This recent entry in No Impact Man's blog hits on alot of my own struggles with green living. As I started to push myself to be more green last year, I started tagging entries on my livejournal with "it's not easy being green" (Thank you, Kermit) because it really isn't! Buying anything at the grocery store labelled as "organic" is 2-3 times more expensive than the conventional items. As someone who's struggled with weight issues, the convenient snack foods that keep me on track with Weight Watchers are not organic, nor are they responsibly packaged. They are packaged for convenience and portion control. I have to sacrifice some of that convenience in order to be a "greener" consumer. The work is on me.
Sometimes living green is cheaper and more (or at least equally) convenient, but many times it's just plain harder and more expensive. I quickly lapsed back into old habits last year. I gave up being green so I could focus on my family and weight issues. I didn't do it consciously, but I did it nonetheless. I chose to focus on other things. This year, after attending a green seminar held by our publisher (I work in publishing), I am renewing my commitment to living green(er) and trying to improve my ecological impact factor. At the very least, I want to feel that I made an effort to save the planet before it becomes an inhospitable place for my children and/or grandchildren. Improving our own quality of life in the here and now is a bonus!
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