Eco-friendly and people-friendly

Before this fall, I never thought very much about having an eco-friendly, safe home.

Then I started reading more simplify-your-life blogs, which are often written by low-impact on the earth, high-impact in life people. Which I'm a fan of. I've recycled and upcycled for years, but now that I'm a 'grown-up' and have a house (and a husband and some day a family), I feel more responsible for the impact I make - good and bad. The blogs, thankfully, are more inspirational than alarmist. I don't shut my computer thinking, "I am a horrible person who uses plastic containers, occasionally buys new clothes instead of making my own, and ruins the planet by eating meat." Instead, I shut my computer thinking, "Wow, ____ is a great idea! I could totally do that and make my life/the planet slightly better."

Whether it's being a 'weekday vegetarian', making more eco-friendly choices in how I shop, or getting creative with re-purposing clothes, there are a lot of good ideas for me to improve life - for myself and for others. If/when I have children, I don't want them to grow up in raggedy 2ndhand clothes, with fanatic recycling habits, and with judgemental attitudes towards 'people who aren't like me.' I want them to grow up conscious of how their actions affect the economy, their own pocketbooks, and our planet, and with friends with diverse religions, habits, and incomes.

Plus, I don't want them to be in any way 'messed up' because their mum was high on coffee and surrounded by synthetic dyes and toxic cleaning solutions, or stressed out over bills and bad choices. So simplifying and green-ing my house would be a great first step to welcome them and others :)

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