Living Green
The Year to Be Bold
By Bryan Hayes
Where did the year go? I cannot believe we are once again on to yet another new year, (both American and Chinese). With this being the Chinese lunar year of the dragon, there are many dragons in our lives.
What are some of the dragons you wish to slay? For me, the New Year is a symbol for new beginnings. It is a time to reflect, to gauge where I have been and where I want to go. This pertains to all aspects of my life from personal, professional and my continued pursuit of “Going Green.”
On New Year’s Eve, I participated in a burning bowl ceremony. The way the ceremony works is I look at all the things that are no longer working for me. They are possibly relationships that have run their course, or they could be practices and habits that are not in my best interest or a myriad of other things. It is a private list that is made with positive intention and then upon completion is burned in a ceremonial bowl. That is the first step. The second step is writing down all the goals and aspirations that want to be accomplished in 2012. At the end of the year, upon looking back where do you want to be? That is the question I ask myself.
In terms of “Going Green” one of my intentions is to remember my canvas bags when I go into the grocery store. As with many people, I do have the best intentions. But I must confess that I get busy and leave them in the car sometimes. And this dragon I must slay. Until then, I turn it into a positive.
One of my other goals is to be consistent with a budget. When looking through my spending analysis, shopping for food is right up there. So my work around is if I forget to bring in the bags I simply reduce the grocery list to only the items I can carry in my hands. And I know that I could just as easily go back to the car and get the canvas bags but this way it provides me the opportunity to review what I really need versus what I want.
For me, it is a continual process and I am perpetually in pursuit of ways I can manage myself better and in doing so work towards being a better steward of the environment and the community. Some of the items that I have found beneficial for myself, I will share with you. They are all rather simple, so you do not need a drastic lifestyle change to put them into action.
Bottled water is a convenience that we have become accustomed to, but reducing the bottled water consumed is just one way to reduce the amount of plastic used. Since we are on the topic of water, you can switch your washing machine from hot water to cold water and use less energy. A way to save water is to run a fully-loaded dishwasher, instead of washing dishes by hand (unless you use only a very small amount of dishes) and when drying the dishes have them air-dried rather than heat dried. And, for a non-water tip, check the air pressure in your tires. Improperly inflated tires decrease your gas mileage, and with gas prices as they are – every little bit can help.
Little changes can and do make a difference. This is the year of the dragon and the year to be bold. My bold prediction is that this is going to be a great one, and my hope for you is that you are off to a green new year!
Bryan Hayes is an actor, amateur photographer, business consultant and full-time lover of all things living. He will be co-hosting a new show “Greenology 101.”