Why I love my farmers market

What'd you do this weekend? I'll be asked. And I'll tell them the truth, we went to the farmers market.

Sometimes I'm met with an raised eyebrow, others and eye roll. But here's the truth. For our family, it's the place to be on a summer Saturday morning.

While we might go to a different one every now and then, we always return to our trusty market. And here's why.

The people.

No, not the food. We can get tomatoes or cucumbers or herbs just about anywhere. And to be honest, this little market pales in comparison to the variety at other locales.

But it's about people.

Our vendors have watched our children grow from infants to savvy shoppers, picking out their own plants and produce on occasion.

My daughter has her favorites, too. First we catch up with the Pepper Guy, discussing how our tomatoes are growing, commenting on the garlic, him offering her a head or two to plant this fall or vastly miscounting the number of peppers he's throwing in our bag.

Then we wander to another booth, where the owner comments that she doesn't see us at her farm stand as much this year (a change in open dates, combined with an overly aggressive planting at home and a change in evening schedules, sealed the deal).

Then to the mom and her kids, who each sell their organic produce in the shade. (Even the children are in the act this year, growing their own.)

See, we could shop just about anywhere. But it's about the people we see each week that make the difference.

This is my contribution for the July APLS Carnival topic on farmers markets. Join us for a wrap-up on July 18!

Actions speak louder than words

Weeks before a primary election, we have five candidates for U.S. Senator in one party, and not a peep has been spoken about the air we breathe. Or the quality of our food. Our the cleanliness of the water. Or the basic building blocks of our health and well being.

(Unless of course, you count a little thing called health care reform.)

The very people who could be representing our state instead have rallying cries that sound like the me-too's of high-school students. Even the media reports that there is very little difference in what these candidates say. When they have an opportunity to pledge support for creating healthier environment, and thus, a healthier future, I've heard few words, if any, spoken.

So when Erin posed the question for the APLS Carnival whether personal or political change is more important, I say the change I can believe in is the change I make myself.

Here's the deal. I think the actions by our leaders the last few years have left people increasingly disheartened with the political system. And if we feel we can't trust them with the big decisions - like creating jobs, ensuring adequate health care, educating our children - how can we trust them with the details of reversing damage done to our environment through lax legislation and enforcement over the decades?

The reality is I can write letters. I can make phone calls. I can rally my neighbors. But in the end, the only person I can trust to make changes is myself. So I'll start with the simple actions I can take, trust that someone else might be listening and hope for the best from there.

Confessions of a multitasking mom

Priorities. It seems I have too many. And too few resources to treat them all with the attention they deserve.

Sure, this sounds like the lament of a working mom. But it's true of any person, I think. We have so many hours in the day, so many resources we're blessed with. And in the end, we have to make choices.

And so goes it with making choices for my family and the world around us. I have great intentions. But I can't do it all.

I value the few hours a day I have as a family - the whirlwind hours of 5:30 to 8:30, where juggle dinners, diapers, playtime, bathtime, stories and struggles of not wanting to go to bed. Many days, I wind up exhausted, and often my husband and I are right behind them in going to sleep.

So that leaves me with a shortage of time. And so each hour is wasted as little as possible. Need to cook? The kids join us in the kitchen, despite the frustrations that accompany it. Want to garden? They're right beside me starting seeds and commenting on which are sprouting first. Doing yard work? Bring your own shovel and watering can. It may feel like play to them, but they're quietly learning a lot about how we take care of this world.

Those busy hours are springboards for interesting conversations. This morning's rush was punctuated by a discussion of where food comes from (from my 4 year old), which led to a talk about how fun it is for us to garden. We talk about how recycling allows us to make new stuff from old, and we talk about how we can help others by donating things we may no longer be able to use. Most talks aren't nearly as deep, but the point is, we talk. As a family. And that time's important too.

So while much happens in our family hours, much is left on the table. Like the dishes. Or the laundry. My household is far from perfect, and it shows. I choose some time-savers too without even blinking. For all of my homemade meals, there's plenty of frozen finds too. For all of my applesauce making in the fall, I still use fruit cups by spring. For all of my homemade cleaning solutions, I still have my stash of Clorox wipes. For all of my high-efficiency appliances, I'll still dry my dishes in the dishwasher - or put it on the one-hour wash to save time. Certainly not anything to scold me over, but it's a decision nonetheless.

Life is a series of choices, big and small. There are times when we can invest a lot in green living, and there are times when we pick and choose. Right now, forces at work, with my family and with my health mean I'm scaling back on a few of those smaller choices. But as the springtime comes and my health (God willing) improves, I'm sure my energy will return and I can put a renewed focus on things I've left behind.

In the end, I don't think any of us can do it all. Nor should we attempt to. But the aggregate of us making changes, big and small, can make a dramatic difference in this world.

This is my submission for the March APLS carnival on making choices, hosted this month by wikeorama.

Winter Motivation: APLS Carnival Roundup

Whether it's the grey skies, the formidable temperatures and road conditions or dearth of motivational checkpoints, winter has a way of damping the best of our intentions.

Maybe that's why we had a smaller group chiming in on ways to remotivate yourself in the winter months.

Yet a small force of APLS bloggers shared their tips and successes in staying green in the winter months. For many, it's a time to change focus and turn to planning and evaluation.

Earlier this month, I wrote about my personal challenges in staying motivated in the winter months, and how I'm working to overcome them. "Not every moment of our lives is - or should be - about doing. Sometimes we need a little quietness in our lives."

Over at Compost Happens, we're reminded that winter can be a good time to plan for the future. Without the distractions of outside chores, we can focus on improving things indoors. "Cabin fever might not be curable, but making space on the basement shelves or purging the excess from a closet feels productive."

Meanwhile, in Colorado, Kellie at the Greenhab has caught spring fever. Her home has been busy planning for gardens and summer camps, flirting with new recipes in cookbooks and trying new things she'd might have not done had it not been frigid inside. "My showers may be longer and hotter than they are in the summer months and I may drive more often than walking, but there are just as many sustainable things to do inside during these dark days of winter that will pull us through to the inevitable days of spring," she writes.

Steph at Greening Families turns her thoughts to the home office. "When I am racing a deadline, I sometimes have a hard time maintaining my motivation for green habits, especially the ones that take a little extra time. " My favorite tip - though for a motivation of an entirely different manner - is conserving through keeping those office supplies out of the reach of eager fingers. Can't tell you how many sheets of work papers have been scrawled on lately by wannabe writers.

Erin at the Green Phone Booth writes how it's time to focus on the positive. Remember that old adage about "smile, and the happiness will follow?" She points out it's the same with any positive change. Focus on the positive, and more good ideas will flow. So start today by listing all of the changes you've made in the recent months. "Yes, the winter is dreary, the root vegetables endless. Yes, the long, gravelly path to sustainability is the road less traveled. But, look how much we have done!" she writes.

While we had a quiet month this month, I hope you join us for March's topic. Visit the APLS Carnival site for the March's topic. If you're interested in hosting for our spring or summer season, e-mail me at goinggreenmama at gmail dot com.

Thinking green when it's all white

While the red branches of our blueberry bushes make a gorgeous contrast against the snow, I admit that I'm too the point that I feel like winter has won.

I miss seeing the ground. I miss not slipping and falling in my work parking lot. I miss being able to go outside without 17 layers of clothes and my parka on.

And while I want to see "green" outside, I admit I struggle to think it.

The fact I've battled bugs and exhaustion for three months (whether it's parenting, stress or health remains to be resolved) doesn't help. I stare at the grocery ads, wondering what I quickly can do to make it through the week. I shelve out for mac and cheese microwavable bowls because it's a good deal (and thankfully could cash in when I was barely able to stand). I go through roll after roll of paper towels while cleaning up after my suddenly clutzier older child and my toddler's tantrums. And I wonder, as I'm lugging bags of bottles, cans and newspapers home from the office in the snow, what am I thinking?

While I've admittedly cut back on my green adventures for now, another season awaits. Sometimes we can't put our whole effort into everything. And this is one of those times.

Not every moment of our lives is - or should be - about doing. Sometimes we need a little quietness in our lives. I was reminded that today by a friend of mine, and while she was talking of her faith, the same concept applies. No matter what the aspect of our lives, we cannot keep going at 100 miles an hour. We have to rest. We have to recharge. We have to reflect.

So these recent weeks, while I've been passing the environmental buck, I've been taking baby steps to plan and consider the coming spring and summer. I've been researching how we can make the most of gardening in our small lot, from companion gardening to making the most of our seasons. I've been trying to rework the contents of our home, like reorganizing my children's closets, really looking at our hand-me-downs, and offering to charity what we truly cannot use. No child needs 15 shirts.

And, most importantly, I'm being forced to finally listen to my body and recharge myself. I hope you are able to do the same.

This is my contribution to the February APLS carnival on Winter Motivation. It’s not too late to join us! E-mail your posts to goinggreenmama at gmail dot com by Feb. 22. We’ll post the highlights here on Feb. 24.

Winter motivation?

If there were no winter, spring would not be as grand.

That sign I passed on the way to work this morning was far too true. But frankly, I’m tired of waiting. For me, it’s tough to stay motivated on things in the winter months.

Single-digit temps and tricky roads make it challenging to get to our winter farmers market to get what’s left of the seasonal produce.

Stacks of garden catalogs and seed packets lie in wait for the snow to melt and the ground to unfreeze. Here in Indiana, we often have to wait until May to plant.

Longer commutes from snow-packed roads mean we tend to slack on the eating, too, relying on a diet too often of boxed macaroni and cheese and more processed foods so that we can just feed the hungry kids.

Spring seems too far away. So how do you stay motivated?

Join us for the February APLS Carnival on staying motivated in the winter months. It’s not too late to join us! E-mail your posts to goinggreenmama at gmail dot com by Feb. 22. We’ll post the highlights here on Feb. 24.

Beyond the Hallmark moments

"Merry freakin' Christmas. I get tires."


Yes, that was my post on my Facebook page just days before the birth of Christ. But the funny thing is, it was done with a lot of love and caring. My tires were worn, in fact - something I hadn't checked seeing I had a relatively new vehicle.


I saw dollars at a time we didn't have much. And yet, that simple act - ensuring our safety on the roads - is one of true kindness and compassion.


I think back to the story my mother tells of when she and my dad were dating or were newlyweds, I can't remember which, when he bought her tires for Valentine's Day so she would be safe when she drove on wintery Wisconsin roads.


But acts of love don't have to be costly or conventional, and they don't have to come shrink-wrapped in a box of chocolates, fuzzed-up in a teddy bear or trimmed down in a tiny nightie. Everyday moments can show the love for one another.


Like the wool socks my now-husband bought for me in college, because I'd complain about my feet freezing in the mile-ish hike to one of my classes (OK, or any other time).


Or the fact that my daughter wants to give her toys to her brother or a good friend, not because she doesn't want it, but because she thinks others will get the same enjoyment.


Or in the simplicity of a hug after a bad day.


This Valentine's Day, I challenge you to think outside the norms and find your own way to share your love for someone else dear to you. Maybe it's snuggling under a fuzzy blanket and watching a movie after the kids go to sleep. Or a stroll by starlight. Or a phone call or handwritten note. Or even doing a chore for someone who usually takes on that task. Because it's those little moments that mean the most.


This is my contribution for the January APLS Carnival on Greening Your Valentine's Day, hosted by Retro Housewife Goes Green on Jan. 19. Join us by sending your posts to love_cats05(at)yahoo(dot)com by Jan. 17. If you're interested in hosting a future month, post below how we can reach you.

Green journeys - Taking action

The materials of action are variable, but the use we make of them should be constant.- Epictetus (c.A.D. 50–c.A.D. 138)

“We have to join the Sierra Club,” my husband would announce once a year, cussing under his breath about the travesties George Bush would bring to the cause of the time.

And so, every 18 months or so, or whenever prodded in just the right manner, we’d concede and send off our student-rate check to join the Sierra Club. And that was that. No letter writing for causes. No joining local efforts. Just a card-carrying member.

Sure, they got our check. But they never really got our hearts.

For years, I thought I was environmentally responsible. I recycled my cans and newspapers. I turned off my lights. I combined my errands. I went to farmers markets. I even grew a few things that survived into the summer.

But I really didn’t think about it. What made the difference, though, were two little eyes looking at me. And I began to wonder what kind of world we’d leave for her. Would she have clean water to drink? Safe food to eat? Outdoors – that hadn’t been ruined by us – to enjoy?

And so, we started making more and more little changes. We cook more, and not from boxed kits or frozen packages. We actively look at the packaging we bring into our home – not to sweat over it, but to be smart about it. We try to offer more responsible in our shopping, from toys to clothes to care items. We get to know the people who help make our soaps, start our plants and grow our food.

Sure, it may not seem like a lot. I’m still not pounding the pavement to protest how endangered species are being treated or oil drilling. And once in a while, I do write a letter or two on saving the world. These days, though, I’m focusing on launching a quiet attack – by teaching my kids habits that can last for this generation and the next.

This is my submission for the December APLS Carnival on "Green Journeys." It's not too late to contribute yours - email consciousshopperblog@gmail.com by Dec. 15. And read about other bloggers' journeys on Dec. 18 at the The Conscious Shopper.

Other people's stuff

I'll be straight and just say I've got flu big time on my brain. Thankfully, it hasn't hit the family yet, but I've been swamped with H1N1 communications at work the last few weeks in particular. It's interesting, but I'll be glad when I quit dreaming about it at night!

Rather than hear me rant about being smart and staying healthy again, here are a few articles I've seen that are worth sharing:

Erin writes a great story on eating seasonably on the Green Phone Booth. I have to agree with her - the tiny strawberries we picked from our garden the other day had far more flavor than the pound of red, tasteless things we picked up at the supermarket this weekend.

Beth writes about how cotton clothing just might not be over on Fake Plastic Fish.

I know we're all about saving money these days, but sometimes a little investing is good, too. Rachel writes about 3 great ways to save money over on Small Notebook.

The other day a friend said to me, "Your Facebook always says your work is making you nuts, or your kids are making you nuts..." While it's a bit of an exaggeration (I torment my friends with cute kid stories and social media articles too), I know it's tough sometimes to remember the joys in parenting. FishMama writes about balancing the two on Life as Mom.

And Kellie sums up what other APLS'ers have to say on prolesythizing green. Stay tuned for the November carnival topic.

Have a safe and healthy week!

Having faith in your actions

“If you have men who will exclude any of God's creatures from the shelter of compassion and pity, you will have men who will deal likewise with their fellow men.” – St. Francis of Assisi

Sustainable living, living green or any other catchphrase of the week, in part, can be argued a part of living out your faith. After all, what is more appropriate to living your faith than caring for God’s creatures? (Which, in case you forgot, includes us.)

Yet, for as vocal of a person as I am about the little things in life, I’ve always struggled with the idea of pushing my values onto another person. The people who shoved politics or religion down others’ throats – the “my way or no way” types – were the ones I’d avoid the most. So not preaching loudly is (hopefully) what I’ve not practiced this many years.

I do believe actions speak louder than words. For as trite as a saying as that is, it’s true. I can tell you how plastic is choking the fish in the ocean – but I can far easier show you that it’s simple for you to do something about it, that it doesn’t take much time or resources to make a difference in these uneasy times.

Hopefully seeing our very small examples might rub off on you in some small way. After all, our family is living proof that even a one-year-old can grasp the most basic concepts of caring for the earth. Does he understand it all? No. Does he make an impact? I believe so.

I’ll be honest too, that I do hide behind my blog and in real life often have to hold my tongue. I tolerate the husband of a friend who truly thinks being green is a conspiracy. We simply agree to disagree. And there’s too little time in the world to nag a person for sending their kids out with a disposable milk container or single-serving bag of pretzels. Instead of worrying about the little details in life, I focus on the ways we can make small changes to make the biggest difference. That mostly ends up in slight tweaks in our lifestyle, rather than a overwhelming “event” that impacts our extended family.

Which leaves me once again with the words of St. Francis: "Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible."

This post is part of the APLS October Carnival on "Proselytizing Green,” hosted this month at Greenhab. Check out the carnival posting on Oct. 19. Want to participate? E-mail greenhabgoods {at} gmail {dot} com.

Cycling, community and a little TLC...Other writers' views on being green

The last few weeks, I've been up to my ears in work projects, so I'm slowly getting a chance to catch up on my reading. Here's a few articles from other writers worth looking at:

Recently I was inspired by a man I met who lost more than 250 pounds. It started with bariatric surgery but his success was largely due to his love of cycling. Just for fun, he rode across the state of Indiana the other day. Yep, biking isn’t just for kids. I’ve had to listen to my father and brother tell their tales of what I consider extreme bike rides for years, but other people are jumping on the biking bandwagon too, for fun and for transportation. Chile shares her experiences during a month-long personal challenge to drop her car and writes about “falling in and out of love” with her bike.

Fall means back-to-school nights, football and fall festivals. We’re coming back from trips around the country and re-settling in at home. But it’s more than just getting together with the neighbors. A strong community means a greener planet, too. The Conscious Shopper gives you five reasons why.

For all of my gardening mishaps this year, the biggest is that little thing called watering. As my lawn browns to a crisp – interesting because it really hasn’t gotten past the 80s much this year – I keep forgetting that I need to water more than my weed patch in the back. In My Kitchen Garden gives me a little more inspiration – and a reminder that a little TLC now could pay off next spring.

And the September APLS carnival is up! Does size matter when it comes to being green? Find out!

It's not the size, it's what you do with it that counts

I miss the days of carefree living, when I could stop what I was doing at the drop of the hat and...

Have a 5-minute uninterrupted conversation. (OK, a 1-minute uninterrupted conversation.)

Leave the house on a whim, with nothing but a small purse.

Go for a long walk without someone whining about having to use the potty.

Spontaneously road trip some place.

Make a 3-course Chinese dinner for some friends.

(Where did you think I was going with this anyway?)

I confess I had to chuckle when Tina at Crstn85 proposed a topic of "Does size matter?" for the September APLS carnival. Does it matter, she wondered, if you're a singleton or a party of five when it comes to being green?

Oh yes, yes, it does.

Before I was a mom, I didn't give much thought to environmental concerns. Sure, we were card-carrying members of the Sierra Club, loved to hike, recycled our cans, had our 40-mpg little car. But I didn't think about bigger picture items. Like the amount of plastic we chucked each week, or what it contained. Or the amount of chemicals coating our food. Or what really the world would be like a generation from now if we didn't change our ways.

Before I was a mom, my trash can and recycle bin were a lot emptier. I didn't have to juggle three versions of milk, or sippy cups, or random Happy Meal toys saved lovingly by my mom, or craft projects from day care (now multiplied by two).

Before I was a mom, shopping at the farmers market, cooking a healthy dinner and working in my garden were a heck of a lot easier.

Before I was a mom, I didn't realize how much fun making a batch of muffins, or playing in the puddles in your garden, or taking a walk at a snail's pace could be.

And I say all of these things, as a mom, full well knowing that whatever I do, I'm in the middle of a spectrum. I'm in the middle of the fast-food-for-dinner crowd and the stay-at-home, handmade-everything moms. For every mom who amazes me with her ability to make well-rounded dinners from food in their backyard, presented on recycled placements recreated from repurposed materials, there's the mom who frankly, thinks I'm nuts to go as far as I have.

And I know that circumstances in my life will change. Someday, we could have more financial resources again. Someday, my kids will be able to be left alone for five minutes without fear of them using the magazine rack as a stepping stool to the stove. Someday, we'll be able to work in the yard without worrying that the kids will run in the street or fling all of my tomatoes like softballs. And someday, this too will have passed.

For now, though, I'll enjoy my seemingly weird Saturday traditions of chasing my babies at the farmers market, cooking with my kids, playing in the mud patch that was a garden and thinking someday I just might get that laundry done, even if it means putting them in the dryer on high.

Green on the Cheap: APLS Carnival Round-up

Welcome to the revived APLS Carnival! This month's theme was "green on the cheap" - in other words, balancing sustainability with smaller pocketbooks. If the recession's got you down, no worries! We've got some great ideas to get you motivated again.

Speaking from experience.
Several APLS'ers shared openly how their family overcame or averted a financial crisis by simply living more frugally.

Abbie at Farmers Daughter shares her evolution in going greener and living more frugally, giving three easy ways to pare back expenses and live more sustainably. Read her post to see how she saved $7,000 last year alone! Impressive!

Heather at Simple-Green-Frugal shares her life of voluntary simplicity and how she got there. "I believe it is in times of crisis that we discover what we're truly made of," she writes. Read on to her comments - she's so simplified her life that she could make a move with only her compact car - taking one trip! I'd love to hear more about how she was able to pare down - our family has a long way to go!


Another Heather, at Heather's Homemaking, offers simple ways her family was able to live more frugally so she could stay at home with her children. I think I'm going to have to figure out how to make the cloth napkins - what a great idea!

Steph at Greening Families shares how her family overcame debt by following the three R's. "Anything that broke or wore out was examined for possible other uses and most of the time there were multiple possibilities," she writes. As an example, she shares ways to get new life out of old pants.

I come clean on how my family's financial crisis has impacted our lifestyle choices and admit to wondering whether I'm being good somedays simply because I must. "Like a dieter who’s craving chocolate, I think about the things I want to buy but are simply out of reach at this time."


Spending smart.
Perhaps any future problems will be averted just by watching how we use the resources we have.

At the Green Adventures of a Big City Girl, Heather cost-comparisons shopping while cutting coupons with buying locally from CSAs and other local vendors. "I was a big coupon clipper. I mean BIG. Like I had a big binder filled with baseball card sleeves of thoroughly organized coupons," she writes. "I had no idea I could do this and actually NOT spend more money than I used to on groceries. Cheap, unhealthy, processed, full-of-pesticide-and-fake-ingredients groceries. And I'm really enjoying the process of learning about new vegetables and introducing them to my family. Dinner is an adventure every night and so much fun to be trying new things."

Kellie at Greenhab shares the challenges of greener birthday party planning when the guest of honor thrives on Chuck-E-Cheese. "I decided to stop hanging my head in shame when my son's birthday came up, and to put my money where my mouth was. Or...put my money back in my wallet and put my conscience where my mouth was. Something like that," she writes.


The Conscious Shopper at the Green Phone Booth admits to her green envy but realizes that prevention can be the best policy when it comes to waste. "Going green can be expensive - at least in some ways - but sometimes the greenest path is also the cheapest," she writes. "And once I realized that, my green envy subsided, and I was able to get creative with what I have."

Lisa at Retro Housewife Goes Green talks about the toughest lesson of learning to be more sustainable: That buying less truly is more. "Green has become so mainstream everywhere you look is some new product telling you how it will help you be more green when most of the time we don't need it," she writes.

Beany at the Middle Way, who admits to "being a tightwad when it was uncool," waxes on how we've put our money where our mouth was and what morals our economy has supported. "I think a strong evaluation of the new American values is long over due. I think people do need to think long and hard at what it means ...when one can zip 100 miles to a job with no consideration of that mode of transit is doing to the environment that surrounds us. Who benefits when one can buy apples for $0.10/lb from Guatamela. Why does one have to maintain vigilant eye on what product is currently the subject of a salmonella outbreak?"

CRSTN85 writes about how you can help the economy and the environment at the same time. "It should be second nature to check in with neighbors to see if they could use something you're getting rid of, and if not, it should be donated rather than left by the curb where hopefully someone will take it before the trash pick up date," she writes.

Thanks to those of you who participated in this month's carnival! Look for September details to be posted shortly on the APLS blog.

8-20: My apologies to Jenni at Web of Life! I'd forgotten to include her in the initial post. Check out her tips on being green while saving green, from thrift-store shopping to investing in microfiber cloths. "Basically, I spend next to nothing to keep my house clean. Now if only I could get somebody to clean it…" she writes.

Confessions of a light green, going-for-broke mom

There’s guilt about being caught. And there’s true remorse and changing ways.

I think the same can be said about frugality and being green. You can do it because of circumstances beyond your control, or you can do it because it matters. Right now, I’m trying to see where I fit.

I’ll be honest in that this recession hit our family hard. My husband’s industry was one of the first to be hit, and we’ve lost roughly $50,000 in income over the last 14 months. 50 grand can do a lot of things, and losing it hurts. I won't even go into how bad. But that doesn’t mean that we can’t make the most of a seemingly bad situation.

Going to a one-income family has taught us a lot of lessons. You might see green, but we’re being radically frugal in our lifestyle. Gone are the daily cups of soda from Speedway. Gone are meals and movies out, replaced from cooking at home, often from scratch – and the kind of scratch that doesn’t come in a box. We fill out our children’s ever-outgrowing wardrobe with hand-me-downs and resale shop finds. And I’m trying to hold off as long as we can to buy anything.

The funny thing is, we've learned to live in such a way that I'm surprised we "needed" all of that income in the first place. I'm sure there was a lot that was quite simply wasted. It kind of makes you wonder where our priorities were.

That’s not to say this green thing is a sham. I’d wanted to reduce the chemicals in my home, and we were weeding the vast number of cleaners out of our home already, replacing it whenever we could with a general cleaner, or even better, vinegar or baking soda when needed. (It’s amazing how easily that works.) I love fresh produce, so we hit the farmers market hard, and this season, started our own gardens, to moderate success. We worried about chemicals, so we now grow them naturally, for better or worse. I felt guilty about those plastic poopy diapers sitting in landfills for eternity, and we’ve settled into a pattern of cloth at home, disposal at day care. I scour the organics section of the grocery to find steals, and I’m thrilled when I do.

Have I truly changed? I don’t know. Like a dieter who’s craving chocolate, I think about the things I want to buy but are simply out of reach at this time. I’d love to replace a lot of things in our home that are outdated and just worn out. I’d love to update my wardrobe. I’d love to relax with a brand-new book with that newly printed smell. I live vicariously through the people I know who travel, eagerly listening for a crumb of their adventures, of which I’m not able to partake for the very long future.

The thing is, I think I’m not alone. Our country went into a no-buying panic mode for six months or so, and finally has given up and gone back to consumerism. If this Cash for Clunkers program is any consideration, I think as a country we’re itching to buy something, we just don’t have the resources.

I’m curious to see how I’ll turn out. For my family, we plan to hang tight, dig out of our financial crisis, then reassess where things are before we make major - or even a lot of minor - decisions. But I’m guessing the lessons we’ve learned during this journey will stay with us for some time.

What about you? Has the recession impacted how you do or don’t live green? Leave your comment below or join us for the APLS blog carnival. Submit your post to goinggreenmama at gmail by Aug. 15. And watch for a wrapup of the discussion here on Aug. 19.

August APLS Carnival

The APLS Carnival is back!

Join us for a discussion of "Green on the Cheap" in August.

Has the economy impacted how you live green? Do you buy fewer green products to save money? Or have you redoubled your efforts to live sustainably? What have you learned about living environmentally friendly on a budget? Let us know your thoughts!

Please send links to your posts by Aug. 15 to goinggreenmama@gmail.com. Even if you're not a regular contributor to the carnival, we'd love to hear your voice.

We'll post a wrapup of what other writers have to say here on Aug. 19.

When giving gives a Fresh Start

For many people I know, “going green” isn’t just about buying a few select products. Instead, it seems to be part of an entire lifestyle overhaul that reflects on largely simpler and less chaotic living.

As part of that reduction of chaos in my life, I’ve been slowly paring back the “stuff” in my home over the last few years. I admit that I hate to get rid of things. What’s worse is this is a learned trait from my mother, who hung on to things for sentimental or other reasons. I still remember when I came home from the hospital when my daughter was born – and my parents greeted us with two moving boxes full of artwork, random items and paperwork from when I was a child.

Paper clutter aside, I’ve learned over the years that good things can find good homes. And while it’s easy to pass along outgrown baby clothing to an expecting friend, what to do with other things may not seem so obvious. Perhaps you’ve splurged on new dishes or furniture, or received an heirloom item and no longer need redundant items cluttering up your life.

That’s when donating good items to good causes makes sense. While many of us know about Goodwill, Salvation Army or AmVets, the reality is these items go to showrooms of randomness and may end up being severely marked-down castoffs. It’s great when looking for a random find, but not so great about getting things directly to people who could use them.

One cause I’ve held dear to my heart since moving to Indianapolis is Fresh Start of Indiana, a domestic violence organization that provides transitional services to families leaving the shelter. As having a stable homelife can help prevent victims from returning to their abusers, getting these families re-established with a home – not just an empty apartment – makes all the difference in rebuilding their life.

Fresh Start provides everything from bedroom furniture to kitchen supplies to clothing for these families. It helps nearly 100 women each year, which is an amazing feat, given that these are all donated items.

If you’re considering some serious spring cleaning or just want to give green, consider this untraditional way of caring by donating your unneeded things to causes that help families rebuild a home.

This month's APLS Carnival is focusing on ways we can give green. For more posts, visit Green Resolutions on March 20.

Wasting nature's beauty

Each summer, my family would take two vacations. The first to see our grandparents. The second, to go camping.

Often this involved a trip to Colorado, but we also were blessed to have a few excursions to Yellowstone National Park. Yes, it meant an extra day of driving - both ways - for three frustrated children crammed in the back seat of the car. With no air conditioning. Listening to Peter, Paul and Mary for hours on end.

But the trip was always worth it. Words can't do justice for the amazing sights a person can see at Yellowstone. We saw the park, charred the year after the fires. We saw its beauty as wildlife started to return.

But we the stop prized most was the one to see Old Faithful and Morning Glory. If you've never had the opportunity to see either, Old Faithful is an incredible geyser that used to shoot off like clockwork on the hour. Or at least it used to.

Now, it shoots off anywhere from an hour to an hour and a half, due to earthquakes and vandalism.

Morning Glory Pool is a thermal pool that used to be a deep blue. It's still beautiful, but it's changed.

Years of trash, rocks, coins and more that were just thoughtlessly tossed into the pool have had significant effects. The natural vents were blocked, impacting water circulation, accelerating the loss of thermal energy and dropping its temperature. Orange and yellow bacteria that used to be on the outside of the spring is spreading toward its center.

It's been more than a decade since I've last been back to Yellowstone, and I wonder how things have changed. And I wonder what it will be like when my children are old enough to truly experience and appreciate its wonders.

Here's what amazes me about this world. We can watch nature's beauty in its finest and toss our trash right into it.

If we can't look nature straight in the eye and appreciate and respect God's creation, what is wrong with us as a people?

In a few short weeks or months, the signs of spring will start to return. Flowers will bloom. Trees will bud. Greenness will return.

And as that happens, take a moment to appreciate the beauty around you. And think of ways to preserve it for those around us.

Maybe it's as simple as planting a tree. Or participating in a trail clean-up day at a state park. Or visiting a lesser-known national park to experience the quiet and the wonder, away from the traffic of the more popular parks. Go for a hike in the spring. Go for a hike now - and enjoy the beauty of winter. Enjoy the beauty of this world, away from the traffic, the subdivisions, the headaches.

Get back to where we came from, and see for yourself the reasons why we're trying to be more environmentally friendly.

And please, if you have to carry something with you, be responsible with your trash. A little slice of the world depends on you.

My contribution for this month's APLS carnival on Nature and the Environment. Read other thoughts on the subject on Feb. 20 at the Green Phone Booth.

Photos from the National Park Service.

Giving you the respect you deserve

So much about being green is about the future. But the part we often forget is we're part of that future, too.

I was reminded of that today when reading a post by Steph at Greening Families, who shared her struggle to make greener choices, step by step.

The first choice was picking her battles. Check.

The second was a bit deeper: "Asking ourselves if a decision would give us more choices or fewer choices in the future." Provocative, certainly. If you make a purchase, it limits your funds for later. If you buy something that supports chemical use, that may limit your choices in the future as well.

The third, though, touched a nerve: “Would I share this product/food/experience with my child?”

Sure, as a mom, I have thought about that 100 times. My 3 year old has not (to my knowledge, anyway) sipped a soda. She gets her naps, like it or not. She didn't eat cookies or cake or similar treats until her first birthday. And she is never turned down when she asks at the store for a (yuck) green pepper or other healthy treat.

But the reality is I don't confer that same respect to myself as I do to my kids. I was asked, point-blank, yesterday, "Mommy, why do you drink so much Diet Coke?" (And to make it worse, her coloring page from daycare, which included a can of soda, was colored Diet-Coke grey.)

I don't give my body the exercise or sleep it needs. I don't manage my stress. And I certainly don't eat as healthy when my kids aren't around. Sure, I have great intentions. But that batch of cookies a coworker brought in sometimes gets in the way.

Paving the way to a healthier environment, bodies and future for our children is a beautiful thing. It's just too bad when we forget to extend that same respect for ourselves.

Little green lies

Want the truth about going green? It's not easy. In fact, it's a lot of work.

You have to think consciously and cognizantly and be a responsible grown-up about your actions. You have to think beyond yourself to the generations ahead of you. You think about the generations today, and the wildlife around (and not so around) you. It's a hefty responsibility. And maybe all you wanted was a clean toilet!

Whew. It's little wonder we start slipping into little green lies. With the mounting pressures of the world around us, being environmentally responsible can start to take a back seat.


So like everything we do with good intentions, we start to slip a little.

Maybe it's too cold outside or you're too rushed to run back to the car to grab your bags for your grocery shopping. One time won't hurt, you reason. (Yet the average person uses enough plastic bags each year to use up a half-gallon of gas each, the plastic manufacturing industry admits.)


Maybe it's the Styrofoam cup you grab at the cafeteria because you were there, you were thirsty and you didn't keep a cup at your desk that day. Just this once, you figure. (Yet there's no Styrafoam recycling for at least 100 miles around the Indianapolis area, according to earth911.)

Maybe it's the 100-calorie pre-porportioned treats you bought at the grocery store, paying far too much for because you didn't want to make the time or the hassle of buying a normal or bulk-size package and counting out the baked chips or cookies yourself. It's more convenient this way, you rationalize. I don't have to think about it. (Yet people tend to overindulge on the "just this once" 100-calorie packs, adding to weight gain and the amount of trash consumed.)

Maybe you decide to run through the drive-through just this once. After all, I had a long day at work, the kids are cranky, and so am I! (Yet Central Massachusetts University found at that the average McDonald's drive-through window, vehicles spent more than 37 hours combined idling each day. One hour of idling burns about a gallon of gas. Do the math.)

Maybe it's just another little green lie we tell ourselves.

Visit the APLS Blog Carnival, hosted by Cathy at VWXYNot? on Jan. 22 for more contributions on the games we play to talk ourselves in and out of green decisions.

APLS Carnival

So I admit to having some early-morning inspiration as I drove by the elementary school on the way to the office.

"Children are our most valuable natural resource," it said.

What a powerful statement. And so open to possibilities. And so I proposed it for a topic for the December APLS blog carnival. Because, while I know it’s the holidays, the writers in this group are up for a bigger challenge than how to just give green for the holidays.

I’ll admit to being blown away by the response. Because here’s the truth: Whether we have our hands full as a parent or are not even considering childbirth any time soon, we have a stake in tomorrow.

During this holiday season, some of us focused on how the lessons of giving can extend beyond Dec. 25. Raising children to think beyond themselves (and reshaping our culture as a result) was the topic of my post earlier this month. And Green Bean, inspired by the well-wishing Secret Santas that are becoming a positive epidemic in our world, is finding ways to foster that inspiration and caring for others nearby and abroad in her family. "I can't imagine a greater gift than to teach our next generation the gift of giving," she writes.

Fostering that sense of self, in all its imperfections, is the focus of Burban Mom’s essay. She writes: "[W]hether it's a passion for art, a love of music or a concern for our environment, it is absolutely imperative that we give our children the encouragement they need to at least TRY."

Erin at the Conscious Shopper laments the disconnect our youngest generations have from the natural world. “I can remember being as young as five and playing freely in the field in front of our house with my older sister," she writes. "...I can't imagine letting my kids have the kind of freedom in nature that I enjoyed. Not only because the world seems less safe now, but also because there's just no place like that around here where they can play.... Without experiencing nature, will the next generation have any desire to preserve it?" Erin goes on to offer ways to reintroduce ourselves and the next generations to the "real" world.

Beth at Fake Plastic Fish reminds us that generations past might have taken a different approach. "These problems began before I was born and have increased significantly in recent years with the explosion of single-use disposable products," she writes. "I'm glad there are folks here considering future generations. I wish those who started this mess had considered mine. But for me, considering the impact I am having each day, right now, is enough."

Curiousalexa takes this twist on the Golden Rule: "I am green because that is the type of world I would wish to inherit, the type of world I wish to inhabit. I am green not only to maintain this world for future generations, but also for the present generation, and in the hope that previous generations would have wanted to do the same for me."

Abbie at Farmer’s Daughter takes inspiration from her students: from those trying out eco-friendly clothing to the ones taking larger steps, including promoting sustainable fishing and dreaming of studying environmental law. Take a look into our future on her blog.

Finally, Ruchi at Arduous Blog reminds us that it’s not too late for any one of us to make changes. "I don't care if you are six or if you are 72. We are all the future. … Live life. Every day. Reach for your dreams. Don't let the idea that you're too old stop you."

True words. We can all make a difference, no matter our age or circumstances, and don't we all deserve a brighter tomorrow?

Thanks to everyone who took time this busy holiday season to participate in this month's blog carnival. Be sure to check the APLS blog for updates on our January topic!