5.10.09

Curb Your Carbon Enthusiasm


As I try to become more green, I often ask myself what the hell does that really mean ? Thus the mantra, title and web address of the blog. I continue the emotional and spiritual journey to find the meaning in the greening of me. I search the interwebs for information, opinion and knowledge to help me reach this Xanadu. A challenging pinnacle to climb it is.

I came across this article and will use it for today's post because it had me look up the meaning of the word fodder.
Fodder:
1. coarse food for livestock, composed of entire plants, including leaves, stalks, and grain, of such forages as corn and sorghum.

2. people considered as readily available and of little value

The Globe and Mail

"Not to brag about it, but my husband and I have adopted a radical new green lifestyle. We've shrunk our living space, cut our energy bills in half and dramatically reduced our carbon footprint. These days, we walk everywhere. We shop at the (organic) grocery store and bring our food back in a bundle buggy. To get to work, I have a transit pass. I rarely drive our car at all any more." (Margaret Wente, Living in a green 'hood, Globe & Mail, Oct 5)


It's long been a pet-peeve of mine to read a piece of crap. Yes I made that choice but this article has as much charm as a Chia-Pet. It's so craptastic the Globe & Mail is publishing 'green knowledge' from a dying medium that still prints its product on paper. From a journalist who's research and expertise appears to be a result of a pay-cut forcing a different lifestyle (e.g less is more) now claiming she' s more green.

What's troubling is people have read this and will interpret it as something of value or influence. That would be like taking a lesson in comedy from Pauly Shore or friendship advice from Perez Hilton.

I don't propose I start eating organic spelt tortillas & salsa because some douchbag shops at an organic grocery store and happens to write a column for the Globe. I'll stick with my Old El Paso, thank you, and read the news on the internet. People - I take public transit. Some days I walk. When I need a car, I drive. I live in an apartment, recycle & compost, drink Brita filtered water and take reusable bags when shopping. It's what people do in 2009. Good for me but I wouldn't pass that on to you as something noteworthy. Or credible. Unfortunately for Maggie, she's too busy writing about her riveting day-to-day to know any better or to revel in the fact organic food is a sham.

I don't mean to be mean or look to discredit Maggie's mojo. She may have written something worthwhile back in the day, perhaps, but clearly those days have passed and reality has yet to set in. It's probably too late.

I'll save you the agony of reading Maggie's rag. Here's the synopsis:
"Those things make me love being green. And besides, I've lost weight."
That's deep and how she rolls ladies & gentlemen.

Do your research, keep an open mind and form an opinion for yourself. Right or wrong, it won't be fodder.

Tweet yah later.

3 comments:

Nir said...

I followed the link from the original article to your blog here. She actually brought forth some facts and some logic comparing urban to suburban living. What you have here is just a rant and pointing out of trivialities in her article. What's your actual point? Her point was clear: there is a substantial fragment of the environmental movement that is against the big city lifestyle, when in fact that lifestyle is better for the environment.
Your claim that "drinking Brita filtered water" or "living in apartments" is something that people "just do" in 2009 is probably the most pretentious and hilarious part in your whole post. Or are you being sarcastic? If so I apologize.

bogged down said...

I get it. Wente is an elitist and has written op-ed pieces opposing shameless self-promotion. Yet she does it herself. I get it Christina, why am I listening to a women who walks to the grocery store and buys a metro pass. I think that Wente is making the argument that it isn't hard to live an eco-conscious life, but her writing comes off as snobby and contrived, thus why is she writing for the Globe and Mail?

Christina McGregor said...

Thanks for the feedback Nir. No apologies required. Glad it's both pretentious & hilarious. Very much similar to the vein of 'Living in a green hood'. Margaret's take on the urban vs. rural carbon footprint was entertaining. Her opinion served as inspiration for the post(or rant). In essence a parody on a spokesperson from a generation on it's way out talkin' bout conservation. That's funny to the opinion here.