Eco-Goals Update

    So, originally I wanted to only take the stairs and never the elevator, buy more organic fruits and veggies, take fewer short trips to the store or at least carpool with someone, and pay closer attention to recyclable packaging. Evaluating my progress on these goals, I realized I started strong and have lost steam on the second and third one. Reducing my carbon footprint by reducing travel has been particularly difficult for me in the last week with a trip to Texas on an airplane which of course involved a drive to and from Seattle as well. However, I have stuck to only taking the stairs (even when I'm running late to class!) and have paid attention to the packaging on products.
    A couple weeks in to the challenge, I decided to commit to eating at least 2 PB&J sandwiches during a work week for lunch. This has been easy to accomplish because its cheap and easy to make. It also didn't hurt that my cousin made me homemade jellies too! I checked out the website to see what the campaign was all about and right before I was about to get skeptical on all of the carbon emission numbers being thrown around, there was a link directly answering my question: Where did they get the numbers? I've been keeping to this goal and shouldn't have a problem sticking to it although haven't taken the pledge.
     Like the PB&J challenge, I noticed that becoming more and more aware of the effects that my actions have on the environment has changed my focus of my goals. While I'm not doing fantastic on 2 of my goals, I have started unplugging my power cords when I leave and such things because this class has made me aware of simple actions like that really making a difference. So with this in mind, I think it is important to note that you should set goals that DO make a difference but are also realistic for you to achieve. Isn't that what they teach us in business anyway?
     One final note: on my trip to Texas I learned something that others are doing to conserve water. Currently Texas is in a drought, so everyone is on restricted water privileges for watering their yard. The water in the shower takes a long time to get warm, so instead of letting gallons of water run down the drain waiting for the warm water, they put buckets in their shower to collect the cold water and then use that water in their yards. Something that we as Northwesterners RARELY have to think about...