The Nest: Green with Motherhood

I tried. I pushed onward with my Amazon shopping and eventually formulated a perfect cart full of glass lunch containers, bee’s wax tupperware coverings, and organic deodorant. I was “going green” because I was going to save the planet for my son. 

Reducing our carbon footprint had been on my mind since before my pregnancy, and I was ready to jump in the deep end. I was a one-woman show, on a journey to save the Earth. Being outdoors is a driving force for my peace and my solace in a very busy, and (at times) superficial world. I step outside some mornings when my family is still asleep and breathe in the new day while sipping my strongly caffeinated coffee, and I know I can’t possibly repay this gift. I am going green in my motherhood.

After shopping enthusiastically on Amazon, I stopped. I was stunned by my cart total…I confess that going green isn’t happening in one shopping trip. So, I wrote: 

Dear Mother Earth, 

My apologies for the late response to the crisis at hand. I have done my research and looked into BPA free bottles, all household items that decreased our carbon footprint, and - well - glass, everything. Honestly, I just can’t afford it all right now. I can take it step by step and enlist some help from other mothers and those women in my life that have a knack for living environmentally-friendly. See, I have this village and they have grown savvy at living a cleaner lifestyle. For now though, I can assist you with some household plants that are also living in crisis mode and in need of some TLC. It is the thought that counts, and you are a forgiving woman. 

Love, 

A Want-To-Be Green Mother

My Director bought me this beautiful succulent. It was thoughtful and so encouraging for me when I began my new position last fall. It is now very close to extinction but thankfully still alive, please don’t tell her. I have invested my time and energy into exploring “Green Motherhood.” It has been a series of habit changes that slowly over time decreases our family’s impact on the world around us. My husband now complains that we eat food items that taste like twigs and frequently asks where the Clorox is, but I am becoming accustomed to filtering 25,349 questions a day as a mother. 

A large amount of information is out there and the pressure is on to be the greenest mother on the block, but I need real deodorant. I am learning in motherhood small steps day after day make can majorly shift our mindsets. Buying one glass container at a time or cutting out a single toxic detergent is a big success! No discouraging here- go green slowly, mama. After all, the tortoise beat the hare didn’t she? 

Live your healthiest life with your family. Encourage your children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, friends, all of them, by encouraging a lifestyle that supports the world we all live in. This is your time to practice what you preach. 

I had not realized the amount of toxic chemicals in my home until after I had done my research and slowly invested in a greener home life. 

First things first, take a walk and enjoy the outdoors. Take a few deep breaths and close your eyes to enjoy the sun on your skin. Appreciating the world that you’re working so hard to ensure for the next generation is the first step in a lifelong journey to going green in motherhood.