Do I have to?

I’ve been on a certain parenting e-mail list for years. The list is organized around a particular parenting philosophy, and list members are fairly “hard-core” about adhering to it. Most list newbies undergo a fairly predictable process. There is often some defensiveness as she finds some of her parenting strategies and ideas challenged and critiqued. And then, after much back and forth with the articulate and fiercely opinionated women of the list, at some point the newbie dissolves into a pool of maternal guilt as she regrets past interactions with her children. And then a list veteran will console her – and encourage her to move on – by reminding her, “When we know better, we do better.” Meaning of course, “Don’t beat yourself up for the past. But, now that you see that something else is possible, put it into action.”

When it comes to the environmental impact of our modern life: Sometimes I wish I didn’t know better. New habits are hard to adopt, especially as we juggle too-full lives with too many responsibilities. I’m proud that my household recycles most of our waste – the volume of paper, plastic, glass, and aluminum that my husband hauls to the recycling center in town is triple the amount of garbage that the trash company picks up at our house. I’ve finally bought enough reusable grocery bags [and put them in both of our cars] that more often than not, I don’t use store given disposables. We’ve all gotten used to using towels and rags to clean instead of paper towels. What few paper products we do buy – we spend a little extra to buy recycled. And, while we can’t afford it yet, I know that our next car will be a hybrid.

But, oh my. Some of the changes I know I should make… well, they are more challenging. I must be a bit of a masochist. As I count down to Earth Day, I could be blogging about any of the changes we’ve already made. Instead I’m preoccupied with plastic. And now that I know better … well dang it all, I’m supposed to do better. Some of the changes I’ve already implemented. We’ve weaned ourselves off of plastic cling wrap for the most part, and we no longer put any plastic containers in the microwave. [That’s a health issue – as opposed to an environmental one.] But doing without the ubiquitous litre of bottled water? Especially as we move into warm weather? Committing to buying, and then regularly filling and cleaning reusable water bottles? Enough for a family of 6? While we rush pell-mell through boy scout meetings and baseball practice and shopping trips and playdates at the playground? Do I really have to? I really wish I didn’t know better. But the evidence against bottled water– as you’ll see in the next entry I post – is fairly damning. So, I think I’m going to have to give it a go…