Earth Day

I forgot it was Earth Day until this morning when I found I had a crapload of spam in my inbox telling me so. Here are some of my favorite subject lines:

· Get Green with Online Banking

· Win a free Green T Shirt!

· How much money will you save by GOING GREEN?

· Best Deals Ever! Earth Day early birds SAVE!

· Red Light Goes Green

· Get a Free Roll of Reynolds Wrap Foil from 100% Recycled Aluminum

I’m not sure how I feel about this. On the one hand, it's for the greater good. On the other, it's turned into a total marketing ploy. I, for one, am a bit tired of being told to be green. I way too cynical a person maybe. I can’t just recycle a can, I have to figure out what’s really green. Does the can go to your regular old dump anyway? Or when it goes to a “good dump” do they cart it off 500 miles in big gas guzzling trucks?

Yea, yea, I know I'm overthinking. And I already know a couple of you who are probably laughing right now. (Bishand comes to mind first.) I think trying to do our home remodel as green as possible put me over the edge in this area. It was a giant exercise in contradictions. Yes, I want eco-friendly cabinets that don't offgas chemicals, but if they come from replenishable wood that's soft aren't they going to warp over time and end up in a dump anyway? And what about the fact that those special cabinets have to come from Oregon - on a truck - which requires fuel?? (Can you see my eyes roll to the back of my head?)

So today, to celebrate Earth day, I’ve decided to.... let go. Fine. I'll be GREEN. I'm just going to toss this can of Diet Coke in the recycling bin and go ahead click on that last email.