Good Idea: Going for a swim to cool off on a Texas summer day.

Bad Idea: Paying $30/month for a gym membership for pool access.

…and that is why MeVersus has compiled a list of easily accessible swimming pools… for cheap!

Dallas: $1 – 11 and under, and $2 – 12 and over.

Richardson: FREE – 5 and under, $2 – everyone else

Plano: pricing varies, $2-3

Mesquite: pricing varies, FREE – $4

Garland: pricing varies, FREE – $3

Although listed under Garland, I’d like to call special attention to:

Surf and Swim: $5/6 – Four-acre aquatic complex, a half million gallon wave pool. Enough said.

As you all know, I am perpetually on the hunt for the perfect cupcake. This weekend, I was introduced to Tart Pastry Boutique & Studio located at the Shops at Legacy. From the looks of the website, I really was expecting to walk into the Willy Wonka of bakeries. I wanted to experience sensory overload. I wanted a selection so vast, I’d have to stand there for an hour just to take it all in.

Instead, I discovered a simple counter with a decent, but very small selection. It took one minute to eye all the pastries. I decided to get only cupcakes: a box of red velvet, strawberry, and chocolate. The final verdict? Better than Society Bakery, but Sprinkles still holds the undefeated title.

I have but a singular childhood memory of Earth Day. Our entire class was rewarded a field trip to a park, where a local TV station was interviewing children and asking what part they were playing in saving the planet. I didn’t understand recycling, but I was sure excited about being on TV.

Dallas has not been the greenest of cities in my opinion, and has anything really changed? Even personal recycling is a hassle. I discovered recently that the city is already charging homes a sanitation fee, which includes costs for removing recycled items. But upon examination, I discovered almost none of the houses on my street had a recycling bin. I had to call the center to have them deliver one. I felt pretty good about myself. I turn off lights when I leave a room, most of the time. I definitely try not to litter. I try to enforce these habits with my family members, but the change is happening ever so slowly.

What will it take to instill green living among Dallas citizens? We could start with a healthy dose of Earth Day festivities that are both family and environmentally friendly. Here are a few I found for Earth Day. Get your green on, Dallas!

Oak Cliff Earth Day (April 19, 2009 11am-5pm)

Keep Grapevine Beautiful – Chili’s Night Out (May 4, 2009 5pm-10pm)

Earthfest (April 17, 2009 10am-2pm)

Live Green Expo (April 18, 2009 9am-5pm)

Frisco Events (April 16, 2009 7pm) (April 25, 2009 8am-12pm) (April 25 9am-1pm)

Dallas Zoo’s Party for the Planet (April 25 – 26, 2009 12pm-5pm)

And of course, don’t miss out on Disneynature’s Earth!

Let us know if you are aware of any other Earth Day events.