The kids were finally tucked in. Closing the bedroom door Mike saw Jen hunched over the kitchen table; it was littered with receipts and tax forms. “We gonna get a refund this year Hun?” Mike asked. “Don’t know yet; sure hope so. The car tires are just about shot,” she smirked.
Jen and Mike are making a go of it financially but not by much. Their combined income approaches $40,000 about as much as most of their friends. But with 2 kids, food, rent, misc. bills, and the up-keep on a 10-year-old car they’d fall behind if it weren’t for Mike’s mom helping out with daycare. All in all though they feel lucky. They’re healthy and have things to look forward to like the up-coming camping trip in Governor Dodge State Park next month.
Much later…“Woo Hoo! A $283 refund. New tires all around!” Jen chirped. Mike smiled and then nodded to a stack of donation requests from several organizations including many environmental groups. “So what about these?” Mike asked.
“Might as well recycle ‘em, maybe next year,” Jen conceded. If they could, Mike and Jen would donate more in support of a healthy environment. Clean air and water are a high priority for both of them. Swimming with the kids, camping, hunting and fishing are the things they enjoy the most. So with a tinge of disappointment and frustration they headed to bed.
The following evening as they put dinner together…”Hey Hun, all the buzz at work today was about how we might have this huge new transmission line cutting across the county near the park. They say it’s not even needed, and we’ll all be paying for it through our light bills. Some of the guys are really steamed!”
“Seems like a bad idea,” replied Jen. “Did you see the email about a new law some senior Republicans are promoting? It would place a fee on carbon-based fuels and then actually pay us all a dividend from the money collected. Pretty cool!”
“Hmm,” Mike pondered, “pay more for an unneeded scar on the landscape OR get paid and have cleaner air.” That night, without spending a penny, Jen and Mike phoned and emailed several elected officials expressing their concerns. “Well that felt good,” Jen thought, “helping protect this, the only home we’ll ever know. After all we’re here forever…Earthbound.”
Jen and Mike are making a go of it financially but not by much. Their combined income approaches $40,000 about as much as most of their friends. But with 2 kids, food, rent, misc. bills, and the up-keep on a 10-year-old car they’d fall behind if it weren’t for Mike’s mom helping out with daycare. All in all though they feel lucky. They’re healthy and have things to look forward to like the up-coming camping trip in Governor Dodge State Park next month.
Much later…“Woo Hoo! A $283 refund. New tires all around!” Jen chirped. Mike smiled and then nodded to a stack of donation requests from several organizations including many environmental groups. “So what about these?” Mike asked.
“Might as well recycle ‘em, maybe next year,” Jen conceded. If they could, Mike and Jen would donate more in support of a healthy environment. Clean air and water are a high priority for both of them. Swimming with the kids, camping, hunting and fishing are the things they enjoy the most. So with a tinge of disappointment and frustration they headed to bed.
The following evening as they put dinner together…”Hey Hun, all the buzz at work today was about how we might have this huge new transmission line cutting across the county near the park. They say it’s not even needed, and we’ll all be paying for it through our light bills. Some of the guys are really steamed!”
“Seems like a bad idea,” replied Jen. “Did you see the email about a new law some senior Republicans are promoting? It would place a fee on carbon-based fuels and then actually pay us all a dividend from the money collected. Pretty cool!”
“Hmm,” Mike pondered, “pay more for an unneeded scar on the landscape OR get paid and have cleaner air.” That night, without spending a penny, Jen and Mike phoned and emailed several elected officials expressing their concerns. “Well that felt good,” Jen thought, “helping protect this, the only home we’ll ever know. After all we’re here forever…Earthbound.”
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