Disclaimer: I'm no expert on this subject, and for all you know, I may have it all wrong. Nevertheless, I will write about what I have learned over the years. If you come across this post and find that I'm totally off, I'd appreciate any insights you may have.
Future posts
"Going green", eco-conscious living, sustainable living, etc. are terms that are used somewhat interchangeably to express living in harmony with nature. To some it means the 3 R's (reduce, reuse, recycle), to others it may mean using products made of sustainable materials (for example, things that don't require destruction of ancient forests), some may think of this in terms of "fair trade" and the ethics of the organizations that create the product, and there are some who think of this in terms of being "all natural" and chemical-free living perhaps for health reasons. Most of the time, living in a way that is kind to nature is also beneficial to ourselves.
My personal view is that it encompasses all of the above. We should try and get educated about where everything that we consume comes from and where it ends up after we are done with it (cradle-to-the-grave). For example, when thinking about this in the context of food I often wonder how many hands a grain of rice has passed through before it ends up in my mouth. And I have my own set of loose "rules" for all other products. Sometimes it gets frustrating trying to follow these rules, and sometimes I just have to compromise and get on with life. But at least I feel that I'm making baby steps in the right direction. And I try to reason with myself that as I make changes at the micro level, things at the macro level will take care of themselves.
No Impact Man
No Impact Man
As I thought about writing this post, a movie that I saw a long time ago -- No Impact Man -- came to mind. The movie is a documentary about about a man (along with his family) who decides to take sustainable living to the extreme while living in New York City. While I can't say that I endorse everything they did (many of the things they did would be too difficult for me, or almost anyone living a "regular" life), I did find it very educational and it's definitely worth watching.
Future posts
I'll cover what I've learned over the years in multiple posts.
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