To all the "Green" mothers out there, I have a new baby on the way and I want to go Green?
December 5, 2009 by admin
Filed under Green Cleaning Tips
As a new mother I am finding that things that never bugged me before are now driving me crazy ( I am nesting as well, so this is probably where this sudden want is coming from 
)
I want to go green because I am determined to have a happy healthy family that helps the environment. During my nesting I have discovered so many things that make me sick about the way we are living (cleaning products, how many electronics we use, just the general junk around the house, etc. )
I want to get some good advice on how you went green and how long it took. Do you feel you are living as green as you could be? What tips do you have, what should I start with first? Please give me your personal tales as well as links (please not just one or the other!)
THANKS A BUNCH!
**I am going to use cloth diapers
**I am also ordering Soap Nuts for Laundry
Going green is easy, there are so many great resources about the subject. My personal favorite is "The Green Book" which has parts of its book online as well at www.readthegreenbook.com.
As I have been striving to "Go Green" I realize it is like stepping back in time without getting rid of my modern conveniences. I’m doing many things I learned as a child, like line drying my clothes, sweeping instead of vacuuming, opening the windows in the morning to catch the cool breeze, only buying what I need instead of everything that looks cool, growing some of my own food, and canning what I can’t eat now.
To me "going Green" is a frame of mind. Do what fits your lifestyle and do the easy things first, it is a process and like dieting if you go to radical to soon, you are more likely to go back to bad habits. I also believe there are good, better, best choices in most things. If you aren’t ready to start a home garden, then try finding a farmers market, until you locate one look for produce grown as close to home as possible and go organic when available.
Many people think "going green" is expensive, I disagree. Some changes may take an initial investment, but they usually have a short payoff time. Things like weather stripping and insulation cost, but the energy savings will add up quickly. You may need to purchase reusable bags, but most stores give you a 5 or 10 cent credit, so you are paid back within a few months.
Reduce your packaging, if you eat more fresh food you will generally reduce packaging, it’s the same thing they tell dieters, shop the perimeter, that is where all the meat, dairy and produce are located. Only buy what you will use, many Americans throw away a lot of unused food. Buy in bulk, that doesn’t just mean large packages, but that area with the bins that you buy only what you plan on using.
Replace disposable items with durable items, if you eat outside often and use disposable paper or plastic plates, it is a wise investment to purchase a set of reusable plastic plates. Replace disposable razors, diapers and cleaning products like swiffer. Avoid bottled water, get a home filter like Pur or Brita.
Recycle, www.earth911.org will help you locate the nearest recycle center. I try to only purchase plastics that are #1 or #2, they are more easily recycled. I also buy recycled products when available, that includes paper towels, napkins, toilet paper, tissue, school/office supplies and clothing.
Detox your cleaning, vinegar and baking soda clean almost anything, they can even loosen a hair clog. Seventh Generation and Method are a couple mainstream brands that are very earth friendly.
Just start small and build from there, don’t get overwhelmed.
Maybe look into washing diapers and hanging them to dry instead of buying disposables.
References :
You told me to answer this. But I’m not a mother. :/
But I would glad to help you out on this one
When you feed him out of those glass bottles, wash them out and use for something else around the house. (That’s what my mom did)
This website should help a lot (: http://www.treehugger.com/gogreen.php
References :
*I’ve switched to cloth grocery bags.
*I used the same food we were eating and would puree it for the baby, saves on glass jars, money… etc and is usually better for the baby.
*If you can, switch your appliances for energy efficient ones (I sold and swapped my old appliances and it made a huge difference) My washer uses 16 gallons of water in comparison to 40 gal my old one used, and with a baby, you do a LOT of laundry!
*Shorter showers
*Turn off lights when not in use
*Breast feeding is more environment friendly than bottles by Far, and more beneficial to both of you
That’s all I can think of off the top of my head! Things I did anyway..
References :
I think this is a great idea, and wish more people were as conscious about this as you are.
I do hope though that you will still consider getting your children immunized. I know a lot of people that head the direction you’re talking about opt out of those.
Know that the risks that have been hypothesized to be related to vaccinations have been extensively studied, and are (well not "proven" because you can never actually use that word in science) largely, and in most accounts conclusively shown to not be risky.
The fad of not having children vaccinated is not only dangerous for the children who are left vulnerable to the diseases, but to all children. The more kids who aren’t vaccinized, the more the infants under six (none of whom have received any shots) are exposed and vulneralbe. As more kids are sick with these previously eradicated diseases, those kids already vaccinated are exposed more and thus more likely to end up developing the disease despite their vaccinations.
Vaccinations are only effective if the population as a whole receives them. And the small hypothesized risks are not AT ALL worth the more likely possibility of a child becoming ill with one of these serious diseases.
References :
All good ideas!!
One to add, in addition to cloth, which can be very messy once the baby is on solid food, have you looked into the G Diaper. I have been looking into it and it appears to be a good idea, and the comments and feed back are for the most part positive.
Check out the web page below. Just a thought. I do not have any children yet, but it’s never to early to start thinking of their future.
References :
http://www.gdiapers.com/
There are several review pages out there, it’s a mixed review, but can’t hurt to try them out. Ask for the starter kit as a shower gift, then it’s no expense to you if it doesn’t work
Most house cleaners have chlorine which is really really bad for baby.
Even the Green ones are not the best for baby if you can smell something it means you are getting particles of it in your body. So is baby.
I personally think the shark steamer is the greatest.
I have cleaned floors toilets puke of a dishwasher. bath tub You name it I have cleaned it. Instead of chemicals is use high pressure steam. Which kills more bacteria than pine sol. It is really green becuase you are using nothing more than water to clean. Its the heat and the pressure that makes it work so good.
Oh and when you mop your floor with it.
You have a totally dry floor as soon as you are done. No wet floor to defend. Hope this helps a little
References :
How about soapless laundry such as using "Ecoballs" or getting a soapless washing machine.
They used to sell a metal "stone" on skymall that could be used like the "Ecoballs" or even used like a bar of soap. Haven’t seen one of those in ages but I would assume that it’s the same concept as both the "Ecoballs" and the soapless washing machines. Note that detergent manufacturers have been vehemently opposing the soapless washing machines.
References :
http://www.eco-ball.com/
http://www.kaboodle.com/reviews/the-soap-less-haier-wash20-washing-machine
Breastfeeding saves $ and is healthier for baby
References :
Going green is easy, there are so many great resources about the subject. My personal favorite is "The Green Book" which has parts of its book online as well at http://www.readthegreenbook.com.
As I have been striving to "Go Green" I realize it is like stepping back in time without getting rid of my modern conveniences. I’m doing many things I learned as a child, like line drying my clothes, sweeping instead of vacuuming, opening the windows in the morning to catch the cool breeze, only buying what I need instead of everything that looks cool, growing some of my own food, and canning what I can’t eat now.
To me "going Green" is a frame of mind. Do what fits your lifestyle and do the easy things first, it is a process and like dieting if you go to radical to soon, you are more likely to go back to bad habits. I also believe there are good, better, best choices in most things. If you aren’t ready to start a home garden, then try finding a farmers market, until you locate one look for produce grown as close to home as possible and go organic when available.
Many people think "going green" is expensive, I disagree. Some changes may take an initial investment, but they usually have a short payoff time. Things like weather stripping and insulation cost, but the energy savings will add up quickly. You may need to purchase reusable bags, but most stores give you a 5 or 10 cent credit, so you are paid back within a few months.
Reduce your packaging, if you eat more fresh food you will generally reduce packaging, it’s the same thing they tell dieters, shop the perimeter, that is where all the meat, dairy and produce are located. Only buy what you will use, many Americans throw away a lot of unused food. Buy in bulk, that doesn’t just mean large packages, but that area with the bins that you buy only what you plan on using.
Replace disposable items with durable items, if you eat outside often and use disposable paper or plastic plates, it is a wise investment to purchase a set of reusable plastic plates. Replace disposable razors, diapers and cleaning products like swiffer. Avoid bottled water, get a home filter like Pur or Brita.
Recycle, http://www.earth911.org will help you locate the nearest recycle center. I try to only purchase plastics that are #1 or #2, they are more easily recycled. I also buy recycled products when available, that includes paper towels, napkins, toilet paper, tissue, school/office supplies and clothing.
Detox your cleaning, vinegar and baking soda clean almost anything, they can even loosen a hair clog. Seventh Generation and Method are a couple mainstream brands that are very earth friendly.
Just start small and build from there, don’t get overwhelmed.
References :
http://www.biggreenpurse.com
http://www.betterworldshopper.com
http://www.treehugger.com