Changing habits is hard. I try but I don’t always succeed.
I care about the planet. I try to bring my own bags to the grocery store. I try not to drive too much or make unnecessary trips. I use refillable water bottles and I recycle but I don’t feel that is enough.  
There are times when I think my efforts are futile because I am only one person. I go to a grocery store and see the hundreds of plastic bags going out the doors and I wonder if people just don’t believe there is a problem, or is it they don’t care?
I see cars sitting idling while people run into the store and wonder why they don’t shut off the engine. And picking up kids after school, why sit in the car for 30 minutes with the engine running? If your child lives within walking distance, let them walk, or walk to meet them.
Maybe 97 percent of the world’s scientists are wrong and the planet isn’t changing because of us but what if they aren’t wrong? Can we risk that?
So, I am going to try harder. I’ll plant some trees next year, and maybe a garden to attract butterflies and bees. I will try to use less energy and less gas.
I hope you do too.

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Speaking of planting trees, there should be a movement in every community to plant trees…park districts, school districts, city governments can look at their land holdings and find places to plant trees.
Memorial forests could be established, with people buying a tree in memory of a loved one.
Maybe I’m looking at it too simply, but we are creating too much carbon dioxide. Trees need carbon dioxide to grow. More trees would mean more carbon dioxide taken out of the air.
If we can do that, and reduce our emissions, maybe the planet has a future.
I see work is underway on the new travel plaza east of town. That’s a lot of chain link fencing.
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There are lots of cool hay bales around town. If you have not looked at them, it’s worth a drive around town (or walk or bike). My favorite is the hippie bus at city hall. Cool, dudes.
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I am one of those people who pays extra for recyclables to be picked up. Lately I wonder if they are being recycled after leaving my house. In some areas, the material is going straight to the dump.

Terry Dickow is a retired elementary school teacher with lots of opinions, some you will like, some you won’t. He can be contacted at terrydickow@gmail.com.