Musings from a newly "green" chick

We've been doing the "green thing" for about 6 months now. We started slowly enough--adding organic fruits and vegetables to our diet. We replaced our lightbulbs with energy efficient ones, unplug appliances when they're not in use, open a window instead of turning on a/c (when possible!), use reusable grocery bags and decline bags completely when we only have an item or two, replaced our traditional cleaners with more natural ones (for example, instead of Pledge we now use vinegar and water and it works just as well if not better--plus, it's cheaper!), reduce our waste, etc. It's actually VERY easy to make changes that are good for the environment, and it bothers me a little that more people don't make the attempt. The only effect it has had on our lives is that we feel better about ourselves (a combination of doing better for the planet and putting healthier foods into our bodies).

Well, what got me thinking more was this: today our power went out. An inconvienence, but not something that is life or death. But it did it during Ian's naptime, when I get the chance to sit in front of the TV or on the computer, or as I was going to do today, clean the bathroom. Big bummer. Well, Hazen has been talking about getting a little windmill or something when we live in Montana. And I couldn't help but think of how wonderful it would have been to have that windmill at the moment I was cleaning my bathroom by candlelight (but hey, I was saving more energy!). Then i got to thinking about the actual financial cost of doing the right thing, and it's upsetting.

We don't buy organic meats because they are waaaaay out of our price range. Unfortunately, our single salaried household's budget only stretches so far, and leaving our Costco bulk chicken...it can't happen. Then I thought about Hybrid cars--a GREAT thing. But they cost a bit more than their traditional counterparts. Sure, the cost difference is made up in a few years by the lowered cost of fuel, but when you're living paycheck to paycheck, that doesn't help. All that matters when you're living like many American families is "how much is my payment going to be this month" rather than "yeah, I pay an extra $100, but I'll get it back in gas savings". The now is more important than the later when you don't make a lot of money, and it's sad. Sad that better alternatives are available, but that they're only available to those who make enough money. It's our planet we're talking about!!! So then you think, so don't drive so much, save gas that way. Good thought, but in a lot of areas that also is not an option. In Vegas, there are stores within a couple of miles that I could get frisky and walk to with the stroller. But, then there is the issue of traffic, and the lack of sidewalks and crosswalks. The effort and danger that it would involve to get there isn't worth it. Vegas is promoting it's "walk or bike to work" thing, but it's simply too dangerous to even consider attempting here. So ride the bus--okay. But again, you've got to get to the bus stop and when you do get there, there's the fear of being shot (it happens more often than you like to think).

I don't know. It seems that our communities need to do a lot more to help people understand the importance of making environmentally friendly choices, and then follow that up by actually making those "choices" a reality for the majority of people. Maybe I'm just trying to think too much about the big stuff and should focus more, at least for now, on the smaller things that I CAN accomplish. I just want to do as much as I possibly can to be sure that my contribution to the earth is good rather than a landfill full of garbage and wasted natural resources.

Oh--TLC has a sister station or somethign come out that will have green programming. There is a preview of a couple of the shows Saturday night on TLC--i'm going to check them out. Hopefully they'll give me more ideas of things I CAN do so I don't have to feel so guilty about the things that I can't.