Spring sports start and so does the increase of my carbon footprint!

My eight-year-old son Ian starts soccer this week - the first time he will officially play a sport. We are very excited. If you know me, I have a lot of energy. Now imagine me on five cups of coffee and that's Ian.

I was stressing about buying new gear for his first practice tonight. Ever since my year of no-buying pledge (2008), it's still hard to shop for all new Gear with a capital "G". The shin-guards, the jerseys, the bag, the soccer ball, the cup (OK plastic does have its important uses!), on and on. I remember when I was teaching middle school in Utah over 12 years ago "Channel One" TV had a story on the abusive child labor practices that went into the manufacturing of soccer balls. (For the latest check out this Dept of Labor site

Luckily, someone's a Betty over at SOCA...I found out about the SOCA gear exchange. Phew! So I left work early and zoomed in and out of there with everything gently used. All for under 20 dollars. Cost-effective AND Betty-approved.

Of course, when I drive up I notice the pristine soccer field. Acres of green lawn.

Ugh. That must take a lot of fertilizer and LOADS of water. (Water is on my mind now that it's March. World Water Week is coming - Betty and the Challenge team will be hosting a Lunch n' Learn on the topic for businesses: Stop Throwing Your Money Down the Drain.)

OK. I'll be taking the "less judgement, more curiosity" approach and be asking lots of questions when the time is right. :-) (not when 15 parents are in line behind me!)

Oh yes... then I'll be driving more with practices and weekend games. Luckily at this first stage, all the games will be held at his school, Stone Robinson Elementary. But with two boys in sports (Garrett in baseball), I wonder if I'll be that mom taxi that I vowed not to become.

Carpools will be essential.

Heading down the stairs with a more can-do spirit, I hear one mother say, "Oh, I always bring plenty of extra water bottles!" I wish she meant the reusable kind.

Mental note: REMEMBER our Coleman water jug to every practice and game!

Here I sit thinking of ways to offset our sports footprint and we're not even on the field yet!

harmph...
Betty