It's Not Easy Raising Green

The Cloth Diapering in Day Care (CDDC) Chronicles, Vol. 1

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 00:16:00 +0000

I love my daughter's day care provider for many reasons. For one, she's basically family. My sister-in-law took her boys there for years, and for a while my youngest nephew and my daughter were at the day care together. It wasn't until recently that S-I-L pulled the boys out of this facility in favor of something closer to home. And even still when I pick my daughter up, the owner asks about the boys. She's also so loving toward my daughter and always gives her a big hug before I take her home. But I most love her because she's been pretty good at accommodating my many parenting requests, sometimes to her chagrin. She doesn't feed her any meat, keeps the sugar at a minimum, and even made some concessions on cloth diapering. That last thing is huge, because even before we started taking our daughter to her, she was pretty adamant that she didn't want to use cloth diapers. She only agreed to use them after we showed her the pocket diapers we use and assured her she wouldn't have to use any pins. She's "old school," so to her cloth diapering meant sticking herself with pins. Nope, we've definitely come a long way since those days!

But even though she relented on the cloth diapering issue, I can tell it still doesn't completely set well with her. At least that's the feeling I get sometimes. We used to bring the baby to day care in a prefold and cover, although we always packed pocket diapers for changes. However, she later asked that we start bringing her to day care wearing the pocket diapers we normally pack. I got the sense that she wasn't comfortable changing our baby out of prefolds, so we agreed to bring her wearing pocket diapers. But yesterday she seemed to reach her threshold of tolerance.

Layla had wet through her diaper and messed up her clothing twice that day, and the owner insisted the diapers weren't working and we would have to do something different. Immediately, I knew what the problem was. It wasn't the effectiveness of the diapers. They've worked since our daughter was a newborn and have held up against some pretty serious messes. And it wasn't that my daughter was wetting more. After all, her bladder is only so big! The problem was the diapers had started to repel liquid.

Repelling is a pretty common problem with pocket diapers. When they work properly, pocket diapers are some of the most effective at holding liquid and preventing leaks. But over time and after numerous wash cycles, residues from laundry detergent (and even hard water) can build up on the fibers and severely inhibit the diaper's ability to absorb liquid. Sure enough, that's what had happened to my daughter's diapers. I tested one of them by running some water over the insert and over the shell and both times the water beaded up and ran off to the side. This meant it was time to strip the diapers.

"Stripping" is simply the process of getting the residue off the diapers. The method I like to use is running one cold cycle using Dawn dishwashing liquid instead of laundry detergent, followed with an extra rinse and a subsequent hot cycle with no detergent. Basically, you're using the dishwashing liquid to break up the residue and then rinsing over and over again to make sure absolutely nothing is left on the diapers. You'll likely have to do this from time to time with your diapers, and it's also important to use only half the amount of recommended detergent in your regular washing to prevent such build-up.

To put her concerns to rest, I told the day care owner I'd strip my daughter's diapers to get them back to normal and we'd proceed from there. Of course, she didn't know what "stripping diapers" meant, but when I picked up the baby from day care today she happily told me, "Whatever you did to those diapers worked. We didn't have any problems!"

What can I say? It's still a process, one of continuing learning and adjustment for both of us. It's my hope that cloth diapering will eventually become more commonplace and navigating these things with day care providers won't be so challenging.

Could you live a life without...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 22:29:00 +0000

…toilet paper? What do you think? Could you do your daily, uh, “business” without that faithful roll of TP?

Right now we’re in the throes of potty-training and I can’t remember the last time I wasn’t forced to watch Elmo’s Potty Time at some point during the day. I’m thankful at least for the instructional reinforcement Elmo provides, and it could always be worse – it could be Barney! In the video Elmo teaches children the finer points of using the potty, including the all-important steps of wiping yourself with toilet paper and flushing the toilet after you’re done. There’s even a little vignette showing how toilet paper is made in the factory, complete with a rap song to explain it all. Suffice it to say toilet paper gets discussed a lot in this video. So when we sit baby girl on the potty, I try to follow Elmo’s steps to the letter. I let her do her thing, wipe her with toilet paper after she’s done, and clean her up. But as you know, she’s cloth-diapered, and when I change her diaper I always use a cloth wipe. As I was changing her diaper this morning it occurred to me, why don’t I use cloth for myself when I use the potty?

Oh, don’t look at me like that! It’s a valid question. Part of the reason for this blog is to chronicle my efforts at living a greener and less-wasteful life, finding ways to be kinder to the planet in my everyday living and parenting. Well, this is an area for possible improvement, don’t you think? A whopping 98% of toilet paper in America comes from virgin wood, according to The Guardian – that’s a lot of trees! In fact, toilet paper is very much an American convention. Take a trip overseas and most people use bidets or another form of water-based cleansing. We Americans, however, spend $6 billion a year on TP, with the average American using 50 pounds of the stuff per year (thanks for the stats, Mental Floss!). And have you gone to the store lately to buy toilet paper? I cringed the last time I saw the prices! I have a hard time paying so much for something that I’m intentionally going to desecrate. It makes no sense.

So I issued myself a challenge. Since the baby gets her butt wiped with cloth, so will I. For her, we usually keep some wipes soaked in water and a small drop of baby wash in a container. I, too, will keep some pre-moistened wipes on hand in our own bathroom. I’ll use a small wet bag from Bummis – similar to the ones we keep dirty diapers in when we travel – to store all my dirty wipes (SHAMELESS PLUG: These wet bags are available at Goo Goo Gaia).

As for washing, they’ll go right in the wash with the baby’s diapers. I’m going to try this for a week and check back in to share my experiences. I’m not saying that this is going to be easy or that it isn’t at least a tiny bit cuckoo. But it’s worth a try, right? One less tree has to die and I get to keep my money in my pocket.

So, what do you think… could you go without TP?

Goo Goo Gaia Give-Aways -- Earth Mama Angel Baby Gift Pack

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 19:22:00 +0000

This give-away is for all the mamas (and non-mamas, too). Because women usually take care of themselves last, we're going to take care of you. Enter for a chance to win an Earth Mama Angel Baby gift pack, including:

Happy Feet Organic Herbal Foot Soak
Earth Mama Body Butter
Peaceful Mama Tea

This is a $40 gift pack and we're giving it away for FREE!

We're conducting this give-away on Facebook. Here's how to enter:

First, become a fan of Goo Goo Gaia on Facebook (kudos to you if you already are!)
Second, make this blurb your status message: I'm a @Goo Goo Gaia HOT MAMA! Now, don't copy-and-paste it. You have have to type it out exactly like it is. Why, you ask? Because when you start typing the "@" sign followed by "Goo Goo Gaia", you'll see a drop-down menu show up with our page listed. Be sure to click the Goo Goo Gaia page from this drop-down list (this is called "tagging"). Remember, the "@" sign must be typed in front of "Goo Goo Gaia" with no spaces. Once you've tagged us, come back to our page and let us know you've entered. If the tag isn't created on your page, however, we can't enter you in the contest :-(
Bloggers -You have more chances to win! Just create an entry in your blog about our give-away and include a link to our blog. We'll enter you in the contest! Make sure you come back to our blog and tell us you've entered in the comments section so we can properly credit you for your entry.
Contest ends March 6th. We'll select the winner randomly from those who've participated. You can enter multiple times throughout the week, but only once a day. The more times you enter, the greater your chances!

Good luck, and take care of yourselves!

You mean I can get paid for using reusable bags?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 21:48:00 +0000

My baby girl has been sick lately. She’s had some nasty stomach bug that’s been giving her problems for about a week now, which has made changing her diaper *sarcasm alert* an absolute joy! The BRAT diet only worked marginally, and she’s about sick to death of eating rice at this point anyway. So it was time to visit to our beloved pediatrician. The doctor gave her a prescription which we filled at the CVS across the street. While we were there I decided to pick up a few toiletries and brought them to the check-out counter, where I saw something that interested me. CVS is now giving shoppers an incentive to bring their own reusable bags. It’s called the Green Bag Tag™ and you use it in conjunction with your CVS ExtraCare card. You buy the tag for 99 cents and attach it to your reusable bag (which can be any bag, even a reused plastic shopping bag). When you shop, the cashier scans your bag tag as well as your ExtraCare card and with every fourth visit you earn $1 in Extra Bucks. Adding to the environmental friendliness of it all, the tag is made of renewable corn-based material. Apparently they've been doing this for a few months now, but the store near our house either isn't doing it or hasn't introduced it yet, so I never knew about it until yesterday.

You might question whether this is just another form of “greenwashing” – you know, another company playing on the environmental sensibilities of its customers in order to make more money. Well, yes, I’m sure this new effort will bring in a lot of extra cash to the business since they’re charging a small fee for the tags and they’ll presumably save money on the cost of single-use plastic bags. But personally, I’m all for it. For people like me who frequent CVS (we go at least twice a week) it works because the tag will pay for itself pretty quickly. And after that, any amount of money I can save – however small that is – is helpful to my family’s budget. Those dollars add up over time! Plus the promotion will likely get more people to use reusable bags and possibly reduce the amount of litter caused by plastic ones.

For a while now, stores have given small discounts to their customers for bringing their own bags. Most grocery stores in our area do this, as does my favorite store, Tar-jhay (Target). Washington, DC recently started imposing a tax on single-use plastic and paper shopping bags. The tax funds city efforts to clean up the Anacostia River, for which the number 1 pollutant is plastic shopping bags. While I appreciate the effort on the part of the city of Washington, I’m not crazy about the tax because it makes the health of the river dependent on the very thing that’s hurting it the most. And does the government have to tax everything? Eh, I guess that’s a conversation best reserved for another blog.

At any rate, I’m happy that CVS has instituted this campaign. I most appreciate when businesses adopt holistically green practices such as powering their stores with renewable energy sources, stocking fair-trade merchandise, etc. But I commend CVS for doing something, anything, to help its customers live and shop more responsibly. Hopefully I won't have to use my Green Bag Tag™ to pick up any more prescriptions for sick babies in the near future.

Baby, It's COLD Outside!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 19:30:00 +0000

For the second time in less than a week, the DC area has been hit with a major snow storm. Scratch that... there is a full-blown BLIZZARD going on outside! We've barely left the house since Friday evening and everything is shut down. Thankfully, we stocked up on food and our electricity hasn't gone out.

The blizzard combined with a financial fast my family has embarked upon for the month of February (we can only spend money on essentials and have to give up luxuries like eating out) means that we have to cook, whether we like it or not. Sadly, I can't remember when we last cooked this often, which I know is bad because it's so much healthier to prepare your food at home. But when you're a busy family, it gets a little difficult sometimes. The fast and the storm have been helping us get back to basics.

In the spirit of keeping warm and cozying up with food and family, I'd like to share a recipe for my favorite cold-weather comfort food: Vegetarian Chili!

3 tablespoons of olive oil
1 medium-sized onion, diced
1 package of Morningstar Farms® Meal Starters™ Grillers® Recipe Crumbles™
2 cups of cooked kidney beans
4 cups of crushed tomatoes
1 small can of green chilies or 2 fresh serrano peppers (with or without the seeds), chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons of chili powder
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
1 cup of water
Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

In a dutch oven or deep skillet, heat the oil and sauté the onions until they're translucent. Add the recipe crumbles and sauté until they're thawed, seasoning with salt and pepper if desired. Add the beans, crushed tomatoes, chilies, and garlic. Stir in the chili powder, and add the cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper to your liking. Add the water and bring to a boil. Let it boil for about a minute. Turn the heat to low and let it simmer for about an hour. You can sneak in a few tastes along the way and season as you desire.

This chili goes great with cornbread or rice. Even though it's a little bit spicy my 17-month-old daughter loves it, which surprises me because she NEVER let me eat anything spicy when I was pregnant! I hope you enjoy it as much as our family does. Stay warm!

Rebirth

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 22:14:00 +0000

Wow, it feels like forever since I’ve stepped into the blogosphere! Initially, it started out as a case of really bad blogger’s block, but eventually a wonderful idea came to me. Because raising an earth-conscious child had become such a passion of mine, I decided to open my own cloth diaper and natural parenting boutique. When I found that many of my friends were coming to me for advice on cloth diapering and eco-friendly living, I figured it was a logical step. So, I proudly introduce you to…

Goo Goo Gaia – Cloth Diapers and Natural Parenting
www.googoo-gaia.com

INER-G will still be my own blog chronicling my attempts at living and parenting “green.” But it will also serve as the companion blog for Goo Goo Gaia, and it will be here that I announce promotions, new products, giveaways, and other things of interest to our customers. I invite everyone to visit our store and sign up for an account. In fact, if you do I will send you a coupon code for 10% off your next order! See, you’re saving money and the planet already!

Thank you in advance for supporting us. We’re family-run and still growing, so we appreciate your business and your prayers. Be blessed!

Your kid's a what-a-tarian?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 17:54:00 +0000

My daughter recently had her 9-month Well Baby check-up. Where those 9 months went so fast, I have no idea. But I'm happy to say she's right on target with her growth and meeting her milestones. Her motor skills are developing nicely and she is at a very healthy weight. I had those common parent questions for her pediatrician. When do we start brushing teeth? How many BMs should she be having a day? When do we introduce the sippy cup? How much should we be feeding her? The doctor patiently and thoroughly answered all of my questions. And then we talked about Layla's diet.

I'm a vegetarian and have been one for 17 years now. I was not raised a vegetarian, however. Ironically, I was the queen of meat for a very long time. No hamburger was ever safe around me! But when I became a teenager I decided to try my hand at vegetarianism. Initially it was for the challenge, but when I researched how animals were treated in the processing of meat and the effect it has on our bodies and the environment, my resolve to put off meat was strengthened. No more hamburgers for me, not the beef kind at least. Over half a lifetime later, I'm now a mom and it is my preference that my daughter also abstain from meat. Now, I know someone in our family is going to offer the girl a chicken bone or something, and while I'm not totally fine with that I don't think I'm inclined to freak out about it either. But as far as everyday living is concerned, I do want my daughter's diet to be vegetarian. With all the hormones they pump into food these days, I'm really not trying to buy my child's first training bra when she's 5 years old! My husband is a meat-eater and is concerned about Layla's protein intake. Honestly, I am, too. Like I said, I wasn't raised vegetarian so I don't know what it's like to feed a small child vegetarian food when they are already notoriously finicky at that age. Getting them to eat balanced meals is difficult enough without dietary restrictions.

I looked to her pediatrician for advice on the subject. Firstly, I'd hoped she'd validate my wishes for Layla's diet and allay the fears of other family members concerned about proper nutrition. Secondly, I needed some direction on what foods to introduce and when. She was so reassuring and totally supportive of this choice. She said that we already consume too much animal protein as it is and gave serving suggestions, like cooking beans a little longer than normal so that the skins are softened and easier for Layla to chew. She said soy was okay, but to introduce it over a period of a couple of days to make sure Layla isn't allergic. Nuts are a no-go until she's a year old, and after that we can give her soy, almond, or rice milk. I feel really blessed to have such a supportive pediatrician for Layla.

I know there are people all over the world who raise vegetarian children. But it's not entirely easy when everyone -- and I mean EVERYONE -- around you eats meat and feeds it to their kids. I imagine we'll have to endure questions about how we feed her and if we're giving her all that she needs. But she's perfectly healthy and incredibly smart, so I'm expecting that her development will speak for itself.

Taking a lesson from the Boy Scouts

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 18:12:00 +0000

My husband recently had a birthday and the family celebrated by going out to eat at one of his favorite restaurants. When we got to the place I looked in the diaper bag to get Layla's dinner and to my horror I had forgotten to pack it! With few options, I found myself hoofing it through Chinatown in DC, trying to find a drug store or grocery market where I could buy some baby food. When I finally found one they had all of three baby food options -- and as you can imagine I could forget about finding anything organic or all-natural. I eventually gave up, bought some Cheerios and applesauce, and headed back to the restaurant.

One of the first and most important lessons I learned when I became a mother and when I embarked on living a greener life is that our obsession with convenience in this society is a tree-hugging mom's worst enemy. Natural, organic, and non-toxic options don't often abound when you're out, even in a progressive metro area like this one. It pays to be prepared. Yeah yeah, I know that's advice suitable for all aspects of life, but it's especially pertinent now that I have an unpredictable child and am picky about how I care for her. I decided to list a few things I simply can't leave home without because I likely won't find them easily in stores if I forget them. In Layla's baby bag, you'll usually find:

Happy Baby Organic Puffs -- Layla mastered the pincher grasp a few weeks ago and can now feed herself (yay!), but even before then these were her favorite things in the world to chew, next to mommy's locs. I like to have these on hand because she's teething and prefers textural foods. so when the baby food runs out and she still wants to much, these are perfect. And they're organic!
Gerber Organic Baby Food -- We're loving on green beans, apples, and pears mostly.

bumGenius One-Size Pocket Diaper -- I like to use these diapers for outings because I never know when I'll get to change her while we're out. These have a fleece lining that wicks away moisture into a removeable insert. Layla can wet these a few times and not have the discomfort of feeling it. So I have a much happier baby when I'm running errands. bumGenius Flannel Baby Wipes -- In addition to using cloth diapers, we also use cloth wipes. Personally, I don't bother with the fancy wipe solutions some manufacturers sell. I just put a small drop of baby wash and some water in a zip bag and soak the wipes in that. It's gentle on Layla's skin and one cloth wipe goes so much further than one disposable wipe. And I also use them to wipe her face or nose and to wipe my hands if I can't get to a bathroom sink.

Wahmies Wet Bag -- This is where I stash dirty diapers, soiled clothes, and used wipes until I can get them home to wash them. The inside is made of PUL and it zips closed, keeping odors and fluids in. And those are sock monkeys on the bag. I'm not even going to tell you what I thought they were at first. *hmpf*
The Diva Cup -- Obviously for me, because you just never know. Before I got pregnant my cycle was like clockwork. I always knew when to expect it. Now because I'm nursing it's all over the place, and I expect it to be that way at least until I wean Layla. So, while I make sure she's covered, I gotta make sure I'm covered as well.

Aside from some other basics like hand sanitizer and extra socks, these are some of my diaper bag essentials. If any one of these things is missing when we go out, then it's not a good time.

How can a mama keep it "diva"... in an eco-friend manner?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 26 May 2009 12:19:00 +0000

Allow me to be just a little bit conceited for a minute...

I'm hot! I mean really, I'm HAWT. I've always thought I was cute, but admittedly I haven't always acted like it. And since Layla was born I've let a few things fall off, mainly my self-care and pampering time.

When I was little, I remember thinking my mother was Miss America. To me, she was the prettiest woman in the world. She took great care of herself, and even still today she does. She gets her hair done regularly, does her make-up every day, and always wears the nicest of outfits. Growing up, she took me to the salon to get my hair done every week and always made sure I had nice clothes. I dress my own daughter to the nines. I make sure the ribbons in her hair coordinate with her dresses. I match her cloth diaper covers to her outfits. She always looks like a little diva-princess. Me on the other hand, I haven't deep-conditioned my hair in entirely too long... and I need a trim BADLY. I haven't had a manicure in at least a year. I haven't had a facial in even longer than that. Make-up? Fuhgettaboutit! I'm lucky if I can manage to slap some Chap-Stik on my lips in the morning. I'm ashamed of how I've neglected myself.

I want my daughter to grow up knowing it's okay to take care of yourself. It's okay to sneak in a pedicure while you're running errands. It's fine to put on make-up even if you don't have anywhere to go. It's perfectly acceptable and sometimes even necessary to give yourself a sea salt scrub during your morning shower. Yes, I make sure she's well-taken care of, but I need to do a better job of leading by example. She needs to see mommy taking care of mommy, because nobody will treat you better than you treat yourself.

I came across a wonderful company called Soul Purpose. They are a "socially responsible" company that specializes in "highly differentiated, natural and botanically based beauty and wellness products." The founder, Nadine Thompson, used to be affiliated with a similar company whose products I once used, but that company has since folded. Since Soul Purpose had her name and stamp on it, I knew the products would be great. So I placed an order for a few items and I was NOT disappointed! The products -- from the solid perfumes to the body scrubs -- are wonderful... and eco-friendly! Oh, my personal favorite is the Zanzibar Girls Club perfume and body set. That stuff is sexy, honey!

I was so impressed with the company that I even became a consultant! I think what I'll do periodically on my blog is feature a few items that I particularly love. In the meantime, you can do a little shopping at the following link:

http://www.soulpurpose.net/esuite/control/ecommerceMain?REFERRING_USER_ID=YNGSP202716

If you see anything you'd like to try, be sure to use Consultant ID# YNGSP202716 when you place your order. And you can always connect with me if you have any questions. There's absolutely no reason NOT to take care of yourself, no matter how busy life gets. I'm learning that lesson day by day.

I've been featured on ReuseThisBag.com!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 22 May 2009 14:21:00 +0000

It came to my attention yesterday that my blog had been featured in last week's Friday Link Round-up on ReuseThisBag.com. Check it out!

http://recycle.reusethisbag.com/friday-link-round-up/friday-link-round-up-051509/

To the good folks at RTB, thank you so much! Oh, and since that last post I've already had to buy ANOTHER reusable bag. *sigh*

Stop the judgment!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 22 May 2009 12:21:00 +0000

I had an interesting conversation with a sisterfriend yesterday. She'd read my blog entry about the Lunapads give-away and thanked me for bringing up the subject. Her daughter was born about a month after mine and since her cycle returned she'd been using cloth menstrual pads... but was afraid to tell anyone. She and I both cloth diaper our babies, so we've often vibed about cloth diapering and other green parenting methods. But she was hessitant to talk openly about her cloth pad use because she was afraid of being judged. She's seen how people have reacted in disgust when the subject is breached. And some members of her family and community had been vocal about their feelings on her methods before. When you set out to do something a little different or unconventional, sometimes people will look at you funny and label you for it. This sort of hearkens back to my whole "Black Folks Don't..." discussion. She thought if she mentioned that she uses cloth pads, people wouldn't be very understanding of her choice and decide that she's going too far. So to save herself the scrutiny, she just chooses not to mention it.

This brings to light the issue I've had with setting out on this journey: the judgment from both ends of the spectrum. Some people have kind of written me off as a "hippie" or "new age" for trying to do some things more naturally. Amazingly, some fellow "Christians" (notice the quotation marks) have even labeled me a pagan. That's a whole other blog entry in itself! But on the same token, some people who I look to for green living advice are often ultra-militant about their lifestyles. They absolutely cannot stand to see anyone neglect to recycle, use disposable diapers, or drive non-hybrid cars. On one messageboard, I saw a mother basically slam other moms for using plastic baby bottles and letting their kids play with plastic toys. She only uses glass bottles and wooden toys because of the threat of chemicals leeching out of plastics. Seriously? If I use a Playtex nurser I'm less of a mother than you? Come on, people!

In general, people -- especially moms -- are just doing the best they can. My journey has been about finding simple ways I could make my family a little "greener"... one at a time. Yes, I encourage others to try some of the things we've implemented, but they're certainly not the ogres of the world if they don't want to do things my way. I don't even think like that. This is a place for sharing and education, not judgment. Barking at people won't make them change, and dismissing them won't stop them from doing what they will. We could enrich each other's lives so much just by opening our hearts and minds and choosing understanding over judgment.

Actually, I wish my friend had shared her methods earlier. It would have saved me a lot of research, exploration, and confusion. We had a very informative talk and she gave me so much guidance on an issue about which I'd been curious. In her vulnerability, she helped me. Imagine how many others she might have helped already. I can't thank her enough for that, and I'm reminded once again of how we can let our judgement and other people's judgment keep us all in bondage. That's not a lesson just for green living. It's a lesson for everyday living.

I feel like you're taking advantage of me

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 21 May 2009 11:35:00 +0000

I need to clean my house. No seriously, I do. I'm not the greatest of housekeepers in the first place, but especially now that we have a little munchkin I've gotten really bad. I just don't have the time, energy, or interest anymore. Imagine the laundry pile from my previous blog entry. Now imagine that pile in every corner of your house. That's how much I've neglected my chores lately. It's time to bust a move and bust some suds!

When I first found out I was pregnant with Layla I started looking for ways to reduce toxicity levels in our home. I didn't want anything harming the development of my little growing fetus. That led me to look into greener cleaning options, namely some "environmentally friendly" cleaning products from widely-known big names. I won't state the ones I used, but you know them when you see them in the stores -- "Green Cleaning Product" made by [insert popular name brand here]. They looked nice and they smelled a lot less toxic than their non-green counterparts. But if you read the label, the ingredients are so ambiguous. What is "plant-based cleaning agents" supposed to mean? And then to top it off, they color the products green so that you REALLY know you're making a positive impact on the environment. I'm not saying that all or any of them are being dishonest about their product's environmental friendliness, but I can't help but think I'm being had. Can you say "Greenwashing"?

Because I believe living a greener life most often means returning to simplicity, I'm now looking into home-made cleaning formulas. I figure I'll choose a room at a time to explore some of these methods and then post my results. I'm looking to Green Living Ideas to find some of my recipes. Today I'll start with the kitchen.

All Purpose Surface Cleaner - Mix together equal parts white vinegar and salt. Scrub surfaces with a natural cleaning cloth.

Cookware Cleaner - Coarse salt does wonders for scouring copper pans and ceramic baking dishes.

No-Streak Glass Cleaner - For sparkling mirrors and windows, combine 1/4 cup undiluted white vinegar, 1 tbsp cornstarch, and 1 quart warm water. Divide into spray bottles. For a lint-free shine, wipe dry with a sheet of crumpled newspaper or a coffee filter.

***************

MOMMY TIP: I have some old birdseye cotton diapers I used to use as burp cloths for Layla. Some of them came apart at the seams during a wash one time, so now I use the plies as cleaning rags. These can work great for windows and glass and it's a good way to re-purpose something you have. See, Layla's already helping mommy with the housework!

Can it be that it was all so simple then?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 18 May 2009 11:44:00 +0000

I'm meditating on the Mason jar today.

I remember having Mason jars in the house as a kid. I remember my father canning rice, cereal, and grains in them. We never made preserves, but I remember my parents telling me stories of how their grandmothers would make preserves and can them in Mason jars. It's not uncommon in the South to see people sitting on their porch, drinking lemonade out of Mason jars. Like many black folks, we drank everything out of them. The Mason jar has worn many hats in America's households. They're humble, yet versatile.

The Mason jar, for me, is the quintessential symbol of reusability -- and a perfect example of living green in a simple way. I don't know anyone who's ever thrown away a Mason jar. You always found another use for them, whether it was poking holes in the lid to create a habitat for fireflies or filling it with water, putting a potato in it, and watching the leaves grow into a lovely plant for your kitchen. A lot of our inventiveness for Mason jar uses came out of necessity, as most of us historically didn't have much disposable income and had to find mutliple uses for common household items. People like my family who came from humble beginnings didn't have to "go" green... they were green.

It occurs to me that "going green" isn't about finding what's new. It's about rediscovering what's old. It's about returning to a time before our appetite for convenience led to our pillage of the planet. And for the average person, living a greener life saves money as well as resources, which is important to all of us in this economy. I'm so glad I can enjoy the luxuries my family enjoys today. I'm thankful to God that I have more disposable income than my parents had at my age. I'm glad we can live in a nice home, drive nice cars, and have a mutlitude of conveniences at our fingertips. But I don't want any of that to come at the detriment of my family or the planet's health. So if giving up a few shortcuts here and there means we're all better for it, then it's more than worth it to me.

I think we have a lot to left to learn from the Mason jar.

Hey, ladies!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 15 May 2009 18:43:00 +0000

Okay, this blog post is strictly for my ladies, although you men may want to pull up a chair and possibly learn a thing or two.

When it's that time of the month, what do you use? Have you ever considered using cloth products for all your menstruating needs? I've only recently considered this route since Auntie had stayed away for so long after I had Layla. But now she's back (yay!) and since I cloth diaper Layla it only makes sense that I practice what I preach, right? It's incredible how much we ladies impact the environment with our sanitary products. Did you know that the most common piece of garbage that washes up on beach shores is plastic tampon applicators? YUCK!

One of my most favoritest blogs, ClothDiaperBlog.com is giving away a Lunapads intro kit. Pay them a visit and enter the contest:

http://www.clothdiaperblog.com/feed-your-stash-friday-lunapads/

Have an open mind... save the planet AND money. Peace, blessings, and happy menstruating!

Bag Lady, you gon' hurt yo' back!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 14 May 2009 17:22:00 +0000

I have a bad habit of accumulating plastic shopping bags. When I come home from the grocery store, I put my food away and end up with a huge pile of bags. Growing up we always reused them as liners for the small garbage cans in our house, so I never throw them away. However, my husband and I don't use them for trash that often. We use them sometimes to clean out the litter box, but usually when we take out the trash we dump everything into one large bag. That includes the contents of the few small trash cans we have in our house. We really don't even use those shopping bags as trash can liners, so I'm keeping all these old bags for nothing. And I don't care what kind of fancy plastic bag storage system you buy. They NEVER look neat when you put them away.

I've issued myself a challenge: no plastic shopping bags for the rest of the year.

Besides the fact that they are terrible for the environment, they are cluttering my house! So I decided simply to not use them anymore under any circumstances. Thankfully, most stores now offer reusable bags for shopping. I like to think it's because we're becoming more concerned about the planet, but truthfully the stores can save money if they encourage shoppers to reuse bags. They don't have to pay for as many plastic ones.

But now I have another problem. I'm scatterbrained and very forgetful these days and I never remember to bring my reusable bags! What do I end up doing? I end up buying more reusable bags while I'm at the store. I even tried keeping a stash of them in my trunk, just in case I decide to make a last-minute stop at Target or something (I'm an addict!). But what happens is I'll use the bags in my trunk, take my loot home, and forget to put the bags back in my car. Inevitably, when I get my next Target jones -- because I so often do -- I have no reusable bags with which to shop. And I end up buying more. Even worse, sometimes I forget they're in the car altogether (like today) and I buy new bags when there are perfectly good ones already in my trunk.

So the mountain of plastic bags is quickly turning into a mountain of reusable ones. Saving the planet as always, yet failing to save space. One of these days I'll get it together.

ETA: And it just dawned on me that even though I took the time to spread out all my bags, take a picture of them, upload them to Blogger, and type out this whole entry, I STILL didn't bother putting them in my trunk once I was finished! What is wrong with your girl?

Check out my Sister-In-Law's blog!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 14 May 2009 13:50:00 +0000

My sister is a dynamic woman of God, full of wisdom and power. She just started a blog, and though I admit my bias I must say that it's amazing! Please visit her blog and vibe with her (I'll meet you over there).

My So-Called Christian Life

http://kirsten-mysocalledchristianlife.blogspot.com/

Girl, you know black folks don't...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 12 May 2009 14:09:00 +0000

You know, over the years as I've explored ways of living naturally I've had my "blackness" questioned many times by my own people. When I became a vegetarian, I got comments like, "Girl, as much poke (pork) as black folks eat? You gonna want some fried chicken in a minute!" Some people genuinely didn't believe me and would encourage me to just "eat the sausage" anyway. When I stopped chemically straightening my hair, people would say, "You'll never get a job like that. You know [white] folks won't take you seariously if your hair is nappy." Not surprisingly, when I got pregnant and started to embrace more natural parenting methods like low-tech birth and cloth diapering, I got comments like, "You're gonna get sick of them cloth diapers," or "Most women have an epidural. Your mama had an epidural. You'll be hollaring for that epidural, watch!"

I've learned it's not my "blackness" that they question. It's the appearance that I think I'm too good to do what my people had been doing for years. Why isn't the way we've always done things good enough for you?

Thankfully, I find that most people I know who are of my generation support natural, eco-friendly living and many practice it themselves. It seems I mostly get the sideways comments from my elders, sadly. I was speaking with a lady in my church who saw me feeding my daughter some Happy Baby Organic Apple Puffs.

She told me she would tell her daughter-in-law about them because she's so "picky" about what her child eats. I could hear the condescension in her voice when she said, "picky." It made me laugh, because I'm that "picky daughter-in-law" who feeds her baby organic food, breastfed exclusively for 5.5 months, wears her regularly instead of using a stroller, only uses cloth diapers, and prefers not to let her have table food or certain snacks until she's a year old. I smiled, looked her in the eye, and said, "She should be picky."

The funny thing is that when you set out to do things naturally and are successful, the elders are often amazed. When we visited family in Ohio the other weekend, I swear I brought Layla's entire diaper stash with us. My aunts and uncles marveled at how far cloth diapers have come and how easy it was to work with them. They were sure we would have given up on that by now. But seeing how we raise her naturally, and seeing how healthy, happy, and well-adjusted our daughter is, they understand it now. My aunt even told me she was proud of me.

Eventually, the elders accepted my diet and have seen how heartily I can eat with no meat on my plate. They got used to my hair and even begged me never to cut it. And now when they see how we raise our little tree-hugger, they seem to get it. Maybe these new-fangled black folks with their new-fangled ideas and practices might have something here.

Water water everywhere/ nor any drop to drink

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 07 May 2009 11:36:00 +0000

Our water heater busted yesterday, springing a leak that's saturated most of the bottom level of our home. After waiting until 10:30pm (yes, PM!) for the plumber to come look at it, we're now left with no running water and a bill for a new water heater. That means we have no water for cooking, bathing, laundry, or even to flush the toilet. Let me tell you, if you've never had to pee in a Vitamin Water bottle in your own bathroom because you couldn't flush your toilet, it's a pretty humbling experience. Our saving grace is the water cooler in our kitchen, but of course we're limited in how much water we can take from there. I think I washed up in the smallest amount of water I've ever used for bathing this morning, about 3 cups. You never miss your water 'til your... you know how the old adage goes.

It made me think about the millions of people around the world who have to go through much worse than this every day. One sixth of the entire population has no access to clean drinking water. Imagine how that is, having to travel long distances in harsh terrain to fetch water that's probably going to make you sick because it's infested with disease. Around the world, criminal warlords hold water hostage, keeping it from the general population for ransom. Lack of clean water has public health and socio-economic ramifications. In areas were there is drought, no water means no crops for you (or the animals you depend on for food and income) to eat. Your health, safety, livelyhood, and future are in jeopardy, all because of something as simple and essential to life as water. As a person of African descent, it breaks my heart that the problem is most prevalent on the African continent.

At the end of the day, I can go to a family member's house to shower. I can go to the grocery store to buy food. I can even buy a nice 1-liter bottle of Aquafina to quench my thirst. My water problems are mere inconveniences. But there is a mother somewhere with a child as young mine who will probably die because of the lack of something I take for granted.

We can do something to help. One person can drink for 20 years from a contribution of only $20. I hope you'll join me in making a donation to charity: water (http://www.charitywater.org/) and help bring clean, sanitary drinking water to those who need it most. As for the Anderson household, I think we'll be much more considerate of our water use in the future, having a greater appreciation for the most basic of human needs. I wonder how clean I can get with a one-minute shower.

I'm just going to put it out there...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 06 May 2009 15:51:00 +0000

Okay, I'm making myself vulnerable here. I've decided to share something so personal, so shameful, that I rarely ever tell anyone about it. It's been an embarrassment of mine for a very long time, and quite frankly I'm still not over the shame of it all. But for the greater good, I feel it's best I share this most abasing aspect of my life. *deep breath* Alright, here goes...

This is our laundry pile. Garment upon garment of washed, yet unfolded clothes. Some of them were washed just yesterday. Others were washed weeks ago. Instead of folding them or hanging them in the closet, every morning we go down to the lower level of our home, rummage through the monstrous pile, and hope we find something suitable to wear to work. Let's see that again, shall we?

Wow, it looks even more monstrous from that angle, doesn't it? I'm really very ashamed of the way we treat our laundry. Why am I sharing all of this? Because I want to prove a point. I'm an avid proponent of cloth diapering and the number one concern/objection I get from people I talk to about it is that they don't want to do all the laundry that comes with it. They insist that they can barely keep up with the laundry they have, so they're sure they'd never be able to wash diapers regularly. However, as you can clearly see from the pictures above, neither I nor my husband are particularly on top of our laundry game, yet our daughter's diapers always manage to look like this:

Look at the contrast! How is it we can manage to keep her diapers washed and folded neatly, yet our clothes are left to sort themselves? I really wish I had the answer to that question, but I do know this: Even the most laundry-averse of us can successfully cloth diaper our children. No, I don't particularly like doing laundry, but in all honesty I haven't found washing and caring for her diapers to be all that cumbersome. In fact, it's become pretty routine at this point. And besides, anyone with kids is going to spend more than their fair share of time in front of a washer and dryer. Those munchkins dirty everything they wear... constantly! So I find the "I don't wanna do laundry" argument a bit curious, given the amount of laundry most parents do on a daily basis anyway. From one laundry-phobe to another, it's really not that bad.

So, there's all my business out in the open for everyone to see. I hope someone's found it helpful. Oddly, I feel a little better now having admitted I have a problem. It's kind of liberating!

My Father... The Original Environmentalist

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 01 May 2009 20:00:00 +0000

My dad shared something interesting with me today. He saw the baby in my banner with the leaf diaper and felt the need to tell me how people would do their business and wipe their behinds with leaves in the rural area where he grew up. Since apparently there's a shortage of toilet paper in the woods (who knew?) they had to do what they had to do. And according to him, since they weren't tearing down trees to make rolls of T.P., they were being kind to the environment. Um, that's a little too green even for me.

My dad's philosphy: It's better to be green than brown. Thanks, dad. Thank you for such pearls of wisdom. I'll have to pass them on to your granddaughter one day... that is if she can stomach them.

Swine Flu -- How we're ALL connected

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 23:35:00 +0000

I believe... scratch that, I KNOW environmental discrimination is real. Even though I'm seething, I'm going to try to keep this entry succinct and short.

Right now the entire world is on edge because of the recent outbreak of a new strain of the swine flu virus. Officials have suggested that a 5-year-old boy from La Gloria, Mexico may be "patient zero" in this latest outbreak. There is a large pig farm near his village, one that is notorious for untreated pig waste that regularly poisons the air. La Gloria is upwind of the pig farm and its mountains basically trap the polluted air emitted by the farm, also contaminating the water supply. Many many people in La Gloria have been sickened recently, and Edgar Hernandez, the 5-year-old "patient zero," had positively tested for the H1N1 strain of the virus, though others in the same village tested for a more common flu strain. The company that owns the pig farm claims no workers or pigs there have been sick, and the Mexican government does not believe the H1N1 strain originated there.

The boy is the first known case of this new strain of swine flu, but the strain has since spread throughout the world and we are now at near pandemic levels. But here's the thing that bothers me: La Gloria residents had long complained of widespread sickness and tainted air and water. Why didn't anyone listen? Let's just assume for a minute the Mexican government is right and the strain did not originate from the neighboring pig farm. But the pollution it generated probably still contributed to widespread disease and made it very difficult for most people in La Gloria to ward off even the most common infections. So transmission of the H1N1 strain would have only been facilitated -- all because of POLLUTION. But hey, La Gloria residents aren't the most affluent in the nation. It's not the most glamorous of places. It's tucked away somewhere in the mountains and only 3,000 even live there. Why should anyone have listened?

Why should anyone have listened to low-income parents in the Bronx when their children were getting asthma and pneumonia at alarming rates -- at the hand of systematic pollution?

Why should anyone have listened when a 1997 study found that working-class minority neighborhoods were most likely targeted for hazardous waste disposal?

Why? Because however remote and contained we may think a problem is, it still has the potential to have far-reaching -- often global -- effects. We are all connected, whether we're in Mexico or Malaysia. The world is once again reminded of what happens when we fail to consider "the least of these." But this time will we listen?

Goin' Places...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 15:05:00 +0000

We have a couple of family trips coming up. The first one is a weekend trip to Cleveland to visit my mom's side of the family. They haven't met Layla yet, so this is their introduction. The next trip is to a family reunion in Charleston, SC this summer. Now, these trips are making me incredibly nervous because 1) I've never travelled a significant distance with a baby and 2) Layla is cloth-diapered, so I don't yet know what I'm going to do about diapering her.

I think for the Cleveland trip I'm going to bring her cloth diapers because we're staying with my aunt who has a washer and dryer. Plus we're driving a minivan so we'll have plenty of storage space. But the Charleston trip is a different animal because we'll be flying, provided my husband can swallow his fear of planes. They give you enough crap about checking multiple bags as it is. Imagine us trying to cart our entire stash with us on a plane ride. Not happening! We'll also be staying in a hotel and as good as the Marriott's laundry service may be I'm sure they don't wash cloth diapers.

I'd heard of gDiapers a few years ago before we had our girl.

I've never tried these for Layla, but I think they may be an option for the SC trip. They work similarly to the prefolds and covers we use for Layla, but the liners are flushable. I've heard people find preparing them for flushing a bit cumbersome (you have to tear the sides, pull the liner apart, and swish it in the toilet... all fun stuff!). But I figure if it keeps waste out of landfills, I don't mind the extra work. Plus the company claims the liners break down in a landfill in 90 days, as opposed to the 500 years it would take for disposable. I wouldn't consider them for long-term use, however, because they do contain SAP. That's the polymer used in conventional disposable diapers and it has been linked to gynecological problems in girls later in life. Also buying the liners on a regular basis would get a little pricey I imagine, which negates the money-saving benefits of cloth. But for our travelling purposes, these look like they might be a good option. I hope I'm right.

I think I just need to get past my overall nervousness about travelling with a small, unpredictable child. Pray for me... PLEASE!

The Earth is the Lord's...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 14:52:00 +0000

...and the fullness thereof, the world, and they that dwell therein. (Psalm 24:1)

Happy Earth Day, everyone! As a gift to the earth and its Creator, the Anderson household is now officially 100% wind-powered!

Thanks to utility de-regulation, power customers can choose their own energy supplier. I contacted Washington Gas Energy Services (a supplier for our electric utility) and signed our account up for their CleanSteps(sm) 100% Wind Power program. It's a few cents more per kilowatt hour than we're currently paying, but the price is fixed throughout the year, so we won't have to deal with the rate jumps that often come in the summer. I feel really good about this decision for our family and for the environment. And I expect it to actually save us money in the long run. Easy on the planet. Easy on the wallet. It's a no-brainer decision.

I knew there was a reason I joined Curves!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 21:12:00 +0000

Besides shedding this baby weight and trying to gain more energy, apparently my recent weight loss quest has a greater environmental impact. A recent study by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine suggests that thinner people are easier on the planet. Why? Because the transportation of overweight individuals as well as the overproduction of food contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. No lie... the story is on CNN.com. I guess now when those exercise machines start to kick my butt, I can find motivation in the fact that I'm doing something good for the planet. Oh, and I'm improving my health, too.

Watch Oprah on 4/22!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 21:07:00 +0000

Just a quick check-in to encourage everyone to watch tomorrow's episode of Oprah. She'll be tracing our garbage as it makes its way to the landfill and she'll also be talking about how going green can help our pockets. What better reason int his economy to go green than to save money? As they say on TV *ahem*, check your local listings.