What Won’t You Give Up?

I’ve been thinking a lot about what I’m willing to give up to green the US. And then I got to thinking about what I *won’t* give up. Here’s the list:

My car
I am totally willing to go hybrid, electric, what have you. I’ll take the train to far away places in the continental US, to visit my family and friends in Mass. but I won’t give up personal transportation. Being without a car is akin to being trapped and when I feel trapped I freak out. I must be able to leave my house whenever I want, go where ever I want in a convenient and personal manner otherwise I fear I’ll be jailed for killing someone.

Q-tips
I won’t give up Q-tips. And not just any type of cotton swab — or whatever they’re called — I’m talking about Q-tips specifically. I know there’s this attitude one shouldn’t put anything smaller than their elbow in their ear but I can’t function if I don’t clean my ears out when I get out of the shower. Besides, Q-tips are very useful for other things like cleaning the grooves in the magnets in your fridge.

Spectacles
Yes my glasses are made of plastic (should they be called “plastics?”). Well, actually, the lenses are though the frames are metal on this particular pair of glasses. I’ve had plastic frames in the past but they never last as long as the metal frames. Seeing clearly in paramount to a healthy me. Besides, how could I blog without my specs?

Anyways, I wear my glasses every moment I’m awake. As a general rule, a pair of glasses lasts me two years so that’s 730 uses. When I’ve been given a new prescription I always give my old glasses to the Lions Club to reuse as they see fit (no pun intended).

Toothbrush
Dental health is important. I’ll give up clothes and toilet paper before I give up the ability to brush my teeth every morning. Certainly I’m willing to try less wasteful forms of toothbrushing (metal and horse hair anyone?) so not to use so much plastic but there is no way in hell I’ll give up brushing my teeth every morning. Just ain’t gonna happen.

(if given a choice between the car and toothbrush it’d be a hard choice to make. I think, though, I’d choose the toothbrush).

Books
It’s really hard, and not a very good idea to boot, to bring your computer into the bathtub to read a book. Ya know? Computers aren’t too portable, need to be recharged, and don’t fit into my purse very well. So, books are important. Certainly I’m willing to utilize the library more and cut down on the books I buy.

Edited to add: I won’t give up hair elastics either. Keeping my hair out of my face and off my neck is of paramount importance. And nothing keeps my hair back like an elastic. Given the choice between elastics and toothbrushes I’m not sure I could make the choice. Both are necessary to a healthy and happy me.

How about you? What will you refuse to give up to save Mother Earth? Allie, Peppylady, Farm Mom, Neophyte, Tannenbaum, and Walking Punchline