Annoyance:

I'm very tired today. Practically no sleep last night with has left me crabby, and it didn't help that each time Lawrence was asleep all I could do was lay there and stare at the ceiling. Which ofcourse led to thinking of my latest peeves. It's annoying passive aggressive "GREEN" people. I get it. I get that they are trying to save the earth 1 rain barrel at a time, and one pop can at a time, and I'm all for it, as long as I don't have to have their views forced down my throat each time I say something or turn around. My neighbour is one such "GREEN" environmentally friendly STAY AT HOME mom. While generally a lovely person, she annoys the hell out of me when it comes to the environment. Yesterday's conversation went like this Me: I found a solution to our mushroom problem in the frontyard. Ever helpful google yielded a result that we could try pouring bleach on them once we'd taken the caps off. Her response: Oh but that would be terrible for the environment. Just get on your hands and knees and and dig them up.

A couple of days back, I bought a fancy new weed hog, which I'm pleased to say I love. Great for frustating Saturdays when Tom has to work. Anyways, neighbours comment, oh but you guys can use chemicals to kill your dandelions, we have to pick ours by hand. Okay so I'm new to the whole gardening thing, and yes I'm quite in love with weed and feed... but come on!!! And then ofcourse theres the whole $75 rain barrel thing going on. Really now. Why in the world would I want to pay $75 for a plastic cylinder with a tap at the bottom when if I was so inclined to save my water I could get a $5 plastic tote and and a watering can and have the same effect.

But it's all about convenience ladies. I don't grudge my neighbour her rain barrels or her large sun hat while she weeds. Why should she constantly comments on my lack of green gardening abilities especially since I have a toddler and an infant, a husband on afternoon shifts getting home exhausted in the wee hours of the morning, a pretty exhausting work schedule myself, then do what all stay at home moms do to keep their families alive and happy. So why all the comments on the convenience factors I add into my life.

So last night as I lay in bed plotting my repartee the next time she brings it up I realised that most GREEN PEOPLE are green only so far as it is convenient to them. And yet they have the holier than thou attitude. So lets see I wonder how many GREEN people don't use toilet paper. I grew up using water, and each time my parents visit we have to get the bucket and jug out for them. And do GREEN people not use Kitchen Towels (I love paper kitchen towels). Again I grew up cleaning our kitchen counters with old rags, then wash and reuse. And what about sanitary pads and diapers. All cloth from where I come. All wash and wear. For that matter I believe in our entire existence I may be more green than many other green folks. And what about the mini van she drives with 2 kids while I tot mine around in a dinky nissan sentra. I have to admit all the GREEN in my life was brought about by frugal parents. Hell we even gathered pig dung at our holiday home in Goa and used it to fertilize our plants. But none of it.. not one bit was done to SAVE the earth and be cool while doing it. It all came from trying to save all the money they could to give us a better life. And now that I have it, I believe I've earned the right to chemical fertilizers in my front lawn especially when it means extra time with my family instead of on hands and knees.
p.s. This was brought on in addition by a blog at http://rancidraves.blogspot.com/ again another stay at home mom who's upset that her neighbours wont spend $40 annual to recycle! Maybe she should consider going through their garbage and recycling to help them with busy schedules.