(image: Shoot for the Sky, Nikole Handel, Cairo Durham High School as seen here)

Lately I’ve been asking myself- what does it mean to go green? What does it look like? There has been a seismic shift from hippie images of tree huggers in the past; in its place there is a barrage of very stylish green crusaders. Despite the critique that some think going green is trendy; the more I begin to educate myself on the issues the more I adapt the opinion that green is a growing lifestyle choice, not a passing fad.

It can be daunting; I mean you have these mega celebrities building million dollar solar panel homes to make a more neutral carbon footprint- but what about the things the rest of us can do? Is it all or nothing? I don’t believe it is.

I’ve recently adapted the same philosophy I apply to my health that I’ll apply to going green. Confused? What I mean is that going green is like going on a diet or starting a workout regime. It takes commitment, education and achievable goals. It’s been shown time and time again that the most effective diet is no diet at all, but a change in lifestyle that encompasses healthy choices. Taking small steps to a larger goal and being realistic about what works for you can help you achieve your workout goals but also going green. (You wouldn’t set out to run a marathon next month if you hadn’t been training, just as you wouldn’t give up your car for a bicycle tomorrow if you still needed it to transport a family and get to work)

As a newly interested greenie, I am still learning how to adapt my lifestyle. I am particularly interested in the little things I can do on a daily basis that will make an impact which is why for the next week I’ll be featuring tips on doing just that. In the end, being green doesn’t necessarily mean that you live on a farm and grow all your own veggies, but it does mean that you make an effort to do what you can. Are you ready?