Q&A with green mommy

Our green mommy, Amanda Mahan, answers questions about going green, family life and her work with Green Works.

at what moment did you first realize you wanted to go green?

I first started thinking about it seriously a few years ago when two of my friends had preteens who had both started puberty early. Bras! At eight years old! They thought it had to do with all the extra hormones the kids were eating in their meat and dairy. And I thought “holy cow!” (pun intended), that stuff actually matters! That’s when I started looking into organic eating, which was basically my gateway drug into green living. Then I started working for Green Works and learned a lot about the benefits of cleaning with naturally-derived cleaners from the scientists here. And once you learn something, you just can’t unlearn it.

how green are you?

Let’s put it this way: there will be compromises! I really do try to be as green as I can – but at the same time, I’m realistic. I still need to live my life and I’m human and make mistakes (sorry canvas tote bags, I really don’t intend to forget you as often as I do). For example, we try to eat as locally as possible so that we’re eating in season and not contributing to the environmental cost of importing produce from around the world. At the same time, my daughter went through a phase where the only thing she would eat was strawberries. Hello Chilean strawberries! It’s just a balance and I can’t feel bad about not always being perfectly “dark” green.

tell us about your family.

As you can probably see from the blog, I have one fun-loving, three-year old daughter. It’s gotten to the point where I don’t even notice that Z is wearing sparkly wings and antennae so I don’t understand why people are pointing at us and smiling. She makes me laugh every day with her observations, jokes, and demands. Same with her Daddy. (Not the antennae and wing part – at least not yet.)

what do you like best about your job?

It would probably be good to say that I love all the smart and passionate people I work with. (It’s true.) Or that I enjoy the great projects and products we have here. (Also true.) But the truth is, the thing I like best about my job is being able to eat a whole sandwich at lunch without having to give anyone else a bite.

if you could get people to take one green step, what would it be?

There is no one magic bullet for going green. I would say the best thing people can do is be thoughtful about it. When the clerk asks if you want a bag, think “How badly do I need it?” If you forgot a tote and you’re walking out of the store with ten limes (margaritas anyone?), then by all means get one. But if it’s just a candy bar you’re going to eat in the car anyway (but enough about me!), then maybe skip it. When I keep it top of mind I find myself doing small green things everyday that help me, my family and the planet.