Writers:

Welcome to the Green Mama Blog

Posted on March 27, 2008 at 6 a.m. by Green Mama.

Welcome to the Green Mama Blog

My husband and I are environmentalists the way some people are Artists, or Christians, or Democrats. It defines how we live—how we shop, who we hang out with, what we read, and, of course, how we parent.

There is nothing like parenting, however, to stomp on a person’s self-righteousness. Before I had a baby I imagined the baby’s playroom as a little corner of our sunroom where IT [the baby whose sex we adamantly refused to find out, although we were absolutely sure it was a boy—it wasn’t—] would amuse itself with tasteful wooden toys that it would quickly learn to put away before coming to the table where it would feed itself a delicious, homemade organic meal.

I was obviously delusional.

Parenting moves fast. Now I know. Who has time to spend all day figuring out how to make all the right choices for their kids… and for the environment? And yet, more and more of us want to raise our kids in ways that reflect green values. As a writer and environmentalist, I turn to the computer, the well-connected know-it-all neighbor, the latest parenting and sustainability journals as my guideposts in navigating parenthood. And then I try to remember all I’ve learned while my poopy, crying toddler is clinging to me and I am late for something.

Doing the “right” thing shouldn’t be harder, but sometimes it is. That is why it is so nice to run into another parent who cloth diapers and has a new cleaning tip to share, or to chat on-line with someone trying out organic babyfood recipes, or to discover a new website selling affordable, American-made wooden toys. (Anyone know where to get organic cotton footsies in 2T?) We aren’t all lucky enough to have a friend or neighbor with the same parenting and lifestyle values, but community is still the crux to making parenting easier, especially green parenting, and it certainly makes it all a little more fun.

I hope, together, we can share our stories as we find that balance between living consciously with a child and just getting out the door at all with a toddler.

Comments (8):

sarah commented, on March 27, 2008 at 7:37 p.m.:

community is key! yay, green mama!

Siobhan commented, on March 28, 2008 at 1:22 p.m.:

Great blog Manda! Excited to read more!

S & RL commented, on March 28, 2008 at 1:26 p.m.:

Off to a great start. We are looking forward to the next one!

Laurene commented, on March 30, 2008 at 12:24 a.m.:

Great kick off Manda! Thanks for bringing these challenges (and joys) up for discussion Green Mama! Can't wait to read more and share stories and ideas. The wooden toy delusion seems to persist over the years. Here is a young boy angle, from tonight, ... Earth Hour night.

I loved seeing the Sears tower go dark and I love that we all saw it together - myself, my son, and a friend and her son. The boys are nine and twelve. At first the boys resisted the idea of turning off the lights. It would interfere with their play. But then we ate popcorn in the dark kitchen and talked about night vision. They liked that. Later we talked about how we are all responsible for the earth and that it would one of the great challenges and opportunities of their generation to do better than ours and use less oil (and also, of course, save polar bears). I detected in their eyes that maybe the feeling of responsibility rang with them. Then, they dropped to their knees. In knightly fashion. I tapped their shoulders with wooden salad tongs, and gave them names, which I was told should be from star wars. They were jazzed now. Would it be okay to turn on their battery powered light sabers and play jedi in the dark?

Malik commented, on March 30, 2008 at 9:21 a.m.:

Nicely done, Manda. You have the power to spread your green mama mojo to families everywhere. Our family is already just a little bit greener because of knowing you. Keep it up!

Stephenie commented, on April 3, 2008 at 10:35 a.m.:

Manda, It will be great fun to learn how you succeed! My very best friend is striving to be a green mama as well (she has a 2.5 year old and has been cloth diapering, organic baby food and other options, and cloth wipes, and organic sheets, and and and), so I am sure your blog will encourage her. Welcome and applause for a great start.

Laurene, I love your Earth Hour Story. I wish I had a battery operated light saber...

vanessa & moxie commented, on April 3, 2008 at 3:58 p.m.:

since moxie is only 7 weeks old i'm still deeply embedded in the wooden toy delusion and the joy it will bring me to find suitable hand-me-downs...otherwise the intention is to make all other items of play...we'll see how long it all lasts. i'm hoping an eternity or at least a childhood.

laurene commented, on April 9, 2008 at 3:11 p.m.:

some plastic toys are worth it. Playmobil is great. Lots of plays per dollar spent. The content is "timless." They make good hand me downs. Nice gender and race balance...so good plastic choices are out there...