Mercy Mercy Me...My Acts of Green.

I don't know about saving the best for last but here goes with my turn - sharing what I'm personally doing to support the One Million Acts of Green initiative. Am I the greenest person in the world? Hardly. But I think if anything resonates in the spirit, approach and intent of the One Million Acts of Green initiative is that it's not a 'hey look what I can do to one up you'. It's about doing what we can manage to incorporate in our daily lives and routines. Ideally a change that we can make on a permanent basis - rather than just making a virtual tick mark on the OMAOG website to assuage our guilty consciences that we're collectively not doing enough and slowly killing mother earth.


For my part, I am doing a few things that you might want to consider - some of which aren't options on the website.


My guiltiest confession? I LOVE paper. I mean, it's almost pathological. Perhaps it's an ode to my grandfather's many years working as a Pulp and Paper Mill foreman? Nope. I trace my love of the hard copy to a stint working for a boss who was wonderfully high maintenance and insisted that any press release, ad copy, article, letter, speech, proposal or any other ghost written document were printed neatly - one sided only please - and nestled with love in her In Tray.


So... as one of my 'acts' I have resolved to wean myself from the urge to print out my documents and scrutinize for typos. It's going well. I may need stronger contacts or a wider monitor - but it's definitely a step in the right direction. With the volumes I deal with at work, I'd estimate I'll save 3,000 sheets of paper per year.


Unlike Michelle who posted about vegetarianism as being kinder to our world, I am an unabashed carnivore. On a good day, I'd kill for a BBQ steak. However, I actually love tofu and as such have vowed to work my way through my 101 Things to do With Tofu cookbook - one 'Soy-riffic' experience at a time. I do tend to eat veggie at least two days per week. Contrary to my brother's opinion - there IS more than one thing to do with tofu. He thinks heaving it in the garbage is the best and only option.

In the last year, I have purchased a more fuel efficient vehicle. Not a Hybrid mind you - it was a little out of reach, but I am running a vehicle that is much 'cleaner' than my older car.

Recently on a pleasure trip, I decided to take the train. It was relaxing, a chance to catch up with a dear friend and I left the car at home!

I am sure there are other little things that I will do as I go along... I would love to hear about what readers are doing too...

So in closing - regular readers will know that I centre many of my posts to my passion for music. So - why stop now? Looking for inspiration in song to get on a greener path? Look no further than your Ipod! It's interesting to note how many seminal artists have been making music about our environment for years and years. Here's a list of suggested tunes to check out.

What are YOUR favourites that I missed? I am sure there's tons!


Marvin Gaye - Mercy Mercy Me... The Ecology.


So many artists have remade this... if you're surfing? You have to check out the remake done by The Strokes, Eddie Vedder and Josh Homme from Queens of the Stone Age. Still, can't beat the original... right on Marvin!



Blackened - Metallica


Metal with a message? Yes! 'Death of Mother Earth. Never A Rebirth. Evolutions end. Never will it end."



Nothing But Flowers - Talking Heads


A timely choice so fast on the heels of the brilliant David Byrne's appearance on The Hour, this is a great and quirky tune... 'If this is Paradise, I wish I had a lawnmower'


Big Yellow Taxi - Joni Mitchell


NO, not the Counting Crows version --- although it's not bad. The original, from one of Canada's pioneers.



Idiotique- Radiohead


Thom sings it... "Ice Age coming... let me hear both sides." Who were they talking about? Al Gore? Hmmm... a classic from way back.



The last one I'll leave you with is a new song that was performed live a few months ago on the Strombo Show. One Last Round by Ron Sexsmith


Wonder of wonders Our eyes behold This scaffold of stars

But look under for truth be told We're leaving a scar On everything we've found

And we're going into town for one last round One last round

If all that glitters Is not gold Should our rainbow's end Be just the winter cruel and cold Of our discontent My friends we're trouble bound Yet we're going into town for one last round And it's the children who have yet to come Who'll have to pay our tab What kind of world will we have left for them The odds now will be stacked We've all the wisdom Our minds can hold But no common sense All the live long day the joke Was at our own expense We've drained our bottles down And we're going into town for one last round

So... keep it up Canada and friends and readers around the world! What's YOUR act of Green? As of now... the total stands at 375,453 Acts of Green and 17,366,630 KG's of Greenhouse gasses saved!

Register and log your acts.... at ONE MILLION ACTS OF GREEN