darby – Page 16

Sunday Ritual Spawns Ideas

For as long as I can remember, my family has had the ritual of stretching out Sunday morning in the pursuit of newspaper reading. This tradition involves all kinds of newspapers, depending on the location of any given Sunday, but it ALWAYS involves The New York Times. I almost always go to the magazine first, if I am not sideswiped by an unsuspecting “Style” section headline. (Plus, I have a guilty pleasure of reading the wedding announcements. PURE east coast lineage postings, really…)

This week, the magazine hosted its’ 7th Annual Year In Ideas. I adore this issue. I’m not sure if its because I was blessed with the “wonder bug”, whereas seemingly mundane things become incredibly interesting to me, no doubt implanted by my parents, or if it is purely that some of these revelations are truly incredible.

Some of my favorites this year are:

– Fake Tilt-Shift Photography, which makes pictures of actual life-size vistas look like pictures of miniature model’s of said vistas.

– The Honeycomb Vase, sculpted by bees

– Left-hand-turn Elimination, which would make one of my best friend’s mom proud, as she never made left-hand turns. UPS has incorporated the practice, saving three million gallons of gas and reducing CO2 emissions by 31,000 metric tons

– Mindful Exercise, a study concluding that self-awareness can lead to actual, measurable health benefits.

– Lap Dance Science, which deduces that women earn more while ovulating.

The Materials Economy Wasteland

Waste has plagued me since I was young. I still ~~obsess~~ ruminate on stuff – all kinds of stuff – and where it all comes from.

While personally declaring a “no obligatory gift giving holiday” and opting for a “no gift” wedding next year, the stuff I already possess is too much to handle. I don’t need more stuff. In fact, I need less stuff.

In my youth (my younger youth, of course), I had a rule. I couldn’t own more than what would fit in (the back of) my car. Freedom, movement, and spontaneity were part of my ethos. Now that I own a home, I find myself acquiring things like garden hoses and sanders and it causes me pause. Am I somehow trying to make myself feel better, trading in “freedom” for goods? Well, it isn’t working.

Over at Treehugger, I found a post on this great 20 minute video made by Annie Leonard through Free Range Studios called “The Story of Stuff”. It’s all about the “Materials Economy” and tells the real story. You can watch that, or (re)read Natural Capitalism. I suggest both.

We Can Do It, They Can Help

The “greening of America” is on, and some major mainstream corporations continue to lead. While The Home Depot declared a full-time dedicated staff to environmental issues way back in 1990, their actions continue to prove their sustained interest.

From producing progressive consumer education programs to their ultra generous corporate contributions, it seems every time I turn around, The Home Depot is sponsoring sustainable building initiatives. In addition, they announced back in August that “products that meet the criteria will be tagged Eco Options to make them easier to find.” While this past years onslaught of mega-stores providing “green” options has no doubt acted as an incentive for this product attention, the positive outcomes continue to be the real story.

I know that without The Home Depot’s involvement, our local Habitat for Humanity would be unable to accomplish much of their work. The continued efforts and huge contributions of the orange DIY store makes me reconsider going anywhere else for my home improvement needs.

(This, by the way, is much more than any ad campaign would hope to accomplish. Although, their You Can Do It, We Can Help tagline IS excellent.

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