Earth Hour

Darkness + Candles + Fire

"Mom, we should have Earth Hour ALL the time!"

Earth Hour is now one of the children's favorite holidays.

Confessions of a Green Living Hypocrite, er, "Work-in-Progress"

If a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, mine has many carbon footprints.

I own things that were made in China.

I have clothes made with synthetic fabrics. And some with non-organic cotton. And some with leather.

(What’s that? A pair of leather what? {Tee-hee.} Oh, no, not THAT kind of leather clothing.)

Ahem . . . moving on.

Once or twice or {cringe} maybe even three times a year I go to the (can I please whisper this?) . . . mall—the Mecca of consumerism.

On occasion, I buy fast food. It is cheap and once in a blue moon, it just hits the spot. It is on these occasions, however, that I reiterate for my children relevant cultural idioms like: “Ignorance is bliss.” And, sometimes, I teach them why. (Using phrases like “previously-inedible slime.”)

I don’t always shower with the whole family like I should—you know, to save water. And I use water heated by fossil fuels. And my showers are longer than an acceptable 30 seconds. And to tell the truth, they are longer than 3 minutes. And to tell the whole truth, they are longer than . . .

Never mind.

I sometimes buy non-organic, non-fair-trade, non-vegetarian/vegan, non-local, non-artisan. (Am I missing any?)

Though I profess to be “green,” my thumb is not. The only things that thrive in my care are piles of dirt and weeds (and the children who gleefully play there). There are too many things to remember—planting schedule, watering, fertilizing, heirloom vs. conventional seeds, xeriscaping; the list goes on. More to the point: gardening is hard work. For now I celebrate the green steps that I AM taking . . . with my manual push mower and my participation in a CSA (Community-Supported Agriculture). If I don’t know what I’m doing, I can try to support people who do know what they’re doing.

The car. I have been caught, on more than one occasion, strolling with a friend or new acquaintance, talking about the stellar way in which I live my life and daily save the world, only to finish the conversation at my parking spot, where a thirsty truck sits, laughing at me and my revealed hypocrisy. Now, that said, I am truly grateful to my in-laws who have generously loaned us said vehicle. It brings a certain peace of mind. And, frankly, I value my children’s moderate amount of enrichment activities that, yes, require swift transportation to and fro. I will say, though, that with the rising temperatures the kids and I will start getting back on bikes more often. Which reminds me: fix all the flat tires.

So, here we are. Each of us is on a separate journey toward eco-nirvana. Some trailblazers have far out-stripped the rest. Some are contemplating that first step. As for myself, I am somewhere in the middle, clumsily tripping over my own feet while attempting to tread lightly. Some days I move rapidly, and some days I stop for a breather. But, I keep heading toward my goal. Even if it’s just by baby steps.

Celebrate the efforts you DO make. Acknowledge the efforts you have yet to make.

There. I’ve come clean.

[Well . . . not of everything, of course. I’ll just keep to myself that I don’t always let it mellow. I think that might be considered an “over-share.”]

Upcoming Meeting With the Mayor

Though I have some proposals for the mayor, I welcome any suggestions/insight readers may have to better prepare me. Any green initiatives that could work on a city level? Things to remember when working with government? I don't know how much time I will have and since he initiated the meeting, so to speak (asked me to make an appointment with him), he may have his own agenda. It should be interesting. Thanks for your input.

Welcome to Fellow Zero Waste Home Readers

I am honored that Bea (from Zero Waste Home) chose to share my story. I must say that the response has shown yet another example of "community." All of you in the zero waste community amaze and inspire me. I am enjoying hearing about things that you do in your daily lives and in your communities. Please, keep sharing what you do. I am soaking in your wisdom. Welcome to desert green goddess.