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I'm not trying to be rude, OP--I promise I'm not. But where have you lived in the past where most of the people shared your lifestyle?
NOTHING wrong with your "green" living, I'm trying to be more green myself. But I would say you have sort of an "alternative" (NOT meant in a bad way) lifestyle. Most folks don't go to the lengths that you do to live green. I recycle and compost, but I also go to the pool and have an exterminator come quarterly. What's wrong with the pool? And what are the alternatives? I heard of a saltwater pool, but I hear the germ-killing is inferior. People pee, snot, poop, do all kinds of things in the pool, so I want it to be sanitary as possible. I'm not sure what else one is supposed to do.
I am FAR from a Cary cheerleader--I find it a little "Stepford-Wife-y" myself--but I think to find a place like what you describe, you need to do some careful research, maybe even join meetups and websites for people who share your specific lifestyle needs. They can probably suggest some specific cities, or communities. I agree with others, Chapel Hill may be more your speed.
Well, I must live in a different neighborhood. My neighborhood has Residential Waste Cooking Oil Curbside Recycling and bike lanes. And my childrens' elementary school is planting a community garden.
REALLY?
More information is needed to ascertain the credibility of the above claim, which is in direct contradiction of the sum total of knowledge of Cary Central Mind Control Operations on City Data.
So:
Of what plastic polymer are the android residents on your street constructed?
How do you receive your mailbox color instructions from Central Dispatch?
Beige Brainwaves
Electro-Magnetic Pulse
Intuitive, no further input needed
Don't know. You just "know."
If you have three dogs or more, how many lashes of the whip do you get in the boathouse stocks at Bond Park?
How many Harris Teeter hazmat chemical placards do you have on your minivan fleet?
How often each month does your HOA search your home and what are they looking for?
Just an FYI, saltwater pools still actually use chlorine. Many Cary pools have already converted to this system and ours will likely be converting next year. But it is still creating chlorine by splitting the Na from the Cl.
Oh, and the summer - the local pool is a town OBSESSION. Most homes here don't have pools, but community ones. It's a way of life in the summer - sitting around gossiping about everyone. People are talking about it now - can't wait to go their with their kids every day after work and all weekend, dumping their kids in over-chlorinated, nasty water. NO JOKE - if you look, the kids walking around Cary in the summer look like they've been punched in the eyes from all the chlorine. And they are completely tanned/sunburned to boot!
The weather - if you don't like snow, you will love it here. It barely snows, and doesn't really stick when it does. Cary usually receives rain/slush instead of snow - yet the schools will close down for three days if there's even a threat of it.
Ok, it sounds like I'm ripping on this town. It does have it's good points, as mentioned above. I think it's just stuck in a "Target Mom", small town mentality. PLEASE - if you are even somewhat "green" MOVE HERE so I can have some support!
This is the part that killed me, probably because I resemble those remarks. I live for summer, and I'm obsessive about swimming in the summer. I don't love swimming indoors during the cold months, but I ADORE swimming laps during the hot season. It's what makes me happier than happy. I can't wait until the pool is 80 degrees and I can swim a mile or two and then get out and lie in the sun (with my toxic sunscreen) and maybe nap a little. It's like exercise and massage all at once. It feels good, and good for me. Yeah, I'm absorbing some chlorine, but I'm also getting a great cardio workout that more than counters the negative effects.
I'm a "green" person. I'm a vegetarian (for more than 20 yrs), I drive small cars as little as possible, grow my own veggies and herbs, buy local whenever possible, and try to buy clothing made in the US, even though it's often a bit beyond my budget. I believe in (and google for solutions to problems) making things last as long as they can last so I don't fill landfills with things that are still useful.
At the same time, I don't believe that it is ever wise to paint an entire city with broad strokes. You might have encountered some people who dispose like they breathe, but it doesn't mean that everyone in Cary is automatically an anti-environment death killer.
I grew up in a very small, rural town in NC, and initiated and installed one of the first recycling programs for that town when I was 17. I went door-to-door and talked to people about the importance of recycling, and then followed up and picked up their cans, newspapers, and glass, and drove them to a recycling center 30 miles away (I was already driving there once a week, for those who are concerned about my carbon footprint). What amazed me, thought, was the willingness of almost all of those rural, small town citizens who were happy to separate and store their "trash" for me to pick up, and their enthusiasm about what I was doing. I got so much sweetness and love, that it made the job totally enjoyable.
The biggest question is..... Why do you care about what your neighbors think? The very definition of "pod" people as you describe them are everyone looking and thinking the same.
I hear Hitler once lived in Cary too. And he employed lots of illegal aliens to tend to his lawn. But he would't let their kids go to any of the nearby schools, although he was willing to waste taxpayer money by educating them so they could grow up to be the second man holding the "stop" signs at construction sites. There's also a rumor that Glen Willey lived in Cary, but he fed feral cats and let his kids play in the cul-de-sac, and he's never been heard from again.
Now, how about we ignore this and get back to some of these other important topics?
Last edited by Green Irish Eyes; 02-06-2011 at 07:30 AM..
Sweetie, I live in Atlanta and it's no different here. Actually, our neighborhood is exactly and I mean exactly the same. Even down to the swimming pool obsession. Welcome to suburban living.
Thank you most Cary people for exemplifying my point! (I knew you couldn't resist!). The responses - telling me to move, put a better look on my face, I'm a hippie - very helpful to those reading these posts, actually, very telling about not being able to have an insightful debate about it.
Mossy - we are staying for now, as we are not in a position to move. It's just one aspect we find difficult here, but are trying to focus on the lots of good things in this area, which honestly there are. We are also trying to connect with others like us, as I'm sure they are out there!
Personally, I haven't found a good family neighborhood that we can afford in Chapel Hill/Car. Also, a lot of home are older w/lead paint issues. N. Raleigh we considered and is nice, but from what I've read - I would get a radon test done on the house first. We also found Cary to be better from the standpoint of my kids being able to have lots of other kiddos around to play with.
Sorry to disappoint you but I live in North Raleigh, not Cary.
And I don't know WHERE you are getting your information from, about radon, but if you have a basement, I'd suggest you get a radon test no matter where you live.
There seems to be lots of radon in the Wakefield area and some in Wake Forest. Better to test and KNOW than to be concerned. If there IS radon, it is a simple fix...a mitigation system which is really a fan that pushes the radon outside. No big deal.
You forgot that we have lots of termites in the area...not sure if "green" chemicals will kill them but maybe you believe termites have a right to live?
I'm really sorry that you aren't happy. I do feel bad for anyone that isn't happy; however, your "judgemental" tone will not make you any friends. Maybe it makes you feel better, about your choices, to judge others' choices. Even if you don't say this to others, sometimes your facial expressions and body language tells it all.
How 'bout we set a date in May to meet at the pool and talk about this in person? I'll bring a pitcher of organic margaritas for us adults and someone bring some of that blue KoolAid and Cheetoos for the kids. This way, we can tell if they pee in the pool so we know when to add more chlorine
Seriously...many of us in the area do what we can to be green but are limited by costs, time available, etc. OP Please don't slam Cary based on your limited exposure.
Having lived in many areas of the country- east, west, south, etc., I now live in Cary, NC and would like to post my opinion about living in this area with children. Now, it's just that - my OPINION - so please save the unproductive nasty responses. My family moved here based on the family ratings, and expected some good and bad, as with any area.
The pluses - very family friendly, seems safe, tons of kids. The town (fire dept. police do a lot and are top-notch.) does a great job of family friendly hosting fairs, and festivals in the spring and summer. People are generally very friendly and it is very affordable.
What we hate about this area - and I've never experienced this anywhere else I've lived - the suburban clone mentality of the people that live here. Yes, very stepford wifey as other posts have indicated. Everyone does what the neighbors do, a bunch of cloned robots! Now, I'm all for having nice lawns and love suburban living, but the people here are really adverse to any kind of progressive, out-of-the box thinking. Everyone in the neighborhood uses the SAME assembly line doctors, goes to the SAME over-priced grocery store down the road, goes to the SAME five restaurants, kids' parties are all held at the SAME place. AND THEY NEVER VENTURE OUT OF CARY! Raleigh is about 8 mins. from our house and we do some shopping there - the neighbors have never been there! They will drive further to the same store just because it's within the Cary town limits.
What is really upsetting - we are looked at as freaks (and given smirks, eye rolling) when we mention that we are an organic, non-toxic household. Most times I have to define what organic means first. They don't do any research, but are strongly opposed to it. Doesn't make sense to me. Now, I don't push my views on anyone and expect them to do the same. I don't snicker or degrade people right in front of them for exposing their kids to myriads of chemicals - but they feel the need to look down at us b/c they don't LIKE new ideas. They are NOT diverse or tolerant of people who have a different viewpoint. We really don't mention our lifestyle anymore in order to keep the peace and be friendly with them. Parents feed their kids garbage food and drinks. They don't recycle like they should, they spray pesticides on their lawns every weekend and bomb their homes with it every month. Every day the landscaping trucks are chopping down the one tree that might be left in the yard. It is the most environmentally irresponsible place I have ever seen!
Oh, and the summer - the local pool is a town OBSESSION. Most homes here don't have pools, but community ones. It's a way of life in the summer - sitting around gossiping about everyone. People are talking about it now - can't wait to go their with their kids every day after work and all weekend, dumping their kids in over-chlorinated, nasty water. NO JOKE - if you look, the kids walking around Cary in the summer look like they've been punched in the eyes from all the chlorine. And they are completely tanned/sunburned to boot!
The weather - if you don't like snow, you will love it here. It barely snows, and doesn't really stick when it does. Cary usually receives rain/slush instead of snow - yet the schools will close down for three days if there's even a threat of it.
Ok, it sounds like I'm ripping on this town. It does have it's good points, as mentioned above. I think it's just stuck in a "Target Mom", small town mentality. PLEASE - if you are even somewhat "green" MOVE HERE so I can have some support!
Wow!!! I see what you're saying. Cary has been knowned to be very snoody yuppies, but never backwards. Where did you live? I am not a native of the area. I moved here when I was 14, I am now 35 years old. I think this area is expressing too fast growth with many people relocating to the area within the last 5 years. The existing culture has not caught up with the growth.
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Now for the Big League Curveball...
My neighborhood has 
I live for summer, and I'm obsessive about swimming in the summer. I don't love swimming indoors during the cold months, but I ADORE swimming laps during the hot season. It's what makes me happier than happy. I can't wait until the pool is 80 degrees and I can swim a mile or two and then get out and lie in the sun (with my toxic sunscreen) and maybe nap a little. It's like exercise and massage all at once. It feels good, and good for me. Yeah, I'm absorbing some chlorine, but I'm also getting a great cardio workout that more than counters the negative effects. 
