“Shoes off please.” I am searching for a polite way to say this. It’s not that I am one of those obsessive people who insists on clean floors (okay, well maybe . . . ); it’s just that I am one of those obsessive people who says no to tracking dirt, pesticides, pet dander, lead, and other unhealthy chemicals into my home.
Admittedly, I am duped from time to time. I carry in products made by green washing companies who push so-called “eco” products on consumers like me, who hope to live green and chemical free. Despite my passion for the environment, I am guilty, now and again, of allowing strange chemical cocktails to enter our home (and I’m not talking about mixed drinks).
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Weight loss has always been an issue with me. When I was younger I was skinny and wore boys extra slim pants. Something happened (less activity and more food) and I started having to buy plus size clothing. My size didn’t define who I was but it did affect my health. I’ve tried a variety of things in the past 10 years and not all of them are healthy or “green”.
I’ve done the over the counter diet pills but they made me feel jittery and I was always scared of side effects, so I would stop taking them. I’ve even had prescription medicine, Meridia, and despite the list of side effects, I had zero and it did help curb my appetite.
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A Going Green Checklist:
- Learning to conserve energy? Check.
- Reusable shopping bags? Check.
- Shopping local? Check.
- Making greener choices at the market? Check.
- Using greener cleaning products or natural alternatives at home? Check.
- Reducing water waste? Check.
- Growing our own produce? Check.
- Driving less? Check.
- Treating my body like an environment worth preserving? Ummmm……check?
Did that last one stump you? In all your efforts to go green in your life, home, and community, have you forgotten something very important? We spend lots of time greening up our homes, our communities, and learning to eat better. We make choices everyday to put the environment first and preserve nature and habitats.
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Soon after my oldest son decided he was done breastfeeding, he began to have fits in his sleep where he would thrash back and forth and bang his arms and legs against the crib. After receiving my videotape of Jack sleeping, Dr. Weissbluth assured me that Jack would not hurt himself and we continued to monitor him closely. He recommended a pediatric dermatologist that informed us how to change our daily routines and environment to accommodate Jack’s newly diagnosed eczema. I followed every single one. This is where I first got up close and personal with organic products. Remove everything artifical in everything!
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Annabelle sits in her booster seat, smiles at her dad and me, raises her hands above her head until her fingers touch, and says, “T-wee!” My husband laughs but his eyes betray his curiosity. “What is she doing?” he asks me. “Yoga,” I tell him. “She’s showing you the “tree” pose.”
Our summer has not been slow, to say the least. Between making out-of-state visits with family, building our first vegetable garden, working on our house, and seeing friends, we are on the go 24/7. The result? A tired and frazzled family in serious need of a break, or for us–an activity that allows us to reconnect with our surroundings and each other.
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Over the past two years, step by step, our family is replacing all cleaning and personal care products with eco-friendly equivalents that are healthy for the Earth, our home, and our bodies. Part of my family’s concern for the kinds of products we use has to do with the chemicals that go into our bodies and ultimately end up in the water supply. Chemicals that make my mommy alarm go off include the following: phthalates, bisphenol A, and triclosan, which are in cosmetics, antibacterial soap, perfumes, containers of all sorts (think food packaging, shampoo bottles, makeup containers), and plastic bottles. When these chemicals reach our water supplies, the natural wildlife are adversely affected and the overall environment is negatively impacted.
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