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[Viking <erthnsky AT bellsouth.net>]

A couple of days ago, while watching the news, I saw a quip from Katie
Couric that got me to thinking...She was speaking in Houston, TX, I
believe-might have been DFW area, and the narrator of the piece remarked
about how hot it was in Texas, upper 80's with high humidity.  First,
that's not really that hot for Texas in the summer, but I suppose for
non-Southerners, it might be Hell. ;) Anyway, Couric said that 'she felt
the pain of the girls in the audience-how in the world do you manage
hair and makeup in this heat?' She got a rousing applause of
recognition.  It caught my attention because it was something that I
never even considered would be an issue for women since I don't use any
kind of hair products other than shampoo and I don't wear any makeup.  I
sweat-just like everyone else.  It gave me pause to think just how far,
mentally, I am from the rest of the population, that I don't even THINK
about such-had never even considered it.  It just seems like a shallow
thing from my perspective, but I suppose for some women who work in a
professional environment, it would be an issue.  But I thought, man,
Couric is beautiful and doesn't need makeup...why does she participate
in this ritual, consumerist mindset?  Doesn't she know that sweating is
good for your health and that all those products require petroleum to
make and animals to test them on?  Doesn't she know that a wet towel on
the neck is a cheap way to stay cool?  Conservation, it seems to me,
begins and ends with personal choices, and it may be something as simple
as not wearing makeup.  It also seems very interconnected, too, in that
a person who lobbies against the fur trade and for animal rights will
often wear makeup or use products tested on animals.  Now, please don't
get me wrong, I'm not against animal testing or petroleum use, I'm just
pointing out the irony of it all.
Couric probably drives a trendy hybrid car, yet still uses hairspray
from a can with petroleum derived propellants, or a pump spray from a
plastic bottle.  Plastics are made from petroleum, ya know.  I always
choose paper bags at the store, and one of the reasons I don't shop at
Walmart very often is because they don't have paper bags.  I hate those
plastic things.  It all comes down to simple, everyday choices.  One
day, I would like to sew my own bags and avoid the whole bag thing
altogether. I think I would use old jeans since denim is strong and old
jeans are pretty much in abundant supply around here. Maybe this winter,
I'll search for a pattern for a flat bottom grocery type bag with handles.

Bev

--
erthnsky AT bellsouth.net  BevanRon of EarthNSky Farm      NW Georgia USDA Zone 7
34.498N 85.076W