I Want to Go Green!

I Want to Go Green!

by Brandi Richard

I’ve always wanted to be one of those cool environmentalist-type people who wore only pure cotton clothes with no dye and ate organic legumes. The kind that rode really neat bikes to the store and whose svelte shapely bodies screamed yoga everyday!

But alas it was not to be, I’ve driven two gas-guzzling cars in succession, opted for cheaper “inorganic” vegetables and couldn’t make it to all those yoga classes at the gym. Deep in my spirit, I feel the wheels of change turning. There’s a new clean air engine sweeping through the country side and I am jumping on board.

In honor of my new green participation, I’ve purchased a green leather handbag, a pair of green open-toe pumps and a couple of fab green shirts. (No, not really. I just threw it in for my fashionable friends.) Nonetheless, I’m starting small.

1. Planting a garden. As soon as the landscape man comes back, I will ask him to till the back corner of my yard for a beautiful garden. And then I will continue to participate in the economic recovery by asking him to regularly remove the weeds.

2. When having my clothes dry cleaned, I will recycle the hangers and ask them to keep the plastic bags. Until I can afford to swap out all of my polyester for pure cotton, I still have to go.

3. Recycle all of the carrying bags that I receive at professional conferences and conventions and turn them into reusable grocery bags. Heck, I’m not going to use them anyway.

4. Repurpose all of my excess stuff. By reducing the number of eastern-inspired floor pillows in my den, I can increase the feng shui experience in my den and contribute to the comfort of someone else’s bottom. (Yes, I will have them cleaned first.)



Let's see if I can do better...

http://www.footprintnetwork.org/en/index.php/GFN/page/calculators/
(Thanks Joyce!)


http://www.brandirichard.com/ * http://www.brandirichard.blogspot.com/ * www.facebook.com/brandirichard

The Starbucks Lady

The full post can be found at http://www.brandirichard.blogspot.com/.


Starbucks is my personal treat, my stress reliever, my comfort when I don't have sense enough to pray, and a way to warm myself against the bitter cold of the fan sitting next to me. The fan's owner takes walks on his breaks and regularly uses the fan to blow the perspiration from his brow and keep wet spots from showing on his shirt...This practice often leads to my nose turning up in disgust as I grab my purse and make a b-line to Starbuck's.

My Starbuck's of choice is located in a grocery store. I love it for the close proximity to work, vanilla bean scones and the Starbuck's lady (Rosemary). She greets me with a "Hey hun, are you having the apple chai fusion today," my new drink of choice after becoming a little bored with the chai tea latte soy (no water). Then she asks about my friend Tiffany. She knows her drink as well. She writes my name on the cup with a happy face and every so often informs me that I've earned a free drink.

The Rosemary takes pride in her job and seems to adore smiling. On this particular visit, I realized that I should have the same mindset. I'm sure that all of her customers aren't nice to her and some days she doesn't feel like coming to work. But when she sees me, she treats me like her most valued customer. So I keep going back for my uplifting cup of chai. Thanks hun!