Choices Not Sacrifices

I hate organic peanut butter. Hate it. It tastes like glue. I tried it. And then I bought a jar (plastic) of creamy Jiff. But I unplugged my dryer and hang my clothes to dry.

I will make a special (extra) trip every once in a while in my car to get fresh organic produce. But I will ride my bike to work.

I’m not ready to give up scoopable cat litter…especially with my new house guests. But I have replaced all the light bulbs with CFLs.

I will use my air conditioner this summer. But I will continue to recycle.

I will still travel several times a year to Texas to see my family. But I am rewashing ziplock bags and occasionally reusing tinfoil.

We buy meat in Styrofoam packaging at the little grocery near the station because they don’t sell it any other way (and my fire guys need meat, don’t ya know). But I bring dishtowels and cloth napkins for us to use instead of paper towels.

I will run the space heater in the garage (one of those really safe ones plugged into a power strip) for the dogs on really cold nights when I’m at work. But I take my own bags when I go shopping.

I will run the hose while washing my fire truck. But I won’t idle in my car (or my fire truck for that matter).

I’m not giving up Jelly Bellys or Cheezits. But I will freeze my buns off all winter.

I will color my hair. But I will Freecycle instead of throwing away.

This journey into greenness has required a paradigm shift. In the beginning I was very intense, making sacrifices that made me feel...somewhat superior.

That wasn't really working.

Over time I began to realize that I could do the things that fill me. The things that make me, me. I can make choices that are good for me...and good for those whales.

And I can continue to do some of the things that I enjoy.

I don't have to give it all up.

Neither do you.

Just think. If each one of us made our lives 50% greener. Think about how much of a difference we can make.

It's not realistic to think that we can live on this planet with no impact. We WILL over time use up this earth.

But...if we are more mindful of the impact that our lives have we can begin to slow the process. Let's not think about saving the planet for our kids but saving the planet for the kids to come, generations and generations from now.