91 is not 75 and suburbia is not sustainable

Once upon a time there was an "environmental activist" who owned 50 acres of forested land.  She complained bitterly about what Georgia Pacific was doing in the Northwest.  But when it came time for her to rehab her old house, would she hire a responsible horse logger and a portable band saw mill?  Would she buy local lumber?  Nope.  Georgia Pacific all the way.  Why?  Because she'd be environmentally responsible when the LAWS and REGULATIONS made everyone else be that too.

Quite the opposite of Gandhi's "be the change."

We encouraged them to learn about wiring instead of hiring it done.  When we helped them redo one room's floor because it was rotted (with GP lumber they bought at Lowe's), we also fixed the outlet that the high paid electrician hadn't fixed.

Gardens are generally a lot more fun to imagine than to do.  Even when successful and you are run over by the harvest.  Much less when you put in all the work and lose it to something.  Something which is usually your "fault", or responsibility anyway.

And so my question, to myself and to everyone, is what are YOU doing.  Is it saying, "You are awesome!"  Because that is so easy.  But "Pay attention.  You are not happy.  This is the same situation again," is not so easy -- to say OR to hear.

But it is the only way to be a friend.