A Brighter Shade of Green

I had good intentions. It began with a small allowance and a trip to the book rack at K-Mart. Most kids buy toys; I chose a book about what kids could do to "save" the environment. I was in the fourth grade, and quickly became a 9-year-old obsessed with the destruction of the Earth; preaching to everyone about their recycling habits, pollution and wastefulness. Of course, at that tender age, I did not fully grasp the concept of what harms the planet, nor did I know that it takes more than those things I was preaching about to improve the health of our environment. By the time I was in sixth grade, the obsession had worn off; quickly replaced by crushes and giggles over the cute boys in class.

For the next few years, I gave the environment little thought. Sure, I tried not to be wasteful and tried to recycle, but it was far too easy to become complacent. It's not that I had developed an indifferent attitude about the situation; I simply failed to make much effort. As news of global warming and the push to live a more eco-friendly lifestyle began permeating the media, I took notice and made another attempt to change my evil ways.

I wasn't a tyrant about it, but I insisted that my family make some effort. All I asked was that we try not to be wasteful, reuse and recycle things, buy sustainable and environmentally friendly products and, of course, end our reliance on chemically based cleaners for our home. This only lasted a few months, as I was inundated with complaints about everything from the extra effort and lack of convenience to the barrage of people coming by to pick up things thanks to my posts on Freecycle and the low prices paid for recycling cans and metal. I tried to explain that these things were not the point; it was about doing our part to live a lifestyle that showed respect for Planet Earth. My words fell on def ears, as no one cared to hear the truth. It was all nonsense, they said, returning to their former, careless habits. I continued to practice my newfound environmentally friendly habits, but it was extremely difficult in a household where no one else wanted to make any effort.

It's been a few years, and now, as Earth Day 2011 approaches, I watch in disgust as my family insists on buying chemical cleaners (because they "smell good"), tosses heaps of leftover food into the garbage, fails to recycle and practices a number of unsavory habits that could only cause Mother Earth to grimace. I insist on new changes and compromise. No more waste. All leftovers will be used; either for another meal or as compost. We will be buying eco-friendly products. We will be reusing, recycling and Freecycling again. The same strategies used before will go into play, but I am making it clear that I do not want to hear any complaints and I expect participation. This time, I am not giving in.

So, what changed everything? Health problems. I am convinced that the toxic environment we have allowed ourselves to live in is contributing to the health complaints in my home. Oh, I know they are not the cause of the problems, as almost every health concern we have is genetic. However, the home environment plays a key role in the ability to heal and maintain reasonable health, despite the disease or illness one may have. I feel that we are doing some good for Mother Earth, but we are also helping ourselves in a number of invaluable ways.