The Backyard
Sunday, May 17, 2009
My Family's Views on My Views
Blogs are all about being permitted to be opinionated, right? Well, it appears this here blog may be the BEST place to share my opinions and definitely not with my family. I fell into a conversation this weekend with my brother, my mom, my sister-in-law and her mother on organic food and the environment. It started innocently enough talking about grocery store chains and they liked PUBLIX and I mentioned I found organic chicken from home in a Florida Publix. The next question started the chain reaction, "why don't they sell it around it here?" And my answer was because the people around here (central PA, more specifically -- Northern Dauphin County) won't pay $8.00 a pound for chicken. "Why is it that expensive... and what difference does it make - I ate non-organic my whole life and seemed to be ok from it." MY TURN: "but organic isn't just about organic food.. its about the environment, and factory farms, and animal abuse in too-small containers and conditions, and the manure from factory farms, AND the agribusiness and over-farming of corn and soybeans to feed those factory farmed animals, and the huge diesel tractors polluting the air and" and so on and so on. The diesel part struck a nerve with my truck-driving brother. He blew all kinds of comments back at me... "so you think electric cars would make it around here? You think everyone should be self-sufficient (no, that's impossible I agree -- but look at the example Phila is setting... http://www.farmtophilly.com/ ), why do YOU drive a diesel car.?! HAHA. It's ok to pay $75.00 for free range turkey? " HA! " One thing led to another and yes, I was getting mad, but I stopped myself and just shut up. But they thought I stopped because THEY thought they put me in my place about my diesel car (they all laughed at me being a hypocrite). But the reason I stopped is because they have absolutely no idea what they are doing to the environment nor do they car much about it, and my views aren't going to change their minds. My sister-in-law's last sentence was "Its impossible to live like that (we were talking about self-sufficiency and getting a cow) with all our modern conveniences." WHAT!!??? She too could make changes that would make a difference, but there's absolutely no telling her or my brother that. What immediately went through my head after I shut up is how I could prove them all wrong - how can I become a better steward to the environment, but I'd do it quietly and not tell anyone. How can I live like Greenpa, how can I go off the grid, how can I become totally self-contained, how I can prove it can be done. I'm not mad at my family, just hurt that they simply don't think much about it, nor care - and think I'm an idiot for thinking the way I do. You should have saw the pile of raw prime rib meat on my brother's plate at dinner. I have to get back on MY horse and stick to my guns. Now, more than ever, I'm dedicated to being vegetarian, organic, and vow to continue doing my tiny part. Take THAT brother!
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2 comments:
I feel your frustration. In fact, the scenario that took place with your family is one that has played out with mine as well. I've even had smaller scale versions of it with Chris. It's tough to keep ones mouth shut... especially for me! It's a shame that there are so many people out there who just don't "get it." And because of them the rest of us will most likely pay the price along with them.
My best friend of twenty five years, who joked that he would pick up the slack and eat twice the meat when I became vegetarian...took one look at my garden and decided to grow one for himself.
You'd be surprise sometimes who "gets it."
Try this one: buying organic is paying the true cost of production. Conventional farming passes on the costs of pollution, health hazards, and environmental destruction in the form of a loan that sooner or later, we all will have to pay back.
I think to some extent people are afraid that once they learn to really look at one thing for what it is, it will profoundly alter their life. In my experience, they're right. Be patient, this subject is the gateway to life changing choices.
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