It's a Balancing Act ... (a recycled article with new comments)

Since beginning this blog, I have received many emails saying "I've been bad" ... the author then goes on to talk about his/her guilt at not living up to an Eco-friendly lifestyle. I cringe when I get these emails because I really don't want anyone to feel guilty ... it isn't a productive emotion. Rather, I'd like to encourage awareness and offer so many ideas for living green that everyone will find something which they can do. My belief is that every effort, big or small, counts ... and a small effort today may lead to bigger efforts tomorrow. Looking back through my archive of posts ... I thought this one spoke to that concept:


In my opinion, conservation has to be balanced with our lives. In other words, I’m not going to live in total darkness or never use an electrical appliance just to ensure that I don’t use any electricity … but I am going to pay attention, cut down where I can and make what I use count.

Exhaust fans, especially in the bathroom, are a perfect example. In the winter, where I live, the air gets dry … the “hurt your nose when you breathe” kind of dry. So, I don’t use the exhaust fan when I take a shower and I leave the door open so that our living space benefits from the added moisture. In the summer, however, we get warm, moist air from the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico. We get enough humidity, in fact, that if we don’t use exhaust fans and ceiling fans, mold and mildew move right in. And that's not healthy.

When considering the various conservation options, remember to choose the ones that work in your life. Perhaps modify energy saving techniques so that they work for you. In that way, you'll make lasting changes to the world we live in. It's all about balance.

As always, I would love to hear your ideas for reducing, reusing and recycling. Just click on the comments link, located at the bottom of each post, and let me know what you think and how you conserve. Maybe you'll see your ideas in an upcoming post.