The Making of a Rabidly Green Earthgirl by Heather Michet
“Hey Karen?!” asks my 85-year-old friend Ralph.
“Yes, pop,” she replies.
“Do you suppose Heather was a hippie?”
Karen smiles broadly, answering “Dad…Heather IS a hippie!!”
I don’t know what qualified me as a hippie in Ralph’s eyes, but it may have been how closely and mindfully I live on the earth.
Living through the California drought in the ‘70s, the energy crises of the same decade, and the first Earth Day absolutely shaped the way I choose to live my life. But these weren’t the first influencers to bring my awareness to an earth-loving way of life.
Becoming an earthgirl, aka hippie, began at a young age when I was in my grandparents’ garden, bringing in the hay on the farm, crafting forts in the woods with my cousins, riding my bike and so much more. Through all of these joys and pleasures, I was in direct contact with the earth, grounding as we call it today, surrounded by the multitude of wonders in plants, animals, and the elements.
The magic I witnessed in Nature fascinated me, and instilled a passion for lifelong learning, curiosity, and being outside every chance I could to not miss a whisper of that magic!
Through the years, I’ve gained an ever-deepening love and respect for this place we all call Home. Since we tend and care for what we love, I want to be part of the solution anytime issues threaten our beloved planet.
And as new “crises” come to light, each with their own challenges to our Home’s health (including our own), the opportunities to be part of the solution keep adding up.
So What Exactly Do I Do To Live Lightly on the Earth?
A few of the practices I follow are:
Water:
* I use the same “color coded toilet flushing” rule I learned in the California drought: If it’s yellow, let it mellow. If it’s brown, flush it down.
* Dish rinsing water goes on outdoor plants in the warm/dry weather and flushes toilets in the winter
* Short showers and not showering every day
* I use a Multipure water filter: no bottled water for this earthgirl! The process of making bottled water wastes an enormous amount of water and the resulting water is laden with health damaging toxins. Both the earth and I are healthier for this practice.
Forests:
* I use cloth towels and napkins. I haven’t purchased paper towels in over 30 years.
* All paper that comes into the house (very little as I have virtually no junk mail) is used for scratch or printer paper: use those blank sides! If the paper is decorative, it gets used for art projects. All other papers are recycled. (See Robin Weaver’s fabulous post An Unexpected Way to Save Trees for the steps you can take to make a huge impact by eliminating your junk mail.)
* When the Covid TP crisis hit (eyeball roll), I was motivated to enact something I’d wanted to do for a long while: I made washable cloth [butt] wipes. If this practice creeps you out or makes you cringe, dear reader, 1) you were never exposed to cloth diapers and diaper pails, and 2) you’ve not driven by zillions of acres of clearcut forests, a lot of whose tree fibers go to make toilet paper to wipe your bottom. Approximately 27,000 trees are cut down every day just to make toilet paper.
Plastic:
* No plastic water bottles. This bears repeating.
* Cloth and crocheted bags for all shopping, not just groceries.
* I purchase food in bulk whenever possible, using my own containers
Too Much?
When hearing about some of my practices a few years ago, someone snarkily remarked: “Don’t you think that’s a bit much? Isn’t that going too far?” I replied: Did the Earth provide us with air and food then declare that we were on our own for water? No, she provides us with everything. She’s our home, grocery store, and pharmacy. Why wouldn’t you want to do all you can to take care of your lifeline?
After this interaction and reviewing all of the earth-loving steps I take, I dubbed myself a rabidly green earthgirl!
What Do You Think?
How are you contributing to the solution?
What else might you be able to do?
“It’s not about perfection. It’s about making better choices.” ~ Kathryn Kellogg
“Once there is seeing, there must be acting. Otherwise, what’s the use of seeing?” ~ Thich Nhat Hanh
I really hope this rabidly green earthgirl has infected and inspired you with some new perspectives and tips for living mindfully and sustainably on our dear Mother Earth.
Suggested resources: Zen and the Art of Saving the Planet by Thich Nhat Hanh
Waste Not: Make a Big Difference by Throwing Away Less by Erin Rhoads
101 Ways to go Zero Waste by Kathryn Kellogg
Listen to her music on YouTube
Read about her Ceremonial Songstressing at Purple Crow Sings
Learn about her wellness tools and services rooted in nature at Iris Healing Arts
