My mother had many hobbies; I was used to her bringing home a new crafting tool or activity. Soon after she brought something home, she would usually give me her creations: a knitted hat, stickers from her cricket, and a T-shirt with a design she made. I treasured these gifts, but I had little interest in her hobbies outside of the trinkets I was given. Then one day my mother brought home a plant. One became many and soon our house was littered with the likes of money trees, popping pearls, banana leaves, peonies, and more. She even kept orchids in our bathrooms. According to her, they loved the steam from our showers.
I do not know why but one day I asked her if I could have one of her plants to keep in my room, instead of giving me one of hers she took me to the store to pick out my own. She said it was important to pick out a plant that I could take care of. I got a prickly cactus with a singular flower in bloom. The lady in the aisle said it would be easy to take care of. When we got home my mom said it was important to give the cactus a name, so I named him Jerri. This was the start of my love for plants and my sustainability journey: I still love cacti to this day. Jerri lived a long life until he met an unfortunate fate involving a high self and a curious cat. I ended up naming my first car after him. Although this was the start of my journey it was nowhere near the end. There were many more instances where my mom influenced me and in turn pushed me further and further down the path of sustainability, although it did not feel like a push; it felt like we were walking together hand in hand down this winding road.
That Spring my mother brought home some seeds; they were small at first. She would plant tomatoes on the windowsills, and I would watch waiting for them to bloom. I remember the day we finally got a little green bulb sprouting from the vine. My sister and I fought over who would pick the first tomato, though neither of us ate tomatoes. Eventually, my mother decided to turn our backyard into a garden. She built 4 planter boxes out of pallets we found in the neighborhood – something she learned from an earlier hobby – and placed them in the yard. She drilled hooks into the fence to drape the hose on and got a timer that would water the plants automatically. I loved our little garden; when it was all finished being set up my mother took me and my sister to the store to pick out the seeds we wanted to grow. I chose squash because it was my favorite vegetable that I could plant. We spent the next couple of days planting in the garden and making sure the irrigation system worked. Every day my sister and I raced home after school to see if we could find any signs of life in our new garden.
Soon enough there were sprouts of green and soon enough we had vines and bushes that sprouted flowers. This is when my mother brought home a big black composter. She taught us about compost and said that we would be tossing our food scraps into a bin that would be taken to the composter later. I loved composting more than I loved the garden, especially when we got the worms. I would love to watch them wriggle around and even pick them up to watch them squirm. Looking back, the worms were terrified of the 5’8 monster that messed with them at the same time every day.
Growing our vegetables prompted us to think about all of the food we were consuming. In my freshman year of high school my mother decided to become a vegetarian and give up milk. She eventually convinced my grandmother and together they convinced me. Being a vegetarian opened me up to a lot of foods I had never tried before, and I got to try them all with my mom. Together we tried to make our own almond milk, vegan cheese, and fried potatoes shaped like chicken legs. Some of these endeavors – like vegan cheese – were failures. Nonetheless, I learned more about sustainability and built a closer relationship with my mom through them. So, they were all worth it.
Reflecting on these experiences, I realize that my journey into sustainability was not just about adopting eco-friendly practices but also about forging deeper connections with my family. Through shared activities like gardening, composting, and embracing a vegetarian lifestyle, my mother not only instilled in me a sense of environmental responsibility but also nurtured a profound appreciation for the connections between all living beings. My journey from plant cultivation to embracing sustainability has been shaped by many experiences guided by my mother’s love for plants and dedication to eco-conscious living. Until writing this essay, I had no idea just how much she has influenced who I am today. Through her influence, I learned that sustainability extends beyond mere environmental practices; it encompasses a willingness to learn and experiment to live in harmony with our planet.
Although I am not a vegetarian anymore I still believe in the lesson I learned throughout childhood. My mom taught me the importance of emotional and practical literacy in navigating sustainability challenges. I still go home to help her with the garden; we’ve been regularly trading our extras with our neighbors. I have a few plants that moved into the dorms with me. Taking care of them reminds me to take care of myself and make sure I get water and plenty of sun too. I’ve learned to be careful with what I put in my body. This impacts the food I eat and the products I use on my skin. The most important lesson I’ve learned is that the choices we make can impact our circle and our circle impacts the community around us. I aim to leave a positive impact on everyone around me. Who knows maybe I can show them how to change the world; the way my mom showed me.
https://www.attainable-sustainable.net/make-a-worm-composter-for-less-than-five-bucks/
https://itdoesnttastelikechicken.com/quick-easy-vegan-cheese/
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