Ask Ask Ask....

So as I was watching T.V. the other night with the hubby we happened upon the Sundance Channel that is being previewed for the month of January. Not only do they air some good thought-provoking shows and movies but things make it on that typically wouldn't be on mainstream tele (which is mostly so repulsive these days that I barely watch anything any more). This channel even plays short films during the commercial break and this particular night they were airing the Green Porno series. Firstly, hilarious. Secondly,informative. Thirdly, these shorts triggered something within  that was bubbling up inside me in the last weeks anyway: if you're curious ask. Don't just wonder or take someone else's word for it. Don't become glazed over at the splendors of live (talking to myself here as much as any reader). If someone tells you something, ask more about it. Ask about food- where does it come from, how did it get to your house and on your plate? Ask about products- don't believe what the celebrity says about the soap s/he's advertising, they didn't make it, what do those ingredients actually do. Does the biodegradable diaper bio-degrade? Ask ask ask. There are endless things you could ask. It has become so overwhelming that people(myself included of course) have decided to stop asking, and some have even forgotten how. So please mamas, ask. Oh, and check out the Green Porno by Isabella Rossellini while your at it!

P.S. As I seek and ask I will post findings that work well for our family in the appropriate pages listed across the top of blog. Please share what you find too. Sharing is caring!

Trusting the words of Thoreau

Sometimes when we make decisions, we get more than we think we bargained for. Supporting local farmers-you betcha. Buying healthy food- been doin' it for years. Cutting out random stuff I shouldn't be eating any way and just eat when I'm anxious about something- uh sure; it's gross in looks, habit and how good can it be if it's been travelling half way around the world to get here? Saving energy- feels great. Researching and finding new household products- fun! (It was super awesome grocery shopping yesterday by the way- plus I spent about half as much by loading up on healthy/organic/local products. Did you read that properly: almost half as much just by shopping consciously and creatively!)

It's the talking and teaching other people about sustainable living that seems a little less than comfortable. I do much better leading by example than I do getting up and preaching people into a revolutionary state.

A couple of months ago I had become interested in Milk Paint. Everything about it seemed right. No VOC's, great bright colours, easy to work with, environmentally friendly, has a great history and you can even by it from a Canadian manufacturer/retailers (see Household). I redid our wee one's dresser in Sea Foam Green and was very impressed by the application and country/shabby chic look. I then started talking about it....and couldn't stop. At home, on the phone, at work. Yes, at work. We're currently doing a series of weekend retreat workshops at work and I (in all of my excitement about Milk Paint) suggested a weekend retreat in learning to work with it. Once I realized what I had done I called high and low (or from Edmonton to Toronto) attempting to hire an instructor to run the 'Working with Milk Paint' weekend. I had such positive responses- but not in the way I was hoping to. "No, I don't know anyone to do it but that's awesome why don't you run it?!" "No sorry we don't teach that but if you ever decide to run it please call us back- we'd be very interested in hosting it here too!" Even the guy from Toronto called back leaving a message so long that the machine cut him off "I'm always excited to talk to people who are interested in using Milk Paint- call me back and we'll chat some more."  Really?

Sometimes we can't avoid things that make us uncomfortable but I still tried. I found someone (two people actually) who would work with latex and other poisonous materials, that achieve beautiful results. I reserved them and got excited about learning their techniques. I printed labels and covered the Milk Paint Weekend promotional material. In the midst of this excitement though something didn't sit right and the saying "you can put lipstick on a pig..." kept running through my head (but not in it's assumed meaning). It is now just a couple of days before the workshop and people are just not interested in my label-covered advertisement. At the 11th hour, in my devotion to making sustainable choices (at the expense of both my comfort and embarrassment) I have decided to run the "Working with Milk Paint Workshop" myself with 5-6 participants.

"We must walk consciously only part way toward our goal and then leap in the dark to our success." -Henry Thoreau

sus·tain·able

1: capable of being sustained      

2 a : of, relating to, or being a method of harvesting or using a resource so that the        resource is not depleted or permanently damaged <sustainable techniques> <sustainable agriculture>

b : of or relating to a lifestyle involving the use of sustainable methods <sustainable society

What is it exactly that I'm attempting to do? To make sustainable choices in all we do as a family. Decision by decision, purchase by purchase, moment by moment, day by day. It is a bit daunting to think about changing our ways or our lives in one day (like a diet or an exercise regime), which is why I will take this challenge on decision by decision. Always asking myself what is the sustainable option?  in what we do, buy and how we act. The biggest thing to wrap my mind around on Day 3 is the task of remaining mindful when it comes time to make a decision. Some things have become such habit and aren't things I even think about doing. At the same time, I think it is important not be too hard on myself. When we're too hard on ourselves, we end up aborting the idea (again diet, exercise regime!). I'll approach this authentically and honestly. We're headed to the grocery store today. Here we go...