Is being green too boring for Christmas?
Posted by DavidM in Family plan | 24 December 2006
Moving my family towards a greener lifestyle is a bit like pulling them along with a piece of elastic. If I don't put enough effort in it goes slack and nothing happens. Pull a bit harder and things start moving. But pull to hard and there's a danger it'll snap.
I think I might have pulled a little too hard this Christmas. My wife asked what I wanted so I made a list.
It was only last weekend at dinner with my sister and her husband that my wife revealed that I wouldn't be getting anything off the list. Obviously I asked why and to hoots of laughter from the others she proceeded to recite my list:
A log maker to use old newspapers as fuel.
A plug-in mains power and energy monitor so I can check how much electricity appliances are using when on or in standby mode.
A battery tester
A Ranger wind-up and solar-powered radio.
A folding table for camping.
A pop-up cupboard for camping.
It was only hearing the list in front of people who aren't into the green thing as much as me that I realised it might sound a little, well, dull.
So now I have no idea what I'm getting for Christmas. I like surprises so I'm enjoying not knowing.
And I'll just go out and buy my list of green things in the sales.
Comments
You never know it could be an Audi TT!
I know exactly how you feel, I can't tell you how many arguments I've had. My wife seems to think that I spend far to much time measuring our energy consumption, probably she's right. (I have however caught her checking the electrisave meter ;-)
For me the answer to christmas was "nothing", I thought the greenest thing was to not waste resources on presents I didn't really need nor want. Of course people not into being green still didn't get it.
I did think about asking for nothing but thought I'd get a similar reaction to you David. That's why I sat and thought about what I needed rather than wanted.
I'm also too much of a child at heart to sit there on Christmas morning with no presents at all.
