let's get started...

Where do I begin? Well, I have been a woman that is interested in living a healthy life that offers the least amount of impact on the earth. Over the past years, however, I've become more aware that the choices that are most easily available to us aren't always the best choices for us. Two years ago, my husband and I welcomed our first child into the family. This triggered a need within me for better understanding of the products we were using in our home. I have always been mindful of the food that we eat as a family. Having gained the responsibility to now shape the world of someone, I realized that I could do so much more to be sure I wasn't exposing him to harmful chemicals in our food, soap, lotion, and other household products.

Here's where it gets interesting. After the birth of our son, I started feeling guilty about the amount of disposable diapers that we were using. I knew that they do nothing but sit in our landfills, literally sinking up the place. I, previously, found soaps and lotions that were natural and contained no harmful chemicals and really felt a sense of relief, knowing I was beginning an effort to keep my baby healthy and our water supply clean. So I decided to look into what other products that were out there. I wasn't going to fool myself. My husband is a wonderful man, but eco-friendly living isn't something that's ever been on his radar. He isn't one who really thinks about nature or the earth. His only concern on the topic is that we keep our home free of any "roommates" that were meant to live outside. So as I begun my search, I automatically knew that cloth diapers would not be an option. If I ever wanted help with changing diapers, I needed to have something more creative. I also came upon information that there are chemicals in the most popular soaps and lotions that can be harmful to our bodies, potentially causing a number of health concerns in the future for our baby. I had already started the process of transitioning our family to a diet that included no processed foods, full of whole grains, and that would nourish our bodies in their most natural state.

As I dug deeper into the process, I struggled to find products that were easily attainable and would allow us to come together as parents to feel we were both making the best choices for our little guy. I must say, this was a difficult process! As I discovered some new products, some were "over the top" in my husband's eyes and others weren't natural and gentle enough for my comfort. As I discussed our situation with my girlfriends, no one was able to relate to my need to be creative with my approach to green living. Most of the people I spoke to either has full support of the effort from their spouse or they simply didn't have green living on their list of things to do.

So here I am. I've come to find an alternative approach that allows for simplistic changes in a household that allow for the same lifestyle that we all have come accustom to. I totally understand that each of us finds passion in different areas, but when it comes to being gentle to ourselves and our earth, we either choose to make changes, or we choose to ignore it. I've chosen to make creative additions to our household in all areas and I continue to search high and low for ways to maintain a green lifestyle with a twist of our traditional conveniences. The best part is that, generally, my husband hasn't even noticed a difference!

And thus, A Hint of Jade. It's not our traditional method of green living. We are developing an alternative approach to creating a eco-friendly household when to traditional approach doesn't fit our family. I've started this blog because I'm sure I'm not alone on this journey. I hope to offer an outlet, open discussions, and create a community where we can come together and share our great finds. In the end, I hope for a peaceful, healthy household and a flourishing earth. We can do this! Who's with me?!