Another "it's not easy being green" post
I need a new icon to go with this tag/topic.
Yesterday I had to explain to a newish friend as to why products without palm oil are a good thing, and therefore why I go out of my way to buy to buy projects that do not contain it. I also introduced her to Lush, and hopefully a life with slightly less packaging.
Recently I have been rather swings and roundabouts when it comes to some of my green activites. For me, part of being green is producing certain things for myself. For example, sewing, knitting, gardening. But I go through great long stretches where, for one reason or another, I am not only not productive on these fronts but actively feel like I want to drop them from my life. The temptation is very real and strong to give up and instead buy what I need and spend the freed up time being a consumer (whether that's simply buying more physical things or consuming more petrol to visit people and/or place). And that's the place I've been recently. I've been considering letting certain crops fail and giving away some of the stuff I use to make things. I am still going to give some stuff away but because I think the people who are getting them will not only use them more but gain more enjoyment from them too.
Being green in this sense is kind of like all things that we know we "should do" but involves effort and putting something long term before what we feel to be more immediate needs. Exercise. Housework. When we feel these are things we should do rather than the things we want to do they are liable to either fall to the wayside or simply (in my case) add to my stress, or both.
I'm sure the answer is in finding a balance. Because today I've spent time at the allotment and actually got some weeding done. Yesterday half by dinner was harvested from the allotment. I'm not really about to sit down and continue with my sewing, but that's mostly because there are other jobs to be done. And I've actually enjoyed the weeding and the work. Normally these are chores, effort, and I have to make myself do them. I had the option raised last night of spending today with MrP. Normally that's the kind of consumer behaviour that I enjoy indulging in and helps involve my mood and mental well being. However I turned down that option. I spent yesterday in town being a consumer, today I just wanted to get to enjoy being at home and having a little me space.
So both sides have been my life recently. Desperately wanting to take the immediately easy option and just being a consumer, and also enjoying pottering around living a simpler (but harder) life. It's not easy being green. It's a committment. But one that is worth trying to enjoy as much as possible. Anyone want some courgettes next weekend? The allotment has produced quite a few while we also got three in the veg box this week too.
Yesterday I had to explain to a newish friend as to why products without palm oil are a good thing, and therefore why I go out of my way to buy to buy projects that do not contain it. I also introduced her to Lush, and hopefully a life with slightly less packaging.
Recently I have been rather swings and roundabouts when it comes to some of my green activites. For me, part of being green is producing certain things for myself. For example, sewing, knitting, gardening. But I go through great long stretches where, for one reason or another, I am not only not productive on these fronts but actively feel like I want to drop them from my life. The temptation is very real and strong to give up and instead buy what I need and spend the freed up time being a consumer (whether that's simply buying more physical things or consuming more petrol to visit people and/or place). And that's the place I've been recently. I've been considering letting certain crops fail and giving away some of the stuff I use to make things. I am still going to give some stuff away but because I think the people who are getting them will not only use them more but gain more enjoyment from them too.
Being green in this sense is kind of like all things that we know we "should do" but involves effort and putting something long term before what we feel to be more immediate needs. Exercise. Housework. When we feel these are things we should do rather than the things we want to do they are liable to either fall to the wayside or simply (in my case) add to my stress, or both.
I'm sure the answer is in finding a balance. Because today I've spent time at the allotment and actually got some weeding done. Yesterday half by dinner was harvested from the allotment. I'm not really about to sit down and continue with my sewing, but that's mostly because there are other jobs to be done. And I've actually enjoyed the weeding and the work. Normally these are chores, effort, and I have to make myself do them. I had the option raised last night of spending today with MrP. Normally that's the kind of consumer behaviour that I enjoy indulging in and helps involve my mood and mental well being. However I turned down that option. I spent yesterday in town being a consumer, today I just wanted to get to enjoy being at home and having a little me space.
So both sides have been my life recently. Desperately wanting to take the immediately easy option and just being a consumer, and also enjoying pottering around living a simpler (but harder) life. It's not easy being green. It's a committment. But one that is worth trying to enjoy as much as possible. Anyone want some courgettes next weekend? The allotment has produced quite a few while we also got three in the veg box this week too.