Results tagged “idling” from iVillage - Simply Green
While on vacation recently, my daughter and I decided we needed some relief from the sun, so we snuck away for an afternoon film about a trash compactor. I was hesitant, though, wondering of all things, what Hollywood would come up with next. However I was completely charmed! Two hours later and despite the fact that the first half of the film is silent, I didn't want it to end. My heart was touched as I was thrown into the world of WALL-E, a futuristic glimpse at a passionate, dutiful, savior-of-the-last-green-thing-on-the-planet trash compactor who was the last one on earth left to clean up the humans' mess. To say the least, I was riveted!
An Eery Similarity
Hats off to Pixar! Kids and adults alike were thrown messages that were easily digested. I pondered and used my imagination without being beaten over the head to "get it." From the looks of it in that theatre, we were all drawn in and taken away to a world that, interestingly enough, was not too far away from where we live today: personal high-tech devices in overdrive; fewer and fewer personal connections giving way to TV watching; epidemic nutritional concerns fueled by fast food at every meal; robot-like powerful and omnipresent characters; an environment (or lack thereof) in peril; computers running the world; and so on. Eerily, the similarities between film and real life continued to match up.
WALL-E grabbed me with his commitment to save the last bit of green life at all costs, even if his motivation was for the love of his life. During a skirmish between good and evil and when given the choice to save himself or the green plant, WALL-E chose to save the planet for the sake of humanity. Such selflessness is endearing in a character that doesn’t even have a real heart. The environment, incredible waste, choices we make in the name of love, lack of mindfulness, and standing up for something meaningful are just a few of the general themes fueling this sweet yet sadly reflective tale.
Time to Reboot
I walked away with a refreshed commitment to the environment. I will remind myself to walk or bike ride instead of driving the car to the store, and to run back into the house for my reusable cloth grocery bags when I forget them. I want to make these small efforts and more before our environmental problems spin further out of control. I hate needing to learn a lesson more than once. Do we need a major catastrophe or apocalypse as in WALL-E to change our current behavior?
For further validation, ask a child about the film and really listen to the response. When we were leaving the theater, my 6-year-old said, "We've really got to do something, Mom!" "You are absolutely right!" I replied emphatically. Since then, I have noticed a piqued awareness on her part. She has dutifully reminded me to turn off my car when idling for under a minute, turn off the water immediately when washing dishes and brushing teeth, and to roll down the car windows instead of turning on the AC. She and her friends are thinking, so why can't we? What is going to take to wake us up?
Without question, WALL-E is a must-see for those who need a reboot in order to reset their innate green button!
PLUS: See what iVillagers are saying about the movie!
Wake-Up Call
I knew it was going to be impossible to avoid on a holiday: sitting in traffic, that is. We know that travel on Memorial Day means we will have to count on it.
For the first time ever, I actually turned off my engine while in bumper-to-bumper traffic on an entrance ramp. I was surprised to see many other folks do the same. One dude got out his skateboard and did a few tricks for us. A nice way to prevent getting hot and bothered, I thought, and talk about being prepared!
After setting a lifetime record on the amount I spent on gasoline to fill my '99 Volvo, I was prompted to consider the gas I was consuming that day, as well as how much it would cost to make the day trip I had planned for the next day. "Can I make it through the two travel days on one tank? Wow, I just filled up, and I might have to fill up again tomorrow night." Sad to say, but I was one of those who handed over my gas card, said “fill'er up please,” and that was it. It was part of my regular budget, and there was no need to think about it. But the wake-up call has arrived, and we now have no choice but to think about it.
I was too young in the '70s to understand the embargo and resulting crisis, but now I get it, loud and clear, and it's beginning to pinch. Without a doubt, our lives are overdependent on oil and gasoline. Driving my daughter to school daily (although we will ride bikes now that it’s warmer), visiting friends, running too often to the supermarket—we have become fuel addicts, and we are not alone. Ever increasingly, it seems that gas is what makes the world go around.
A Captive Audience
So as I continued to sit in stand-still traffic for more than an hour, and after a lovely conversation with the gal in the car behind me about an essential oil that takes away the sting of insect bites, I tuned the radio to NPR, which was doing a segment on gas consumption of all things! I listened intently, learning that not only are Western countries consuming more and more resources, but Third World countries are also consuming more. In India, China and Africa, more and more people are leaving their countryside lifestyles to get jobs in nearby cities, turning in their bikes for fuel-burning cars. The standard of living is increasing globally, and the world is feeling the effects of diminishing resources from the shift of supply and demand.
I do believe things happen for a reason, and for me, being a captive audience really forced me to listen and take notice. The timing could not have been more perfect, and I was listening.
We are fortunate to be living during a time of great opportunity, but we don’t always take full advantage of it. Let’s shift out of the current gotta-have-it-NOW mindset to a what-can-I-do-with-what-I-have thinking, and even carry it over into our businesses. My gym, for example, is thinking out of the box, now offering membership discounts for getting there on foot or by bike. What a great incentive idea! And from there, I’m sure more ideas will flow.
Story of Stuff
I have a new friend who lives on an island in Norway that is government-subsidized to explore and research new and different ways to live more environmentally sound and aware. She and her neighbors take the environment very seriously, and she shared a powerful video with me. I want you to watch it and absorb it. It takes 20 minutes, but I assure you, it will be well worth your time. Share it with your family, friends, email list, corporations, and municipality and government officials.
And please remember to leave guilt at the door. It does nothing but tear us down. Allow the video to prompt you to take a more proactive approach by doing your part to chisel away day in and day out, no matter how big or small the effort. Just as long as you do something, REGULARLY.
Check out StoryofStuff.com and let me know what you think!
