Eco-Friendly Friday

For the second installment of my "Green Your Home" series I thought we could focus on the Bathroom.  The biggest impact of the bathroom is through water waste and there are many simple yet effective ways to combat that waste.  I would hope that if your reading this blog you already use cloth towels instead of the disposable type! Other ways to green your bathroom you might not think about are:

• Add a water saving aerator to sink faucets.
• Consider changing your shower head to a WaterSense version, really not as expensive as you might think and easy to do on your own.
• Change the flapper in your toilet to a low-flow alternative, again cheap and easy to install on your own...I've done three myself!
• Make sure you fix any leaking faucets.
• Take short showers and turn the water off while soaping up.  There are some shower heads that even allow you to turn the flow into a dribble so you don't get a cold water shock when you turn it back on.
• Turn the water off while your brushing your teeth.
• Use eco-friendly cleaning products.
• Make sure the lights/fan are out when the bathroom is not in use.
• Females - you could use reusable feminine care products like the Diva Cup or cloth pads.
• You could even subscribe to the notion "If it's yellow let it mellow...if it's brown flush it down."

Our biggest issue is needing to run the faucets for a long time while waiting for hot water to arrive.  There are several different systems on the market now for instant hot water heaters that can be installed along the pipes.  We would love to do that (especially for our Kitchen sink where it takes forever to get hot water) but that is a higher cost fix that we simply can't afford at the present moment. 

I'm sure there are other ways to green your bathroom...so what do you do?

Great Cloth Diaper Change

Do you have a baby or toddler in cloth diapers and want to be part of a bid for the Guinness Book of World Records? If you answered yes, you need to check out this site: http://greatclothdiaperchange.com/.

On April 23, 2011 all over the United States (and in a few international sites) cloth diapering Mom's and Dad's will be getting together to change cloth diapers.  The event is to raise awareness of modern cloth diapers in honor of Earth Day. 

Right now there isn't a location in Houston. Any of my Houston fluffy butt Mom's or Dad's interested in putting together a Houston location for this event with me?

Eco-Friendly Friday

Today is a beautiful day here in Houston! It's hard to believe sitting with the windows open that only a week and a half ago I was afraid our water pipes might burst and that we had a nice coating of ice on everything outside those same windows.  What this warm weather does mean is that it is time for me to start sewing the seeds for this years vegetable garden.  Last year I had my husband build us a small raised bed vegetable garden. We got a few carrots, some cherry tomatoes, parsley, and a huge amount of basil out of it.  It wasn't the best bounty ever, we had a few problems with bugs and rabbits attacking various plants, but it wasn't a total loss at least.  We hope this year will be better and that we learned from our mistakes. 

This year we are planning to grow carrots, bell peppers, hot peppers, cherry tomatoes, lettuce, basil, and maybe try scallions again. I did a simple web search for "when to plant vegetable garden" and found a great article in the local paper with a listing of when to plant various vegetables.  This is the page I found for my Houston peeps...http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/gardening/features/6871773.html. Burpe's website also had a lot of growing information for all regions and if you put in your zip code will tell you what you should be doing in your garden each month.

Having your own garden is a great way to go green and potentially save some green.  So, plan that garden and get out there to play in the dirt!

Getting Paid to be Earth Friendly

While getting caught up on my local and state news, I came across a great article I just had to share with you.  Did you know that starting in November, Target & CVS will be rolling out incentive programs for you to bring your own bag?  This is great news for your wallet and the earth! Check out the story over at USA Today. Now we can only hope that other businesses will jump on board.  I think it's a smart move for the stores; they'll save money by buying fewer bags and attract customers with the incentive.  I know I'd be more likely to shop at a store that gives me a discount for using my own bag (which I already use) than a competitor that doesn't.

Do you know a store that offers incentives for using your own bag?  If you do, post the store name in the comments so we all can save money while saving the earth!

Eco-Friendly Friday

One of my eco-conscious friends recently made me aware of a great eco-activism event. October 24, 2009 will be an International Day of Climate Action. The purpose of this day is to promote the number 350 (what scientists believe is the safe limit of atmospheric CO2, in parts per million). They are trying to get the media and world leaders to realize that there are lots of people interested in keeping our climate from going crazy. What the leaders of this movement want you to do is this: organize or participate in an event where the number 350 is prominently displayed in an iconic location in your community, take pictures and submit them to the website http://www.350.org/. The organizers will then take those images to the media and world leaders, asking them to create a climate change treaty that will meet the requirements to reach the magic number.

Here's why the group is doing this (according to there website):

To tackle climate change we need to move quickly, and we need to act in unison—and 2009 will be an absolutely crucial year. This December, world leaders will meet in Copenhagen, Denmark to craft a new global treaty on cutting emissions. The problem is, the treaty currently on the table doesn't meet the severity of the climate crisis—it doesn't pass the 350 test.

In order to unite the public, media, and our political leaders behind the 350 goal, we're harnessing the power of the internet to coordinate a planetary day of action on October 24, 2009. We hope to have actions at hundreds of iconic places around the world - from the Taj Mahal to the Great Barrier Reef to your community - and clear message to world leaders: the solutions to climate change must be equitable, they must be grounded in science, and they must meet the scale of the crisis.

As I write this blog post, there are more actions being formed. At the moment there are 3257 actions being planned over 159 countries, and there are 6 days left! If you want to find the action closest to you, create your own, or find out more about the movement – please visit http://www.350.org/.

Eco-Friendly Friday

As I think I've mentioned before, it is not easy for my family to recycle.  Despite living on the outskirts of a major metropolitan area, we are without curbside recycling pick-up.  We save up our recyclables: #1 & 2 plastic, cans, glass, paper, and cardboard.  Then, we take a monthly trip to the recycling center.  So here is our set-up (about ready to make our trip, so excuse the mess):

This is our tower of recycling - large bins for our plastic, glass, paper, and cans. We simply move the bins into the car, dump, and return them to their corner in the garage.

These are bags of crushed soda cans that we (my husband mostly) have collected.  We drink very little soda, so most of these cans have been picked up from the side of the road on a walk, or from my husbands work.

From all our recycling efforts, I have noticed that most of the plastic we use is actually #5.  I see this plastic in our containers for yogurt, margarine, cream cheese, even some deli meats.  If you hate dumping this plastic into landfills, I have news for you. Whole Foods has joined with Preserve to accept #5 plastic recycling in some areas.  This program started a while ago but I just found out about it, so forgive me if this is old news for you.  If you are interested in finding out which stores accept the plastic check out this site, the Gimme 5 program will also let you mail your #5 plastics (sorry they don't pay for shipping, the address is on the previous link). To learn more about Preserve and their recycled products check here.

No Whole Foods near you? Don't want to pay to mail your plastic?  Make sure you check on Earth911 for a recycling center near you.  And if worst comes to worst, try offering them on Freecycle.  You never know what someone might want or need!

How Much Does It Cost to Cloth Diaper?

When I have encountered cloth diaper skeptics, the big argument seems to come with the washing routine.  They often feel that the water and energy used to clean the diapers negates the benefits.  For those critics, I have found a wonderful calculator.  While shopping for diaper making supplies on Wazoodle's website, I came across their Cloth Diapering Cost calculator.  All you need to do is find your most recent water and electric bill and enter the information and it will calculate how much it will cost you to cloth diaper from birth through potty training (and anywhere in between!)  I entered my info from my last bill (largest energy bill of the year at the peak of summer in TX) and average cost of my diaper stash per diaper.  This is what it told me:

Over the life of cloth diapering, using the one-size diapers, it will cost me approximately $1080 according to this calculator. If you used prefolds and covers, that cost would drop significantly.  If I had more diapers I could stretch my wash routine to every three days, which would help with the energy and water consumption.  I do use an EnergyStar Front Loading washer and dryer and have not seen my water or electric bills go up significantly since starting to cloth diaper.  Considering the energy and water used to make and then dispose of disposable diapers I think cloth diapering still comes out on top environmentally.  Cost wise if you estimate 8 changes a day for 2 years = 5840 disposable diapers needed. If we say that the disposables cost $0.25 per diaper that comes out to $1460 spent on disposable diapers.  It's not an earth shattering cost difference, but you will produce less waste cloth diapering (so if you pay per bag you'll save even more!).  Anyway, keeping $400 in your pocket in today's economy isn't too shabby!

Eco-Friendly Friday

In case your not busy tomorrow, I have a nationwide event you might want to check into. On Saturday, October 3rd (in most areas) the American Solar Energy Society (ASES) is hosting the National Solar Tour. According to their website:

The ASES National Solar Tour is the world's largest grassroots solar event. This event offers you the opportunity to tour innovative green homes and buildings to see how you can use solar energy, energy efficiency, and other sustainable technologies to reduce monthly utility bills and help tackle climate change. More than 150,000 participants will visit some 5,000 buildings in 3,000 communities across the U.S.

I would love to have solar panels on my house and I am green with envy for those who do. There is some amazing technology out there that lasts longer and is cheaper than years past. I live in a perfect area for solar panels, unfortunately my pocketbook won't go for it. This tour is also highlighting energy saving tips (some of which I have mentioned before).

If you would like to drool over some green energy click here to find the tour near you.

Eco-Friendly Friday

As many of you know, cancer has become a more prevalent part of our lives. There are many factors leading to this; some natural, some not so natural. We need to be vigilant and mindful in our daily lives to the potential dangers around us. One danger that I have wrongly associated with only industrial exposure is asbestos. I have recently been introduced to the Mesothelioma and Asbestos Center website. Mesothelioma is the most publicized cancer (both benign and malignant) associated with asbestos exposure.

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that occurs as bundles of fibers. These fibers are mined for a variety of applications; studies estimate there are approximately 3,000 types of products that include asbestos (MAACenter).

Scanning electron micrograph of asbestiform amphibole from a former vermiculite mining site near Libby, Montana. Source: U.S. Geological Survey and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 8, Denver, Colorado (http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/asbestos/more_about_asbestos/asbestos_photos/)

I have known for many years that asbestos is dangerous and that care had to be taken when demolishing older structures. I thought, as I’m sure many of you do, that asbestos had been outright banned due to the dangers. This turns out to only be partially true (statement that follows is from MAACenter.)

Contrary to what many people believe, asbestos is not and has never been banned in the United States. In 1976, Congress passed a law to regulate toxic substances (known as the Toxic Substances Control Act) but a total ban was not suggested. In 1989, the Environmental Protection Agency finalized regulations to ban asbestos under the aforementioned act, but two years later, a New Orleans circuit court of appeal overturned the regulation. The result was that new uses of the dangerous mineral were banned but old ones remained.

Many other industrialized nations have banned asbestos including the European Union and a handful of other countries, such as Chile, Croatia, Australia, Argentina, and Saudi Arabia. Several countries, especially those who continue to make money from the mining of asbestos, consistently fight against asbestos bans.

A few current U.S. senators, with the assistance of asbestos watchdog groups, hope to encourage the government to reconsider a ban on all asbestos products. A new bill, called the "Ban Asbestos in America Act of 2007" (S.742), was introduced by Senator Patty Murray on March 1, 2007.

You can find a list of products that could potentially contain or have previously contained asbestos here. I have gone through and have listed the most surprising:

• Baby Powder (asbestos like fibers are found naturally along with Talc)


• Cork Board


• Duct Tape


• Fertilizer


• Vinyl Wallpaper


• Hair Dryers

If you are interested in learning more about asbestos or mesothelioma I would suggest you check out the following resources in addition to the MAACenter:
The American Cancer Society
Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry
Nation Institutes of Health MedlinePlus
EPA FAQ about Asbestos in Schools

Eco-Friendly Friday

We, in America (and I'm sure in some other countries as well), are a disposable nation. So, what are some ways for us to take advantage of the reduce part of the recycling triangle (and save money while we're at it)?

1. Use cloth napkins. Even just using one less napkin a day works out to saving one package of napkins from the landfill.


2. Use cloth hankies. I found a package very cheap at a discount store, great for those who have ever running noses (like little kids) or sneezing fits every so often. This could save at least a box of tissues (if not more!) from a landfill.


3. Use a dish cloth to wipe up spills around the house. I will admit that I don't do this yet, we had bought a giant bag of paper towels at the beginning of the year from one of those bulk item shopper clubs. I know when I do start this, I will save myself at least 3 rolls of paper towels a year (probably a lot more!)

I'll have more tips to come next week!

(Image courtesy of Partyhouses.co.uk)

Eco-Friendly Friday

For this installment of eco-friendly Friday I thought I would talk about water conservation. I live in an area that is prone to drought. Despite rainfall recently in the area, my yard has seen very little rain. According the the U.S. Drought Monitor, our area is under a moderate to severe drought. It really doesn't matter if you are under a drought condition or not, you should still conserve our most important resource: water.

There are many ways you can conserve water. I'm going to highlight some of the ways we conserve water at our house. We recently purchased a HE front load washer, which uses about 40% less water than the traditional top loading variety. I know that not everyone can afford to go out and buy a new washer (though the government will be implementing a rebate program for energy star products this fall - more info to come!) so I have other water saving recommendations.

We recently switched to a low-flow shower head in our shower. We have several stream options to choose from (one that is not water saving) that take advantage of small openings to increase the pressure. This is not a wimpy shower head! One other nice feature is the ability to "pause" the flow. This allows you to stop the flow while you soap up then return to the same temperature water while you rinse off.

Before we added a water filter to our kitchen sink, we also had a low-flow aerator on our kitchen sink. The water sprayed out harder than the traditional aerator, making it easier for us to rinse off food and soap.

We also have low-flow toilets installed in our home, but if you don't have one don't worry. You can install an adjustable flapper on most toilets to allow you to control the flow. We have ours set pretty low; it easily flushes down liquids, we just hold the lever a little longer to flush solids.

All of the fixes above (other than the new energy star washer) are quick, easy, and low cost improvements anyone can make to their home.

We also conserve some water by saving the water we run while waiting for the hot water to come into the sink. We collect this water into a large pot or bucket and then use it to water the lawn or plants around the house.

If you are interested in switching fixtures around your house out for water efficient models, look for "WaterSense" labelled products. These products meet efficiency standards set forth by the EPA (similar to EnergyStar for appliances). For more information on the WaterSense program or to find products, visit the EPA site here (or click the image above).

Eco-Friendly Friday

A couple of weeks ago I posted about the "Dirty Dozen," the top twelve fruits and vegetables found to have the largest amount of pesticide contamination. I referenced the term "Organic" in that post, which can actually mean a few things. The USDA created the "National Organic Program" which, according to their website is:

The National Organic Program (NOP) develops, implements, and administers national production, handling, and labeling standards for organic agricultural products. The NOP also accredits the certifying agents (foreign and domestic) who inspect organic production and handling operations to certify that they meet USDA standards.

I am going to highlight some of the information on their website as an overview of what the term "organic" means when it is on a product.

• "100% Organic" - contain only organically produced ingredients (except water and salt)
• "Organic" - must contain at least 95% organically produced ingredients, the other 5% must be non-agricultural or agriculturally that is not available as organic
• "Made with Organic Ingredients" - contain at least 70% organically produced material

Producers of organic material that have a gross income from organic sales is below $5000 are exempt from the certification process put in place by the USDA. Otherwise, you will see the certifying agents information in the information panel on the product. There are quite a few chemicals that are allowed under certain conditions that will still allow for an organic certification. If you are interested in that list please click here.

To me, the government seems pretty good at providing loopholes. I am, by no means, an expert in organic food or farming. I do what I can to keep my family healthy, happy, and with the least chemical exposure possible.

We are a family on a budget that tries to eat as much whole food as possible. That means that I shop mostly to the "outside" perimeter of the store. We buy a lot of fruits and vegetables, some meats, dry beans and pasta, bread, eggs and dairy. I don't shop exclusively in the organic section, it would take too much of our food budget. I have to be thrifty living on a single salary, so I shop the produce that is on sale, always trying to buy local produce when I can. I do clean all of my produce before consuming it under running water and discard the outer leaves of lettuce. I have made a spray bottle of "Veggie Cleaner" for next to the sink. It is just equal parts water and white vinegar. You spray it on, let it sit a minute, scrub (if a hard skinned fruit or vegetable) then rinse well under running water.

I do believe that it is more important to eat fresh fruits and vegetables than worry about pesticide contamination. Even the non-organic produce is monitored and there is a "safe" threshold it cannot exceed. So, eat your fruits and veggies - organic or not - and make sure they are washed!

Eco-Friendly Friday

As anyone who reads this blog regularly knows, I am a convert to the world of cloth diapers. I would even say that I am little cloth diaper crazy. If I had the funds available, I would probably own one of every type of cute cloth diaper out there. There are so many great benefits to cloth diapering: no chemicals next to babies sensitive skin, earlier potty training (reportedly, I don't have first hand experience with this yet), cute fluffy diaper butt, adjustable absorbency, no more poop-up-the-back incidents, and the list goes on.

My focus for today is the reduction in consumer waste. I am amazed by the amount of waste some families in my neighborhood produce. Once Logan came along and we were using the disposable diapers, our trash output increased to two full bags twice a week! I couldn't believe it. Now that we are almost completely disposable free (except for the occasional between washes) we are down to only one full bag every week to week and a half. I'm expecting that number to drop even lower once we start our composting bin, as most of our trash is hard vegetable scraps that our garbage disposal would choke on. What could be better? Saving money AND reducing consumer waste all in one fell swoop!

What do you do to reduce your consumer waste? Please share your tip(s) in the comments section!

Tainted Fruits and Veggies...Oh My!

This morning while watching Good Morning America, I saw a segment on fruits and vegetables contaminated with pesticides (To read the full article from GMA click here). I remember, years ago, a similar story being told as part of a segment on which produce you should buy organic. Most of the produce on the list requires a large amount of pesticide, a common problem when you mass farm and have no variety in your crop strain. Now, just because something is labelled "USDA certified Organic" does not mean that pesticide hasn't touched that produce. It simply means that no synthetic chemicals have been used. The farmers are still allowed to use "natural" (a subject I will broach in another post!) or biological agents as fertilizer and pest control measures. To make a long story short here are "The Dirty Dozen":

• Peaches
• Apples
• Bell Peppers
• Celery
• Cherries
• Nectarines
• Strawberries
• Kale
• Lettuce
• Imported Grapes
• Carrots
• Pears

What I noticed is that most of these items contain a large amount of water, which is probably why they are on the list. If the farm is sprayed with an insecticide it will get into the soil and the water supplying that crop, the crop will use the water and voila - insecticide laden produce.

The USDA itself has stated that certified organic produce has required tolerance levels much lower than standard produce (check out their statement here).

So, what it comes down to is this...do you believe that the "pesticides are safe" as has been stated or will you hedge your bets in the 100% Certified Organic corner to keep your family pesticide free (for the most part).

Eco-Friendly Friday

Do you love fresh produce? I don't think anything can compare to ripe fruits or vegetables that have just been harvested. The shorter the distance between the field and your table, the better that food will taste and more nutritious it will be. Great taste and nutrition are not the only advantages of having your food produced close to you. It is also a great way to be green! If you buy only local produce you will be supporting the local economy (and most likely a small, local farmer), reducing carbon dioxide pollution (no planes or trains required), and you may be introduced to something yummy and new that thrives in your local climate.

We have become accustomed to having staple items available throughout the year, but have you noticed that the strawberries you buy in January just don't taste right? I sure have! We need to move back to seasonal eating - and I admit that I don't even know when some of my favorite fruits and veggies are in season any more.

So what brought all this on, you may ask? Well, I have watching my local PBS station during lunch and they had a show about fresh produce suppliers to the New York City area in a program called Taste of New York. As part of it, they highlighted Roxbury CSA (community supported agriculture). This was a farm that sold shares to local residents and in return those shareholders received fresh produce during their growing season. This really struck a note with me, and I quickly googled "CSA." The very first listing that appeared was for Local Harvest. This site provides information farms, CSA's, and local Farmer Markets, and includes a search tool to help you find local food sources in your area. I have found a CSA about an hour drive from my house, with a drop location even closer. It is quite an initial investment so I'm not sure it is the best option for me at this time. I might try one of their Market Days first (farm is open with tours and other local farms coming in for a farmer's market of sorts.)

We will, eventually, have our own mini garden in the back yard to grow some of our favorite and most used produce. When we have the time (and money) to build the raised bed I will photo blog the progress. Hopefully we will get our compost bin started soon so we have healthy soil to plant in!

Do you know any other sites for finding local farms or farmer's markets? If so, please leave the link in the comments!

Eating Local and Other Business

My husband and I love eating locally grown food. In fact, my husband worked on a farm when he was in high school and loved the experience (though not the early mornings!) When ever we are at the grocery store we look for local produce to purchase. Food just tastes better when it is freshly harvested and doesn't have to travel across the country in a hot truck.

Recently a Farmer's Market opened just outside our neighborhood. It is a small operation that has local produce supplemented with non-local offerings. They have started offering a co-op where you pay $20 in advance and get to choose 10 items from a list of offered fruits and veggies(organic items are in addition and cost extra). This last week I ordered my first co-op share and have received it today - the photo above is the produce I received. I am trying to decide between this co-op and a local C.S.A. (certified organic and specializes in heirloom varieties). The C.S.A. works out to be closer to $30 per week but is all local and all organic. It's a tough decision for me now that we are on a constrained budget.

I am hoping that buying local produce will force me to eat seasonally as well as learn about new fruits and vegetables that you do not normally find in the grocery store.

In other news: I think I have found the winner of the diaper wars...quest for the perfect diaper for Logan. The award goes to (at this point in time anyway!)..................................

Wonder Wraps One Size Diaper Cover (shown in Vanilla)

Yes, it's a little extra work but I can customize the absorbency depending on the time of day. We used this diaper cover overnight last night over the Kissaluv's fitted with the Knicker Nappies Stay-Dry Hemp Doubler....No Leaks!!!!! I've used it with regular pre-folds and can even just swap them out as the cover doesn't absorb any of the pee. I had all but given up on pre-folds as every cover I had leaked until this one. Best part is that I can use the bazillion pre-folds I have around the house (we had used them for burp cloths) and the covers a relatively cheap at ~$15 per cover. Oh, and did I mention that they fit under his clothes? No fluffy diaper butt!

And not to leave out Big Brother.....

Aidan rocking out, singing the ABC's

Don't forget to check back tomorrow for my post about C.S.A.'s on my Eco-Friendly Friday feature!

Eco-friendly Baby Shower

I found this post on throwing an Eco-friendly Baby Shower you might be interested in. I think it's a great idea for not only baby showers, but other parties and gatherings. I personally have china sets and silverware I received as wedding gifts that have only come out of the cabinet 3 times in the last 5 years! There are so many ways to be kind to our earth if we just step back, look at what we already have around the house, and think a little outside the box.

How Big is Your Environmental Footprint?

With the announcement yesterday that Walmart will be working on a sustainability index in order to label all its products with a green rating is certainly intriguing. I love the idea of being able to pick up any product and see how much energy was put into producing it or how much waste was generated. I have never been a big fan of Walmart due to some human rights issues (violating the right to freedom of association) and other practices, but having Walmart "Go Green" might change my mind about the retail giant.
It seems that they are still in the idea formulation stage of this process from the information that has been released. It appears they will have a survey of questions for their retailers and no clear index system created yet. What I hope will come out of this process is not just the executives of the companies putting in trash numbers to make their product look green, but actually have some oversight in the system to verify the true environmental impact. It might be a good place for some environmental watchdog groups to focus their collective energy.
This could prove to be a revolutionary step in the retail world and manufacturing. I would be willing to bet it would cause a few manufacturing company's to re-evaluate their materials acquisition and packaging to reduce waste, reduce energy, and increase sustainability. I would love to walk into a store and see products packaged in recycled cardboard with recycled paper tags, only using recycled plastic. Better yet, why don't we go back to little to no packaging at all...just a tag with the product name, price and UPC. What I would love even more would be one of these giant nationwide stores to get rid of the plastic bags! Insist that customers bring reusable shopping bags or offer them boxes the canned goods, etc have come in (think warehouse club style.) The reusable shopping bags are far superior in strength and volume anyway. I can fit a normal grocery run, for a family of four, with a weeks worth of groceries into 4-5 reusable bags (bags cost around $1) where if plastic were used it would be packed in at least double the amount of bags.

So here are my questions to you:

1. Would you choose to shop at a store that offered a "Green Index" (Walmart or other) over one that did not?
2. Would you pay more for items that had a lower environmental impact due to increased costs for reclaiming or recycling products used in production? (Example - reclaiming metal from alkaline batteries which is cost prohibitive now, but a major contaminator of the environment.)

Any other comments, as always, are welcome :)