Now that I’m paying attention to the length of my showers, I find that I’m also paying attention to how I use water throughout the day - doing laundry, washing dishes, etc - and trying to use less.
Well. Today I totally failed at the 5-minute shower. My mind wandered, and before I knew it, time was more than up. Clearly, I need to be present in order to meet this challenge!
Today, Bernie (our beagle) and I visited a local nature preserve. We regularly visit several preserves in our area, but this one was new to us. Mostly wooded (which was nice, since it protected us somewhat from a steady rain), but some open spaces too. In a few more weeks, the colors will be spectacular!
One of the nature challenges involves supporting local pollinators. Last year, we planted several milkweed plants in our yard, along with butterfly-friendly plants. We raised a couple monarch butterflies last year, and a dozen or so this year: my friend took most of the caterpillars we found, and I took a few (she has young kids who were fascinated by the caterpillar - chrysalis - butterfly transformation). It was exciting to see the milkweed plants survive the winter, and then to see the monarchs showing up again. And best of all was releasing the new monarchs, as they emerged from their chrysalises!
Today was the first time I timed my shower - and I was surprised to find it was under five minutes. Before I plan next steps, I will make sure this wasn't an anomaly!
What do you think contributes to people in North America eating more meat than any other places, and what does this say about North American values and ways of living? How can we start shifting from a meat-focused food culture to a more plant-based one?
Why do we in North America eat more meat than others? With no research, I wonder if it is at least partly due to habit and advertising. There is also a sense that cooking without meat requires more planning, to ensure a balanced diet, and more effort in the actual food preparation. Not being much of a cook myself, that last statement may be completely and totally inaccurate...!
