The green wave still hasn't crested. And we can all continue to be part of the eco-surge by going even more green and local in the new year. Here are five suggestions for new year's resolutions to help make it a great 08:
1) Adopt a thrift store.
Lots of us shop at thrift or consignment stores occasionally, but why not really take advantage of this method for reducing our environmental impact and saving money? Find your own special second-hand shop, one that carries clothes and other items that fit your personality. If it's off the beaten track, all the better. Visit frequently and get to know the staff. If possible, donate stuff there yourself, in addition to shopping. The store my wife has a special relationship with is the
Lifelong AIDS Alliance Thrift Store on Capitol Hill in Seattle. I've gotten some great clothes there as well. And in 2008 I hope to develop more of a serious thing with
Gentlemen's Consignment in the Madison Valley (I've only dallied there so far).
2) Visit a farmers market at least once a month.
I know many folks do better than that. But when we get busy during the summer, it's easy to forget about these terrific green resources. And in the late winter and early spring, we might not remember that several
farmers markets are open all year, or most of the year. These include the Ballard and University District markets, and of course the Pike Place Market downtown.
3) Make water work for you.
If you have a yard, it's time to pay serious attention to where all the water goes. In the past few years we've had more heavy rains, and more flooding. I believe it's because of global warming, but even if it isn't, we can help the environment - and keep water our of our basement - by using the water on our property, or at least directing it properly. Getting a
rain barrel or two is a good start, although to really take advantage of rain water you need a bunch of rain barrels, or a cistern. Also consider installing a rain garden - a low place in your yard, planted with native species, where water can collect. For a driveway or path, avoid runoff by using permeable concrete, stepping stones without mortar in between them, or gravel.
4) Hit the Green Festival.
Previously held in San Francisco, Chicago and Washington, D.C., the
Green Festival is coming to Seattle April 12-13, 2008. This eco-extravaganza at the Convention Center downtown is expected to have several hundred exhibits, music, food and more than 100 national and regional speakers (including yours truly). A project of Global Exchange and Co-Op America, the Green Festival is also funded by the city of Seattle and many other partners. I have the sense that this is going to be a happening for the green crowd - a fun, educational and revitalizing experience. The first day of the festival, April 12, happens to also be the day the Dalai Lama is speaking at Qwest Field in Seattle. Why not hit both events and make it a green, socially-aware, spiritual weekend?
5) Make a statement.
Yesterday my daughter and I walked to downtown Seattle (we live pretty close), and she showed me the
Gum Wall at the Pike Place Market. I had never seen it before. It's in front of the Market Theater, down in the bowels of the market, where few people go. Thousands of people have stuck their old gum there, sometimes spelling out words or making pictures, but often just glomming it on there. It was oddly inspiring to me, and in my (one-track?) mind I even saw an environmental angle: It's taking something usually considered useless garbage - old chewing gum - and turning it into art, or at least a public statement. It seems to especially appeal to young people, maybe because it shows the possibilities in even the most mundane detritus. I hope we can all create our own version of the Gum Wall in 2008 - some sort of creative way to express the concept that "green" can take many forms, and that waste is in the eye of the beholder.