How do I know Oprah can change the world?

Oprah recently had a Going Green show talking about simple things a family can do to live a greener life. Now, we are by no means living a green life day to day but I am interested in what I can do in my small way to make sure we still have a planet for my son's generation to raise their children. I used to drive a Toyota Echo which averaged 35 miles a gallon. I traded it in this year for a Prius. But I'll be the first to admit that I drive my Prius through McDonalds at least once a week. I shop at the natural foods co-op but I never bring my own bag. I buy organic produce but I love a big, fat steak too. And I hate, I mean really hate, vegetables.

After watching Oprah's show, I realized that I can still do more without making major changes or really upsetting our standard of living. We're not talking about going off the grid here, just minor changes. So while doing the shopping today, I thought I'd pick up some of the products she recommended to live a little greener life. I had no idea how hard that would actually be.

Evidently, I was one of about 5 billion people who saw the show and shop at my local Target. I scoured the shelves for Seventh Generation laundry soap and found the very last bottle, hidden behind some other purple goo, damaged and sad. I bought it anyway. I couldn't find the Seventh Generation dish soap though... just a blank shelf and a sticker. On to Energy Smart lightbulbs- and yet another big hole. I found one box in the car section where I was looking for a sunshade for my car and snatched that up too. That was it, the end of my go green shopping spree. Nothing else was left. My Target looked like it probably does in the south, just after a hurricane warning. Only we were all on a mission to follow the word of Oprah.

My dad and I had a conversation the other day on this topic and he is convince that it won't make a difference what Oprah says. True changes can only come if the government and big business get on the hydrogen-powered bus and stop making excuses. I disagree. If every Target in the US and Oprah-viewing area looks like mine today, we have made a major stride in using our economic power to change the world.

All because Oprah told me to...

If you haven't hurled a haggis, you're not really living!

My all-time favorite event for Sacramento area families is happening this weekend! It's time for the Sacramento Valley Scottish Games and Festival. If you're looking for fun family entertainment this weekend, Yolo County fairgrounds is the place to be! A short drive to Woodland and you'll be transported to another world of highland dancing, pasties, cabers and sheepdogs.

For the true fans, Friday night kicks off with a Ceilidh dance featuring several Scottish and Celtic rock bands, dinner and dancing. Ceilidh is perhaps the best aerobic activity short of your local spinning class. You will never in your life jump, spin and hop as much as an hour at a Ceilidh.

Saturday and Sunday are family friendly and there's even a small carnival area for kids. Watch other youngsters highland dance and remember that your knees are not 10 years old anymore. Then stop by the athletic fields and see a caber toss, hammer throw and stone throw and remember that warfare didn't used to be quite so easy. You don't have to tell the kids about that though...

My personal favorite is always the animals. Did you know border collies can actually herd ducks? Sometimes it takes a little while but it's hilarious and certainly worth the few minutes waiting for the action to begin. A small corner at the fair is dedicated to highland and Scottish animals and you'll probably see some of the tallest and smallest dogs you've ever seen in your life.

If that's not enough, there's always shopping for tartans, kilts, family crests, imported food from the Isles and much more. Pop in to one of the Clan booths and make a new friend or research your family heritage.

Even if you're not Scottish, it's fun to pretend for a day!

Where oh where has our light rail gone?

Since 1991, Sacramento RT has been preserving right-of-way options to put in light rail. In theory, light rail was also incorporated into the regional plan for North Natomas. I remember when we bought our house in 1999 in North Natomas, it was "only a matter of time" until we could zip downtown or out to the airport on light rail. Traffic would be less complex at Arco because the new light rail would allow people from all over the city to leave their cars at home. It was an attractive option, certainly one that many newbies from the Bay liked.

It's 2007... Truxel Rd. is being ignored because "someday" there will be light rail there. Why bother putting money into your property if it'll be imminent domained anyway? For-sale signs popped up within minutes of the announced plan in 2003 to run the trains down Truxel. Not much has changed since then. A spring 2005 fact sheet , lists construction to begin in 2010, but the February 2006 fact sheet doesn't even list an estimated construction date.

It appears that the plan is mired in environmental woes. I agree wholeheartedly that the tracks need to be placed in an environmentally-conscious way, which is why I originally supported the plan to run the trains down the freeway. If the area is already damaged, a few more tracks probably won't make much of a difference.

Instead... we're left with a growing blight down Truxel and along the Downtown-Natomas-Airport (DNA) line. Isn't that an environmental concern as well? The airport expansion originally included light rail, however, the newest plan from the airport expansion folks does not include an airport line until 2020. 2020? What? Won't we have flying cars by then?

We have Penguins! (Now if we only had a zoo...)

Today the Magellanic Penguins on loan from the SF Zoo go on display at the Sacramento Zoo. As Zoo Parents, my son and I had the privilege of attending the preview party yesterday and they sure are cute little guys. All six lined up on the ledge, and as if on cue, shoved each other one by one into the water. the crowd let out a collective "ooohhhhh" and the penguins were a hit.

Really though, it'd be a much better sell if we actually had a zoo... yes I know there's a large area in Land Park called the zoo. I know there are animals there and a brand new Vet hospital. But if you've ever visited a zoo in a large city, you know what I mean. We have a tiny excuse for a zoo. We are not Portland, Seattle or Denver and we are not even a close second compared to San Diego. San Diego Zoo had close to 3.2 million visitors in 2006 and Portland had nearly 1.5 million in 2006. Less than 500,000 people visited our little zoo last year.

Regardless of your opinion on zoos, it's hard to argue that they do a decent job of protecting species that left in the wild are going extinct. Zoos create a place for children to see animals up close and personal that they otherwise would not experience. Sure, I'd rather that our borrowed penguins be in their native Argentina fishing. But the reality is that seeing the penguins creates a sense of compassion, ownership and dedication to protect. You cannot create that for most people with a postcard, an Animal Planet show or a funny cartoon movie.

The Sacramento Bee article dated 4/6 says that for approximately $200 million we could have a "zoo of the future", perhaps a landmark of distinction that would encourage visitors to see something beyond Old Sac and the capitol. That seems like a lot of money but in comparison, we could build two zoos for the cost of a new arena. Sacramento is already leading the way on eco-living, green standards and solar power. Why not put forth a state-of-the-art conservation zoo and expand our environmental concern to protecting animals as well?

If I have to choose, I'll take basketball on TV and penguins, cheetahs and elephants in person.