Earth Day rant

Oh my goodness!  On this most glorious of Earth Days, I have a need to rant!  I usually just read others' blogs and then go about my day, but I just read a post that begs for a response.  I live out in suburbia and feel like I am the only "Radical Homemaker" around these parts, especially when my ideas seem to contrast so greatly with those around me.  

The specific thinking of one suburban mom (about whom I am now ranting) is that there is something seriously wrong with having a car so small that she can hand her child something in the backseat while both of them are buckled.  This contrasts with my thinking: I can reach my child easily in the backseat while buckled and I still want a smaller car.  In fact, I'd like to cancel the whole car deal and biking to the bus stop.  And each day I get closer to this choice.  (The little guy's head needs to be big enough for a helmet first.)

No, I am definitely not perfect, far from it, but my view is to think about these choices I make that have an impact on everyone else in the world.  I know that my consumer choices already impact the health of people in faraway lands.  And our consumerist lifestyle is being greedily spread to other countries, multiplying the damage to our world.

And the second thing that irked me is when the suburban mom made the statement that Earth Day is great, but this is the time to think about the glories God shares with us even after the earth has expired.  What?!  Okay, I am so happy you love God and live your life by his rules, but can you help take care of this precious earth that we all live upon at the same time?  Can you think about both things at the same time?  Can you love both God and Earth (capitalized for importance)?

Wow, this is so political, but I suppose everything I write about is, as every part of our lives seems political in choice, be it breastfeeding or recycling. It upsets me that someone is so pointedly discounting earth on Earth Day, but it does take all kinds to make the world what it is.  I know we all think differently, but it is nice to respectfully take the ideas and needs of others into account.  Diversity of opinions makes things more thought-provoking, balanced, and interesting.  I am grateful for the sharing of opinions that are different and similar to my own.  And to my fellow blogger, the suburban mom, I wish her many happy blogging days and many thoughtful followers.

Honest hypocrite that I am, I celebrated this Earth Day with my family at the Wooden Shoe Tulip Fest.  Yes, I drove 40 minutes in each direction to eat sausages and greasy French fries and and take too many goofy pictures.  We also studied differences and details in some of the 700 varieties of beautiful tulips (pistil and stamen, anyone?).  On this special day, may we all be able to reflect on our lives and our choices and find ways to live simply so that others may simply live.  Happy healthy Earth Day to you and yours.

a lovely cold Earth Day at Wooden Shoe Tulip Fest