Yeah, you! I’m talking to you! Let’s have a little chat. Can you fill me in on all your reasons for not going green?
Okay, maybe that was a little aggressive…sorry. I just wanted to get your attention and shed some light on a topic that maybe you don’t even think about – ever. And, I’m not judging, I promise! So what are your reasons for not going green? Does something below resonate with you and your family??
It Didn’t Occur To Us
So if you are like most active families you have a lot on your plate – work, school, kids activities, home upkeep, etc. The list goes on and on – and never seems to get shorter. You are doing your best to make it all happen smoothly and don’t have a lot of down time to stop to think about what effects your lifestyle has on the environment. So, let’s take a moment now – just a really tiny one. I could throw out lots of statistics but I’m not sure that brings it home for most of people. Instead I ask you to consider all of the things you have and do in your home. All of those things use resources in some form or another to get to you to make your life better or more convenient. And once all of those things are done being used in your home they have to end up somewhere – a landfill for hundreds of years, a water treatment plant that requires resources to maintain, a storm drain that leads to a body of water. (See my post, “Where Does My Trash Go?”). I could go on and on but for now let’s just see if thinking a little more about the big picture is possible.
It Takes Too Much Effort
If I hear my husband complain one more time about having to use a reusable Keurig cup
instead of a plastic one I might lose my mind! Is he really that lazy? Ooops – probably too aggressive again! My point is that it’s simply just another way to do the same thing – have a cup of Joe in the morning. It might require one or two teeny extra steps but for something that’s really important (and maybe it’s not important to you yet?) the small extra effort is worth it. It’s really just a change in habits. (See my post, “Help Your Family Adopt Green Habits.”)
We Can’t Make A Difference
I admit if you, and only you, recycle everything you can, you alone are not likely to save the planet or solve global warming. However, we have to start somewhere or we won’t get anywhere. It will be the cumulative affect that will make a difference in reducing the amount of trash being buried in landfills, or the amount of electricity that needs to be generated by burning fossil fuels or the amount of toxic substances that are washed down storm drains and into our waters. The alternative is that you do nothing to be green and just keep using and using. That is definitely not going to help. It also, in my opinion, doesn’t set a great example for our kids and future generations.
It’s Too Expensive
I’m not buying this one – sorry! There are sooo many easy, cheap ways to go green! You don’t have to purchase solar panels for your roof or replace all of your windows. You can do inexpensive, even free, things like turning out lights when you leave a room. Or turning off the water when you brush your teeth. Or using existing trash cans to separate out garbage for recycling. (See my post, “Help Your Family Separate Garbage For Recycling“). Or shopping at farmer’s markets. Even green cleaners that keep harmful toxins out of the air in your home don’t need to be expensive. They are becoming more mainstream and can often be found on sale. Or you can make your own at home!
I Don’t Know Where To Start
I know the the idea of being green can seem overwhelming. When I decided that I wanted our home and our family to live greener I felt like a huge burden just landed on my shoulders. I felt like I needed to research everything and get it all going at once. I needed to start checking things off the list – NOW! Since then I’ve learned that it is, and has to be, a gradual process and that we can start with some basics and add on from there. Plus, the time it takes to go from idea to implementation in my life right now is pretty long! So start with something, anything. It will make a difference – and it will be a step in the right direction.
