Monday, July 20, 2009

Not sure why, but it seems like being pregnant has made me more environmentally conscious. In some ways this makes sense as a protective maternal instinct. I don't want any harsh chemicals used in the air my baby will be breathing or on surfaces he will encounter. I want to bathe him in the purest soaps, coat him in natural lotions, and wrap him in cottons untouched by pesticides, dyes, and fragrances. I don't want his poopy diapers to destroy the planet. The usual.

Where it doesn't make as much sense is my new awareness of how many things I should be recycling. I've been a pretty steady plastic bottle/aluminum can recycler for a while, with the occasional glass jar thrown in there. I shop with reusable bags. But lately every little thing I throw away, I think of where I should recycle it instead. Like cardboard from cereal boxes. Plastic bread bags. Junk mail. Luckily, with sweet sweet curbside recycling now, this should be no problem!

Oh Ashley, Katie, Keri, and other such far away peoples. I'm having a baby shower, and I want to invite you. But, knowing the likelihood of you coming is slim, it seems awkward to send an invitation, because then it feels like I'm fishing for gifts. But know that you are invited in spirit, and should you desire an actual mailed invitation and think I am silly for not sending it, give me your address! I am not wise in the ways of etiquette.

2 comments:

  1. I think the new awareness of recycling things is a part of aging - I'm not pregnant and I have the same pangs. Our recycling is limited by what the apartment building has space for, and what the city takes, but I wish I could find a way to recycle the way we did in Cambridge, or even Jackson, where it didn't get picked up, but we took it ourselves to the co-op.

    Do you ever have a problem reminding the husband to recycle? We've been big recyclers for years, and JE'll still throw away a bottle or can.

    Also, I've been pondering a way to get you a baby gift, so please do send the shower invite. I'll email you with my address.

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  2. Surprisingly, Anderson's been pretty good about recycling. But I think it might have more to do with the set up at our apartment...our trash can was really small and we had no room for a separate recycling bin, so we just put the bottles and cans on the counter next to the trash, and when a few gathered, I'd put them in a bag and in my trunk to drop off later. So it was actually less effort for him to recycle (just putting it on the counter) than to throw something away, hehe. We shall see how this works with the set up in the new house, where we have room for an actual bin.

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