I have always felt compelled to live in a more environmentally-friendly and sustainable way, but nothing has motivated me more than my son and the future he will inherit from us.
I know it is deeply overwhelming to think about climate change and the various facets of that change; waste, energy, pollution, water quality and more. But it’s okay to feel this way, because it is!
The important thing is that we don’t let it cripple us the point of inaction because we can’t afford that anymore.
I have to believe that we all want to do the right thing; the evidence is compelling and I assume people are trying to make a change. There are an array of natural and earth-friendly products out there, that just by making a few green swaps for natural, chemical free, or recycled products could help save money and reduce our impact, but how to do we think bigger?
My husband and I sat down and outlined 50 facets of our lives in which we are imperfectly green – meaning either we’re currently doing something about it to some degree or another, or are conscious of environmental impact but don’t know of a readily-available solution.
Some of these may not be obvious (ie. how can sex be greener? think condoms!) or they might be huge topics, which can be unpacked (ie. food can be about organics, preservatives, chemicals, shopping local, packaging and more). Some also slightly overlap depending on context and finally, several have a larger environmental footprint than others.
This blog is about my journey toward that end. My goal is to explore all 50 of these topics in my own life, and then write about them because we can certainly inject a little more green in our lives. I do my best to recycle, reduce and reuse plastic containers and the like, but I think I can do more.
Start your “think global act local” approach by considering what shade of green you are. Give yourself a point per topic below if you’re actively taking a greener approach.
I will admit right now, I am 12/50, that’s not great.
- Food
- Drinks
- Clothing
- Accessories
- Cleaning Products
- Laundry
- Dry Cleaning
- Cooking & Kitchenware
- Bedroom
- Toiletries
- Makeup
- Skincare
- Home Décor
- Architecture & Design
- Plants and Garden
- Water Usage
- Energy Usage
- Paper & Printing
- Compost
- Trash
- Recycling
- Eating Out
- Technology & Gadgets
- Appliances & Applications
- Work & Office
- Sex
- Mental Wellness
- Health & Medicine
- Arts & Crafts
- Education
- Social Events
- Exercise
- Transportation
- Travel
- Finance & Banking
- Outdoor Excursions
- Holidays
- Gifts
- Celebrations
- Mail & Delivery
- Music and Entertainment
- Advocacy & Civic Activism
- Social Media & Web Presence
- Baby – Feeding
- Baby – Nappies/Diapers
- Baby – Accessories
- Baby – Toys
- Pets – Feeding
- Pets – Accessories
- Pets – Toys
Have I covered them all? Probably not.
Here is another way to look at it. Below is a list of general questions, targeting the ways in which it is easiest or most commonly-known method to going green. Depending on your answer, if most are in the positive direction, you’re doing alright but can do more.
- Do you switch off your TV/computer as its plugged in?
- Do you let the water run when you brush your teeth?
- Do you grown your own food?
- How much household waste do you recycle/compost/trash?
- How did you travel to your last holiday?
- Shower or bath?
- How many times do you re-use plastic bags shops give you?
- Have you bought fast food in a plastic or Styrofoam container in the last couple weeks?
- Have you paid more for something because it’s environmentally-friendly?
- Do you use public transportation or a ride-share system?
I am willing to bet that most people do things that are recommended, as long as it is not an inconvenience or intrudes too much on day-to-day life. I intend to go beyond that.
If you think of any others to add to this list, let me know! Stay tuned for my adventures in going green.