Monday, May 28, 2007

not just another blog about the environment

Most of my friends know that I am pretty passionate about the environment. I think it started when I went to Portland to visit my mom back in 2000 and, after commenting on her elaborate recycling system (Portanders don't mess around), she gave me a horified look and asked, "you don't...recycle?" I admit, I recycled only when it was convenient. Apartment living is not the most conducive to sorting garbage. Looking back, I didn't exactly spend much time in the kitchen anyway, so maybe I didn't have too much to recycle (justifying...). Upon my return, I began recycling in ernest, begging my roommate, "can you please just peel off the label from your cans before putting them in the bin?"

My moment of total realization came when I took a class on sustainable development at GA Tech. My professor, a model for moderate living, inspired me to look at how I was living in a whole new way. Called an 'ecological footprint', it measures the impact my way of life has on the earth. From that moment on, I became a bit crazy about eco-living. Not that I do everything right, mind you. I love traveling so much and I know it's bad for the environment. So I try to travel in ways that aren't as destructive. And let's face it, sometimes I just get lazy.

I am lucky that my husband has very similar values when it comes to living. We try not to get caught up in keeping up with the Joneses. Cars, clothes and toys aren't as important. Our house, way to big for us at 2400 square feet, is the only source of slight embarrassment for us (our last home was 1300 square feet). Luckily we justify (again) this because not only did Darren build it, but he built it so that it included many green (and clean) features. More on that later.

Anyway, this blog is for friends and family who have asked me about eco-living, and who just want to keep up with my life. Mostly it is for myself as I document my life and remind myself what's important. Enjoy!