Woah; Diaper Smackdown!

Five years ago if you asked me what type of diaper I would be using on my first child I would have given you a very confused look and said something like “Huh???”. Once we started trying to have a baby and I noticed that one by one all of my friends were swaying away from disposable diapers; I started doing a little research. (especially since five years later we're still trying.. so I've had plenty of time for research.)


Info from Guest Blogger Tiffany

"Nowadays many parents recognize that this question is not so easy anymore. In addition to the variety at the grocery store… Pampers, Huggies, White Cloud… we also have some others to consider. Disposable diapers with fewer chemicals, flushable diapers, and dozens upon dozens of options in cloth diapers abound.

But which is the greenest, healthiest diapering option? I decided to compare them all and see which diapers came out on top.

#6 The Biggest Loser- Disposable Diapers – Scientific studies keep being released that seem to favor disposable diapers in the disposable versus cloth debate, but even I can see the multitude of flaws in their work. It is frustrating as a cloth diaper user to see their generalizations about how much water, soap, or energy we use to launder cloth diapers when it is all so variable. Disposables are the REAL dirty birdy.

Even in the very beginning, disposable diapers are produced in large factories that spew noxious chemicals into the air and nearby waterways. One factory can be unloading as much as 50 million gallons of waste water a day. There is one in a US town I researched a few years ago, that has caused mutations in fish and an awful stench. If the chemicals being used to make your babies diapers can cause genetic mutation in fish should your baby be spending 3 years wearing them? Off gassing from these diapers has already been shown to contribute to respiratory problems like asthma in laboratory animals.

But the story does not end there. How many trees are hazed to make the paper pulp? Huge amounts of energy go into diaper production and then into packaging (wasteful), and then into transportation around the world via truck, plane, and cargo ship. When the diapers reach their respective stores, consumers spend their hard earned money on something that will last a few hours and then be thrown into the garbage. More energy is used to buy and then dispose of diapers and then they will sit, entombed in a landfill for many generations to come. Are you at ease knowing that your baby’s diapers will be around when your great-great-great-great grandchild is born? Yes, disposable diapers are the biggest loser.

#5 Greener disposables – These are a significant improvement over disposables but yet they are still disposable and kind of antithetical to green and sustainable but they are made better and they have fewer harmful chemicals. Seventh Generation, Tushies, and Nature Babycare are some options in this category. These diapers usually have no chlorine bleach in them from bleaching the diaper pulp. The latter two also have no chemical gels that absorb moisture. Nature Babycare diapers would be my top pick in this category.

#4 Diaper Service Cloth Diapers – These are almost tied with the greener disposables. They rank slightly better because they are reusable. They are not without drawbacks though. Diapers services typically wash diapers on HOT several times, using thousands of gallons of water. They also use a lot of chlorine bleach to sterilize and bleach out stains. All of that bleach is not good for our waterways and not good for baby. That said, I have met some small time  diaper service owners who do not use bleach and watch their water usage closely. You will have to call around and ask.

#3 Flushable Diapers – These diapers from gDiapers are a hybrid. They have a disposable inner shell that fits inside a cloth cover. The inner shell though can be dissolved in water and flushed and not thrown into the garbage. The company insists that plumbing and septic tanks can be spared any trouble by doing the flushing procedure correctly. Water treatment facilities are also supposed to be equipped to handle flushing diapers.

gDiapers fans have come out in droves to say that flushable diapers are better than cloth since washing requires so much water but do not be fooled. Many gDiapers users I have talked to indicate that MOST times it takes 2 flushes to flush a gDiaper. The average toilet uses 3.4 gallons of water per flush. If you flush eight diapers that would be almost 55 gallons of water used everyday to flush the toilet. And then you still need to wash the covers. You could do a full load of cloth diapers (12-18ish diapers) using only 40 gallons of water and .3 cents of electricity. It would be even less than that if you have a specialized energy efficient machine. Drying would require more energy but line drying indoors or out is an energy free option.gDiapers are a good option but not as good as the next contender.

#2 Cloth Diapers – These diapers do require energy to make since the material has to be processed. Cotton is often grown with harmful pesticides so that is a potential “cost” to the environment. Energy is also used to launder them although there are so many variables in how you wash diaper laundry that it is hard to come up with hard data, which is why you cannot trust the disposable diaper slanted studies we see. How you you wash, how much, type of washer used, type of soap used, machine drying, line drying, etc, will impact how green your diaper is.

Not all cloth diapers are created equal either. You can avoid supporting pesticide use by buying organic cotton diapers. You can try to avoid synthetic materials. Synthetic materials would be acrylic wool, polyester, most fleeces, and laminates. A large number of cloth diapers use non organic, synthetic materials. Diapers likebumGenius and Fuzzi Bunz would generally fall into that category. This makes them better than most options but not as good as plain old cloth in its simplest form.

If you want the greenest cloth diapers you need to look for organic cotton, hemp, or bamboo. Bamboo though has its own issues I don’t have time to get into here but it requires lots of extra processing. I recommend cotton or hemp before bamboo. For diaper covers the best option is 100% natural wool. There are MANY gorgeous wool diaper covers, soakers, and longies available. You can see some of the longies (right) I got for youngest son’s newborn stash below.

Vegans may have issues with wool but you can buy wool from small family farms that do not mistreat their animals, it is just more expensive. Other than wool I cannot think of another naturally waterproof diaper cover solution.

Natural fibers may be greener but the synthetic fibers are more convenient (waterproof, wicking) and they are less costly. Either is pretty darn green though since they are reusable for one or more children for MANY years. You cannot even compare that to a wear once, throw away, disposable diaper.

#1  Diaper Free – The greenest option is to use elimination communication (EC). It is generally believed that infants have no control over the muscles used in elimination functions. The truth is that a newborn baby does have control over those muscles. Whether baby pees or poops in a diaper or in a container, the baby often does so consciously and deliberately. An observant and in tune parent can work with her baby on the timing and location of those elimination functions. The result is another way to bond with baby and the use of a few less diapers. Tons of parents swear by EC and there are several books written about it including: The Diaper-Free Baby: The Natural Toilet Training Alternative and Diaper-Free Before 3: The Healthier Way to Toilet Train and Help Your Child Out of Diapers Sooner."

Ohh goodness; yes, I'm excited over a water bottle..

The Contigo AUTOSEAL Kangaroo Water Bottle with Storage Compartment. BPA Free!!

I just joined a gym recently and faced the common conundrum of what to do with the small stuff that I want to keep on hand while I exercise… like my gym card and the key for the lock I put on my locker. Also when I go hiking, do I leave my purse in the car or do I just put the bare minimum in my pocket… ID, cash, debit card, key, etc?

I have to tell ya I am seriously  in love with this bottle and can’t wait to get my hands on it. I am always worried stuff in my pockets will be lost on hikes. This may be the perfect solution. Comes in several pretty colors but I am partial to this turquoise one.

Aromatherapy: Natural Air Fresheners

1. A Homemade Water Diffuser and Room Freshener. Add six to eight drops of your favorite essential oil to a bowl of very hot water. You can then place the bowl on any table or counter where you need it. Another trick is to add the drops to a pan of boiling water or even to your shower. Choose your essential oils based on your mood or need. For example, if you want relaxation, lavender or neroli scents are ideal. If you’re looking to get rid of germs, try the antiseptic qualities of tea tree or juniper berry.

2. Room Deodorizer. Add a few drops of essential oils to water in a spray bottle and keep it handy in rooms that often need freshening, like the bathroom or kitchen. You can also spray freshen linens with lavender spray to help you relax or spray them with ylang ylang to make the mood more sensual.

3. A Closet Freshener. Add a few drops of essential oils to some pieces of cotton or wool cloth and place in drawers or on closet shelves, a little goes a long way. A cloth hankie is perfect for this. Lavender, cedar or sandalwood are nice choices.

4. Heat Diffuser. You can make use of your heating vent by placing a few drops of essential oils on a cotton ball or wool ball and place inside a heating vent or just in front of it. When your furnace kicks on the blower will help spread the scent throughout your home. You can get the same results putting a saucer of water and oils on top of your radiator. This is an easy way to use heat for disbursement without investing in aromatherapy gadgets or special diffusers.

5. Sinus Remedy. If you’re ill or struggling with congestion you can make your own steam inhalation remedy. Place eucalyptus oil, ginger oil, or tea tree oil in hot water. Put a towel over your head and lean over the water to trap the steam and breathe deeply.

6. Refrigerator Deodorizer. Place several drops of orange, mint or lemon oil in a bucket of warm water. With a clean sponge, use the water to clean out your refrigerator.

7. Counter Cleaner. Add lemon, thyme, or eucalyptus oil to equal parts distilled white vinegar and water. Use it to clean your kitchen and bathroom surfaces as you normally would.

8. Light bulb room freshener. Place a drop of your favorite oil on your light bulbs but make sure to do this when the bulbs are cold. When the bulb heats up after you turn it on, it will heat the oil and fill the room with scent. For increased energy and invigoration use grapefruit, peppermint, lemon, or black pepper.

9. Furniture polish. Add four to six drops of lemon essential oil to half a cup of olive oil. With a clean dry rag, use the oil to polish wood furniture.

10. Make aromatherapy compresses. A ginger infused compress can help with sore muscles or the onset of a cold. A chamomile compress works well on sunburns, rashes, sprains, and menstrual cramps.

Essential oils fill your home with fresh and natural scents and the healing powers of the plants they are sourced from. You can be sure you’re providing your loved ones with a safe environment free from harmful chemicals when you use aromatherapy oils to clean and deodorize your home, freshen it up, or comfort life’s bumps and bruises.

Gardening: For the Kiddos

What better way to promote healthy eating habits for kids than to provide a complete understand of where food comes from! Childhood is a time of curiosity, exploration, and adventure. A garden of is one of those great mysteries of life that can bring wonderment and joy to our kids and it is such an educational experience for them. Not only are they able to have a hand in bringing forth new life, kids benefit from being involved in an outdoor activity that enhances their health and their appreciation for the natural environment and how we need to cultivate it. Here are a few things I found online that will aid in making gardening fun for your kids. 

Read Gardening Books - There are many children’s books on the market that incorporate gardening and child gardeners. What better way to get kids excited than for them to hear about other children and their grand gardening adventures.

The Curious Gardener. It is about a little boy living an industrialized city who finds a small tree growing near some abandoned train tracks. From that humble starting place he creates a grand garden that motivates the entire city to jump on the gardening bandwagon.

Earth Tales gives children a global perspective as it shows many cultures come together with the goal of caring for their local environment and growing food. It also has several crafts for kids, like making a corn husk dolly.

Sunflower Houses – LOVE this book!! Way too cute! You can use sunflowers to create a playhouse. Once the sunflowers grow to almost full height you take string and tie the tops together to form a “roof” then morning glories can be grown up the sunflowers until they reach the string and fill in the roof. The whole concept is outlined in this amazing book. Another winner is Roots, Shoots, Buckets, and Boots.

Apple Pip Princess – The story is about a sad King whose land and heart have been barren ever since the death of his beloved wife. Concerned about the future of his kingdom he challenges his three daughters to do something important to make their mark and after 7 days the King will see what they have accomplished and decide who the next ruler will be. The youngest daughter decides to use a magical Apple Pip seed from her mother as the basis of her plan.

Plan a Children’s Garden

Make a rainbow! Have the kids help you pick out flowers or herbs in the 6 different rainbow colors… red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple. Plant them in curving rows with gravel, pavers, river rocks between each row. When they bloom you will have a rainbow!

Grow a functional very fun, Pizza Patch. Carve out a circular section for this one and divide it into sections or slices. In each section grow a different pizza ingredient like tomatoes, garlic, onions, oregano, basil, rosemary, etc. When harvest time comes go out together and gather your ingredients and make pizza from scratch together.

Build a garden tee-pee. This is similar to the sunflower house in concept. You put wooden poles in the ground and angle them to form a tee-pee, tying them together at the top. Make sure it is big enough for kids to pay inside. Then plant vines like morning glories, beans, or gourds so that the walls will fill in with vegetation. Guide the vines at first to make sure that an entrance is left open for little bodies to crawl through.

Create a fairy garden. This can be done indoors or out. For the outdoors, use twigs and sticks that have fallen from nearby trees to make fairy houses and furniture. Use tempera paints to give them color and texture. You can even use hollow nuts to make little boats and beds for them. For the indoors you can make a moss garden in a wide mouth pot or tray and if your kids have fairy dolls or gnomes this can be their new home. There are even complete kits that you can buy to make these easy.

Garden Equipment for Kids

Children love to have their own tools. It really makes them feel like an important member of the family gardening team. There are plenty of children’s tools on the market, like this ToySmith Garden Tote with Tools. You can also scope out thrift stores, and yard sales to find regular tools and then personalize them with a fresh coat of paint in your child’s favorite color.

Play a Game

There are some board games on the market that have a garden/farming theme. Playing these on winter or rainy days will be educational and motivating.

Wildcraft – An herbal adventure games that helps the family to identify herbs and pinpoint their medicinal value.

The Farming Game – The gameboard is a working farm, with fields full of produce. Kids harvest the food to sell at their fruit stand. The player who gets to the Fruit Stand with the most produce that wins the game!

The Yoga Garden Game – A cooperative game where the objective is to plant a flower garden before night falls. As players move the bumblebee marker around the board, they learn classic yoga postures, as well as have the chance to invent their own!

Frugal Beauty: In Your Pantry

Would you be surprised to learn that spending a small fortune on beauty products is quite unnecessary? All of the ingredients you’ll ever need are in your kitchen or pantry cabinet.
Here are two ways in which you can use natural home beauty remedies in a flash.

Olive Oil: You cook and bake with it; but did you know you can use it in a variety of other ways? Because olive oil is chemical free, it can be used on your skin; as a bath oil, moisturizer, massager, and conditioner. For example: You can apply a mixture of olive oil and lemon juice to your skin before bedtime to reduce wrinkles and, at the same time, moisturize your skin. To strengthen your nails, soak them in warm extra virgin olive oil for five minutes. Massage your sore muscles with a mixture of extra virgin olive oil and rosemary. Apply olive oil to dry hair as an overall conditioner. It will leave your hair smooth and shiny.

Oatmeal: Wouldn’t you love a facial? Get out the box of oatmeal from your cabinet and begin. This oatmeal facial will not only exfoliate, but moisturize your skin as well. Here are the steps: Take out a package of instant oatmeal; add a half a cup of water; two tablespoons yogurt; two tablespoons of honey and one egg white. Mix the water and oatmeal, then add the additional ingredients. Apply a thin layer to your face. Leave it on for about 15 minutes or until you feel tightness; then rinse your face with warm water.

Natural Beauty: Acne Remedies

Green tea: You can drink green tea to help relieve your symptoms, but you can also apply the tea directly to you skin.  There are green tea creams available over the counter, but if you’re looking for a cheaper, easier way, just brew tea bags, then apply them directly to your acne.

Egg Whites:  Applying egg whites to the face as a masque is a great way to treat your acne and immediately close your pores.  In addition, it also gets rid of redness caused by your acne and can reduce the appearance of scars from previous breakouts.

Tea Tree Oil:  While many people disagree about the causes of acne, or how to treat it, pretty much everyone agrees that it’s an infection or inflammation.  And tea tree oil has long been used as a natural way to kill bacteria and treat skin infections.

Zinc helps strengthen your immune system so you’re better able to heal and even prevent your acne. Good sources for vegetarians include dairy products, beans and lentils, yeast, nuts, seeds and wholegrain cereals. Pumpkin seeds provide one of the most concentrated vegetarian food sources of zinc. Vegans can just ignore the dairy sources.

The absolute best part about natural acne treatments is that they also improve the general quality of your skin without damaging it or drying it out like traditional products can and do.  Many of them have few or no side effects and they are safe.

Lastly, stress can cause big acne flare ups. Why else does a bride breakout before her big day? Try meditation or yoga to keep your stress levels low. This will not only help your acne symptoms but your overall health as well. I like to listen to meditation CDs or natural sounds CDs like waterfalls and birds singing when i am stressed.

Acne can be devastating but by using the tips above and starting a plan of attack you can start to see improvement. Use diet as your first weapon, reduce stress and apply a few natural treatments as necessary and you’ll see a difference in the overall health of your skin very soon.

Natural Dishwasher Soap

1/2 CUP LIQUID CASTILLE SOAP *do NOT use regular liquid soap!*
1/2 CUP WATER
1 TEASPOON FRESH LEMON JUICE
3 DROPS OF TEA TREE EXTRACT 
1/2 CUP WHITE VINEGAR


1. Comine water and liquid Castille soap.
2. Stir. 
3. Add lemon juice, tea tree extract and vinegar.
4. Stir until evenly blended. 


Store in squirt top bottle.


Use 2 tablespoons per dishwasher load.

CAUTION! DO NOT USE REGULAR SOAP IN PLACE OF CASTILLE, UNLESS IT IS LOW SUDSING SOAP..... OTHERWISE, YOUR DISHWASHER WILL OVERFLOW!

Homemade Laundry Soap

1/3 bar Fels Naptha or other type of soap.
1/2 cup washing soda
1/2 cup borax powder
You will also need a small bucket, about 2 gallon size
 
Grate the soap and put it in a sauce pan. Add 6 cups of water and heat it until soap melts. Add the washing soda and the borax and stir until it is dissolved. Remove from heat. Pour 4 cups of hot water into the bucket. Now add your soap mixture and stir. Now add 1 gallon plus 6 cups of water and stir. Let the soap sit for about 24 hours and it will gel. You use 1/2 cup per load.
 
                                             ** A Few Things To Note About The Soap**
 
The finished soap will not be a solid gel. It will be more of a watery gel that has been accurately described as an " egg noodle soup " look.
 
The soap is a low sudsing soap. So if you don't see suds, that is ok. Suds are not what does the cleaning, it is the ingredients in the soap.
 
Optional: If you want your soap to have some sort of scent you can scent this with 1/2 to 1oz. of essential oil fragrance oil of your choice. 
 
Cost is approximately .01 per load.

Green Alternatives: Cleaning Supplies

Furniture Polish - 1 cup olive oil, 1/2 lemon juice. Mix in a spray bottle and shake before every use. Spray on rag and then rub furniture.


Scented Soda Scrub – Mix several cups of baking soda with several drops of peppermint or Candy Cane blend essential oils. It smells heavenly and can be used as a deodorizer too. Often times I sprinkle it on carpet and then vacuum to make the whole house smell yummy. I use this along with my window cleaner to clean tubs and sinks.


Window Cleaner – Put 1/4 cup vinegar in a spray bottle along with several lemon peels and then fill to the top with water. Spray all surfaces and use a lint free rag to wipe off. Crumpled newspaper works well to wipe up after too


Floor Cleaner- For floors I use a small amount of Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap diluted in water and a 1/2 cup vinegar. Plain vinegar and water works too. I use a broom and dustpan to sweep them first (no vacuum) and I wash them by putting two cloth rags on the floor and sliding around on them with my feet…no mops. It is a good workout. Just put on some music…The Hustle…and away we go.

For rags I use old towels cut into squares and I have some microfiber towels as well.

So…as you see my cleaning regimen is pretty simple and no fuss. I hope you enjoy trying some of these recipes in your home!

Plastic State Of Mind

Word.

Natural. Organic. (CHEAP) Dog Treats.

I swear to you. I will never again purchase dog treats. This is an extremely easy and cheap dog treat recipe. All you need are sweet potatoes and parchment paper. 


1. Wash and dry the sweet potatoes. 
2. Preheat oven at 250.
3. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper. (don't let parchment paper overhang cookie sheet; it will catch fire.. found that out the hard way). Also, you can use wax paper but I think you would be much happier with the end result if you use parchment.
4. Cut the sweet potatoes (1/3" slices.. no smaller than 1/4') with a mandoline or use a knife. If they are too difficult to cut; stab it a couple times and stick it in the microwave for a minute or two.
5. Cut off one side of the sweet potato lengthwise, as close to the edge as possible. Cutting the side of the potato first allows you to turn the potato onto the flat surface you have created; making it easier to cut. 
6. Place them on the prepared cookie sheet. 
7. Cook for three hours; turning halfway through.
8. Cool completely. 


They will need to be refrigerated (for up to three weeks) or frozen for up to four months. You're dog will love them; I know mine do. Only problem is.. every time I open the fridge they freak out and think they need themselves some yummy stuff. ( :

Shiny Sink Syndrome

We all have 'those' days. The days where you look everywhere; and can't seem to find your motivation. It seems fairly tacky, but I swear it works... shine your sink. I have mastered the art of the shiny sink; and not only will it look absolutely fantastic but you will be so super pumped that you won't want to stop cleaning. And, I'm not going to lie to you; I HATE Hate hate cleaning! ( : 

Here is how you do it:

BE SURE AND RINSE WELL BETWEEN EACH STEP OF THE WAY!

1. Take all the dishes out of the sink.
   
   
2. Run some very hot water into the sink. Fill to the rim. Only do one side at a time. Then, pour a cup of household bleach into the hot water. Let it sit for 1 hour. Now, pull the plug with a pair of tongs (this can be kind of tricky. definitely easier said than done). If you don't have tongs, then scoop some of the water out of the sink into the other sink and use your hand to pull the plug (wear gloves and don't get the bleach-water on your clothes). 
   
   
3. Rinse your sink well. 
   
   
4. Use some cleanser (Comet, Ajax, or Baking Soda) and scrub your sink. Ensure you rinse ALL of the cleanser from the sink.
   
   
5. Take a sharp edge and clean around the rim of the sink, just like you would clean dirt out from under your fingernails.
   
   
6. Clean around the faucets too. You may need an old toothbrush or dental floss.
   
   
7. Now, get out your window cleaner, I use Windex, and give it a good shine. 
   
   
8. If you still don't like the way it looks, then you could try some car wax. Just know in your heart that you have cleaned it very well now and it doesn't have to be perfect. Our perfectionism is what got us in this situation in the first place.
   
   
9. Every time you run water in your sink, take your clean dishtowel and dry it out (I lay out a clean one, every night with my before bedtime routine). Before you know it, you will be doing this every time you leave your kitchen. The rest of the family will too. No more water spots. You will have a clean and shiny sink.
   
   
10. Don't have a fit if someone doesn't take as much pride in your sink as you do. It is very easy to fix. You have already done the hard part. You will never have to go through this process again. Daily maintenance will keep it looking this way all the time. Nasty hurtful word are not as easy to repair. Just be sure and tell your family what you are trying to do. They will think you have gone crazy. 
    
    
11. If you don't have a dishwasher, don't worry. A dishwasher is just a dirty dish disposal. Clean out a place under your sink and put a dishpan in there. Teach your family, that instead of putting their dirty dishes and glasses in the sink, place them into the dish pan. Get into the habit of putting your dishes away as soon as they have been washed and are dry. No more leaving the dish drying rack on the counter or in the sink. Put it away under the sink when you have finished. If your old one is nasty, you may want to soak it in the sink full of bleach water at the same time you soak the sink or go buy a new set. 
    
    
12. To insure that your family remembers this, put a note in the sink. It will get their attention and remind them where to put the dishes. Be patient! They have never been taught either. It is going to take some practice. 
    
    

Now if you have a stainless steel sink, I recommend all of the above directions with one extra instruction added: after you soak your sink, rinse well, and use SOS pads to scrub it. This will buff the finish. It will look like new.

Green Cleaners: Homemade Dish Soap

1/4 cup soap flakes
1 1/2 cups hot water
1/4 cup glycerin
1/2 teaspoon lemon oil

Make the soap flakes by grating a bar of ivory with a cheese grater. Pour soap flakes into hot water. Stir until dissolved. let sit for 5 minutes. Stir in glycerin and lemon oil. A loose gel will form as it cools. Use a fork to break up any congealed parts and put it in a squirt bottle.

You may be able to find some fantastic smelling soap flakes in stores; although, they're hard to find nowadays.