You Know What They Say About Big Feet...

Hello Dolls!

Diva Zero is here to settle this once and for all. YES. It is true what they say about big feet! If you are leaving a big footprint, then you really are a huge dick!

Carbon footprint that is.

What did you think I was talking about?

Ok, get your mind out of the gutter and wrap it around this - according to Wikipedia (yes, I did extensive research!) , a carbon footprint is the "total set of greenhouse gases emissions (GHGs) caused by an organization, event or product". But you know me well enough by now to know who it's all about so it's no surprise that I wanted to know what the hell that had to do with me. Well, what I found out is that GHGs are made up of carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and methane. That's the bougie way of saying that the amount of energy I use, my choice of food and the amount of trash I generate all directly affect global warming. And we've already established that a Diva don't like it hot. Or cold. And global warming makes both of those conditions happen so do your part to help a sista out.

You don't have to be an organization, event or product to leave a carbon footprint. You don't even have to be somethin' like a phenomenon like me. Regular people have a carbon footprint too, and we've all got to do better. Black is the New Green and we've got to start playing our position. This is one area we don't need Black people taking pride in being bigger than everyone else. (And while we're on the subject, sometimes it's false pride. Girls, can I get an Amen?!)

Once upon a time, I went to http://www.myfootprint.org and calculated my own carbon footprint. I'm telling you, this website keeps it 100. Its like that guy you go out with just because he asks you all about yourself. He gets you going on and on about yourself and the next thing you know you're looking at his shoes and trying to give him a tight hug to assess the, umm, situation. After you spill your guts and spell out your whole routine, this website tells you exactly what your impact on the environment is by my favorite method - shame. It says "If everyone on the planet lived my lifestyle, we would need [insert number here] Earths".

Yes dolls, when I saw my number, even I had some work to do. Sure, I was already recycling, but I soon realized that I had to stop eating out four days a week and ordering takeout on the other three. Not only was I making someone waste gas and put more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere just to import ingredients from who knows where to cook and deliver my dinner, but my refrigerator was a styrofoam container graveyard! And even the places that have stopped using styrofoam, still use plastic or paper. We all know to stay away from plastic, but we tend to think that paper is fine. I used to think that the paper cups from the coffee shop weren't hurting anything. But, no. The kind of paper used to keep your food from seeping through and to keep your coffee from leaking is coated with a thin layer of plastic that prevents it from being recyclable. Shame on you, Starbucks. So in addition to my reusable coffee cup, I now cook at home more often. That was a tough change for a Diva to make, but wearing a sexy apron and stilettos while stirring helps me keep my swagger. And I invite my man over so I always know what I'm having for dessert.

Calculate your carbon footprint at http://www.myfootprint.org. A word of warning - just like your scale after the holidays or the "talk" on your third date - you're probably not going to like your number. But don't worry, just like Diva Zero, this site then proceeds to break it down. It will tell you exactly where you are fucking up and how to fix it. And out of all of your numbers, this is the one you can most easily decrease. So check out the site, figure out where you stand and start putting your own practices in place to decrease your carbon footprint and stop being such a big dick.

Size does matter,
Diva Zero
Catch my chic.