Posts

Can a Worm Have a Footprint? . . .

/0 Comments/in /by

As humans, everything we do creates carbon in some form. . . even when we die. But before we get to that stage, we have a lot of living to do, and living requires creating CO2. What creates CO2? Eating, moving, clothing, communication, creating shelter, socialization. . . and well, everything we do.

  Everything we consume or utilize uses some form of fuel for it’s creation. If it’s a chicken wing  we’re consuming- consider all the steps it took to get to your plate. . . um. . . give me a second here, I’m trying to figure out how I chose talking about a chicken wing. . . I could switch to “celery stalk” but that would be “chickening out.” Literally.  NO, let’s give it a try. . . so, a farmer raises a chicken with all it’s food and water and nesting materials and heat and care and energy to make that life possible.  Think of all the corn that chicken may have eaten. . . and all the energy that went into creating that corn. . . Then, the chicken is slaughtered to create food for us. . . now a wing is the item of consumption and. . . ( I’m going to let you imagine the next few steps) . . . then it’s put in a bag (packaging was created for this) with other wings. . . fuel is used to keep it cold or frozen. . . fuel is used to deliver it to a market or wholesaler. Let’s say that this wholesaler sells it to “Wing It Bar & Grill” and you come in for a bite after work. . . . and yes, there’s one more wing left on the platter at happy hour and you get to be the lucky consumer.  How much energy was used to get this wing to you and make your hour happier?  Consider this. . . what if you just ate a piece of corn instead . . . and eliminated all that stuff in between the corn going to the chicken and happy hour?  I know. There’s a lot of math to be done and processes to consider.  There are many great websites out there where you can set up your own profile and try calculating your carbon footprint.  There are hundreds of great videos you can watch to help you understand it all better, and we’re going to link to one below that’s good for children to watch too.

But, I promised a few simple ways we all can reduce our carbon footprints so here goes:

Eat less meat, especially red meat. Grow your own veggies and fruit if possible. If not, eat as locally as possible. Support organic farmers.

Use your own grocery bags and use less plastic. Re-usables are very important!

Keep your heat lower in the winter (wear sweaters etc. ), and reduce A/C usage in the summer (shade your windows etc). Insulate your home, cut down drafts. Reduce home energy consumption.  Wash clothes at lower temps- dry outside in the sun if possible. Take shorter showers.

Limit your driving and travel (plan your outing to accomplish as much as you can in one trip). Drive slower. Use less fossil fuels.

Carefully consider your purchases. Try buying products with less packaging, no plastics, made with recyclable materials.  Buy less- consume less. Donate old or unused clothing to others. Donate home goods, books etc to others.

And when you get a chance, check out some more cool websites (like Link and Wormy are). Oh, and in case you’re wondering. . . worms are carbon neutral.

Actually, I don’t know for sure that worms are carbon neutral. I have no source for that information. . . I just made it up. But, I’m allowed to do that because I’m a cartoonist. That’s what I do.  Peace!

Brad (with Peter looking over his shoulder)

The Inconvenience of Truth

/1 Comment/in /by

“The truth shall set you free.”

~Jesus (John 8:32)

Trending now are some really funny memes with Brian Williams- photoshopped as the Captain of the Starship Enterprise- standing alongside Lincoln and Grant in a Civil War spoof. . . In Brian Williams case, the truth may free him from employment. What bothers me most is that a man of his stature can’t just say, ” I lied, sorry.”  It’s the careful fabrication of words, like: ” I mis-remembered the event,” and chalking it up to the “fog of memory” that disgust me.

The truth is often inconvenient, but it truly does set one free. I understand lying. As a kid, I learned how to do it as a survival skill. . . as a young adult,  I learned that it’s all part of the game of celebrity. . . fabricate a line or event a little to make you seem more important, get yourself out of a gig you don’t want to do. . . Use it as a weapon to gain space without hurting other’s feelings. . . a hundred, thousand, million “good” reasons for lying.

I heard this from a friend recently. . . “To be totally honest, I still lie on occasion.”

Huh?

Here’s another great quote:

“Honesty is more than not lying. It is truth telling, truth speaking, truth living, and truth loving.”

~James E. Faust

The most important changes you can make in the world are those you first make within yourself. The truth sets you free and allows you to live in freedom.

Last fall, during a family visit, my cousin’s daughter, Ginger,  said three words that struck a deep and resonating chord in me-  and made my heart sing for her. In a conversation we were having with her and her parents, Greg & Debbie, she replied to her Dad, “I don’t lie.” And she meant it.

Ginger is totally free. Her life may be occasionally inconvenienced, but she will always be free.

Three words that in this world can mean a future filled with happiness. If you never lie, you are always living in truth. Amen, Ginger. Keep it real, keep it honest.

What are your thoughts on Brian and inconvenient truths? Do you think Ginger should be the new NBC Nightly News Anchor? As always, join us on Facebook where we can share a great, truthful dialogue. . .

Greg, Ginger & Debbie Schiff

“Catching Some Rays at Fenway.”

 

Carbon Footprints and Worm Holes

/0 Comments/in /by

Today we meet two of the critters at The Green House, Link and Wormy. Link is a liberal blogger who is trying to introduce his new friend, Wormy to the world of environmentalism. Tomorrow, Link checks in with Wormy to see how he’s enjoying reading “An Inconvenient Truth.”

As much as we seek knowledge and “the truth,” we’re all  reading the latest news, reports and studies to see what “those in the know” want us to know. It’s also clear that those who are “experts” can sway us to their side by great speeches, writing or story-telling through movies. However, seemingly minutes after we form an opinion or answer a call to action, we can dismiss and distrust if we hear “facts” well told from the other side of the debate.

I really wanted to believe Al Gore and the message of “An Inconvenient Truth.” I recall taking my Mother to the movie and seeing how moved she was by all the facts about the melting glaciers and endangered polar bears. . . which I knew were facts “skewed” a bit to make a point (and sell a movie). My Mom and I had a great discussion about the movie on the way home, which proved one point that put Al’s movie into a “plus” column for me. . .

It was clear from the discussion that my Mom hadn’t really been following environmental news much, even though she knew how big a “Greenie” I am- and she was now excited to start reading more and to start living a cleaner, more organic life. After dropping her off, I came to the conclusion that as much as Al Gore may have propped up certain info and dramatized events to make a more compelling movie, my Mom was moved into a more positive direction for having seen “An Inconvenient Truth.”

I don’t condone lying to the world to make a more impactful movie-  I like to see balance- but in this case, I’ll give a nod in the affirmative to Al.

So, for my part,  I’ll  do what I can to show how thoughtful, informed, conscious people (and critters) relate to the same information, in my own writing. Maybe my presentation of debatable subject matter will open discussion that is balanced and discussed with open minds. In any event, finding any moment to open a person’s mind to thinking about their planet is a good thing. Do it with humor and cute characters and it’s a big round ball slam dunk!

More on the subject over the next few days.

What were your thoughts and experiences after reading or seeing “An Inconvenient Truth?”  Start a conversation here or on our Facebook page. We love fresh insights and honest experiences.