“Hey MT!” Les called to his neighbor who was carrying a small bag of groceries up the porch steps.  MT managed a half-hearted wave in return.  Les B. Thrifty knew his neighbors, MT and Penny Les Pockets, both had had their hours cut and were really pinched by this covid thing.  Honestly, Les didn’t know how they were surviving.  It broke his heart.

        That evening Les and his wife, Ima Thrifty-Gal, counted their blessings and wondered if there was a way to help their neighbors.  “With lower income, they’ve got to cut their expenses,” Les reasoned.  So they began making a list of money-saving ideas.

        The next morning Ima called Penny and invited them to a “socially-distant” picnic in their adjacent backyards.  That evening Les fired up the grill, and with their backyard picnic tables 6 ft. apart they all enjoyed a delightful spring evening together.

        Eventually the Thriftys steered the conversation to money-saving practices.  Ima told about the energy-savings pack they’d ordered from Focus on Energy, a program that helps 10s of thousands of Wisconsin families and businesses save money on energy costs each year.  “It’s great,” Ima gushed.  “They offer 6 different FREE energy-saving packs full of items like LED light bulbs, water pipe insulation, low-flow shower heads and faucet aerators to save water, and advanced power strips that prevent electronics from drawing power when appliances are off or not being used.” 

        She told them how get their own pack at FocusOnEnergy.com in the “Residential” section.  “Focus on Energy is a terrific organization,” Les added.  “Every $1invested in its programs returns over $5 in energy savings!”

        Then Ima gave Penny a tip about water heater temperatures being set too high.  “If you usually have to mix in cold water to keep from scalding yourself, it’s easy to lower the thermostat setting to save money and energy,” she advised.  Meanwhile, the guys were making plans for a “solar clothes dryer” (a clothesline) for the Pocket’s backyard.  “Clothes dryers are often one of the biggest energy drains in homes,” Les explained.

        “Now I get it!” MT beamed.  “When everyone reduces electrical use, less needs to be generated.  That’s good for us AND the planet.  The least expensive and most environmentally-friendly energy is the kind that’s never generated in the first place!  While saving money, we’re also protecting the only home we’ll ever know, where we’re all forever…Earthbound.”

        Meanwhile back in heaven, the Spring Gala was just getting underway.  Countless celestial multitudes filled the skies in search of their name cards.  Florence Nightengale was delighted to find herself assigned a seat between Senator Gaylord Nelson and Pope John XXIII, two men she admired greatly.

        Not surprisingly, talk soon turned to the Covid crisis taking place back on Earth.  As a nurse, Florence of course wished she could help relieve the suffering.  She recalled the Crimean War when ten times as many soldiers died from disease as from battle wounds.  The time was ripe for a renewal in health care practices.  By dramatically improving sanitary conditions, Florence helped usher in a new era of health care.  In one location these improvements drove the mortality rate down from 43% to 2%!

        “And speaking of renewal, it’s the Easter season on Earth,” Pope John beamed. “JC knew a thing or two about renewal!  During my time as Pope, I sensed our church was ripe for renewal.  We convened the Second Vatican Council to revitalized and modernized the Church.”
       
        Senator Nelson added, “Just 50 years ago on April 22 a group of us realized it was time to renew our commitment to environmental health, so we organized the world’s first Earth Day.  Today it’s recognized as the planet's largest civic event,” he proudly reported.  “That event led to landmark legislation including the Clean Air, Clean Water and Endangered Species Acts.”

        Returning from the buffet line, Pope John shared a thought. “This Covid crisis is forcing monumental changes in how humans conduct their daily lives.  Changes such as working from home, tele-conferencing and reducing purchases of unneeded ‘stuff’ are very environmentally beneficial.  Senator, you’ve told us many times that ‘business as usual’ pitting short-term financial riches with environmental stability inevitably leads to societal failure.  What’s that quote of yours? ‘(Healthy) biological systems are THE sustaining wealth of the world.’

        “This crisis will surely pass, but the innovation and streamlined practices it has engendered may offer a framework for a healthier, more stable human relationship with Mother Earth,” John concluded.

        Looking down through the clouds, Florence nodded in agreement.  “These clever humans will surely recognize that the time is ripe for environmentally savvy renewal.  Heaven knows, until they join us here, they’ve got to protect this pale blue planet because it’s the only home they’ll ever know.  It’s where they’re all forever…Earthbound.