Green Genie

A bajillion years ago, a friend told me that she thought becoming a SAHM would help reduce their carbon footprint.  ”Huh?” I thought.  I’m all for a petite carbon footprint, but how, precisely, did one follow the other?

After 14 months as a SAHM, I must admit that I get it.  Not only do I get it, but I’ve done it.  Going green doesn’t require a ton of cash, but it does take some thought, and a modest amount of effort.  It’s tough to do those things when you’re in a constant rush to keep up with the day-to-day.

So, in honor of Earth Day, here’s a list of the things we’ve done to tread more lightly on the planet since settling in our new home last July.

 

The TV Reality

I love trash TV.  The less redeeming content, the better.  As a reader, I tend towards brainy nonfiction.  But when I hit the “on” button, I want to go on a fantastic journey.

And yet I’m sensible that I have a 3 y.o. boy under my roof and maybe, just maybe, Gossip Girl is not the wisest viewing option.  Just shut it off, you say?  Because our living/dining/kitchen is one big open space, what I watch tends to be background music while he plays with his wooden trains.

 

The Witching Hour

My husband usually has an intense but compact work day, one that delivers him home around seven.  This is late enough to be annoying – the 3 y.o. can’t wait that long for dinner and neither can I – but early enough to be helpful – Daddy handles bedtime many a night.

Then there are the crazy days, the ones that end with the car service delivering him home after midnight.  While I don’t get a break on those nights, it’s not a hardship.  One, they’re relatively rare; two, I use them as an excuse to blow off the routine and order pizza for dinner, so there’s something in it for me.

But the days that try my soul are those funny in-between ones, and unfortunately, once they start, they can go on for days, even weeks at a time.

That’s right.  Last night, tonight and probably tomorrow night, too, Daddy will walk in the door at the Witching Hour – just as I’m trying to put the 3 y.o. to bed.