I go to Trader Joe's once a week, and I've been reusing my brown paper bag from my first visit. It makes me feel hip and responsible and conscientious. Sometimes before a trip to the store I get this proud feeling. "I'm saving the world," I think. "Not one more tree is being cut down because of my bagging needs."
But last night as I was falling asleep to these self-congratulatory thoughts, a bit of honest realism slipped in. Really, how much good am I doing? One paper bag? Yeah, world saved.
Don't get me wrong, I love this earth. I've traveled across four continents. I've climbed volcanoes and backpacked over mountains. I've swum in remote coastal towns and rafted down rivers. I want many, many generations to be able to do those things. But I'm afraid that this push towards organic living and environmentalism soothes us into thinking we've done enough.
I saved one paper bag at the store today. That's good and all, but it doesn't help that kid who has lived in so many homes that the word "forever" means "until I'm tired of you." It doesn't help the three-month-old with the broken legs, and it doesn't help her teenage father who can't get clean enough to stop hurting her. It doesn't help the high schooler who commits suicide because of bullying, and it doesn't help the pregnant kid who's getting an abortion because she's afraid of the judgement she'll receive. We like things to be pretty these days. We call children "wards of the state" because "orphan" is too ugly a word. We convince ourselves that if we eat organic food and use colorful cloth bags we've done our part. But I guess what I'm saying is I want my part to be more than that.
I'll keep reusing my old Trader Joe's bag, and I'll buy grass-fed beef and eggs from cage-free chickens while I'm at it. But I hope it doesn't lull me into forgetting all those people who so desperately need someone to do more than drink organic milk.
1 comment:
Oh courtney, you are so wise and have such a gift with words. I love this post!
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