The green party

Growing up a military brat we moved a lot. I soon learned you do one of two things – either become an introvert or an extrovert. Not surprisingly, I am an extrovert. I love meeting and talking with people. People are very interesting, you know.

I think one of the things that helped foster my attitude were the many parties my mom took us to. My brother would haul his Matchbox cars around, find a place to set out his towel-sized cityscape my mom painted for him and play on that. I, being a precocious tow-headed six year old, got right in the middle of things. These were your usual 70s type parties – Tupperware, Avon, jewelry, macramé, I vaguely recall something with candles – fun stuff, regardless.

I was enthralled by the enthusiasm and laughter that always seemed present. The sense of camaraderie and effervescence these ladies displayed. And the cookies. The days of real mom cooking. Yum.

And it didn’t matter that we moved every three years. Mom always found a group of like minded women to socialize and shop with.

These days I continue that trend, though my tastes run to makeup and cookware. I am thinking of branching out though. I recently read a report about a group called EcoMoms. They have the same kind of parties from yesteryear, but everything is geared to easing the strain on our environment. Along with buying things like smart box power strips, green approved light bulbs, etc. (etc. meaning pretty much any product that can be classified as eco-friendly), these groups have actual discussion. Intelligent discourse on the state of eco-affairs and how we can help combat and fix them.

While it’s too late for my son (now a teenager already filled with firm ideas and opinions on such things as politics, the economy, gas and war) to sit amongst an EcoMom party and glean important information, it’s not for many of the kids now growing up. Instead of seeing, b(eco)me green in any of its many variations. Rather than be beat down by the ads, billboards and one-sided diatribes on the evils of not being green, the kids who accompany their moms to these parties will (hopefully) be getting good information as well as a good role model for both conserving and participating in the world around them.

All in all, I can’t help but think these parties will do a world of good. I just hope they serve chocolate chip cookies, too.

-- Jennifer