By Shawnee Baldwin
Do I own a car? YES- I’m trying to get it to 300,000 miles before I get a new one or give it up all together. The guy at the shop said I had a better chance of making that goal than me making it to 100 years old. I’m not as funny as Betty White.
Am I homeless? NO
Then why do I walk around town with a backpack in all kinds of weather? I’m trying to do my small part to reduce my carbon footprint in the midst of a worsening climate crisis.
Why not ride my bike to cut down on travel time? I’m afraid I will get hit by a car when I ride on Hebron Ave or anyplace that does not have a sidewalk. I’m afraid I will hit a grate, lose my balance, and get a gravel facial. And the body touching parts on the bike seat scream out in protest after only a short distance and refuse to reengage for the return trip home!
Does walking and biking require sacrifice and organization? YES
As Kermit the Frog said, “It’s not easy being green!”
In order to get to work on time (it’s a 5 mile round trip trek) I have to leave my house 50 minutes before my shift starts and that requires extra planning. Has it snowed? Will walkways be clear? What is the temperature and how many layers will I need? Will I be coming home in the dark? Is the sun out? What am I bringing to work, how much does it weigh, and will it fit in my backpack?
Does walking have benefits and challenges? YES.
At a slower pace, I see more: Street signs. House numbers. Hidden gardens. New restaurants. Statues. The day I walked to Hartford I finally saw the statues near Goodwin college. They are so lifelike I found myself talking to them – could have been heatstroke at that point! Under the Charter Oak bridge there is a view that would rival any cathedral. So much beauty missed when in a car.
I appreciate neighbors who trim their shrubs near the sidewalk so I don’t exfoliate my leg or arm when I walk or bike by. I appreciate neighbors who shovel their sidewalk. Gopher tunnels, pebbles, cracks in the road, broken glass, sewer grates, or trash tossed mindlessly out a car window are practically invisible from a car but lethal when trying to navigate a bike or walk as cars whiz by. I appreciate drivers who see me, slow down, or give me some space.
Driving less, I save money. I hear birds sing. I soak in the energy of the trees on the trails on the way to work. I feel the sun on my body and problem solve on my way to work. Depending on the season, lingering light, sunsets, dark nights, or moonlight shepherd me home as I decompress the chaos of the day.
How can you reduce your carbon footprint?
Transportation – Walk. Bike. Carpool. Consolidate your errands when you do drive. Consider a hybrid or an electric vehicle.
Energy – turn off lights when not using them. Unplug some of your appliances when not in use. Install solar panels.
Lawn – Stop using pesticides on your lawn. Let it grow wild. Try a “No Mow May” so our early pollinators can get some food. You will be amazed at the variety of greens that comes up each year. You will be awed by the beauty of the birds, bees, and butterflies that come to visit. Don’t bother keeping up with the Jones. Be the trendsetter in your neighborhood. Weeds are always green and some provide medicinal properties. Stop killing those dandelions. They make a nice tea to aid digestion.
Food – Shop the perimeter aisles of the grocery store where the freshest and “single item” foods are marketed. Avoid processed food whenever possible. Read labels. There are a variety of chemicals in food that are not regulated here but banned in other countries. I never used to wash my produce but now I do to remove pesticides. Shop locally to avoid the pollution costs of shipping and avoid chemicals applied to prolong fruit and vegetable’s life in the shipping process.
Paper and Plastic – It is practically impossible to buy anything that is not wrapped in plastic except during the summer when you can shop at a Farmers market and bring your own bag. I collect my plastic from home and work and bring it to the grocery store. Truthfully, I have not yet investigated what they do with it. I use as little new paper as possible. I add ripped up junk mail, newspapers, brown paper bags, and cardboard to the tons of leaves that fall in my back yard. I will have no trouble observing “Leave the leaves” campaign which we will promote this Fall. I’ve also been collecting barely used snack paper plates at my job and teaching the kids to rip them up for the earthworms to eat. We collect the orange rinds, apple cores, grape vines and other snack scraps and I bring it all home. Composting our food wastes can get 40% of waste out of the landfill (a big savings as tipping fees will increase when they close the trash to energy plant in Hartford). And it puts the nutrients back in the soil.
Every little thing you do adds up. And if more of us do them, they make a big difference. Future generations will thank us for doing our part. Let’s leave a green legacy so that our grandchildren have a fighting chance at survival on a planet in crisis.
TALK Environment group seeks to promote conversations about the environment and climate change in our community. If you have a related topic which you are passionate about, please send your ideas and suggestions for future articles to: prez@talk-action.org. All articles are archived on the Talk website http://talk-action.org