I can’t believe I’m about to write a post on how to go green in a home you own. Because the truth is, I don’t feel like our family follows many of the rules…at least not the ones that require major investments of time or mullah. Frankly, at the moment, we’re short on both of those commodities. However, there are some really easy things that us homeowners can do that renters kind of lose out on.

1. Use organic fertilizers. This is a great one. I don’t have experience with this brand of fertilizer, but it’s made of fish emulsion (a nice word for poop), but it has been deodorized so that it can be used anywhere. Our dog rolled in a bunch of the fully odored stuff last summer. It takes several washes to remove the stench, so odorless is definitely the way to go.

2. Install a lower flow shower head. You don’t have to choose between water pressure and the environment anymore. It’s possible to conserve water, and still have a nice shower. And with these options from $5-$60 at Low Impact Living, it’s easy to fit any budget.

3. Use eco-friendly paints. Green Living Ideas has compiled a guide to environmentally friendly paint options, and it really is worth a look. They say that pollution is actually higher inside of our homes than outside (even in smoggy places like L.A.), and toxic paint is a big cause of that.

4. Send the gas powered tools packing. At least here in the heartland, there are no emissions standards for lawn mowers, weed whackers, etc. And that means that around here, they are huge polluters. I know for a fact that midwesterners pride themselves on a well kept lawn, and we don’t have to give it up just because our mowers are pollution machines. There are some great electric options out there (like this and this), and if you can’t seem to spring for a new electric weed whacker, they are a great item to look for at a garage sale (my folks bought one last summer for two bucks, and it works great).

As for our family, we’re still working on the going green thing in our new home. I’d like to put up a clothesline, find a second hand electric weed whacker, and finish installing our CFL’s as the light bulbs continue to burn out, but all in all, we’re doing alright with it.

Any tips for going green in a home you own?

I recently got a comment from a reader that implied that I’m a pretty hardcore greenie…Well, I have a confession to make. I’m hardcore sometimes, and about some things, but I am definitely not Mother Earth incarnate.

I wrote a post a while back that was a bit of a rant, and while I still stand by it, I don’t think I expressed myself to the best of my abilities. I’m a little disillusioned by the whole “green movement”, because I think that some manufacturers are tweaking their products a little in order to be able to sell “green products” and get a spike in sales. As people who buy those products, I think we all have a responsibility to weigh our options and make the best decision for ourselves, our families, and our planet.  I wasn’t trying to bash people for buying green products, but just to raise awareness, that buying something new isn’t necessarily the best option for the planet…And hopefully that can help us all think outside the box.

I think I came off a little preachy and had you all thinking that I fashion my own shoes out of rubber from our tires after they wear out.
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Although I’ve talked about the huge differences that there are between my husband and I, something that we do actually agree upon is buying toys that are made from sustainable products for our daughter. I don’t think that I can decide which aspect I like better, finding things that I don’t care if our daughter sucks on all day long, or that don’t leave a mess behind on the planet. Either way, I guess I don’t have to choose, because for the most part, both qualifications go hand in hand.

I thought I would share a few things that I wouldn’t want to go without.

Safe Sippy

Likes: I love this thing. It’s a stainless steel sippy cup with a really good valve to keep it from leaking (a complete must for our gymnast/drummer tot). We bought this cup because it’s a BPA free product, and I also liked that it had limited plastic in it (my husband thinks I’m a fanatic because of my dislike of plastics). Another plus is that it has a nice sleeve around the outside which helps keep beverages cold.

Dislikes: We had to buy a scrub brush that was long enough to fit down inside the cup, because the cup mouth is too narrow for hand washing, but if you have a dishwasher this doesn’t apply, since it’s completely dishwasher safe (but it does mean that I’m totally jealous). And depending on your child, the weight of the cup could be a problem. When it’s full of liquid it seems like it’s heavy enough to put a major dent in something if chucked. We haven’t had any denting incidents, but have had a few loud bangs on the dining room floor.

For other BPA free products, check out this Work it, Mom! Slideshow.

I’ve mentioned before that we are cloth diaper users, and I’m really looking forward to doubling our savings by using our diapers again for the second kiddo. However, I don’t think I mentioned much about what we actually use. The answer is, a little bit of everything, but these are our favorites.

Thirsties All-in-One Pocket Diapers

Likes: Our tot has extraordinarily chunky legs (which my mother tells me she gets from my toddler days), and these diapers fit the best out of all of the diapering options that we’ve tried on her. These are actually a hybrid between an all in one diaper and a pocket diaper. They can be stuffed extra full for night time or have just a thin layer to go under her more snug clothing. Plus they are about the same price as all of the other pocket diapers, so cost really isn’t an issue.

Dislikes: Unless you stuff them with a little something extra, they will leak if the kiddo isn’t changed promptly after major wetting.

Plan Toys
Likes: This is our favorite green toy company. Pretty much all of the toys are made with sustainable rubber wood, and they are so darn cute.  We have tons of these around, and I have to say that I never get tired of hearing the wood clink together. Plus I love how every toy comes with an explanation of what skills it helps children acquire. I also think that they are a great price, especially when compared to some other green toys.

Dislikes: I honestly can’t think of one critique.

For more green toy options, check out this slideshow.

So there you have it, if you were wondering what some of my favorite eco-friendly baby/tot stuff was, wonder no more.

Do you have any picks of your own?

We’re well on our way in our search for a “new to us” home, and one thing is becoming rather apparent. Since we’re looking mostly at foreclosures, or properties somewhere along in that process, we are going to need new appliances (oof). We already own our own washer and dryer, but everything else we’re going to have to buy. So, I’ve been doing a little preliminary research on the topic.

Did you know that there is actually a website out there (greener choices) that will calculate the energy consumption of two new refrigerator models and compare them for you? It’s amazing. You can then find out how much you can save in energy and how much each model costs over their lifetimes. I’m in awe.
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Please bear with me while I go on a little rant. I’m definitely down with this whole eco-friendly jive that everyone has going on.  It makes a lot of sense to me to design household cleaners and products, that you use up, to be eco-friendly. Hey, if people are going to use them, why not make them sustainable for the environment?

The problem is, I wonder how sustainable some of this stuff really is. If you’re buying some type of eco-friendly face cleanser and it still comes in a one-time-use bottle and it gets shipped all over creation, how environmentally friendly is it, really?  I see the logic in making products better, but it seems that the problem is the entire system of how we buy goods, not just the goods themselves.
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I get some weird looks when people find out that we cloth diaper.  Sometimes they are looks of admiration, and sometimes the looks say things like…Why would you ever want to do that?! I do it for a quite a few reasons: the cost has been so much less over time, cloth diapers create less waste, and are better for the environment, and (as I later found out) our daughter has sensitive skin, and tends to break out when we use disposables.

I’m pretty unconventional even for a cloth diaper user. In the beginning I used solely the old kind of cloth diapers. You know, the kind that our moms used on us with pins and vinyl pants. We’ve now upgraded and use about half and half between those old ones and pocket cloth diapers.  We do two loads of diapers a week (I swear that’s it). There’s no soaking or bleaching or boiling. Solids go in the toilet, and the really messy ones get rinsed in the tub (some people buy those sprayers that attach to the toilet, but we haven’t sprung for one).

I’m not sure about this, but it seems like all the choices about cloth diapers scare people away. If I had one piece of advice, it’s to just try out a couple of styles if you’re interested. Vendors want to tell you that there are huge differences when it comes to brand and style, but when it comes down to it, changing a diaper is changing a diaper. The method you use becomes natural, so don’t be scared off because you don’t know much about cloth. Here are the basics.

Cloth diapers with covers:

These are what most people think of when they think about cloth diapers. This can mean those flat diapers that our moms used on us fastened with pins, or these new contraptions called snappys that are now on the market.  However, there are now covers made that are more fitted like a disposable diaper and don’t require using fasteners to hold the diaper on. The diaper is folded up inside the cover and then the cover is fastened to the baby using velcro or snaps…etc.

Pocket diapers:

These diapers are most popular right now. These diapers have a pocket cover and an insert. They are convenient, because the diapers can be stuffed with their inserts right after being laundered, and when it comes time to change the baby they are put on much like a disposable diaper would be. Some brands of pocket diapers include Bum Genius, and Fuzzi Bunz. One drawback of pocket diapers is that the pocket covers do need to be washed after every use unlike with more traditional cover and diaper systems.

All-in-Ones:

These diapers are exactly what they sound like. They are all put together and go on just like disposables. They’re easy to use, but you pay more for the convenience.

Flushables:

Gaining in popularity are some reusable covers that use flushable inserts, like gDiapers.  Many people like these types of diapers since they require less laundering than traditional cloth diapers, yet don’t produce nearly the amount of waste as disposables.

My favorite cloth diaper website is Green Mountain Diapers. They have awesome tutorials about all kinds of cloth diapers and covers. Plus pretty much everything they sell they show on a baby, which always makes me drool. If cost is an issue, I would choose the cheapest style that you can find. If not, I would choose the easiest style. My advice is to remember not to get bogged down in details.

Also, if you’re interested in using cloth, but your daycare situation won’t cooperate with that idea, remember that it’s okay to do cloth part time. You’ll still save money, and every disposable you save from going to the land fill is a wonderful thing.

Okay, I admit it. I’m scrambling these last few days before Christmas.  I swear they made December shorter this year or something. We went out to do the very last of our shopping today, and the sheer throngs of people made me want to curl up and hide in the cart. Our last stop today was Target, and as we stood 300th in line, I started thinking about all of the other things that are left on the to do list before we leave town on Wednesday.

It’s all mostly baking and packing, oh yeah and that mountain of laundry. As my mind wandered more, I started thinking about my carbon footprint (as I often do), and thought that there must be some ways to offset the inordinate amount of driving that we’ll be doing, plus the amount of diapers and wipes we’ll be throwing away (we normally use cloth). So I’ve been searching all over the internet for ways to make the holidays more green, and what I’m coming up with is that being eco-friendly is not for procrastinators like me.

Since there’s no way that I’m giving up that easily, I consulted my own earth-friendly library and came up with a few suggestions.

If you’re like me and wanted to know a some little things that can help green your holiday without too much advance prep, here are a few that I was able to dig up.

1) Rather than disposable wrapping, give gifts in reusable bags like chico bags , or the sturdy canvas ones that are sold at most stores these days.

2) If you’re hosting the holidays this year (or bringing something along), consider replacing one of the meat dishes with something vegetarian.  Even cutting down a little on meat saves a lot of CO2 from entering the atmosphere.

3) Pack as light as possible, if you are traveling, and pack the inside of the car first and the trunk last. Putting a lot of weight in the trunk creates extra drag (i.e. less fuel efficiency).

4) Not to completely contradict packing light, but if you’re travelling, bring your own toiletries rather than using the hotel’s…It saves a LOT of plastic waste.

5) Along with turning your thermostat down, close your shades or curtains before leaving home to help insulate, and cut down on heating costs and that pesky carbon stuff.

Hopefully next year I’ll be a little more prepared ahead of time.

Happy Holidays Everyone!

Do you have any last minute tips for going green?

Re-gifting:  The act of taking a gift that has been received and giving it to somebody else, sometimes in the guise of a new gift. (Definition adapted from Wikipedia)

As per MaryP’s request, and Nataly’s second, today I’m considering re-gifting. It was considered the pinnacle of gift giving disasters back in the days of Seinfeld, but as of now it’s supposedly pretty much okay. BUT, as with many things, there are a couple of schools of thought on the whole issue.

First, there are those who are driven by etiquette. These people say, “well, it’s okay if and only if certain precautions are taken”. These precautions come in quite a range. Here are a few of my favorites:

1) Make sure that the gift is still in its original packaging and isn’t dusty or dilapidated in any way.

2) Either own up to the fact that it is a re-gift or vow to NEVER tell a soul AND make sure that the original gifter and the new giftee are at least 3 relationship degrees removed from each other.

3) Make sure that the gift has never been used. Unless it’s a book, in which case it’s okay to pass it along as long as you (a) make sure it’s not tattered and (b) write a sweet note in it.

4) Never re-gift certain items (i.e. things from stores that no longer exist, obscure software, obsolete electronics, or anything that someone might recognize from your house.)

5) Only re-gift something that you think the other person would actually LIKE. This one is a part of both re-gifting schools of thought, so it must be like written somewhere.

The other school of thought focuses on how wonderfully green it is to re-gift. Which mostly means that they focus on how to break the etiquette rules. Here are my favorites from the greenie rebels.

1) Packaging schmackaging! It’s so wasteful anyway, and gifts aren’t about appearances.

2) If they recognize that it’s a re-gift, tell them how much you thought about them when you looked at the item (ignore the fact that you’re giving away something that reminded you of them, and that the item made you want to hurl).

3) Since giving a used gift is off limits, combining two used gifts together as a craft project = one new gift (example: grandma’s old reindeer sweater + your old fat jeans = new reindeer pants + plus bonus points for style).

4) Have a sense of humor. Re-gift anything that you want, but if it is a joke make that apparent. (i.e. don’t use a regift as an excuse to give away old socks, unless there is some sort of inside joke about those particular socks.)

5) Make sure that a re-gift is something that the other person will actually keep and use. If not, it might just end up in a landfill anyway, and no one needs to tell you that that isn’t green.

Okay, so I got a little extra tongue in cheek with the greenie rules, but I do actually think that they apply…mostly. In my humble opinion, the appropriateness re-gifting is completely dependent on the particular gifter and the giftee.  If you think that the other person would appreciate a re-gift, then why not?

If you’re interested on some more serious lists/suggestions on re-gifting, check out these ones:

The Greenest Dollar: Regifting for Christmas

Uncommon Sense: 12 Rules for ‘Regifting’ Without Fear

Regiftable.com: Regifting 101

Do you think regifting is a tacky faux pas or creative recycling?