Spending time at Genesis farms was a very eye opening experience for me personally. I found it inspiring and hopeful about all of the possibilities for the future. I think that a lot of times people do not invest in environmentally friendly ways because they do not think that they could possibly make a difference in the world. However, going to a community, like Genesis farms, and being around people that really do want change to protect our Earth is quite promising. People do not act on environmentally friendly initiatives because they figure, what's the point, however we need to start acting these changes to show that it is a growing movement. Once we start making differences in our lives and we start promoting change then others around us will latch on to the movement. When someone is investing in an environmentally friendly initiative it may just be them in the beginning, but what people need to realize is you never know who you can have a major impact on.
There are many ways to individually become more environmentally friendly. Someone does not have to change there life all at once, rather it is starting with the little changes. There are many ways to make changes in your house, your eating habits, and your general daily life that can make a difference. Below I wrote a list that includes just a few of the possibilities to start your greener life today!
Home: grey water tank, straw house, non-flush toilet, environmentaly friendly cleaning products.
Eating: fresh produce, veganism, vegetarianism, knowing where your food comes from, CSAs
Other: reusable bags, educating others.
There are many more examples than just these! So pick one of these or research on your own and GO FOR IT!
Out of all of the suggestions, the one that interests me the most is the CSAs. I believe these are a much healthier alternative to factory farms not only for our bodies, but also for the planet. Because these are organic they do not use harsh pesticides that ultimately add more chemicals to the earth and usually affect the water quality and organisms of that area.
ReplyDeleteAfter picking parsnips at the CSA farm I began to wonder why there wasn’t a local CSA in my hometown. I want to do more research now. Not only is locally grown food better for us and the environment, it also brings a sense of community. Talking to the people that worked at the farm was a pleasure and they all seemed genuinely happy picking this food for their “customers”. I put customers in quotes because everyone that is a member of a CSA owns a share of the farm. Therefore everyone is an owner of the farm where they get their food.
I believe in a short time there will be CSAs popping up all over the country as people learn more and more about their benefits.
As a CSA memeber for the past couple of years, I can say that it has been a truly great way to invest in my own health but also in the health of my community and the environment. I've tried more foods and more recipes and find it easier to add more vegetables to my diet when I don't shop at the grocery store. The fact that it is good for my health and good for the environment makes it a truly "win-win" opportunity. I would encourage people to try it out for a season.
ReplyDeleteAt the farm I found the staw house to be truly unique. I had never heard of that before and want to know more about the building process. The home felt so peaceful and I'm impressed with the warmth it provides. Thaks for posting about daily things we can do to live a greener life.