There is a new board on the Nest called Green Living. When it first started up I popped over to read what was going on. I have posted a few times but find that I just can not relate to a lot of the posts. Lately it has had me questioning how green I really am. I use shampoo, I wash my face and use a moisturizer. I don't make my own deodorant, I use Colgate and for the love of all things holy I do not use the Diva Cup.
Does this make me a bad environmentalist? I don't think so, and I hope others don't think so. I pick my battles, I put my effort into the area's that are important to me. For some making their own deodrant and using cloth instead of toilet paper is where their priorities are but for me it lays in reducing our energy consumption, planting native landscaping, buying locally and using green building products.
I guess my job plays a role in this as well. I looked back on what I have done in my career and the impact I have had. I know I have made a difference, I know the programs I have implemented have resulted in the reduction of emissions and waste from my employers facilities and the products they are making. Those aren't things that people who I don't work with can see. When someone asks what I do to reduce my impact on the environment my answer wouldn't be that I have helped a manufacturing plant find an alternative use for their waste product thereby diverting it from the waste stream and making it a raw material for someone else. My answer is always "oh we compost, buy from the farmers market, use EF cleaners". For me this just does not seem to even start to explain why I consider myself to be green.
So....my name is Jen and I have made a difference. I have helped companies reduce their waste generation and air emissions by thousands of metric tonnes. I have turned waste into raw materials. I have opened people's eyes to the real impact a company can have and that it can save money by investing in environmental technologies. Oh and I also have a backyard composter, an organic mattress in our son's crib, a truck that runs on ethanol and a tankless water heater.
Don't base what you do for the environment based on what others do. Do what is your passion, do what makes you happy and know that using paper towels does not make you the devil.
Does this make me a bad environmentalist? I don't think so, and I hope others don't think so. I pick my battles, I put my effort into the area's that are important to me. For some making their own deodrant and using cloth instead of toilet paper is where their priorities are but for me it lays in reducing our energy consumption, planting native landscaping, buying locally and using green building products.
I guess my job plays a role in this as well. I looked back on what I have done in my career and the impact I have had. I know I have made a difference, I know the programs I have implemented have resulted in the reduction of emissions and waste from my employers facilities and the products they are making. Those aren't things that people who I don't work with can see. When someone asks what I do to reduce my impact on the environment my answer wouldn't be that I have helped a manufacturing plant find an alternative use for their waste product thereby diverting it from the waste stream and making it a raw material for someone else. My answer is always "oh we compost, buy from the farmers market, use EF cleaners". For me this just does not seem to even start to explain why I consider myself to be green.
So....my name is Jen and I have made a difference. I have helped companies reduce their waste generation and air emissions by thousands of metric tonnes. I have turned waste into raw materials. I have opened people's eyes to the real impact a company can have and that it can save money by investing in environmental technologies. Oh and I also have a backyard composter, an organic mattress in our son's crib, a truck that runs on ethanol and a tankless water heater.
Don't base what you do for the environment based on what others do. Do what is your passion, do what makes you happy and know that using paper towels does not make you the devil.
I feel that my kleenex consumption alone undoes all the other good things I try to do :(
ReplyDeleteBut I just can't use a hankie. Even if I did, I'd go through about 10+ a day and have to do so much more laundry. I'm not sure which is worse! I need to remember to look for EF tissues.
I don't know if I have ever seen any either. I will keep my eye open for some and let you know if I find any.
ReplyDelete