Monday, June 6, 2011

Green Enough

I don't know about you, but I constantly worry if I'm green enough.

I buy fruit from farm stands/markets in the summer. But, I have never asked if they are truly grown around here (one stand I don't want to know the answer because they already have peaches and cherries - none of which are ready here in NJ). I tell myself I'm being better because I do this.

I have discovered the "joys" of baking soda and vinegar as cleaning agents. Not sure if this makes me green, but it is cheap. and I think green.

I turn my air up upstairs (we have 2 zones) during the day and the downstairs up at night. Once again - I think I'm being green...but I'm really being cheap. Air conditioning kills us each and every summer. So I'm hoping this will help.

I have absolutely no trees in my yard. So I know I'm not giving back the oxygen...but I plant a bunch of flowers every year does that help?

I am an energy/heat nazi in general. Green? yes. Cheap? you bet.

I want to plant a veggie/fruit garden next summer. This summer I still have a 19 month old that would destroy all plants he touched. Hoping that next summer he'll be good and I can plant.

I buy organic when possible/affordable. I think this makes me greener right?

I drive a mini-van. There is no getting around the fact that this is not green. I actually want a full size conversion van and if I can ever afford it - I'm getting it. My husband says that will be great on gas and my answer? Nope but it will be comfortable. BAD.

What I hate about the "green" movement is that you can never do enough. You think you're doing things ok and then you realize that your goal in life is a gas guzzling vehicle. You think you're doing something right, only to find out that it's really not.

Are we ever going to be green enough? Will our actions please anyone?

Being half green (like me I think) leads to more judgment and confusion. If you are fully green and on board more things than I could ever think of you at least have the approval of the other greenies. If you do nothing and just say to hell with all that - at least you have some companionship. Me? I'm so in the middle that both sides scorn me. One side says I don't do nearly enough and one will make fun of me for trying.

Meh. Feeling very philosophical for a Monday morning.

2 comments:

  1. I think the middle is where most people are. I think even if you just do a little it's better than doing nothing.
    I don't think it's possible to be completly green, there is always something else you could do (solar panels on your house, rain barrels, windmill in your yard, house made out of recycled whatever)
    We are somewhere in the middle too.
    Oh yeah, I put a fence around my garden to keep the dog and the toddler out!

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  2. ha ha ha - I like the fence idea:) I really wanted to plant this year - but by the time i was going to do it - it was really to late to get it all in you know? So next year.

    And yeah...I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to have solar panels or a turbine (which I'm not sure is even legal here in my backyard - but it is almost ALWAYS windy. Every storm I'm like man...I could be making money on this).

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