On the immediate agenda: adjustments!

I've been doing well in terms of my Green Plan progress, but I'm slowly realizing that my lifestyle is about to undergo some serious changes. It's getting colder outside, the leaves are changing, and October is sneaking up on us. Fall is here.

As such, there are going to need to be some serious adjustments. How am I going to keep up my green initiative when it's going to be much more work to do so? That's the main question that I have to answer before it gets too cold, or the snow starts falling, or that fast-approaching holiday season gets here!

I've given it a little thought, and this is what I've come up with so far in terms of staying connected with plants and the outdoors.

Greenifying my space
By greenifying, I mean making sure plants continue to be a consistent part of my life. With my backyard garden now pretty much on the decline, I will need to resort to things like house plants. I have begun rooting shoots from my existing house plants so that I can pot them and bring them to my office. I'm also going to plan early for next year's vegetable garden by making a mini greenhouse in my home, sprouting the seedlings as early as February so that they are good and strong by the time Spring is here. Not only will that mean time spent with plants over the winter, but it will also mean that my plants will be even stronger by the time Spring hits, and they will yield more fruit over the summer!

Connecting with nature
There are three things that I see as completely plausible connections with nature.

First, I will continue to walk daily through my neighbourhood, even if it is not pleasant outside. It will teach me to love all of the seasons, I hope! My friend's dog will still need walks, and if I can help her with that, why not? And the more I walk to the places that I need to get to, the smaller my transportation footprint is!

Second, I will explore the natural spaces in Ottawa over the winter. This will include going to parks and/or camping over the course of the winter whenever weather permits.

Third, I will take up more outdoor winter activities. I have only been skating once in the past 10 years or so, and that was last winter. Why not go every weekend? The beautiful Rideau Canal is on the doorstep of my school! I can also take up skiing, take my little cousins for a toboggan ride, or learn how to snowboard. The possibilities are endless!

Remembering my passion
One of the other ways I want to stay passionate about green initiatives is to continue to support the general effort by donating time and energy to some of the amazing organizations out there who work tirelessly to protect the planet. Even if I can't keep my backyard garden during the winter, I should still be making sure that generations to come are doing what they can to make the world a greener place.