What do I know about helping the planet? Nothing more the what I read... I read something interesting, something that makes sense, something that gives me hope and makes me feel like I can help and be conscious of the world around me. Then I go and tell it to others in my excitement and I get met with negativity, doubt, and cynicism. Why are most people so negative about environmental problems?
I'm sick of being surrounded by pessimists!
May 14, 2009
February 23, 2009
Veggie Love
As my path to a cleaner lifestyle, I've finally taken on the official label of vegetarian in transition to vegan. It's much easier then I thought it would be and after facing the facts that I've known to be true all my life I no longer have any desire to eat meat, poultry, fish or eggs.
For as long as I remember I've desired this outcome, never feeling that it was possible, always buying into the propaganda that meat is needed for a healthy life. There was no defining moment, but it was always something that I wanted to do.
I think that I made it much easier to turn vegetarian after a long time of being an educated consumer; always reading labels, buying locally and organically, and avoiding processed foods.
As the same goes with every piece of plastic I recycle, every plastic bag I refuse at the grocery store, my energy conservation... I know that as one person I'm not making a difference... but when I consider all the others in the world doing the same as I, and the fact that every day someone is learning a new way to take care of our home earth --- I believe that I can make a difference. A difference of one more person to influence the rest by action.
For as long as I remember I've desired this outcome, never feeling that it was possible, always buying into the propaganda that meat is needed for a healthy life. There was no defining moment, but it was always something that I wanted to do.
I think that I made it much easier to turn vegetarian after a long time of being an educated consumer; always reading labels, buying locally and organically, and avoiding processed foods.
As the same goes with every piece of plastic I recycle, every plastic bag I refuse at the grocery store, my energy conservation... I know that as one person I'm not making a difference... but when I consider all the others in the world doing the same as I, and the fact that every day someone is learning a new way to take care of our home earth --- I believe that I can make a difference. A difference of one more person to influence the rest by action.
August 28, 2008
The Library
My local library has been on my list of places to avoid since 2001 when my boyfriend at the time took out some books on my account and after we broke up said he could not find them. I couldn't return them and I still never did. I just decided to never go back. But nearly eight years later, after buying new books every single time I wanted to read something got tiring I decided it would be more cost effective to just pay the fines and get it over with.
Now after a substantial mound of cash (on late fees and restocking fines) and a newly cleared conscience I'm back in the game of borrowing books. I made this decision after repeatedly taking my daughter to the library over the summer and looking longingly at all the books I was missing out on. All those books I'd have to just sit there to read or go and shell out loads of money to buy them adding to the already small storage space in my small two bedroom apartment.
Obviously there is a small amount of me, the part that hopes to one day go to school to become a writer, that feels a bit of guilt for getting the luxury of reading and paying nothing to the writer. But I don't quite know the economics of libraries so I can't say that that guilt is hitting me too hard.
Why is it eco-friendly to go to the library?
First I'd like to mention that my local library is much closer to me than any bookstore, such are the "perils" of living in lower populated areas, so I obviously save a bundle in emissions. But I also think that I'm taking a personal bite out of production and shipping since I've cut out my own small demand.
The first book that I took out was Clean and Green: The Complete Guide to Non-Toxic and Environmentally safe Housekeeping by Annie Berthold-Bond. I loved the solutions and I've tried out many with successful results. My favorite is Cornstarch and Water for windows. It's amazing how well it works.
But anyway, the library is a gold mine of information and I'm so upset at myself that went so many years without it in my life.
How many times have I cut something out of my life completely because fear of confrontation?
Now after a substantial mound of cash (on late fees and restocking fines) and a newly cleared conscience I'm back in the game of borrowing books. I made this decision after repeatedly taking my daughter to the library over the summer and looking longingly at all the books I was missing out on. All those books I'd have to just sit there to read or go and shell out loads of money to buy them adding to the already small storage space in my small two bedroom apartment.
Obviously there is a small amount of me, the part that hopes to one day go to school to become a writer, that feels a bit of guilt for getting the luxury of reading and paying nothing to the writer. But I don't quite know the economics of libraries so I can't say that that guilt is hitting me too hard.
Why is it eco-friendly to go to the library?
First I'd like to mention that my local library is much closer to me than any bookstore, such are the "perils" of living in lower populated areas, so I obviously save a bundle in emissions. But I also think that I'm taking a personal bite out of production and shipping since I've cut out my own small demand.
The first book that I took out was Clean and Green: The Complete Guide to Non-Toxic and Environmentally safe Housekeeping by Annie Berthold-Bond. I loved the solutions and I've tried out many with successful results. My favorite is Cornstarch and Water for windows. It's amazing how well it works.
But anyway, the library is a gold mine of information and I'm so upset at myself that went so many years without it in my life.
How many times have I cut something out of my life completely because fear of confrontation?
August 24, 2008
Behind the Transition
The real dirt behind my creation of this blog is the need to feel like my life is somewhat meaningful. Everyone wants that... your kidding yourself if you say you don't. My job is unnecessary when you think about a society and what it needs to sustain itself, and it's discouraging to go and do what I do daily... knowing that if the world would be stripped of it's luxury tomorrow I would not have a thing to offer. So the need to feel more meaningful in other aspects of my life is high up there on my list of priorities.
But anyway, I've been taking steps towards living a simpler, earth friendly life and I honestly feel like I'm getting nowhere. If I write it down it'll help my growing process. Sometimes when I set goals for myself I set them too high and I feel like I'll never get anywhere... self-sabotage is always impending. I feel as if this is too important to me to let go, so I won't let my self-destructive ways hold me back.
So what have I been doing?
One major thing is that I focused on shopping locally and giving up chain anything. I figure if I'm driving less I'm putting off less emissions, and by giving up on chains and going to independently owned places (like restaurants, gift shops, or markets) I'm showing the economy that I don't need things shipped to me from all over the place. I can get what I need from my surroundings.
A major part of my plan in shopping locally has to do with shunning Wal-Mart completely. It's only been two months since I've really stuck to it, but I'm starting to feel better about it already. And I didn't even need a methadone clinic! America is addicted to Wal-Mart. It's time go cold turkey on the shopping giant that is ruining our economics.
I also recently quit my job that required me to drive 30 miles a day. Not to mention when I approched them about the fact that they don't recycle they told me that they paid the right people so they wouldn't have to... WTF? On a lighter note, my new location is only five minutes away!
There are so many little things...
But anyway, I've been taking steps towards living a simpler, earth friendly life and I honestly feel like I'm getting nowhere. If I write it down it'll help my growing process. Sometimes when I set goals for myself I set them too high and I feel like I'll never get anywhere... self-sabotage is always impending. I feel as if this is too important to me to let go, so I won't let my self-destructive ways hold me back.
So what have I been doing?
One major thing is that I focused on shopping locally and giving up chain anything. I figure if I'm driving less I'm putting off less emissions, and by giving up on chains and going to independently owned places (like restaurants, gift shops, or markets) I'm showing the economy that I don't need things shipped to me from all over the place. I can get what I need from my surroundings.
A major part of my plan in shopping locally has to do with shunning Wal-Mart completely. It's only been two months since I've really stuck to it, but I'm starting to feel better about it already. And I didn't even need a methadone clinic! America is addicted to Wal-Mart. It's time go cold turkey on the shopping giant that is ruining our economics.
I also recently quit my job that required me to drive 30 miles a day. Not to mention when I approched them about the fact that they don't recycle they told me that they paid the right people so they wouldn't have to... WTF? On a lighter note, my new location is only five minutes away!
There are so many little things...
- Bringing shopping bags in my purse
- Eliminating paper napkins from my kitchen
- Line drying all my clothes
- Using non-toxic cleaners
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