Viva Verde!

Disclaimer: I know it has been awhile since I've blogged...which is terrible because I have had SO many green things to blog about but with computer problems, work, etc. its been hard.

So since I make a living by gardening, I have a lot of time to meditate with nature and get in touch with who I am, my values and passions. Aaron and I have decided to eliminate plastic from our consumption...(this will be the subject of a later blog)....and because of this it has caused us to be so much more conscious of what we are buying, how much we are using and ways to reuse things. I find myself becoming more aware of my environmental impact in general. Now I am calculating ways to save on our energy bill by making a small change that seemed like an inconvenience before....or even doing things like buying things in bulk to eliminate packaging material. We have everything on power strips and when we live the house we unplug it because so many of our appliances consume the majority of their energy when they are turned off, but still plugged in. Try it out...it helps. OR,l take it one step further and figure out which breakers control which outlets and shut the entire breaker off when you leave the house.

Alright, so that is just one of the changes we have made, but like I said....my mind is always wondering, 'How could I make that more eco-friendly?' So, for example, when I am doing something as simple as brushing my teeth and catch myself leaving the sink running....I quickly switch it off to save water. Or when I am cleaning...I make a conscious effort to use the vacuum as little as possible and use powerless forms of cleaning--ie broom, duster, etc.. It is amazing how almost every one of your aspects of daily living can be made more environmentally friendly by just being MINDFUL (aware) of your surrounding and your impact. Imagine that--being aware of your surroundings is all it takes to become gentler on kind mother earth!

I am encouraging everyone to become more mindful of their impact. Every action you take, be aware of it and question how you can make it more environmentally friendly. Often you'll be surprised that it doesn't take much and it kinda turns into a game...constantly trying to out-do yourself! Good luck.

I have a favorite book...its called Botany of Desire by Michael Pollan. Basic idea behind it is that it demonstrates how PLANTS have forced humans to evolve, rather than humans causing plants to evolve. Pollan demonstrates how hte apple evolved man's desire for sweetness, the tulip was mans desire for beauty, marajuana-->intoxication and the potato-->control. It is not often you hear something told in defense of a plant. Let me explain....
The book explains plants needs, workings and ambitions. It is the voice of plants without being obnoxious. It isn't a fairty-tale or a flitty novel, rather pollack has a bibliography and has a series of interviews with key figures in his argument. Really wonderful piece of work.

Everytime I read this book I get back in touch with the divine connection between humans and the natural world. There is an undeniable cycle of interaction between the two levels. The things we (humans) do directly effects the natural world and vice versa. This is why it is so important to be sensitive of the environment and to tread lightly on it. This is why I am going green. After reaidng this book, I gained insight into the history of how plants USED to be and how humans have manipulated them and promoted unnatural-selection. Can you imagine a time when there were so many new species and varieties of apples....now a days, most of our apples are derived from 4 basic types: red/golden delicious, Macintosh and Jonathan. Or the fact that tulips were so highly valued at one time, they were worth almost more than gold. It is so nice to read a book that really deepens understanding and the concept of a global community.

So, I encourage you to explore your relationship with plants. Being summer, it is a great time to try it out and I am sure you will quickly find how addicting it can be to nurture a plant and see it grow. Very rewarding. Plus--summer makes it harder to kills plants....they are happy to be soaking up the sun!