Tuesday, February 24, 2009
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The Homeschooler
- Alison Kerr
- I love reading and learning. I see homeschooling as a family adventure, a way for parents to develop themselves at the same time as their kids are learning. It's an opportunity to make learning a life-long quest. Every day I learn something new online, in books, and from life. Please join me for online learning links, reading suggestions, and educational conversation.
11 comments:
I'm your first voter - yay! I put 'depends' because I feel really good about most of the stuff I do, but I find myself in a quandary about many things. I don't blame myself for this, but there is a lot of conflicting information out there, plus some things don't tick all the boxes and I worry about making the right decision.
So for example, do I buy CFLs with mercury in them because LEDs are still way too expensive.
Do I buy local, non organic, or organic, fairtrade that has travelled a few thousand miles.
Do I buy the item with the non recyclable packaging because it is fairtrade or support a 'naked' product which might have been made in a sweat shop.
See what I mean? LOL!
Looking forward to reading other answers.
I totally agree with you Mrs Green. It can all be very confusing. I'm just not sure how to balance the various things either.
Thanks for the comment :-)
Hey Allison, long time no read (sigh).
I pretty much have perma-green guilt for the same reasons mrs green put 'depends'. Ha ha ha. It's ridiculous the amount of time you have to spend researching a product before you feel 'safe' purchasing and in the meanwhile all that electricity you used to research (online, of course) is a real buzzkill. Lead on, good lady!
Hey Sarah, I was just thinking about you a couple of days back. I've been putting so much energy into writing here and other stuff that there's not been much time left to go visiting.
I hope your daughters are doing OK and that the homeschooling is going well.
I'm hoping I have a couple of suggestions for the green guilt. Later...
Mrs. Green said it better than I could. I did vote yes, because I get bogged down. We recycle, but I'm not as good about not buying the overpackaged stuff. And we have a 4wd vehicle because we require one to get up our driveway. And then there's the whole quandary about trying to stop mountaintop removal and yet still using electricity . . . Because we can't afford solar, or geothermal, and no one around here does the windmill thing. 'Tis a puzzlement.
Hi there. I voted "depends" because although I always try to be "green" ... I could do much better.
In fact, I run a fairly "green" business from my home. I take vintage children's books and upcycle them into journals (with recycled paper) ... as well as magnets and pins. I also use scrap materials to make other works of art. AND we are having a giveaway right now that you and your readers may want to check out.
http://thishandmadelife.blogspot.com/2009/02/my-etsy-shop-2nd-anniversary-giveaway.html
We are giving away a $30 gift certificate to my shop. Please check it out for some "green" gifts :)
Thanks for the topic, as always!
Love,
Jodi
What a great giveaway Jodi. I added your link to this article. Now I'm wondering if I still feel guilty if I win because I've probably got everything I need already. Oh well, I can always give away again if I win. I love giving gifts :-)
I recycle as much as I can. I make it known to my kids so they do it naturally, without a thought. We go for walks in the park with a plastic bag to pick things up that don't belong in nature. We eat locally as much as we can figure and started an organic garden ourselves. Packaging is really a problem. I will avoid a big plastic container, but as a vegetarian, tofu, yogurts and cottage cheese is always in plastic. I am always trying to improve and keep a good attitude to be a good example to the children...
Nicole Emanuel
Hey Nicole, glad you could visit.
I don't suppose there's much you can do regarding the yogurt, tofu, and cottage cheese packaging unless you start making your own yogurt, tofu and cottage cheese. Yogurt I think I could deal with making, but I don't know about the tofu, or cottage cheese.
Once again it comes down to a balancing act. Should we give up all modern convenience to do away with packaging? Sometimes it seems like that is what would be necessary. Most of us are not up for that, at least not yet.
So long as you recycle everything recyclable that comes through your home, and so long as you never litter, and so long as you always dispose of your Oil, batteries, CFLs, etc. at the proper place.... then there is nothing to feel guilty about.
Sure I could do more. But I'm doing enough. I don't even think guilt is a healthy emotion, unless it's over something really wrong... like leaving beer cans behind at a campground, or dropping a cigarette butt, or throwing motor oil in the trash... the people who voted for Bush twice in a row, etc... THOSE people are the ones who should feel guilt (but they don't).
I take care of Earth, and I certainly don't feel guilt... even when faced with bad choices or good choices. Every one of us destroys and kills certain things every day just by living. If you are consciously keeping it to a minimum, then guilt is somewhat of an emotional over-reach.
I do have rage against those who pollute with no care about it. The rage is bad enough, i don't need more emotions on top of it.
Kraig, I totally agree with you that guilt is not a healthy emotion. I want to come back and talk about this later.
I also agree that the Bush administration was bad for the environment. A lot of things could have been done differently.
I do want to point out that I don't consider my blog to be a place to air politics. Thank you for not bashing people for their political beliefs, much as you obviously disagree with their voting choice.
I don't think rage is any more healthy or constructive than guilt and I'm sorry that you feel rage. People generally do what they think is right for them.
It's often hard to understand where others are coming from. I can only assume that they are making choices which they believe in. Then again maybe they are not thinking at all. In which case I don't think they'll be here reading my blog.
If anyone turns up here to bash, their comments will be deleted, no matter their intentions or beliefs :-)
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