2. January 2020

Welcome Back!

Happy (Almost) New Year!

If you haven't read my first blog post, please pop over there and then come back to this one. It's a 2-minute read that will explain the chaos of the blogs to come! But if you have read the first blog, then you may recall that I wanted to tackle a new project or subject every month of this coming year! This month I wanted to concentrate on the environment. When I was in college, my school had an entire month dedicated to reducing our energy consumption. Even after I left the dorms, I continued to adjust my living practices every January of every year. This year I want to push the envelope EVEN. FURTHER. OH YEAH. Yes yes yes I am fully aware that the environment is a very broad subject.... So I have framed it a bit for both you and myself.

My plan is to hone in on 5 distinct areas as they relate to the environment:

1. Food and Health

2. Spiritual aspects

3. Textiles

4. Home Goods

5. Arts

Essentially, these are the five areas where I think I can grow personally, and really become more educated. But let me break them down a little bit more for both your sanity and my own.

1. Food and Health

A lot of the food and beauty products we use as consumers are no bueno for the environment. I am not sure if that is news to you. I hope it isn't. But if it is, then now you know! I am going to do the research and find some new and exciting ways to change my grocery shopping, cooking, beauty routine, skin care routine, vitamin routine, and exercise routine.

2. Spiritual Aspects

For those of you who are Christians, maybe you have heard the spiel about creation care. I, however, did not hear that spiel until my Freshman year of college. There is so much biblical research and discussions about the role of Christians in creation care. I have accumulated some nuggets on the subject over the years, but I WANT TO KNOW MORE. I also want to look deeper into how others spiritually care for the environment and what that might look like. (Can you tell I need more research). I have a feeling there will be a lot of books involved with this one. So Seminary-esque nerds unite!

3. Textiles

A huge part of our environmental impact as humans comes from "fast fashion". The very clothes we wear everyday are not always made from fair labor, or fair trade. Each garment we wear has its own "lifespan" if you will. If its life only starts and ends with us, then where does it go? My goal for this topic, is to figure out my own clothing choices and help to pair down how I should go shopping, what I should be buying, and how can I do it affordably?

4. Home Goods

Yo. I spent 3 HOURS last week trying to pick out cleaning products. It was nutts. I want to know where and how my furniture was made. How on earth can the same sheets cost 20 dollars more in one brand than another? what makes them better? I am disgusted by the idea of thrift shopping for towels, does that mean I am destroying the environment by showering? These were the questions that haunted me last week in Target. I am going to be looking into how I should go about buying furniture, cleaning products, etc. All the things in my house really. I will also be looking at how we can use our homes better to maximize our budget and lower our environmental impact.

5. Arts

As an artist I have come to realize the power an artist's work can hold. It is a way of thinking, sharing, learning, and changing. But that doesn't mean the products we use as artists aren't harmful to the environment. I will be looking at how we as artists can better utilize materials, as well as how art can effectively help us enact change. Is there a relationship between the two? absolutely! Can I give it a clear definition? A resounding no! But we will work on it.

I will explain more on each subject as I tackle it throughout the month, so stay tuned and subscribe so we can become Email buddies!

It's time to get off my lazy butt and be better!

Sorry if this overwhelmed you. But take heart, It's Raining Somewhere.

-Hannah