Torn

So lately, I've been feeling a lot like Natalie Imbruglia.

Two forces have been pulling on me. One is the force of green. The other is the force of avoiding H1N1. Often, these two forces are in opposition.

In other words, I'm torn.

If you live outside of Texas, you may think that fears of swine flu are exaggerated, but unfortunately, we've been dealing with it for several months. And since a friend's daughter was hospitalized due to the bug, I've been much more cautious about how I take care of myself and how I try to avoid spreading my own germs around (right now I'm down with a cold, which, while not serious, is not something I want to share.)

Because of this, I've done some things that aren't exactly green ... such as using the disposable wipes at the entrance to the grocery store, and hand sanitizing to the point that if I ever get pulled over, the cop will probably give me a breathalyzer when he smells the alcohol permeating the upholstery in my car (oh ... sweet, sweet Purell). I even bought some disposable wipes for my own house (although they are the biodegradable kind from Green Works, it's still the kind of waste I usually try to avoid.)

It's made me think more about how we make choices when there are two conflicting concerns weighing on us. For example, when trying to save money but also eat organic. Or when communities want wind power but also want quiet (wind turbines can be noisy). I'd like to say I knew the answers to some of these dilemmas, but I really don't. So until then ...