Welcome to Reality, Biggest Noob Ever.

Alrighty, so, truth be told, I have never really cared much about issues concerning the environment. Environmental awareness is something people can easily avoid since its not so noticeable in our hectic, 100 miles-per-hour lives. Granted, I have been informed, I just never took it upon myself to do anything about it. I felt like it was too big a problem, so if I couldn't fix the whole thing, why try at all, right? Wrong. Finally, after hearing my good friend Melissa talk about being environmental friendly for three years, I have started to actually listen.

Since I'm starting from scratch on this whole sustainable living thing, I might as well fess up to all the stuff I would never admit to environmentalists:
-I grab a new plastic water bottle from the fridge every day
-I enjoy my showers for way too long
-I use a new piece of binder paper when I don't like how I wrote my name
-I am an unaware driver when it comes to saving gas
-I drive to school when its a ten minute walk from my house
...I could go on an on, but essentially: I'm an environmental noob.

The thing is, I look at people who truly live environmental friendly/sustainable lives, and I feel like it would be too overwhelming to try to do the same. I like taking long showers, its easier to just grab a water bottle and go, and vegging out in front of the television and computer screen is my choice activity...So where do I find the balance?

I think I should start slow. Change one or two things until they are habit, and then add something else. Making each change a habit will make it so much easier to stick with it.

Things I have already started to do:
-take smaller notes utilizing the whole page
-print things on the front and back of a paper
-joined my schools environmental club
-unplug unused items from outlets
-turn off a light in my house if no one is in the room

On this blog I will confess my struggles and successes with trying to be environmental friendly in everyday life. Taking it slow will take away the pressure to change everything right at this exact moment. Hopefully, someone will take this journey with me after they read this.
Remember, green is good.

adios. Taylor

This was originally posted on Confessions of an Environmental Noob on February 27, 2010.