Being as socially responsible as I can be within my comfort zone. Not everyone can practice being totally green all the time, but I try and make good choices that will benefit my family and my community.  That also means passing on the knowledge of healthful living to my children so they will continue as they grow up and make choices of their own.

I agree with Dancingqueen about being as socially responsible as I can.  But I have been feeling a surge in my moral responsibility as well.  The more 'green' practices I read/hear/see, I want to try to convince everyone I know that making good choices will be for the good of all and for all to come.  Starting with small changes, one step at a time can result in a whole new 'attitude of gratitude' for the world we live in.

I strive to gently nudge those I know, love and even work with to make good choices.  It is soooo worth it!!! 

 

What green means to me is to make as small an impact as possible on the Earth. I would like to leave this planet just as it was when I got here if not a little bit better. I'd like reduce pollution and not destroy what can't be replaced. I know this is a fantasy but if I try every day to make a smaller impact then yesterday then I just might succeed.

Bring green is an attitude and how you see the things in your life.  The decisions you make on a regular basis.  I am much more concious about what I do to my home, the products I use, the food I eat and the car I drive.  I wasn't so in tune to that a year ago, but have started to embrace many of the philosophies of  being green.

It may be selfish but, I want to be healthy. I found by going more green by taking the chemicals and out of my life. I am also found I am saving money. I am saving money by (1) Not buying the pollution of household chemical. (2) My health is better and I not spending my time and money at the doctors. Going green has also reduced my stress.

For me, living green means. Coming home to an environment that won't make me cry, sneeze, shorten by breathing, nor have major migraine headaches, etc. . . As childI was developing asthma-like symptoms, my parents move us out of polluted city life to clean and tranquile country side to help me breathe better. Growing up in that environment helped me a great deal, and my allergies disappeared. That is until I move to another city and most of my jobs where in area highly polluted due to traffic and construction. Not only did my asthma and migraines return, but I caught a danger sinis infection, developed allergies yet to be identified by my specialist. I thought, well at least at the end of the I could go home and detox at home. Boy, was I wrong. My specialist indentified multiple things I need to change at home to make it safe for me. I was not allergic to my pets but reducing dander would help irrate me, cleaning products, and air purifiers. However, this was a drop in a very large ocean. My house bulit in 1951, was a toxic home, exterior tile were made with absetos back in the early fifties, sheet rock virtually dust held together by paper, and no insulation anywhere. So I'm moving into another home that's ten yrs older, but renovated by previous owner that and it green inside and out. Mind you, he still used the conventional fromica flooring in the kitchen & bathroom and counter tops, traditional sheet rock, the traditional pink insulation, and vinyl windows. Well that's not green at all. Well it's have away. Back in 90's there really was not that info on green material nor access to it like there is today. So living green for me is being able redo my new green so I can live in a safe home not only for my self but for my children when I decide to have them.

I have been thinking about this.  I also think being green is about being in control of your life and taking back the power to make changes.  We can now start to really question why and how things are done and what are other methods that are better for us and the planaet.

What makes my home green is the power of the choices I make in it. 

I believe that we are only truely living the "green" life when it becomes second nature to us.  We are no longer conscious of our need to recycle or save energy, we just do it out of habit and routine.  When I first moved to my new community of Del Sur I was not living a green life, but constantly being around a community which places so much emphasis on recycling, reusing and energy conservation has helped me develop a "green" life.  We can't do it alone, we need help from those around us.

Glad to see you back again.  I agree.  In a way its like peer pressure, but in a good sense.  The more you discuss the issue and see other people doing it, the more you want to as well.  It's contagious!!

I have to agree with Del__Sur, we can't do this alone, and it's something everyone should get involved in.

 

Well this slightly  reminded me of this short poem by Crane I read it a while back before I started trying to live greener;

 A man said to the universe:
"Sir I exist!"
"However," replied the universe,
"The fact has not created in me
A sense of obligation."

 

Some people get a religious message, etc. but the way that I saw this poem when i first read it was that crane's pointing out the fact that just because you exist does not mean that you are significant. Everyone and everything makes up the universe and not one person is going to be looked upon any different than the next person. The "realization" of our human condition saddened me, for a while. And yet, you can stand out and make your existence significant and inspiring, being green can accomplish this for many of us. 

I really do feel that becoming more eco friendly has changed my life entirely. It sorta adds to my purpose(s) in life. It just brings an incredibly positive vibe.

 

Hi Chris,
I saw your post today and read it over and over realizing how fortunate I am.  Too often we lose sight of our situation because we are blinded by others.  Thank you.  
I was able to purchase a piece of property from which I could harvest everything to build our home except glass, trusses ( I tried ), and cement.  We like to think of it as an indigenous home.  Twelve to fourteen inch walls,  overhangs designed to allow southern exposure sun in winter but not summer.  I wanted a windmill but it was too expensive and not very trustworthy at the time.  So I incorporated passive solar with heat collecting basins under southern exposure tile areas.  We have our own gas well but try to heat with fallen trees as much as possible.  I am getting older and the work is intensive.
The house took seven years for me to build and I have forgotten all the reasons why I went to such effort.  I think our home is green and hope you think so also.
Thank you for helping me remember,
R C Chopyak

Sounds amazing, a real labor of love.  Please post a pic when you get a a change.  Have you checked out our blogger Phil on his green home renovations.  You may be interested in his blog and he could use some good advice! He usually comes out on Thursday's.

Thanks I will.  I don't think I have taken any pictures since I've gone digital - must do that.  Thanks for the tip about Phil.  I will check in Thursday.  When I started I found a person in Canada who had started a similar project on a somewhat smaller scale.  I simply read about hom in Mother Earth News and contacted him.  He was immensely helpful.  If I can return the favor it would be a privilege.

 

R C Chopyak

He actually posted his blog today.  I must have gotten the days wrong.  He has a great sense of humor as well.

Is Mother Earth News really still around? Is it on line? Haven't read that one in years but would love to.

Your house does sound like a labor of love and passion. Seven years was a long time I'm sure but worth it no less. Anxiously awaiting the photos......

Having a green home means having concern for what we do everyday.  Taking shorter showers, turning the water off when we brush our teeth, turning lights off and just being socially responsible.