so, i just read an article (ny times) about how our driving has gone down from april 2007 to april 2008, by 1.8%. now, the highest point is 3 trillion miles driven on a 12-month monthly total. 

if you're not confused - stick with me! i am doing a math eqation:

              3x .018 = 54,000,000,000 (54 billion), where x=trillion (3,000,000,000,000)

and now where are we? 2,946,000,000,000.

now, we have 3 compared with 2.946? what are we taught in grade school? round up! so... what does 2.946 round up to? 3!

lets just hope the slope continues because after all that, the decrease doesn't seem impressive enough.

but still-- go US! 

last night my friend mike came over after a happy hour to say "peace and good luck" to a co-worker of ours.. little did we know that we were in for the downer of my life.

holy crap.

we watched Nova's show on the dimming of the sun. what a downer! if you think we are making great leaps and bounds in curbing our emissions/pollution/greenhouse gases, think again!

heres how it was laid out: the things that we are doing right now, aren't doing shit. we need to work harder because we do NOT have a lot of time left to get this issue "under control."

hansen was intereviewed (i had not committed his face to memory and when i saw him i told mike that i already loved him), and i just sat there thinking: he must feel like a crazy person. here he is, trumpeting that change is necessary for YEARS and just now we all raise our heads bleary-eyed and mumble about how he's right and we "have to do something." i feel his pain. 

this is ridiculous. do yourself and the earth a favor:

 take your own bags to the grocercy store, go here to order biodegradable plastic bags (garbage, sandwich and compost - if you must),  shut off your lights!, shut off your computer/laptop, walk or bike everywhere you can, carpool, eat at home, buy in bulk so there is less packaging to dispose of, and by all means necessary - get other people to do the same, ESPECIALLY the wealthy. yes, i am targeting you - who sometimes forget that their shit stinks too.

you know what frustrates me to no end?  America.

allow me to expand... what frustrates me about america is that we are slowly turning into what we complain about (on a lesser scale for sure, but does that make it right?).

the individuals, nonprofits, small businesses that are digging their heels in and trying to turn america in another direction a stiffled because of our fear of terrorism.

wait.... doesnt that mean they won? why is our president touted as a brave man, when all of his reactions are born from the fear of the terrorism domino effect...

wait... didn't we get our of vietnam decades ago? why are we using the same language?

why cant we have protests that are huge media hits? been there, done that.

why cant we barracade ports to keep illegal shipments in our country and keep the spotlight on our bad behavior? too dangerous, we would be shot on the spot as terrorists.

why cant we push for more boycotts, protest, and confrontational actions? people are tried of feeling guilty, its annoying to the general public.

well, you know what I find annoying? people saying things like this:

• I need a gun to protect my castle
• The trees/animals are already dead, if I don't use them, someone else will
• The environment is here for humans, animals and plants are secondary
• God will protect us and save the planet
• I like big cars because they are safer, faster and more powerful
• Poor abused animals, that sucks and is disgusting that they are treated like that.... but give me my weekly burger and we are a-ok!
• I haven't done the research, so I don't really know, but I think...
• I don't think I have the power to change anything
• Nothing is going to change, so why even bother
• It's cold outside, where's global warming
• I am doing these things to be green, what are you doing?

i could go on... but my real problems lie with the simple fact that no one else except for me is inside my head and as i mentioned to a co-worker of mine: i do not have very good command of my words. i can't help it my mind works too fast!

here are my problems:

• pollution
• lack of locally grown food
• lack of native plants
• lack of nature PRESERVES
• urban planning
• toxics in toys and other products used by babies and children... also, sex toys? a concern not yet thought of by me.. (click here for green sexy times)
• ocean abuse
• nukes

so what do i do? not enough, i am as bad as the people that annoy me. whats that saying? "when you hate someone, it's usually because you see yourself in them?" well. that is for damn sure. all i, or anyone, can do is keep my hope up and encourage everyone to do their best.

my future plan? turn my parents house into a green haven, complete with functioning compost, organic garden, native oasis, solar panels and geothermal power, along with all the "greenovations" that i can afford.

 ps - planet green might as well be crack. so good, but so bad.