“No guilt trips, Kid.”
Growing up Irish Catholic, my dad was very familiar with an imposed sense of guilt. Not necessarily about climate change, but about, well, pretty much everything else. While my siblings and I were raised Catholic, my dad never wanted us to endure that aspect of the religion, so to this day he’ll often say, “No guilt trips, Kid.”
While my stance on religion varies by the day (in no small part due to the whole guilt thing), I believe Catholics are on to something with the celebration of Lent. During Lent you give up a habit or vice leading up to Easter Sunday. One year, I “gave up” TV, which was way too ambitious for a ten year old. Fat chance I wasn’t watching Lizzie McGuire every afternoon. The next year I went in the total opposite direction and gave up soup. Not being a soup connoisseur, that didn’t go over big with my religion teacher. But one year, I found the perfect middle ground. Chocolate. It took a lot of self control, but it was doable. I was surprised how quickly it became second nature. When Easter Sunday came and I saw the luscious basket of candy from the Easter Bunny, I gave most of it away.
Lent taught me that changing small habits is much easier than you think. You just need to choose something that is realistic for you- one you can stick to. I’ve taken that lesson and applied it to my journey in going green. Below are habits I’ve slowly developed over the last year or so. I’m confident if you try one or two, you’ll see how seamlessly they fit into your life.
Recycle more thoughtfully. ♻️
Buy second hand. Goodwill is the new TJ Maxx, in case you haven’t heard.
Compost. You can compost hair! Save a Dyson, buy a compost bin.
Eat at least one meal a day with no animal products. If you eat oatmeal & PB for bfast like me, look at lunch and dinner. Any meat or cheese you can bid adieu?
Walk instead of drive when under 2 miles. Raining? Bring a Dri umbrella. 🤷♀️☔️
Avoid dairy. Go oat/almond milk instead. Your skin will appreciate this one.
Keep reusable bags in my car. Or, if you’re like me, hoard them.
Actually remember to use those bags. For any shopping - not just groceries. 🛍
Ask for no straw when ordering drinks. You’re saving the restaurant 💰with this one. You’re welcome, Applebee’s.
Specify no plastic cutlery when ordering take-out - ^^^ you too, Domino’s.
Let the Saran wrap go. Use tin foil/reusable containers instead. Not to be dramatic, but cling wrap is literally the transparent devil. Not to be dramatic.
Use shampoo/conditioner bars/body soap. No more plastics bottles falling on me when I sing in the shower. 🧴🎤
Nix Amazon. The best New Year’s Resolution I’ve ever made, and the only one I’ve ever kept. But that’s for another blog post.
Maybe you read “walk anywhere under 2 miles” and literally LOL’d because you have three kids and that sounds like your worst nightmare. But maybe, cutting out Satan (sorry, Saran) wrap sounds doable. While I suggest any of the above, don’t feel guilted into it. I’m simply encouraging you to try. Because once you try, you’ll improve.
While it cannot be understated how much our individual choices matter, if you slip up, let it go. Shake it off, and try again. If it works for Elsa and Taylor Swift, it’ll work for you. We won’t even make you put ten cents in the collection bin at Sunday Mass.
No guilt trips, Kid.
Peace be with you ✌🏻
Deirdre
