Before I begin discussing wine (not whine), I must first apologize for my constant bungling of the word "recycled." My right ring finger keeps wanting to add an extra "l" between the "y" and "c." Even when I proof the post, I don't always catch it. I think it's a sign!
Okay, now on to fun stuff... WINE. And, not just any wine- organic wine. What, you say? Has Napa gone mad? Why, I just love drinking in those pesticides with my pressed grapes?! Hah to you. Even winemaking has gone green. (Well, actually, organic winemaking is how wine is supposed to be made. People have been doing it for over 6,000 years.)
On European, Australian and New Zealand bottles (and even some American) , you might see the word "biodynamic" and not "organic," but don't worry. The concepts are similar.
Biodynamic wines are created using techniques developed by Austrian anthroposophist (say that three times fast) Rudolph Steiner. "They incorporate homeopathic treatments, as well as astronomical and astrological considerations, into the organic process." (source: www.organicwinejournal.com) I'm already intrigued.
Organic wines, as certified by government agencies, are created without the use of added sulfites. Some wineries take their organic winemaking one step further and choose to use alternative energy sources and remove chemical treatments from the process - they are referred to as "sustainable."
So...
ModernEcoMom idea: try organic wines
Why not try a delicious organic wine this weekend?
Here are a few suggestions:
Ponzi Vineyards - Pinot Gris, 2006, Willamette Valley, Oregon - $19.00
Ceago - Cabernet, 2006, Mendocino, California - $32.00 (Their Sauvignon Blanc, 2006, is $18.00.)
Or, you can review (and order from) a well-regarded importer, Organic Vintners. They can supply you with organic, vegan or biodynamic delights (go to http://www.organicvintners.com/ for more info). However, you're going to pay more, and risk complicating your new focus on cutting down CO2 emissions from purchasing wines that need to be shipped great distances.
In any event, I want you to raise a glass (of organic wine!) to yourself, you Modern Eco Mom you, for taking better care of this planet.
Sources:
www.organicwinejournal.com
www.organicvintners.com
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Organic, vegan, recycled clothing... oh my
When it comes to fashion, baby, I'm a huge fan. I love to read about new styles, fabrics, designers... you name it. And, like my gal pals, I covet, but then rail against, the so-called "hot" handbags (which, I still call pocketbooks because my mom called them that). Why are they so pricey? I mean, really. They are all starting to look the same - Marc, Mulberry, Chloe, St. Laurent... my head is a-spinnin'.
And, now that you got me started on this topic, what's with all the new (read: expensive) sustainable, organic, vegan, waste-reducing clothing? What does it all mean? I know that Bono's company, Edun, produces cool fashions, and that it is "nude" spelled backwards, but that's it.
Clearly, I had much research to conduct. And, for the sake of my readers, I may have to purchase some of my research! (It is part of the job, folks. It is these types of sacrifices that I am willing to make for the betterment of our planet!!)
So, credit card at the ready, I started pouring through web sites, magazines, etc. Turns out, there is still quite a bit of confusion in terms of clothing labels. The U.S. standards are a bit flaky, and international standards aren't that much better. There are organic, vegan, sustainable labels. Recycled, waste-reducing, fair-trade produced...Want a bamboo tee-shirt? You can have one. Want a pair of jeans with recycled coke bottle caps for snaps - got it! Production processes to more safely harvest the materials, design, manufacture, package and ship are changing by the day.
After a short while of clicking, I found a great source: Lotus Organics (www.lotusorganics.com). The founders, the Lackmans, have been in the well-being biz for over 35 years. I figured they were safe to teach me.
Their blog: http://organicclothing.blogs.com/ is filled with amazing definitions, eco-fashion information and even a "clothing, fashion and fiber glossary the likes which you will never see (http://organicclothing.blogs.com/my_weblog/2005/12/fashion_fabric_.html)
After all is said and done, there are a gazillion choices today in terms of eco-friendly fashion. Not all organic dresses are made from hemp and look like burlap sacks and cost the same as a year of Ivy-league college tuition.
It just makes sense to look at what we wear if we are trying to change the way we treat this beautiful planet of ours. Do we want to wear shoes made from malnourished and poorly treated cows? Do we want to wear tees made from cotton grown with planet-poisoning pesticides or without? Do we want to support a company that cares about the environment or one that just wants a bigger bottom line? (p.s. go to www.patagonia.com, one of the caring companies.)
We all have choices to make.
And, speaking of choices, let's get to a new MEM idea.
Modern Eco Mom idea: donate
Go through your closet and donate some clothes that are collecting dust! It's pretty easy. A good rule of thumb is if you haven't worn the item in a year, give it to someone who needs it! Go to http://www.charityguide.org/volunteer/fifteen/used-clothing.htm for info on donating women's clothing; www.careergear.org for info about donating men's clothes and http://www.kidsdonations.org/ for info on donating kids clothing.
Rock on.
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Bagging it - grocery style
The other day, I wrote about "green" guilt and how it hits me every time I go to the supermarket. Well, another Modern Eco Mom, I'll call her "V," wrote to share her solution. It's smart, practical, and very inexpensive. Here it is:
Modern Eco Mom idea: buy reusable food bags and keep 'em in your car
When V goes to the market for her weekly grocery buy, she brings along 4 big re-usable food bags that she bought at that same market. She fills those bags with her market goods, pays, and brings the food home. After she unpacks everything at home, she puts the now-empty bags back in her car. Brilliant. She keeps them in her car!! They easily slide inside one another for space savings.
But, wait, there's more. Maybe you do a giant monthly shop at your supermarket. Those re-usable bags won't necesarily provide you with enough storage capacity. So, V suggests that you buy a handful (maybe 3, maybe 4)of those green recylcling-type bins with strap handles. Keep them in your car trunk for super organization. When you head to the store for the huge shop, just bring in the bins, store them under the shopping cart, and place your items inside. Again, a great idea.
You can buy the reusable bags and bins at Whole Foods and Trader Joes, just to name a few. Some of the bags sell for as little as $.99 each. (Go to www.wholefoods.com and www.traderjoes.com for more info.)
This is exactly what I'm talking about. Modern moms around the world sharing their "seem small but make a big difference" ideas to help protect the planet.
Definition: recycle
Most of us know what this means - to reprocess a material into a new product. Some of you may live in towns that have adopted recylcing programs. You try to sort the glass, paper and metals as best you can. Well, thanks to those of you who are doing so because I just read that the average person in the US produces over 1600 pounds of waste each year - almost one ton. If you really, really try hard and just recycle all of those same glass, paper and metals, you will save waste by up to 75%. Yes, that's SEVENTY-FIVE percent. Staggering, no? And, it really doesn't take too long to do so. You may need to get a separate bin in your kitchen or garage to store the to be recycled materials, but it really is worth it. You don't even have to buy a bin - just use a box from the grocery store or from the mail. Just make sure any aluminum cans or papers are dry before you store them in your recycling box.
Thank you for trying! You can do it!
Resources:
www.wholefoods.com
www.traderjoes.com
Modern Eco Mom idea: buy reusable food bags and keep 'em in your car
When V goes to the market for her weekly grocery buy, she brings along 4 big re-usable food bags that she bought at that same market. She fills those bags with her market goods, pays, and brings the food home. After she unpacks everything at home, she puts the now-empty bags back in her car. Brilliant. She keeps them in her car!! They easily slide inside one another for space savings.
But, wait, there's more. Maybe you do a giant monthly shop at your supermarket. Those re-usable bags won't necesarily provide you with enough storage capacity. So, V suggests that you buy a handful (maybe 3, maybe 4)of those green recylcling-type bins with strap handles. Keep them in your car trunk for super organization. When you head to the store for the huge shop, just bring in the bins, store them under the shopping cart, and place your items inside. Again, a great idea.
You can buy the reusable bags and bins at Whole Foods and Trader Joes, just to name a few. Some of the bags sell for as little as $.99 each. (Go to www.wholefoods.com and www.traderjoes.com for more info.)
This is exactly what I'm talking about. Modern moms around the world sharing their "seem small but make a big difference" ideas to help protect the planet.
Definition: recycle
Most of us know what this means - to reprocess a material into a new product. Some of you may live in towns that have adopted recylcing programs. You try to sort the glass, paper and metals as best you can. Well, thanks to those of you who are doing so because I just read that the average person in the US produces over 1600 pounds of waste each year - almost one ton. If you really, really try hard and just recycle all of those same glass, paper and metals, you will save waste by up to 75%. Yes, that's SEVENTY-FIVE percent. Staggering, no? And, it really doesn't take too long to do so. You may need to get a separate bin in your kitchen or garage to store the to be recycled materials, but it really is worth it. You don't even have to buy a bin - just use a box from the grocery store or from the mail. Just make sure any aluminum cans or papers are dry before you store them in your recycling box.
Thank you for trying! You can do it!
Resources:
www.wholefoods.com
www.traderjoes.com
Monday, May 21, 2007
Not for the idle...go mom go, stop mom stop
Well, I was down for the count yesterday. My old (clearly not modern) back went out as I reached down to pick up my 2-year old for a hug. Dropped to my knees as if Ali had KO'd me in the 12th round.
I tried to make the most of my "down time" (read: doing nothing but lying on the floor of my bedroom for the remainder of the day staring at the ceiling - which, by the way, needs to be painted) by trying to prioritize the next few blogs. I figured that we should talk about cars a bit, since they are one of the most detrimental sources of greenhouse gas emissions for individuals. And, as moms, a lot of us spend a lot of our days driving around and around and around.
Thanks to my nephew, J, I am including this simple, yet smart, idea. It's a no-brainer. When you're in your car and the weather is nice, turn off the A/C and roll down your windows. Without getting into specifics, this idea really does save gas. But, there is a caveat - when you're doing 45 mph or more (in the appropriate speed zones), roll up your windows as the drag created by the wind forces your car to work harder and negates the gas savings.
ModernEcoMom idea: stop idling
You know how you're waiting in line at school (in your car) for drop-off or pick-up. Maybe you get there early. Maybe you get there on time. Doesn't matter. There is typically a huge line with all the moms, dads and caregivers just running their engines while going nowhere. This is a real waste of energy.
To quantify, let's look at the numbers. The average US citizen produces 19.6 tons of CO2 emission per year. If you reduce your daily idling by 10 minutes, you can save 550 pounds of CO2 per year!
Now, just think what would happen if you helped your child's school institute a no-idling policy (uh oh, the activist that I didn't think was in me is now rearing her head!). Do the math, and you will see savings of thousands upon thousands of pounds of CO2. Yippee.
But, you do it first. Next time you do carpool, find a parking spot and walk the kids into school. It is more eco-friendly to start and stop your engine in these circumstances.
But, just remember that it's safe (and the LAW) to idle at a red light and stop sign!
Definition: So, what's a hybrid vehicle
I tried to make the most of my "down time" (read: doing nothing but lying on the floor of my bedroom for the remainder of the day staring at the ceiling - which, by the way, needs to be painted) by trying to prioritize the next few blogs. I figured that we should talk about cars a bit, since they are one of the most detrimental sources of greenhouse gas emissions for individuals. And, as moms, a lot of us spend a lot of our days driving around and around and around.
ModernEcoMom idea: roll down the windows
Thanks to my nephew, J, I am including this simple, yet smart, idea. It's a no-brainer. When you're in your car and the weather is nice, turn off the A/C and roll down your windows. Without getting into specifics, this idea really does save gas. But, there is a caveat - when you're doing 45 mph or more (in the appropriate speed zones), roll up your windows as the drag created by the wind forces your car to work harder and negates the gas savings.
ModernEcoMom idea: stop idling
You know how you're waiting in line at school (in your car) for drop-off or pick-up. Maybe you get there early. Maybe you get there on time. Doesn't matter. There is typically a huge line with all the moms, dads and caregivers just running their engines while going nowhere. This is a real waste of energy.
To quantify, let's look at the numbers. The average US citizen produces 19.6 tons of CO2 emission per year. If you reduce your daily idling by 10 minutes, you can save 550 pounds of CO2 per year!
Now, just think what would happen if you helped your child's school institute a no-idling policy (uh oh, the activist that I didn't think was in me is now rearing her head!). Do the math, and you will see savings of thousands upon thousands of pounds of CO2. Yippee.
But, you do it first. Next time you do carpool, find a parking spot and walk the kids into school. It is more eco-friendly to start and stop your engine in these circumstances.
But, just remember that it's safe (and the LAW) to idle at a red light and stop sign!
Definition: So, what's a hybrid vehicle
I am fascinated by my girlfriend's Prius - the most popular of hybrids. It is cute (well, not convertible cute; rather funky cute) and super roomy. If it had 3 rows, it would be my next car.
I had no idea what makes a hybrid so special, so I started doing some research. Turns out, a hybrid vehicle is one that uses two or more different fuel or power sources. Most likely when you hear the word "hybrid," it is referring to a hybrid-electric vehicle, one that includes an electric motor (powered by batteries) and an internal combustion engine (requiring petroleum).
Some hybrids are classified as SULEVs (or, Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicles) like Toyota's Prius. According to the manufacturer, the 2003 (and newer model Prius) produces 89% fewer smog-forming emissions that the average new car. And, the EPA estimates a combined city/highway fuel economy at 48 mpg. Even better, the third generation Prius (to be released in late 2008/09) may break the 70 mpg record!
Go to www.fueleconomy.gov for great information and side-by-side comparisons.
For the record, this is obviously one of those HUGELY expensive eco-friendly options, and I'm not about to sit here and tell you to switch to hybrids. However, it is absolutely worth your time to evaluate them when choosing a new car. (Plus, there are tax credits to be gained and even some special HOV lanes created for hybrid drivers.)
That's all for today. Hope this helps!
Resources cited:
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Green guilt trips - stop
I am really digging this new blog gig, although my 5-year old is desperate to get me off the computer so he can check out the NBA Playoff recaps on si.com. Blogging is quite empowering and liberating and, well, it's just plain awesome!
Every day, I think of more ways that I can help change how my family (and, maybe yours) can help protect the planet. And, it's not just about us recycling better or driving less or not drinking water bottled from afar... it's about changing our collective mindset. And that, my friends, is going to be the hardest thing to do for all of us - not just me and my boys.
I'll admit it - I've screwed up the environment. I truly have. And, I'm trying to own up to that fact and start fixing it. Some experts are yelling that it's too late, that we're a decade past the point of no return, but I think that scare tactic is full of bunk. I believe that view is going to make people care less and give up faster. I know in my heart that if us non-greenies start to make changes now, we can have a positive impact. (That's a subtle shout-out to all my fellow Mommys - you know who you are!)
But, as I said earlier, it's about first changing how we approach life and the little things we can control, and about how for moms especially, we have to stop feeling guilty about how we don't always make the right, green, decisions. And, I'm not talking about those big, expensive decisions, like about which car to buy - the behemoth, polluting SUV so you can drive 5 kids in carpool or the eco-friendly hybrid that will help save the world.
I'm talking about things like actually recycling your newspapers or water bottles on a daily basis, and not hiding them in the bottom of the regular waste can. I mean, why do we hide them, anyway? Is the waste collector going to call us out? Tell our moms? Get on a loudspeaker and cruise through the neighborhood denouncing us and our evil ways? Why are we afraid to be judged for that, and yet not so afraid to stop doing it?
At the supermarket, are you as confused as I am about whether to choose paper or plastic? They both create enormous CO2 output during production. Should I hand carry my food? Should I buy one of those recycled bags (and you'll need way more than 1) to help schlep my pricey organic items to the car - which oh, by the way, is a gas-guzzling SUV (I'm sorry)?
See what I mean? The guilt is everywhere. But, during my plane trip epiphany, I realized that I have to stop feeling so badly about all of it, and just start moving forward. I could either stay in this horrible limbo, or get off the proverbial pot and make a difference. I can't feel guilty anymore, and neither should you!
I keep thinking about the adage, "Rome wasn't built in a day." I know we don't have a whole lot of time to muck around in whether or not to be more responsible, but let's just try. Let's try together, today, this afternoon, tonight. Just try.
I'm asking you to become a ModernEcoMom like me - it's going to be a struggle, but us modern moms are unstoppable when we want to do something good, especially when we want to do it together. Our kids need and deserve a cleaner environment and a healthier future. And, we need it, too.
I've got a billion ideas, tons of information I want to share. I'm going to talk about topics related to greening your baby, your kids, your homes, your mode of life. In the process, I want to hear from you so that we can feel that sense of sisterhood, gain strength because we're not alone in this struggle, and know that on a daily basis, "we can do it because other MEMs have got our back."
So, email me at jen@modernecomom.com with your ideas, thoughts, comments, whatever. I will listen and share.
Okay, I've got to check out the box scores.
Every day, I think of more ways that I can help change how my family (and, maybe yours) can help protect the planet. And, it's not just about us recycling better or driving less or not drinking water bottled from afar... it's about changing our collective mindset. And that, my friends, is going to be the hardest thing to do for all of us - not just me and my boys.
I'll admit it - I've screwed up the environment. I truly have. And, I'm trying to own up to that fact and start fixing it. Some experts are yelling that it's too late, that we're a decade past the point of no return, but I think that scare tactic is full of bunk. I believe that view is going to make people care less and give up faster. I know in my heart that if us non-greenies start to make changes now, we can have a positive impact. (That's a subtle shout-out to all my fellow Mommys - you know who you are!)
But, as I said earlier, it's about first changing how we approach life and the little things we can control, and about how for moms especially, we have to stop feeling guilty about how we don't always make the right, green, decisions. And, I'm not talking about those big, expensive decisions, like about which car to buy - the behemoth, polluting SUV so you can drive 5 kids in carpool or the eco-friendly hybrid that will help save the world.
I'm talking about things like actually recycling your newspapers or water bottles on a daily basis, and not hiding them in the bottom of the regular waste can. I mean, why do we hide them, anyway? Is the waste collector going to call us out? Tell our moms? Get on a loudspeaker and cruise through the neighborhood denouncing us and our evil ways? Why are we afraid to be judged for that, and yet not so afraid to stop doing it?
At the supermarket, are you as confused as I am about whether to choose paper or plastic? They both create enormous CO2 output during production. Should I hand carry my food? Should I buy one of those recycled bags (and you'll need way more than 1) to help schlep my pricey organic items to the car - which oh, by the way, is a gas-guzzling SUV (I'm sorry)?
See what I mean? The guilt is everywhere. But, during my plane trip epiphany, I realized that I have to stop feeling so badly about all of it, and just start moving forward. I could either stay in this horrible limbo, or get off the proverbial pot and make a difference. I can't feel guilty anymore, and neither should you!
I keep thinking about the adage, "Rome wasn't built in a day." I know we don't have a whole lot of time to muck around in whether or not to be more responsible, but let's just try. Let's try together, today, this afternoon, tonight. Just try.
I'm asking you to become a ModernEcoMom like me - it's going to be a struggle, but us modern moms are unstoppable when we want to do something good, especially when we want to do it together. Our kids need and deserve a cleaner environment and a healthier future. And, we need it, too.
I've got a billion ideas, tons of information I want to share. I'm going to talk about topics related to greening your baby, your kids, your homes, your mode of life. In the process, I want to hear from you so that we can feel that sense of sisterhood, gain strength because we're not alone in this struggle, and know that on a daily basis, "we can do it because other MEMs have got our back."
So, email me at jen@modernecomom.com with your ideas, thoughts, comments, whatever. I will listen and share.
Okay, I've got to check out the box scores.
Friday, May 18, 2007
Getting started - no more junk mail
Okay, here's how I see this going ... in each blog, I'm going to suggest a "green" idea or 2 about how you, a modern Mom, can readily do your part to help protect the planet. Aside from doing extensive research, and talking to the experts, I'm also my own guinea pig - doing all of these things first- so it will be less scary and more informative for you.
I'm also going to define some terms so a) they seem less horrifying, and b) you sound more intelligent when you tell your friends about what you are doing and why (...like, when you're at a cocktail party and some blowhard with a Hummer starts telling you that Al Gore is full of cr*p, you can enlighten him with your modernecomom truths.) And, btw, you have to share what you're now doing with your friends - after all, we're in this together!
I promise to be as descriptive as possible and include associated costs, additional resources, etc.
Here goes:
ModernEcoMom (MEM) green idea #1: Stop your junk mail.
Did you know that the production of junk mail destroys over 100 million trees and wastes 28 billion gallons of water annually? No, well it does. I had no idea, and now I'm even more mad about the garbage I get in my mailbox every day. I even get junk mail from credit card companies that already have me as a customer. That is beyond, beyond wasteful.
There will be more junk mail for this MEM as I just signed up for the Sapling program at www.greendimes.com. For $.10 per day, or $36.00 per year, they will do the legwork to get me off the direct mail/catalog train. And, what's even better, they will plant one tree EVERY month of my subscription. (Appropriate trees get planted in North, Central or South America, India, Senegal or Haiti.)
Greendimes.com works in the U.S. and Canada -- the U.K. is next!
In 2-3 months, I will start noticing a significant change (upwards of a 75% reduction) in the amount of junk mail I receive.
Term #1 defined: carbon footprint
I hear and read about this concept frequently--it is bandied about tv and magazines by plenty of folks who may not be entirely sure what it means. To end the confusion, I went to www.carbonfootprint.com for help.
While "offsetting personal carbon footprints" may seem like something for only the Hollywood and modeling jet-set to do (sidebar: Lancome is offsetting model Elettra Rossellini Wiedemans' air travel-induced footprint), it actually isn't. We can all do simple things to reduce our own created emissions of green house gases.
"A Carbon Footprint is a measure of the impact human activities have on the environment in terms of the amount of green house gases produced, measured in units of carbon dioxide." (source carbonfootprint.com)
On a personal level, about 15% of our carbon footprint comes from our individual use of gas, oil and coal. Almost 12% comes from our use of electricty.
The CO2 we product is staggering, but fear not - we can do something about it now. In short, we can sign up for renewable energy, limit our car and air travel, buy local foods and clothing and ditch the bottled water. (More later on all of these tips.)
So, please moms, start today!! We can do it!
I'm also going to define some terms so a) they seem less horrifying, and b) you sound more intelligent when you tell your friends about what you are doing and why (...like, when you're at a cocktail party and some blowhard with a Hummer starts telling you that Al Gore is full of cr*p, you can enlighten him with your modernecomom truths.) And, btw, you have to share what you're now doing with your friends - after all, we're in this together!
I promise to be as descriptive as possible and include associated costs, additional resources, etc.
Here goes:
ModernEcoMom (MEM) green idea #1: Stop your junk mail.
Did you know that the production of junk mail destroys over 100 million trees and wastes 28 billion gallons of water annually? No, well it does. I had no idea, and now I'm even more mad about the garbage I get in my mailbox every day. I even get junk mail from credit card companies that already have me as a customer. That is beyond, beyond wasteful.
There will be more junk mail for this MEM as I just signed up for the Sapling program at www.greendimes.com. For $.10 per day, or $36.00 per year, they will do the legwork to get me off the direct mail/catalog train. And, what's even better, they will plant one tree EVERY month of my subscription. (Appropriate trees get planted in North, Central or South America, India, Senegal or Haiti.)
Greendimes.com works in the U.S. and Canada -- the U.K. is next!
In 2-3 months, I will start noticing a significant change (upwards of a 75% reduction) in the amount of junk mail I receive.
Term #1 defined: carbon footprint
I hear and read about this concept frequently--it is bandied about tv and magazines by plenty of folks who may not be entirely sure what it means. To end the confusion, I went to www.carbonfootprint.com for help.
While "offsetting personal carbon footprints" may seem like something for only the Hollywood and modeling jet-set to do (sidebar: Lancome is offsetting model Elettra Rossellini Wiedemans' air travel-induced footprint), it actually isn't. We can all do simple things to reduce our own created emissions of green house gases.
"A Carbon Footprint is a measure of the impact human activities have on the environment in terms of the amount of green house gases produced, measured in units of carbon dioxide." (source carbonfootprint.com)
On a personal level, about 15% of our carbon footprint comes from our individual use of gas, oil and coal. Almost 12% comes from our use of electricty.
The CO2 we product is staggering, but fear not - we can do something about it now. In short, we can sign up for renewable energy, limit our car and air travel, buy local foods and clothing and ditch the bottled water. (More later on all of these tips.)
So, please moms, start today!! We can do it!
Online Resources mentioned in this post:
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
What happened?
Last week, I flew from San Diego to Boston with my 5-year old son. It was just the 2 of us - we left the little guy at home with Daddy and Grandma. Because of this, I was able to bring some reading materials on the plane- a luxury for us traveling moms.
Perusing through the airport newstand, Life Savers and Rolos already in hand, I picked out 3 magazines without hesitation - Vogue, Vanity Fair and domino. The reason? Aside from the obvious, each focused on "green" or "sustainable" themes.
Once we settled in for the long (and I mean long) flight, I pulled out our snacks and fun stuff. First came the healthy stash, filled with whole wheat sandwiches, carrots and apples. Next came the "treat" bag - cookies and more cookies - yum. While laying out the spread (on my lap, because the seat-back tray was broken, of course), I was suddenly overwhelmed by all the plastic packaging I had used to wrap our food. What a load of saran wrap and ziplock baggies I had packed! Why did I do that? Did we really need 2 layers of disposable storage bags for the sandwiches?
Something in me just snapped - "no more," I said. "No more." Right then and there, I decided that it was time to make big changes. (To be truly honest, though, while that was the moment I finally broke down, I had been thinking and worrying about environmental issues and my own laissez-faire attitude for a long while. I obviously needed a good kick in the pants.)
So, like I said, that was the proverbial 'last straw'. I was finally free to openly admit that I had a problem. A weight was lifted. Like many, I was in complete denial that my own life habits were contributing to the destruction of our global environment. I think I always thought to myself, hey self, you're not a paper plant or oil refinery spewing forth greenhouse gases every millisecond, right? So, what's the big deal if you use a lot of paper plates, napkins, etc. or drive a big SUV? You're just one nice little family. How could you do any harm?
As I sat there riding out some turbulence, I thought about why I couldn't watch "An Inconvenient Truth" when it was in the theatres. It wasn't because I didn't believe in global warming or because I was scared of Al Gore or the Earth's impending doom. I realized then and there that the reason I couldn't watch the movie was because I didn't want to face the fact that I had done damage to the environment. I was culpable. I am culpable. The guilt was enormous.
It was time to do something about it, so I set up my son's portable movie player - Fox & the Hound II was on tap- found my notepad and pen and starting writing...and writing...and scribbling...and writing. I couldn't stop. I wrote lists of ways I could change my household, books I needed to read, research I needed to start googling, people I needed to contact, terms I needed to define. Pages of ideas poured out of me. I was literally shaking with excitement.
I knew I couldn't become an activist like Laurie David (who, by the way, is a passionate and intelligent force of nature!) at this point in my life. But, I realized that I could change my family and maybe inspire other people to change, too, in a different way. Like me, I think that other moms want to become more eco-friendly, but they are just too overwhelmed by 1) the oft scary changes we need to make; 2) the reasons behind the changes; and 3) the potential (large) expense of making changes. I began to believe that if we take a "one step at a time/baby steps" approach, we can start small now and then gradually (yet quickly-- those ice caps are melting every second) make even bigger changes.
So, somewhere 35,000 feet over Minnesota, modernecomom (www.modernecomom.com will be up soon) was born. I was going to help my family and others get "green" by helping to make sense of it all. I don't want to feel guilty anymore or be scared by people screaming at me to change because the world is falling apart. I know I should have started implementing these changes years ago, but gosh darnit, I'm finally starting!
So, moms, let's go. Let's start trying to heal our planet together. After all, they don't call it MOTHER Earth for nothing.
Perusing through the airport newstand, Life Savers and Rolos already in hand, I picked out 3 magazines without hesitation - Vogue, Vanity Fair and domino. The reason? Aside from the obvious, each focused on "green" or "sustainable" themes.
Once we settled in for the long (and I mean long) flight, I pulled out our snacks and fun stuff. First came the healthy stash, filled with whole wheat sandwiches, carrots and apples. Next came the "treat" bag - cookies and more cookies - yum. While laying out the spread (on my lap, because the seat-back tray was broken, of course), I was suddenly overwhelmed by all the plastic packaging I had used to wrap our food. What a load of saran wrap and ziplock baggies I had packed! Why did I do that? Did we really need 2 layers of disposable storage bags for the sandwiches?
Something in me just snapped - "no more," I said. "No more." Right then and there, I decided that it was time to make big changes. (To be truly honest, though, while that was the moment I finally broke down, I had been thinking and worrying about environmental issues and my own laissez-faire attitude for a long while. I obviously needed a good kick in the pants.)
So, like I said, that was the proverbial 'last straw'. I was finally free to openly admit that I had a problem. A weight was lifted. Like many, I was in complete denial that my own life habits were contributing to the destruction of our global environment. I think I always thought to myself, hey self, you're not a paper plant or oil refinery spewing forth greenhouse gases every millisecond, right? So, what's the big deal if you use a lot of paper plates, napkins, etc. or drive a big SUV? You're just one nice little family. How could you do any harm?
As I sat there riding out some turbulence, I thought about why I couldn't watch "An Inconvenient Truth" when it was in the theatres. It wasn't because I didn't believe in global warming or because I was scared of Al Gore or the Earth's impending doom. I realized then and there that the reason I couldn't watch the movie was because I didn't want to face the fact that I had done damage to the environment. I was culpable. I am culpable. The guilt was enormous.
It was time to do something about it, so I set up my son's portable movie player - Fox & the Hound II was on tap- found my notepad and pen and starting writing...and writing...and scribbling...and writing. I couldn't stop. I wrote lists of ways I could change my household, books I needed to read, research I needed to start googling, people I needed to contact, terms I needed to define. Pages of ideas poured out of me. I was literally shaking with excitement.
I knew I couldn't become an activist like Laurie David (who, by the way, is a passionate and intelligent force of nature!) at this point in my life. But, I realized that I could change my family and maybe inspire other people to change, too, in a different way. Like me, I think that other moms want to become more eco-friendly, but they are just too overwhelmed by 1) the oft scary changes we need to make; 2) the reasons behind the changes; and 3) the potential (large) expense of making changes. I began to believe that if we take a "one step at a time/baby steps" approach, we can start small now and then gradually (yet quickly-- those ice caps are melting every second) make even bigger changes.
So, somewhere 35,000 feet over Minnesota, modernecomom (www.modernecomom.com will be up soon) was born. I was going to help my family and others get "green" by helping to make sense of it all. I don't want to feel guilty anymore or be scared by people screaming at me to change because the world is falling apart. I know I should have started implementing these changes years ago, but gosh darnit, I'm finally starting!
So, moms, let's go. Let's start trying to heal our planet together. After all, they don't call it MOTHER Earth for nothing.
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