Yet we’re only human to boot and still manage to take a lot of things for granted.

Technology was here before we were born (unless you’re older than dirt ;) and it only continues to get better. We could persist in using today’s technology to feed our excesses or we could support the development of more efficient technology to moderate our energy waste.

The United States is the #1 consumer of practically everything, from drugs to oil. And when a country is only 231 (or 218 yrs-old, depending on when you want to start counting), we not only have a lot of land space to take for granted but way more resources than older countries to deplete as well.

It simply isn’t enough to help the environment when you only support alternative energy sources, such as coal, natural gas, nuclear, or renewable energies (85% of which comes from wind).

It won’t change our bad environmental habits either.

There’s no such thing as a quick fix.

And if there were, you can bet millions upon millions that there WILL be consequences for taking shortcuts.

So while going green is smart, it does take time as well. It takes time to develop more energy efficient cars, homes, buildings, and…people.

Therefore, as much as we all appreciate the technological advances in our lives, we shouldn’t forget the basics.

Ride a bicycle, or even use your own two feet more often!

Try it. They say walkers have better hearts anyhow.


CALLING ALL CARS – SENSES FAIL

Calling all cars we've got another victim
'Cause my love has become an affliction
I'm sorry but I think I failed to mention…


…to mention that, um, my family drives not one but two SUVs.

If Life were a Greek tragedy, it seems this would be our tragic flaw.

However, until we switch our 1999 Toyota 4runner and 2002 Toyota Sequoia for a hybrid or smaller car (my parents dislike buying new cars too often), having these gas-guzzlers actually reminds us to drive less and more economically.

For example, my parents would rather go to the pool at 5:30 AM to beat rush hour traffic. Afterwards, my dad goes off to work (taking the Metro) while my mom gets all her errands done in one trip before heading home by 9 AM. It’s also a habit for my family to plan the best route for what needs to get done by thinking more efficiently. You see, a typical Sunday at my house is as follows: sleep-in, fruit breakfast, lunch, 2 hrs at the local library, 3 hrs at the health club, quick dinner and groceries at Whole Foods.

Ah, the exciting life we lead.

Anyhow. Sure our cars have the potential to waste more oil but that’s just one thing to be aware of. Being pro-environment or leading a more energy-efficient life is not based on simply ONE thing.

It’s a collective effort. And a continuous action.

We don’t use plastic trash bags but instead re-use the brown paper bags from Whole Foods. We make our own compost for my mom’s Impromptu Garden. We converted from 5-gallon plastic bottled water to having glass bottled water sent to our house…and then, a couple of years ago we stopped that completely and just installed a filter in our sink and boiled the water to drink.

And to be honest here, we actually stopped drinking from plastic bottled water primarily for health reasons not for the environment.

Either way it supports the fact that going green should affect every aspect of your life.

Because green is good…for our own sake.


APOLOGIZE - ONEREPUBLIC FT. TIMBALAND

Didn't think I'd turn around, and say...

I’m sorry. I forgot. I don’t have enough time. I didn’t realize.

Making an excuse is the easy way out. We do it all the time because taking the blame acknowledges our guilt.

And we are all guilty of waste, at one time or another.

“You did NOT just do that.”

“…what?” I look up from the trashcan.

“Take that plastic bottle out.” He orders me, “You’re recycling it.”

I stare at my friend in a mixture of sheepish incredulousness.

“It’s already in,” I half-plead in hushed undertones, “I’ll remember next time. Promise.”

“No!” He crosses his arms and I think we’re starting attract some curious stares, “You’re doing this now.”

Are all my friends this stubborn? Hell yeah, you betcha.

So what else do I do but reach into trash can, nonchalantly pull out the soda caffeine-fix that got me through a boring 90-minute class lecture, and properly dispose of it.

I’m sorry. I forgot. I don’t have enough time. I didn’t realize.

I won’t let it happen a second time.


BEAUTIFUL THINGS - ANDAIN

Now what do I do
can I change my mind
did I think things through…


Why is a mother’s love so beautiful?

It’s pure, unconditionally giving, and devoted.

We often call it Mother Earth, but have we been good children? Or have we been neglectful, self-absorbed, and spoiled?

If things happen for a reason, then every action we take (or don’t take for that matter) can mean something.

At the very least, it’s a reflection of us.

And we should appreciate this one life we lead on one beautiful earth.


UNTIL THE DAY I DIE – STORY OF THE YEAR

We'll make the same mistakes
I'll take the fall for you
I hope you need this now
Cause I know I still do…


Together, we take time aside to raise awareness, to encourage discussion and action, and to celebrate our environment.

For me, it’s also a reminder. One day for every day to come.

And it's similar to how marriage is not only about the Big Wedding Day.*

Wedding vows serve as a reminder that you’re committing to this love for a lifetime (and as life expectancy continues to rise, that’s a pretty darn long time!!!). Likewise, being kind to our environment (and helping others to do the same) is not a one-day thing.

Blog Action Day may only be 1 out of 365 days but let us continue this awareness every single day.

Up until the day we die.


DANCE FLOOR ANTHEM – GOOD CHARLOTTE

So what does Dance Floor Anthem have to do with the environment and Blog Action Day?

I’ve no idea.

It’s just the new favorite song I love to blast while dancing by myself in my room.

Because yes I like to do that.

___________________________________________________
* I tell you, I manage to relate any topic back to love and relationships. I’m quite the incorrigible cliché, huh?

12 Musing(s):

Bobby Revell said...

Wow! What a great post Joanne! I use paper instead of plastic too.

I'm hoping that hydrogen fuel cells replace gasoline in the near future. It's not just because I bought $100.00 of shares in Hydrogenics (the patent owner) for all fuel cells either...LOL!!!

A 90 minute lecture for throwing away a plastic bottle? I guess you won't forget next time:)

Anonymous said...

"I love to blast while dancing by myself in my room.Because yes I like to do that."


Ha! I thought only I did that....

I am very uneducated with respects to our environment or how to help / fix the problems... Thanks for this post...and for inspiring tons of bloggers to follow suit.

I just might learn a thing or two.

Anonymous said...

Love this post. I'm linking it up. It's my bit for Blog Action Day. Haha. Also, you and TCP were what got me to join, so thanks for that.

Anonymous said...

I was here earlier as you know and I enjoyed the serenade while reading the lovely post.

A great way to do a post on the environment.

krrey_boo17 said...

nice take on blog action day Joanne! thanks for leaving a comment on my blog! really appreciate it! the songs are good especially story of the year's - until the day i die! This song really brings a lot of new meaning and perspective to life! It surprised me how your interpretation could impact blog action day! very nice! keep on visiting my site! would you also like to exchange links? =)

Unknown said...

Hi Joanne, thanks so much for your visit and the add! :)
I will visit more often: you have a very nice blog, will add link to yours... Keep dancing ;)

Anonymous said...

Very thoughtful and thought-provoking post. No matter how "good" we are, there IS always room for improvement. There is hope for us after all :) !!!

Anonymous said...

whoa, i am amazed by ur spirit for the enviroment! my company has started small little green project to steer us to be more environmental friendly. i must say i am guilty of it sometimes, but i try to reduce the intake of plastic bag. but just not good enough. i must try harder. ur post is really well written.. double thumbs up!

Susie said...

I don't have a car, and that is not because I don't want one, but because cars are expensive in Finland and we've got excellent public transportation in my little town.

I think there is a lot we can do for the environment, but we have to take care that the changes we do actually are for the better. Sometimes people tend to hurry change without thinking it through and the new action we take turns out not be cleaner than the old one :)

mikkers said...

i love this post and how you managed to incorporate popular music into environmentally friendly messages!

Stealth said...

Wonderful! Wish I had thought of it for my blog.

Joanne said...

Bobby: Hahaha, thank you. No, he didn’t lecture me for THAT long…it was just the soda I drank during class right before.

Meleah: This is my guilty pleasure. Every once in awhile the mood or maybe a song will strike me and I just have to get my dance on, lols.

Lisa: Sweet, thank you for the link love!

Cooper: Thanks! Hah, I’m constantly listening to music anyways. =)

Krrey_boo17: Yes’m, I would! “Until the Day I Die” is one of my all-time favorite songs….absolutely adore it.

Tess: Thank you, and of course, I will always keep dancing, haha.

Nola: I enjoyed reading your post as well, very much. As long as we continue trying, there’s hope for improvement.

Ben: Haha, yeah…I can get pretty worked up over things, lols. Thank you for the compliments! It’s good to hear that your company is going green, that’s great news!

Susie: Exactly my sentiment, our culture is so instant-gratification sometimes. And not enough attention is placed on public transportation. With an ever-growing population, mass public transportation can only benefit us all.

Miki: Heh, can’t do without my music, you know! ;)

Stealth: Thank you…I’m glad you enjoyed my slant on it =)


IF YOU'RE GOING THROUGH HELL, KEEP GOING.
Winston Churchill