Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Dinner and Compromises

We compromise in life....we make a lot of compromises. We use CFL bulbs, and don't have a car and keep the thermostat to 65 and use travel cups for the Caribou Coffee amongst other reducing carbon footprint actions. We also shop at Costco and Target and Walgreen's and many other places which are not local, small, employee owned, or in any way shape or form. "Progressive" according to the Eco-than-thou rules of the environmental movement.
Our compromises let us live a fairly convenient and a fairly cost-conscious life without making too many drastic inroads into our ideals....which brings me to dinner.
We are having Wild Caught Alaskan Salmon, and broccoli. We try to have salmon at least once a week or so, as it is one of the only omega3 fishes Z likes. It is also bloody expensive, and most reasonably bought frozen at Costco, where a month's supply will be less than $25. Same with the Broccoli. Frozen is much easier and just as healthy as fresh, and a bulk bag of frozen organic broccoli from Costco is very economical and very convenient. The biggest requirement we have is that the salmon is wild caught and from the pacific (which it is, and thus not contributing to the nightmare of fish farming or coming from failing fisheries) and that the broccoli is organic(which it is, and though it is still shipped, Gods know how many thousands of miles at least our health will not be impacted)
My point is that we make compromises and still are able to make a difference. I am sure that our carbon footprint, or whatever the trendiest measure of environmental awareness happens to be au courrant is smaller than average. It is a start, and for now it is enough for us. In the summer we eat mostly local foods, but we are not so fanatical. Compromise--it is what lets us have a normal, sane, and smooth life while hopefully impacting the earth a very positive and respectable way.

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