I am a woman of many principles. Unfortunately, I'm not the most disciplined disciple in the world. Here are some things I feel strongly about but haven't yet mastered the logistics.


Using reusable bags. I have many, but I have yet to figure out a place to keep them that will trigger my memory as I'm headed out the door. Remembering for groceries is easier, but shopping at department stores or the pharmacy? Hard. And yet every time I walk out of a store with a plastic bag in hand, I glumly contemplate the environmental and biological consequences of my forgetfulness.

Recycling. Ever since I was an elementary schooler in the perpetually drought-afflicted and highly populated Los Angeles county, I've been stringent about water conservation and recycling. I'm still a stickler for faucet control, but where I live now, recycling pickup isn't even offered. I need to come up with an easy way and location for storing recyclables at my house, then schedule a weekly drop-off.

Eating organic, locally grown food/free-range, grass-fed meats. This one isn't actually so much about remembering as it is an issue of affordability and convenience. I don't eat that much meat anyway, but I'm a strong believer that omnivores like us could and should do better than farm factories. And pesticides/insecticides? Yikes.


Dog training. I have two dogs: a four-year-old beagle/shepherd mix, and a three-month-old beagle/Corgi mix. They're both pretty decent behavior-wise (no desperate calls to the Dog Whisperer are in order) but I have dreams of them being therapy dogs. Achieving that would take a lot more discipline on my part.

What about you? What do you preach but have a hard time practicing?

Posted by Erin of The Fierce Beagle