I can do greener.

I think that part of my general dissatisfaction with life lately stems from the gigantic gap between my beliefs and my actions. I talk the talk in so many areas of my life, but I rarely walk the walk.

Not putting my beliefs into action has led to a good amount of self-hatred, self-pity, and a spiraling self-, self-, self-fixation and generalized uckiness.

So. In the interest of making peace and finding balance, I challenge myself to do better. But! I need something concrete on which to focus my effort. I can't just say, "Oh I'll try to do better." Because inevitably, I won't. I won't try, and I won't do.

My first attempt, then, at putting belief into action is going to be a small one (baby steps!), something I feel like I can do and continue doing and feel good about.

From here on out--no more plastic bags!

What?

No more plastic bags.

I own plenty of market bags, tote bags and what have you. I don't need to bring more plastic bags home from the grocery store or from Wal-mart. They clutter up my cabinets because I can't bring myself in good conscience to throw them in the trash, but I never get around to recycling them.

Environmentalism is something that makes sense to me. It's something that I pay lip service to, but that rarely figures into how I live my life and the choices I make. No more!

So from now on, I'm keeping my reusable market bags in the car, and I will NOT go into the store without them. If I do, I'll go back out and get them. If I don't have enough to carry all my purchases, I will make fewer purchases. If I leave them at home, I'll shop the next day.

I realize not using plastic bags is a teensy, tiny progression toward the greener life I should be living--I want to be living. But, like I said--baby steps.

And, come on, let's not forget this other very important contribution to the earth that I make on a regular basis.