Since I watch a lot of Discovery Channel and its many spawned networks, I’ve been seeing a lot of ads for their new network Planet Green. Nationals Ballpark has been running a series of full-page ads on the back of Express advertising a special night and how they’re the first green ballpark in the country. From the commercials, it looks like Planet Green will be just like any other network: stars, game shows, reality shows, etc. all with the green slant.

I think this is great. I also wish they’d shut up about it already. Note, I really do think it’s great. But what I notice is that it’s spawning a bunch of pseudo-eco-llectuals who can’t wait to not only tell you of their latest planet-saving efforts, but to also look down their nose at what you’re not doing. Or when you are making a solid effort, to tell you that it’s still not enough. And often these are the same people who only last week started off their “green” efforts by taking their own bags to the 3 grocery stores they drove to in a single day.

A new employee here is very eco-friendly/green. He does all the right things, reads Treehugger, his family is being raised with eco-sensibility and most importantly… he’s quiet about it. But the woman sitting right next to him got hit with green fever and she wants to know all there is to know. I call her Captain Planet, not because her efforts are particularly great — they aren’t — but because she’s so loud about it. “If everyone knows I’m green, it must make me even more green!”

I’d love it if all it took was a new network and some sexy stars to effect change, but I think most people have made their choices. Nearly everyone I know has a good balance between personal care and planet care, so unless something major happens to shake things up or make things far more convenient, I think we’ve plateaued. But hopefully I’m wrong. Just remember… The Power Is Yours!

When I was last out with Gregory in suburb-land, I picked up a pack of the compact fluorescent bulbs for home use. While I appreciate the energy-savings, I don’t like them at all. They give off a light that is too white and makes the room feel sterile. And now apparently I can’t just throw them away!

Governments, utilities, environmentalists and, of course, retailers everywhere are spreading the word.

Few, however, are volunteering to collect the mercury-laced bulbs for recycling — despite what public officials and others say is a potential health hazard if the hundreds of millions of them being sold are tossed in the trash and end up in landfills and incinerators.

– AP: Recycling options lag the compact fluorescent push

Considering the last one was a complete debacle, I wonder if DC will do another recycling day?

It ain’t pretty outside, sort of a steady stream of misty rain that refuses to turn into light or heavy rain. Walking to work was like having a slightly chilly spa facial treatment. I treated myself with a latte from the Starbucks because I’ve become enamored of late with the plain toasted bagel as breakfast. I’m more a butter than cream cheese spreader tho. When I got into the office, I dropped the buttered half-a-bagel and it landed butter side down, of course, on my jeans.

Not really off to a good start today, but if that little plant shoot outside can ignore adversity, then so can I. They did such a good job of landscaping around here that the plant sex was quite rampant and nestled all over between the cracks of the brickwork sidewalks. We have a few more peeking up through the cracks, but this little guy is in such a place that it’s unlikely to be walked on. So I’ll keep rooting (yeah, I said it) for it until someone notices and they have to chop it off.

I now know that there is such a thing as too many gin & tonics. Unfortunately it is not the kind of knowledge one comes by easily or painlessly. After a bit of out and about on Saturday, my Sunday morning was spent wandering from room to room in a bit of pain and mostly wondering why I’d gone into that room in the first place. A bit of french toast, the one thing I’ve found egg beaters to be good for, did help me get back to feeling normal but I was still couch-bound for a good part of the day.

From the look of it, it wasn’t a bad day to stay inside. It just never stopped raining. It’s a weird feeling to look outside and realize that you haven’t heard the rain stop for hours. I re-watched Battlestar Galactica since I wanted to see the hybrid’s prophecy again, and then caught up with Doctor Who which I thought was going to be horrible, but I was pleasantly surprised. People may not have initially liked Catherine Tate as Donna, but she’s really proving her worth as a companion.

With it still raining this morning, I feel like I got nothing. Then we went to lunch at Five Guys across the way, so with that settling in my tummy, I feel completely useless. It’s hard to concentrate on even the most brainless of tasks. It was a bit of an interesting day at work, with a little restructuring going on, but mostly I blame my lack of productivity on the weather. It’s rainy, it’s cold and I should be at home drinking something warm and huddling under blankets while catching up on tv. Not sitting here in the office doing the electronic equivalent of shuffling papers.

The links above amuse me. When I saw the Attus popped collars, I completely missed their “Green Apparel” — I wonder if that model has an accent… And Wonderella’s plans for her economic stimulus check cracked me up. What is it about monkey butlers anyway?!

I was really starting to fear that days of observing St. Patrick’s Day were long and far away from my time in Elementary School where every holiday official or not caused at least a few weeks of celebration. On the metro this morning, there was very little green peeking out from under the coats and nearly no one in the office is wearing green, a testament to the evolved diverse workplace. I saw some shamrock ties and a few ladies with green tops on, but otherwise it was pretty barren. That is, until a few moments ago when I shared the elevator down to the cafeteria with a gentleman whose closely cropped hair was dyed a lovely shade of green. While it may have been done for a weekend event and not necessarily for the office, it still counts.

Of course these days the usual penalty for not wearing green is unlikely to be suffered due to the fear of being called in for a visit to Human Resources. I’ve got a bit of green on, so no pinches for me and I was fully prepared with an outfit for any Patty-Parties, but none were on the agenda this weekend. Still, it’s Monday and even without the holiday I’m sure everyone could gladly do with a pint.

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day everyone… just keep that corned beef and cabbage to yourselves.