Some notes on eco-friendliness, without being preachy or hypocritical

I don't believe that recycling or bringing my own bags to the grocery store will save the planet. It won't. Even if you tell all your friends and relatives right now and they all commit to eco-friendly measures, we won't stop climate change. Scientific research, investment, lobbying and political measures that regulate  industry and society, however, might very much change the scenery. Someday. Maybe.

So why do anything at all? While I try to bring my IKEA bag to Kroger to get laughed at, aren't the huge industries of India, China, the US causing so much pollution no amount of world citizens can "repair"? Let's not forget, we all profit and live off those industries... People in developing countries don't have the luxury to think about such issues and won't participate. And the wealthy? Isn't having a compost but flying to the Maldives contradictory? Being vegan and owning cars? Yes, but people just are wired that way. I remember calling my art teacher out about environmental pollution in the US, asking him "why do Americans have to get those to-go bags, the straws? It's so much unnecessary plastic." He got right back at me and said "But you keep throwing away all of your food, little girl" (he likes to call me that, its fine :) and I indeed rarely finish my food when I don't like it, which happens often), so touché...

I don't believe we'll get far by lecturing. And I don't think we should have a moral high ground over each other. Being zero waste doesn't automatically make you a good person. However, I've understood over time that some aspects of the "natural" movement are healthy, beautiful and money saving and that's what I want in life. Therefore, I started adapting the following principles to my family's lifestyle:

1) Water. I always drank water out of plastic bottles, even when I lived in Germany, but when I saw my French tutor put tap water in an elegant glass bottle to pour me some, I thought "how pretty." If your tap water is clean enough (google it), why spend all that money, carry all those heavy canisters, deal with all that plastic that's possibly harmful to the organism? And if it's not clean enough, a water filter (or fridge with filter) or a purifier will be much cheaper in the long run. For carbonated water that has many health benefits, there is Sodastream.

2) Saving electricity and water. When I only have a couple things to dry and especially when they are delicate, I dry them outside. I know it's very un-American to have a drying rack in the backyard, but who's even able to see it? I air things out outside as well when they are not dirty, just smelling like smoke (yikes). I will never urge for shorter showers or try to conserve my used water (just, no). But turning it off during tooth brushing doesn't hurt. Turning off all the computers and lights in the house at night? That TV on the patio? There's even apps for that now. Super easy. BTW my husband is pretty "green" (more thank me) and always leaves on the lights and devices everywhere... 😅

3) Eat less meat, buy organic if possible. My saving hack is - the cheaper the store, the more organic stuff I buy there. Look for certified organic labels. I used to be vegetarian or pescatarian, but when Covid hit, I started craving meat again. But 2-3 times a day? Chicken AND bacon in one salad? Is that necessary or delicious? No.

4) When I developed a skin allergy I had to switch to more natural products and rediscovered the possibility of making my own face masks or cleaning products. Will I make my own detergent? Probably never. But I can clean my shower with vinegar & water mixed in a spray bottle. I use Aloe Vera on my skin for my facial device, Greek yoghurt as a face mask and Coconut Oil as a hair mask. Did you know that wipes that remove make-up cause wrinkles? I use Clinique's "Clean the day off" balm instead.

5) Keep more things to reuse. I love throwing away and donating. It makes me feel light and free. But then again, you can put some things to use again, which I'm convincing myself now - jewelry bags and boxes to store hair accessories, sewing tools or home tools like pins, nails etc., plastic bags for trash, candle glasses as vases, baby muslin cloths as rags, old towels as dog towels and / or more rags. My friend Rachel recently taught me the smartest trick of all - use cardboard as a painting palette! Instead of buying all those plastic palettes or plates, I now reuse my own cardboard trash from all the amazon packages (here we were thinking quarantine would be good for the environment....😬)

Do you have more advice for me?

Talk to you soon, J.

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons