Earth Day

Yesterday, as you know, was Earth Day. I didn't remember until about 1/2 way through the day. It was at that point I realized, unknowingly, I was celebrating in my own way.



First, I was wearing a skirt I recently made and carrying a purse (with a little diaper carrier inside) I made. The purse and diaper carrier were even made from recycled material.



Secondly, I was out shopping at my favorite produce market which carries a lot of local produce, and at Whole Foods (which has stopped using plastic bags). At each place I carried my own shopping bags, although I had to use the plastic produce bags to collect my fruits and veggies.



And third, my child was wearing cloth diapers all day and ate baby food I made (mostly, I did feed him a couple of jars of food).



I'm not trying to toot my own horn. I am just amazed at how much my life has changed in the last few years, and most dramatically in the last year. A year ago none of the above things would have registered with me as little ways I can do my part to live greener and help preserve what we have (or have left).



I am thoughtful of these "little" changes as we plan for our upcoming move to the Domincan Republic. Changes like recycling much of our garbage, using cloth diapers, using reusable shopping bags (and almost begging the person bagging my groceries not to use any plastic bags, even for eggs or bread), making some of my clothes (still working on that one as the skirt is my first in a long time), not turning on a light in a room that already has natural light I can use, walking instead of using the car, buying local or organic as much as possible, etc... Very few, if any, of these things are practiced or even popular in the DR. I wonder if I will be frustrated at how behind they are in the campaign to save our planet, or if I will be inspired to try in my own little way to make a change for the better among my new community of family and friends.

Here's my new skirt and bag. I owe a HUGE thanks to my creative friends out there who have inspired me toward this new creative trend!