No, seriously...

Yesterday was a silly, fun Ten List. Today:  Ten Things You Should Read Up On. These are things I've personally been reading up on in an effort to become an intelligent, informed, responsible citizen.

1.  Global warming. In case you've been living in a cave, the planet is in danger, folks. And, lest you think it's just us "bleeding heart alarmist Lefties" that realize it, this article should clear that up. Seeing Al Gore's film is a must for everyone!

2.  Reusable bags. My friend Risa gave 2 of these to everyone in our coffee klatch for Valentine's Day. I added mine to my already huge arsenal of canvas tote bags that I tote to the grocery store, Target, the pet store. So, not only are my bags totally cuter than everyone else's in the store, I'm doing my part to help out the planet. (See #1.) Come on, how many of you out there don't have a lot of pretty bags going unused except for maybe a vacation now & again?

3.  Where our Shell oil really is coming from. My money is now going to a much more responsible gas company, like BP, Citgo, Valero, or Diamond-Shamrock. This brings me to:

4.  Green vehicles. This one is my favorite and a serious contender for my next vehicle (I'd like the lithium battery-powered one, currently only available in Italy, where George Clooney is promoting them). Mark likes this one (George has one of these, too). The specifications on that one are what he likes... vroom, vroom! The Acadamy Awards show this year was a showcase for great green vehicles!

5.  Whether you should shop at Wal-Mart at night or even at all. Just to be "fair and balanced", the Christian Monitor had this to say. I have close relatives that work for Wal-Mart, and I'm sure they will consider banishing me from the family for this, but this is a matter of conscience for me, and it should be for everyone and their money.

6.  Compact flourescent light bulbs. This is one of the easiest things we can do to make a difference. Yes, they are expensive, but they will last 5-7 years, making them less expensive
over time. And don't even feel like you have to buy 20 at one time. Buy and replace your current bulbs one by one if you have to.

7.  What is happening in our little corner of Texas? One of these spanking new coal plants is scheduled to be built in a nearby county; Sherman is in the line of wind, so we will receive all of the lovely emissions. I don't know if "our" coal plant is one of the ones that will get scrapped... here's hoping!

8.  Using your dollars powerfully.  Did you know that Nestle is involved in a child slave labor lawsuit or that L'Oreal still employs animal testing and uses at least 2 known carcinogens in their haircare products?

9.  Solar energy for the home. Mark & I are seriously considering installing a solar hot water heater. While it would take over $150,000 to convert our whole house to solar (and take 22 years to pay for itself), it would only take $2400 for a solar hot water heater (which would raise our property value by about $4000 and would pay for itself in less than a year in utility savings!). Use this calculator to see how much you could save (in dollars AND greenhouse gases) with a solar hot water heater.

10.  I was dumbfounded to learn that child slave labor is being used blatantly by all our favorite chocolate companies. Nestle is the biggest offender by far. My favorite, Godiva, although they use beans from the Ivory Coast (where child slavery is rampant), is supplied by Barry Callebaut, who is listed as a Fair Trade cocoa manufacturer. Fortunately, it is possible to purchase slave labor-free chocolate. It just takes a shift in thought and your dollars.

I know that no one wants to make changes that are not convenient. No one wants to be "put out." No one wants to drive to a different gas station, or retail store, or look harder or longer than 30 seconds to buy chocolate. I contend, however, that it is our moral imperative to think about these things, and to be reminded of them constantly.

No, seriously...