As we gear up for Earth Day, we thought who better to feature and chat with than our favorite 'green' mama and green living expert Sara Snow.
Sara didn't just jump on the green bandwagon last year. She understands healthy and natural living in a way few of us do, and it's Sara's mission to help impart that knowledge and experience to people all over the world so they too can live a greener lifestyle. Learn how Sara's family and upbringing shaped her and how that experience earned her the title of "green living's real deal."
Sara created quite a few TV series encompasing Living Fresh & Green on the Discovery Channel and has written a book: Sara Snow's Fresh Living; The Essential Room-by-Room Guide to a Greener, Healthier Family and Home
While Sara continues development work on her next series, Sara has stepped into her biggest role yet, that of mom to her daughter Silvia. Meanwhile she continues to teach and inspire countless individuals about simple and effective ways to green businesses, homes, families and communities.
Let’s Meet Our Green M.O.M, Sara Snow
M.O.M Katie ~ So, congratulations on becoming our official M.O.M! Now that you’ve added a new role of being mommy to the mix, how has your daily routine changed?
M.O.M Sara ~It has changed entirely! I used to get up and meditate quietly each morning. Then my day would consist of working followed by a quiet dinner (or, better yet, a fun dinner out!) with Ryan, my hubby. Now that's all out the window....and I don't mind a bit!
Quiet meditation. Forget it! My quiet moments now come while I nurse, snuggled in our favorite rocker in Silvia's room. And I fit in moments of emailing and writing during the day but mostly I play on the floor (right now we're working on her newest skill...crawling!), supervise meal times, try to fit in a walk with Silvi and the dog, quiet things down with a bath, nurse (again!) and put my sweet pea to bed. Quiet dinners come late, if at all. But I wouldn't change a thing!
M.O.M Katie ~ Did you always envision being a working mom? After Silvia was born did you struggle with your decision as many moms do?
M.O.M Sara ~I honestly thought I'd want to work a lot more than I do. When Silvia was about 3 or 4 months old I started to get the itch to go back to work. But I'm not ready to go into full production on another TV show yet because that would involve too much travel. So for now I'm doing a little bit from home but I'm mostly just focused on being with Silvia. I just recently made the decision to stay home until she's at least a year old and it has made me feel surprisingly peaceful. I think until voicing that decision out loud, I constantly felt a little bit like I needed to be chasing my next project. Now I feel like it's ok to sit back and be with Silvia for a while. It's the most important job of all.
M.O.M Katie ~ We know you were living ‘green’ before, but when you found out you were expecting, what was your first thought on living eco-friendly with a baby?
M.O.M Sara ~ or me it really boils down to two things....wasting less, which means not relying on disposable items, and creating the healthiest home environment possible. We were already living that way before I got pregnant so it hasn't been a hard transition. But I have to be honest. Instead of becoming more stringent, as many people do, I became a little more lax after having Silvia. I still do everything I can to keep her healthy (feed her organic foods, use only non-toxic cleaners and skin care products, etc., etc.) but I let myself off the hook a little here and there. I use cloth diapers a lot of the time but I also use chlorine-free disposable diapers when traveling or when life gets a little hectic. I make most of my own baby food but I also use organic jarred or frozen food on occasion. So we're healthy and green....but not rigid.
M.O.M Katie ~ Any advice to give expecting, new &/or experienced parents on ways to change their lifestyle for living green? Besides following your site, what is another go-to site to guide us?
M.O.M Sara ~ My advice is this: pay attention to what you put in your baby, on your baby, and around your baby. In - breastfeed if at all possible (initially it's harder than anyone tells you it will be but it's beyond worth it), and then feed organic, fresh, real food. On - use products on your baby's skin that are free of parabens, synthetic fragrance and other harsh synthetic ingredients. Around - use natural cleaning products and decorate with furnishings free of formaldehyde, toxic paints and fabric finishers, or that have off-gassed elsewhere to ensure healthy, breathable air.
But beyond anything else, don't become crippled by guilt or overwhelmed by have-to's. Do what you can. Baby step your way towards a healthier home and healthier family, but if you fall off the wagon for a week or month, that's ok. Cut yourself a break and then get back on. Make every effort to do what you can but don't sweat it so much that you're paralyzed against trying.
Here are some sites to check out:
I'm constantly updating my website (http://www.sarasnow.com/) with new articles, videos, recipes and other tips geared towards busy families who want to be a little healthier or more green without a whole lot of stress.
I'm also helping The Organic Center (I sit on the board of directors) launch a new site geared towards families. The website is www.generationsoforganic.com
The Holistic Moms Network is another great resource for moms who want to do things naturally. I sit on the board of advisors and think a lot of this encouraging organization. That website is www.holisticmoms.org
M.O.M Katie ~ So, what can expect from our M.O.M Sara this year?
M.O.M Sara ~ This year I plan to continue to be the best mom I can be to Silvia. That's number one. And I'm really excited to go back to work in the TV sense at some point. I'm playing around with scenarios of doing a cooking show, another lifestyle show or even back into news. I'm talking with a few networks right now but nothing too serious yet. I'd like to write another book and I'm developing on an idea to launch a new website for moms who want to raise healthy, natural kids in a fun, stress-free way. And we'd like to have another baby, too. It took us six years to get pregnant this time around but I'm hopeful that it'll be a lot easier next time. Ok, not all of that will happen this year. For now, it's one day at a time. And I'm loving every day!
Childbirth. Yes, it was long and it was painful but it was, hands down, the most incredible and rewarding experience of my life. I wrote out my birth story and shared it on my website. http://sarasnow.com/b/My-Natural-Childbirth-Story/-409006245756108481.html?dest=/pg/jsp/community/blog/articlesdetail.jsp
The first time I got Silvia to giggle. I couldn't stop smiling or videoing it. It was like food for my soul! And I couldn't wait for Ryan to get home so I could get her to do it again and again.
In late December I filled in as the weather anchor on The Early Show and Ryan and Silvia came along to NY with me for the week. They came out to the plaza to watch the show one morning and I remember looking over at them and thinking, wow, I've got it all. I have a fantastic husband who is kind and loving, a beautiful and healthy baby girl, and I'm on one of the national morning shows. All of my dreams are coming true.
Follow our M.O.M Sara
http://www.sarasnow.com/
twitter: @sarasnow
Facebook: Sara Snow
No comments:
Post a Comment