Friday, October 22, 2010

A Cute Pug with an Incomplete Message

AW...what a GOOD BOY this little pug is! He demonstrates for all of us the ways we can be green.

There's one problem. No surprise - the most impactful way to be green is not listed:

DON'T REPRODUCE.

You can replace all your lightbulbs, recycle all your plastics, drive hybrid cars, go vegetarian, and drink filtered water out the wazoo but none of those actions will reduce your carbon footprint like the simple act of remaining childfree. NOTHING.

But as we can see, that message is so taboo even cute little pugs are afraid to say it.

So I will.

5 comments:

Amy Guskin said...

Preach it, sistah! I don't know why that one simple item is nearly ALWAYS left out of lists of "things you can do to save the Earth/use less resources."

Spectra said...

Yeah, NO KIDDING!! I really hate it when people tell me "God said we're supposed to reproduce and be fruitful to fill the Earth!" Well, yeah, thousands of years ago the world was fairly empty and needed some people to fill it. Now it's the opposite--the world is crowded and we don't HAVE to reproduce. People always tout the importance of spaying your pet and adopting shelter animals instead of going to a breeder, but there are SO many people who get fertility treatments and have sextuplets or whatever because if they would have chosen adoption, it wouldn't be "their" kid. Gimme a break.

Mali said...

Exactly! I made this point in conversation at a party recently (yes, I was being deliberately provocative). That because I don't have kids, I can travel guilt free. Someone (who has three kids) then made a snide remark about our gas powered heating. I think the point was lost on them!

Laura said...

A mom of twins got on me at work for throwing away a piece of paper, instead of recycling it. I told her I could toss out every piece of paper I ever touch, drive my diesel pick-up truck and leave my water running 24/7 and still won't come close to touching what she's done by having twins.

Ozjeppe said...

Yep, tragic but true. It's pretty mind-boggling how that point is the one last untouchable, unmentionable bastion with so many, otherwise environmentally aware and go-green-advocating people. They can live the ecological, minimalistic country life, not drive a car, etc... but refrain from having kids? Hell no!