A California Republican

So I was thinking that in the spirit of Thanksgiving, the rest of this week’s postings will be dedicated to things that I am thankful for.

I am thankful for being a Californian.

Many people find that strange, especially since I comment so much on things that I do not like about California. But truely, I am thankful for being one. I live about 1.5 hours away from the beach, and 1.5 hours away from skiing - both of which I love. I live in an area where the sun shines more than not. I live in a beautiful state, where we have some of the most gorgeous trails to hike on, waterfalls to see, and sunsets to view. I live in a state where there is so much variety, it is almost overwhelming at times.

I live in a state that is accepting of everyone - sometimes too much accepting. But I live here. I live in a state whose economy isn’t tied to one industry (like Michigan is) and so the failure or re-doing of that industry doesn’t necessarily affect me.

I live in a state where I can get whatever food, in whatever season I want. This was particularly helpful when I was pregnant and wanted strawberries in the dead of winter. It is also helpful to be able to keep a healthy diet year round, without resorting to canned foods. It is simply wonderful.

But because I am thankful for all those things, I also have a responsibility to take care of those things I am thankful for.

Which means I need to help take care of the environment. I did some very simlpe things that made a big difference in our energy usage. I changed all the lightbulbs to CFLs. It is fairly cheap to do - they last longer, and use less electricity. So although you might be paying more up front, in the long run they are cheaper - especially if you buy the jumbo pack from Costco. I recycle. It is simple - everything plastic, cardboard and paper goes into one garbage can (and gets taken out to the recycling bin) and everything else goes to the trash. At work, I recycle all my paper. I walk to the store instead of drive. We use the light rail to get to work instead of driving. We turn off the water when brushing our teeth in my house - which saves water. We re-use our bottled water as water bottles. We do small things to help us be more environmentally conscious. Imagine if everyone did these things what a difference it would make.

And as for the food - I pay the price they ask me to. I don’t complain about $5.00 baskets of strawberries in winter (but my husband did). But the price asked is the price I pay. Therefore, I am doing my part there.

Anyways, the environment and food selection are the two things I am greatful for today - and so I have to work to make sure I can remain thankful for them for my life, and so my kids have them to be thankful for.

See … Republicans can be environmentally conscious without giving up what makes me a Republican.