Last summer, on one of our standard walks to the mailbox (it's half a mile from our house (the postal services is getting lazy these days, but that's another issue) we passed by the creek that runs behind our backyard. We had recently had a heavy rain and the creek was full. Passing by, you couldn't help but notice a huge amount of foam rising from the rapids. Kurt explained to me that a co-worker had told him the foam caused by pesticides and fertilizers used in yards. That is scary to me.
Southern Living magazine come to me in the mail every month. It's taken me years to realize that my yard will never be Southern Living magazine worthy. And that's okay. Each spring, we fight the battle of what to do about weeds and fire ants. I would love for our lawn to look lush, green, and weed free. But so far I haven't figured out a way to do that without being a detriment to the environment outside my yard. I also want my son to be able to run barefoot through the grass and roll around on the ground with no worries about chemicals. My main point in this is that we have got to start evaluating what's really important for today and for tomorrow. Yes, it's great to have a green, weed-free lawn, but is it worth the expense of our greater environment?
I have been thinking a lot about small ways to impact the environment for good. I'm just the average person. I recycle, I try to preserve resources, but I'm also an American who has gotten used to the unacceptable standards we currently live by.
So I'm going greener. I'm not going to stop taking showers or vow to not buy anything for a year. But I am going to try and make some everyday changes. I'll be sharing these things on the blog, in hopes that you will join me.
No comments:
Post a Comment