Its Not Easy Being Green (Even with Good Advice) Takepart By Linda Sharps | Takepart18 hours agoNow that Ive been at this public eco-conscious endeavor for a couple months, I figured my overall attitude towards living green advice articles would have improved along with my personal choices. After all, if Im doing my best to cut back on paper towels, conserve electricity, reduce packaging waste, and make informed skincare and cosmetic purchasing decisions, doesnt that mean that my thinking has evolved and thus Ive become a far more groovy, earth-hugging, open-minded eco-individual? Unfortunately, if my near-violent reaction to reading that Halloween candy is destroying rain forests, killing orangutans, and contributing to horrifying child labor violations is any indication, the answer is no. For me the biggest challenge in going green has to do with the self-defeating notion that no matter what I do, it can never be enough. Or thateverything—as in, every single choice its possible for one human to make—is roiling with environmental controversy, even the things I thought were totally FINE. Who the hell knew fun-sized Snickers were bad for anything other than my ability to get into my jeans without a shoehorn?The key for reluctant, denial-oriented people like me, I think, is not getting overwhelmed with all the information thats out there. Because wow, theres a lot of it. And whenever I scan through those ever-popular How to Go Green in 583 Easy Steps lists, I find myself rolling my eyes at some of the things Im supposed to be doing to save the planet.For instance:Contaminants are tracked into homes on the soles of shoes. Consider becoming a shoe-free household. All I need to do to keep my carpets clean is to repeatedly nag the three clueless male members of my family to take off their dirty shoes, you say? Gosh, why didnt I think of that?Use white vinegar as a chemical-free cleaning agent. Im sorry, I am never going to do this ever. Because vinegar smells like vinegar. Which is HORRENDOUS. Thank god for the growing number of non-toxic cleaning products out there that dont reek like a barfed Easter egg.Switch appliances to energy efficient models. Im all in favor of doing this, but is switch really the right word here? Last I checked the process would be more accurately described as purchase new appliances, using many hundreds of dollars. Don’t turn on lights at all for as long as you can—open your curtains and enjoy natural light. Its November and I live in the Pacific Northwest. Our natural light this time of year is usually dark gray and filtered through a thick layer of moss and snail secretions.Line dry your laundry. See above. Combine all your errands for the week in one trip.Sure thing. I will need one (1) TARDIS.Instead of wasteful toilet paper, use pee rags—small strips of cloth that are used as a wipe, washed, and reused. Ahahahahahahahaaa *wipes tear, slaps knee* haaaaaaaaaaaHAAAA. No.You can save up to 1,460 gallons of water per year by skipping just one flush per day. So “If its yellow, let it mellow.” Again, no. I have two young boys with bad aim, so Im exposed to quite enough urine as it is, thank you.Carpeting acts as a collector for toxins brought into the home and those released from indoor sources. Reduce this hazard with a frequent vacuuming schedule. So youre saying I should constantly clean AND nag? And this would be different from my current lifestyle how?Clearly Im not quite as enlightened and receptive as Id like to be, although I suspect even the most hardcore environmentalists occasionally succumb to a moment of Oh please every now and then. Everyone has their limits, right? (PEE RAGS.)Whats been useful about writing this column is that Im focusing on one change or choice at a time, rather than trying to give my entire lifestyle an overhaul all at once. I may not yet be willing to embrace every green-living suggestion that comes my way, but small steps are better than no steps at all.
Posted on: Wed, 13 Nov 2013 13:12:33 +0000
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