I’m 28 years old and was born and raised in suburban Chicago. My parents aren’t environmentalists, conservationists or even vegetarians. I was raised on Kraft Cheese & Macaroni, frozen Homerun pizzas, Capri Sun and matzo ball soup!
So how did I get so sucked into green living?
I’m pretty sure it all started with Whole Foods in Austin, TX, and the discovery that I love to cook. Honestly. I freakin’ love that place. Organic food, brilliant. Whole Foods makes me look forward to my grocery shopping experience. I can spend hours there, touching all the brightly colored, perfectly flawed, chemical free produce. I get lost in reading labels and find joy in being able to pronounce all of the ingredients. Ridiculous, I know. But grocery therapy, wow. You should try it out sometime.
And now it’s been about 8 years since that first trip to an organic supermarket and I realize that my greening has been an eco-evolution, aided strongly by the cities I have lived in since leaving suburbia. Austin, San Diego, Santa Barbara, and now LA. All cities with strong environmentalist influence, plenty of organic options and easy access to the beautiful outdoors.
The eco changes I have made in my life have been gradual, yet exciting. And of course, a huge learning experience as well. I take pride in letting my body feel the benefits of a more organic lifestyle. And, as a bonus, I am doing my part to help Mother Earth continue to provide us with fresh air and a livable planet.
