tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9203077889905915553.post8184579559259942490..comments2023-10-30T04:06:45.798-07:00Comments on arduous blog: Balancing Out the Nuttinessruchihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17043512641324366469noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9203077889905915553.post-53370321221645984172010-09-12T12:13:04.966-07:002010-09-12T12:13:04.966-07:00I've been thinking about your post for several...I've been thinking about your post for several days and it reminded me of a few years ago when I was having a conversation about having children. She was pregnant at the time and told me that she really wanted more children but won't be trying for more because of the large carbon footprint that they would leave on the earth. <br /><br />At times, I feel this sort of guilt that was underlying her thoughts. I can't always live as "green" as I would like to. But I find comfort in the thought that our consciousness about how we impact the planet is constantly evolving. We haven't figured it all out yet and probably won't during our lifetime, but I believe the human species can get there. I even believe that science can evolve to the point of reversing environmental disasters such the climate crises. <br /><br />We just have to do our best now to influence future generations and let the guilt of not being able to do it all go.Vegetable Garden Cookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01641599988061148892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9203077889905915553.post-53797336552360644742010-09-09T10:19:35.424-07:002010-09-09T10:19:35.424-07:00this was a constant struggle with my ex. in theory...this was a constant struggle with my ex. in theory he believed in my green principles but in reality he was to lazy/spoiled/entitled to put them into practice himself. he went along with some things like the delicious local meals i cooked for him, but fought me on a lot of things like AC, cleaning supplies, buying new things, eating meat, turning off electronics, etc. now he's my ex because we realized we didn't really see eye to eye on this and many other issues. so it's important to me to find someone who will support my ideals rather than fight me every step of the way. like rosa says, i think the most important part is to agree on the principles and respect each other's viewpoints, and then compromise on how to put principles into action in a way that works for you both.Color Me Greenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00570876113939066775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9203077889905915553.post-23188115401296584652010-09-06T19:15:58.094-07:002010-09-06T19:15:58.094-07:00We compromise.
I mean, there is NO WAY I'm g...We compromise. <br /><br />I mean, there is NO WAY I'm giving up paper towels. They're just too damn useful when you have a 3 year old puke everywhere. It's great to be able to just scoop it up in paper towel and dump it (in the compost!). Washing her clothes, the bedding, our clothes, and scrubbing the carpet is bad enough!<br /><br />Then there's the whole issue of ((*dare I say it?*) vegetarianism. It's the *single biggest thing* you can do to make a difference to your footprint. Paper towels are a fly speck in comparison, they really are.<br /><br />Yet mention it in the "green community" and people start making excuses, or do the "oh, I only eat a *little bit* of meat" line.<br /><br />I even hear about people who keep chickens (because they're "greener") and are meat-eaters, yet refuse to eat their own birds, so go out and buy chicken meat, wrapped in plastic - and call themselves green! <br /><br />*shakes head in disbelief at that one*<br /><br />Yes, we're all of us hypocrites, and we're all working towards being more sustainable, and we also have to find that balance that begins and ends with a great and happy life, but do we have to hide our brains in the sand and avoid the facts to do it? I don't think so.<br /><br />What is eco-friendly anyway? Who knows? But I sure as hell know it isn't McDonald's and it isn't keeping chickens to be more sustainable yet buying chicken meat at the supermarket. It isn't claiming to be "green" yet being unwilling to examine our own habits and practices either. <br /><br />Yes, I'm sounding grumpy. I've just had it up to HERE with greenwashers in the green community, and pseudo-greenies who claim to be but aren't. <br /><br />What we *all* have to do is build a new community out of the old one, and that *has* to start with respect and honesty. It can't start with conning ourselves that we're wonderful and everything is just fine. <br /><br />I'm having a real hard (and scarily enlightening!) time examining my own life at the moment, but am glad I'm doing so, because if I can't find out the truth about myself, what chance do I have in ever learning to be truly green?<br /><br />Thanks for the foot for thought. Your blog is a cut above the rest, as always :-)Leehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15497683565965322222noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9203077889905915553.post-70862781326779279502010-09-04T09:48:24.239-07:002010-09-04T09:48:24.239-07:00I think your boyfriend needs a blog name!I think your boyfriend needs a blog name!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9203077889905915553.post-41372398950731826272010-09-02T09:54:03.358-07:002010-09-02T09:54:03.358-07:00It helps a lot if you agree on principles and are ...It helps a lot if you agree on principles and are just arguing out the workability/livability/prioritizing. I don't know how people cope with spouses who aren't even green in ideals.<br /><br />I've lived with my partner 12 years, usually with other people also (always also with other people, if you count the kid - the baby and our last roomate overlapped.) Sometimes I think he's a complacent progressive, sometimes he thinks i'm a knee-jerk radical (what should he expect, he picked me up at the anarchist book store...)<br /> <br />So anyway, he tends to think that individual action is useless, because we need legislative change. But he's actually a much more disciplined nonbuyer than I am - he'll happily eat beans & tortillas every day and he rides his bike year round. But he wants to take airplane trips and he doesn't like spending extra money on things.<br /> <br />So, compromise is the key, as long as the end goal (mitigating climate change, not overusing resources) is shared.Rosanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9203077889905915553.post-65575213542073588132010-09-02T04:44:16.040-07:002010-09-02T04:44:16.040-07:00You are so lucky he is willing to compromise. My ...You are so lucky he is willing to compromise. My ex wasn't willing to do a darned thing to be eco-friendly.<br /><br />It is so much easier now that I am single. I can do what I want to do.Billiehttp://billieryder.live.spaces.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9203077889905915553.post-10622312111262267662010-09-01T15:06:12.840-07:002010-09-01T15:06:12.840-07:00Compromise, compromise and more compromise and gra...Compromise, compromise and more compromise and gradually change things a little at a time - took about 3 years to stop with the paper towels. Shampoo about 6 months. etc. etc. Children complicate things too. Especially as the green thing was not a finished product when they came along. They all follow somewhat reluctantly :)<br /><br />viv in nzknutty knitterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00325560883289908412noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9203077889905915553.post-39827663972370297462010-09-01T13:20:42.331-07:002010-09-01T13:20:42.331-07:00I realize that my weird lifestyle is made so much ...I realize that my weird lifestyle is made so much easier by the fact that I live alone. I don't know what I'd do if I lived with someone else...Aydanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07571646997553190627noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9203077889905915553.post-77645355621058753692010-09-01T10:32:41.266-07:002010-09-01T10:32:41.266-07:00I have a daughter who just started middle school s...I have a daughter who just started middle school so yeah, I know where you are coming from. Its finding that balance of teaching my daughter to be Eco friendly and making sure she doesn't feel like an odd ball at school.Katyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02610117543051640146noreply@blogger.com