This is a little yuck.....

This week I have been laid up with bronchitis. Lots of snot and coughing and everything else disgusting and icky that comes with having a cold. Being sick, though, got me thinking about how my health was impacting on the planet. To date I have gone through approximately 3 boxes of tissues. Normally I wouldn't use a tissue unless I was absolutely desperate (and I must admit that I have used my sleeve like a two year rather than use a tissue - yuck!! yeah I know).

When I first got sick I knew I would use my handkerchiefs. Be the mean green fitting machine that I believe I am there was no other option. Then the lava flow of boogers began and the handkerchiefs couldn't keep up. The thing is that there is always one handkerchief in my handbag or backpack or tucked away in some long forgotten coat pocket. I never leave home without them. However by day two I was nearly out of 'hankies' and felt I had no choice but to resort to tissues.

My dilema is, of course, the amount of energy used to create one box of tissues. Plus the trees that are killed to produce the actual product.

Then there were the ' home spun cures'. Echinacea, zinc, olive leaf extract, burning essential oils to clear the nasal passage, lemon drinks, orange juice (vitamin C). Then there are the 'manufacturered drugs'. All the energy used to manufacture, store, transport and sell these drugs to help ease the common cold. And if you look on the shelf of any supermarket or chemist there is an endless array of wonder cures for the common cold.

I feel like my head cold has just accelerated an already ailing health of the Earth.

So what do you do when you get ill? As with anything relating to being green - use your best judgement. Some times natural remedies just don't cut it. And some times cold and flu tablets and other manufactured wonder drugs are just a waste of money - placebos. But then the reverse can also be true so as I said use your judgement. It is a fine balancing act between the wonders of modern medicine and wisdom of 'grannies old fashioned remedies'.

The thing is though, every day we are faced with small decisions. Buy tissues? Yes or no? A simple enough task that we do when we go grocery shopping. We never stop to ask If I buy these tissues, one small box of tissues, how has that impacted the Earth and how will that impact the Earth? What I mean is how much water, energy, carbon emissions, green house gases and other pollutants have been released from making and transporting a box od tissues? Then what if you add further water, energy, carbon emissions etc to the disposal of the tissues it becomes a bit overwhelming. Used tissues can not be added to the compost. And I am pretty sure you can not add them to the Bokashi bin (I may be wrong and would appreciate any feedback).

So what is the point of my ramblings today? The smallest decisions we make can have big impacts on the planet and it's health. I can not offer suggestions or answers. I can offer you my thoughts and observations. I can tell you what I do however I think I just have more questions. Some times I feel overwhelmed by what impact my choice has on the planet.

The one thing I am sure of, and have always believed to be true, is that one person can make a difference. You can be the change you want to see happen.

I am just one little chick trying to live clean and green in Melbourne however I beleive that if I can touch one person to make one change and that person reaches out and touches someone else and so on and so on, then all of a sudden one person (me :) ) has created a chain reaction of green. Yay!!

Green Post

Inspired by a woman I deeply admire I thought I would start this green blog (or snot blog lol). My friend's blog is about food and life. She shares her passion for food and all things yummy. And so inspired by her wit and love I decided to share my passion - reducing my carbon footprint.

This week I began recieving e-mails about Earth Hour. There was a link to calculating your carbon footrpint - www.earthhour.org.au You can also sign up to join Earth Hour! I calculated my carbon footprint and was astounded that it would take 1.5 planets to sustain me. I always thought I was 'green' and environmentally aware.

When I was just starting out in high school, some 28 years ago, there has a huge push to eliminate CFC's from spray cans. They were considered the root evil of the hole in the ozone layer. It was believed that just by stopping manufacturers from using CFC's we could save the deterioration of the hole in the ozone layer. It didn't work and we are now in a much worse situation.

But that push back in the early 80's did awaken the environmentalist in me. I made small changes but not enough. I did what was convenient. Not what was essential. I still have, and use, my first calico and string shopping bags. And on my book shelf are three books that are well worn and well used. They are still relevent today, nearly 30 years later, as they were when they were first published. They are:

Hard Times Kitchen Book

Hard Times Handbook

The Complete Book of Self Sufficiency (there is a new a version of this recently released last year)

Needless to say that my bookshelf has expanded somewhat over the years and also includes magazines such as G, Organic Gardener, Warm Earth, Grass Roots and Earth Garden.

The thing is that I do what I can and that is all I can do. I have inspired others over the years to start vegetable gardens, say no to plastic, recycle etc....

My parents gave me my first three books on reduce, recycle and re-using (the three listed above). Dad used to always grow tomatoes, lemons, strawberries and other selected fruit and vegetables. Before I was around he also had chooks in the backyard. Without knowing it, my dad was a greenie. My mum is taking on my message too about recycling.

Recently when her two seater swing broke she recycled all but a hand full of pieces. The frame was retained and used as the centrepiece for a garden bed. The frame has an array of hanging baskets on it. Some of the straight parts have been used as stakes for other plants. The chain that was the seat is now framed and being used for growing beans up it!

Mum and dad have the best lemon trees going. Mum gives shopping bags of lemons away to the neighbours. And they taste delicious too.

The way my parents and grandparents and previous generations lived had very low environmental foot prints. There is a lot to learn from them....