Green Gratitude
‘Tis that time of year again. A time for giving, a time for reflection, and a time for taking stock of the things that bring a smile to our faces and meaning to our lives. In other words, it’s a time for gratitude.
Every month, as part of the Green Moms Carnival, green “mommy” bloggers from around the world unite to cover an eco-topic from various perspectives. This month the topic is gratitude, specifically, the three green things for which we’re most grateful. So without further ado, here’s my list:
1. Good Green Friends: I know for many folks, going green can feel like an isolating experience. Always getting odd looks for bringing a reusable tote bag to the store or bringing in homemade goodies on snack day instead of the individually-wrapped high-fructose corn syrup variety. So I consider myself truly fortunate to have such a rich network green friends, both on the web and in my neighborhood. And while I still meet folks who raise their eyebrows as I hang my clothes on the line to dry, it’s comforting to know that at there’s always someone who will listen to my rants on wasteful packaging or offer advice for a greener way to purchase toilet paper.
2. Greenwashing: What, grateful for greenwashing…have I lost my mind? Well, maybe, but that’s a whole different post. Truly, I’m grateful for greenwashing because it just goes to show how far green has come. Twenty years ago, companies wouldn’t have bothered to label their products as “green,” or “eco-friendly.” The fact that they do today tells me that we’re on the right track, even if some companies don’t quite get it yet. And in today’s digital age, where green bloggers are spread far and wide on the web and consumers can literally send a text on their cell phones and seconds later find out if the product on the shelf in front of them is as green as it claims to be, I’m not worried about greenwashing having any lasting effect. Most companies that try these technique soon realize that if they don’t have the green goods to back up their claims, they’ll be busted before they petroleum-based ink on their styrofoam packaging has a chance to dry.
3. Organic, Fair-Trade Chocolate: Honestly, I don’t know what it is that I have been eating my whole life…but it was not chocolate. It looked like chocolate and sometimes smelled like chocolate, but before I found organic chocolate I had never really tasted chocolate. Real chocolate. The kind of chocolate that could stop traffic. The kind of chocolate that makes your toes curl and your eyes water with sheer joy. Think I’m exaggerating? Then you haven’t tried it. I’m so grateful that the green movement has brough organic, fair-trade (ie guilt-free) chocolate in to my life. It has certainly made my life even sweeter!
Be sure to check out this month’s Green Mom’s Carnival on Gratitude to find out what other green mommy bloggers are thankful for.
I’m so grateful to have met you (and, of course, to get to talk tp with you!).
Hmmm - I’m totally with you on the chocolate, but differ a bit on the value of greenwashing. Consumers are already so confused, and the greenwashing doesn’t make it any easier to figure out the right thing to do. I think I’ll be grateful when more sustainability standards are passed and companies realize that they’ve got to certify their claims or just stop making them.
OK now that you have most of us drooling please share your absolutely favorite organic fair trade brand chocolate please….
Some of us elder green moms, really walked and talked the green thing before green hit the trend cycle. We really struggled with our personal beliefs and determination to have choices. We struggled then with being different. While I am grateful, ever so, that green is more on the map. I find I have little tolerance for psuedo posturing greenness. I want to be patient, I also want to be kind. I don’t want to judge. Yet sometimes I find myself thinking …where were all you people 20 years ago?
Amen, sister!
Some of us were just kids 20 years ago
that last comment was not supposed to be snarky.. I had a smilie at the end but it seems to have disappeared
I am so with you on the chocolate. THIS is real chocolate. I can’t even look at Hersheys anymore. I am completely and utterly, but happily spoiled.
Great point about the greenwashing just too bad there isn’t more trust and honesty out there. I’m with you on the choc. Yum!
I want to hear more about this chocolate. Where do I get some? I’ve been having trouble finding any kind of fair trade chocolate where I live (Raleigh, NC)