Tuesday, May 13, 2008

May Challenges

I'm a little behind in my May blogger challenge duties. I actively signed up for one challenge: Green Bean Dream's "Be a Bookworm." The challenge is a simple one: read one ecologically challenging book during the month of May.

I confess, I haven't started yet, because I'm still working my way through the tome that is The Ancestor's Tale. But I hope to have that finished in the next few days (I started in during the trip T and I took in late December! Now that school's out, I don't have an excuse for not finishing it...except that the internet, and the sunny out-of-doors are so damn compelling!)

Once I've finally finished that I plan to FINALLY read Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma. It's been on my "to read" list ever since I first heard him discussing it on Fresh Air two (?) years ago. I finally picked it up (at a killer $5.00 price) when I was in D.C. in November. This challenge is the perfect opportunity to finally read it. If I finish it before the end of May, I think I'll try to read a second book from the list of other books being read in this challenge.

The other challenge I MEANT to sign up for, but instead got so caught up in the end of the semester and then graduation weekend that I completely forgot about it is Crunchy Chicken's Extreme Eco Throwdown. I suppose it's not too late to add my name to the list. But, I admit, I'm a little chicken, and not like Crunchy.

I'm not sure if I'm completely ready to make the extreme eco plunge. And that makes me feel like a poser. :-(

At first I thought the "no driving except one day a week" would be incredibly easy. I tend to ride my bike most places I go this time of year anyway....and most certainly for my daily commute. But, I also realize that this is ALASKA, and it is summer. That means I need to get out and enjoy the land around me. So much of that land is far away and requires driving to (like, say, before I can climb Flattop or Bird ridge.) I'm not sure I can really restrict myself to one day a week. I could cheat and and make T drive everywhere. But would that really count? Also, he doesn't have a bike (yet) so if I want him to come play with me, like to the Saturday Market such as we did last weekend, or for a game of Frisbee golf...it's not as easy to get him there sans car.

The other Extreme Eco Throwndown challenge I was considering participating in is the challenge to consume no plastics. This one would be much easier, except for one thing. T and I are crazy addicted to Simply Orange juice. I cringe every time I put one of those containers in the recycling bin (and that happens A LOT) but we're just so damn addicted to that juice! I've been considering buying a huge bag of oranges, the cheap kind...and making my own...but I have serious questions about the cost effectiveness of that. How many oranges does it take to make a gallon of orange juice? On sale, we get one gallon of Simply Orange for $3.50. The stuff is kind of pricey. But can I make a gallon of fresh squeezed for less than that?

Truthfully, I don't know. I suppose that's a good enough reason as any to try.

4 comments:

Trav said...

You listed the internets before the sun. You're a bad Alaskan.

Trav said...

You have a squished turd at the top of your page.

Green Bean said...

I hope you like OD. I have to warn you that it is a long, dense read BUT very very worth it.

As to the eco-throwdown, don't worry, I signed up for no plastics and driving less. I've trimmed both a bit but not to throwdown level. At least I'm paying more attention, I guess.

Kim said...

It's difficult. Just paying more attention to all the other eco bloggers out there has caused me to start paying more attention. That alone prompted me to cut down on the plastics and the driving etc.

It's a good thing, but it also makes me feel pitifully inadequate.

I'm quite looking forward to OD...almost done with the Dawkins.

Oh, and Trav. I only said the internets first because it was raining and cold the day I posted this, thank you very much!