 "Hello. We're a family of 5 who live in Massachusetts, and we're very interested in sustainability. I’m 48, an architect and landscaper; my husband is an educator of sorts. Together with our two daughters and son, we try to practice what we preach.
We have a relatively small house, which used to be tiny for us, but we’ve renovated it over time. It is very efficient, with mostly 7-foot high ceilings and small bedrooms. On the second floor we combined some spaces and now have a wonderful, open family/crafts/play space around which our lives often revolve. We also turned our attic into tree-top living space. Because our house has so much glass – doors and windows - the outdoors feels like it’s part of the house. The design makes “living small” seem easy, wonderful, and “the right thing” to do.
When we renovated, we did not install air conditioning because of its environmental cost. We capitalized on the fact that our house is well-shaded, and we work hard to keep it cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Besides excellent roof insulation, high performing windows, and skylights with good shades, we use heavy shades on our windows and glass doors. We also bought an outdoor grill with a side burner; we even cook oatmeal outside so we won’t heat up our house in the summer.
We cook a lot and buy organic food pretty much whenever we can. There’s a farmer’s market near us which we go to in the summer. We do pay double for organic milk, but I feel like it’s worth it. The same with organic cheese, butter and other dairy products, eggs, frozen corn, peas, carrots, broccoli, spinach and other greens, fruit and herbs. One of my sisters joked that my pantry looks like something from the 19th century, because we buy in bulk and store food in Mason jars. We don’t eat a lot of meat or poultry.
We recycle everything we can. Our town accepts pretty much everything, except plastic bags and packing peanuts. I take the packing peanuts to Mailboxes, Etc. because it's nearby and on my route to music lessons.
We drive a ‘95 Honda Odyssey when we drive, but we prefer to bike. My husband and I put our first child in a bike seat as early as we could. But with two kids, all of a sudden we were driving everywhere. One summer we went to the beach and rented surreys on the boardwalk. We loved it! We went home and designed a “sport utility trike” that could hold our kids, as well as groceries, gardening tools, and Goodwill donations. It feels like a cross between pedaling a double stroller and a wheelbarrow. But it allows us to bicycle much more than drive.
We bike to school and back every day; which is only a mile each way, as well as to after-school activities. I put the kids in their “SUT” and away we go. They love it! When I show up in the car, they complain, “Why did you pick us up in this (car?) We hate the car.” In the winter, we put a blanket over them and they feel like they’re riding in a sleigh. Their friends love it too, at least, those who are allowed to come with us!
To some extent, my environmental ethic must be in my bones. It feels natural to me. But also, I believe what scientists are saying – that our energy use is responsible for a lot of the environmental damage that has been happening – and think we all should curb our consumption. I think it's both a personal issue and a political one. Politically, we need to collectively commit to changing our use of energy, and plan towns and cities that enable us to live that way. On a personal level, I try to do what I can. Even though I’m only one person, maybe I can increase my impact by setting an example.”
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