Going Green: A Continuing Tuesday Fit by Five

For the next few weeks, I'll be writing on Going Green during my Tuesday Fit by Five posts. I've veered from the fit by five format for some time (lots of alliteration going on, wow!) but am anxious to return to it. I think I've found a vehicle that deserves the attention and that subject is Going Green. You will also see larger text, because... some of us like it. Think: baby boomers.

I've considered myself an environmentalist for awhile, but, to be honest, I don't do as much as I could to protect the environment. I give it a lot of lip service - which is okay, but at home, I don't find myself doing much more than turning the water off when I brush my teeth, reusing plastic bags (we bought canvas bags for grocery shopping, but we forget to bring them to the store!) and recycling wherever I can.

Lately, thanks to some smart, energetic, and knowledgeable folks like the founder of The Big Green Purse, and the writer at Inspired Protagonist, I've discovered that there are a LOT of other ways I can contribute to going green. And, even more than that... there are a LOT of ways YOU can contribute.

The "about" at The Inspired Protagonist says, "In an age when despairing doom and global gloom rule the wires and extinguish those inspired fires that could ignite the needed change, the Inspired Protagonists seeks to cut the cords of negativity that bind us and replace them with hopeful strands of thought and deed that weave new worlds of possibility." To which I say, okay. Let's go!

Diane, of the Big Green Purse says, "At Big Green Purse, we believe that the fastest, easiest, most direct route to a clean and healthy environment is to shift our spending to environmentally-safe, socially responsible products and services. Why? 

"Because global warming has become an international crisis. The places we treasure and the wildlife we love are threatened. We need to protect our health and the health of our kids and grand kids, and laws and regulations can't do it alone.

That's where Big Green Purse comes in. We're unique in our focus on women because women spend $.85 of every dollar in the marketplace. That's a lot of power packed in a purse...but only if it's used in a way that can't be ignored. That's why Big Green Purse is encouraging A MILLION WOMEN to shift at least $1,000 of money they already spend for an initial $1 billion Big Green Purse impact. Want to join us? Here's how."

Join us. Andrea, Elana, Mary, Cooper, you, me and everyone...WE CAN make that difference.

Watch for more reporting on this next Tuesday and every Tuesday thereafter, until the change we need is here.

Comments

[Yvonne DiVita]

Mary, your ideas are right on. And, I like that you've reminded people of the importance of having a focus on 'green' in order to be successful in our businesses.

Mary, you will be hearing more from me, and many others, if I have anything to say about it.

Here's my tip of the day: Gather that shower water in a bucket - you know, while you're waiting for it to heat up - and use it to water your plants.

[Mary Schmidt]

Thanks for the tip re Big Green Purse.

Some of the little things I do:
1. No air conditioning - unless I'm really, really miserable. Luckily here in NM high desert, it cools off at night and is almost always cool in the shade. I've actually gotten to where I really don't like air conditioning.

2. Keep those canvas bags handy when I go shopping. And, if I forget and only have a couple of items I - gasp- just carry them out in my own widdle hands.

3. Spending a little more on coffee - shade grown French Roast at T-J's is some of the best tasting anyway.

4. No chemicals in my yard. I pull the weeds, feed the birds, encourage the "good" bugs. Everything looks lush and happy (and almost no weeds!) I also xeriscaped my front yard this year (The city of Albuquerque gives great incentives to do so.)

Appreciate any other tips from anybody. If we all do just a little, it'll add up to a lot!

(and as for why we're discussing this on a business blog - doesn't do us much good to have businesses if we can't breath the air or up to our eyeballs in melted polar cap water.)

[Mary Hunt]

That THAT's using blog power. Thanks for the inspiration and for setting the example of how blogs can change the world when focused on a task.

I'm looking forward to hearing more from Diane and YOU!