Goin' Green

Seems like wherever you go, it's goin' green. I went back up to SF to visit the new Academy of Sciences. This ecologically-aware building sports a "green" roof top and solar panels! Imagine: solar panels in SF. They never even see the sun in Golden Gate Park....Pretty funny how good the technology on this stuff is getting. They espouse that 20% of the power for the building is supplied by these solar panels. Amazing!

The experience was not all that I expected, it was more. It was a free day at the museum, which meant thousands upon thousands lined up on the never-ending sidewalk going through the park. We were lucky to be in the first 2000 so we got in the building after only a 45 minute wait. Once in, it was all a#@ and elbows. WE (the teenagers and I) bumped our way into two more 45 minute lines to obtain tickets for the Planetarium and Bug Show. Needless to say, the teens were not up to waiting three hours to get into the above shows that we waited in line just to get tickets. So we left. Of course before leaving, we marveled at the albino croc and gawked at the four story Rainforest in a bubble. We also saw the stuffed African animals that had not changed at all and laughed at the African penguins remodeling their habitat. These snapshots into the life around the world to educate us voyeuristic tourists, just do not satisfy the teenage mind. Can't say it was doing much for mine either.

So off we headed to Chinatown to get a cup of tea. The last time I had taken the kids to Chinatown the neighbor girl wanted to stop in for tea, but I said we should do it on our way back to the car since we had just eaten. They were closed when we finally made our round trip. Today I was determined to rekindle whatever fire was in that tea room for our neighbor, nearly family friend. However, today we could not find the tea shop. Again, it was a%$ and elbows, but this time it was authentic. You could smell the stinky fish. You could see the crisp bok choy and even buy some. It was a museum of the best kind. We wandered around finding filming crews shooting a movie, people living out their everyday lives, and a delectable candy shop. This is what I had come for: the magic of the day unfolding as I followed the lead of my teens. They are fantastic dates. I wish I could freeze time and keep them this age forever. Yet they are green and must grow. They must turn into the old yellow snakes like in the book Verdi by Janele Cannon.
The premise of the book is about a spunky python that never wants to turn out to be like the old yellows that only grumble and whine through their day. He tries everything to stay green. Yet nature takes its course and he ends up big and yellow like the rest. But he is not like the rest. He remains green inside. He maintains his spunk and vigor. I can only hope that I can remain green inside. That our nation can maintain this green fervor. May it not just be another fad.

So here's the real kicker: my daughter has been "green" since age five. She declared herself a vegetarian in Kindergarten. She has been eating quinoa and tofu since then. Right in the middle of Chinatown is a Veggie restaurant. Amidst all the fish eyes, fish balls, roasted ducks, and slabs of meat, a vegetarian restaurant. What a hoot!


So has the wave started? I just turned my Twitter avatar green in support of the Iranian Revolution. What else can I make green? My beer? No wait... I don't drink anymore. Seems as though the Irish have been ahead of us all with their green holiday: St. Patty's. Go fightin' Irish. You knew the Green Revolution was coming all along. Go figure.