As a copy editor, I spend most of my time editing other writers’ words. The rest of the time I’m contemplating how I can do my part to reduce, reuse and recycle — and make smarter decisions that positively affect the planet. So, why not write my own words and my own green-living story?

I’m very fortunate to live in a city that affords its residents myriad opportunities to minimize their environmental impact. We have a comprehensive recycling program; a reliable, accessible public transportation system; a vast network of public parks and bike trails; several used-clothing and -book shops; and home-improvement centers that sell reclaimed materials. With so many options, it should be easy to be green, right? Not so. It takes will power and determination to permanently change one’s ways.

So, before I introduce little ones to the world who will inevitably learn from and/or mimic me, I am documenting my journey of change here, in this very blog, as a way to learn from my actions and those of others. In it, you may find helpful green tips or new ideas, but for me, this blog is an inner reflection.

A bit about me

As a child growing up in rural upstate New York, I learned the value of preservation and conservation from my father. Now, as a 30-something in St. Paul, Minnesota, I’m making those learnings part of my daily life, so I can pass them on to my future children.

I’ve made the Minneapolis-St. Paul area my home for the past 10 years, and I plan to stay for many years to come. My husband, Doug, and I live in a darling 1920s bungalow in St. Paul proper, with our rat terrier, Jasper, and our two cats, Marty and Oliver.