Go Big Green!

Lately, I’ve been doing my best to attempt to create a green household like so many others. It’s not an easy thing, but it isn’t something completely out of reach either. As I sit here staring at all of Westley’s toys made in who-knows-where, and think about all the disposable diapers we use on a daily basis that will be in the landfills for literally centuries, I wonder why I don’t try harder. Is it laziness? Is it cost? Yes, on both counts, to a point. It certainly is more cost related then laziness related. That’s one thing I wish there were more help with, the creation/implementation of green/eco-friendly products that are more budget friendly. Granted, some of the ways we "go green" are more cost effective, but when it comes to kid stuff, it’s tough. We’d love to use cloth diapers, but since we don’t have and washer/dryer nor the space to hang-dry clean diapers, it’s not feasible at the present time.

Next time around, things will be done a little differently, hopefully, since we plan to be in a better position financially and more able to accommodate a more healthy environmental lifestyle. We’ll be using cloth diapers, glass baby bottles if we bottle feed again, and more wood and organic toys, organic clothing and bedding, and locally grown/organic foods (making more of my own baby foods, etc.). I don’t know that it will necessarily be a "better" start for the next baby we have, but it will be different and better for all of us in the long run. Even while it’s just the three of us we’ll be doing our best to make safer, healthier choices for ourselves and the world around us. in my opinion, we can leave our children with nothing more important than strong values, skills to make good decisions, and compassion for life in every form.

The biggest plans we have are to build a green home when we can afford to have a house built someday (Solar panels, sustainable roof, all energy efficient appliances, growing our own vegetables, planting fruit trees, composting, etc.) and when we get a new car (hopefully in the next 6 months- 1 year) it will be a hybrid.

Here are somethings we’re already doing that are within everyone’s budget, and some even help us save money, which is always a huge bonus.

-Use canvas grocery bags (No plastic bags in months!) (Many cities have banned the use of plastic bags, as well as Styrofoam and non-recyclable containers, opting instead to use papers, corn/soy based take-out containers and selling canvas/nylon bags for grocery stores, even some department stores)
-Recycle everything we can
-Use energy efficient light-bulbs
-Use plastic reusable containers for lunches and snacks instead of throw away baggies
-Use eco-friendly "Method" brand cleaning products (really good products, available at Target, and there are many brands now going green for more choices in purchasing) and dye/fragrance free, eco-friendly laundry products and cosmetic/personal care products
-Use post-consumer recycled material products when possible
-We don’t drive much (Great considering gas cost right now!)
-Avoid eating at restaurants that utilize Styrofoam containers.
-purchase less individually wrapped food product to lessen our trash output (though lately I’ve become a bit lax with this one :(
-Turn water off while brushing teeth
-Only run dishwasher if it's full, same with washer/dryer use
-Take shorter showers. Mine are about 7 minutes on average and I feel like that's a little on the long side.

While I know we do more than some, and much less than others, I can't help but feel a tinge of guilt anytime I opt to purchase a plastic bottle of water even knowing I'll recycle it after it's empty. The disposable diapers are what really give me the guilt of religious proportions. If only it were possible to potty train a 1 year old...

(Amended to say that according to some new sources, it is possible, and apparently it isn't uncommon to potty train an infant. Most Americans potty train later than most other cultures, starting at around age 2 in the US versus no later than age 6 months in many other countries! From the small bit of reading I've done on the subject, the "infant potty training" wouldn't work for us and our family schedules, and I have to agree with most of the experts, and say we'll wait until he's a little older.)