It's not easy being green

Remember the old Kermit the Frog song, "It's Not Easy Being Green?"

Kermy was talking about being different from everyone else and the struggles he felt trying to fit into a society that was different from the little amphibian.

Yeah, this blog isn't about some sort of inner struggle and trying to fit in -- at least not completely. In my case, I'm finding it difficult to make the "green transition" and becoming an environmentally friendly human.

Lets face it, even if you think global warming is a bunch of crap (Dad!), with gas and food prices as high as they are right now, greener alternatives are starting to look pretty good. The problem lies in breaking old habits.

As I write this, I'm sitting at Alterra on the Lake, drinking organic iced tea and listening to Bob Marley. I have a stainless steel reusable coffee mug and water jug that I drag with me to every ballpark so I don't have to drink 50 plastic bottles of water a day. I recycle my paper and plastic and even have those light bulbs that are supposed to save energy.

The little things I'm pretty capable of adopting ... it's those big changes that seem a bit more daunting.

I live approximately one half mile from Alterra, yet I drove here. Yep, my lazy ass that runs 30-50 miles a week couldn't walk a half-mile. What is even worse -- I own a bike.

One of the biggest reasons I bought the two-wheeled beauty was so I would drive less, thus consuming less gas and limiting just a little bit more of my carbon footprint.

Here's the problem, riding my bike takes a lot more time and energy than hopping in my Honda. I have to put on different shoes, a bike helmet, remember my lock, etc.

And a car goes faster than my legs do.

I'm also a little leery of riding my bike in a city filled with four-wheeled monsters. Locally, two bicyclists were killed in 24 hours. Helmet or not, in car vs. bike, a ton of steel usually wins.

Adding to my carbon addiction is my love for traveling overseas. I might as well personally take a gigantic space heater to the Arctic and melt the glaciers myself.

I'm also sorely behind in the local food movement. Milwaukee is an amazing city for locally grown vegetables and farmer's markets in the summer, but I've gone once. And I bought one, small container of strawberries and a bouquet of flowers. I'm a victim of convenience. It is far easier to drop by the local Pick 'N Save.

Lastly, and probably most damaging, I'm a shop-a-holic. If its new, shiny, and pretty I need to have it as soon as humanely possible. My apartment is filled with gadgets, shoes, T-shirts and accessories I buy on a whim and toss just as quickly. Although I do give most of my old garments to Goodwill or another charitable cause, the damage is done.

I've driven my car to the big mall, bought something that was made in China, flown here by a FedEx jet, and priced six times as high as it cost to produce -- or worse -- what the person who assembles the material gets paid.

I'm open to any suggestions on kicking this habit. Just don't ask me to give it all up!