Getting greener: 6 months later

NOTE: I am posting from my parents' computer in France and 1) They have a AZERT keyboard, qnd 2) They haven't set up all the keyboard shortcuts so it's basically a nightmare to type. All this to say that I wanted to put all sorts of links in this post but since it took me 20 minutes to do just one, I'm giving up. Plus, I'm jet lagged.

Louie Gilot: 6 months later, winners and losers in green game
by Louie Gilot / Special to the Times
Posted: 07/01/2010 12:00:00 AM MDT

EL PASO -- Time flies. It's been six months since I started writing this column and not much longer since I decided to change my ways for the greener. Some things worked and others didn't. Now is a good time to take stock.

Overall what I learned is that it's not hard to be green, but it does require some forethought. You have to be willing to think about things that you blissfully ignored in the past. You have to be ready to ask questions like, "What was this polystyrene coffee cup made from?" "How long will it take to biodegrade?" "Is there a better alternative?" (The answers by the way are, petroleum products; 500 years; and yes, there is a better way: you can bring a to-go cup to the coffee shop.)

I know that process may sound burdensome to some people, but I found it empowering. I felt like I regained control of my life as a consumer.

Here are some things that are parts of my new routine: (After the break)

Reusable bags, stainless-steel water bottle and to-go coffee cup. Begone, unnecessary disposables! My reusable bags, bottle and cup are cool, save me money and are friendly to the environment.

Curbside recycling. It's so easy that even my 5-year-old knows what goes into our recycling box.

Vinegar and baking soda. I clean my floors, counters, sinks and windows with vinegar and baking soda. It works, it's cheap, and it's good for the environment and for my health.

Getting involved is the key. A while back, I read a list of top 10 things anyone can do to help the environment in Colin Beavan (No Impact Man)'s blog. At the top of the list was "Get involved." Caring about the environment is caring about the connections between the Earth and its people. Volunteering for your community is a great way to strengthen connections. In El Paso right now, you can promote solar energy, give input to the city's plan for Asarco, or protect our beautiful mountains, among many other causes.


On the other hand, I also discovered that there are many shades of green out there, and some of the things I tried were a tad too dark green for me. (Readers, feel free to try to change my mind.)

The bleach stays. When it comes to stains on a white T-shirt, nothing works like bleach. Trust me, I've tried. Hydrogen peroxide, vinegar, baking soda -- they are all powerless when confronted with armpit stains.

Handkerchiefs had to go. I bought a box of old man handkerchiefs when I had a cold a few months back because I found it reprehensible to blow my nose on dead trees. However, it totally grossed out my husband. For the sake of keeping the magic in my marriage, the hankies had to go.

Green gifts are not a crowd pleaser. That's the sad truth: People don't really get too excited when you give them CFL light bulbs for Christmas.

Solar ovens are deceptively hard to build. Supposedly, little children regularly build solar ovens in their spare time and cook their little hearts out using only the sun's heat. Little children are better than me.

After only six months, I can say that there was a lot more to like about being green than not to like. I can't wait to see what the next six months bring.

Go to Louie's blog at www.lagreenga.com to see pictures of the failed solar oven and to send questions and comments.