It's nice to have ideals, it's nice to have values, it's nice to stick to them 100% of the time but sometimes it's not always realistic.
Take "going green," for example. There are some people that go to extremes: buying only organic produce, walking or biking everywhere, using "green" toilet bowl cleaner (I mean really?). It's these type of people that have turned "going green" into a dogma that must be strictly followed. I mean, god forbid you should throw away that banana peel instead of composting it.
When I got pregnant, I had lofty ideas of cleaning up my act and being more "green." I bought cloth diapers, switched to organic produce and even bought a few "green" cleaning products. The reality is that now that my baby is here, cloth diapers lead to 50% shorter naps (he wakes up when he's wet), organic produce is not always affordable, and I still haven't found the time to clean.
But I've made compromises. I try to use cloth diapers a couple of times a day (not before naps!), I eat organic when I can, and, ok, I still haven't found much time to clean green or not green.
The same applies to your yard. You don't have to choose the "sustainable choice" 100% of the time, but making a conscious effort to be more environmentally friendly when you can does have an impact (however small it may be).
Lawn: The trade off: You want a green lawn but you know its not sustainable to water your yard. Solution:
Cut back on watering. A 10' x 10' area requires 62.3 gallons a water a week to water the recommended amount of 1" of water but many people use more. You can also adjust your sprinklers to make sure they aren't watering your driveway or the sidewalk. Also, make sure you are watering your grass early in the morning or in the evening to prevent rapid evaporation. Installing rain barrels or cisterns are also a good option to cut back on water use.
Landscape: The trade off: You want a beautifully landscaped yard, but know that things like using fertilizer and invasive species is not good for the earth. The solution: Plant native plants. They require less maintenance and fertilizer since they are already adapted to the climate. If you can't give up fertilizer, try using an organic brand. Use mulch from a recycled source.
Hardscapes: The trade off: You want to create an outdoor oasis with a patio or deck but you know that impermeable hardscapes cause erosion, run-off and limit the amount of green space. The solution: Permeable pavers and pervious concrete are a great option to help prevent erosion, while still providing the look and functionality of a traditional hardscape. If you can't spring for these more expensive materials, try adding a separate drainage system that incorporates into the hardscape (generally less expensive). Use a low SRI material (lighter in color) to prevent the "heat island effect" and add plants or built-in planters to incorporate green space.
I hope these simple tips help you understand that even if you can't be 100% green, you can make a conscious effort to do what's right for the environment on a smaller scale. Every little thing helps!
Showing posts with label green moms. Show all posts
Showing posts with label green moms. Show all posts
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Green Moms
You may have noticed I haven't posted in a while, I have taking a brief hiatus from blogging with the pregnancy and birth of my first son but I am back now with a little less sleep but a little more inspiration. Being a mom has made me see the world and sustainability with new eyes.
Back when I was growing up, I did a lot of babysitting. While watching different kids I noticed a trend in the way mid-upper class families were raising their kids. There was a new focus on organic food, natural cleaning products, high efficiency products and sustainability in general. I jokingly referred to the parents of these children as "Soy moms," because their refrigerators always seemed to be stocked with a plethora of soy products: tofu "ice cream" sandwiches, tempeh, soy milk, etc. This almost became a joke between me and my sister who would try to raid the refrigerators after the kids had gone to sleep but were too turned off by the sound of "tofu cookies" to even take a bite.
Now that I am a mom, I get it. We want to do anything that will give our children a better chance at life. That includes offering them the nutrition of organic soy as well as protecting the environment that they will one day grow up into.
The new reality is that by the time our kids grow up we may have used up our oil sources, Global warming may create huge natural disasters and that's a scary thought. We don't just want our kids to grow up like we did, with clean air and water and gas prices that don't break the bank every time you fuel up. We want them to have better. Our lifestyle of using cars to go somewhere 2 blocks away, turning on the air conditioning as soon as the weather goes above 70 degrees F, and eating unsustainable produce and meat has contributed to the declining health and obesity epidemic of our nation. For the first time in years, kids may have shorter life expectancies than their parents.
As moms we want to step in to protect our kids and protect their future. As spring approaches, and people are looking to do more projects on their house and yard, I would encourage you to try to make sustainable decisions as you move forward with these projects. Try to water your grass less, use organic fertilizer or install a drainage system that helps prevent run off and erosion. Choose FSC wood for construction projects and look into permeable pavers and concrete for hardscaping. The more we all try to change, the better future we leave for the next generation.
Back when I was growing up, I did a lot of babysitting. While watching different kids I noticed a trend in the way mid-upper class families were raising their kids. There was a new focus on organic food, natural cleaning products, high efficiency products and sustainability in general. I jokingly referred to the parents of these children as "Soy moms," because their refrigerators always seemed to be stocked with a plethora of soy products: tofu "ice cream" sandwiches, tempeh, soy milk, etc. This almost became a joke between me and my sister who would try to raid the refrigerators after the kids had gone to sleep but were too turned off by the sound of "tofu cookies" to even take a bite.
Now that I am a mom, I get it. We want to do anything that will give our children a better chance at life. That includes offering them the nutrition of organic soy as well as protecting the environment that they will one day grow up into.
The new reality is that by the time our kids grow up we may have used up our oil sources, Global warming may create huge natural disasters and that's a scary thought. We don't just want our kids to grow up like we did, with clean air and water and gas prices that don't break the bank every time you fuel up. We want them to have better. Our lifestyle of using cars to go somewhere 2 blocks away, turning on the air conditioning as soon as the weather goes above 70 degrees F, and eating unsustainable produce and meat has contributed to the declining health and obesity epidemic of our nation. For the first time in years, kids may have shorter life expectancies than their parents.
As moms we want to step in to protect our kids and protect their future. As spring approaches, and people are looking to do more projects on their house and yard, I would encourage you to try to make sustainable decisions as you move forward with these projects. Try to water your grass less, use organic fertilizer or install a drainage system that helps prevent run off and erosion. Choose FSC wood for construction projects and look into permeable pavers and concrete for hardscaping. The more we all try to change, the better future we leave for the next generation.
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