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Friday, February 13, 2009

Shades of green.....

Contrary to popular belief, going "green" is no new movement. When I was in elementary school,we learned about the greenhouse effect and spent countless girl scout meetings making canvas grocery bags. We learned about pollution and acid rain, and I don't know a kid who didn't plant a tree at some point. Ironically enough, Earth Day was a bigger deal then than it is now, the supposed age of environmental revolution.
I am not a bandwagon type and am definitely not a dark greenie, but recently I have been trying to do more for the environment. I like to think of myself as a nice bright shade of lime.With a new baby in the house, I am much more aware of what I'm using to clean our house and cook our meals. I have used Seventh Generation products for years because of allergies and love organic produce, it just tastes better and using seasonal produce makes our meals fresh and healthy. I have made an effort to be healthier since I got pregnant, and am feeling the positive effects of doing so.
Recently, I switched Emma from regular disposable diapers to gDiapers. They are a hybrid of cloth and disposable, with a cloth shell, nylon liner and flushable absorbent insert. When I need to change her, I can switch out the flushable liner, which can also be thrown away or composted because it's completely biodegradable. I also made some cloth inserts to keep my costs down. With the rising price of disposable diapers (Huggies and Pampers are reducing the amount of diapers per box, as well as raising prices) this seems to be the best way to go for my family both financially and for Emma's health. She is very comfortable in her gDiapers and has no diaper rash, a definite plus. I love the gDiapers, they so cool and definitely live up to the hype.
On my quest to be more green, I have been trying to come up with ways to make my new house more green. Here are a few things I've come up with:
-Using used furniture for Emma's room. I bought a dresser and glider/ottoman off of Craigslist for $50!! Not only was it an awesome deal, they won't be sitting in a landfill somewhere. The dresser isn't "green" materials persay. but it's a few years old and the fumes given off by the glue have dispersed by now. I will be getting a new dresser when we can afford one and I'll pass this one on to another family who needs it.
-WallCandy Peel and Stick wall decals are reusable, so they'll travel from house to house and save materials, not to mention saving me from using paint the can release chemical fumes into the air.
-I was also given organic and bamboo onesies, which are actually really soft and keep their shape well! I also pick up organic sheet for her crib and our bed when they're on sale.
Unfortunately, trying to be green is like being excluded from a ritzy night club. Only the poeple with status and cash seem to get in. I have become an expert at finding green bargains online, as well as buying used furniture and baby clothes! I am doing little things here and there that are working to keep my family healthy and save money. I am going to keep trying to do more for my fmaily and the environment and stick to my nice shade of lime.

Links:
www.gdiapers.com
www.babycheapskate.com
www.greenbabybargains.com
www.wallcandyarts.com
www.craigslist.com

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