Friends, Fans, and Supporters of Frau Kolb and The Talkinggrid,
Thank you for reading.
Awareness of the reality of climate change and the necessity of looking at our lives, levels of consumption, and habits of destruction, which we’d all love to deny, motivated me to change the way I lived to fit the world that is evolving. In other words, I did not emerge from the womb ready to give up plastic bags and straws. It has taken a lifetime of learning and effort to become the woman I am, today. Despite so much being said, written, and debated around the touchy green topic there are still many questions on the how and why to be Green. Well, I wasn’t always aware of the importance of mindful living. It is one of the gifts experience has given me. I understand that everything we take time to do in a loving, thoughtful, and respectful manner is better, more rewarding, and more likely to lead to a reality worth living.
Having a life that you want to live takes work. The decision to live a quality life is greatly enhanced by being careful about how you spend your time and money, as both influence not only your wellbeing but global trends, since we are all interconnected.
Here are a few ways I reduce waste in my life.
1.Take cloth or reusable bags with you, have a bag in your bag. So, that you can never forget.
(The French, make knit bags which expand and fit a lot of groceries, easily.)
2. Limit yourself. Buy what you can carry home. Of course, this doesn’t work with frozen foods or heavy cans upon cans of food. But, do you really want to eat unhealthy convenience foods, which are not as nourishing as fresh foods? The best part is that carrying one’s food home is a great work out. I live a mile away from the nearest shopping center. I routinely forgo the car and allow myself the privilege of movement. My body says thank you because I’m giving it the exercise it needs. My wallet is also happy because this puts a pause to impulse shopping. Who is going to buy something, “seen on tv,” when they have to carry it home?
3. Mend it. Think twice before you throw that dress away. Fabric waste, from a hyperactive clothing industry, is yet another environmental issue for us to face. Buying polyester/plastic clothing with designer labels is not an environmentally sound choice. Sorry. These clothes go out of fashion faster than you can fix. They don’t invite repairs. They were not made with the idea that you might want to keep garments for a lifetime. Avoid the flood of cheap imitation clothes, the antithesis of real or quality clothes, and buy clothing made of natural materials, when you decide to fork the money over you want quality, not quantity in your wardrobe and life.
4. Buy it used. It already exists. It is either old/antique/vintage. You can take an, “old,” thing and make it new with a little creativity. Express yourself with your patchwork. People routinely buy distressed, torn, and shabby chic attire. No one will know where your treasures were secured. No one cares. If you fear that used or thrift clothing are dirty or worn, well new clothes come loaded with chemicals which are bad for you and the environment. So… think twice. Second-hand goods can be just the solution you are looking for, often at a considerable discount in price.
5. Solar panels are a way to save money on heating costs, propel your car, and earn a tax deduction (maybe). You question the logic of solar panels if you live in a cold climate. Well, look to Germany for understanding of the use of solar power as a viable alternative to fossil fuels.
6. Recycle as much and as passionately as you can. Please, pay attention to where your trash goes. It has to go somewhere. Just as in our private lives, we are responsible for our debris.
7. Devote time to beach clean-ups and river rescue. There are many organizations aiming to preserve and protect our natural resources. Join a team of volunteer street sweepers, and sweep away classist tendencies, and embrace a cleaner world. Become one that makes time for the Pacific Trash Patch, aware that the litter of today is the Marine life poison of tomorrow.
8. Love nature. Don’t forget to get out and experience the beauty, first hand. Our national parks, city parks, river ways, lakes, and costal treasures deserve more attention than Poké Man Go. Get out and no, you don’t have to post pictures, every few steps. Step into the magnificence of the ocean. Allow the waves to lick away spiritual/emotional wounds. Cleanse yourself. Allow yourself to flower. You are a splendid example of marvelous, nature. Love yourself.
9. Garden. A little patch of dirt goes a long way, if only to make you more mindful of what it takes to grow food. How it works. Why it works. It is calming and therefore healthful to massage the soil and pluck a cherry tomato from the vine on one’s window box. Herbs, so small and tasty, can be easy to grow and add so much to our meals.
10. Teach. This is not all about you. Children, adults, friends, and foes deserve to be educated in the commitment required to create of the world we all must share, one which can sustain life. You have a responsibility to remind others that the environment matters and sometimes you have to take matters in your own hands by demonstrating your ability to always take a bag with you, recycle religiously, and live a worthwhile/fulfilling life, day in and day out.