Wednesday 22 April 2009

Scale it the frack back: My Earth Day lament.

I woke up this morning with a little ditty in my head that went a little like this: “Earth Day, Earth Day. Earth! Earth!” to the tune of Billy Squier’s “The Stroke.”

Just a little peek into the wacky brain of SG.

Happy ED everyone! (no, not erectile dysfunction, Bob Dole – I know you’re a secret follower.)

I try to live every day like it’s Earth Day. I know a lot of shmucks say that, but it's true.

I eat very little meat. I take public transportation nearly every day. I walk places. I reuse. I get my food out of the dumpster behind Whole Foods and find many of my clothes lying around at bus stops and in public restrooms (those last two are not true, but I hear some people really do it and I won’t knock it ‘til I try it.)

I take up very little space. This last one is important to me because I live in one of the most sprawling cities in the U.S.

I used to write for a publication about home and garden design and décor. I’d go to all these houses that were just excessive. Forty miles from where they worked. Four car garage. Five bedrooms and just one person living there? What is that? As a single person I say three rooms max – one for me, one for when Christian Bale visits, and one for my imaginary friend, Ristian Chay Ale Bay.

Yes, I can afford a house with several bedrooms if I wanted one – but I don’t need one. It’s just me and Little B. We’re perfectly happy in our little loft apartment. It’s close to work. I only need to have one light on at any given time. The electric bill is $55 in the middle of summer with the air running all the time. It’s only a few steps or a good lunge from the couch to the toilet – convenient for those hangover moments.

A fellow sassy single friend of my mine was recently bemoaning the fact that she was moving from one small apartment to another. She said she had hoped her next move would be into a bigger place – maybe a condo – with multiple rooms. I think that’s a pretty normal sentiment, but I asked her, is it really what you need? It’s just more to clean anyway, right? Why would you want that? And think of all the money you could save and spend on martinis instead.

The idea behind her concern is totally understandable: What’s the balance for we 20 and early 30 something singles between dorm room and excess?

I’ve been asking myself that a lot lately. I work with some people who are well, how can I say this … snobby boob faces. We’re around people with a lot of money all the time and they want to look like they have some, too. They just can’t except that I’m completely happy in my tiny space and will stay like that until there’s a compelling reason to change it.

I’m not saying I’m perfect (if you read this blog your know Imperfection is my middle name ... or is it Vodka.?) But on days like today I like to challenge myself and others to think about ways they can scale it the frack back. How do you all keep your stiletto print (or Puma print for the gents) small? Or do you not really think about it? Just curious.

Also, this was just too cute: http://blaine.org/sevenimpossiblethings/?p=1655

It’s about creative ways to reuse stuff around the house. I actually did the old cans thing once and it’s really charming. Love this blog and love these kind of ideas!

4 comments:

  1. "They just can’t except that I’m completely happy in my tiny space and will stay like that until there’s a compelling reason to change it."

    Same reason I don't understand the "need" to take on a mortgage just to say I have one. WTF!?

    I reuse, reuse, reuse...not very good options for public transport and recycling here, but I try to do what I can and not make a mess...and not take up much space either.

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  2. Preach on! You're right. Us small space dwellers should revel in the fact that we're not taking up more space in the world than we need. I'll keep that in mind.

    Check out this company too (www.terracycle.net). The [rather cute] CEO was on Good Morning America this morning. He earns bank by making cool stuff from trash. He calls it "upcycling."

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  3. Great ED post! :) My hubs and I live in a fairly small home (approx 1400 square feet) and it is more than enough for us. 3 bdrooms (one is an office and the other a guest room) and we're good to go! I don't understand the need for a single person or even a couple to have 3,000 square feet of house. A family? That is different. But I personally have enough space and more than enough to clean w/ our house! I don't want anymore! Unless I can hire a maid... :)

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  4. I love my little one bedroom apartment. And I have too much stuff, but...I love my couch and I'm just not getting rid of it. Yes, it's ten feet long and I'm only 5'7". What of it?

    I wish I could take more public transportation and walk more places, but it's just not realistic quite yet. I would so love to not own a car.

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