It's been months since I wanted to post on this topic but by the time it got the chance to see the light of day, all these have become old news!! Anyway, better late than never!
Green - never been my favourite colour. Probably because the colour is always associated with raw, dirty etc. in Tamil. The colour's association with our arch rival neighbouring country could have added to it. In my nenavu theriyadha vayasu, Amma tried to get me a parrot green with rose border pattu pavadai but luckily the store didn't have that combination and I ended up with a peacock (neck) blue with rose border pattu pavadai! But in the recent years, the dislike for green has begun to change like tamil movie hero-heroine's modhal-pin-kaadhal style(starting with 'pachai nirame', may be?).
After pillayar suzhi with this, information super highway (mis?)led to very many scary articles about pesticides in produce, rBGH hormone fed cow's milk etc., that I began 'organic-organic' chant. Like (mythological) Markandeyan's parents I had to choose between short life-spaned almost-never-on-sale organic produce or pesticide friendly regular produce. A friend was helpful enough to add to the confusion commenting that since proper regulations aren't yet in place for organic farming, even her garden vegetables can get passed as organic produce. Appo aadha-aadha(adhanga, 50-50!) dhaan!
Next it was time to buy a new washer-dryer. The kathukutty armchair environmentalist was all for the neela nira energy saver tag. For the budget which would have fetched a laundromat size washer-dryer, we ended up with a petite front loading W/D(Now about the comforters... which can't be washed in our petite machine... Should I wash them in non-energy saving-laundromat machines or replace them every season?). Oh, btw, the uncomfortableness and back-ache caused from loading the clothes crouching infront of the machine will go away when visitors' exclaim, "oh, front loading machine-a!". ;)
Now what is the use in having energy saver appliances if one is using environment unfriendly detergents! Chi-chi-chi! Try, try and try again with detergent names starting with eco, bio in Whole Foods or Natural/Organic sections of Supermarkets. With Indian cooking, Curious Georgina(s), any detergent will need some extra help, isn't it?
Since the beginning of the new year, 'Going Green' has become 'hot'(almost topping the new resolution list!!) Like SVSekar says in 'Ellarum Vaanga', 'ella porukki pasangalum namma technique-y follow panranga'! So, in TV, magazines and everywhere there is tips, tips and more tips to go Earth friendly.
First in the list is car pool and/or switch from gas-guzzling vehicles. Except to work, we never let my husband go anywhere without us(hey, he gets to drive peacefully on the car pool lane!) and so what if in place of Accord we have Civic now, it is hybrid!
Next in the list is energy conservation - shut off unnecessary electrics. Hey, we are from a country where it is in the genes like our elders to follow people from behind and shut off lights/fans even when they just step out to get a glass of water! 'Yaar kitte pesureenga', huh!
And then there are those recycle/reuse plastics(anga dhaan naama nikkaromey!), run dishwasher/washing machines on full loads(overload pannamey irundhaley perusu!) etc. etc. on which we don't need any more lessons!
I mostly adhere to and even change my lifestyle if it would mean doing my bit for the Earth/Environment but for #1 in this recent article in RD - Iyaa, mudiyadhaiyaa!!
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11 comments:
Wow - I had not read about the "No Impact Man" - unbelievable. But then, if you think about it, that is how our grandfathers lived a few years ago :) Agree with you - Going Green (& organic) is the in-thing now.
a-kay, why go so far as our grandfathers, to an extent, our generation has lived the 'no impact' lives ourselves, isn't it? Even today, many countries in this world have 'No Impact People', only in their case, it is not out of choice!
True - we have lived the low or no impact lives ourself. What I meant by our grandfathers was that, there entire lives they lived the No Impact life. With more of the so-called development and enhancement of lifestyle, our carbon imprint just grows larger. Truly a deplorable condition!
Aparna-
great to see you back after a while with your Going Green theme. LoL-ed at some of the lines in your blog, like we come from ac country where its int he egenes to shut off lights/fan even when we step out for water...I guess I am still carrying that trait in me,a s I keep telling my husband to turn off the lights etc.
a-kay, more the convenience, more the luxury... getting more distant from nature, isn't it?
mitr, yep, we are so dark green in that! ;)
I consider my life to be a moderately low impact life...then the question comes compared to who or what is the standard...somewhere down the line unga levelku vandhuduven nu nenaikaren...
me, 'every little helps', isn't it? And you continue to amaze me(IMO, if men even think green, that is a big step!)
As for stds, today's practices are only until some nakkeerar parambarai brings something up about it(adhukkunne irukkangaley!)
talking about healthy eating, why dont you give us a review on desi grocery stores? :)
talking about healthy eating, why dont you give us a review on desi grocery stores? :)
ttm, puriyaliye? What kind of review?
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