I sat down the other evening with my trusty pencil and scrap paper.  I had been asked if I wanted to go out for dinner and I wanted to know what dinner actually cost.  We ate pb&j sandwiches while I did my figuring.  Yes I have a patient husband.  First it would cost me at least 2 dollars to wash and dry the clothes we would wear to go out.  Another 2 dollars for gas(precious fossil fuel) to get there and home again.  Say 20 dollars for food, half of which would be put in a styrofoam container (booo hisss) for me to throw out later.  Maybe 3 dollars for a tip, I am such a cheapskate. 

But it went deeper than that- the cost to the environment was just too much for me to bear.  Silly?  No.  the use of fossil fuels to ship the nutritionally challenged food to the restaurant.  The waste of the food when I cannot eat all on my plate.  The nutrition deficit to my body due to all the white carbs restaurants use as filler.  The use of fossil fuels for my waitperson to get there.  The use of electricity to run the restaurant.  The massive use of water in the dishwasher to clean my plate and glass and silverware. 

It doesn't end at the restaurant either.  There was the rotting of food in my refrigerator because I didn't want to cook it.  The fossil fuel it took for that food to get to the store.  The fossil fuel I used to get it home.  The electricity used to keep the food cold while it rotted.  The garbage bill and fossil fuel used to cart off the rotting food and the leftovers in the styrofoam container.  The doctor bill that would eventually come from the nutrition deficit.  The list just went on and on. 

I LIKE pb&j; made with my favorite 7 grain bread and homemade peanut butter.  I make jelly in the summer and fall so we use that.  And it didn't take as long as driving to a restaurant.  I want to go out to eat on occasion.  I like a medium rare steak with all the trimmings.  But not often enough to contribute to the financial and environmental injury of my beloved  family and earth.  I made a pact with my husband, we will go out to eat every 3 months.  I will let you know how it goes.