Whole Life Times: Anxiety’s Silver Lining

July 2008 | Letters from Readers

Anxiety’s Silver Lining

RE: “Green is the New Neurotic” (April, ’08), Never let your pessimism get in the way of your activism. Be a pessimistic activist. After all, we are surrounded by insurmountable opportunities.

— David E. Ortman, Seattle

Baby On Board

Thanks for the great progressive parenting ideas in the June issue. I’d like to add two more: One, use a midwife — they really take care of the mom and baby in a holistic, natural way — both before and after birth. Our midwife drove us to the birth center when I went into labor and visited our home every couple days for weeks after — no need to travel out and about to a hospital! We’re lucky enough to have Seattle Midwifery School here, so there are lots of great women out there supporting local moms.

Two, wear your baby! Baby-wearing creates closeness and can help with sleep. There’s fabulous research about how it also helps with bonding and frees up hands for moms and dads too. For my now two-year-old, it’s been a lifesaver. Beyond the Baby Bjorn brand, there are wraps, slings, pouches, hard carriers, soft-sided carriers, mei tais… No more lugging around a 20 lb plastic car seat; just plop baby in the carrier on front or back and head into the store!

Take care and keep up the great work!

— Melissa Podeszwa, Seattle

Baby Off Board

Thanks to Mr. Wilson of Seattle for his letter mentioning overpopulation. I am 53 now and chose to have a tubal ligation for permanent birth control when I was 21 years old. Luckily, Medi-Cal paid for it.

I am continually discouraged by how seldom overpopulation is even briefly addressed. There are few things an individual can do that are “greener” than having no kids. Most other “green” efforts, however, don’t contradict so many old, out-dated beliefs.

I encourage you to offer free advertising to agencies like Planned Parenthood, foster childcare programs, adoption agencies, etc. Perhaps also a discount on advertisements by people who can verify permanent sterilization/birth control?

I encourage people who think they need to have children to explore the millions of different ways to be creative, and if the need to be with children is strong, to be a very active, supportive godparent.

— Barbara Daugherty, Petaluma, Calif.

…Really Off Board

Giving birth to your own child in America is one of the most selfish, wasteful things you can ever do. 500,000 children are in foster care or orphaned in the United States right now. Overpopulation is causing foodlessness and environmental disaster everywhere we look.

Your magazine just gave the green light to breeding, and even tactics to outwit Mother Nature’s best population control device: infertility.

Totally unacceptable.

— Uterus-free vegan, Chicago

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