kermit was wrong

It's actually pretty easy being green. After being in Austin (consistently ranked in the Top 10 Greenest Cities) for about six months, I finally tried to get with the program when I bought my bike. It's only 2 miles and there's a path almost the whole way that keeps me out of rush hour traffic. Perfect. I think spring hit here in, like, December, so double perfect. And I get to watch stoners playing disc golf for a good portion of the ride—added value! So I decided to be "greener" by trying to ride a few days a week...while the weather's still cool at least.

Just when I was confident in my admittedly small effort to becoming more green, then I got totally guilt-tripped in my communications class. We have to do these ongoing presentations, which I normally block out until I heard one woman quote this: Using one reusable bag each time you go to the store will save an average of 1,000 plastic bags over its lifetime. Walgreen's has some great ones (green, of course) for $.99. Not bad, so I picked some up...and even used them.

So you'd think I'd feel pretty good about this, right? But now it's like everywhere I turn, I feel like I could be doing more. This weekend I felt like I'd totally failed as an eco-conscious consumer when the HEB bagger stuffed my groceries in plastic bags, which she then consolidated into my reusable bags. I mean, seriously? Why would I give you these bags to use if I actually just wanted you to fill them with plastic? And now everytime I drive my dad's truck (the Goliath of gas guzzlers), I feel like I just shat on Mother Earth.

Then I started wondering how many paper towels I'd use in my lifetime, and how many gallons of good water are being wasted during a long shower, and if foil was worse than siran wrap. Does it take more energy to recycle my plastic water bottles than it's worth? Is there any possible way to get a recycling bin at my apartment? Should I be buying organic food or does that even have anything to do with conservation? Did I vote for someone who ripped up a forest for a highway? Damn. It looks like the hardest thing about being green is growing a conscience.