This was the first vacation that I intentionally thought about how we could be more eco-conscious in our travels.
The first leg of our trip was a family reunion in San Luis Obispo, it was all planned out by the organizers and everyone was staying at the same hotel. We decided to lengthen our trip past the weekend, so I gave myself the challenge of seeing how green I could make it.
I found Asilomar. I found it by searching the Green Hotels Association web site. There may be better resources out there, but I stopped looking after I found Asilomar.
The things I liked about Asilomar:
* Actually part of the state park system (who knew the had hotels?!)
* Member of Green Path
* Had mounted soap and shampoo dispensers in rooms
* NO TV's!
* In room recycling program
* BEAUTIFUL grounds
* Served organic food (some)
* Served fair trade coffee
* Organic bath products
* Unpretentious down-to-earth staff and guests
We also brought our bikes and used the car a little less, plus they provided some exercise and entertainment.
We had a good time and enjoyed being on a vacation that was in-line with our values.
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Okay, I give in...
I'm switching to cloth diapers :)
I definitely took the easy route though. I did become interested in them after awhile, but didn't have the time or energy (read: too lazy) to decide what to do. So I waited... And Sarah did all the work for me! J/K :) I had intended on looking into it more eventually, but Sarah researched enough to write an encyclopedia, so I just basically picked her brain and ended up copying her. I bought the same brand and the same accessories and should be getting them in the next couple weeks!
I really hope I don't regret this since I didn't really try cloth before making the huge purchase, but I think it will be fine. Matt is on board too so that's good.
I'll let you know how I like it :)
I definitely took the easy route though. I did become interested in them after awhile, but didn't have the time or energy (read: too lazy) to decide what to do. So I waited... And Sarah did all the work for me! J/K :) I had intended on looking into it more eventually, but Sarah researched enough to write an encyclopedia, so I just basically picked her brain and ended up copying her. I bought the same brand and the same accessories and should be getting them in the next couple weeks!
I really hope I don't regret this since I didn't really try cloth before making the huge purchase, but I think it will be fine. Matt is on board too so that's good.
I'll let you know how I like it :)
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Avoided the Styrofoam
Hi all- We're back from vacation, I missed you guys, glad to see you were posting while I was gone :). Tomorrow I'll do a post on the green aspects of our vacation, but for now...
Tonight we went out to Old Chicago Pizza and asked to have our left-overs wrapped in tin foil. They were very nice about it and I felt great avoiding the Styrofoam. We're going to try to make it a habit to at least ask.
Tonight we went out to Old Chicago Pizza and asked to have our left-overs wrapped in tin foil. They were very nice about it and I felt great avoiding the Styrofoam. We're going to try to make it a habit to at least ask.
Who Killed The Electric Car?
Ill keep this a lot shorter than my last 2 posts :) I just saw this documentary, it was recommended by Netflix when I put The WalMart Documentary on my queue. I had also heard about it in some of the reading I have done. It was SO good, seriously so well done. I enjoyed it even more that the WalMart one because I actually learned a lot more from it.
It chronicled the life and untimely death of the EV1, GM's electric car that was released in the mid-90's. I vaguely remember when these Electric vehicles were on the roads (other companies released there own versions of an electric car), but was to young to even drive then.
Anyway, check it out if you can, I HIGHLY recommend it!
It chronicled the life and untimely death of the EV1, GM's electric car that was released in the mid-90's. I vaguely remember when these Electric vehicles were on the roads (other companies released there own versions of an electric car), but was to young to even drive then.
Anyway, check it out if you can, I HIGHLY recommend it!
Friday, June 1, 2007
My Cloth Diaper Update (Long)
So I just wanted to do an update on my cloth diapering situation. About 7-8 weeks ago I started cloth diapering and was using the Tidee Didee Diaper Service. For those who may not know what thats all about, they supply the prefolds (the diaper part of the er...diaper) and then you use a cover over those to make them waterproof. This was working out well for awhile, I never had any leaks or anything. I could never get them tight enough to use over night so I was still using a disposable at night, one for each of my kids. I started doing some research and quickly became obsessed with all things cloth diaper related. There was SO much to learn and know. So after relentlessly researching (and making a super dorky, extensive pros and cons list), I decided to quit the diaper service and start washing them on my own at home.
I ordered some different styles to try out and settled on one called a BumGenius! 2.0 One Size Pocket Diaper. BG! for short :) These diapers come with inserts that you put in the diaper to make it absorbent. You can customize the absorbency, making them easy to use at night time. No more disposables for her! The 'one size' part is the coolest, and what will save me the most money in the long run. The diaper fits weight ranges 8-35 lbs, so it will easily take us up to potty training. They also fit Jonny no problem at 38lbs, I think cause hes a string bean, so he wears them at night also. No more disposables for him!
I ordered 18 of them which ran me about 300 dollars. Sounds like a ton, but will even out with what I was paying Tidee Didee in about 5 months, (Tidee Didee was 55 a month.) I also feel like I could get by with less... maybe 14.
You might be wondering about poop :) It really is a non issue. Elliot still has lovely peanut butter poop most days and it has never stained or anything (she is even formula fed, which is not water soluble like BM poop). If there is something to dump in the toilet, I dump it. If nothing falls off, it goes into the pail till wash day(the pail has a liner, a reusable one instead of the plastic ones that Tidee Didee has to throw away each week). I wash every 2-3 days and I hang dry to save on energy and prolong the "life of the diapers". You can use the dryer if you want to though.
I love the diapers (I told you its a weird new obsession). They are so cute on her too. She has never leaked and they are as easy to put on as disposables, no folding or snappi-ing or covering. Also I have to mention that the resell value on these are great, even after I use them for a few years, I can easily get 2/3 of my purchase price back. There are websites all over selling used diapers. Sounds gross but I promise its not :)
I have also switched to cloth wipes, since I am washing the diapers anyway. So no more disposable wipes either! They are basically like washcloths that I use with water and a little wipes solution. Piece of cake. Then I throw them in the pail as well until wash day.
I know that I mentioned in a comment earlier that home laundering takes a lot more water than a commercial laundering service. This is true. BUT, I feel that I am evening out this extra water usage and impact by eliminating disposables diapers all together, switching to cloth wipes and line drying. Besides, I had to wash my covers with the old system which I did once a week, so I am only using 1-2 extra loads of water per week, and I use the low water setting on the washer. I also get to decide which (eco-friendly) detergent I use on her diapers which also means on her skin. I don't need the delivery truck anymore so that has to save a few emissions too! :)
The only down-side I have come across (with any cloth diapers) is that Elliot has bypassed size 9 months completely and went straight into 12 months to help compensate for her enormous bum. I think shes a bit of a giant baby anyway though...
Anyway, thanks for reading my post if you made it this far! I had fun writing about it :)
I ordered some different styles to try out and settled on one called a BumGenius! 2.0 One Size Pocket Diaper. BG! for short :) These diapers come with inserts that you put in the diaper to make it absorbent. You can customize the absorbency, making them easy to use at night time. No more disposables for her! The 'one size' part is the coolest, and what will save me the most money in the long run. The diaper fits weight ranges 8-35 lbs, so it will easily take us up to potty training. They also fit Jonny no problem at 38lbs, I think cause hes a string bean, so he wears them at night also. No more disposables for him!
I ordered 18 of them which ran me about 300 dollars. Sounds like a ton, but will even out with what I was paying Tidee Didee in about 5 months, (Tidee Didee was 55 a month.) I also feel like I could get by with less... maybe 14.
You might be wondering about poop :) It really is a non issue. Elliot still has lovely peanut butter poop most days and it has never stained or anything (she is even formula fed, which is not water soluble like BM poop). If there is something to dump in the toilet, I dump it. If nothing falls off, it goes into the pail till wash day(the pail has a liner, a reusable one instead of the plastic ones that Tidee Didee has to throw away each week). I wash every 2-3 days and I hang dry to save on energy and prolong the "life of the diapers". You can use the dryer if you want to though.
I love the diapers (I told you its a weird new obsession). They are so cute on her too. She has never leaked and they are as easy to put on as disposables, no folding or snappi-ing or covering. Also I have to mention that the resell value on these are great, even after I use them for a few years, I can easily get 2/3 of my purchase price back. There are websites all over selling used diapers. Sounds gross but I promise its not :)
I have also switched to cloth wipes, since I am washing the diapers anyway. So no more disposable wipes either! They are basically like washcloths that I use with water and a little wipes solution. Piece of cake. Then I throw them in the pail as well until wash day.
I know that I mentioned in a comment earlier that home laundering takes a lot more water than a commercial laundering service. This is true. BUT, I feel that I am evening out this extra water usage and impact by eliminating disposables diapers all together, switching to cloth wipes and line drying. Besides, I had to wash my covers with the old system which I did once a week, so I am only using 1-2 extra loads of water per week, and I use the low water setting on the washer. I also get to decide which (eco-friendly) detergent I use on her diapers which also means on her skin. I don't need the delivery truck anymore so that has to save a few emissions too! :)
The only down-side I have come across (with any cloth diapers) is that Elliot has bypassed size 9 months completely and went straight into 12 months to help compensate for her enormous bum. I think shes a bit of a giant baby anyway though...
Anyway, thanks for reading my post if you made it this far! I had fun writing about it :)
Watched the Wal Mart Documentary
I watched this last night and second the recommendation that Jennifer gave. Its pretty informative, although I was annoyed at how emotional they tried to make it. I like a little heartstring tugging, but I feel like they did it way to much.
There was some good info about China in there. That was probably my favorite part. They touched on Ma and Pa shops closing, the environment (mostly water quality), and then China and the factory workers there. That part was the most informative for me.
I was amazed at how hypocritical Wal-Marts advertisements and commercials were and are. And even more shocking than that is their relentless attempts at squandering union activity. They are ruthless.
I always "knew" that Wal-Mart was less than an ideal place to shop, but I guess I never really had a solid backing as to why it was so bad. You hear a lot about the employee treatment and low wages, but there is A LOT more too it that I was unaware of.
So, of course, I would like to refrain as much as possible (preferably completely) from shopping at WalMart. But heres my dilemma: Where do I stop? Wal-Mart is by far the "worst" of all giant retail stores, but other places use similar business practices, just on a smaller scale. I recently heard that Target, my beloved Target, contributes millions and millions of dollars to Republican campaigning, and were, and probably are, huge Bush supporters. These political ties don't align well at all with Nate and I's political beliefs (the few we have, lol), but do we stop shopping there because they support something that we don't? On the other hand, when that "something" that they financially support, is "something" that effects my children's life and future, then why should I continue to financially support them with my purchases? And like I said above, Where do I stop?
For now, Wal-Mart is out. Forever? I don't know. But for now, out. This is about baby steps anyway. I know a lot of you didn't really like Wal-Mart, I have heard most of you mention that, but I recommend seeing the documentary anyway.
PS. No offense to Bush supporters! He's just not my "cup of tea" :)
There was some good info about China in there. That was probably my favorite part. They touched on Ma and Pa shops closing, the environment (mostly water quality), and then China and the factory workers there. That part was the most informative for me.
I was amazed at how hypocritical Wal-Marts advertisements and commercials were and are. And even more shocking than that is their relentless attempts at squandering union activity. They are ruthless.
I always "knew" that Wal-Mart was less than an ideal place to shop, but I guess I never really had a solid backing as to why it was so bad. You hear a lot about the employee treatment and low wages, but there is A LOT more too it that I was unaware of.
So, of course, I would like to refrain as much as possible (preferably completely) from shopping at WalMart. But heres my dilemma: Where do I stop? Wal-Mart is by far the "worst" of all giant retail stores, but other places use similar business practices, just on a smaller scale. I recently heard that Target, my beloved Target, contributes millions and millions of dollars to Republican campaigning, and were, and probably are, huge Bush supporters. These political ties don't align well at all with Nate and I's political beliefs (the few we have, lol), but do we stop shopping there because they support something that we don't? On the other hand, when that "something" that they financially support, is "something" that effects my children's life and future, then why should I continue to financially support them with my purchases? And like I said above, Where do I stop?
For now, Wal-Mart is out. Forever? I don't know. But for now, out. This is about baby steps anyway. I know a lot of you didn't really like Wal-Mart, I have heard most of you mention that, but I recommend seeing the documentary anyway.
PS. No offense to Bush supporters! He's just not my "cup of tea" :)
CleanWell
http://www.cleanwelltoday.com/#
Found a site with non-toxic hand cleaners.
http://www.thegreenzebra.org/
Try this one too.
Found a site with non-toxic hand cleaners.
http://www.thegreenzebra.org/
Try this one too.
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