Vinegar Rinses and Baking Soda Scrubs

Vinegar Rinses and Baking Soda Scrubs - image ff309-shampoo on https://megactsout.comI have officially had my first attempt at trying a more eco-friendly (and, coincidentally, cheaper) shampoo alternative, and thought I’d share my experiences. Y’know. Just in case anyone else is thinking of making a change.

Strangely enough, earlier in the day I used vinegar and baking soda to unclog a drain AND do some nice, non-asphyxiating cleaning in the bathroom, so it just made sense to leave the products in the bathroom for my impending shower. What could it hurt?

I read up on some methods and chose the one I’d try. I was slightly fearful for getting stinging vinegar in my eyes, and that I’d blatantly smell like a salad for days (perhaps to the delight of my salad-lovin’ hubby). But, my thoughts kept returning to Shirley Temple — if she could endure her daily vinegar rinses (as a child, of course), I could, too. Gotta keep those curls perfect! 😉 (Just kidding, I don’t have curls.)

So, I diluted some vinegar and water in a stainless steel cup we had lying around the bathroom (I’d say about a 6:1 ratio, water to vinegar — but this depends on the length of your hair and other factors, like tendency toward oiliness) and let it sit alongside the box of baking soda. After wetting down my hair, I poured the solution (about 2/3 of it) on my head, in sections, from my scalp to the tips. The point of this first soaking is to bring the oil and grime to the surface of the hair – so it’s good to leave it on for at least two minutes. You can do the rest of your showerly bidness in the meantime.

I’m not sure if I did it properly, but I rinsed my hair in the shower before doing this next step – I wasn’t sure I wanted that “fuzzy” reaction with the baking soda happening on my scalp. So, after the rinse, I took a small handful (a couple of tablespoons, maybe) of the baking soda, dropped in a bit of water to make a thick paste, then rubbed it pretty aggressively into my scalp and hair. I believe I only had to do two handfuls, then I just worked the abrasive action of the baking soda until I felt the job was done.

But, of course, this isn’t the end. I then water-rinsed – again, not sure if I should’ve done this or just added the last vinegar rinse, but I’m a rebel – before doing one final vinegar rinse with the leftover vinegar/water dilution. A final rinse of water, and I was done.

It may SEEM like it took forever, but it really didn’t waste as much water as you’re thinking — it was pretty quick, even with the 2-minute “soak” (which, again, left me with time to clean, um, the rest of me). And, while I think I should’ve rinsed more at the end, I didn’t necessarily notice a vinegar odor…not a strong one, at least. I’ll pay better attention to my rinsing in the future, but I could only faintly smell it when I shoved a handful of hair from my ponytail up to my nose.

I’ll give a more in-depth review of this technique after I’ve been doing it for a week or two, but, in all honesty, my hair was SO soft (after blow-drying with zero product) and easy to comb through after just one shower. I don’t notice any greasiness the day after, but also very little dryness. The chemicals and suds in normal shampoo (even lots of the “eco-friendly” versions out there) strip our hair of the oils that it needs. I’m excited to see whether this continues to suffice for me (I’ve even heard that some folks are able to wash their hair less than once daily after trying this method!).

But, seriously, even if I try this technique a few times a week, it’ll cut back on chemicals a) going onto my body…yuck… and b) joining the environment. I’ve got some shampoo to use up, so I’m up in the air about finishing it (or seeing if a family member or friend would use it).

Oh, and no, I’m not forcing Dave to try this. Although, I told him to watch out for the jug of vinegar in the bathroom and I believe he made a joke about using it as shampoo…to which I replied, “I did!!!” Boy, was he surprised. I guess he must not have smelled it coming from my head! 😉

Green Goals

Vinegar Rinses and Baking Soda Scrubs - image  on https://megactsout.com
Why, yes. I do want a onesie like this one. Why do you ask? 😉

Winter’s the season for hibernation, hunkerin’ down, inactivity and coziness. It’s nice to have a time devoted specifically to, well, in essence laziness – believe me, I’m a huge fan, especially while the little chicken dinner roasts away inside me.

But I’m also reminded of how nature utilizes the season. While it seems like nothing much is happening beyond winter weather patterns (which we’ve had absolutely minimal of this year!), the frozen ground holds within it lots of activity. If not for this “rest period”, the organic material wouldn’t be preparing itself for spring planting, animals wouldn’t survive properly until spring, and the whole system would be outta whack.

It makes me feel remiss, in the midst of all that nature’s doing to prepare for the next season, that I’m not doing my part for nature as much as I have in the past. While I’ve discussed “going green” quite a bit around my slice of the world wide web, I feel that I’ve dropped the ball a bit lately. An easy excuse is “I’m distracted by planning for the baby” — but, seriously, what better excuse to try to implement more “greenery” into our lives than the future generations?!

That being said, I shouldn’t be TOO harsh. I mean, there certainly are lots of areas of our lives that we’ve already changed – to the point where they’re second-nature and we’ve forgotten we’ve even MADE the changes.

Firstly, almost all of the products that we use (be them cleaning or otherwise) are “eco-friendly”. While I’d like to do more (by way of finding shampoo alternatives and making our own laundry detergent), we’re still doing more than a lot of people. There’s always room for improvement.

We use cloth napkins at every meal, and try to use dish towels and rags as much as possible (although we have to keep minimal tissues and paper towels around due to colds and gross cat ears that need cleaning); again, an area in which we can continue to improve.

We like to use glass-and-silicon reusable containers for our work lunches, and recyclable/recycled double-plastic bags when needed (I wish I wasn’t so dependent upon these!). Dave reuses any accidental plastic grocery bags (y’know, the ones you get when you don’t have a reusable bag on hand) to carry lunches, and I use a cloth lunch bag for mine. Seriously, it’s literally a brown bag. So plain and somehow cute at the same time!

Then there are those “Oh, yeah, I forgot about that…” eco-friendliness we’ve been imparting for awhile. When we moved into our house, Dave went on an energy-saving whirlwind through the house – CFLs in any and every light fixture (we’ve only had to replace one; that’s not bad!), tiny foam insulators for the outlets (most of which have also been switched out), among other little changes. And, lest we forget the low-flow toilet and shower head, as well as the brand new boiler and heating unit (both with excellent Energy Star ratings) that my stepdad put in before we even knew what hit us.

There’s always room for improvement, though, so I’d like to share some thoughts on ways that our family can get on-track to better help both our interior and exterior environments. I’d like to call this list (apparently I’m all about lists, who knew? My mom would be so proud…as would my husband), with lots of positive energy and less guilt in mind:

The Greening Our Family List
(“Dun dun duuuuun” – Ooohhh, impressive!)

– Getting back into the ever-important composting. We’ve got a bin full of the stuff to use for planting in the spring, but got off-track as far as the “adding to it” aspect of composting (the upstate NY winter also helped throw us). I also never found the time/money to get into vermicomposting, unfortunately, so I believe the focus will be the much simpler, hopefully manageable composting. This is an area that I relish teaching to our kids. Oh! And we were lucky enough to get gifted a large composting bin that should be interesting to learn how to use!!

– Speaking of garbage, I’d like to cut back on how much garbage actually gets put out. We do generally have LOTS of recycling, and usually put a full garbage bag out to the curb every other week. Hopefully, by hitting the “restart” button on composting, we’ll be able to cut this down to *fingers crossed* once a month. And, while I don’t think we’ll ever be as awesome as the Zero Waste family, it would be nice to cut back on how much we recycle, too. (One step at the time, lady, one step at a time.)

– Aaaaand also speaking of spring planting, there has been some conversation in our household as to whether or not we should try out a CSA this year or continue with our two (yep, we build another one last year!) raised veggie beds. I found that we had a less successful year in 2011, mostly because I think that we didn’t plan enough and planted far too much — it was simply too much to keep up with. However, I’m not sure I’ll have the time to put into “finding new recipes” to fit in with a regular CSA, so find that it may be a waste of money. So, I’m currently leaning towards utilizing our beds (if ya got ’em, use ’em!) but spacing things out and ONLY growing what I KNOW we’ll use. I know, I’ll be in my third trimester when it’s time to plant, and have a newborn when it’s time to tend and harvest, but I do feel that this will be tons easier if we simplify, simplify, simplify. Plus, I’ve got a loving husband to help (who also happens to LOVE the fact that “this came from our own garden!!!”, especially when salads are involved).

– I’ve had a difficult time finding “green” toiletry products that are actually green or that do a decent job. I find my hair getting dried out or weird-feeling (sorry, I can’t find a better way to describe it than that!), then feel that I need to use this product until it’s gone as not to waste it. So, I thought that I’d try the ever-popular, most-eco-friendly method out there. Here’s a hint: It involves baking soda and vinegar (and, no, I’m not making a volcano on my head – although, weren’t those fun when we were kids?!). I’ve pretty much given it away, but I’m sure I’ll report back on my success/failure rate.

– In my mind, green = simplification. We don’t NEED so much STUFF, and we’re doing a pretty good job of trying to purge (and send on our unwanteds to the thrift shop, or put them aside for our quasi-annual garage sale). The scary thing for me is that all-too-true saying “with baby, comes stuff.” I’m not blaming the baby, and I totally understand the need that people seem to feel about buying cute things (regardless of a) the necessity or b) the size of said item) – but I don’t agree with it. If we need it, it’ll be on our registry. If you think we need it, check with us first. Odds are, we don’t. (I hate to sound so mean or ungrateful, but we’re working VERY hard to purge, purge, purge, so if we end up getting even MORE “CRAP” to purge, we’ll be a couple of very grumpy new parents.)

THAT being said (yes, a new paragraph within a bulleted list – shocking!), we’ve already started this baby off as green as we can (without purchasing expensive green furniture…that’d be easy to do). We’ve borrowed newborn through 6-month neutral clothes from my sister. I’m researching what cloth diapers to purchase. We’re trying to only buy/ask for eco-friendly lotions and soaps. I’m hoping to breast feed and, eventually, make baby food (or try baby-led weaning) which may cut back on the need for a kazillion bottles, formula and purified water containers, baby food jars etc. I’m also uber-excited about the prospect of receiving certain goodies, such as a space saver high chair (it attaches to a normal dining table rather than taking up lots of extra square footage) and a portable swing (which will not only be portable, but take up way less space, too – and is foldable for when it’s not being used). These, I foresee, will be worth their weight in gold, along with perhaps some natural baskets (we’ll look for these on our own, that doesn’t need to be on a registry) to help us maintain the clutter.  

So, that’s it for my immediate green list. While I’d like to say that every little thing we’ll be doing around the house will involve a step closer to a habitual green lifestyle, I realize that there are some simply un-green things that we’re working on. For example, Drylok-ing the basement isn’t the best for our internal environment (stinky!!!), plus painting all the walls and floor down there will be costly if we use only low-VOC paint. Since we’re not planning on staying here forevah-evah, the cost is simply too much to go too gung-ho with our greenification efforts. We’ll do our best (especially when it comes to, say, painting the baby’s furniture), but it’s not like we’ll be putting in a brown water system or solar panels. We’d just like to continue fixing the place up enough to make it worth selling, and purdy enough to look at. 🙂

So, how about y’all? Any green efforts going on in your little piece of the world? Or green efforts that you didn’t even realize you were taking part in? Do tell! 

Green Goals

Vinegar Rinses and Baking Soda Scrubs - image 9fad0-greenbaby on https://megactsout.com
Why, yes. I do want a onesie like this one. Why do you ask? 😉

Winter’s the season for hibernation, hunkerin’ down, inactivity and coziness. It’s nice to have a time devoted specifically to, well, in essence laziness – believe me, I’m a huge fan, especially while the little chicken dinner roasts away inside me.

But I’m also reminded of how nature utilizes the season. While it seems like nothing much is happening beyond winter weather patterns (which we’ve had absolutely minimal of this year!), the frozen ground holds within it lots of activity. If not for this “rest period”, the organic material wouldn’t be preparing itself for spring planting, animals wouldn’t survive properly until spring, and the whole system would be outta whack.

It makes me feel remiss, in the midst of all that nature’s doing to prepare for the next season, that I’m not doing my part for nature as much as I have in the past. While I’ve discussed “going green” quite a bit around my slice of the world wide web, I feel that I’ve dropped the ball a bit lately. An easy excuse is “I’m distracted by planning for the baby” — but, seriously, what better excuse to try to implement more “greenery” into our lives than the future generations?!

That being said, I shouldn’t be TOO harsh. I mean, there certainly are lots of areas of our lives that we’ve already changed – to the point where they’re second-nature and we’ve forgotten we’ve even MADE the changes.

Firstly, almost all of the products that we use (be them cleaning or otherwise) are “eco-friendly”. While I’d like to do more (by way of finding shampoo alternatives and making our own laundry detergent), we’re still doing more than a lot of people. There’s always room for improvement.

We use cloth napkins at every meal, and try to use dish towels and rags as much as possible (although we have to keep minimal tissues and paper towels around due to colds and gross cat ears that need cleaning); again, an area in which we can continue to improve.

We like to use glass-and-silicon reusable containers for our work lunches, and recyclable/recycled double-plastic bags when needed (I wish I wasn’t so dependent upon these!). Dave reuses any accidental plastic grocery bags (y’know, the ones you get when you don’t have a reusable bag on hand) to carry lunches, and I use a cloth lunch bag for mine. Seriously, it’s literally a brown bag. So plain and somehow cute at the same time!

Then there are those “Oh, yeah, I forgot about that…” eco-friendliness we’ve been imparting for awhile. When we moved into our house, Dave went on an energy-saving whirlwind through the house – CFLs in any and every light fixture (we’ve only had to replace one; that’s not bad!), tiny foam insulators for the outlets (most of which have also been switched out), among other little changes. And, lest we forget the low-flow toilet and shower head, as well as the brand new boiler and heating unit (both with excellent Energy Star ratings) that my stepdad put in before we even knew what hit us.

There’s always room for improvement, though, so I’d like to share some thoughts on ways that our family can get on-track to better help both our interior and exterior environments. I’d like to call this list (apparently I’m all about lists, who knew? My mom would be so proud…as would my husband), with lots of positive energy and less guilt in mind:

The Greening Our Family List
(“Dun dun duuuuun” – Ooohhh, impressive!)

– Getting back into the ever-important composting. We’ve got a bin full of the stuff to use for planting in the spring, but got off-track as far as the “adding to it” aspect of composting (the upstate NY winter also helped throw us). I also never found the time/money to get into vermicomposting, unfortunately, so I believe the focus will be the much simpler, hopefully manageable composting. This is an area that I relish teaching to our kids. Oh! And we were lucky enough to get gifted a large composting bin that should be interesting to learn how to use!!

– Speaking of garbage, I’d like to cut back on how much garbage actually gets put out. We do generally have LOTS of recycling, and usually put a full garbage bag out to the curb every other week. Hopefully, by hitting the “restart” button on composting, we’ll be able to cut this down to *fingers crossed* once a month. And, while I don’t think we’ll ever be as awesome as the Zero Waste family, it would be nice to cut back on how much we recycle, too. (One step at the time, lady, one step at a time.)

– Aaaaand also speaking of spring planting, there has been some conversation in our household as to whether or not we should try out a CSA this year or continue with our two (yep, we build another one last year!) raised veggie beds. I found that we had a less successful year in 2011, mostly because I think that we didn’t plan enough and planted far too much — it was simply too much to keep up with. However, I’m not sure I’ll have the time to put into “finding new recipes” to fit in with a regular CSA, so find that it may be a waste of money. So, I’m currently leaning towards utilizing our beds (if ya got ’em, use ’em!) but spacing things out and ONLY growing what I KNOW we’ll use. I know, I’ll be in my third trimester when it’s time to plant, and have a newborn when it’s time to tend and harvest, but I do feel that this will be tons easier if we simplify, simplify, simplify. Plus, I’ve got a loving husband to help (who also happens to LOVE the fact that “this came from our own garden!!!”, especially when salads are involved).

– I’ve had a difficult time finding “green” toiletry products that are actually green or that do a decent job. I find my hair getting dried out or weird-feeling (sorry, I can’t find a better way to describe it than that!), then feel that I need to use this product until it’s gone as not to waste it. So, I thought that I’d try the ever-popular, most-eco-friendly method out there. Here’s a hint: It involves baking soda and vinegar (and, no, I’m not making a volcano on my head – although, weren’t those fun when we were kids?!). I’ve pretty much given it away, but I’m sure I’ll report back on my success/failure rate.

– In my mind, green = simplification. We don’t NEED so much STUFF, and we’re doing a pretty good job of trying to purge (and send on our unwanteds to the thrift shop, or put them aside for our quasi-annual garage sale). The scary thing for me is that all-too-true saying “with baby, comes stuff.” I’m not blaming the baby, and I totally understand the need that people seem to feel about buying cute things (regardless of a) the necessity or b) the size of said item) – but I don’t agree with it. If we need it, it’ll be on our registry. If you think we need it, check with us first. Odds are, we don’t. (I hate to sound so mean or ungrateful, but we’re working VERY hard to purge, purge, purge, so if we end up getting even MORE “CRAP” to purge, we’ll be a couple of very grumpy new parents.)

THAT being said (yes, a new paragraph within a bulleted list – shocking!), we’ve already started this baby off as green as we can (without purchasing expensive green furniture…that’d be easy to do). We’ve borrowed newborn through 6-month neutral clothes from my sister. I’m researching what cloth diapers to purchase. We’re trying to only buy/ask for eco-friendly lotions and soaps. I’m hoping to breast feed and, eventually, make baby food (or try baby-led weaning) which may cut back on the need for a kazillion bottles, formula and purified water containers, baby food jars etc. I’m also uber-excited about the prospect of receiving certain goodies, such as a space saver high chair (it attaches to a normal dining table rather than taking up lots of extra square footage) and a portable swing (which will not only be portable, but take up way less space, too – and is foldable for when it’s not being used). These, I foresee, will be worth their weight in gold, along with perhaps some natural baskets (we’ll look for these on our own, that doesn’t need to be on a registry) to help us maintain the clutter.

So, that’s it for my immediate green list. While I’d like to say that every little thing we’ll be doing around the house will involve a step closer to a habitual green lifestyle, I realize that there are some simply un-green things that we’re working on. For example, Drylok-ing the basement isn’t the best for our internal environment (stinky!!!), plus painting all the walls and floor down there will be costly if we use only low-VOC paint. Since we’re not planning on staying here forevah-evah, the cost is simply too much to go too gung-ho with our greenification efforts. We’ll do our best (especially when it comes to, say, painting the baby’s furniture), but it’s not like we’ll be putting in a brown water system or solar panels. We’d just like to continue fixing the place up enough to make it worth selling, and purdy enough to look at. 🙂

So, how about y’all? Any green efforts going on in your little piece of the world? Or green efforts that you didn’t even realize you were taking part in? Do tell!

Diaper Debate

Vinegar Rinses and Baking Soda Scrubs - image  on https://megactsout.com

I’ve been researching diapers for months. Months ‘n months ‘n months. Seriously, long before I found out that we’re pregnant. Strangely enough, I got away from my obsessive searching after I got the news, so it feels like I’m re-starting the search all over again. I had found so many incredible resources online that I feel like I’m sifting through big piles of…ahem, diapers.

Why all the diaper research, Meg? What question do you need to find out? Where to buy them? What brand is the cheapest?

Nope. I feel like I’m about to “put my foot in it”, but I suppose part of being a parent is having your decisions questioned, and eyebrows raised. Go right ahead- this is a decision that my husband and I are making, and if it doesn’t work out for us, we’re willing to admit our mistakes. I figure this whole experience is one big lesson after another. Nobody’s an expert…except maybe Michelle Duggar, and even she gets raised eyebrows from time to time.

Anyhoo, the big “what, are you nuts?” revelation is the fact that we’d like to try cloth diapering. There are plenty of reasons, in our minds, to take this route:

Long-term cost. While the initial investment is just that – a major investment – lots of sources have indicated that the diapers that we’re considering will pay for themselves in comparison to disposables. From diaperingdecisions.com, it’s stated that over the course of 3 years, one will spend $2694.54 for 7,349 disposable, single use diapers – at a moderate estimate (nevermind if your kid has lots of extra blowouts and accidents). Depending on our budget (of course I’m researching every available option of purchase, and which diapers get the best reviews/last the longest), we’ll be spending many hundreds fewer than $1000 for diapers that will grow with our baby until they’re no longer needed. Also, when it comes to laundering, “Consumer Report estimates that the most inefficient washer and dryer system costs approximately $0.78 per load to launder whereas more efficient models will cost approximately $0.44 per load to launder. So wash your own, twice a week for between 44-78 cents including water, hydro and detergent or spend $16.94 to $22.05 for single use disposable diapers.” Woot. Besides, if I think about it enough, I know I’ll be doing tons of baby clothes (which are tiny), so we can wash them together. Kind of how we just throw our cloth napkins in with our usual white loads (which we’re still going strong with, thankyouverymuch).

Ecological impact. Lots of folks argue that disposables aren’t THAT ecologically bad when compared to the energy used when cleaning cloth diapers. Even with the dinosaur washer and dryer that we run, it’s greener. Further information from diaperingdecisions.com: “Consider the numbers: 36 cloth diapers, that are used over and over; most likely for more than one child, or on average 7,349 single use diapers per child. One time use throw away diapers are the single largest non recyclable component of household garbage, creating 1 ton of garbage per year per child.” The process of rinsing and flushing out diapers, then washing once or twice a week utilize sewage that will be treated and released back into the environment properly. Disposables…eh, well, I think they’re the devil as far as their biodegradability.

Comfort. After reading lots of personal blogs (none of which were perked by any companies for their reviews), a common thread is the fact that a lot of children don’t have diaper rash when parents use cloth diapers. Sure, every butt’s different (and how!), but between the good rash-free odds and the fact that no plastic-y, paper-y feelings will be on baby’s bum, I’m a happy mommy. I even heard that in 1970 (back when cloth was pretty much king) less than 10% of kids experienced diaper rash; today, it’s closer to 80-90%.

Longevity. We’re hoping to have a brood (ie more than one baby). Do you think those future babies will be able to wear their big brother or sister’s disposable diapers? Um, ew. Nope. But, if I learn how to properly care for these (plus the fact that I’m looking into the snap options rather than velcro, which tends to get weak over time), we may only have to purchase the occasional newbie. If that. 🙂

“If it was good enough for my mother…” My mom was pretty basic and old school – she raised 4 kids, all on cloth diapers. (Have I mentioned I love her for her simplicity in raising us??) She also worked as a hairdresser (using our front porch, of all places), so it’s not like she had all day to do laundry. PLUS, those were the days of safety pins and the old flat diapers as the only option, until disposable diapers came along – far too expensive for our family. While technology has changed (you can get 4-in-1’s, organics, pockets…holy crap, everything), I still love the idea behind ’em.

Arguments against? Well, the financials aren’t quite a drop in the bucket initially (more like the whole bucket), and time is a hard thing to control these days. Add that to the fact that we’d like to *try* to breast feed, and there’s a good chance I may never leave the house again. Hee hee, just kidding. We’ll make it work.

I’m still deciding between some brands and would prefer to just buy one, especially if I see iffy reviews here and there, so I’m sure I’ll let you know a) what we end up deciding and b) in the long-term, how things go. Lots of cloth diapering mamas on the interwebs share their disaster stories as well as their success stories, and I’m all about honesty.

In the interest of full disclosure, we’re talking about using some more eco-friendly newborn disposable diapers for the first week or two (especially if breast feeding works out), and will probably use the occasional disposable when traveling. Depending on our babysitting situation, we’d like to be able to continue with the cloth diapering if possible. 🙂

Diaper Debate

Vinegar Rinses and Baking Soda Scrubs - image 054d3-cloth on https://megactsout.comI’ve been researching diapers for months. Months ‘n months ‘n months. Seriously, long before I found out that we’re pregnant. Strangely enough, I got away from my obsessive searching after I got the news, so it feels like I’m re-starting the search all over again. I had found so many incredible resources online that I feel like I’m sifting through big piles of…ahem, diapers.
Why all the diaper research, Meg? What question do you need to find out? Where to buy them? What brand is the cheapest?

Nope. I feel like I’m about to “put my foot in it”, but I suppose part of being a parent is having your decisions questioned, and eyebrows raised. Go right ahead- this is a decision that my husband and I are making, and if it doesn’t work out for us, we’re willing to admit our mistakes. I figure this whole experience is one big lesson after another. Nobody’s an expert…except maybe Michelle Duggar, and even she gets raised eyebrows from time to time.

Anyhoo, the big “what, are you nuts?” revelation is the fact that we’d like to try cloth diapering. There are plenty of reasons, in our minds, to take this route:

Long-term cost. While the initial investment is just that – a major investment – lots of sources have indicated that the diapers that we’re considering will pay for themselves in comparison to disposables. From diaperingdecisions.com, it’s stated that over the course of 3 years, one will spend $2694.54 for 7,349 disposable, single use diapers – at a moderate estimate (nevermind if your kid has lots of extra blowouts and accidents). Depending on our budget (of course I’m researching every available option of purchase, and which diapers get the best reviews/last the longest), we’ll be spending many hundreds fewer than $1000 for diapers that will grow with our baby until they’re no longer needed. Also, when it comes to laundering, “Consumer Report estimates that the most inefficient washer and dryer system costs approximately $0.78 per load to launder whereas more efficient models will cost approximately $0.44 per load to launder. So wash your own, twice a week for between 44-78 cents including water, hydro and detergent or spend $16.94 to $22.05 for single use disposable diapers.” Woot. Besides, if I think about it enough, I know I’ll be doing tons of baby clothes (which are tiny), so we can wash them together. Kind of how we just throw our cloth napkins in with our usual white loads (which we’re still going strong with, thankyouverymuch).

Ecological impact. Lots of folks argue that disposables aren’t THAT ecologically bad when compared to the energy used when cleaning cloth diapers. Even with the dinosaur washer and dryer that we run, it’s greener. Further information from diaperingdecisions.com: “Consider the numbers: 36 cloth diapers, that are used over and over; most likely for more than one child, or on average 7,349 single use diapers per child. One time use throw away diapers are the single largest non recyclable component of household garbage, creating 1 ton of garbage per year per child.” The process of rinsing and flushing out diapers, then washing once or twice a week utilize sewage that will be treated and released back into the environment properly. Disposables…eh, well, I think they’re the devil as far as their biodegradability.

Comfort. After reading lots of personal blogs (none of which were perked by any companies for their reviews), a common thread is the fact that a lot of children don’t have diaper rash when parents use cloth diapers. Sure, every butt’s different (and how!), but between the good rash-free odds and the fact that no plastic-y, paper-y feelings will be on baby’s bum, I’m a happy mommy. I even heard that in 1970 (back when cloth was pretty much king) less than 10% of kids experienced diaper rash; today, it’s closer to 80-90%.

Longevity. We’re hoping to have a brood (ie more than one baby). Do you think those future babies will be able to wear their big brother or sister’s disposable diapers? Um, ew. Nope. But, if I learn how to properly care for these (plus the fact that I’m looking into the snap options rather than velcro, which tends to get weak over time), we may only have to purchase the occasional newbie. If that. 🙂

“If it was good enough for my mother…” My mom was pretty basic and old school – she raised 4 kids, all on cloth diapers. (Have I mentioned I love her for her simplicity in raising us??) She also worked as a hairdresser (using our front porch, of all places), so it’s not like she had all day to do laundry. PLUS, those were the days of safety pins and the old flat diapers as the only option, until disposable diapers came along – far too expensive for our family. While technology has changed (you can get 4-in-1’s, organics, pockets…holy crap, everything), I still love the idea behind ’em.

Arguments against? Well, the financials aren’t quite a drop in the bucket initially (more like the whole bucket), and time is a hard thing to control these days. Add that to the fact that we’d like to *try* to breast feed, and there’s a good chance I may never leave the house again. Hee hee, just kidding. We’ll make it work.

I’m still deciding between some brands and would prefer to just buy one, especially if I see iffy reviews here and there, so I’m sure I’ll let you know a) what we end up deciding and b) in the long-term, how things go. Lots of cloth diapering mamas on the interwebs share their disaster stories as well as their success stories, and I’m all about honesty.

In the interest of full disclosure, we’re talking about using some more eco-friendly newborn disposable diapers for the first week or two (especially if breast feeding works out), and will probably use the occasional disposable when traveling. Depending on our babysitting situation, we’d like to be able to continue with the cloth diapering if possible. 🙂

The Importance of Cloth

Vinegar Rinses and Baking Soda Scrubs - image 947da-clothnapkin on https://megactsout.comDave and I had a bit of a shopping spree last weekend. From making a huge Hannaford haul to stocking up at the Christmas Tree Shoppe, we dropped some pretty serious change (for us). The best purchase of the day? We had plenty to contend, but the one that got us the most excited was (drumroll, please) …napkins!!!

You can wake up now. We’ve been using disposable napkins as long as we’ve, well, been alive. For the past oh-who-knows-how-long we’ve purchased Seventh Generation’s brand because at least we knew that some trees had been saved in their making, being mostly (or 100%?) recycled materials. But it still seemed wasteful. The same went for paper towels (which, incidentally, are also SG brand in our household).

So, when we recently ran out of both, we were a) too busy and b) too lazy to purchase anymore for several days. It really made me notice how reliant I had become upon just grabbing a couple of paper towels to wipe up cat spills (water – they use it as a control weapon, spilling each other’s as a big ol’ neener-neener) and TWO, count ’em, TWO napkins just for dinner (that’s just for me, not including Dave’s). Granted, I used to reuse napkins when they didn’t get used much, but it added up. It was enlightening to notice that it had simply become a habit, hopefully slightly easier to break than the cable habit (and here‘s an update).

When I mentioned the idea of switching to cloth napkins for everyday use (we’ve still got a small package of disposables in the cabinet for guests – namely our families who will probably find us to be nuts for our quirkiness), I was pleasantly surprised at how willing and happy Dave was to comply. Sweet! So, while in the Syracuse area, we searched a couple of stores before Target finally had what we wanted – a dozen soft, plain white napkins for $9.99. Not on sale, not as cheap as I’d have liked, but just THINK of not only how much we’ll save in paper napkin costs, but the cost to the environment. I’m truly a believer in “every little bit helps”, although it’s sometimes easy to get dismayed.

Needless to say, I won’t be washing napkins (and towels/dish rags, which are taking the paper towels’ place – again, a couple rolls on hand for those messy cat emergencies) everyday. That would defeat the environmentally-friendly aspect of the switch, especially with no energy efficient washer/dryer living in our basement quite yet. We will be re-using for a few days. I’m excited to see how it goes.

The end of this thought brings me to the idea of cloth, in general. It’s been around for so many thousands of years, and it’s the modern society in which we live is finally reminding folks that it can help them to live a simple, uncomplicated lifestyle without the harmful impact of the easy, wasteful technologies of the last 100 years. Clearly it’s always been important (hello? We’re not nudists. Well, most of us aren’t), but when I see the commercials for the new disposable “hand towels” with their own dispenser, I start to get physically ill. I’m all for sanitation, but there’s an easier way. Ask the Quakers.

With this in mind, I’ll make public the plan that Dave and I have discussed to cloth diaper any future Dellecese bambinos (or baibins/wee ones, for the Irish side). I’m not sure about Dave, but I know that my three siblings and I were all cloth diapered – Pampers were su-spensive back then! I think that the idea of convenience has somehow married itself to need, becoming the new American entitlement – no matter what someone can afford, they deserve to have whatever they want. Sure, Pampers (sorry, Mom only calls them Pampers, like Kleenex or Xerox) would have been a hell of a lot easier on my mother, especially with a sick husband and three other kids of varying ages to care for, but a) she was used to cloth diapering and b) they only used what they could afford. For not being that long ago, I’m shocked that Americans have so quickly forgotten such ideals.

Luckily, these days, cloth diapers have come a long way. There are several variations on them, from the traditional get-the-pins-out ones that we were raised with to all-in-one diapers that resemble disposables, there’s a lot of research to be done – and I’m doing it. Currently, we’re thinking of using the all-in-ones, which give the ease of disposables with the eco-friendliness and longevity/durability of cloth. I’ve also heard that diaper rashes are greatly diminished (if not non-existent altogether) using them.

However, these are generally-speaking NOT your mother’s diapers, cost-wise. While they pay for themselves in the first 6-12 months (and even moreso in the years to come, if other babies are in the cards – mind you, we’re not even close to pregnant right now), the initial cost is damn near staggering. Aaaaand this is why we lurve eBay. 🙂 Is it wrong to bid on items before one’s even “with child?” 😉 Honestly, I figure we’ll start bidding WHEN that day comes, but it’s nice to see that there are used (and sometimes never-even-used, especially when a mommy gets them for a shower) options out there at reduced costs. *whew* ‘Cuz my superstitious Irish side knows that the second I ordered anything, my ovaries would shrivel up for good. Graphic, but true. It’s a powerful thing.

On THAT weird, TMI moment, I’ll bid adieu, but will be sure to give an update on something you actually may WANT to know about; the napkin use.

Zero Trash – Too Much or Perfect Life?

Having spring break, you get to see things that you normally wouldn’t. For example, this going green segment on the Today Show:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32545640

While I was proud to see attention being paid to such an admirable cause, I was at first skeptical. To me, it seemed extreme, impractical, and kind of weird. No, very weird.

But, then I looked the family up. The mother has her own blog, and THIS video helped me to look at it a little differently:

It’s all about perspective, isn’t it? I found the second video more uplifting. While I highly doubt I’ll ever be able to take on this lifestyle completely (my husband is incredibly flexible and willing, but THAT much?), I can certainly use their example (and tips from their web site) to make attempts towards lessening our environmental impact. 

The challenges that most of us face, even when we mean well, is our environment itself. How many of us have bulk options in our areas with soaps and shampoos available for filling our own bottles? I certainly think it would be awesome, but can you think of one? Also, if I were to walk into Hannaford and ask the fish guy to throw the salmon in a glass jar…well, who do you think would be the talk of the dinner table that night? *weird chick who requested it be placed in a glass jar, that’s who* I know the first step MUST be to cast off the shackles of judgment, but even our families would undoubtedly be rolling their eyes…if they don’t already. 😉 We’d be “that couple” or “that family”. I’ve always agreed with moderation in life, and this is an extreme that I’m not sure I could handle. I, apparently, care too much about what others think.

However, who would much care if I brought a mesh bag into the store for my fruit ‘n veg? Hell, they REALLY wouldn’t care at the farmers’ markets (although, strangely, most farmers’ markets that we attend provide lots of plastic bags, since they know that that’s what their consumers are used to).

This woman’s from France. I believe that this movement would be more socially acceptable in Europe, or the more urban/eco-chic areas of the U.S.. Europeans, in particular, while modern in styling are incredibly traditional in lifestyle – that is, their histories have incredibly deep roots compared to our new American seedlings. They have residents who have made cheese for 600 or more years, or baked bread for the village as long as anyone can remember. They have a step up on utopia. Too bad they also have helped, just as much as Americans, to evolve our world into a spiraling consumerist, gas-guzzling society…but, they’ve taken responsibility and are moving toward fixing the environment a heck of a lot better than we stubborn Americans. 

The Transcendentalist Movement with its own attempts at creating utopia (physical, philosophical, religious) can give one plenty of hope and gumption, but its ultimate failure makes one resistant. I’ve always been fascinated by different times; the challenge is integrated old-fashioned ideas and methods into the modern world, with its even greater ideas (such as true freedom and equality). Heck, we’re already the weird couple on the street that uses an old-fashioned push lawn mower, why not go for gold?

So, final thoughts? We’re already changing our mindsets to create a more simplified lifestyle, mostly by purging. I feel that once we both feel that we’ve purged to the point of, well, a) knowing where everything is in the house (shouldn’t that be a clue that you’ve got too much crap?), b) being happy with the possessions we have leftover, rather than feeling choked by them, and c) have storage space, lots of it, I think that we could turn our attention towards further simplifying…and maybe, just maybe, one day our cupboards will be filled with those cool French canning jars.

What do you think? Extreme and crazy, or the only way of the future?

Baby You Can Drive My Car

In case I haven’t mentioned it yet, I’m a pretty big Beatles fan. (Monkees, too…lots of old school music, in general.) So, I just HAD to use that title.
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Photo by Paul Martin Eldridge/FreeDigitalPhotos.Net

Anyhoo, we’ve had some car headaches around the McCoy Dellecese household these past…well…actually since before McCoy met Dellecese. Mr. D. has a Saturn Ion, which he bought new in or around 2007. He’s had little strange issues with it from time to time, from his headlights turning on on their own to the security alarm awakening everyone in the neighborhood at 2am for no reason. Lately, it’s been issues with, well, the entire electrical system to the point where it cannot be turned on. It’s crazy, and it’s all caused by moisture.

When it rains, does my car not work? When snow melts, does my car’s lights decide to turn on? When we get sudden humidity, does my car stubbornly do its own thing rather than what I tell it to? No, my car’s a good boy. Dave’s…isn’t.

Currently, we’re battling, along with his very kind parents, with both GM (who is not handling all issues with Saturn vehicles…in case you didn’t remember that Saturn went under) and the certified Saturn mechanics. At first it seemed that we’d be getting more help than expected from GM — but now that it’s said to be water issues, there’s “nothing they can do”, and the mechanics are avoiding the GM rep, anyway. So, if we must, it will be on to inciting our state’s Lemon Law. *sigh* I just feel so badly for Dave…and his obnoxious car.

So, since I can’t really DO anything other than provide as much moral support and an ear to vent to, I busy myself by researching a new car. Well, “new car” is pushing it a bit.

We’ve discussed that, when the time would come, we’d like to have an eco-friendly vehicle. While the time may be approaching, we’re not in the financial state to purchase the latest snazzy hybrid or zippy electric model. But does this mean that the choice can’t still be friendly for the environment and helpful as the gas prices steadily rise? Of course not!

I found this article, Go Green – Buy a Used Car. It’s Better Than a Hybrid, which reminded me that not only do we need to buy a fresh, “lots-of-research-and-technology-made-this-possible…and-expeeeeensive” car (or furniture…or clothes…or decorative items). How I’m trying to keep an eye out at Goodwill when I get the shopping urge. Reusing is just as eco-friendly since it means that items don’t go to waste (literally) filling landfills. Anytime you can save something from the junk and not contribute to the “mine’s shinier than yours” mentality, hooray!

Not that we’re going to be getting a 1968 jalopy. Naw. We’re thinking we’d like to procreate, so for safety’s sake, that wouldn’t cut it. Something used from after the start of the “New Millennium” would be nice, and lots of research is going into the rest of the decision — something with good (or even excellent?! Is there such a thing?) gas mileage, and that’s safe and reliable. Simple. Or so it seems. I’ll share the final decisions, when all this stuff eventually dies down and gets worked out.

If you have any suggestions on more eco-friendly used vehicles and luck that you might have had, please feel free to share!

Who’s Better?

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Life isn’t a competition. And goodness knows that a marriage REALLY isn’t one. I’ve never been in for competitive sports, but it seems that I might just have a pretty competitive nature by design. My dad WAS into sports of all shapes and sizes, so maybe I’ve just inherited a pride at doing something well.

Nevertheless, I thought I’d wave a “hooray for us” flag but also show how truly flawed (and human! Get that!) Dave and I are. Particularly, I mean, when it comes to our newer eating habits and greener lifestyle. You can read my first post ever for what set us on this journey.

Dave is S-T-R-I-C-T that we not even set foot inside a Walmart. It seems that he’s quite proud of the post I once wrote about giving the place up. At the same time, out of convenience more than anything, we’ve stopped going to Aldi for fruits and veg. While this, of course, hurts our budget a little more, it really forces me to ask myself whether we neeeeeed the food items that we’re buying rather than turning it into more landfill waste. So, he definitely gets a gold star as far as his concern of the quality of our food and how much (or little) we waste.

Thanks to a looser schedule, however, I get a gold star (go me!) for the actual purchasing of the foodstuffs. I’d say that about 90% of the time, mostly out of necessity and, like I said, a much more accommodating work schedule, I purchase the groceries. During the summer, it might be a little less since there are more farmers market visits (although, the local ones run when I’m free and Dave’s at work, so the percentage may still be in my favor), and it’s fun for us to go shopping together. Sounds sick, but we truly enjoy discussing what we want, why we want to try it, and persuading each other to try something new. It’s very good for our relationship, so we do try to go grocery shopping together every month or so. But, still, the point is mine!

Here’s another area that Dave excels: *gulp* He eats his fruits ‘n veggies. Mind you, neither of us is altogether wonderful at doing this. Our lunches still consist of mostly soup or sandwiches and chips (all-natural, but still). We could be doing lots better. But, when I get an orange in my lunch bag, a vast majority of the time it somehow finds its way back home. Dave, however, eats it. So, point for him. Yeah, we both have to do a lunchtime makeover. Heck, I’m lucky enough that I have a husband who willingly MAKES mine for work everyday. Yes, you read that correctly. I’m a lucky lady, alright!

But, I get the next point for green thumbery. (No, that’s not a real word; yes, I think I’ll continue to use it on a regular basis.) While Dave helps me in any way possible with our gardening, such as when we built our first raised bed garden last year, but I’m usually the one tending and harvesting and planning. I sometimes got behind on it last year, but overall, it was definitely my baby — and, boy, have I got some plans for the 2011 Victory Garden! So, my point. Yessssss!

Stuff. Things. Possessions. Crap. Call it what you will, but Dave gets the point as far as our green initiative of decluttering is concerned. He’s the king of Ebay, sending NUMEROUS orders out weekly, all in an attempt to surround himself only with what he a) needs and b) is emotionally attached to. We’re working on a wabi-sabi existence (whether he knows that’s what it is or not ;-D), which I’m sure I’ll get into in a future blog post. Dave’s embraced a simpler life; I’ve still got tons of clothes and stored items that I’ll probably never use. Simultaneously, I’m trying to follow Dave’s lead of using what we have before purchasing new (which is hard — his mom, as any mother would, expects me to keep an eye on his clothes, etc, to make sure he looks acceptable for life’s expectations…I always say “It doesn’t matter what I look like, but he has to leave the house halfway presentable. He’s the one being criticized by viewers.”) Regardless, he does a great job with simplicity and I need to learn a lesson from him — Point, Dave. *By the by, I’ve read more about wabi-sabi recently in a magazine, but cannot remember for the life of me where I first discovered it. If it was on your blog (Sarah? Maybe??), please feel free to let me know so that I can give credit where it’s due! Thanks!!*

Greenery and sustainability! We both do our darnedest to be green, and should be proud of our efforts, I think. This is a very close category in terms of “scoring.” While we do produce more trash than we’d both like, we’re obsessed with recycling and reusing, when possible. We buy recycled toilet paper and, when possible, paraben-free soaps and shampoos. However, I think that I get the sliiiiiight edge here. I’m the one with sneakers made from recycled products, a new steam-cleaner (which we got for only a few dollars after using our Macy’s wedding gift card for using them as a registry) which reduces the need for a crapload of cleaning products, and an itchin’ to revert to cloth napkin and handkerchief usage. I’m learning how to can and freeze (hoping to have shelving dedicated specifically to my homemade canned goods and cold storage for root vegetables in the basement when it warms up a bit), and am still trying to figure out a better way to compost, for our needs (last year’s attempt may be deemed a disaster — we’ll see when the spring thaw comes). I’m dreaming of the day when our pennies are saved enough for newer, Energy Star appliances (but, again, using what we have until it’s no longer usable…*sigh*). And, while I have a newer car, it’s the bane of my existence — I wish that I’d considered longer and gone with a more compact Subaru wagon or VW that we could run for a couple of decades, or had saved up more for a hybrid. Sooooo, I’m a little…obsessed. I think I do a lot more research about green living and read more about how we can make life changes. Oh, and I’m already planning for 21st century parenthood (although Dave’s on-board with all my hair-brained schemes — cloth diapers and homemade baby food, anyone??). Did I mention “obsessed”? Yeah. Point, Meg.

So, at 3-3, it’s pretty obvious that we’re tied. That makes me pretty darn happy — I didn’t really want to win, anyway. There are areas that I’m very proud to know that we are succeeding so well at, while others are disappointing, to say the least (compost: fail — always sad to admit a failure, but, dangit, I’m going to figure it out!). I think the fact that we’re about 9 months into the true life change experiment and it seems that we’ve made some real changes is encouragement enough. Go, Team Dellecese!!! (My actual last name is legally McCoy Dellecese, no hyphen, but that gets confusing. ;-D Besides, we’re still connected by the Big-D.)

Eco-Reviews

Howdy! I’ve talked a lot about our food choices (isn’t food one of the most important inanimate things, after all?!) and our cat goods, but we’ve also been trying some non-edible eco-friendly products, too! After all, there seem to be a million ways that people can go green. So, here are some of the products that we’ve tried, and what we’ve thought of ’em:
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Picture from
Valley Naturals
Toiletries
As far as toiletries go, I’ve been more adventurous (to a fault) than Dave. We have lots of non-eco stuff stocked in our home that he’s doing a good job of trying to use up first. I was so excited to try out the items that I tend to swap between the old and the new. In general, the shampoos don’t do it for me. I consider myself to have “normal” hair (not too greasy, not too dry and flaky), so it’s been disappointing to find that the eco-friendly versions tend to completely strip my hair of any natural oils, making it completely impossible to comb through afterwards. Bummer! I currently have Nature’s Gate Daily Cleansing Herbal Shampoo and alba shampoo. Maybe I need to rethink the beauty regime ideas I’ve been cultivating since elementary school; I’ve changed the way I think about eating and shopping, after all. Either way, I’ve had MUCH better luck with alba’s facial scrub and body wash, though!
We’ve also been using Tom’s of Maine toothpaste and neither of us has had a single cavity at our recent dentist visits. I guess we don’t need to rely on Colgate or Crest so much! (Plus, I’ve grown used to the taste and kind of prefer it now. It took awhile, though.) On another “weird” point, I’ve started using Tom’s deodorant, too. I don’t hate the stuff, although it smells a little…manly (a hint of Old Spice or something I can’t put my finger on)…and I have to reapply at least once a day. Yes, I like it, regardless. 🙂 I think it’ll just take some trial and error on what works for me, but we all have our preferences. I can’t WAIT to try more Burt’s Bees products, as suggested by my future sister-in-law (can’t wait to cut out the “future” part!).
Paper Products
All of our paper goods, from tissues to toilet paper and paper towels to napkins, have been replaced by Marcal’s SmallSteps brand items. The price is comparable to the usual products PLUS there’s a coupon in our weekly paper at least once a month, which helps. It seems to always come out just as we’re getting low on one item. How convenient! (Oh, there’s an occasional Tom’s coupon, which helps, too.) By the way, if you’re interested in any of these products, just Google the item and “coupon” and it’ll help with the initial going-green wallet drain.
Clothes
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Picture from Zappos
I’ve dreamed about going green as far as wardrobe is concerned, but the best I can do is shop at thrift stores, which, honestly, is a challenge. My wardrobe is one of two things: professional (hard to find anything not circa 1980, and I’m NOT rockin’ the 80s comeback, thanks) or incredibly casual (mostly a variation of tee-shirt and jeans, both pretty disgusting when you find them at Goodwill — pit stains or nearly see-through material). That’s probably one of the biggest issues I’ve had with going green — knowing about sweatshop conditions and feeling guilty when I purchase ANY new article of clothing. I’ve done lots of research on eco-friendly clothing online (and even more “window shopping”), but the prices are just too steep for me, and the designs leave a LOT to be desired.
However, today I made a big step. I’ve been in dire need of new running sneakers (still another item I won’t buy from Salvation Army or Goodwill…sorry! Sometimes ya just gotta put your foot down — pardon the pun), and even with all the back-to-school sales, I just didn’t feel right purchasing “regular” ones. So, after still more research, I placed an order on 6pm.com (INCREDIBLE prices!) for a sneaker called END Stumptown (hee hee). For $32, these sneakers give the support I look for with recycled webbing and lacing, bamboo-infused lining & a Biosmart midsole made partially of recycled materials. Better than nothin’, and the price couldn’t be turned down. The only thing I’m worried about was that they had limited availability, so I had to order one of my two possible sizes (I’m a 9 or 9 1/2, depending), but that’s a concern anytime you order online. So, one small step (again with the puns!) towards a more eco-friendly wardrobe…let’s see if I can find my traditional work outfit of black slacks made of organic cotton at a good price!

Cleaning
The biggest winner in our household by far has been for cleaning: Dr. Bronner’s liquid soap. I use it to clean pretty much anything and everything, and it smells AWESOME. (Currently using peppermint.) Plus, it lasts FOREVER since you only need to use a drop. It’s by far our favorite product. For other cleaning, I’m trying out different laundry detergents (can’t wait until we have a water-saving washer! Saving up and dreaming and researching, oh my!), but I’m most impressed by adding good, old-fashioned 20 Mule Team Borax. I love that all they had to do was change the packaging from the 100+ year-old version to the green yuppie-pleasing kind to make it marketable again, lol. I mostly love picturing the women (hate to be sexist, but isn’t that how it was?), and mostly, my ancestors, who used it to give their soap a boost. Plus, the price ain’t bad ($.86 a pound)!
There are other cleaning products that we’ve been using for awhile, like the GreenWorks line. The one thing I have to say about them is that my mother is wrong. Before she knew that I was using green products (I’m still not sure that I’ve “come out” to her completely about our new eco-mindedness; I’ve just spouted off knowledge here and there, probably hinting about it…and she’s seen my hotdogs, so she must be aware), she told me that a friend of hers tried eco-products and that they didn’t cut grease or do a good job at all. I don’t see where that’s at all true, but then again, I’m a really good scrubber. 😉
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Image from Amazon.com
Oh, and we’re trying to use more rags and I purchased some microfiber clothes at TJ Maxx for good ‘n cheap so that I can dust without spreading chemicals about the place, especially with a cat with really bad respiratory problems and two humanoids with allergies (and, at times, asthmatic tendencies).
Final Thoughts (Nope, you didn’t just tune into Jerry Springer)
It just makes sense to start these trends now for several reasons. If we can balance our budget to make room for things like organic foods and all natural cleaning products now, we’ll be in the habit of doing so when our budget is much more strapped (hint, hint: future babies). Also, I’d like to know that our kids are surrounded by as few chemicals as possibly, hopefully lessening their possible issues that our poor genetics will inevitably giving them — I wonder how much of my asthma, major allergies, and generally “always sick” childhood could be attributed to genes vs. environment. All-in-all, we also want our kids to be aware of their environment, inside and out, and the idea of how precious it is; to teach a general responsibility and accountability for actions, not just “don’t hit your sister”, but “don’t keep flushing the toilet” and “littering is being mean to the Earth”. Hopefully, they’ll be well-rounded and aware, moreso than we ever were. We’re grateful for our upbringings or else we probably wouldn’t be as sensitive these days; we’re just considering how to make the place better for the future inhabitants.
If you have any suggestions on eco-products or web sites, please feel free to comment! Sharing is the best way to get reliable, valuable (and free!) information.