Introducing Green Niackery | Green Niackery

Leading an eco-friendly lifestyle isn’t always easy, but for me, the challenges have been rewarded exponentially. I’m much happier these days than ever before, mostly because I get a lot of satisfaction out of these lifestyle changes. I feel healthier than I did in my twenties, no longer is weight management an issue, I spend less money overall than I used to, and I actually have more time to do the things I want.

I’ve made living an Earth-friendly lifestyle a priority for myself for several years now. I remember the precise moment in 2007 when my life literally changed forever. Sitting cross-legged on the wooden picnic table in my backyard in Toronto’s Beaches area, having a smoke, I looked up to see the sun streaming in slow motion, green-tinted, through the lush leaves of overhead trees. As if in a movie, I heard glorious voices rising in harmony, until I blinked and it all stopped. The experience seemed real enough, or at least convincing enough, and the Earth Mother won me over (you thought it would be angels, didn’t you?).

Last year, I decided to take the plunge and freelance part-time, ready to use my skills for myself instead of for the advancement of others — that is, I was sick of working for The Man. Now I’m ready to go a step further. Green Niackery will trace my endeavours in leading an Earth-friendly lifestyle. The best part is, I can incorporate doing the things I want into my plan. I love to hike and pick berries, for example, so why not take CouchSurfers out on hiking trips, or pick berries for local residents who can’t do it for themselves?

Being a political idealist (Liberty! Democracy!) gives me the motivation, and just the right dash of crazy, to see this project through. Being a freelance writer gives me the flexibility to find my own assignments. Being a “greeniac” gives me the knowledge and skills to review and report on natural products and services for a local market. And the vision to put it all together comes from a fearless, entrepreneurial spirit that runs in the family.

An article representing right-wing anti-environmental interests once caught my eye for quoting a coal industry representative who challenged the claims of “greeniacs” opposed to mountaintop removal. The term, pejorative in its intent, drew me in. I identified with it for the same reason that slapstick comedy makes us laugh. The exaggeration is so obvious — and ridiculous — who can help but grin? Spin, spin, right? I’ve chosen to make a mockery of it.

So Green Niackery shows that living green is a result of dedication, not obsession. With my freelance writing and green living projects, I can work according to my own ethical standards. No compromises. I think I will be able to make it, to stick it to The Man, so to speak. Let’s see how the next year goes…