A Company That Cares?

Well, it’s official—I now work in the environmental field. Yah, Waste Less Living! However, I must say, I find it that much more important to ‘walk the walk,’ and I’m telling you, it ain’t easy sometimes—especially when it comes to grocery shopping. I can’t shop anymore without feeling torn—I find something I would like to purchase, but it uses so much unnecessary packaging that I end up either buying it and feeling guilty, or not buying it and leaving with an empty shopping cart! Either way, I feel frustrated that more companies aren’t more aware of (and concerned about) their choices. Which is definitely a huge plus to working at Waste Less Living. Christine founded the company based on a sustainable business model, meaning profit comes second to bringing in a sustainable income for its’ staff and serving the environment. While it is so tempting to buy something that will save me time, I have to really think about who I’m giving my money to. Corporations have the chance to make a statement with how they run their business, and consumers have the chance to make a bigger statement with how they spend their money. We must vote with our dollar. We must remember that convenience isn’t everything.  I know time is precious, but certainly we can squeeze in twenty minutes once a week to cut up veggies and fruit and put them into reusable containers to grab on the go...? Every time I want to buy something, but feel bad that I’m contributing to that mind-set of ‘now, now, now,’ I try and remind myself that convenience comes at a cost. Individually packaged cereal and milk…individually wrapped dried fruit…these are very tempting, healthy looking options for my on-the-go lifestyle that could very well save me from hitting the fast food drive-thru. But at what cost? Even recycling that packaging isn’t ideal. Recycling is just delayed landfilling for the most part. So, what’s a busy girl to do? Well…I came up with a plan, and I think that if I take it slow, I won’t get overwhelmed (because we know where that gets me—remember that big slobbery, stagnant pool of frustration?!?!). What I’ve been doing is phasing items out of my cupboards. Now, I’m lucky—I live in a city that offers me a buffet of choices when it comes to markets. So, I try and buy at a place where I can purchase items in bulk. Rice, oatmeal, nuts, dried fruit, beans, lentils, and trail mix fill glass jars in my cupboards now, and it’s great! Not only does buying in bulk use less packaging, but it’s cheaper. Bonus round! And—nerd alert!—I even bought some light-weight cotton fabric to sew some reusable bags so I don’t have to use the ones at the store anymore! I know…I figure it’s only a matter of time before I’m illegally raising chickens in my condo for eggs…but hey, at least I’ll know they’re cage-free and enjoying life! But that, my friends, is a topic for a different day…

The Heart of LA Can Be Green!

I moved to Los Angeles seven and a half years ago with my husband, who had accepted a position at UCLA. It was perfect timing as I had decided I really wanted to pursue acting professionally, and what better place to be than Los Angeles? As it’s generally known, there is a mild case of ‘plastic surgery-itis’ in these parts…advertisements gently reminding you of how much “better” you could be. So, it’s only natural to assume one might start looking at themselves sideways in the mirror more and more often. Well, being an outdoorsy, ‘natural’ girl from Michigan, I told my husband from the beginning, “If I EVER start saying that I need Botox or breast implants, you better put me on the first plane out of here to a commune in Vermont!” I guess in my head, Vermont seemed like the place to be if you’re a tent-sleeping, no-make-up-wearing, composting enthusiast. Funny thing is, while I did joke, I AM a tent-sleeping, no-make-up-wearing, composting enthusiast! Especially now. over the past few years, my obsession with the environment, recycling, and trash has grown and become something I think about quite a bit. Some might say too much! (My father in law once told me, not long ago, to ‘lighten up’). Well, if you’re anything like me, obsessive thoughts without a viable outlet will only serve to bring you down. Depression only leads to more negativity, that negativity leads to inaction and feeling overwhelmed, yada yada yada…and the downward spiral begins. And then there you are, sitting in a big slobbery, stagnant pool of frustration and self-doubt. Well, I was sitting in that slobbery pool about three years ago when I left a producer’s office after turning down what was seemingly my first ‘real acting job,’ complete with a paycheck that ended with the word ‘thousand.’ Bear in mind, most of my jobs paid in the form of copy, credit and maybe some food! So, why was I feeling so unhappy with this professional achievement? Needless to say, I had some soul-searching to do. To make a long, winding story short, I quit pursuing acting professionally cold turkey and dove into the world of green. And by ‘dove’ I mean it took me another three years to figure things out…I didn’t know in what capacity I would work, I just knew I needed something I was passionate about. Since this eco-career-world is relatively new and there is no set path, I started with something I loved—architecture and building—and became LEED accredited and a Certified Green Building Professional. Then I became a mom. And whether it was serendipity or destiny, I met Christine Lenches-Hinkel from Waste Less Living and now…here I am—more like the girl in Vermont I wanted to be, but instead choosing to live in Los Angeles, where I can make a difference in a place where, while on some levels is very progressive, still offers me ample opportunity to teach and grow. So, instead of letting the L.A. beauty scene influence me, I look forward to influencing the beauty of L.A. Botox and all.