Becoming the change...

For my 2007 New Years Resolution I volunteered to embrace Jenn's pledge to buy only organic or sustainable clothing. Why? I want to walk the walk. In the words of Mahatma Ghandi, I want to "be the change you want to see in the world". And both the world and I need a lot of change!

I had been "thinking" the walk for many years now, and I had even taken a step or two on the path:

In the 80's, my children and I painted "Stop Acid Rain" signs for the Sierra Club in Cleveland, Ohio. The signs were put on a boat that sailed around Lake Erie to draw awareness to the problem.

In the '90s I gave up eating veal after learning that the young calves were chained inside tiny crates designed to keep them from moving so that the meat would remain tender.

In 2001, I became a vegetarian after reading Jane Goodall's A Reason for Hope, and Eric Schlosser's Fast Food Nation, which made me aware of the cruel practices that agribusiness conducts against the animals we eat. Learning about the overcrowded, feces-laden cages and pens the animals are forced to live in, and the clipping of beaks and tails required to keep them from pecking or biting the animals they are crammed against, as well as the use of ill-suited and often cannibalistic feeds weighed on my conscience and took my appetite for meat away. In time (about two years) I returned to eating meat, but very infrequently. I began purchasing organic meat and cage free eggs, in the hopes that the animals involved had been treated more humanely. That said, I am almost finished reading Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma which sheds light on some of the so-called "organic" or "cage free" labelling, and I am sure I will be revising my grocery selections once again.

In 2003, I was the only toy designer in attendance at the EnvironDesign conference in Washington, D.C. Afterwards, I was so inspired by the "Cradle to Cradle" message of speakers William McDonough and Michael Braungart that I tried to convince Hasbro President Alan Hassenfeld to replace the PVC (vinyl) used in manufacturing the My Little Pony toys that I had been designing with something less harmful to the environment. Mr. Hassenfeld heard me out quite receptively, but then I was called to the Corporate Communications directors office to make sure I was not going to speak publicly about the matter, and then called to my immediate supervisor's office for a warning against voicing my concerns to Alan again, if I valued my career and my employment at Hasbro!

So with bills, a mortgage, and tuition to pay for my son's college education, I quietly continued to design ponies and other conventionally manufactured products while awaiting the opportunity to change my career path - an opportunity that I expected to be ready for once my son Mike graduated. Which proudly happened last June!

So now, the time is right to finally get my head and my feet on the same path, and walk the walk! And the first step is this simple pledge to buy only organic and sustainable clothing. Not only will I be walking the walk, I will be unable to avoid learning about all the difficulties and opportunities this simple principle presents, which will hopefully lead me to a green career path.

I am very excited to be taking this step right now!

-Now I have an inspiring friend (Jenn Hrabota-Lesser) who shares the same desire for aligning career and lifestyle with sustainability values, and we can turn to each other for support, ideas and motivation.

-Now it seems there are many more people, resources and businesses delving into green than just three years ago; more people to connect with and to learn from.

- Now my children are grown and I have more free hours to devote to making a better world for them and their children.

- Now I am in the second half of my life, and though I have more hours per day, I have less days left to make the world a better place.

So if not now, then when?

It has to be now!