Leaning into Green

I've had a few revelations since hitting my thirties.  Here goes:

1.  No matter how old I get I'm always going to enjoy drinking beer.

2.  No matter how much my mind believes that I can drink beer and eat sweets like I'm in my twenties, my body does not believe.  Instead (to my disappointment) it begs me to think healthier.

3.  Having a kiddo makes me want to live a bit cleaner life and not leave so much waste behind for his generation to deal with.



What would game day be without a Coors Light
and a fry-filled sandwich?

Here is what else I know. 

1. I could eat Kale all day long, every day, for a year and I still wouldn't be a size two.

2. I love the ease of doing business with paper towels and disposable diapers so I could never completely give up some of my non-green desires.

3. I could save the world a land fill of beer cans, but as I mentioned above that isn't going to happen.

These realizations have led me to lean into green (I'm guessing someone has authored a book titled this as it sounds to good to not be taken, and if said author manages to track me down...I sware I am not stealing this idea from you.  Well, I am, but I assure you I'm looking to make no financial gain on the theft).

That being said, I am making some small changes in baby boy, Mr. November, and my lives.  Here is a peak at what I'm trying to do to green up our lives one small step for man at a time.  Maybe an idea or two will inspire you if you haven't already caught the green bug going around these days.

I think I've mentioned only 100 times
that I love apple picking.  I am going to make
an effort to buy more local produce this Summer. 

1.  I always set the timer and run the dishwasher late in the evening.  When less energy is being used it is less expensive to use.  I also always turn down the heat or air conditioning when we are not going to be home.  Why heat a home when no one is there to enjoy it?

2.  I refuse to be a short order cook and make separate meals for everyone in our house.  Since I know that I want my baby boy to eat his vegetables - we all have to.  That's why I have a rule of one meal for everyone, even if we have to make something unspicy for the little man and spice it up for the grown ups.  It is forcing me to learn how to cook and enjoy vegetables and how with the right doctoring up they can actually elicit an occasional craving.  Believe it or not I'm craving kale right now (thanks, Francie!).

3.  When it makes sense, I buy organic.  I try to pay attention to the "dirty dozen" http://www.organic.org/articles/showarticle/article-214 .  I also love buying organic milk as thanks to the ultra pasteurization it lasts weeks longer than non-organic.  This means that I don't waste a whole gallon of milk every week for the little bit I use in my coffee.  I've found that the extra dollar or two it costs is well worth the longevity it provides.  I'm starting to lean into the organic proteins, but as much as I buy into the wellness of them I am still struggling with the price differential.  If anyone has tips on buying organic protein I would love to know.

4. I'm reluctantly learning to snack on veggies, fruits, and nuts as opposed to sugar laden sweets and tasty, but unkind processed carbohydrates.  My super healthy, super fit, and super sweet friend gives me great tips.  For instance, I had no idea that you could dump a can of garbanzo beans on a roasting pan sprinkle with salt, pepper, and any other delicious seasonings you have on hand, bake them and come up with a crunchy, scrumptious, high-fiber snack that could rival the flavor in some potato chips.  If this sounds interesting to you - let me know and I will share the recipe.

5.  I try to only use paper towels for the big messes.  I have a slew of cloth kitchen towels that I use for every day clean up.  To my dismay there is always laundry to be done so adding a few extra towels into the mix doesn't cause much of a problem.  Not only is this better for the environment, but I've saved us quite a bit of money over the last year by cutting back on that easy but expensive luxury.

6.  Oh, and in case you wondered - I'm recycling the beer cans.  Remember, we are working on small steps here not giant leaps! 



Enjoying a cold beverage on the deck of the Pride of Hawaii cruise ship.



I would love to hear what you are doing to lean into green.  Please post or email me with your ideas!