Away We Go!

I've been engaged in the process of becoming a better steward of my health and the health of the planet for as long as I can remember. Because of the way I believed (and believe) things are going, I had decided not to have children, but when our beautiful Isela came as a surprise, my focus sharpened to say the least. Not only do I want her to be healthy, I want her to inherit a habitable and beautiful planet and, as any mother knows, the passion of "Mama Bear," namely protecting her little one, doth light a fire!

I had quite a bit of information at the time I found out I was pregnant, enough to know that I needed to use no-VOC paint and eat organic use non-toxic beauty products and natural laundry detergent but I didn't know much about things like the prevalence of flame retardants and formaldehyde and lead, eating seasonally and locally, and the importance of buying organic beauty products.

The years to come will hold some exciting chances for my family to apply what we already know and to learn more. I am determined to keep my daughter as healthy as possible in this (unfortunately) toxic world but we're going far beyond that. We are planning to purchase an acre or more on which to build a totally green, non-toxic home and I have plans for a biodynamic and organic garden.

Along the path I know we'll learn more and, as I've done so many times in the past, will say to myself again, "How could I have made that mistake?!" or "How did I miss that?!" ...but it's a process, this learning to live more consciously than the masses. I believe that most people can do much more than they think they can but, with that in mind, I will concur we all change our behaviors incrementally and the increments vary in scope and in size.

Since my husband won't consent to move to a country in Europe where the environmental and health regulations somewhat protect the populace (at least not yet) - heck, any country in Europe would be better than the U.S. in that regard - I've decided to do what I can to make a difference here. "Grow where you're planted," is what they say. I also love how Michael Moore put it in Capitalism: A Love Story (paraphrase): "I refuse to live in a country that operates like this... and I'm not leaving!"

My hope for this blog is that it will serve as a medium by which I can organize what's in my head, that will allow me to do a modicum of good, and that will facilitate the development a community of kindred spirits. I am lonely for like minds so comment away. I look forward to learning from your experiences.