Are We Hippies???

Nonchalantly, I call myself a "hippie" all the time.  When people ask about our cloth diapering, I say, "yeah, I'm a hippie" or Emma's Amber Teething necklace, "I'm a crunchy hippie so of course she has one".  I don't use conventional shampoo or soap, I don't use regular body lotions or perfume, I don't wear deodorant, I wash some of our laundry with soap nuts, I cloth diaper and use cloth wipes (even when we're away from home, even overnight), I buy organic cotton clothing and food, I refuse to buy eggs unless their cage free/free range/fancy schmancy...  the list goes on and on...

I don't know if I'm actually a hippie though.  By definition, a hippie is someone who lived during the 1960's (which I didn't), rejected the established institutions (which I sometimes do), sought expanding consciousness (does yoga and meditation count?), and wore folksy clothing with beads and such (no, thank you).  I feel as though the conversational definition of hippie has changed a bit though.  It includes individuals in the green movement, those who are loving and accepting of all walks of life, those who are free-thinking and open-minded.  I am, absolutely, those things.  So is my wonderful husband...  not so much by his own doing though ; )

I made the decision to cloth diaper, I buy our household cleaning products (of which we have none since I make our cleaning products using various non-harming agents), and I purchase our groceries.  Ryan is just along for the ride.  He appreciates (sometimes tolerates) my passion for eco-friendly living and my desire to heal the world one plastic container at a time.

Oh yeah, speaking of plastic, we moved a couple of months ago and our apartment complex does not recycle.  Oh the horror!  Hundreds of people live here and there's no recycling!!!  In this household, we recycle almost everything!  Our trash is at least a third if not a fourth of what we recycle.  Ryan tolerates me continuing to recycle which means that the recyclables first pile up on our dining room table in boxes or bags, then get moved to the garage where they sit until I know I'll be driving near a big recycling drop off location.  Then, I have to load it all into my car and unload it all once I get there!  It's a little crazy, I know, but I'd feel so much guilt if I didn't.  I've already tried to get the management at our apartment to get the bins for us but they say they keep cutting staffing for budget cuts so there's no way they could find the money for recycling.  Ugh...

Anyway, so I think we're hippies by the current, conversational definition but I hesitate to firmly label our family as such.  While I may see the label as positive, cute, and a little comical; hippie is sometimes derogatory.  Hippies are dirty, pot-smoking, and lazy.  They disregard social norms, are difficult to communicate with, and weird.  Right?  People think that!  I don't want people to think that about me or my family!

I prefer to think of us as earth-friendly, socially conscious individuals.  I care about everything (seriously, just ask Ryan) and everyone (sometimes my heart is bigger than my chest can handle) so I prefer to look at my ways as compassionate and caring instead of labeling myself as being part of any group of individuals. 

Still, as I'm making my own babyfood, putting myself in child's pose to get rid of my headache, and giving Emma an almond oil massage before bed, I'm thinking I'm a little bit hippie...