Carbon Foot Print and a Sustainable Life

Not sure what is happening to me.  If you drive by our house at any given time you will find seven cars almost all belonging to us.  Three of them are big four wheel drives and the other three are older little cars.  We definitely add to the global warming crisis the world is facing.  We have been known to buy things packaged in plastic with a half life of a billion plus years, by chickens that have been pumped with hormones, and we on occasion have sprayed pesticides on our plants to kill the bugs.  When it is hot we run our AC.  Our house has not been know to champion the cause of sustainability or living green.  That is until recently.

One of the downsides to having kids in college is they are being challenged to think differently.  That would be fine if they all lived in the dorm and didn't bring their idealism home with them.  Our problem is they live at home and for me, there is no escaping their thinking.  This summer we had a garden.  We have argued over buying organic eggs, range free chicken, or beef that ate real grass in a farm nearby.  To me a cow is a cow is a cow.  I couldn't be more wrong.  We are composting, recycling, and trying to by only what we absolutely will eat.  it is rumored that some that live here don't shower every day.  My life is slowly being changed.  Interestingly, I find myself being caught up in it.  Their is some real truth to what they are saying.  Not sure that I like that I have to be impacted by it.  I have been managing it well.  That is until this last week.  My car is no longer running.  It seems to need a $800 fuel pump.  The car is not worth that much anymore..  First thought is that I know have a reason to go and by that BMW I have always wanted.  But living a sustainable life means considering the reduction of cars and driving.  Do Darla and I really need two cars, can we figure out the bus and walking and ride sharing.  I have to ask will it really make much of a difference.  Then I ask, why didn't I insist that the kids live in the dorms.  Looks like we are going to be experimenting with reducing our Carbon Foot Print.  Wanted to make sure I invited each of you to join us.  If you need to I have room in my driveway for one more car.