“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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When we had a difficult time finding an eco friendly kids summer program this year, we were amazed. There are your standard programs: arts, sports, dance, music and even How to be a Pirate or How to be a Princess camp. My husband and I would look at each other mystified- where is the How to be a Good Person camp? Dead end after dead end, I felt exhausted trying to find a program and started to wonder if I was the only one looking for more.
One night at dinner, I vented my frustration and elaborated on what had been brewing in my head.
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In the spring the boys and I started organic gardening at Lincoln Park Farm in the Zoo’s The Edible Garden. Since then we have spent every Wednesday morning with our friends at the organic garden learning, farming, eating and weeding. Each task brings a new invaluable experience. The latest being the revelation that putting your hands in the dirt while gardening relieves depression!
Kord Staley, one of our farmer friends at the Edible Garden, shared this with me after seeing my big satisfied smile while I sat and picked weeds and it makes complete sense. Here I have been researching natural ways to cure my intermittent depression.
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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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I love to read. If you’ve read my blog, you know this because I allude to it often. I read parenting books, fiction and now going green titles. Last week, I wrote about how to start going green and I thought it would be a great follow up to recommend some of my favorite green reads that have helped me on my journey, thus far. I’m sure my list will continue to grow. Mind you, these aren’t all the books that I’ve read but I’ve compiled my top five reads for the new greenie. A few are downloadable from Eco Brain where you can just download the book onto your desktop or laptop and save a tree.
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I must confess, I have never written a confession post. When I was invited to write for 5MFGG, I was eager to express more personal feelings about being green. As much as I love writing at teensygreen about eco-products, services, and activism that helps all of us, being eco is also simultaneously a deeply personal part of my life (as I know it’s probably yours if you’re reading this). That being said, I do have some ranting I’d like to “put out there” in a purely hypothetical, non-offensive manner.
My oldest daughter is turning six in October. I’m not ready to let go of birthday parties just yet, so we’re going to have a small gathering of some friends and family.
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When I had my son, four years ago I was far from green, but my husband was–kind of. He was the one that hassled me to recycle or to not go over board on purchasing and consumption. I was the wife that threw the soup can out verses cleaning it and recycling. Sorry, but I just wasn’t in to it and frankly, I didn’t get it. Now, I’ve got it. Funny thing is, it took having my second child for me to wrap my head around toxic chemicals and how bad they are and how I want to be more earth friendly.
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While I certainly know that we are all connected, sometimes I forget. Not today. I was shaken out of my complacency today. I usually think I’m doing my best to go green and save the world, making solid choices, trying to consume less, and teaching my children to do the same. But, sometimes some story or event comes along and smacks you in the face, jolting you so much that you have to go out and do something. And thus, an advocate is born. Or hatched. Or created.
A story this week on Yahoo! Games regarding The Playstation War shook me out of my complacent, I’m-mostly-doing-good-in-the-world, minivan mom bliss.
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You’ve probably heard of taking a staycation (staying home during vacation time rather than traveling) and you’ve probably heard of the 100 mile diet (eating foods only grown within 100 miles of your home). Well, how about the 100 Mile Vacation?
I’m sure that many of us aren’t willing to completely eliminate our vacations, regardless of fuel or increasing airfare costs. But instead of traveling long distances why not take a trip close to home thereby saving money on gas or airfare? You don’t need to take a big trip to Europe or Hawaii to enjoy time away from home with friends and family.
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