Annual Eco-friendly S.O.T.H.

For the last couple years, sometime around Earth Day, I would give an update about the new things we were going to do around the house to make it more eco-friendly - a State of the Household, if you will (see posts from 2008, 2009).  I didn't write anything for Earth Day this year because I wasn't sure we were making drastic changes as we had in years past - more of maintaining than adding new stuff - but I realized we do have some noteworthy changes after all. 

Food: Here's the BIG change - after watching the movie Food, Inc we've decided to switch to foods that are raised/grown sustainably.  We're choosing organic for only the most controversial food products - milk and the Dirty Dozen of fruits and veggies - and then reducing our meat intake (2-3x/wk instead of almost every night) so we can afford to buy grass-fed, free range animals.  Happy animals = better tasting (arguably healthier) meat/milk.  You can also file this under being trying to be good stewards of what God put us in charge of, because, truly, we are called to treat animals and the earth well in His name.

We've been price shopping around the grocery stores and farmer's market to get the best deals.  And, as I've mentioned in previous posts, we're growing a lot of fruits and veggies in our own backyard garden in order to get fresher, cheaper produce that we will be able to freeze or can.  The key to making this change work out for our budget is to be much more strict/strategic about menu planning, which is definitely a weak area for us.

The biggest problem now is that I need some good vegetarian recipes!  I have a really good chili and minestrone recipe, but those were much better when the weather was cold.  Now I need to stock up on warm weather appropriate recipes.  Any suggestions are appreciated.  Mark doesn't like mushrooms or peppers, so that greatly cuts down on vegetarian recipe options, but I'm sure there are tons out there that would work well for our family.

Oh yeah, and we'd like to start avoiding canned foods due to their recent link with high levels of BPA (see article here).  That definitely means more work for me, seeing as we used to have canned tomatoes and beans on hand at all times for quick cooking. 

Another food-related change - we compost.  I can't recall mentioning it in a blog post, even though we started it last summer, so I thought I'd tack it on to this list.  We bought a composting bin from Sam's, set it up near our fence, and regularly feed it all of our fruit and veggie scraps and coffee grounds.  I think it takes a couple years to create useful gardening material, so we haven't directly benefited from the change yet.  Plus, I still don't really understand the rules about balancing the ratios of food scraps to yard scraps, what insects are beneficial for the pile, and when I'm supposed to rotate the whole thing, so it may be awhile before we can call it a "success."

Cleaning: While most of my cleaning routine is staying the same, we decided to switch to a powdered laundry detergent for diapers and regular laundry that I purchase from a Stay-At-Home-Mom business, Crunchy Clean.  A few months ago I attempted the eco-friendly Sam's detergent, but was put off by it's strong scent.  We had been using All Free and Clear for the last 4 years and I wasn't used to my clothes smelling like anything.  With Crunchy Clean, you can choose scented detergent, but because they are scented using essential oils the smell doesn't stick to the clothes after they're dried.  While it's a bit strange to think about scented detergent and unscented clothes, it's nice to know that everything is natural and okay for sensitive skin in the end.  I'm kind of enjoying trying out different scents, especially the seasonal ones like Toffee Apple Crunch or Christmas Tree (for Winter of course).  And, even with shipping, it's just marginally more than detergent from Sam's.

We've also switched to mostly cold-water washes for laundry.  According to Consumer Reports, hot water washes make little difference in the cleanliness and long-term brightness of fabric...and they cost more.  Our hot water will be reserved for diaper loads only.

Hygiene: During my last visit to the dentist, my hygienist alluded to avoiding fluoride while pregnant (something I had never heard of) so I figured "better-safe-than-sorry" and decided to try out the Trader Joe's brand fluoride-free toothpaste.  It has a really bizarre flavor that takes some getting used to (Mark has rejected it), but I'm liking the change.  I'm not sure I'll stick with this new toothpaste because I haven't done a thorough price evaluation, but there are certainly other natural, teeth-cleaning options I can explore later (ex. baking soda or Dr. Bronner's).

If you're squeamish about reading about female monthly cycle topics, please feel free to skip the rest of this paragraph.  After reading tons of message board topics and a feature in Mothering Magazine about alternatives to disposable tampons/sanitary napkins, I decided to give "mama cloth" a try.  We do cloth diapers and some "family cloth" after all, so why not see where else we can reduce hygiene waste?  I bought a starter package of Luna Pads from Cotton Babies the last time I was in the store with a coupon and so far I'm pleased with the product.  Granted I've been pregnant this entire trial period, but I still think the change is worthwhile.  If anyone is curious to know more about available options in this area, let me know - I've researched it quite a bit.

Future changes I'm currently researching:

• Shampoo/Conditioner: The goal is fewer unpronounceable chemicals and less packaging waste.  The options range from super cheap (baking soda, with apple cider vinegar or honey as occasional conditioner) to medium range (shampoo bar) to expensive shampoos with natural ingredients (found at places like TJ's or Whole Foods, or online).
• Soap: Again, I'm hoping for fewer unpronounceable chemicals and less packaging waste.  I haven't looked into this area very much yet, but I know that many people use Dr. Bronner's as a daily soap.  Castille soap doesn't leave residue in the shower like other types, so it is a great option that results in a cleaner shower as well.  I also found some videos about making my own soap, but I don't think I'm prepared to go there.

Wow, this post ended up a lot longer than I originally anticipated!  But outside of it being a reminder for me of the changes we've made, I hope it serves as motivation for you to make some healthy, eco-friendly, budget-friendly changes around your house as well.  I haven't formally tallied up our savings, but I'm sure are wallets are a bit heavier than they would be if we had continued using disposable products...even considering the start-up cost of a lot of our changes.  We just started small and added a few new things every year, which was very manageable.

Have a fabulous Memorial Day weekend, everyone!  Enjoy the sunshine and the extra time off.

Furniture, festival, format change

The estate sale last weekend was a lot of fun! The house was very old and filled with all sorts of antique goodies (lanterns, baby rocking chairs, books) and the weather was fabulous. We hit the jackpot with a beautiful patio furniture set for just under $300. It included a rectangular table with umbrella, 6 chairs, 2 footstools, and a side table. Mark and I are so excited to spend more time enjoying our backyard this spring/summer!

We also found several Disney story records (101 Dalmations, Sleeping Beauty, 3 Little Pigs, etc) and a couple of nice overalls for Taylor to wear next year and get as dirty as she wants.

Today begins the Festival of the Flowers in Florissant (not too bad to say 5 times fast). Despite living in Florissant for the last three years, Mark and I have never attended. But this year will be different! Festivities begin at noon, so we'll head out as soon as Mark is off of work (around 2pm) and Taylor is up from her afternoon nap. There will be a flea market, a plant sale, a beer garden, a carnival, and more (note order of interest).

Our morning may also include Taylor's 15 month check-up with the pediatrician (can't find that appointment card...) and a trip to the annual Ferguson Church of the Nazarene Kid's Consignment Sale. The last couple of times we went to the sale we found lots of neat items for Taylor, like toys, books, and hair bows.

As just a head's up, I am considering switching our blog from WordPress to Blogger. It won't affect the location of the blog (still markandandrea.synowiecs.com), but it will affect the format (i.e. no more birdie, which makes me very sad). The switch would be a pain, considering there is no good way to transfer all my past posts, BUT it would make future blogging eaiser because I can upload photos directly from Picasa and the subscription setup is much more advanced. You could receive a daily digest via email instantly after I write a new post! I can't for the life of me figure out how to make this happen with WordPress...

And, as an addendum to my Earth Day post, here are a couple of articles about toilet paper I found interesting. I hope they make you think a bit more about the environmental impact of your purchases. The New York Times reports that the oh-so-prized fluffiness of American toilet paper comes at the expense of millions of trees, some of them from old-growth forests. The process of turning fresh tree pulp into fluffy, white tp also takes a great deal of water and chlorine. Many other countries do just fine using recycled material for toilet paper, so I think we should make more of an effort to do so. Seventh Generation and Trader Joe's supposedly make pretty good stuff.

According to Consumer Reports, the ultra-fluffy toilet paper brands are heavier on the wallet as well. CP's "Best Buys" (soft, yet much more affordable tp) include Kirkland Signature from Costco and White Cloud from Walmart. While I cannot attest to the environmental benefit of these brands versus Charmin or Cottenelle, there's a good chance they're better because they aren't the front-runners of tp advertising campaigns. Perhaps a good goal, starting fresh this May 1st, is to "save the earth, one toilet paper roll at a time."

Earth Day Tribute

Note: Lots of crunchy granola, tree-hugging content below.

Today was fabulous outside – 86 degrees with clear and sunny skies. It was the perfect day to start using the clothesline again.

Last year I used it only a couple of times for diapers, but today I decided to hang all of our clothes out to dry. It felt great to know I was saving some energy at home. And with the clothes that ended up a bit too stiff for comfort, I popped them in the dryer for a couple minutes and they came out as if they dried in there the whole time. Fantastic!

Last year, our eco-friendly goals included using cloth diapers and wipes, paper towel alternatives for cleaning and the microwave, eco-friendly cleaners (Ecover dish soap, Dr. Bronner’s, Biokleen All-Purpose Cleaner, vinegar), cloth napkins, dish rags, and maintaining our indoor plants.

This year we can add to the list: hanging most of our laundry to dry on the clothesline, eating more organic foods, starting a vegetable garden *fingers crossed*, and using cloth wipes in the bathroom (inspired by eco-friendly blogs like this one: NatureMoms.com).

The cloth wipes (also known as “family cloth”) are for Taylor and me to use after urination only. So far, so good; and very comfortable too. I bought a flannel sheet from the Salvation Army and used pinking shears (a no sew solution) to cut it into lots of wipes roughly 4x6 inches in size. We’ll still use toilet paper for everything else and all used cloths just get tossed in with Taylor’s dirty diapers. No additional wash load, no additional hassle. Plus this will save a HUGE amount of toilet paper.

I suppose we could also add shopping at estates sales and other types of consignment stores to our eco-friendly list under “Re-use.” We’re going to an estate sale tomorrow morning not far from our house. I’m always excited to check out the selection, though we rarely buy much. We’re also planning to go to the annual Earth Day Festival in Forest Park on Sunday. Last year it was fun to walk around and enjoy the weather. I look forward to the excuse to be outdoors.

Movin' on up

Taylor is officially over 15lbs. Yes, I know a LOT of other babies reached that milestone well before their 5th month, but my baby is petite.

So, this means we are moving up to the next size of diapers. Once I do the load of diapers tomorrow I will retire the infant prefolds and covers (to await our next bundle of cuteness) and prep the new diapers for Taylor to wear until she's potty-trained! Wow!

I think the cost of her cloth diapers, cloth wipes, and wipe solution for the first 5 months totaled roughly $250. Of course there were other start up costs like the trash can, wet bags, and laundry detergent; but in the end it was definitely not over $350. We were very blessed in that everything was purchased for us by our parents, and my sister let us use her infant stash of cloth diapers.

For this next stage (5mo-potty trained) we bought larger fitted diapers, prefolds, and some sturdier covers. I guesstimate another $300. Definitely worth the investment!

I can't wait until we can start buying Taylor little undies :)

Diaper crazy

Recently I discovered Diaper Swappers, an online diaper buying/selling/trading community. It started out great - I sold 3 diapers on there that weren't fitting Taylor too well, and replaced them with 5 others that are really good for her. Then I discovered the gazillion other brands of diapers and accessories out there...

Oh my goodness, what did I get myself into!

Though we practice Elimination Communication (EC), I find myself clicking through post after post of diapers for sale. Some brands are ridiculously expensive, many diapers on there are made by "WAHMs" - Work at Home Moms, and all of them seem to sell within a couple of hours of being posted.

My newest obsession - Diaper Change diapers. I want a whole bunch of them. They're sooo cute and lots of women on DS say they are excellent quality with amazing customer service to back it up. You can get all sorts of different prints to match outfits or moods or...I don't know, room decor!

But then I refocus and instead hope that someone I know has a baby and will use cloth diapers and I can buy them one of these...or 3 or 6.

Back to reality.

Nighttime diapering has been our latest challenge. Taylor used to wake up when she fed and I could potty her and change her diaper if needed. Now she keeps her eyes closed even while nursing and fusses if I take her out of bed. And, if I'm changing her diaper she'll keep her knees hiked up really high so it's really difficult to fasten on a new one.

The other problem is that she's a side-sleeper, so her diaper often leaks out the leg at some point in the night.

I thought adding an extra layer of absorbency (a hemp doubler) to her prefold would address these problems, but it still doesn't seem to be quite enough. So, the last few nights I've been putting her in the BumGenius One-size diapers, our usual "going out" diaper. They are very absorbent and have a stay-dry layer to keep the moisture away from her sensitive little bum, but they still leak out the leg a bit. And if I use them at night they aren't available to use during the day if we're running a lot of errands.

My next thought is to get a Nekkie Blankie or make an equivalent myself so Taylor can sleep nakey butt on it at night. I'm a bit hesitant to order a Nekkie Blankie online because the company is under new ownership and the site is really outdated. But to make one myself requires a bit more research into fabrics and stuffings materials...and potentially will not be any less expensive than getting the real thing. Of course, these work best when used in conjuction with pottying at night and we're just not there right now.

Anyway, I doubt anyone reading this is nearly as interested in diapering solutions, but I think it's a really neat topic. On to my chores for the day!

It's a miracle!

Through my research on cloth diapers, I learned if you put stained diapers out to dry in the sunlight they turn out spot free.

Well, today I tried it and VOILA my diapers are miraculously clean and bright. Yay for the sun! Creation is so amazing. I'm excited. I'm definitely going to be using this trick on stained whites in the future.

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Taylor, Phoebe, and I went for another walk today. The weather was gorgeous - sunny, breezy, and warm. The trees and flowers are starting to bloom all over the neighborhood and at least some people have beautiful, neatly trimmed, green lawns.

My goal is to have us walk 30 min everyday. That way Taylor gets her Vitamin D from the sun and doesn't have to take supplements, Phoebe gets to let out some of her pent-up craziness, and I get to lose some of this leftover baby fat. The daily cookies (that I'm munching on as I type) aren't helping my goal, but they are oh so good. It just means it'll take a tinsy bit longer to reach my pre-pregnancy weight.

On the paper towel front, this week has been a success! Mark and I didn't use any paper towels...until yesterday, that is, when we discovered that Phoebe has continued using the basement as her personal latrine. I suppose we'll always use paper towels for doggie clean-ups, which isn't bad in my opinion. We also need to really focus on retraining that dog not to relieve herself in the house.

Next Tuesday is Earth Day and I figure that I should do something extra special, considering my new zeal for eco-friendly living. Any suggestions? Maybe Mark and I should actually get around to raking our leaves, mowing the lawn, and bundling our fallen branches!

No More Paper Towels

Yes, you read that correctly. The Synowiec household, inspired by Andrea's sister and The Knot's Eco-Friendly Family message board, have decided to forgo paper towels to reduce waste and help preserve the environment.

We used to use paper towels

• to wipe down the kitchen and bathrooms
• to clean mirrors and windows
• to cover food in the microwave to prevent splatter
• as napkins

Now we'll use our many washcloths for the kitchen and bathrooms, newspapers for the windows and mirrors (supposed to be better for a streak-free shine anyway), silicone splatter guards in the microwave (on sale now at Sur La Table!), and cloth napkins for meal time!

There is the start up cost to consider of the splatter guards and napkins, but I think we'll break even in a few months...definitely by the end of the year. We still have a big stash of paper towels in the basement if we can't handle going cold turkey, but we've done fairly well over the last year with our other eco-friendly living goals (recycling, non-toxic cleaning agents, cloth diapers and wipes) so I have high hopes.

If this venture goes well, I have a lot more ideas for the future! Maybe starting a compost pile? Getting low-flow shower heads? Investing in more efficient appliances? Trying to actually keep indoor plants alive this year??