What I mean by green
When I was gearing up to start Greener Every Day, my husband often said to me, “No one is going to understand what you do.” My first reaction, was that, of course, people would know what green lifestyle and home consulting are! Maybe he doesn’t know what they are, but everyone else will. Eco-consulting, green consulting, sustainability consulting (pick your favorite variation) has exploded as a field in the last couple of years. Not to mention all the green blogs! Or the green initiatives popping up everywhere!
As I thought about it more though, I realized that he has a point. Just because people have heard a term doesn’t mean they understand it. And just because there is growing interest in personal sustainability doesn’t mean that this interest in backed up by knowledge of what green living is all about. Ironically, the meanings of “eco” “sustainable” and “green” have become somewhat muddled precisely because of their widespread popularity and market appeal. With so many businesses touting their green credentials, it can be difficult for consumers to distinguish true green from deceptive marketing (otherwise known as greenwashing).
This has certainly been a challenge for me. One of the hallmarks of my own Greener Every Day journey has been the immense of amount of time and research that I have put into figuring out what makes a product or a practice truly green. Not to mention all the roadblocks I’ve encountered along the way, in the form of misinformation, incomplete information, impractical information, etc.
All of which is to say is that if my mission is to use my knowledge and experience to help others live green, build green and parent green, I had better be clear about what I mean by green.
So what do I mean?
I believe that a green or sustainable or eco-friendly life is above all a good life. It’s a life that, first of all, supports my well-being and the well-being of my family. But it isn’t only about personal well-being. I don’t believe that my life can be good without considering its impact on and intersection with my community and the planet as a whole. For me, a green life is good on three interconnected levels: the personal, the communal and the planetary.
It is good for me and my family because, for example, we spend less on our utility bills, get more exercise, eat less meat… It is good for our community because, for example, we support sustainable agriculture and patronize local businesses. And it’s good for the planet because, for example, we pollute less, conserve resources, etc.
As my examples above imply, I have found that opportunities to go green can be found in several different areas of one’s life including home energy and water use, purchasing habits, transportation patterns, waste disposal practices, and community involvement.
My consulting services are essentially a means to help people take advantage of those opportunities that make the most sense for them given their needs, priorities and lifestyles.
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Hi Rachel! Congratulations on the launch of Greener Every Day! The design of the site reflects a lot of care and thought, exactly what living greener is all about. May you have great success with it.
The journey towards more sustainable living can be challenging, for as you have found there is so much to learn. I recently received an email from a friend touting the benefits of running more of our economy on natural gas because, he said, “it does not emit any carbon dioxide”. This guy is not uneducated, he runs a business here in Newton and he has a great family, his wife is a medical doctor. But he is just plain wrong about natural gas, of course burning it emits CO2, its a fossil fuel albeit certainly cleaner than coal or oil. (So switching your home from fuel oil to natural gas for heating can cut CO2 emissions by over 30%, its a good way to make a big difference.) This is not an isolated instance, and these moments remind me just how much we are asking when we aim to have more of our community, our entire nation, “go green”. It takes a gentle touch to offer guidance to our friends when they get the science wrong, but also humility about one’s own fragmented knowledge, and an openness to learn. I know your writings on this site and your one-on-one meetings with people in their homes will bring exactly this approach. It is certainly needed, even here in well-educated Newton.
Onwards now, and best of luck!
Eric Olson
Comment by Eric Olson — June 10, 2009 @ 9:24 am