About a year ago we drove to San Antonio for a vacation. It was a long 16 hour drive, but we enjoyed the changing landscapes. It struck me to see so many oil rigs drilling into the Earth. I've seen them before, during our many trips to Colorado, but never so prolific. Some of them were running while others sat still. There never seemed to be any life around them, in terms of people. There was typically grass around the pad, but they still seemed stark. I couldn't put my finger on it right away, but something didn't seem quite right and every time I saw one I felt sad inside. Then I realized that they seemed foreign, almost invasive. To me, it looked like they were foreign objects attached to a living being, of which they were sucking, literally sucking out the life. It was like they were sucking the blood right from the Earth and every time I saw one I cringed. It looked like death. I wondered if the Earth could scream, would we hear it? I know it must sound dramatic to think of it that way, but that is how they made me feel. I did not have a predisposition toward oil drilling before that trip and my visceral reaction was totally unexpected. It still makes me sad to think about all of those drills, and to think that what we saw was a miniscule part of the entire industry.
So it makes me proud to say that beginning last week I bike to work! I attach the Burley (Thanks to the Jackson's) to my bike and ride to Anna's daycare, drop her off and toodle in to my work. I bike back and forth to feed her. Last night Ryan biked Maddie to her dance class. Sunday we'll bike to church. It feels good to know that we're getting less dependent on the grid. Two weeks ago I started the family challenge to create, at most, one half of a bag of garbage per week. I was very happy to discover that we could do even better than that! We made less than a bag in the last two weeks. It takes a little bit of practice to remember to bring our bags into the store with us, but we're getting much better. I'd like to think that in a year from now, we're doing much better for the Earth. I am encouraging Ryan to bike once per week to his work. We need to find another Burley (hopefully a single wide) so Maddie can use that one while he bikes. So, as the oil and gas prices soar, my vehicle sits in my driveway as the nearly silent hum of my bicycle wooshes past. It's a good feeling; a feeling of life. (Anna loves it too. She's fallen asleep on the way two days straight)
So Happy Birthday to the Earth and Happy Arbor Day!
So it makes me proud to say that beginning last week I bike to work! I attach the Burley (Thanks to the Jackson's) to my bike and ride to Anna's daycare, drop her off and toodle in to my work. I bike back and forth to feed her. Last night Ryan biked Maddie to her dance class. Sunday we'll bike to church. It feels good to know that we're getting less dependent on the grid. Two weeks ago I started the family challenge to create, at most, one half of a bag of garbage per week. I was very happy to discover that we could do even better than that! We made less than a bag in the last two weeks. It takes a little bit of practice to remember to bring our bags into the store with us, but we're getting much better. I'd like to think that in a year from now, we're doing much better for the Earth. I am encouraging Ryan to bike once per week to his work. We need to find another Burley (hopefully a single wide) so Maddie can use that one while he bikes. So, as the oil and gas prices soar, my vehicle sits in my driveway as the nearly silent hum of my bicycle wooshes past. It's a good feeling; a feeling of life. (Anna loves it too. She's fallen asleep on the way two days straight)
So Happy Birthday to the Earth and Happy Arbor Day!
1 comment:
Becky, how wonderful it would be to be able to bike to work! I know Dan would really love to do that too! How fortunate you are that you're able to do so!
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