We welcome posts from guest ‘green divas’ and this one is from Amy Evers in Austin, TX. She is adorable, honest and has a great sense of humor — she is a perfect geen diva!
 

Twenty plus years ago I moved to Austin Texas.  Almost immediately I gave up my New Jersey hair spray and bought myself a pair of Birkenstocks.  I worked at a small coffee shop and rode my bicycle to work.  I was a supporter of the hippie feel, and laid back lifestyle.

Then arrived my first child, and along with her a minivan and a multitude of equipment.  Still wore the Birkenstocks, but my lifestyle changed.

Forgive me Mother Earth for I have sinned.  I have over the years been guilty of using paper towels, paper plates, and store bought diapers.

The convenience has been too tempting for me to resist.

Now that I am at the age where all of my children are out of diapers and I am not yet in them, I have become a more aware of what is going on outside of my own little universe.

I remember a commercial back in the 1970’s that showed a Native American by the side of a littered highway, he looked on in disgust as the collective “we” have soiled his land.  A small tear falls from his eye.

That campaign was so successful that recently when my sixteen-year-old daughter was driving and the car in front of her threw a plastic bag out of their window she was appalled. She honked her horn, and when the offenders did not react, my daughter did.  She pulled over, got out of the car and picked up the trash herself.

So how come everything else about going green seems so difficult?

I want to help the earth be around for a few more millennia.  Barring the Aztecs are wrong, and no immediate asteroid is on its way for a visit.

I began doing some research.  With the help of a friend and my fiscally responsible brother we, as a family have made some changes.

I have replaced most light bulbs in the house.  We no longer buy paper towels.  And most recently we have become champions of unplugging.  Anything that holds a charge gets completely unplugged when not in use. 

I try to buy organic fruit, but always balk at the price.

My neighbors have compost, and I have looked into making one myself, but does that truly make a difference? 

I am fortunate that I live in a city where we have curbside recycling. Each house was given a very large bright blue bin with wheels (were they recycled themselves?).  This bin hold two weeks worth of paper, plastic, glass, cans, anything with the numbers one through eight on it inside the little triangle.  No sorting, no washing.  Throw it in, and voila!  Be a good citizen.

There are certain “green” things I absolutely will not do.  I will not now, or hopefully ever use an item called a Diva Cup for my monthly flow.  I am nowhere near that evolved.

It is a fact that my thumb is black.  I can’t grow anything.  I have tried.  I am not much of a cook to begin with, planting my own garden would be pointless.  I have no more idea what to do with rosemary than admire the smell.

I shop at thrift stores, out of necessity rather than consciousness.

When Al Gore’s movie, An Inconvenient Truth, came out I watched it waiting with anticipation to see what changes I can make at home.  I was saddened with each new scene of Big Al getting on his private jet.  At least I waste fuel in economy.

More disappointing was the only suggestions made were during the credits.

I am taking baby step, starting with Birkenstocks, and maybe someday ending with making my own soup stock.