A previous version of myself thought it was too hard to be green everyday. I thought that dragging my recycling to the curb once a week and not littering was enough to help save the earth. I had no idea how unhealthy my daily life was for myself, my dog, and my husband.
When I was pregnant with my son in 2005, I started looking at EVERYTHING differently. I was disgusted by litter on the roads, infuriated by people who didn't recycle, and upset at the thought of what the earth would look like when my son was an adult. I was ashamed that we had just bought a small SUV and that we didn't do eco-friendly renovations to our home the previous year. I pushed past the guilt and anger and I decided to adopt a greener lifestyle by making small changes in my everyday life.
The first thing I did was start looking around my home. I looked at the products I was using to clean my home. As I read the ingredients (for the first time ever), I was horrified. No wonder I had to open the window in the bathroom or I became lightheaded when cleaning! It was toxic. I was "cleaning" my home by pouring poisons all over it. I did a quick internet search and found hundreds of easy, cheap cleaning alternatives. I now use vinegar, lemon juice, and regular dish soap and water for most of my household cleaning.
So, what is holding me back from continuing my green journey? Money. Ah, yes. We are not a wealthy family. We are typical young family who has a tight budget. I would love to eat all organic, wear all bamboo clothing, and live in a green dream home, but it is simply not in the cards, er wallet, right now. So we make small changes and hope that someday we can make the large changes we dream of.
What things do you do that are green in your everyday life? What is holding oyu back from doing the larger things to help the earth and your health?
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