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What does it mean to be green? With snow covering the ground this time of year, it’s hard to imagine the color green! I asked my three year old Henry and he told me it was a color. Duh. A color with many shades. I looked out the window but all I see is white. Imagining the green grass I wonder, can’t we all be some shade of green of this New Year?
I don’t profess to do everything “green”. I try to make everyday choices that I feel are safe for me, my children and for the environment. I recycle and try to not be wasteful with electricity. I unplug items that are not in use. I turn my SUV off when I’m not in it. Yes, an SUV! See, I’m not 100% Green but I am a shade and everyday this shade varies. I write this to show people that you can do something and be some shade of green. Being Eco friendly and living a green lifestyle, buying organic and choosing natural toys - isn’t always easy but it is possible.
Everybody can do something. You don’t have to do everything and you shouldn’t try or you’ll go crazy and be a zillion shades of who knows what color! Instead make choices that are good for you and your family and that make sense. Teach your little ones through examples. In my home my biggest “green” task is using everything non-toxic and natural. Cleaning products, personal care products, home care products and nutrition products. I green my home and my body as much as possible. I am, however, not perfect.
When it comes to going green and being some shade of green there seems to be so much pressure (trust me I know). The media loves this “go green” phrase and every other advertising or product has words that say green, natural, Eco or organic on them. Friends are being competitive when it comes to what brands they buy or who’s doing what. It’s enough to turn someone away. Even though I have a green website and it’s mostly all I write about, read about or research, I find it overwhelming. Just trying to buy a car that isn’t loaded with toxins is driving me crazy. It seemed less complicated four years ago when I was doing nothing but that’s just it. Taking the easy road because it’s less complicated and takes less energy isn’t the right thing. Neither is going over board and doing too much right away to overwhelm yourself or your family.
So where do you begin to go green and live a more Eco friendly natural lifestyle? What can you do that won’t make you go bonkers or just stop trying ? I’m going to tell you from my point of view and having gone too far and doing too much too soon, what I advise. I wish I could have read an article like this and had a place where I could begin. With New Years on the horizon this seems fitting and perhaps these tips for buying organic and going green will help you with some resolutions. Maybe I would have felt less out of control and confused if I had read an article helping me learn about how to go green and live a more Eco friendly natural life style. With all the pressure from friends, family and media to be more earth friendly and buy this, drive this, don’t do this, it’s hard to know where to begin.
Guess what? The canvas is blank and it is your canvas to paint anyway you like with as many shades of green as you please. That’s the best part, there really is no competition and each family is a unique as a painting. My advice: sit down and figure out what is going to work for your family now and what your priorities, obligations and motivations are. How can you work going green into your life for five minutes each day? Sit down, grab a piece of paper and write down the following:
1. What do I want to teach my kids about sustainability and being Earth friendly?
2. What products do I use in my home that are toxic? List personal care products and cleaning products.
3. What foods can our family make switches to that are hormone free and healthier? Can we garden or could we afford to start buying locally?
4. What jobs can I give our family members to cut down on energy or waste (Maybe have a child in charge of turning off the lights or rinsing out the recycling)?
5. When it comes to driving, can our family car pool or walk more? Is it possible to save on gas and have our children choose one activity verses three (Maybe you’re child would be interested in helping you decide how more errands can be accomplished with less driving)?
Involve the family this New Year and decide what is going to work from the list you create or turn it into more of a go green brainstorm and the entire family decide where to being painting the canvas green! If you decide to start with buying non-toxic cleaning products, research alternatives and start there, make that your start line. When you’ve accomplished that switch and are happy with a brand then move on to the next thing you’re ready to tackle as a family. Taking the easy road and doing nothing is what I did years ago and looking back, I’m not proud. It makes me sad actually. So start somewhere, anywhere and long term you’ll be happy you did. With each year being a New Year, paint this one a brilliant shades of green!
Useful Websites to help you on your artistic Eco-friendly natural living journey:
Organic Mania and the moms from the Green Moms Carnival
Crunchy Green Mom
I’m positive I’m forgetting some other fabulous resource to help you go green this New Year and begin living that eco-savvy life style but the list of links will give you a great start. Feel free to comment on your favorite site or resource.
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I just discovered at our local health food store a reusable shopping bag!
I have been on the look out for one. For only $5.00 it comes in cool colors, holds 20lbs of groceries plus folds up in it self with a carabiner to attach to your purse or fits in your pocket or purse.
The name brand is Chico Bag.
I recently discovered some grocery stores give credit for bringing your own bags too (like 1 cent per bag). I guess my $5.00 will take a while to recover but in the long run less plastic for the enviroment and my little shade of green!
I would love it if my local grocery store would give me credit for bringing in my own bags. I have to say the bagger usually seems annoyed with me when I bring canvas bags.
Dear Green and Clean Mom,
Thank you for such great post! Great questions to ask when trying to determine what is best for one’s family. I recently started greening my lifestyle and it’s much easier - and sometimes harder - than I thought! There are a lot of options out there but at times it gets overwhelming! The more I know, the more I get a little freaked out. That said, thank you for pointing out that everyone’s shades of green will be a little different and doing a little bit every day will add up to a whole lotta green!
Your support is great and so is your blog.
xo!
This is a great post. A month or so ago, I had someone tear me a new one on another blog I was more active on because of the whole “go green” movement. Basically, if I wasn’t using canvas bags in the ’70s, vegan and so on, I am just part of the problem and my blog and website is adding to it. Its good to point out that everyone’s journey is there own.
Carlas last blog post..Where’s the Beef? | Healthy bodies and Earth
@Carla I’ve been in your shoes and told I was part of the problem b/c I was not “crunchy” and was just a newbie. I was even told I was a greenwashing mama (see my post on this). It ticked me off and it’s the reason I think people are turned off for trying sometimes. Thanks for commenting and doing what you are doing.
@Caroline Thanks for commenting, I hope I help. This is a site for everyone just trying to do their best. We aren’t here to judge but inspire, help and motivate.
This is a great post! I am “new” to going green and my approach has been the baby step kind. The first thing I did was buy reusable bags, when one of my regular products runs out I replace it with a green one, I started a passive compost pile, I take my reusable cup to Starbucks, etc, little baby steps. I am constantly reading and learning and adjusting my lifestyle to be a little greenier everyday. It is am approach that works best for me! Glad to hear that it is your approach too….
Thanks for the link! I think you are right–so many people give up on a greener lifestyle before even trying because it just seems so overwhelming. There is also the feeling that doing just one or two little things won’t make a difference, and it’s easy to get discouraged. It’s great that your site provides motivation to get out of this mindset!
Rebecca (Green Baby Guide)s last blog post..Baked Dough Christmas Ornaments
@Thanks Rebecca, I need to stop over and say hello to you guys over there. I loved today Thrifty Thursday.
@Lena You’re on the right track. Do what is going to work for you and won’t make you feel overwhelmed.
Excellent point. I have been lucky enough to live in the Northwest, which is more crunchy than other areas. But if the attitude is if you didn’t do it right from the beginning then you aren’t really “green”.
To not support a new “greeny” is not really “green”, it’s the basic snobby attitude we all dealt with in high school that is masquerading as eco-minded.
Missys last blog post..Olive oil is not just for cooking
To “mom on the run”, our local grocery store charges for plastic bags. It’s not a lot, just a few cents per bag, but it’s enough to get people to think twice and order fewer bags. Others just bring their own bags.
Mikes last blog post..Square Root Watch | Fun Gadgets
You’ll always be one of my favorite Green Girls, Sommer!
You’re serious about your values, and you aren’t afraid to stand up for your convictions. But you never speak in a condescending manner to others who may be at a different stage of green.
You are so warm and encouraging. You are someone I look up to
Hi Sommer,
This is a great post. I really loved your honesty about the confusion and doubt that can plague us as we go green. And thanks for mentioning OrganicMania and the Green Moms Carnival!
But just remember what I told you - at least you’re sexy, sassy, and fun! A lot of Green Moms get angry, frustrated, and discouraged!
Lynn
Lynn from Organicmania.coms last blog post..Blended Holiday Parties
Thank you for link love gal!!
Jen @ Eco-Office Galss last blog post..Paperless Made Easy!
I was also looking for things to do with “dried out” markers; the kids I work with forget to cap them back up all the time. I did find this site:
http://k-12.pisd.edu/currinst/sped/AT/Colored_glue.htm
It shows how to take out the ink and use it for colored glue….
Wow, that first quote just brings the point home. Now, it seems like you have to do more than just limit or eliminate TV (though it helps), its literally everywhere now. Its bad enough that this society values children based on what crap they can sell them, but also the poisonous food we’re obligated to buy and feed them.
Carla’s last blog post..Organic Baby & Toddler Clothes - My Little Snuggle Bug