greenguru.org

Sometimes the news is hard to take, sometimes it requires a lot of personal growth and change. Finding out that what we are doing is hurting the environment, and our children’s future is inconvenient. Heck, it’s hard to remember to take your own bags to the store, but, when you do remember, it feels good. When you do something or write something that changes a few minds or starts a dialogue, it feels good. Since I have started writing the articles, creating green art for events in Austin, and consulting with local residents, I have been amazed at the overwhelmingly huge arms of acceptance that I have fallen into in the Wimberely Valley. It is like people here are so yearning for ways to help with the state of the world today that they welcome any new ideas for change even if it means changing something that they have thought to be a normal part of their everyday life for years. These are the people I work for, this is the reason I keep on keeping on. Do I still have to go to Austin to get Biodiesel? Yes, but it is worth it. Marc and I have decided that we will do whatever it takes to send our dollars and energy in the direction we want the world to go. Eventually, the hard work and dedication will pay off and in the mean time, it feels good. Our right to vote may not be the best and most effective way to change the course of things, I believe it’s our dollars. Our choices in purchases and places to shop is, in my opinion, the most influential, moral decision we have to make now. People aren’t reminded enough of this fact, they are voting with their dollars every day, if they feed them into a machine that makes widgets in China, that is what we will see more of. If they buy solar panels and biodiesel and carbon offsets, we will see more of those and a healthier planet. If you would like a suggestion of where to go locally, the Farmer’s Market is in the field across from Market Day on Thursday mornings from 8-12, I get as much of my produce there as possible and grass fed beef from Farmer Russell. Glenn’s Hill Country Natural Foods has it all, and Brookshire Bros. has a wonderful selection of organics, organic produce and Buddy’s Chicken. If I’m already in Austin, I go to Central Market for wild fish, other local area produce and the bulk section. Wheatsville Food Co-Op on Guadalupe is another wonderful place that I wish was closer to Wimberely. The Real Goods Catalog is a great place to shop on line, stores that sell organic cotton or hemp clothes made in the USA or if made over sees are made by companies that pay a living wage. For a list of these companies and where not to shop too, please go to this website: http://www.coopamerica.org/ Co-op America is a wonderful resource, full of interesting articles and facts. Please check out the new article called 10 Things To Never Buy Again. Where will you shop today? What will you buy? Don’t forget your bags!