Our tiny little Earth Day activity

So Lynne and I set out yesterday afternoon to clean up "our" part of Indian Creek Road. We've walked many, many miles together there, and for such a tiny little road – one-lane, paved, only about four miles long – there's an astonishing amount of discarded trash. We decided a few weeks ago that we would take a stab at it on Earth Day.

Our time was limited; we went about a mile and a half, filling four kitchen-sized trash bags along the way. We found nothing unusual or out of the ordinary. Lots of plastic bottles and soda cans. And beer bottles. Lots of beer bottles. I'm not sure why someone thought it was a good idea to toss the plastic bag from a package of hot dog buns.

Actually I'm not sure why anyone ever thinks it's a good idea to throw trash onto the side of the road.

We spent about 90 minutes honoring Mother Earth, from the time we started until we got back to our cars. As our bags became too heavy to carry, we tied them up and dropped them along the side of the road. I went back to pick them up to be put out on trash day. We could have separated things for recycling, but oh, my, that would have been a nasty job.

If you follow me on Facebook, you more than likely saw the photo I posted. I took Lynne's picture first, then she took mine and then I smashed them together in Photoshop. Isn't technology great? Heh. (And if you don't follow me on Facebook, why not?!?)

We haven't schedule a date for the rest of the road pick-up, but I can tell you we both felt pretty good about doing something, however small, to save the planet. It was, perhaps, a bit selfish, since it's not a major highway or byway, but instead is where WE like to walk. But maybe a resident or two who passed by or saw us from a window will think twice before hurling that can out the window next time.

One can hope.

Happy Earth Day!

Today's the day – actually every day's the day – to honor our Mother. And you thought Mother's Day wasn't until May 9. Hah!

Forty years ago when Earth Day began, I was less than two weeks from my first child's birth. Saving the planet was not on my radar, to tell you the truth. As a young wife and mother-to-be, I had other, more pressing issues.

As I've gotten older (and when you have a 40-year-old child, believe me you're old!), I've evolved into someone who at least makes some attempt to respect and preserve our environment. I'm not a zealot, and I could do much better. We all could, or there would be no need for Earth Day, right?

My husband and I watched Food, Inc. again last night. Using our resources wisely is one theme of the documentary, illustrated perfectly by Joel Salatin of Polyface Farms, whose credo is:

We are in the redemption business:

healing the land, healing the food,

healing the economy, and healing the culture.

At the end of the film, suggestions for eating better food pop up randomly on the screen. As we read them, my husband remarked, "I'm really proud of you. You do all that stuff!"

I don't do all of it, but I do what I can. And I could do much better. We all could.