Day 384
That's what I used to think when my mom would pick up trash around our neighborhood. She was always picking up trash. And I, being my stupid teenage self, thought it was incredibly dorky, dumb, pointless, and not cool. I was actually embarrassed that she picked up trash, and I can even remember telling her, "ugh, mom, just leave it...come on!" Turns out, I was the dumb one.
The trash problem is a big one. It's growing, and there aren't many solutions. Maybe it seems small, but for my act of kindness this week, I picked up trash in my neighborhood. And I didn't feel dorky doing it. I felt good. But not in a, "I'm great," kind of way. But in a, "maybe this will save some animals," kind of way. Maybe I can't go out and collect trash from the oceans. But I can make a difference. There are animals here that need my help. Whenever I'm out from now on, if I see trash, I'm picking it up. No matter how inconvenient. The earth is counting on us. The animals are counting on us. If we don't do something, who will?
Another way I am helping to create small changes is by using cloth diapers and cloth wipes. I know it sounds weird, but I love cloth diapering. We paid $80 for sixteen cloth diapers. Sounds expensive, but considering that it pays for itself in the first two months, it's actually way, way, way more cost effective than disposable diapers. I love them. Tobin even wears them at night. And by cloth diapering him, and Addy when she was in diapers, I've saved around $5000. And saved the planet from tons of trash. Literally. I read that one baby can produce one ton of diaper garbage in one year of life. So, three years for Addy. Three years for Tobin. Six tons of diaper trash!? Patty cloth diapers, too. That's three years of diapers for Sophia. Together, we will save the planet from nine tons of diaper garbage by cloth diapering. I feel proud to say that! (If anyone out there wants to know how to cloth diaper, I'm your girl!)
Yet another small way we are making a little bit of difference is by not buying napkins and paper towels anymore. It saves tons of trees. And money! Patty and I both use terry cloth towels in place of napkins and paper towels now. I love it! When I use them, I think of how many beautiful trees we are saving by doing so. And I do so love trees.
Thankful for my mom. Thankful for her example. If it wasn't for her, maybe I wouldn't care so much. Thankful that I can make a difference right here, where I'm at. I'm doing small things. But, small things matter. Small things make a difference. And I don't mind doing small things for a planet that is home to so many beautiful things. And so many things that I love. And if we don't do small things now, what will happen when my small ones grow up?
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