{Special Interview} Wendy Gabriel

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Wendy Gabriel is a Green Living freelance writer for the Examiner. Her popular blog, My Green Side, offers simple tips for green living. You can also find Wendy on The Christopher Gabriel Program every Wednesday where she discusses simple tips for green living and highlights a different green site each week.  Listen in at approximately 1020am (CDT)  at WDAY.com.

What prompted you to start My Green Side?

I was raised to be a good steward of our earth. That said I was still doing a lot of things that weren’t necessarily environmentally friendly. This all changed  during my first pregnancy. I became obsessive about the effects of my actions upon my unborn child and leaving the planet a better place for her. I researched organic nutrition, holistic medicine, recycling, reducing, reusing and the impacts of environmental toxins and became more interested in the unintended consciences of my actions. For example, buying a bottle of water uses precious resources, it’s unhealthy for the environment and wastes money so simply drinking tap water is an easy way to do something good for the planet. As I learned more about environmental and health issues, I talked my husband’s, friends’ and family’s ears off with my new-found knowledge. I realized many people I came in contact with were confused about “green” issues. Many seemed to think it was something other people did and explaining how simple changes make a big difference seemed to strike a chord. After my second child was born, my husband encouraged me to start blogging. My blog, MyGreenSide.org, not only gives me a place to record the things I’m learning, but also gives me a creative outlet. I am a writer and artist who hopes to be a children’s books author/illustrator when I grow up.

You say you “were green long before it was cool to be green.” Tell us about that.

Actually it’s my parents that were green long before it was cool to be green. Back before there was a word for it they were composting, reducing, reusing and supporting quality local businesses. We always had an organic vegetable garden and fruit trees. We were taught to treat animals and nature with kindness and respect. We made the majority of our food rather than buying processed food. We cleaned with non-toxic cleaners; mainly homemade mixtures that always included vinegar. I sometimes think my parents are a little mystified that people are making such a fuss about “being green” because they believe it’s the only way to be.

At My Green Side you share tips weekly with your readers… what is your favorite eco-friendly tip?

I am especially partial to the green cleaning tips. One of my favorite is to use half a lemon sprinkled with baking soda to clean bathtubs, tiles and sinks. The lemon is a natural disinfectant and the baking soda provides some gentle scrubbing “grit.”

As a “Green Living” writer for the Examiner what do you find the most rewarding?

I have a series called ‘Four Questions’ that I absolutely love to do. I ask the interviewee four questions, hence the name, and the first is always “How do you make your day-to-day life a little greener?” I have met some of the most remarkable people through these interviews and am amazed at the people that graciously agree to be interviewed.

You call your daughters Little Greek Goddess and Baby Greek Goddess where did that originate?

My husband is 100% Greek so it seemed a natural alias for the two of them.

How important is it for you to teach your children about nature and leading a sustainable lifestyle?

It is incredibly important not only so they will have a connection with the earth, because we are all connected, but also because I believe it’s a healthier lifestyle. I know if they are taught to eat organic, avoid plastic, be aware of their energy consumption, clean with non-toxic cleaners, walk and bike to their destinations and are thoughtful about their purchases, they will become healthy adults who will have a negligible carbon footprint.