And so it goes...

So it has been a couple of weeks since my last blog entry but continuing on the being more ecofriendly path has been going pretty well.  The biggest current roadblock is actually not willpower or even remembering to be consistent (which is a pleasant surprise) but money.  I am making the transition from full time volunteer to full time employee but with a one month vacation in between.  The vacation was for the month of July and filled with expenses- like moving into a new apartment.  At first I was going to the local market (which I love and is a two-minute walk away) and even though I wouldn’t say it is that much more expensive than the grocery store, I end up spending more since it is all fresh and local.  At the grocery store, canned veggies are not very good but they are super cheap.  So, until I get my first paycheck (!) in two very long weeks, I am not going to be able to shop entirely there or at markets.

I’m finding that time is also a large factor in living a green lifestyle.  One, because it is time consuming to first off be knowledgeable about why certain normalcies are harmful to the planet and what is a solution that is not just different (becuase that often is just as bad but might sound better) but is actually a less energy consuming process.  I feel like I still have no idea what I am talking about when I try and explain to people why I think that being conscience and knowledgeable is important.   As a sidenote, why do people get annoyed by the fact that I decided to not buy new clothes or want to ask where my burger is from?

A second reason for time being an obstacle in the quest of green living is that it takes much more time to cook meals that are just from local ingredients.  Example, if you want to make a corn salad, it is way easier to open a can of corn than cook and cut fresh corn.  Anyone though will say corn is better if cooked though, but it takes longer.  Then though if you are eating local food, what to do if the ingredient is not local, like my own personal favorite fruit, olives.  You can look up substitutes or just go without.  That takes time though, more time than just grabbing a can of olives with no idea where they are from.  

Going forward, I want to spend more time researching and learning about what is good for our planet and why.  I also need (and do not really have a choice if I am going to keep this up) to eat local without going broke.  It should be an interesting journey!