I Recycled

Well, I did it. It was hard--not finding the place, or getting them to take everything, or even loading the minivan up. No, what was hard was letting go. I just got back form the electronics recyclers: I filled the back of the minivan with old cables, modems, routers, vcr, computers, phones, computer batteries--all the detritus of the Diamond Age. They took everything. And I had several less-than-brief pangs on the way home. Recycling is all well and good, but reusing is better. I should have sorted everything, neatly wrapped it all up and put it on eBay free but for shipping. The linksys routers still work (except for the wireless part), the cables are a real treasure trove...

If I were a better person I would have done this. It is all well and good to talk the environmental talk, but one needs to walk the walk too. Yes, we donate to the Nature Conservancy, Defenders of Wildlife and the National Resource Defense Council. I compost everything in the yard. We recycle (against Dave's better judgement). Dave takes the train to work. And I still feel like I come up way short. I don't walk or bike anywhere, I drive. I don't compost house scraps. And I don't find good homes for things I no longer use. I do, however, self-flagellate really, really well. Yesterday, the first day of spring and the vernal equinox was also International Earth Day. My Earth Day resolution for 2006 is to make more of an effort to repurpose and reuse and to rely less on recycling.

Happy Earth Day everyone.