#16: going green

Dear David Owens,

You are a man of mystery. I have never seen you, but I know you exist. I see evidence of your presence at Ouachita in the blue bag currently residing on my dorm room floor and in the monthly all student emails you send me, reminding me to turn off my printer at night. I especially appreciated it when you came clean last year about not turning off your own office printer at night. Your confidence to confess your earth-unfriendly behavior to all of OBU was really inspiring to me. Not only do you inspire me, but you have become like my very own Jiminy Cricket for recycling. Before you electronically entered my life, I walked the non-narrow path filled with Styrofoam cups and paper napkins. I would even throw away extraneous mass mail into the (gasp!) trash can. I know, I know. It was a dark time in my life. But now, thanks to you, I have seen the Ozone-unprotected light! Hi, my name is Jessica Schleiff, and I have been earth-hating-behavior free for 11 months and 10 days now. I started my go-green conversion with baby steps--going "light green" as John Mayer would say. First came the minor life-change of throwing my water bottles into the plastics bin. Then, gradually I realized that if I truly cared about being a good steward of God's creation, I would not be drinking out of water bottles at all! For the love! How could I be so blind? I'll have you know that I can count the number of water bottles I have used since that day of epiphany on one hand--and those I only accepted out of politeness to the well-intentioned but misguided friends who purchased them for me.

Unfortunately, Walmart is currently out of Camelbaks, though, and this puts me in a bit of an ethical dilemma. But don't lose heart! I am standing strong. Though I haven't drunk water outside of the caf in 10 days, am starting to hallucinate, and am waking up every morning to a level of parchedness that greatly hinders my ability to speak, I will not back down! I just think to myself in moments of hydration-induced weakness, "what would David Owens do?" and I then channel the perseverance I need to press on. And in times when I think it would be much more convenient to discard an old essay in the nearest receptacle, I just imagine that a tiny version of you is on my right shoulder and a mini(-er) Terese Cox is on my left. Then, the distance to that recycling bin seems irrelevant as concern for my personal comfort fades away in light of the bigger environmental picture. I would also like to thank you for allowing me to wear that super cute "Ouachita Recycles" tee from the bookstore without feeling like a poser. I will be sending you a copy of my Greenpeace membership card soon for you to hang on your wall as a symbol of my gratitude.


**Today's post is dedicated to Hayley Nolan.