Is it easy being green?

I try to lead a green lifestyle as much as I can. And, I’ll admit, it can be hard sometimes. We all get used to our comforts and conveniences, our habits and our perceived needs. Sure, I take out the recycling, I return those excess shipping peanuts to the shipping store… but how often do I drive when I could walk or bike? toss that empty coffee shop coffee cup when I could reuse my own? And having a daughter means extra activities to drive to and from, being mindful of the waste that we create as a family, as well as teaching her steps to better care for our planet. There is the business side of being environmentally aware; knowing who I’m buying from and learning about their professional habits, conserving energy and reusing materials when I can. It can all seem a bit overwhelming at times. But I try to do what I can when I can and strive to be consistent in those actions. Being aware of these choices lends itself to building better habits; habits that become easier and more automatic with time. I know what to do–it’s the act of doing that needs to be, well, done.

This morning, as I was reading about Earth Day and the history of this 42 year old movement/celebration/holiday, I happened upon the No Impact Man blog. It was the peaceful photo below that caught my attention and I was inspired by the list of practical environmental tips that followed (though, as a shop owner, I’m not sure I can entirely promote tip #17… just saying’).  Now, this isn’t an endorsement of the blog, I just wanted to share it. I think it’s nice to be reminded of the good things that others are doing, and to be reminded that we all need reminding sometimes.

Green Path courtesy of the No Impact Man blog

For my part, I’ll keep doing what I’m doing and offering products I believe in–beautiful wares from designers like Dawes Design (a green jeweler) and Envirosax (a green company that makes reusable totes). I’ll do my part to be as green as I can be, both personally and professionally and continue to share those habits with my daughter. So, really, I guess being green isn’t that hard after all. It just takes an extra moment or two to put it into practice. Now that calls for a celebration. Happy Earth Day!