When I heard that this month's Green Moms Carnival was Eco-Confessions, I laughed and thought how soap opera-ish. I've got plenty of these, and it was hard to decide what to write here. The carnival will be hosted over at the Green Parent in the next few days. There's sure to be some juicy eco-confessions!
Most of my confessions are about food. During the writing of my book that is due July 1st, I have become an overworked, late night, groggy morning, weary person. This type of lifestyle has consequences, such as over coffee consumption (oh, how little I drank while pregnant, if at all-- what happened?). Most of the time if my paycheck allows, it is fair trade organic, so that is good. I also kicked any soda habit during pregnancy, only to have it seem oh so appealing while I nod off reading Pooh books at 3pm. So that habit has resurfaced, at a time where I am very ticked off at corporate soda manufacturers (Coca-Cola and BPA!). I will win this one. Just today, I walked right by the soda aisle with only a small flinch.
Bananas. During my Earthwatch Expedition this fall, I learned from a PhD researcher I was working with whose tropical ecology study was in Costa Rica, that bananas, even organic ones, are an environmental disaster. Not to mention the thousands of miles they travel to my grocery store or co-op in Vermont. My kids eat these in droves and I just can't find a way to shake it. Not seasonal. Far from local. But addicting in their simplicity and nutrition.
I really don't like cooking. The only thing I enjoy about it is I get to listen to NPR while I do it. So, I look for convenience, especially when I am just home from work, exhausted and unmotivated (which sadly is much of the time). This leads me to veggie burgers, boxed Annie's Mac and Cheese, or frozen raviolis more than I'd like to admit. I KNOW less processed, local food is where I want to be. It's just that damn reality gets in the way.
I really could go on. I just focused on food and drink! Maybe I will do an Eco-Confessions part 2, to reveal more of my imperfections at the grail of greeness.
None of us are perfect. Did I mention my love of all things salty and crunchy in crinkly bags? I've tried to stave this one with popping corn when I really needed a fix. It sort of works.
What are your Eco-Confessions? Come on, spill some. I did! I would love to hear yours.
image: It's Early by Nero.Lives on Flickr
8 comments:
Hi Katy. I totally hear you about how we let ourselves slide when life becomes too hectic. In fact, many other bloggers are discovering that same thing when they take the "Show Us Your (Plastic) Trash Challenge" over at Fake Plastic Fish. It's a totally non-judgmental way to look at the plastic we generate and figure out what it is about our lifestyles and leads to so much plastic waste.
http://www.showyourplastic.fakeplasticfish.com
Maybe you wanna jump in and try it -- after your book is done of course!
Wow, I'm just shocked that you work full time and are writing a book and blog...Yeesh...how do you do it all? I wonder that about so many women.
And is that you drinking the coffee? :)
I'm with you on the processed food. Organic junk processed food. With the USDA Organic label. Yum.
i have so many--but it's better to think about all you do!
after going cold -turkey on not using paper towels (coincidently that was inspired by fakeplasticfish) we now use a mix of paper and microfiber
i don't make all of my daughters baby food
Reality does seem to get in the way . . . especially when you are juggling lots of things.
Katy, your confessions are so innocent! :-)
Mine are about the same. I figure we all do "what we can" while still pushing forward to push our initiatives and manage our family life.
I'm an NPR fan, too! :-)
Ugh, I know what you mean about the sodas. They are against everything I believe in (well, not everything, but you get the idea) Still, I find them so hard to resist!
Soda was really not that hard for me because I love iced tea so much more. Though I do have to get some organic soda when I go to Whole Foods or my favorite natural food store but both are a good drive away from me so it doesn't happen often and I tell myself at least they are natural or organic and it's rare lol.
I also don't like coffee and I finally found organic fair trade tea that I really like. It's still a lot of waste though and I drink a 1/2 gallon a day some days.
But I think that being busy and having to use easier food is something we all deal with at times. I always have some organic mac & cheese in the house. :)
In my classes I remind my parents that habits like coffee and pop consumption are actually addictions. "quitting" is more than not having it anymore - there's an entire withdrawl process. Once past that...you can feel very accomplished. Until you have that "one" at the movie theatre oh just that one time, and then the taste for more consumes your very being ...I know this because that's happen to me on more than one occasion
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