My husband, Jim (www.jimkukral.com), is a great guy, great husband, great dad…he works hard to support our family, he goes places and does things that most husbands/dads would refuse to even consider and he adores all of us. However…HOWEVER….he violates every green rule in the book. Okay, maybe “every” is an exaggeration, but he’s still a rule breaker!
I usually call him “honey” but the next most frequent thing he hears from me sounds something like this: “(*big sigh*)…Jiiiiiiim!” My dear husband knows how green minded I am, yet each time I walk into his home office the trash can is overflowing with paper, junkmail, paper, cardboard FedEx envelopes, paper…and more PAPER! (All recyclable through our curbside pickup!) Last week, I actually found an empty plastic water bottle
!!! AUGH!
I get tired of nagging, so I definitely know he is tired of my nagging! But somehow, the guidelines escaped from his long- (and short-) term memory. The idea that recyclable plastics are marked with numbers for convenience goes over his head because he can’t remember the numbers. He’s asked at least 20 times if he needs to recycle our organic milk containers. He will throw a cardboard box, wrapped with mega amounts of packaging tape and loaded with bubble-wrap, directly in the recycling can. He dislikes my cleaning products because they are green and don’t contain any perfumes (so they don’t SMELL clean!). Most of the time, I think he simply chooses to play “clueless” and leave things for me to figure out.
Despite all of that, he never really complains and he tolerates the nagging…and he’s the one who encouraged me to start this blog. And…he is trying …I think 
and that’s all I’m asking for.
Happy Father’s Day, honey! (Hold the ‘Jiiiiiiim!”)
Disclosure Policy
Hey Doreen,
You guys are such a gift and your family is quite photogenic. That should count for extra points toward being green in my book. I’m trying out a new laundry soap that I just got mail order, and if it works out like it claims to I’ll pass the tip along to you, and in the meantime…
Believe well!
Adelaide Zindler, B.S.Fp (Fearless Parent)
The E-School Coach
http://www.FearlessParenting.com
Haha great post, made me laugh a bit. I’m the same way as Jim, terrible at recycling…but us men are trying….sorta.
Bryns last blog post..Win a bag of stuff at John Chow dot com
Thanks for the Father’s day thrashing… um, I mean criticism!!! Ha, I love this post. So very true. Seriously, the 7th generation dishwashing soap annoys me to no end. And the rest of it too, but I’m trying just like you to make the world a better place for our kids.
I believe you’ll have hundreds of more entries about me over your years at this blog on these topics. You should thank me for all the material.
Love, J
“He dislikes my cleaning products because they are green and don’t contain any perfumes (so they don’t SMELL clean!)”
tip (learned at work, I clean for a living): if you kill all the bad bacteria there’s nothing to make the smell.
but something you can bug jim on (if he doesn’t do it): turn the computer/monitor/speakers off when they’re not in use. the power-save features still keep them running. Yes, it may only be 5watts vs 100watts, but 5 watts = 5watts. It’s greater then 0watts, infinite times greater.
(i’ve been doing this for a few decades now & have only had to replace 1 power switch that entire time).
Adelaide – Thanks so much!
And let me know how that laundry detergent works out!
Bryn – just keep trying…just keep trying!
Jim – You know I adore you, honey, but you are destine to be a recurring topic here! And the more I change, the more you’ll be annoyed….and so on, and so on….
Thanks for going along with it anyhow!
Happy – I agree about turning off the computer equipment. I get on him about that…and now our kids have a computer so there are more offenders in the house!
I know how hard that can be….
How about you make it easier for him to recycle… put a paper recycling box next to the trash can or in place of the trash can (if there is no actual rubbish in it)?
Jim Kukral likes to:
-install 100 watt halogen bulbs even when the fixture calls for 60 watt maximum
-leave the car running in the drive just for fun, with the AC running.
-use toilet paper….even when going #1. yikes
-request plastic bags at the checkout line, even if he’s not buying anything.
-collect the neighbors newspapers…….for his weekly bonfire behind the recycling plant
all in jest of course….
Beck – that would make sense, wouldn’t it?…but for some reason, it just doesn’t seem like it would be that cut and dry with my dear Jim!
Dave – hahahah! I would beat him!!!!
[...] my readers have heard me talk about my beloved husband, Jim. Mostly with stories about violating my “green laws”, his inability to remember that PAPER is actually recyclable, continuously running water or his [...]
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