Natural & Green Living - Reader Discussion August 4th - 8th

I know the words natural, green and organic seem to be flying out of the mouths of everyone these days. Not only is it important to find the true meaning of each of these words but to incorporate them into our lives. I hope with this weeks series on Green & Natural living you will learn something new about these topics.

First of all, let's talk about living "green" It's a hot buzz word in the marketing world, but without all the cliché what does it mean to you to live green? To me, living green means living off the land. Not necissarily running out to purchase every product labeled green and eco-friendly but living sustainable with what has already been provided to us. Sustainability defined by the US EPA is “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

What does it mean to you to "live green" ?
Please feel free to join in discussion all this week in the comments portion of this post.

Thanks Shabby Miss Jenn for all of the beautiful things you offer that are now being used to beautify Vintage Indie.

Comments

[Desiree]

Living Green means a lot of things to me. Its living as naturally as possible from what I use to clean my clothes, to what I eat. I try to make most of my cleaning and laundry products. I try to recycle and reuse as much as possible with in my home ( I love saving and reusing jars.) I try to buy locally or organically whenever possible. There are so many things one can do to live a better lifestyle that helps sustain our earth and our bodies! And it makes me feel so good inside and out!

[Gabreial/Vintage Indie]

Hi Desiree,

I agree recycling is very important and I'm amazed at all the different things you can reuse. It's just looking at things in a new light.

I also think that meal planning is a huge way to live green and natural. Where you're going to shop, planning ahead for each trip so you don't have to run out again and minimize food waste is also another important aspect.

[Bobbi]

My family is fairly new to the "green revolution", but we are making baby steps toward a more sustainable lifestyle. As with everything in life, in order to make permanent changes in the way we live, it is going to have to be one thing at a time.

We are currently recycling paper, plastic, aluminum, and tin cans - but our big goal is to eliminate as many of these from our life so that recycling won't be necessary. For the month of July, I participated in a beverage challenge and quit drinking Coca-Colas. It was unbelievable the amount of "plastic" bottles I was taking to the recycling center every month! Now my plastic consumption is down.

We try to eat locally, but I don't beat myself up if I can't do it for every single meal. I love shopping the Farmer's Market - my local farmers have the best produce and I can even visit the farms where they are grown. But last week, my daughter had a craving for bananas - since we had not bought bananas for over six months, I caved in and bought some for her, but I didn't let myself feel guilty. I told myself the bananas were healthy for her, plus my rose bushes got an extra dose of potassium from the banana peels.

I also try to grow veggies at home: tomatoes, onions, lettuce and potatoes, in addition to several herbs. There is nothing better than walking out into the garden and picking the ingredients for a fresh salad. And I feel so virtuous doing it!

We're not perfect, but we are trying. Everyday we try to make small changes: from composting junk mail and kitchen waste, to line drying clothes and using grey washer water to irrigate, to growing some of our own food - every little bit helps. I'm hoping, with the support of other APLS bloggers, to make more changes in the way we live and in the way we think about sustainablity.

[jkj]

i'm at the baby step stage of being green. i do sort my trash, and recycle, and try to avoid packaging if possible. i always turn off lights/unplug chargers etc. when not in use. i limit watering and have changed some plantings to be more eco... mostly i'm reading about good choices, and am trying to be more thoughtful about what i buy, and reuse as much as possible. i am going to try making my own laundry soap.we ride bikes for fun, and my husband takes the train to work. my friend and i usually carpool to market, church and anywhere else we can. it's a start...