Little Things Add Up...

You don't have to do big and earth-changing things to make a difference. I bet like me, you have a pile of receipts... you log them... or don't ever look at them again, and then they go into the trash right? Well, how many of those receipts do you REALLY need? How about those little ones from the gas pumps? Do yourself and the earth a favor next time and when it asks if you would like a receipt, select "NO"!!! It will be one less receipt printed, one less piece of trash for you to get rid of!

Clover Schools Goin' Green!

I thought this article was relevant and wonderful.... right from the local Lake Wylie Pilot! It is comforting to know that the school system my child is in, cares about something like this. Now between home AND school, she is not being exposed to the use of any toxic cleaning chemicals as much as possible. Healthier schools = Healthier children! Yay! (Click article to enlarge to read) or it can be found online HERE!

Green Living For Dummies

What an awesomely-green find! I credit my ingenious husband for this great stocking stuffer! -run one- -run all- to the $1 bin at Target. They have a huge variety of "For Dummies" books.... little paperback purse size or for perfect bathroom reading material (ha!) Green Living For Dummies... the "pocket edition" has great tips on why to be greener, how to make your home healthier and more efficient, minimizing trash, and greening your diet!

Make A New Years Resolution

Making a New Years Resolution can sometimes be hokey and unrealistic. For 2009 make a vow to change your life.... to better your family, your health, and the planet. Small changes over time add up big! Switch out some ordinary light bulbs to CFLs. Buy a faucet mount or pitcher purifier and give up your bottled water. Check the local thrift store or Goodwill before splurging for brand new threads at Target. Commit to educating yourself about something you are unfamiliar with such as organics, cloth diapering, or vaccinations. Take control of your life in '09 by "Greenin" your life up!

ps. after an almost 3 month hiatus I am back online! Stay tuned, I have lots to say!

*Peace*
Wanna-Be Green Girl

My last package of baby wipes...

When I began to cloth diaper a year ago, I also began with trying to only use cloth wipes. I am not sure why - but I did not stick to it... and looking back now feel a little guilty. I wonder how many wipes I have gone through this past year? I would have saved a lot of money as well as landfill space. I have gathered all of my old baby washcloths and old fleece baby blankets. I grabbed one more fleece baby blanket from the dollar section at Target tonight and have created a great little collection of cloth wipes. For wipe solution I am going with the "Fruit N Veggie" wipe solution recipe:
Fruit 'n' Veggie
1 teaspoon fruit or vegetable-based oil (apricot, olive, grapeseed)
1 tablespoon vegetable-based soap (Dr. Bronner's liquid castile)
1 cup water
1-2 Drops of Tea Tree Oil
I am also going to use the help of a wipe warmer... so I'll have my cloth wipes and several premade bottles of wipe solution (so as not to confuse my husband about what is to go on the wipes...it'll be made for him ahead of time!)... and then soak each set in the wipe warmer so they are ready for use! It's not much extra work because I am already doing a load of cloth diapers every other morning - and actually more convenient because I can wrap the cloth wipes in the cloth diapers instead of a trip to the trashcan...so I am on my last pack of wipes... and that makes me proud. Better late than never!

Bread Wars

We have bread wars in the home. I love whole wheat bread... the very healthy kind and pretty much my husband just wants the plain old white Wonder Bread...He always has to compromise... because the kids and I beat him 3 to 1 on the bread issue. The kids will eat bread without discriminating on color... it's just bread right?

However, I just noticed a BOGO free endcap at Harris Teeter and caught the side that was labeled largely "NO HFC"... so I took notice. In big letters it says "NEW!" and it's Arnold 100% Natural Whole Grain White (they also had wheat)...I spend too much time in the bread isle looking for healthy "white" bread ... w/out HFC... that is not made with bleached flour and I think my search has ended and I found it! Most importantly it's good... really good! The side of the bag is marked $2.79/loaf... so good price ... most importantly good ingredients. Our bread war is now over! Thank you Arnold!

Move over plastic... here comes SIGG

After admiring for quite a while, my husband and I both recieved genuine Siggs for our birthday this year. And in celebration of the beginning of the school year our daughter also recieved a lunchbox sized one! Our son's is up next.... as I have just discovered an awesome handle you can add to the mini-Siggs to make it easier on little hands and very much like the "sippies"... those of course.. a little harder to get away from plastic on. (The Sigg handles if you're curious)

Although not a new discovery, recently it has become more "known" about the dangers of plastic bottle and the potential leaching of bisphenol-A (BPA), a potent hormone disruptor. BPA can be leached into the water bottles contents through normal wear and tear, exposure to heat and cleaning agents. This includes leaving your plastic water bottle in your car during errands, in your back pack during hikes and running it through your dishwasher and using harsh detergents.

What can you do??
- switch to a stainless steel water bottle
- reuse glass containers such as quart sized juice bottles
- absolutley avoid buying bottled water and opt for your tap or invest in a faucet mount water purifier or pitcher for your fridge. Your investment will be quickly replenished...

We personally love our Sigg line, which you can find at www.mysigg.com
However, there are many products on the market that are eco-friendly and are a great replacement for the ones out there who don't want to risk it with the plastic any longer.

From the Sigg Website: Recently, there has been a lot of press concerning Lexan plastic water bottles (Polycarbonate #7) leaching harmful chemicals into the container's ingredients. It's extremely important to note that SIGG bottles exceed FDA requirements and have been thoroughly tested to ensure 0.0% leaching – so they are 100% safe.