Well, yet another year of celebrating Earth Day has come and gone and with each year the concept of the "Green Movement" tickles me more and more. Well, maybe tickles isn't the right word...bumfuzzled maybe? Earth Day was first established in 1970 and designed to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth's environment. A good thing...but when did common sense need a specific day?My great grandparents, grandparents and parents surprisingly practiced "green habits," but it was called being frugal out of necessity. I call it being a good steward of God's earth. I've been "green" for quite some time, but not because of a trend or some new environmental push. I'm "green" because it makes good sense.
I remember my grandfather's rain barrels...he said the rainwater made the plants grow stronger. I loved hearing the stories my grandmother shared about herbal remedies made by her mother and grandmother because there was no money to go to the doctor at the drop of a hat.
You never had a light on in a room that was unoccupied. The water was never left running while you brushed your teeth. Composting was a given and scraps carried outside by the grandchildren was a common activity. Gardening was the only way to get the best organic veggies and making your own ice cream wasn't just a throw back to enjoy the simple days of the past...it was economical. Run out of toothpaste? Baking soda and salt was always on hand. And with the same formula you could clean your bathroom while you were at it (:
You never threw anything out because it could be used later...for something. Hand washing clothes and drying sheets in the sunshine wasn't just a way to save energy, but when ya don't have the appliances it makes saving energy a whole lot easier (: Plus the sunshine made the whites whiter and offered the sweet smell of summer when brought indoors.
In following the common sense traditions of generations gone by, I make our natural cleaning products, toothpaste and body care products. Our bulbs are all CFL's (can't wait for a better LED version because the mercury thing seems counter intuitive), the temp in the house is kept at a consistent level and I always bring bags when going to the store...they were called totes long ago (:
I make our butter, ice cream and salad dressings, prefer home grown veggies, local free-range meats and will never eat a packaged meal over a home cooked one. Glass is used over plastic and filtered water is a must instead of wasting money on bottled. I recycle, buy used and save the difference and love turning discarded items into usable finds. Sewing, designing our home decor and creating new furniture from old instead of buying a finished item from the store is a passion.
So yes...I guess I'm "green"...or maybe I'm just being mindful of all the blessings God has given on this place called Earth. With such a beautiful gift, why would anyone choose not to be a good steward? (By the way...the photos above were from our Earth Day journey)
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I make our butter, ice cream and salad dressings, prefer home grown veggies, local free-range meats and will never eat a packaged meal over a home cooked one. Glass is used over plastic and filtered water is a must instead of wasting money on bottled. I recycle, buy used and save the difference and love turning discarded items into usable finds. Sewing, designing our home decor and creating new furniture from old instead of buying a finished item from the store is a passion.
So yes...I guess I'm "green"...or maybe I'm just being mindful of all the blessings God has given on this place called Earth. With such a beautiful gift, why would anyone choose not to be a good steward? (By the way...the photos above were from our Earth Day journey)
New to The Homesteading Apartment? Don't miss a post and subscribe here...
