Not In My Backyard

Do you ever see or read something and get that feeling in the pit of your stomach? You know, the one that tells you that maybe you have some things you can and maybe ought to change?

Yesterday I read this http://farmama.typepad.com/farmama/2010/06/stuff.html (I didn't watch the video) and I started thinking.

What got me was the question of what if there were no landfills and everything we needed to dispose of had to go in my backyard....?

What if that was the case?

The first thing that came to mind was the BIG bag of cloth diapers I have in my closet that fit *I* but that I haven't been using. It's not difficult to cloth diaper, in fact I will tell anyone who will listen how great, easy and convenient I think it is. So will the Husband for that matter. But now that the little man is older, I've gotten lazy. But if all those sposies were sitting in my very own backyard.....???

I pulled out that big bag of diapers and started him back in cloth. Well, actually, I also restarted the whole potty learning thing, so he's in his underpants this morning. (Yet another thing I haven't been pushing but that he needs to master.)

When I pulled out the bag of cloth diapers, I found some baby things in boyish blue and red, things I was planning to replace with feminine and frilly pink and floral. I started thinking, does she (or should I say I) really need pink blankets and bedding? Or, could she use the blue and red that we already have?

Then, last night as I was snuggling *I* to sleep (in his Thirsties fitted and cover) I remembered that *C* has been asking me to get some gum off his comforter for ages. I keep forgetting and a couple of days ago when he asked again I actually thought about just buying him a new one, he's had it forever, I justified. After *I* was in dreamland, I retrieved the comforter for the floor in *C*'s room and, armed with an ice cube and a butter knife, I got that gum off. Now it's clean and dry and good as new. And he is all smiles.

These choices are frugal (which is essential for us) but also better for the earth. Because if I had to dispose of all this stuff in my backyard....

Everyone is going to make different choices. I know that cloth diapers aren't a comfortable choice for everyone. Neither is being a vegetarian. (We're not.) Everyone makes the choices they're comfortable with. I think that when we move toward thoughtful choices we're headed in a better direction.

God gave us dominion over this planet. I don't think He meant for us to use it up and trash it (literally or figuratively). I believe that by giving us dominion over it, God planned for us to care for it. The resources aren't infinitely replaceable. We aren't infinitely replaceable. We each are an important part of the world, each with gifts to share.

I pray that each of us can use the gifts we have to make our world a kinder, better and more loving place for others, now and in the future.

-Peace