Going Green April 21, 2010

The green movement has always been something I can’t quite nail down my feelings about. My love-hate-relationship with the widely promoted idea leaves me with the belief that, as with most things, the truth is to be found somewhere in the middle.

One thing I have found to be quite nice about the concept, is that many places asks if you want a receipt after a purchase. I assume this is an effort to cut down on the use of (and cost of) paper goods, and I have to say, I like it. Debit transactions usually show up on my online statement almost immediately anyway, and if I pay with cash, I don’t need a receipt for most things. This has saved my beloved bags from being constantly littered with crumpled-up receipts that elicit a grumble of irritation from me as I fumble around for my Blistex.

My favorite thing about America “going green”, is the use of paperless billing. I love avoiding a bombardment of dozens of statements, invoices and policy change notices in the mail. The paperwork situation in my den was getting serious; there was no room left to work and no time to file everything away. Unless dealt with everyday, it was unmanageable. Now, simply by clicking on the cute little green leaf icon, I can confirm my decision to go paperless, and consequently, take back my writing space.

With both my purse and home office now enjoying great improvements, I hate to rain on the green parade, but I must. The most annoying thing about this social shift is the re-usable shopping bags at grocery stores. Sam’s Club doesn’t even offer bags to its customers; I don’t know if they claim to have environmental reasons for this, but I wouldn’t care even if they did. I’ve seen re-usable bags on sale at many other stores, and I think to myself, why spend the money to buy something that you are giving away for free six feet away? This echoes the debate over whether we should be paying for news content on the internet. Aside from the financial aspect, myself and many other people re-use shopping bags for various things ourselves. We use them to line waste baskets, pack up boxed leftovers for a friend, double-wrap meat as it defrosts in the fridge…the list goes on. So, where does the majority of benefit go from the consumer spending even more money to buy their groceries? My guess would be the pocketbooks of CEOs.

I love the earth, but stupid ideas are stupid ideas, no matter what they claim to support. Fewer receipts and paperless billing are both wonderful and do appear to support a greener way of life, which is phenomenal. But if I shop, you bag—it should be that simple.  I truly hope to see the green movement succeed overall, but would like it to do so through valuable innovations that respect the current climate, to which most remain acclimated.

USA: Quick to Divorce April 21, 2010

According to the CDC, as of Dec. 2008 the US divorce rate is just a fraction under 50 percent. America, we are doing something wrong.

Divorce can be prevented by simply waiting to tie the knot. We cannot manipulate the pace of love; it varies with each individual and within each couple. When it’s right, you really do “just know”. But that doesn’t mean you should book the chapel the moment it feels right.  From day one, I knew Chris, now my husband, was going to be a huge part of my life. When I came home from our first date, I shut the front door, walked over to my father as I giddily swung my purse alongside me, and said, “I am defiantly seeing him again!” I knew then, and married him eight and a half years later. Yes, we waited an unusually long time before we got married, but perhaps that’s part of why I was so sure and blissful when we finally did. I had no doubts. We had spent enough time with each other to dispel all uncertainty and see that what we had, we wanted to keep forever. Chris and I were lucky enough to have a very powerful connection from the beginning, but our story is rare. Committing your life to another person while the relationship is still young does not make sense, no matter how sure you are. Love must be given time to cycle through its natural highs and lows before the sacrament of marriage is received.

Additionally, good, old fashion, hard work can save marriages. The institution of marriage was not designed to be easy, even when it’s with the right person. Many marriages today crumble quickly when faced with challenges. For example, parents of multiples are more likely to divorce than other married couples. The same is true for couples who experience the death of a child. Problems with finances and children top the list of reasons why people divorce. Stress could bring you together, if you choose to face it as a team. You must compromise, truly open your mind to other views of the world, and even decide to live with things you don’t agree with but cannot change. You must genuinely accept your spouse, just the way they are. Be their strength when they have none, and carry them when the weight of the world has left them flattened to the earth.

Marriage a life-long journey with lessons that can take years or even decades to reveal themselves. Over time, we are shown the beauty, meaning, and true value of this union of souls. Value of this magnitude must be protected and supported by all. Society needs to re-evaluate the degree of importance placed upon the sacrament of holy matrimony, and help put an end to the plague of broken homes in America.