eco papi: part 2

My last post about my hubbie depicted him to be not so interested in the environmental movement and doing things half-heartedly just so I don't nag him to death about it.  But lately he's surprised me with his enthusiasm to contribute.  And he even told me to post a few things about his efforts.  

So here's what he's been up to lately:
He's a yard guy, and loves to take care of and then show off his green lawn.  Thanks to a treatment he did in the fall, we had a green lawn for most of the fall, winter, spring and summer.  With these extreme temps though, he's been having to tackle the dry spots.  So he mentioned filling up a bucket in our shower (while we're waiting for the water to get hot) and using that bucket to pour on the dry spots.  And he came up with that on his own!!

Also, he reiterated that we need to use the leftover water from water bottles, especially from the big jugs the kids use for soccer camps, and use that to water our plants and mini-garden.  That was a previous eco-tip of mine but I'll give that one to him since he's actually listening to me.

Finally, he repositioned the sprinkler heads in order to get the maximum coverage on our lawn.  That way, we aren't watering the sidewalk or driveway instead of the grass and shrubs that so desperately need it.

I am so proud that he's getting the message.  In comparison to some of my neighbors, our energy bill isn't nearly as high since we're doing things like putting the thermostat to 77-78 during the day and 73 at night, and also by using less water.  My dream is to get solar panels, rain barrels (or even a cistern), and a tankless water heater.  But that won't happen for a while so I'll take what I can get.

Don't get me wrong, there is still a lot that can be done, but as I always say, "Baby Steps".  At least he's headed in the direction.  We still battle over the thermostat in the house (as he likes it MUCH colder than I do), and he still recycles EVERYthing, but he's making progress, and I'm very proud of him for that.  Looks like he's turning out to be a true eco-papi after all.  :)

Here's a link for more tips on eco-friendly lawn care:
http://www.leesburgva.org/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=7605

CSA: not for me

I just read back on my previous post about trying out the CSA and regret that I have to eat my words now.  1 1/2 months after trying it for the first time, it's lost it's charm on me.  It's still exciting to see what goodies are coming in my basket every week, however, it comes with a little dread that I'll get yet another bag of lettuce that won't get eaten.

I was game for trying the new vegetables, like kale and swiss chard, and was thrilled to find the staples in our diet, like squash, zucchini, and peaches.  But I had my fill of green onions, red lettuce, bib lettuce, and beets.  The beets have been sitting in my fridge for weeks now because I'm not quite sure how to cook them.  I don't even know if they're any good at this point.  And I LOVE beets, just never made them myself.

Washing all of this produce is another pain in the butt and finding little critters in your food wasn't my favorite either.  I was very excited when we started getting cherries in our deliveries until I opened one up and found a worm in it.  Not appetizing at all.  Makes me very leery to shuck corn or dig through the box of mystery vegetables.

On a more positive note, one of the advantages of being a member of a CSA is you get to go to the farm to pick your own fruits and veggies that don't normally come in your weekly box.  But I've been pretty pregnant since the farm opened to members, and have had absolutely no desire to bend down and pick anything off the ground, even if it IS edible.  So the moral of the story is:  I'm not getting my money's worth.  I'd rather go to the farmer's market and pick what I know I'll eat without wasting my money while still supporting my local farms.

There is a terrific movement in Northern Virginia this month that is promoting local farms and their wares at local restaurants.  It's called Farm to Fork and it features participating eateries that will be serving locally produced wine, beef, and produce from July 21-31.  I LOVE this idea and hope that more local restaurants will do this on a regular basis.

So whether it's from your local farm, local farmer's market, or your very own backyard garden, as long as it's local it's good for the earth.  You pick what's best for your lifestyle. I just thought I'd give my two cents with full disclosure.  I guess I should've tried it longer than a week before I started tooting their horn.  Lesson learned.

Cloth diapers: easier than I thought

When I thought of cloth diapers, I envisioned having to fold a cloth into a triangle and use safety pins to secure them, then cover it all with rubber pants.  Not to mention hand washing every last one.  Boy has that changed!

I was lucky enough to see my sister-in-law use hers this past weekend and I was surprised at how easy it really is.  As I said in my previous post, I have only used disposable diapers because honestly, I was intimidated by the process of going the cloth route.  There are so many options these days in cloth diapers alone that it can fit anyone's lifestyle.

She uses Bum Genius cloth diapers, and even uses reusable cloth wipes.  I had a million questions for her, such as, what does she do in public, and how often does she wash them, etc.  She made it seem so simple that I felt ridiculous for not using them before!

Hers are adjustable so I would only have to buy about 15-20 and just change the size according to the baby's size as he grows.  It has a washable cover, with a cloth insert that you slide under the flap inside.  She uses a diaper sprayer (attached to her toilet) to spray off any poop that is in the diaper, and then she just throws it into a zippered lined bag.  She waits until she has 3 full bags and then throws it in the wash. She washes a load of diapers twice a week with a newborn.  Doesn't seem bad at all.

She even makes her own laundry detergent for the whole process, so she's truly an eco-mami in so many ways.  As I mentioned, she uses cloth wipes and just sprays either the wipe or the baby's bottom directly.  When she's out in public she carries a smaller zippered bag and puts the whole diaper in there, sometimes using disposable wipes and a disposable insert in the cloth diaper.  It's all very doable and I'm intrigued to see if I am up for the challenge.

She's used cloth diapers for all 3 of her kids and still leads a very active lifestyle.  Cloth diapers aren't just for hippies or homebound parents.  It's also said that cloth-diapered babies tend to potty train earlier since they feel when they're wet.  An added bonus!!

I say why not try it and see how it goes.  I'd rather not throw yet another diaper in the landfill and worry about it never decomposing.  Yes, cloth diapers require energy and water to wash, but I'd rather have that on my head than more waste.  Plus, the cost is so much cheaper when you think of how many disposable diapers I'd have to buy in the span of 2 or 3 years.

I'll post an update once the baby has come and I've tried out this method, but I'm very excited to get started!  Who knew changing diapers would be something I anticipated!

My sister-in-law is a mom extraordinaire and I'm always in awe seeing her parenting skills.  She's happy, calm, and seems to have it all together, while I'm frazzled, impatient, and hoping to make it through the day most of the time.  (Not really, but some days that's how I feel.)  Check out her blog which has some great tips on parenting, not to mention this post about cloth diapering.  Here's to you, Miche!!

Diapers: An environmentalist's dilemma

I'm now 6 months pregnant and still haven't decided which route I'll go with the diapering situation.  I'm ashamed to admit I've only used disposables (and not the environmental kind) with my first two children.  However, I'm willing to try the more eco-friendly option this time around.  But which option to choose?

There are the chlorine-free diapers that are hypo-allergenic and latex-free.  They're made of renewable resources, such as corn, wheat, wood pulp and don't pollute as much as traditional disposable diapers.  The downside to these is that they end up in the landfill.

Another option is G Diapers.  There are two styles to these.  The first is one with the disposable insert that is flushable, and the cover is machine washable.  So far this is the option that is winning for me.  Their other style is the cloth insert that you have to wash.  This doesn't seem too different from a cloth diaper so I'm not sure I would go this route.

The final option I have is to use cloth diapers.  I know a few people who have recently had a baby and LOVE cloth diapers.  I have to see this process in action in order to judge better whether this will work for me.  There is a cloth diapering service around here but not in my town.  I wonder if they'd make a special trip out for me or if I'd have to drive out to them.  Washing them in my own washer seems like the better option but do I want to deal with the hassle?

I have 3 months left to choose which eco-option I will try.  Cost, hassle, and environmental impact will weigh in on my decision.

Maybe I could just start potty training from the beginning.  There is a new movement that gets kids potty trained starting at 4 months.  The thought of no diapers sounds like bliss, but running to the bathroom every time an infant needs to go sounds like anything but heaven to me.

I'll keep you posted on what option I choose.  Decisions, decisions....

Natural food dyes

Each pregnancy is different, and the longer you wait in between pregnancies, the more stuff changes.
The latest trend for expecting parents is to have a Reveal Party.  This is a get-together where the couple either knows the gender or is surprised by the revealing of the gender with cute little things like the color of a cake inside (pink or blue, obviously), or having a sales clerk wrap a onesie and unwrapping it in front of family and friends.  I recently had one of these and had my husband find out during the ultrasound, but kept it a surprise until I cut open the cake in front of my family.

Having read about the effects of food dyes, especially on pregnant women, I thought I would go for a naturally-dyed cake.  Sounds simple enough.  Either use strawberry for pink or blueberry for blue.  Not so simple.  I tried all of the different grocery store bakeries, and none of them made their batter from scratch, nor did they dye their batter at all.  The frostings they used weren't natural dyes, nor could they use them.  I finally found a place nearby which sells organic and natural food, who were willing to use natural food dyes but were going to charge me $5/person.  Are you kidding me?!!! It would've been more than $100---for a simple CAKE!  

So I ended up just buying the cake from the grocery store with the blue icing in the middle and just didn't eat any of it.  

I'm very disappointed that the only organic bakery around here would try to highjack the prices so much that it wasn't even an option.  I find that a lot of eco-friendly products and services are much more expensive than the regular variety that it turns a lot of people off from even considering purchasing them.  It's a shame that this fad has turned into a money-making scheme for some people and companies.  

I understand that some of the artifical and toxically made things are cheaper to mass produce, but shouldn't they be mass producing the good stuff too?

There are ways to offset these costs by using coupons for other things, but for the average Joe this just won't be an option.  Sure, the benefits to the environment and overall health of people and animals should outweigh the costs of the products, but in this economy, with money so tight, people will buy what they can afford.  These companies need to start being a little more cost competitive or the fad will disappear, instead of turning into a legitimate lifestyle.  

Some food for thought.

Fresh produce

What's better than buying fresh, local produce that's in season?  It's tastier, cheaper, and better for the environment, especially if it's grown organically.  This is the first year I've tried joining a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) at my local farm.  I split the share with a neighbor friend and get just enough produce to feed my family of 4 for the week.  It's delivered right to our doorstep once a week so it's convenient.

I love to cook, so finding the goodies in my box each week is a fun challenge for me to come up with recipes to make throughout the week.  Some things I've never cooked before, or even eaten before, but so far my kids have been game for what I've made.  Well, except for the asparagus.  There's no disguising it's unique taste, not even covered in cheese & bacon.  Oh well, more for me and my husband.

Last week for my first delivery, I received kale, and a lot of it.  I had no idea what to do with it so I came up with this recipe that my kids devoured.  They even asked for seconds!  I sauteed it with onions, chorizo, and tomatoes and then served it all over rice.  Delicious!

If you've never tried a CSA before then I highly recommend it.  You also have the option of going to pick up the produce directly at the farm, or in some areas you can pick it yourself.  The vegetables/fruit are delivered with dirt on them because they pick it and put it directly in your box.  What a great way to show your kids where your food comes from.  And more incentive to protect our environment.

If you don't have a participating CSA near you or are too late (or too scared) to commit this season, try going to the farmer's market instead.  This way you can pick which vegetables or fruit you will eat and there's no waste, especially if your family members aren't very adventurous in what they eat.

Buon appetit! :)

Vacation: can it be eco-friendly?

Last week, my husband and I finally went on a vacation without kids after 8 years since our last one.  We went to the Bahamas and had a very relaxing time.  However, being the obsessed, eco-conscious person that I am, I couldn't help but notice a few things that could use some improving.

The Sandals resort we went to was on an island that wasn't very populated (about 3500 people) and tourism is the main economy these people rely on.  So I understand that some things aren't easy to incorporate in the way they conduct business, but there are simple things they could do to make things a little more eco-friendly.

As most hotels do, this resort had a card from housekeeping that said if you want to reuse your towel to just hang it up and it won't be washed.  I hung it up but it was still taken to be washed.  Strike 1.
There was no recycling on the facility, anywhere.  Strike 2.
Fortunately, there was no Strike 3 so I will just kindly suggest that some of these things be changed for our next trip out there.

Pluses:
They used little golf carts to get around everywhere.
They didn't keep their lights on all night in places that weren't in use.
Their water sports weren't gas-powered.  Only kayaks, sailboats, and beach bikes.
The AC wouldn't come on unless the patio door was completely shut, which prevented wasting energy.  I LOVED this.
The seafood was local, fresh, and delicious.

The highlight of my trip, environmentally speaking anyway, was on our flight back home.  The flight attendants were actually collecting the trash and recycling separately.  I thanked them probably too enthusiastically, to my husband's embarrassment, but I was beaming all the way home.  So to American Airlines, I say THANK YOU!!

The Sandals website says that they recycle and have a green initiative, but I didn't see it in practice. I hope to say that on my next vacation there will be some changes made in their recycling and towel reuse program, or maybe I'll just have to get a job there and make the changes myself.  Wouldn't that be nice? :)

Rubbish....

Have you ever watched any of the TV shows about hoarders?  Doesn't it motivate you to start clearing out your own junk?  That's the effect it has on me, anyway, when I catch a glimpse of all the crap that these people accumulate.  I've gone through purging binges lately and have gotten rid of trash bags full of junk that's cluttered my life for decades.  It's a very cleansing feeling, but I have a long way to go before I'm living the simple life.  

The Story of Stuff by Annie Leonard is an excellent video about how our society is based on getting more things to make us happy.  Colin Beavan wrote a book (and a movie) about living in a way which he wouldn't produce any trash, called "No Impact Man".  He even has a blog about it.  Check out some of the ways he's decided to not make an impact on this planet.  

In this economy, people have had to curb their shopping tendencies in order to pay the necessary bills, or else face increasing debt and credit card bills.  I wonder, though, if people will ever be happy with what they have and focus on the important things in life.  Countless people have lost their homes in the tornadoes that have ripped through the country recently, and they're just happy to be alive.  I've heard of people who've lost their homes in fires and see it as a fresh start to not focus on the things so much.  Does it take a major disaster to see the value in everything that's not material?

I have to admit, I don't get retail therapy.  I never have.  I'd rather spend the day with my family and/or friends any day of the week over getting another piece of jewelry or an outfit that will be outdated in the next season.  But I know that a lot of people in Western cultures fill a sense of void in their lives by buying shiny new things.  It's time we wake up!

The more things are in demand, the more things they're made, which causes more pollution and trash and clutter.  Take perspective and inventory into your life and assess what you could get rid of and still be happy.  And the next time you go shopping, think twice before buying yet another item you don't really need.  Try the simple life and focus on what's important.  It'll be great for your budget, it'll fill your life with so much value and good memories, and isn't bad for the environment either.  

Disaster preparedness...

With the beautiful Spring also comes turbulent weather.  There have already been record numbers of tornadoes in southern and midwestern states (almost 300 dead with millions of dollars worth of devastation this week alone), so this is probably the time to start an emergency preparedness kit, (if you haven't already).  But how to do this in an eco-friendly way?

Here are a few essential items you'll need to get your kit together:

1. Hand crank radio: To keep you informed of weather conditions, doesn't require batteries
2. Hand crank flashlight: Doesn't require batteries and is always ready to go when you need it.
3. Water: Get the biggest water jug you can find at the grocery store and then use reusable water bottles to drink from.  
4. Blankets and rain gear
5. Waterproof safe: to contain all your valuable papers.  Or better yet, make copies of your most important documents, such as passports, birth certificates, social security cards, and keep them in a safety deposit box at the bank.
6. Latex-free band-aids
7. Food: Organic snacks and canned food (plus manual can opener)
8. Baby supplies: such as baby food, diapers, wipes (if needed)
9. Solar cell phone charger
10. Supply of toys, books, games 
11. Tools
12. Keep your gas tank at least half full.
13. Photos: Download your digital photos to an online service, such as Shutterfly or Snapfish and try to scan your paper copies.  Photos are my most prized material possession and irreplaceable.  

Keep these things in a rodent-proof container in your basement or most secure room in your house.  Remember to have at least a 5-7 day supply of these things, just in case it takes that long to restore power.  It's a good idea to keep a mini version of this kit in your car also, as well as things to survive if you stall out or get stuck in a winter storm.

I hope that no one will need these in the future, but will at least be prepared.  There's less environmental impact with these supplies, but everything you need just in case.   

Here are a few links for more information on disaster kits, as well as a link to LL Bean who sells a handcrank radio and flashlight.  

Disaster Preparedness

Green Disaster Kit
LL Bean flashlight
LL Bean radio

Stay safe!

One year ago....

It's been one year since the Deepwater Horizon exploded in the Gulf of Mexico, which resulted in 11 deaths and 206 million gallons of oil spewing into the waters.  Since then, the local economy as well as the wildlife in the Gulf have been devastated.  Yet somehow, life goes on in the US with little thought about what happened only one year ago.

The immediate urge to conserve energy and look for renewable energy began to wane by Christmas.  Americans are still going about their lives as if nothing happened, regardless of the energy we are so dependent on that is still very limited.  And that's not mentioning the wars in which we get involved because of this oil crisis.

I've had to make a few small changes since the spill.  I refuse to get gas from BP stations, which used to be my station of choice since it was the only gas company to tout itself as environmental.  I also don't eat fish or seafood from the Gulf, even though reports have claimed that there is no trace of carcinogens nor oil in these products.  I'm not taking any chances, especially because they haven't tested the effects of the dispersant they placed into the waters in order to clean up the oil chemically.  Dolphins, sea turtles and other wildlife in the Gulf have come up dead---mysteriously, is what they say in the news.  I'm not buying it.

Our addiction is destroying the world. The effects of drilling for oil, the pollution from refining the oil, and the waste from consuming this oil is not sustainable.

Our addiction to oil is directly affecting us.  Our soldiers are dying unnecessarily in needless wars just to satisfy our oil needs.  Oil prices are at $4/gallon and keep rising.  It's time to change this pattern of energy use.

I've always been an avid environmentalist but since the oil spill I have been more motivated to spread the word about conserving energy and doing our part to not be a problem on this planet, to share this Earth with other animals, and to leave something for future generations.

Please do your part to be a responsible and considerate citizen of the planet.  Conserve where you can, be conscious of your impact on the environment, and take baby steps to go green.  Visit my site every week for more tips on how to do this, a little bit at a time.  And please visit the eco-mami Facebook page for 30 days of eco-tips in honor of Earth Day.

Happy Earth Day!