so you think you're livin' green...?
http://sustainability.publicradio.org/consumerconsequences/
..if so, you should follow the link above and take the quiz. basically, this little delightfully designed quiz will tell you how many earths there would need to be to support your consumption. you can also see how you compare to kai ryssdal.
there's a certain irony in the fact that the people most likely to take this test (those with a high-speed internet connection in a presumably industrialized nation) are the people that are most likely to fail it.
i was disappointed with my results. i feel like i am trying to lead a greener lifestyle, but it's really hard. there are a lot of things that i simply can't change like how much heat i use. taking the bus is more expensive than gas, and it's incredibly time consuming. this starts to conflict with other personal green iniatives---i can't buy inexpensively (shopping around) or local (at the farms) and take the bus.
i had the idea to start walking more, but i am SO over that. in a few dozen walks from my apt. near the pickwick to the downtown library, i don't think i've had a single one that did not involve me getting hollered at. the yelling usually starts at project rehab at cherry and eastern, then it starts back up again on state street. i usually get a yell or five from the guys in the park catercorner from lincoln's boyhood home (state and jefferson). occasionally i'll get a comment from someone that appears completely innocuous, but in reality is a dirty old man. like the distinguished, grandfatherly gentleman who responded to my polite smile with, "mmmmm... sexy thaaang" in a barry white voice.
then there's the walk back.
it really is disappointing that as much as i've tried to cut back on buying things, eating animal products, and buying groceries that travel a million miles, it will still take nearly four planets to support my level of consumption if everyone shared my habits.