07|06|2009
my mother thinks jonathan & I are hippies.
When she describes us as “hippies” I’m sure she means “obnoxiously environmentally conscious.” I think that’s an accurate description of Jonathan & I.
One thing that turned me on about Jonathan was his compassion in helping the environment. It is such a noble feat; one in which many guys (that I knew, at least) usually don’t give a shit about. But Jonathan did, & it was admirable. His kind demeanor & sensitivity to the Earth made me fall in love with him that much more.
Me? I wasn’t brought up to be friendly to the environment. I mean, my parents taught my sister & I not to litter, but that’s about as far as it went. I was the girl that would tear off 4 sheets of a paper towel just to wipe up a few drops of water. I was the girl that let the cashier put a small tube of mascara in a large plastic bag, rather than me opting to put it inside of my purse.
Since I’ve been with Jonathan, though, my lifestyle & personal choices have drastically changed. Jonathan has truly opened up my eyes & mind to many things I never wanted to focus on; partly because I was too lazy, but really because I was afraid of change. I think it’s so silly to be afraid making positive changes in your life, simply because you’re used to the routine. That was the biggest challenge for me: reprogramming my brain from thinking, “I’m going to keep the water running while I’m brushing my teeth” to “Shut off the water, Ev`Yan; you’re not using it.” Bad habits are the hardest to break, & thankfully, Jonathan has kept me accountable. Without him, I don’t think these things would mean as much to me.
what we do to make a difference:
- We compost everything; banana peels, rotten vegetables & fruits, coffee grounds (with the filter), stale bread, used tissues & paper towels (you better believe it!), & other perishable food items. We also compost Sofie’s fur after giving her a haircut. You name it, we compost it. Granted, this is a little challenging to do in our apartment, because we only have a small plot of earth to work with, but we manage. As Jonathan first said when I asked him why he wanted to compost: “It came from the Earth, so it makes sense that it goes back to the Earth.”
- We recycle everything; plastic & used plastic wrap, cans, used aluminum foil, cardboard, papers, & glass. Because we recycle & compost everything, we rarely throw anything away in a trashcan. That, in itself, reduces the amount of trash that end up in landfills.
- When we DO throw things away, we do so consciously. We do not throw away batteries, electrical cords, broken appliances, compact disks, computer items, broken cell phones, etc. We make sure that all of those things go to e-waste, a place that safely discards electronic trash.
- We use recycled paper products. & no, this doesn’t mean taking used toilet paper & sanitizing it clean so that it can be reused again. (That is what I thought at first.) It simply means taking recycled paper products & reusing them as paper towels, tissues, & toilet paper, so that we’re not cutting down trees to use paper products.
- We donate to thrift stores. In addition to recycling & e-wasting, a lot of the things we no longer use are given to thrift stores. A lot of people tend to leave their unwanted items on the side of road, or in the middle of the desert. We take those things to thrift shops. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.
- We buy organically. While I can’t say everything we use is organic, a good majority of the food we put into our bodies is pesticide-free. There’s just something about knowing that our bodies are being nourished by 100% natural food. Not only that, but the dairy products I eat (since Jonathan is a raw vegan) are organic, as well. That means the cows were not shot up with hormones or fed strange diets. They are treated humanely & are given the utmost care.
- We buy animal-friendly products. Most of the items we use are not tested on animals, & do not contain any animal by-products. For example: the soaps we use are made from vegetables, rather than from animal fat. We also don’t purchase leather, suede, fur, feathers, or any other kind of animal materials used to make certain clothing, accessories, or fillings. Most of the time, animals are slaughtered simply because companies want to use their bodies for miscellaneous things.
- We use reusable bags for practically everything. When we go grocery shopping, we make sure that they fill the bags to the brim, so that we won’t have to use their plastic/paper bags. If we don’t need a bags, I’ll throw everything in my purse — which is rather large, anyway.
- We conserve energy. We use only energy efficient light bulbs. We try not to keep the air conditioner or heater running for too long. We use candles for light. We take our showers within 5 minutes or less. (I am trying desperately to get better at this.) We turn off our computer at night, & try to unplug any appliances we aren’t using.
- We are vegetarian & raw vegan. We do not support the killing of animals for a meal, & we do not support the the heinous conditions that these animals live in before they are slaughtered. It angers me deeply to know that people have an idea of how inhumane animals are treated before they become dinner, but continue to support the meat industry anyway. (Perhaps if they met their meat they’d see things differently.) & it’s not just about how poorly animals are treated: the energy it takes to produce meat is extensive; it, among many other things, is killing our planet. By being a vegetarian/vegan, we save water, & we prevent pollution from the factories it takes to package meat. Not to mention, the lifestyle is better for our health. & forget what you’ve heard about protein!
- We do not kill any bugs. This is probably the most extreme thing we do daily. From the very first moment I met him, I haven’t seen Jonathan kill one bug. Not even the scary, hairy, ugly spiders. He said to me once: “Bugs are living creatures, too. They have hearts & souls just like you & I. What gives us the right to kill a living creature?” How can you argue with that? So instead of smacking a scary spider with a fly-swatter, we grab a plastic container with a lid, coax the spider into the container, carry it outside, & set it free. & yes, I do this, too, without fear or complaining. Spare a bug’s life & see how you feel afterward. Chances are you will not feel guilty, but uplifted. It’s a beautiful thing.
Now, with all of that said, I have to point out that we are not perfect. We have our little slip-ups here & there. (Mostly, it’s me that slips up. Jonathan has got this down to a T.) Sometimes we forget to put the reusable bags in the car, & must suffice to using plastic at the grocery store. Sometimes we can’t buy animal-friendly or organic products, because they’re more expensive. Sometimes I break down & buy chemical cleaners because they get rid of the soap scum better. Sometimes it’s inevitable that I buy shoes that are made of leather material. But what really matters is that we’re doing everything in our power to make a good percentage of our lives environmentally conscious.
A lot of people say that Jonathan & I are just 2 people outside of the billions who don’t give a fuck about the environment. But I sleep better at night, & I walk with my head held a little higher, knowing that I am doing MY part. I am absolutely proud of what Jonathan & I do together to make a difference.
& perhaps my new “habits” make me a hippie. But to me, it’s just common-sense.
[photo courtesy of weheartit.com]
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Q: what do YOU do to make a difference? & if you don’t do anything… why the hell not?
on Monday, July 6th, 2009 at 10:05 am:
this is awesome. i walk/ride my bike/carpool to work and i really, really try to conserve energy, especially because the “Giant Couch Potato” is so careless with it. I also am trying to make my thumbs green with different plants and herbs on my patio and I never, ever litter and pick up trash whenever I’m walking Riley.
I love the “do your part” attitude. I wish more people were more aware and by writing this post, you have also, once again, done your part! Cheers!!
on Monday, July 6th, 2009 at 10:16 am:
My husband and I use reusable shopping bags (though sometimes we do slip up and forget to put them in the car :/) and I’ve really tried to cut back on harsh cleaners in favor of vinegar + baking soda. I try to keep our paper and water consumptions in mind, and we very, very rarely eat red meat (we do, however, eat poultry and fish). We aren’t perfect either.
I think being CONSCIOUS of making changes, of putting forth some sort of actual effort, is the key here.
Bravo to you and your husband! :D
on Monday, July 6th, 2009 at 10:22 am:
Great post! Very inspiring. There should be more people like you out there!
on Monday, July 6th, 2009 at 11:10 am:
This is an awesome post. Real inspiring too. I want to be enviornmentally conscious and Tyler and I are trying to do better. You’re right it really does make us feel good when we know we’re doing our part. I really need to buy reuseable bags so we can use them.
on Monday, July 6th, 2009 at 11:23 am:
This is an awesome list, and I love the blogging about what’s happening in your life now direction this has taken- we notice! Good effort! lol
Mister and I are really conscious about living in a small way- we downsized to one car last year, live in a 100 year old, 900 sq foot house, decided to live in a neighborhood where we can walk to most of our needs, I’m veg, and we do the whole don’t kill any bugs thing too lol
It takes a bit of an effort at first but after a while it makes a huge different in your quality of life & you barely even think about it!
on Monday, July 6th, 2009 at 12:36 pm:
I think you guys should move to Berkeley. Seriously. Everyone here is so environmentally friendly. I love it! There are trash/recycling/composting bins on every corner. People ride bikes and walk here. The food is fresh and organic. Shoot, there are even vegan donuts! You would love it!
on Monday, July 6th, 2009 at 1:12 pm:
I didn’t necessarily call you a hippie as much as a tree hugger. I’m actually very proud of you both for your stance against certain things BUT, I can’t agree that bugs have souls, my sweet, son in law! If they did, they’d be able reason and if they reasoned, they’d decide to stay out of my house instead of invading my territory.
As for all the things you do, it does take a whole lot of effort. I agree with composting but once again, I’m not sure I could handle the thought of composting animal hair. To me that’s a bit gross.
It’s just being respectful of the way that you see things. By the way, where is the e-waste place? I always have something electronic that needs to be tossed.
on Monday, July 6th, 2009 at 3:13 pm:
Oh <3, I love your dedication to being green! That you compost and recycle is really great. While I don't put in as much effort as you do (through inadvertent laziness, I think) I do make an effort to recycle what I can, save power by turning off what isn't in use and buy organic where I can. Compost though seems a little bit out of my league – I love that you guys do it!
And wow, your boy is a raw vegan? That must be so tricky for you – my best friends family are also raw vegans (while he is merely vegetarian) and I always found it difficult to be eat what they ate and not crave something else that was cooked or possibly contained dairy products.
I love that you guys live and practice your enviromentally friendly beliefs, and it's not just talk about it, you know? That's really refreshing. :)
Also, no offence meant at all to your Mom, but souls I think are different to intellect (and the ability to reason). There is no doubt that people with mental illnesses have souls, despite possible intellectual downfalls. Bugs are bugs, though. Most of us value the life of a bug much less than a life of person, but I love that you guys carefully place them outside rather than kill them :) You guys are awesome!
on Monday, July 6th, 2009 at 6:50 pm:
hi! great post, thought i’d better let you know that i linked to it. hope that’s ok x
it’s here:
http://aubergineblog.blogspot.com/2009/07/on-being-environmentally-conscious.html
on Monday, July 6th, 2009 at 8:08 pm:
I want to start composting but it’s near impossible in our apartment. I have absolutely no room to begin one anywhere :( I also considered going veg, but at this point I think it would be a jump into a lifestyle I am not prepared for at this point in my life. & I try not to kill bugs but sometimes they jump out at me and it’s reflex!
on Monday, July 6th, 2009 at 8:29 pm:
My Joe was way more environmentally conscience than I was when we met. Now we dream of the day we can have a compost and grow our own vegetables. In the mean time, we do many of the things you guys do – right down to never killing bugs. Being aware of how we impact the earth is such a small price to pay to be able to live on it.
on Monday, July 6th, 2009 at 9:09 pm:
We are working on relocating to an area where we can actually walk to places more (currently in the Berkeley HILLS now).
Only eat non-factory farmed meats, fruits and veggies. (I tried to go vegan, but I cant eat soy, grains, legumes, & my hair started falling out on raw vegan. I dont believe there is one diet for all mankind but we can all be more conscious of what and how we eat.)
Recycle of course. :)
Hang clothes on the line whenever possible.
Use less paper products in the home: cloth napkins, reusable cleaning cloths, etc.
Reusable shopping bags
Shop thrift, used, consignment, free, etc whenever possible.
I know there is more, but my mind is drawing a blank now. :)
on Monday, July 6th, 2009 at 9:23 pm:
I think its AWESOME that you guys don’t kill bugs. Whenever I see someone kill a bug it hurts my heart a little (no matter how terrified I may be of them – which is a pretty well documented fact throughout my blog & twitter!) … and, no matter how ridiculous this sounds, I always think about their feelings and their “family”. :P (I told you – it’s pretty ridiculous)
What we do to make a difference: eat organic & vegetarian (apparently, a vegetarian is less straining on the environment than a meat eater? I read that somewhere!) … recycle & reuse a lot of paper & paper products … recycle bottles, cartons, cardboards, glass, etc … reuse cardboard boxes to carry groceries from the cart to the car to the house … buy energy efficient appliances when we need new ones … oh yes, and turn off the water when brushing and flossing :)
Most of these things have been unconscious for me; I was raised to do a lot of these things this way, so I’ve just continued doing so. I’ve never really thought about any of this until you asked this question!
on Monday, July 6th, 2009 at 10:01 pm:
ah! you inspire me! i could be soooooo much better, especially about recycling.
on Monday, July 6th, 2009 at 10:13 pm:
As if I needed yet ANOTHER reason to find you & Jonathan completely and totally fantastic.
on Tuesday, July 7th, 2009 at 4:16 am:
Oh yes, this entry reminds me of the movie I watched yesterday: HOME.
I try hard to be environment friendly although it is not always easy. But nice that you took such a detailed look at the topic.
on Tuesday, July 7th, 2009 at 9:46 am:
My parents used to speak so disparagingly about environmentalists and hippies and “people who worship the earth instead of God.”
It’s funny how we still know in our hearts that taking care of the earth and living lightly really is important.
I don’t need to list all the things I do – I have a whole widget in my sidebar for that! :) Hehe.
on Wednesday, July 8th, 2009 at 12:00 am:
Well if these things are what makes a person a hippie then count me in. I love it!
on Wednesday, July 8th, 2009 at 7:49 am:
i don’t kill bugs either. ever. i’m careful to step over an ant if i see it. that makes me smile that you guys do that too. :)
i never use plastic bags, and if i do, i save them.
on Wednesday, July 8th, 2009 at 2:40 pm:
I think it’s just beyond wonderful to hear you talk about all the easy, accessible ways that you do your part — and other people can too.
My family never killed bugs. Our household was (and is) vegetarian firstly for spiritual (e.g., ethical) reasons (and second, third, fourth, fifthly for the myriad other reasons not to eat meat), and to this day I encounter people who look at me catch a bug in a glass like they’ve never seen it done. Ever.
Also, until I was 12 or 13, I thought all people had a brick compost bin built onto the side of the garage.
on Wednesday, July 8th, 2009 at 11:14 pm:
OOH! All the bulbs are CFLs, we thrift and donate like mad, wash with a portable washing machine (less water and electricity used) and hang dry (mostly), I nag like crazy about recycling and am considering going at least partially vegetarian.
I don’t know if I could do the sparing bugs thing. Dudeguy is a catch and release kind of guy, but I usually get one of the cats to eat whatever bug is tormenting me.
on Thursday, July 9th, 2009 at 7:04 am:
I’ve gotta say, I have to agree with your mom on the bug thing. I CANNOT deal with them. An overactive imagination means I think of them as creepy little villains that plan on how to freak me out every time I see them. Yeah. I’m of the opinion that they should avoid me and I shall avoid killing them.
I do try to not kill good bugs though. Mosquitoes and roaches are not in that category. Spiders are generally live and let live.
on Thursday, July 16th, 2009 at 9:54 am:
I do a few things: I recycle. I do lots of DIY & recon projects with clothing & accessories. I shop at thrift stores & donate back to them too. I’ve been shopping less altogether to try to be less wasteful. I make my own detergent & cleaning solutions – it cuts down on plastc containers I would otherwise buy. I’ve been replacing standard bulbs as they burn out.
I had been composting – just food/grass clippings for garden use but after I read your post I’m setting aside anything that will break down to go to the compost pile. I hadn’t thought about that before. Thank you for the tip Apricot!
One huge thing my husband & I are doing is choosing not to have children. (We have lots of reasons for this but the environment is a big one for me.) One (or two or three) fewer people to stress the planet will save a LOT of resources. [Aside: Not that I judge anyone who wants to have children. I know this is a very personal decision that lots of people think we're weird about LOL.]
on Tuesday, September 15th, 2009 at 8:52 am:
Hey you guys are doing great things! We do almost all the same things as on your list, but I feel I’ve been a bit sloppy about it recently – seeing some of the actions as chores rather than genuine contributions. I feel more inspired after reading this though so thank-you-very-much! :-)
on Friday, November 20th, 2009 at 3:54 am:
sadly, most plastic isn’t recyclable, and I believe that includes plastic wrap! with that being said, I’m passionate about the enviroment and probably would be labelled an ecofreak if anything. I’m applying for environment-related internships right now! anyway, it’s lovely to see that you and jonathan do your parts. rock on!
on Monday, February 1st, 2010 at 8:52 am:
OH Thanks, this blog make me feel really happy and positive! I read it every Morning.
Your pictures are beautiful.
So, huuum, I think the biggest change in my life was to leave my hometown, Paris, and…all my friends and family. It was a big challenge to me. But it’s new begining, and a exciting adventure.