No...I'm not going to be as hardcore as my title would suggest. But I'm making an attempt.
For the last 3 years I've started making Earth Day Resolutions, rather than New Year's resolutions.
2007 -- No more throw-away cups for coffee, etc...
2008 -- No more plastic grocery bags
2009 -- Adopting a vegetarian diet (I did that for over a year, and now I'm eating a little bit of "happy" meat...organic, free-range, local small farmed)
So this year, I was feeling a bit at a loss of what to take up as my resolution. I had been thinking about getting a worm composter...but I'm still on the fence with that one. I'm not sure I'm quite ready to take that plunge just yet. (However, one of my colleagues will be getting rid of hers in the next while, so I may be taking it over for her...we'll see.) Suffice it to say, I wasn't satisfied with this as a resolution.
Lately I have been feeling as though I'm spending way too much time in front of the computer. Ironic isn't it...as I sit here and type this out on my computer. Nonetheless, even though I don't have a TV, I spend too much time in front of a screen. But then I was thinking, how can I tie this in with my Earth Day resolution? I mean, for me to say "spend less time on the computer each day"...well that just doesn't seem measurable and tangible enough for me. While talking this over with A, I figured out that it's easier to agree to do more of something, rather than to do less of something else. So here's my resolution:
"Spend [at minimum] a 1/2 hour outside every day."
Stipulations
1) My walk/bike to work doesn't count.
2) Walking around outside while running errands doesn't count.
3) More than a 1/2 hour is encouraged!
4) No matter what the weather!
5) Sitting outside to soak up the sun (and other related activities) can count...but I want to be aware of my surroundings...to be aware of the sounds, smells, the feel of the natural world around me!
6) Tell as many people as possible because a. it will make me stick to my word, and b. maybe inspire a few other folks to get outside as well.
There you have it! I started officially with my resolution on April 27th, 2010. Yesterday was a rainy mushy day outside, yet I went for a glorious 30 minute run, got soaking wet and saw my first mountain bluebird of the season. Mother Nature is amazing!
