Living Green - Guilt Free!

I recently read another environmentalists blog where she explained how terribly guilty she felt for having to use air travel – the first time in 7 years! This is the kind of issue I am referring to when I stumble through the maze of green information that is bombarding us all at the moment.

The eco-friendly product and services industry makes a large portion of its sales to those of us greenies because we feel guilty about what we have done (or what our forefather’s have done) to the earth.

But all the guilt in the world will not change people. For sure, it tells us that something is wrong and needs attention, but guilt does not change behaviour. Heart felt conviction does!

But if you are trapped in the cycle of feeling guilty for not living green enough, then hopefully these pointers below will help you find balance.

# 1 - Do what you can with the resources you have
Set your expectations! If you live in an apartment or on a small suburban plot, don’t expect to grow all your own vegetables. If you do not have the money to install solar power, then learn how to rather cut your electrical usage. If you have to travel to work, then see how you can reduce your fuel consumption. If you eat a lot of convenience foods, learn to cook a few recipes from scratch rather!

Basically in a nutshell, live for the now! Find ways to do what you can to the fullest extent without dreaming about the “what if’s” and the “when I’s”. This is fruitless.

# 2 - Stop comparing with others further along the road
If you have hooked up with a group of greenies and they are already well on their way to living green and self sufficient, eat all their own produce and live of the grid, but you are just starting out, don't compare where you are at!

Rather learn from them and take one step at a time towards your guilt free green living lifestyle.

# 3 – Plan your future green choices
When you learn from others, books or the internet, plan out your steps. See what you can do immediately and implement the changes. More expensive things can be planned out on a month to month, year to year or 5 year basis. It doesn’t all have to happen now! But you must react to new information as it comes along asking yourself whether you can fix anything right now. I have recently been learning about the effects of petrochemicals on my family's health and we are doing what we can to minimise these toxins in our lifestyle.

# 4 – Don’t beat yourself up when things go wrong
Life is full of success and failure. If you loose a tomato harvest (I did) or you have to compromise on travel (like the lady who used air travel), then chalk it up to a learning curve and relax! Next year you can try again, next month is another month. Just keep walking forward in your green choices