G is for Green

With the 38th Earth Day less than a weeks away (April 22), it seems everyone is focusing in on our Mother Earth. The month of April is the perfect time to remember the beauty of our planet since the weather allows us to stretch our legs and enjoy the outdoors. Being green has always been important to me and I attribute this to my father. He would pile the three of us into the Radio Flyer and take us around Hill Crest Circle to pick up trash on our street. It didn't matter how small the piece was, we picked it up and put it in its place (and just for the record, I was always hoping to catch a glimpse of our very handsome- and twice my age- neighbor).
Likewise, I think the idea of sustainable living was romanticized for me by the Laura Ingalls Wilder series. I read all her books over and over again when I was little... I especially liked On the Banks of Plum Creek. I will never forget Laura's description of playing in the cool creek and eating the juicy plums or her Pa working hard in the field so they could ground meal for bread. Pa's spirit of pushing west to find their perfect piece of land so they could lay down their roots was so fantastic. It made me want to pioneer out to find my own perfect place to cultivate and care for.
So here I am in Newark, Delaware and attempting to settle on a borrowed plot of earth. Though not an "Outdoors Girl" per se, I do love nature and (if the weather is at least not freezing) very much enjoy being outside. Now that it is warmer, Sampson and I go exploring everyday. He likes to touch the shrubs and the grass, and he thinks the ducks are funny. I worry that in 25 years, when Sampson has a child, will it even be safe for them to go outdoors? Will people be so full of chemicals from processed food that the average life span becomes 15 years shorter? Will the environment still be able to support ecosystems so that animals can remain in the wild? What can I do, and encourage others to do, to preserve and protect Mother Earth? (and Mother Ocean!:)
Earth Day is the perfect time to set yourself up for improvement. Being greener can be as easy as turning on the light with energy efficient bulbs... or buying cold water laundry detergent... or using non-toxic cleaning supplies to do things you already do. With so much attention on the green and organic phenomenon, even the big box stores are giving shout-outs to Mother Earth. Wal-Mart is expanding their organic food options and addressing sustainability as a campaign for Earth month. Grocery stores are stocking organic generic products. New washing machines use almost 70% less water than old ones and much less soap as well. Cleaning out dryer vents maintains efficiency and dries clothes quicker (using less energy). Check out my favorite blog Green As A Thistle for 365 more ideas! This friendly Canadian spent an entire year making her lifestyle greener.
As for us? We're subscribing to Door to Door Organics which delivers locally grown produce (when in season) right to our door step. Deliveries can be make weekly, biweekly, or monthly. Our location will become a co-op in that other people are having their produce delivered to our house as well. It's very reasonably priced! If you're interested in joining, let me know!
We're also making a concerted effort to turn off (and unplug) as many appliances as possible when not in use (including this laptop!). AND, we have a new plant for our house (thanks Nouno) which will improve our air quality in the house. When we get our new house, we are looking forward to recycling (paper, plastic, and glass) and composting which should drastically reduce our disposable waste. I can't wait to plant fruit trees and a garden... and eventually, adopt a few chickens! (for eggs, not... chicken.)
Yes, we can all stand to be a bit greener and we can probably all do something today that will increase our verdigris. After all, we want to leave a beautiful place for Sampson's children (my grandchildren!) to grow up in.