My Gap

There was a time when I nearly crossed my Green Gap within a few months. In 1992 I moved south of the border and met my future husband. At the time he was living in the house he grew up in; a house without running water, without a fridge, where the lights weren’t turned on inside until the sun went down and those aplliances that they did have were unplugged from the wall when everybody went out. Clothes were washed by hand and toilets flushed with half a bucket of water. He ate mostly vegetarian, including lots of locally grown, fresh produce. When I joined the family and moved in my ecological footprint was feeling pretty darn light.

This is what I aspired to – this was the other end of my gap! Starting out like this boded well for our future life together, I thought. That worked for the first 6 months of our marriage until we moved from El Salvador to Oregon. Quickly our lifestyle shifted to the local norm and my green gap was widened again.

The good news is no matter where you live, I guarantee you there are alot of local resources here and there to aid you in crossing the gap. Here's one, take advantage of seasonal farmer's markets! Eating fresh local produce supports the local economy, saves on fuel and transportation costs, is a healthy choice for your own inner ecology, reduces waste, and creates local connection. For those more concerned with budget than selection, do your shopping near the end of the market - you may be able to bargain for some extra good deals! Find local resources throughout the U.S. at http://www.localharvest.org/


Regardless of why you aspire to be more green --- and I’m hoping that we all do whether to save money, save energy, save your health, or save the polar bears – there is no better time to get started. Consider yourself invited into the gap. Begin where you’re at, start aspiring, and keep checking in here at Green on the Lean.