It Start's With One Person

It starts with you.

On April 22nd we will be celebrating Earth Day. I always get excited about Earth Day, because even if it's only for a day, it's one day that people try to act responsibly.

When I was small, although Earth Day may have existed, there was no fuss. Global warming was still a phenomenon, and we didn't own a recycling container until I was in high school (but it was just decorative).

So when did things change?

For me it was a teacher. A teacher who had so much passion about the environment that it was literally catchy. I would leave her class with so much excitement. I couldn't wait to pass that excitement onto my students.

As luck would have it, I quickly became a Mom. Rather than passing the excitement onto students, I was able to pass it onto my children.

I quickly began to realize the hurdles of "Being Green." I also realized that my excitement wasn't shared by all...a huge misconception.

When I was pregnant I began my search for biodegradable diapers (something you probably won't find at your local market). If you think the price for a regular pack of diapers is expensive, wait till you get a load of what they want for these puppies. Needless to say, due to budget constraints, I wasn't able to add this coveted item to my baby inventory.

And that's just one example. The list goes on to contain everything from bottles to clothes to organic food. To be green you have to spend the green. There's no way around it.

While I do find it unfair, I believe in the cause. Sure it's more expensive now, but as more people catch on, companies will be able to lower their prices.

Start to make your home a green home, and you won't look back. But be patient, it takes some time. My home is still a work in progress and I began over a year ago.

If you need some help getting started, refer to this site: http://www.earthday.org/

Best of Luck!

Happy Earth Day: Are Kids Recyclable?

I got your attention with that title didn't I? No, I'm not looking to get rid of the children. They are loved and bring just as much love to me in return. But with all this Earth Day talk, it got me thinking. For those tough days with the children wouldn't it just be sweet if mother's had a switch or remote of some kind that could put their children's whining, complaining, screaming and fighting into an immediate Pause?

All of a sudden...complete silence. The remote would then recycle the noise and turn it into some melodic sound of Moms choosing. I know how funny this sounds, but just think back ten years ago when someone told you that one day your soda cans would be recycled into a purse, or your newspapers into a new shirt?

Hopefully you were lucky to catch some of the Earth Day specials on T.V. today. For instance, Oprah featured ways families could save over $1000. just by being energy conscious. There are no tricks, just very simple steps like replacing light bulbs, using weather strip on windows, and purchasing programmable thermostats. To get the low down make sure to visit http://www.oprah.com/

Ellen featured Waste Managements new recyclable kits. This is such a cool idea if you've ever wondered how to dispose of your batteries, fluorescent bulbs, computers, etc. Check it out at http://ellen.warnerbros.com/

Everywhere we go, people are talking about going green. The truth is that it is taking too much time to catch on. If we simply believe that every cause has an effect we may believe we can actually make a difference. Small steps now can lead to large movements. I learn a little each day, and I'm a far cry from calling myself green. Although I would settle for the title of Jade, Chartreuse, or Emerald.

Hopefully this post got you thinking. We all benefit if we all do our part.