Green Fingers, Opposing Thumbs

I try to be a "green" kind of guy, I really do. We have switched our light bulbs out to the more energy-conservative kind. We recycle, avidly. We take public transportation and walk rather than driving. We try to do everything we can, no matter how "little" it might be. Evy has her spice garden, we are starting to plant some veggies, we hang our clothes out to dry instead of using a dryer, we take the stairs instead of the elevator (which doubles as a great physical activity for burning calories when you live 6 floors up) and we try to conserve everything in order to consume as little as possible.

But there is one exception to the rule. The air conditioner.

Don't get me wrong. When I'm walking around town, out and about, I don't mind it. When I'm on vacation, hiking around the ruins of some ancient Roman or Greek city, I'm all about the sweat factor, and getting dirty, and being part of the environment. I love hiking, camping, and getting out in the elements. But when I'm sitting in my office in a leather chair, in the comfort of my home...screw sweating. I want comfort.

I'm sure everyone out there has their own personal limits. I've seen some green-thinkers who go so far as to buy a plot of land in the middle of nowhere and build their home out of peat and sod and completely abandon electricity and technology. I'm not one of those guys. I do what I can, but I do it within the boundaries of my own comfort zone. Some people would call that hypocrisy. I call it "living smart".

Finding a balance is key. We can't just go back to the Middle Ages (who would want to, anyway? All that plague, death, disease, no deodorant...ugh, no thanks) and abandon technology, because technology is what is going to help us overcome the problems of tomorrow. What we have to find is a natural, healthy balance between technological advancement and green-thinking.

In any case...I was seeing some of our guildmates talk last night while playing Lord of the Rings Online, as well as some of our friends on Facebook, and a great number of them were complaining about how hot their houses were, and how they had 2-3 fans going to keep things cooled down. Sorry...that ain't me. I get really, really cranky when my house is hot, so the AC is a must, and it's one thing that, no matter how green I might be, I refuse to get rid of.

AC ftw!