Did you vote yet? My husband and I voted before noon today. We had to register at a new polling place because of our move earlier this summer. Fortunately, we researched what we’d need to do that and took the appropriate documents.
This included our Wisconsin driver’s licenses for our photo id and a bill showing our new address. It was easy. The poll workers were friendly as they instructed us on what to do.
Everyone who is legally able to vote today should do it! If you don’t you are allowing others to make decisions for your life and those decisions might not fit with your values. Of course, even if you do vote, you are unable to control the outcome and what it might mean for your life. But, you did your best by casting a vote. This is what we do in a democracy. Vote for the candidate that best represents your values and beliefs about society and how it should function. They might not win, but maybe they will.
Once elected, our officials have to work with others who are also newly elected or incumbents in their respective offices. We have a lot of problems to work out in America. Life here has been full of sensationalism and rhetoric in recent years. Gone is the decorum of a polite election with an absence of negative advertisements. Did that ever exist? Probably not.
All I know as a citizen of the United States who tries to be a responsible adult, contributing to the communities in which I’ve lived is that we need more integrity, transparency, and forward-thinking from our politicians. I don’t think this exists on either side of the aisle, honestly.
Carbon Calculators
As an environmental educator, I worry about our Earth home. And, I mean I worry for us globally, not just in my rural town. Climate change is real and we need real solutions – as of yesterday. We need honest solutions, not a green coating of solar or wind power that still relies on oil and steel to work. At the very least we need to know what we can do to reduce our own personal carbon footprints.
There are more than a few programs online that will help you calculate your individual or business’s carbon footprint.
The environment is important to me. Currently, I’m working to find more sustainable ways of living and reducing my carbon footprint. Another example I can share is that I just ordered laundry detergent that comes on a dissolvable paper from Earth Breeze. I did order from Amazon which is not ideal, as it uses energy to get the product to me, but I made sure to select my package to be delivered all together on my Amazon Delivery Day. I’m also receiving three books.
What is important to you? Did you vote to support your values? I hope so. We are all individuals and have different needs and beliefs. It’s important that people vote – vote for who you think would do the best job – not based on what political party affiliation they hold. Today, we voted like this – the best for the job – no matter what party they represent.
Pro-choice.
Education
Sustainability
Responsible Spending
Those are the issues we supported today. How about you?
Really, you don’t have to tell me – just go vote!
Thanks!
Today is Slice of Life Tuesday! TwoWritingTeachers.org created Slice of Life. I’ve been participating in this forum since 2017. I am grateful for the supportive and welcoming community that exists because of them!
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Thank you!
The Apples in My Orchard 
hi Carol,
I too have been trying to reduce my carbon footprint. Of the carbon footprint calculators you present I believe the one by Nature Conservancy is the most useful as it includes factors such as goods that we shop for. Most calculators ignore this component and focus on travel, which is obvious and easy to estimate – yet is not the whole picture. Looking at the carbon footprint of what we buy may make us think about the “stuff” we bring into our lives from a fresh perspective. Onward we go!
Andy H
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Hi, Andy. Thanks for the tip on the Nature Conservancy being the most complete Carbon Footpring Calculator. I had used one back in grad school but could not remember which one it was – as you said, it’s important to look at our spending habits and what we choose to buy, as well as how we choose to buy it, too. Thanks for doing your part!
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