tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post6044893323324702481..comments2024-03-29T19:22:11.409+10:00Comments on down to earth: Doing what you can is enoughUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger42125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-79260101318974788352014-08-31T21:34:48.278+10:002014-08-31T21:34:48.278+10:00Ha ha, I was wondering what such a feeling is call...Ha ha, I was wondering what such a feeling is called, and I know now - green guilt, what a term! I do, too, experience it many times a day and can relate very well to whay Cat was saying! I think for me it has to do with few things: i) living green in a modern society is a tremendous effort. My husband sometimes jokes that to be fully green we have to go back to living in caves and hunting lions with spears, something of that sort.... But if we live in a modern world, you can only do your best and be proud of yourself. ii) another thing is that My efforts to save the planet look really worthless when I think of all industrial waste that is happening basically everywhere where production takes place, from water crackers in my neighbourhood to the cheap and toxic plastics somewhere in China.... My reusable shopping bag just fades when you realise how much rubbish there is out there already... So I really hope that government should step in and make it a law that all product packaging TO BE made recyclable, so I do not feel a green guilt when I fancy a bag of potato chips in a foil bag. I really count on that one, so it could alleviate my GG. iii) the feeling, that my choices are harming the planet (everytime I flush toilet, buy food in non- reusable packaging, forget my shopping bags at home, or put a HOT wash on for my laundry, or 1000000 other things) - is here with me, and I just have to learn to live with it, otherwise I should really start living in a jungle with few spears for hunting and shipskins on my waist.... :) thanks for your post, Rhonda, now I know what it is :)Anastasijahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16169663598002259764noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-45148762748290440132012-06-06T01:15:55.137+10:002012-06-06T01:15:55.137+10:00Great post and great question Cat. Don't feel...Great post and great question Cat. Don't feel guilty for not doing more, remember that what you are doing even if it was only one of the many things you do to be green is better then doing nothing at all. Don't put pressure on yourself to do more then you can comfortably or you will eventually get to a point where you say, "chuck it all" and you will stop. I know, I have been there. I am slowly getting my family to get on the bandwagon with using homemade cleaners and doing more with less and whatever small things we can to save energy, waste less food and try to live earth friendly. This isn't something that happens overnight and boom you can do it all. I am impressed with all you are doing and I have picked up many good ideas that fit into our lifestyle from Rhonda as well. Keep up the good work to all who are making a difference. Every little bit helps.Shinnyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03868088157963608087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-76045728945696800642012-05-29T03:50:40.907+10:002012-05-29T03:50:40.907+10:00An excellent post! I too suffer from being "...An excellent post! I too suffer from being "not enough" at times. I try to remember that every single act ripples out and makes a difference.Lauriehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01156180100389224114noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-29968313440269219632012-05-28T12:05:15.707+10:002012-05-28T12:05:15.707+10:00What a grea post and comments. Perfectionism is g...What a grea post and comments. Perfectionism is great for getting things done, not a comparison point. <br />I personally am finding that part of "green guilt" is to replace the guilt, anger, frustration, negativity with a spiritual endeavor of acceptance, gratitude, patience and compassion. It's not easy, but the work then becomes much more rewarding. :)<br />at all rates: baby steps, one day at a time :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-13182168953310305492012-05-28T09:57:57.394+10:002012-05-28T09:57:57.394+10:00Perfect answer. Do your best. Thanks for a wonderf...Perfect answer. Do your best. Thanks for a wonderful post.autumnesfhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04519475352289814754noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-3319935136445628322012-05-28T09:47:41.808+10:002012-05-28T09:47:41.808+10:00I could have written the exact same comment as Cat...I could have written the exact same comment as Cat's - I feel the same way!Vanessa Hoodnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-76237137623523723962012-05-26T02:08:16.161+10:002012-05-26T02:08:16.161+10:00Hi Rhonda! Great post today----thank you! I used t...Hi Rhonda! Great post today----thank you! I used to allow my self to indulge in a form of self-loathing stemming from "green guilt". I would read blogs/books that detailed an image of "green living perfection" and then bash myself for not being able to live up to the model. <br /><br />The longer I am on my own green/simple living journey, I am becoming more comfortable with who I am and what I am willing to do and with what aspects of simple living are most important to me and my family. Sometimes, I've learned that my own happiness is more important than living up to someone else's idea of the perfect green lifestyle and I allow myself to toss out what ideas/practices are simply not working for me and my family. I'm not perfect and never will be and I'm learning to be content with that.<br /><br />Blogs/books about the green/simple life are wonderful, but unless we as individuals are secure in who we are and what we want to both glean and give, we can become bogged down in a mire of guilt, self-loathing, fear, even shame. None of those should be by-products of a truly green and simple life. I truly believe that life is a balancing act----when things get out-of-whack, when we begin to view things from a skewed perspective, when we give in to guilt, we really rob ourselves of the peace that we were originally seeking. If a person doesn't want to make their own bread or prefers off-the-shelf shampoo, or if they don't have a garden space or don't desire to raise their own chickens for meat/eggs SO WHAT! Whatever we do on this green journey of ours we should do it lovingly, cheerfully----if not, then what's the point?! I would rather enjoy a meal with a happy friend who grabbed the food at the local take-out then to sit with a guilt-ridden friend who prepared every aspect of the meal herself simply because she felt she HAD to. Do what you can, do what you choose, and let the rest go!<br /><br />Thank you again for the years of amazing encouragement and help to those of us who find great joy in this simple journey.<br /><br />Blessings, PattiPatti~~~https://www.blogger.com/profile/09890454990528393688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-13906247807252755922012-05-24T22:09:17.525+10:002012-05-24T22:09:17.525+10:00I struggle everyday with the perfectionist side of...I struggle everyday with the perfectionist side of my personality but your last line really made me think and helped with my thinking and perspective...as always...thank you Rhonda xAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07586610467519318424noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-53666040245674901782012-05-24T21:02:22.375+10:002012-05-24T21:02:22.375+10:00Great comments and discussion. I think its importa...Great comments and discussion. I think its important to remember that thoughts (even guilty ones) are just thoughts; there's no need to take any notice of them, unless they are helpful. We are much more than our thoughts, and to quote a cliche, Actions speak louder than words. If we are able to live according to our values, although there may be room for improvement, that should be enough.claire edwardshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08975955888433883305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-5273541999472438232012-05-24T15:19:14.773+10:002012-05-24T15:19:14.773+10:00Gosh, did I feel guilty when I read Cat's lett...Gosh, did I feel guilty when I read Cat's letter. I'm doing so much less than she BUT I know I'm doing so much more than others. I will try to be content with that. I'm too busy feeling guilty about all the chores I never get to...Sandyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09540456562833941487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-11687623666016951512012-05-24T11:20:40.165+10:002012-05-24T11:20:40.165+10:00I have gone through this but now I ask myself real...I have gone through this but now I ask myself really quickly if I am going to worry about it or not and then let it go. I can't do everything and I can't worry about every little thing in the house so I try to just let go and do the best I can.Every little thing someone does really helps whether it's everyday or every month.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-7570234278168994752012-05-24T10:40:42.127+10:002012-05-24T10:40:42.127+10:00We can only do what we can with the time and resou...We can only do what we can with the time and resources we have. Cat should not worry about how much she is or isnt doing, and nor should she judge others for not being able to do as much as she can. Everyones lives and circumstances are different and we should only concentrate on what we can do ourselves and less on what others think we should be doing or what we think others should be doing.Kristyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05369451897799277578noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-18997031923246598462012-05-24T10:04:41.075+10:002012-05-24T10:04:41.075+10:00I want to say thank you to Cat, Rhonda, and all th...I want to say thank you to Cat, Rhonda, and all the other commenters here - I too suffer from "green guilt" occasionally. I have a to-do list as long as my arm, and on top of it, my husband and I are trying to buy our very first piece of property so we can expand our self-sufficient life. So I took an extra long weekend this past weekend, with hopes of finishing up my started-then-stalled projects, and I spent most of it enjoying the weather and the company of my pooch. I felt guilty ("I should be finishing those stuffies for my friends' babies, I should finish that ring for my friend, I should really get some lye and make liquid soap, I need to.....") but then I thought - I'm stressed enough as it is. I should really just use this time off to recharge, and not get so upset and guilty. And I find that sometimes I need to think of other things like that. Yes, it is better for the planet if I take short, cool/warm showers, but... nice, hot showers really soothe me before bed, plus now that the days are longer (I'm in Canada), I can shower by the sunlight coming in through the window and not use the bathroom light - that's good enough. Yes, I should probably grow a tonne of tomatoes and make my own pasta sauce instead of buying jars of it, but... we don't eat fresh tomatoes, and I reuse the jars whenever I can (and recycle them if I can't) - that's good enough.<br /><br />Thank you again, everyone, for this gentle, beautiful reminder that yes, enough IS enough.<br /><br />Best,<br />MandiAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-30560579843016919612012-05-24T08:44:44.889+10:002012-05-24T08:44:44.889+10:00Something that helps me when I'm feeling like ...Something that helps me when I'm feeling like I should be 'doing more, trying harder etc.' is to limit choices. Here are a few examples:<br />1. After being overwhelmed looking for the 'right' places buy groceries from I have picked a small area of shops near my house where I now go for everything. I make the best choices I can there without having to go all over town looking and researching and worrying that I'm not doing well enough. <br />2. I limit my use of internet so that I'm not spending too much time getting new ideas into my mind and thinking, 'oh no, here's something else I should be doing...there's someone doing more..." The ideas from many blogs are excellent but as everything, more than enough of anything good becomes bad.<br />3. I go to bed at bed time no matter what I have yet to do. If I haven't made my husbands lunch yet, well he'll have to buy it. For that day I have done enough.Serenahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01676763160253542644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-10319111816125183972012-05-24T07:44:49.327+10:002012-05-24T07:44:49.327+10:00Thanks for your words here Rhonda. I found similar...Thanks for your words here Rhonda. I found similarly to you that in searching for green living, simple living blogs so many were extremely political. Though this is good, I really needed something that reflected the positives, and that looked at the joys in working for your family. Sometimes I find that rather than going down the checklist I look at waht's best for my kids and hubby and I. Almost always that drives me to be greener! But it bypasses much of the green guilt I had felt in the past. And at the end of the day, little kids at home all day in the cold wasn't working... they need heat! Thanks for your writing. It's lovely!Millienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-15687369220523505122012-05-24T05:35:18.829+10:002012-05-24T05:35:18.829+10:00I love to read blogs, but don't leave many com...I love to read blogs, but don't leave many comments (I am not great at writing). I love this post! My daughter also struggles with these issues and with others being too negative about her kife choices. Personnally, I think as we age we are more comfortable with our decisions and can push the negative attitudes away.simply livinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15318689844578507680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-52433219848019925742012-05-24T05:16:27.641+10:002012-05-24T05:16:27.641+10:00I started cooking at home more and less eating out...I started cooking at home more and less eating out or from prepackaged. The problem is I hate cooking! but i does cut down on my food bills.Sheilanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-11160207324226052382012-05-24T02:42:42.008+10:002012-05-24T02:42:42.008+10:00Another person mentioned advertising and I cannot ...Another person mentioned advertising and I cannot agree more! Marketers discovered in the mid-1900s that if they made us feel poorly about what we have, what we do, and how we "compare" to others, that they could get us to spend our money on what they peddle.<br /><br />The "green" marketing is just as bad as the non-green marketing at making you feel badly. You don't have to meet all their hype to be doing good. Life should be enjoyed at least some of the time! <br /><br />What I do, because I believe our world needs us to be better stewards and participants in the global ecology, is to find ways to gently impart my ideas to others.<br /><br />An example would be gift-giving. I'll give them some of the things they love and I know they'll appreciate, but I'll also do things like tucking it all into a reusable cloth bag that stores in its own pocket and can be tucked into their purse. You can find ones nowadays that are really pretty for those who like "girly" stuff :)<br /><br />Honor where people are at in their own lives, respect their choices as being theirs to make, and be creative in gifting and get-togethers, and above all enjoy yourself.<br /><br />Many people are dissastisfied with their life but have no idea what exactly is making them unhappy and maybe are unsure of what to do to change anything. They may be needing a friend to drag them along on thrift store shopping trip, or for you to gift them with some bulk spices, instructions on mixing it up for a drink blend, along with some pre-prepped tea sachets so they can enjoy a cuppa right away. And when they run out and ask you about more, take them with you to the store with the bulk spices so they see --how-- you go about buying such things.<br /><br />It sounds silly, but some of this stuff is so simple, and yet so scary. I remember growing some vegetables a few years ago, after not having gardened for years. It was my very first "all by myself" vegetable patch, and I was afraid to eat the zucchini. I was worried about what if I'd done something wrong and I got sick. I KNEW it wasn't rational, after all, if you plant a zucchini seed, and it grows and blossoms and sets a fruit and gets big and looks like what Grandma grew and what you see in the market, then it's a zucchini, LOL. I never did eat that first zucchini.<br /><br />Anyhow, I wanted to say to Cat that I can relate to feeling incredibly guilty for all the things I'm not doing that I *could* be doing "if only I ___". Being Type A can be a real weakness sometimes. All I can suggest is to try to remind yourself from time to time that it's ok to focus on one or two things instead of the entire wish list. You don't have to save the world. My goal this year is to do well with my garden - even though I have lots of goals that freak me out if I think about all of them because then it becomes absolutely impossible to achieve. <br /><br />We cannot "do it all". That is the biggest marketing lie of them all. They tell us that, and then when we don't succeed (because it is impossible) we feel terrible. And when we feel terrible, then we're that much more vulnerable to all the other marketing lies.<br /><br />Rhonda is right. What you can do is enough.Deb Lnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-81249799213318020462012-05-23T20:03:02.191+10:002012-05-23T20:03:02.191+10:00Us humans can make life really complicated sometim...Us humans can make life really complicated sometimes without realising what we are doing. Simple living is supposed to make life, well, simpler. <br /><br />KrisAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-18760299924656168822012-05-23T17:50:59.310+10:002012-05-23T17:50:59.310+10:00I agree with Kim,everyday I ask for guidance to be...I agree with Kim,everyday I ask for guidance to be the best person I can be.We are all leading by example in one way or another.I am happier and am thoroughly enjoying living more accountably and simply.Every day I look forward to reading Rhonda's blog and following the posts on the forums.It is inspiring and encouraging.JennWnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-41498475539711393042012-05-23T17:37:04.504+10:002012-05-23T17:37:04.504+10:00I too work by the motto and ask for guidance to be...I too work by the motto and ask for guidance to be the best person that I can be.We are all working towards a better environment and a happier ,simpler lifestyle.We are leading others by our example.I am so much happier and everyday I look forward to reading Rhonda's and forum posts.JennWJennWnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-8137050260090118182012-05-23T17:14:23.322+10:002012-05-23T17:14:23.322+10:00My first thougth on reading Cats letter was 'w...My first thougth on reading Cats letter was 'wow, what is she complaining for - she does so much'! And then Rhonda, you pretty much summed up what I would have said too - do what you can and be happy. <br />I just wanted to add that my daughter who has a 3 month old baby, rang me yesterday and told me that she wasn't coping with the washing - it's been raining, Tassie is pretty drab in winter anyway and she has no where to dry things. She is using cloth nappies and is 'green' and frugal. I suggested that she purchase a 2nd hand dryer because what was the point in getting stressed over a pile of washing when she should be enjoying her new baby. The option is there so why not use it in this season of her life? She won't use it all the time but it will help her to get nappies etc dry. <br />We have mod cons in teh modern world and I see no reason not to use them if you have a genuine need - and above all don't feel guilty. She's doing what she can to live an environmentally friendly life style but she still has to enjoy life - as do we all.Evihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15098163128625989839noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-85827723436013835462012-05-23T13:01:42.858+10:002012-05-23T13:01:42.858+10:00Cat, all the things you are already doing are impr...Cat, all the things you are already doing are impressive and inspiring.Awesome in fact! As another reader already commented on,please be gentle on yourself. There are no 'oughts' and 'shoulds'.It is about each person being on their own journey. One can only endeavour to be green if there is an inner conviction to be doing so. Don't compare yourself with anyone else.If you are doing your best, that is all the planet can ask for! Enjoy "being green" rather than 'doing' more.Robtrevnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-86312486325265612022012-05-23T12:44:37.511+10:002012-05-23T12:44:37.511+10:00I can admit not to feeling green-guilt but definat...I can admit not to feeling green-guilt but definately green-stress, in my quest to try to change all the things I want to change in my lifestyle, as well as working full-time. It was once I realised that if I didn't enjoy my life there was no point to it all that I stopped trying to do it all at once and am now content to change one thing at a time. Over the years as I add more things it will make quite a difference. I can see major differences in only 6 months. Please Cat, above all, enjoy your life, if you can't do it all, don't worry, you're doing way more than a lot of people.Robynnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-91176799202669977562012-05-23T11:00:34.203+10:002012-05-23T11:00:34.203+10:00Great answer. I love the way I live and I try not ...Great answer. I love the way I live and I try not to be holier than thou, and if I do I just remember that there are plenty out there doing more than me. I enjoy finding new ways of living simpler and focus on the ways that work for me at this stage in my life.purplepearhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17599216333749480560noreply@blogger.com