Goodbye, Hudson!

I'd meant to post this last month, but I've been a bit busy, what with moving and settling into a new place and all.

I recently moved to Ohio. But on my last full day in Hudson, walking to do an errand in town, this scene greeted me, in the walled creek, running between Main St. and South St., that feeds the Assabet:



Of course, I was shocked and angry. Who could be so base as to dump their old TVs into the river? The river! I was carrying my camera, so I snapped this photo. Then I went into the Ace Hardware, whose property borders the offended section of river; I told them about the dumped TVs. They seemed confused that I would mention it to them. I had presumed that, as a town business, they would feel some notion of pride of place or responsiblity toward cleanup. I guess not. But they suggested letting the city know. Town hall is a block away, so I headed over there and reported the illegal dumping, not expecting any immediate response. They took the information pleasantly and I left.

Later in the day, when I passed the spot again, I was surprised and pleased to see a city flatbed truck parked near the spot bearing the two TV sets. The river was clear. Was it a just a slow day in Hudson? or did civic pride or sense of responsibility of place put this task high enough on the priority list to merit same-day attention? That choice faces each of us in our daily lives, in countless instances: do I pick up that litter? do I drive or walk to the store for that small item? do I offer that neighbor or friend a few CFLs for their home?

You have been a good temporary home for me, Hudson. Farewell!

Ben Gorman

Christmas with No Presents?

by Colin Beavan (Yes Magazine article)

One family’s daring experiment: Christmas without all the stuff.

	Colin Beavan plays with his daughter Isabella at Washington Square Park near their home. As creator of the “No Impact Man” blog, Beavan and his family committed to living in the middle of New York City without making any net impact on the environment. Photo by Paul Dunn for YES! Magazine

If Christmas is about presents, then in 2007, my little family and I had no Christmas. I mean, we had the caroling and the uncle playing the piano and the cousins running around with my three-year-old, Isabella, and the grandfather coaxing her to sit on his lap and the good food.

We had, in other words, an amazingly good time.

What we didn’t have, though, was the average American’s $800 hole in our bank accounts, gouged out by Christmas-present spending. Nor did we have the credit card debt still unpaid by June. Nor the forcing of smiles for gifts we didn’t really want. Nor the buying of extra luggage to bring home those unwanted gifts. Nor the stressful rush of last-minute crowds at the mall.

Without presents, you see, we didn’t have the sensation that I, at least, normally associated with Christmas—the stress. And without stress or presents, it’s not Christmas, right? But of course it was. It was the best of Christmas, the part that, research shows, makes people happiest. It was all the upside without the downside.

Let me back up

For the rest of this article, please visit "Yes Magazine."