Thank you all for your great support! As you might already know thru Twitter, we are one of three finalists in the "green parent" category of The Green Awards! The grand prize winner will be announced at a ceremony on May 13th, in LA... and I am bringing Max along (I just need to find/borrow a suit his size). We will keep you posted on developments.
Thank you also for your input thru the comments, forum, and Twitter. You have formed an incredible community.
Finally, thanks to Ruth Wrenn for the beautiful poem that you posted in the forum section of this blog. Your words are right on, I could not have said it better. Here it is for everyone to enjoy.
Suburbia Revised
Finally free
from the grasping gasping needingness
of the constant wanting nothingness
of the endless hunting shoppingness
of suburban modern emptiness
My time
is finally mine to give away
Never more to waste away
on the the endless quest for more to pay
to bring home more to throw away
Wanting less and
Needing less and
Finally having more.
Bea, Congratulations on your Green Award finalist position!
ReplyDeleteRuth, your poem is amazing. It has such great rhythm and rhyme. I love how you added the -ness to the ends of the words in the first stanza. It gives it a real Dr. Seuss feel who is my favorite children's author. It really gives the poem a light-hearted fun tone which adds the message of freedom and joy at having less that you convey in this poem.
YEAH!!! i am so glad! i voted for you on my and my husband's computer every day!!! what great news. I hope this will help spread awareness of the 4th R across the country.
ReplyDeletevery thoughtful prose thank you so much for sharing and inspiring others ,peace to you and your family
ReplyDeleteCongrats! And I LOVE the poem-it is so freeing to be of a simpler mindset (although I still covet a home with an ocean view, the rest is pretty much over with, thank God!).
ReplyDeleteHello and Congratulations!
ReplyDeleteI just stumbled upon your blog. Thanks for putting it out there. I'm going to make changes starting tomorrow. Your family is an inspiration. Hopefully we all will wake up and save ourselves from a "wall-e" world.
And the poem is beautiful as well!
YAY!!!!!! Felicitations, merveiluex, superb, tres bon fait, well done, congrats!
ReplyDeleteLove that poem,,,thank you, it gave me even more inspiration to get the last bit out from our home...wich i´m planning to do today, NOW!:D
ReplyDeleteoh, that is truly lovely! and CONGRATS! With such an important message to spread, here's hoping you go all the way to the top.
ReplyDeleteBea, congrats on your nomination. You really deserve it as you are a true inspiration for all of us.
ReplyDeleteRuth, I truly love your poem.
Congrats to you and your family. I have been trying to clear my home for years and live a more eco-friendly lifestyle. Your blog and comments from others have motivated me to continue with more fortitude. Love the poem by Ruth. Continue the great efforts Bea and family. God bless.
ReplyDeleteYay! I'll be looking forward to the news!
ReplyDeleteHi Bea
ReplyDeleteI read your whole blog yestarday.Took some time but i learnd more of what i did know and what i didnt know.In my town(population 400.000) spending is the new thing here.I hate it but i try to talk people out of it.I think that since it is so many in my community it should be bulk sales ,it is not.One shop had wholesale nuts but cut it out.(unsalted nuts off course) I love in Norway and many things that you talk of is normal here but not normal in your country.Next year my street will have resycling to:D I have to resycle bc everything is in plastic ,paper or glass.I am a vegetarian,environmentaly,life loving person and uses cruelty free make up,no cleaning products,vintage clothes,flee marked things and i use the same toothbrush as you:D hurray.Everyday i note everyone on FB that they should get out more and use not animal tested products and not to buy more stuff.Your home reminds me of mine bc its all white, clean and you remind me of ME).Thanks for being you and keep up the good work.Madelene 24 y Norway 20 min from the capital :D
Wonderful, wonderful, exciting news! Congratulations!! And a huge thanks to Ruth for the poem..perfectly, beautifully said..
ReplyDeleteYou could try becoming a member of Freecycle in your city, to find a suit for your son. That will inevitably clutter your email inbox with other stuff, but it might be worth it to join to get a nice, free suit out of it?
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy that your top 3, you deserve it, and most importantly the world deserves to learn from more people like you ;). I've already begun to reduce, wanting to throw everything away and I've got to say it IS addicting! I feel lighter and free. It may sound funny but it feels like less to think about, literally! I've always kept things thinking about the "just in case I ever need this" bit and have come to realize that I've never really needed it. Letting it go feels so much better than keeping it in my life taking away my time and space. Thank you so much BEA!
ReplyDeleteSelina
Loved that clever and fun poem!
ReplyDeleteBea, congrats on being a finalist! Your video outshone all the others so I couldn't imagine yours NOT being a finalist! Your project is so all-encompassing toward a better life for everyone and healing this planet. Let's all send positive thoughts toward making Zero Waste Home an official winner!
Yeah that's fantastic!!!
ReplyDeleteThis great news your blog is helping my family go waste free little by little. Best of luck to you Bee. The Men's Werehouse may have suits to rent so might want to look there. Also if you call few places that sell suits since it's prom and wedding season they might have suits that you can rent as well.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful, I couldn't say it better myself!
ReplyDeleteCongrats Bea! You deserve all the success that is coming your way...you're leading such an important movement. Great job!!
ReplyDeleteBea,
ReplyDeleteI found your blog through the Non-Consumer Advocate, I read through everything and thought "Wow...that's extreme, nothing I could ever manage." Then, I came back and read it again, paying more attention and becoming inspired. I'm a long way off (I took my own containers to the deli counter for the first time on April 30th!) but at least I'm pointed in the right direction. I can't afford to get rid of my existing packaged food/health and beauty supplies but as I use up what I have, I will make different choices that might cost me a bit more but will cost the Earth a lot less.
Thank you so much for being a role model for the rest of us!!
Rachel: freecycle does not work great here, but my girlfriend is lending us some pants, and I found a blazer at a thrift shop that fits both my boys and myself. I have a feeling that we'll be fighting to wear it ;)
ReplyDeleteKris, using up your consumables is the way to go. You're on your way! Thanks for letting change in your life!
ReplyDeleteI wish you would write "through" instead of "thru". If you take the time out of your day to write up thoughtful blog posts, you might as well write properly.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the award.
Thank you, Bea, and everyone else for your kind comments on the poem, and Congratulations, Johnsons, on winning the award!
ReplyDeleteSince I read this blog obsessively, I'm not sure how I missed seeing this post, so I apologize profusely for not replying sooner, but thanks again, and I encourage everyone to look into joining us in the FORUM for extended conversations with people who are helping each other implement ZW at home, one room at a time! :)