In the past few weeks, I’ve been talking a bit about what I’m doing to be greener. Several years ago, it wasn’t something I really worried or thought much about. I had other priorities (keeping the lights on, not killing my children, relationship drama). I depended on take-out foods and convenience everything. There weren’t enough hours in the day for everything I had to do. I was just trying to make life a little better for those living under my roof and I wasn’t that concerned about the bigger picture.
There was one thing I did do. I signed up to be an organ donor. It was just a little checkmark on my driver’s license but I also made sure I told my family that if anything happened to me, I wanted them to donate anything that could be used. I also told them to put whatever was left in a box and bury it with a headstone that read, “See? I told you I was sick.”
Don’t have the money to buy organic?
Don’t have time to cook from scratch using whole foods?
Don’t have time to separate your cans and plastics and cardboard boxes?
It’s okay. There’s still something you can do.
RECYCLE YOURSELF*
Unless your religion forbids it, why not give your body parts to people who can use them once you’re finished with them? From my recent reading, it turns out that humans don’t make for very good compost so why not put those parts in other people who can live a little longer and better because of them.
*I first saw this very cool phrase on one of my favorite blogs, Driving With the Brakes On in a post titled, "A Holiday Reminder." Her husband is an Organ Recovery Coordinator for the Donor Alliance. Driving is not only a supporter of the Recycle Yourself plan, she’s also growing her very own new human.
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13 comments:
You just made my day in the biggest way possible! And I cannot thank you enough for helping spread the word - Scott is very right. And a bit of trivia for you: a donor has the possibility of saving up to 8 lives with their donated organs, and possibly hundreds more with their tissue (tendons, ligaments, heart valves, etc.) Thank you!
(And for Scott . . . in general, a history of cancer will not disqualify you as a donor - you may only face the possibility of medical rule-out if your cancer is active at the time of your brain death . . . and even then you may eligable for tissue donation. The request on your driver's license will always be taken into consideration, however, there are only a select number of states that honor the request put forth on your license as a first person choice - meaning that you have made the decision and your family cannot override it. In most states, your family will have the ultimate say - hence the importance of making your wishes known.)
Scott, another option would be donating your body for medical research if you can't or don't feel write about the potential danger in donating for transplant.
Driving, you make my day with your great posting style on a regular basis. Glad I could return the favor.
Gah. Write = right.
Heck yeah!
I believe that IL just became a first-person state recently. When I got my licensed renewed a few months ago, I was given the first-person consent form instead of the standard "just check the box" driver's license.
Is it ok to post a 55 even though it's not Friday or should we wait til next Friday?
Post a 55 whenever you like! I've been unmotivated/uninspired lately so I'd love to see something from someone else.
The cravings almost overtook her.
The drive was endless. Sunday drivers on a Monday and it was taking her forever to get there.
She could almost taste the bitter sweet flavor. Almost drooling.
Wild eyed.
She hurried in the door, trying to look casual, breathing heavily.
Thank goodness for the half price Easter Candy discount
Ha! I love it!
I donate. I'm too poor to give anything else, so I'll give my body when I go.
I've been a donor since I was 16. Well, not since I was 16, but have ticked the box on my license since then.
I was thinking of donating my body to the body farm for forensic research. Those bodies help catch killers by researching the rate and effects of decay in different environmental circumstances. Another way to save lives!
Bitchtasm, it's great to see you posting again!
Creative C - I love the idea of donating to the Body Farm. As a huge fan of forensics shows, I'd heard about it and thought it was a great idea.
Infant Joy
(1)
'I have no name;
I am but two days old.
What shall I call thee?
'I happy am,
Joy is my name.
Sweet joy befall thee!
(2)
Pretty Joy!
Sweet Joy, but two days old.
Sweet Joy I call thee:
Thou dost smile,
I sing the while,
Sweet joy befall thee!
-----by maple story
accounts
I would love to be an organ doner... however, just say the daughter of Senator whats-his-face is in need of an organ that I just happen to have, laying in a hospital bed after being in a terrible accident... Maybe I could just happen to 'die' before my surgery was scheduled and oh! Little Senator whats-his-face's daughter gets my organ!
I know it sounds conspiracy theory-ish... But I don't trust anybody anymore!
Maybe I'll just donate my body to science... I mean, the students don't need one TERRIBLY bad, do they!? 0_o
-SilverMoon-
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