In the past few years I've made an effort to reduce my carbon footprint, but not because I'm a tree-hugging, Birkinstock-wearing, granola-eating hippie. (I'm not even a democrat, y'all.) I do it simply because I think it's the right thing to do. If I can help ensure that future generations live a better life without drastically changing mine, why wouldn't I? Having a baby forces you to think about the future and what kind of life you want for your children. I want Rory to realize that everything she does has an impact and that it is up to her generation to reduce this impact on our Earth. Here are ten of the greenest, hippiest things I do in an effort to piss off my conservative mother and also save the planet.
1. Cloth Diaper
I never thought I would cloth diaper, but after talking to several cloth-diapering moms, taking a cloth diaper class, and doing the math, I realized that it's a great way to save some money and decrease our carbon footprint at the same time. That being said, I have a confession to make: I don't cloth diaper all the time. If I know we're going to be out of the house for several hours, I put Rory in a disposable, and she still sleeps in one at night, too. But it still takes us several months to go through a package of disposable diapers. So, even if you work and your child's daycare doesn't do cloth diapers and you can only cloth diaper when you're at home, don't dismiss the idea completely. It's not all or nothing. Also, I quickly discovered that I prefer reusable swim diapers to the disposables. They are more form-fitting (which is a good thing, because you don't want to be the reason the community pool had to shut down for the afternoon) and are much less conspicuous under Rory's bathing suit bottoms. Charlie Banana and iplay make affordable, good quality swim diapers.
2. Home-Made Cleaning Supplies
Looking back, I was probably the most annoying pregnant person ever. I obsessed over things like food dyes and high fructose corn syrup, and I asked my midwife at least 5 times if I should worry about the five three drinks I consumed before I even knew I was pregnant. I also did everything in my power to reduce my exposure to chemicals, and this included cleaning supplies. (Please don't ask me about my failed attempt to make my own shampoo.) I did some research and quickly discovered that most homemade cleaning supplies are vinegar based, so I did some experimenting and found that the following recipe worked best:
1 cup white vinegar (Heinz makes a "cleaning strength" version for this purpose)
2 cups water
1/2 cup rubbing alcohol
I promise that the vinegar smell quickly evaporates, and you can add lemon essential oil to mask the odor. We use this cleaner for everything: countertops, tile, sinks, mirrors...
When it's time to scrub the bathtub, I sprinkle some baking soda in the tub, spray this solution on top, and then scrub away.
3. Meatless Meals
I was a vegetarian for about 4 years before I became pregnant with Rory. It was too difficult to get the recommended amount of protein without eating meat, and I was getting so tired of beans, lentils, and peanut butter. I am still eating meat a few times a week, but I am very selective about the quality, and only buy organic, grass-fed chicken and beef. (Except for Chick-fil-a Fridays. But everyone has their vices.) It's been proven that reducing your meat intake is not only better for your health, but for the environment as well. It takes a lot of water, energy, and grain to feed the cattle and other animals that humans consume. By eating mostly fruits, vegetables, and grains, you're essentially cutting out the middle man and reducing your environmental impact. If you're a meat-lover and can't fathom eating vegetarian meals several times a week, simply cut the amount of meat a recipe calls for in half. I've done this several times, and I promise you won't even notice.
4. Buy Used Toys and Clothes
I often brag about discuss my garage sale/Craigslist finds on this blog, and I would say about 75% of Rory's toys and clothes are pre-loved. It just makes sense. Babies grow fast. In fact, many of the items I've purchased from consignment sales are brand new with tags. In my opinion, there's no point in purchasing brand new toys that will ultimately end up in a landfill when you can buy a perfectly good used version for a fraction of the cost. There are two consignment sales that I attend twice a year: Just Between Friends (JBF) and the MOMS sale (moms of multiples). I usually spend about $100-$150 and come home with several bags of clothes and toys. They have high-quality clothes and toys for great prices (I got a pair of Janie and Jack shorts for $2!), and on the last day of the sale, everything left is an extra 50% off. If I feel that Rory really needs something in between sales, I always check Craigslist or our local virtual garagesale facebook page to see if I can find it used first.
5. Visit the Library
By now you already know I'm an avid reader and visit the library several times a week for storytime hour with Rory. This is a difficult one for me because I'm all about supporting authors, but at the same time, I can't bring myself to buy new books when I can check it out from the library and read it for free. If you want to support your favorite author but still be "green", you can buy the ebook version.
6. Just Say No! To Anything Disposable. (And Drugs, Obviously.)
Did you know they sell disposable bibs now? I'm sorry, but how hard is it to throw a cloth bib in your diaper bag and wash it? I realize that I'm from a convenience-based generation with the mindset that "everything is disposable", but our actions have severe consequences. Admittedly, this is something I still struggle with. I always forget our reusable grocery bags in the car and I use wet wipes like they're going out of style, but I do make a conscious effort to avoid all things disposable when possible. For example, I have several wetbags that I carry around with me to hold things like wet bathing suits and dirty cloth diapers. We have reusable snack bags to reduce our usage of plastic Ziplock bags, and I clean with reusable rags to avoid using paper towels.
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| I saw these on Shark Tank (love that show!), and I'm thinking about buying a roll. |
7. Reuse/ Recycle (Duh!)
You would think this goes without saying, but I know several people who for whatever reason don't recycle. When we lived in New Hampshire, we had to actually take our recycables* to the local recycling plant, which was slightly inconvenient and meant that the empty beer cans and glass jars had to be pretty much overflowing before we actually made the 2 mile journey. But in Colorado, we put our recycables out on the curb with the trash every other week, which means no excuses. When you have a baby, you tend to do a lot of online shopping, which results in plethora of cardboard boxes. And if you buy jarred baby food, either reuse the little jars (I put paint in them to use for wall touch ups.), or recycle them. It's also helpful (to your wallet and the environment) to reuse what you already have. We probably spent a total of $200 on Rory's entire nursery because we used furniture we already had. I ordered new knobs for an old white dresser that doubles as her changing table, and we made a tulle "tutu" skirt for a round table that was damaged in our move. (The skirt hides the scratches.) My friend, Shannon, refinished her old crib and painted it a beautiful coral color for her daughter, Olivia. She basically has a brand new crib for the cost of a can of paint. Lets be honest, babies don't know Pottery Barn from second-hand IKEA. Take advantage of this....they'll be begging you for designer jeans before you know it.
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| Rory's nursery table. This picture was taken a few weeks before Rory was born....before we understood the importance of blackout curtains. |
8. Make Your Own Babyfood
I buy a few jars or pouches of baby food every week, but for the most part, Rory eats whole foods. Now that she is getting older and we are slowly introducing dairy, wheat, and meat, she is able to eat more of what we eat. One of the many reasons I love the baby-led weaning philosophy is that it reduces the need for pre-packaged baby food and unnecessary waste. If your baby is still in the mushy/puree phase, spend one day a month making and freezing your own baby food in ice cube trays. It's cheaper and more eco-friendly.
9. Quick Wash/Cold Wash
One of the downsides to using reusable diapers, bibs, wipes, etc. is the extra laundry it creates. And extra laundry means extra water and extra electricity. I recently discovered BioKleen all temperature laundry detergent, which cleans just as well with cold water. (Obviously for diapers and other materials that need to be sanitized, I do a warm wash.) I also use the quick wash option on our washer whenever possible. For example, if I'm just washing a load of Rory's clothes that aren't particularly dirty, they don't need to be spinning in the washer for 45 minutes. The 25 minute "quick wash" is more than enough to get them clean.
10. Remember: Less is More
I've realized that the old adage is true: kids really do prefer boxes to toys. Kids don't need much. They much prefer your time and attention to the latest gadget, and they get much more out of a visit to the park or the zoo than a basket full of toys.Talk to your kids. Read to them. Take them on a walk. Experience trumps things any day. Not only does this philosophy reduce waste, it save you money and also promotes creative play and imagination. I know it's not always easy to say no, so to help me remember this one, I've come up with a saying of my own: When in doubt, do without. (And if this doesn't work, Marcos is right there as my backup reminder. For example, he may or may not have told me that in no way does Rory need a stuffed rocking horse. In my defense, however, it was used!)
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| The ultimate toy with endless possibilities. |
*Is this even a word? The red squiggly line tells me probably not.
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