bein' green.

i've always been the one in my family who was what they called, "counter-culture." i went against the grain from a young age. independent. free-thinking (when i wasn't feeding myself destructive self-talk).

i listened to all the "alternative"music, dressed in clothing that was. . . outside the norm of the Gap and Express, i explored spirituality and thinking outside the church. and i got into "being green." at first it was hard for my mom to get used to--the idea of recycling was weird. and she worked for a plastics company, so she got all bent-outta-shape when my theatre group did an environmental piece in which we slammed plastic.

i hope that nowadays being "green" isn't seen as counter-culture or weird or out of the norm, but i'm sure in many places across the U.S., it is.

honestly, i have gotten lazy. i wish i were better at it. it took Al Gore's movie to put me over the edge. . . well, that and having a child. i want him to have a life where he and his kids can breathe the air outside and take hikes and see SNOW. so, i'm trying to do all the right things.

currently i'm struggling with the diaper debate. they say the cloth are more environmentally responsible. i'm sure they are, but i've read some info. from both sides. the cotton industry ain't so pretty. it takes water (energy) to wash them, etc. but the real debate goes on at home. hubby wanted nothing to do with them. and since i was calling a lot of the baby "shots." i said, ok. we'll do disposable. i feel guilty about this. AND about all the wipes we use, too. but the truth is, i don't like the cloth ones AT ALL. the boy i nanny for uses them. no likee. smelly, stinky, leaky and when they get to be toddlers i just don't wanna get that intimate with the poo, you know? i know that's a wimpy thing to say. but it's true. so, it's hard for me to argue with hubby, but i do. now that there's a new baby coming, can i keep plugging up landfills with diapers?

here's a great article on "green parenting." i found it helpful. maybe you will, too.