True to form, my best friend and co-green blogger, figured out a simple way to start our Going Green blog: by simply starting. And she knew that the best way to start any new relationship is by introducing herself (if you only knew how good she is at that!).
For now I am a stay-at-home parent to a 9-year-old girl which affords me the time to be "greener" than some. I have the time to read labels scrupulously, and make trips to the transfer center with all of our carefully organized
recyclables. I have the time to research, find, then shop, co-
op's and farmer's markets, or spend time dithering in the grocery store aisles (will write more about this habit at another time) and online, debating in my head the merit of the products I buy. I have the time to wash those still-dirty carrots from the local farmer, and wash what seems like an endless stream of Ziploc baggies and hang them to dry. But I know that not
every one's life is like this, and mine won't always be (headed back to school this coming fall to obtain a master's degree, then off to work with said degree--I hope.) I hope if I can establish green habits now, that those can follow us into our future, no matter who is at home, and can follow my daughter into her future when she leaves our nest (sniff!).
For now we live in Rhode Island, but perhaps not for long. It is just another stop on my spouse's Navy career journey. We have been interested to see the many ways different people from different places (both stateside and overseas) deal with "Green." Some places do more recycling. Some places make that easy, some difficult. In some places litter blows in the wind past our feet, and in some we can drop a picnic blanket nearly anywhere and have a meal. In some places we are "tree
huggers" or "
granolas," and in others we are not nearly as green as our neighbors.
For now, we can afford to be, and buy, greener. It is criminal how much we spend on grocery/food items each month but we know that we are eating healthier foods, using more Earth-friendly products, and supporting those who produce those products so that they can continue to do so. We know that not everyone can buy the way we do, and we understand that we might not always be able to either (you just never know), but for now we are putting our green into Green (
hmmm...a good advertising slogan? Or maybe it already is and I haven't been paying attention.).
For now we are doing what we can to be as green as we can. We can always do more, of course, and each year instead of New Year's resolutions we try, as a family, to think of ways we can be greener that year. On New Years 2006 we decided to use fabric napkins rather than paper (by the way, do the simple math with your older kids on that. We figured out how many paper napkins a family of three would use a year if we each used one napkin a piece for three meals a day. It was a good math lesson for our girl, and a shocking number. We tried to research how many napkins one tree can make, but were unable to find that information, so if anyone knows, I'd love to hear!). For New Years 2007 we decided to eat as locally and as organically as possible, start our own organic garden (which we are doing right now), and support as many local farmers and food "creators" (dairy farmers, bee keepers, maple syrup makers, hen keepers, etc.) as possible by buying their products (this idea was given a huge boost by
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara
Kingsolver, the new "
localvore" bible, which my dear friend mentions in her first blog entry). My daughter has decided to plant a tree for her birthday, and we organized a neighborhood clean-up walk for Earth Day. We have done these things and many more, meeting with varying degrees of success. I am eager to add more green changes to our lives.
Come with me, , and our families on this journey. Add your two cents, give us ideas, help us think outside the box. Let's see where we end up...
