Pats on the shoulder from Mamma Nature for me. She hates plastic and so do I.

Salad greens: single-use plastic bag.
Starbucks iced mocha: single use cup, lid and straw.
Apple wireless mouse: single-use plastic case.
My favorite cranberry-orange scone from City Brew: single use plastic wrap INSIDE a single-use plastic sleeve! (GASP)
Leftovers from a restaurant: single-use plastic to-go container. (ask for foil, you can recycle it and it doesn't leak if you do it right, use your brain)
Anything at any deli in any part of NYC: single-use plastic bag...it's just habit at this point for the clerk to put ANYTHING you buy into a plastic sack...even a pack of gum. It's reflex.

We all know plastic sucks, right? By no means would I think that we could completely get rid of it, but we can surely sharply reduce our consumption. Plastic is made from oil....doesn't everyone know that? So as the Gulf of Mexico is taking a beating, I think we owe it to the sea life, people and our country to STOP using plastic as much as possible.  Even if plastic is "recyclable" just know that's bullshit. Very little of the plastic we used gets recycled...it's time to just quit being lazy and get on with life. Plastic ends up in the ocean where it gets eaten by marine life. GROSS Then we eat it. Thumbs DOWN.

My message is....JUST SAY "NO, thank you". And if you work in a store, ask if someone NEEDS a bag for their purchase. Most of the time they don't.

There are so many little things one can do...just take baby steps! If you go out at lunch time and get a fountain soda, you don't really NEED the top OR the straw...just go without if you're eating in. I carry a medium-sized tote bag with me nearly every minute of my life...so now I just carry a medium-sized re-usable (and easily washable) cup in there. In colder times, I carry a hot mug for warm drinks. I love it. I feel good about it. I get to judge others when they're drinking their stupid skinny latte out of a single use piece of shit and I have my re-usable mug with my soy chai in it. Pats on the shoulder from mother nature for me.

watch this, it will help you forgo that stupid straw:
watch me

for more info:
5gyres

The Foster Dog- heartbreaking in a good way

Fostering Sadie was one of the best things I've ever done. She's my third foster dog from the Western Montana Humane Society.
She was surrendered by her former owners because they didn't want to have to go through her recovery from a knee surgery they knew she needed. She was only 2.5 years old when they dumped her.

I got a call from the Humane Society telling me they had an injured dog that needed a rest from the shelter. Nobody was interested in taking her because she had an immediate price tag of over $2000 for the TPLO surgery her knee required.

I took her home and loved on her and made her comfortable and happy. Daisy, my second foster dog who still lives with me (and will never live anywhere else, she's mine!) didn't take to this little youngster right away. She thought Sadie was a nuisance. But, soon, they were pals.

I went to my Facebook community and asked for donations so that Sadie would be able to have her surgery. Over one weekend, the money was raised and we were on the surgeon's schedule. It was nothing short of pathetic when I picked her up after surgery. She was so sad and so unable to function. All she wanted was to snuggle. So we did.

Sadie recovered from the procedure just fine, and yesterday we went to meet a potential family for her. They loved the little beast! (of course, she's a star) I took her home with me, and cried all last night and all day today...and this afternoon dropped her off with her new people. A forever home...what every shelter dog in every state in this great nation is hoping for every single minute. I hope for them too.

My friend Amber commented on a post I wrote about Sadie- she wondered how I have the strength to foster dogs when I know I have to give them up...she said it would be heartbreaking. My response was that my heart breaks for them either way, so I mind as well foster. Through all these tears, I've been thinking about what Amber said. And in some moments I asked myself why the hell I do this. But seeing Sadie go off with two people who are going to take care of her for the rest of her life was worth it.
Here's to you Sadie, I love you. I always will. You can come back anytime.