Well I’m trying, as much as I can, to help our climate. I make fewer shopping trips, and do combine them with other times that I need to get out in the Camry. I go to my chiropractor for my weekly adjustment and then leave there and do my grocery shopping plus finish that trip by stopping by the library to replenish my reading fun. So, I just leave the house once instead of making three separate trips. I do the same thing on Sunday as I make my trip to Mount Bethel, and then come home to do some Methodist work. I put the pastor’s sermons into envelopes for some of our members who can’t get to church as often, then I make one more trip to Publix, drop off the stamped envelopes and grab the other items I need to last me the rest of the week.

And today, I helped saved the planet just a tad more. I bought some Jose Ole taquitos that were on sale and are very tasty, but, the nutrition numbers violate my needs just a tad so instead of eating three per meal, I just consume two. And, saving the planet means I go ahead and cook six of them in the oven, enough for three suppers. Then I reheated two of them yesterday in my toaster, and they were a tad tough, but tasted okay. I decided I’d save the planet a little more, and let today’s two heat up in the Camry. Laid the foil with the two remaining taquitos in the space behind my rear seats and waited thirty minutes. (Had checked on them after twenty minutes, but they weren’t warm enough.) Perfectly reheated after half an hour though and they tasted just as good as the first two I’d cooked in the oven. Still remembered cooking an egg in my 97 Nissan Maxima, and then some bacon, all on the dash in a little metal pan. Used to let my yeast rolls rise in the back seat and of course my maroon Maxima was a tad hotter than my white Camry.

Sorry, but I am not going to give up my air conditioning. I remember growing up without that wonderful invention and don’t recall us being too hot in our little rental house or later in our home on Indian Springs Street, which did have a window unit. We would be gone on our bikes for hours, no bottled water back then, but we’d pedal back home when we got thirsty. I didn’t mind getting a few sips from a hose in the yard either. I still remember a motel that was built in Jackson and they had a big sign that bragged on having Air Conditioning! I loved going to the picture show on Saturdays and was amazed when they added that wonderful cooling invention.

We didn’t grow up with AC in our public schools and had none at our church or any of the local grocery stores or other public places. I can still remember the fans we could find in the pews, just sit there and use them to cool off if needed. I found one in the back bedroom the other day and it has a beautiful chapel on one side, and the words Cannon Cleveland on the back.

I will keep doing all I can for our planet, and I pray daily for Him to help us fix our ecology and our economy. We should all recycle as much as possible, plus do what we can to help others. I’m glad our church keeps sharing with another church to collect food, household items, and more, then pass them on to those in need. THANK YOU MOUNT BETHEL!

Beverly Wittler has four children, eight grandchildren and one great-granddaughter. She lives in McDonough.