So when we moved into our house we found out that the subfloor in our upstairs master bathroom needed to be replaced - apparently the toilet had leaked at some point. So try finding a reliable contractor when you've just moved to a new state, know no one, and have never owned a house before! We've been waiting MONTHS now for our contractor to show up and do the job. The upside though is that its given me time to research green flooring solutions.
The bathroom really needs an overhaul - its original (picture lots of blue tiles, dated fixtures). There are lots of great natural stone options which are eco-friendly, but the rub is that we don't really have the funds to give the bathroom the full treatment yet and stone is expensive. So we needed a cheap solution to fix the floor so we don't end up in the kitchen one morning while sitting on the toilet upstairs.
I was just going to go with vinyl/linoleum since we'll be ripping it up in a few years anyway. But then I was watching some home improvement show and learned about marmoleum made by Forbo. Its made out of all natural materials, is no VOC and comes in tons of different colors and patterns. We found a vendor near us on the Forbo website and went down to the showroom today. We found out you can order it in sheets (like linoleum), tiles, or click panels (similar to the popular click wood flooring). We picked a color that we liked which came in all three options so we choose the one that was cheapest - the click panels (this will depend on the size of your room). For a 45 sq. ft. (with extra for trimming) room we paid about $450 with tax and shipping. I thought this was pretty reasonable given some of the other estimates we'd received for other non-green products.
We're also going to buy a new showerhead. I read about a few good options for low flow showerheads on treehugger and decided on the Bricor. The prices are reasonable (starting at about $35), and they have options that go as low as about .5 gallons per minute (compared to other low flows of 2.5 gpm). I've read you can only order these from the company directly. Once we get it, I'll post more about the order process and how we like it.
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Gardening
I've turned some attention to our yard recently. When we first moved in we had 6 huge trees in our yard which completely blocked the house from the street. We chopped those down, but Sweetie counted we still have 25 trees in our yard. I love them and they provide lots of shade, helping keep the house cool most of the day.
Since we're on a budget, I didn't want to go out and spend a ton on plants. Every once in a while something pretty pops up - what some may consider weeds, I dig up and replant elsewhere. Now we have a pretty purple flowering plant in one of the clay pots left here by the prior owner, and a climbing purple plant on the front porch.
I also bought some tomato plants at the nursery down the street. What a great trip that was - Mr. Happy and I walked there and to our surprise they had a petting zoo with sheep, ponies, cows, ducks - he liked the goat the best. The plants are just starting to produce tomatoes and I'm so excited! Depending on the volume I plan on trying to can them later in the summer.
We also got some seeds and a seed starter kit at "Home D" as Jacob's Pappy calls it. We've got more tomatoes, peppers and zucchini, as well as two types of flowers (hopefully) growing in there. I planted them about a week ago and expect sprouts soon. I want to get a composter so I can use the byproduct in the garden.
We've skipped using pesticide and weed control in our yard this year. There is quite a bit of crab grass, dandelion, and clover, but when the lawn is cut it all looks green to me and doesn't really bother me. I did have some small white bugs attack a little rose bush that I got from my mom and had potted outside. I moved it away from the menacing bugs and hope it comes back. Here is a tip I found on www.earthlab.com (you can calculate your carbon footprint there) for a natural pesticide that I'll try:
Blend 1 garlic clove, 1 small hot pepper and a quart of water in a blender, then pour the mixture into a spray bottle. Spray it on your inside and outside plants, and this recipe will help keep the pests away in a natural way.
They also say to use cedar mulch (from a local supplier) as a guard against both weeds and pests in the yard and garden.
One other tip - I bring in my watering can and fill it with the rinse water from the laundry. Then on days when it doesn't rain, I use that to water my plants. Its a great way to conserve water.
Since we're on a budget, I didn't want to go out and spend a ton on plants. Every once in a while something pretty pops up - what some may consider weeds, I dig up and replant elsewhere. Now we have a pretty purple flowering plant in one of the clay pots left here by the prior owner, and a climbing purple plant on the front porch.
I also bought some tomato plants at the nursery down the street. What a great trip that was - Mr. Happy and I walked there and to our surprise they had a petting zoo with sheep, ponies, cows, ducks - he liked the goat the best. The plants are just starting to produce tomatoes and I'm so excited! Depending on the volume I plan on trying to can them later in the summer.
We also got some seeds and a seed starter kit at "Home D" as Jacob's Pappy calls it. We've got more tomatoes, peppers and zucchini, as well as two types of flowers (hopefully) growing in there. I planted them about a week ago and expect sprouts soon. I want to get a composter so I can use the byproduct in the garden.
We've skipped using pesticide and weed control in our yard this year. There is quite a bit of crab grass, dandelion, and clover, but when the lawn is cut it all looks green to me and doesn't really bother me. I did have some small white bugs attack a little rose bush that I got from my mom and had potted outside. I moved it away from the menacing bugs and hope it comes back. Here is a tip I found on www.earthlab.com (you can calculate your carbon footprint there) for a natural pesticide that I'll try:
Blend 1 garlic clove, 1 small hot pepper and a quart of water in a blender, then pour the mixture into a spray bottle. Spray it on your inside and outside plants, and this recipe will help keep the pests away in a natural way.
They also say to use cedar mulch (from a local supplier) as a guard against both weeds and pests in the yard and garden.
One other tip - I bring in my watering can and fill it with the rinse water from the laundry. Then on days when it doesn't rain, I use that to water my plants. Its a great way to conserve water.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Natural Teething Solutions
So Mr. Happy is in full blown teething turmoil these days. He started putting his whole hand in his mouth and pulling on his lower jaw, and sometimes pulls on his ears (I think there is pressure on his ears). In an effort to relieve some of his pain, we pulled together a bunch of things to help him out. Here's what's worked so far:
1. Hyland's Teething Tablets. I found these at Whole Foods and they'd been recommended to my husband by several people at work. They are all natural, made primarily of chamomile. Last night Mr. Happy couldn't get to sleep so we gave him two of these, I nursed him and he was out. He woke up at 5:00 am, clearly because of his teeth; he was still tired so I gave him two more and he slept til 8:15. I'm going to avoid giving them to him during the day (unless the pain is preventing him from napping and he's tired) and use some of the other methods that follow.
2. A bottle of chamomile tea. I gave him one of these this evening to help him relax. He liked it (it was a little warm) and drank quite a bit.
3. A washcloth soaked in chamomile tea, then frozen. I dipped the corners in the tea, then twisted the corners and stuck them in a plastic bag in the freezer. Its nice for him since the part that didn't get wet isn't icy cold on his fingers.
4. Frozen fruit in his sucky. A while back I noticed a friend of mine giving her son this little thing that's like a pacifier but instead of a nipple at the end, its a mesh bag. She put fruit in it and he could suck on it. We got one for Mr. Happy; today I put some organic frozen mango in it. He loved it! I was nice and cold, but he didn't have to hold the cold part and super sweet and yummy. I also tried blueberries which he liked but made a big mess (didn't think that one through). Other - better - options would be banana, grapes, etc.
5. Cut up veggies and fruit. I give him big pieces and watch him VERY closely. Cucumber worked well; carrots too but I have to hold it so he doesn't choke. This option just requires you help and supervise. A lot of times I'll let him suck on a cold apple or pear that I'm eating and he loves it.
6. Traditional teething toys. I don't like the idea of him sucking on plastic but he seems to like some of them because they have little ridges that probably feel good on his gums. The round rings are the worst because his fingers get cold; ones with hard plastic handles he seems to like more but all of them warm up pretty quickly. I keep a stash of four or five in the fridge and switch them out.
7. Nursing. The old standby. I think this helps relieve some of the pressure on his ears too and he just likes the comfort of it.
8. Massage. Sometimes I'll massage his gums, but he doesn't really let me do it for long unless my fingers are cold.
Hope that helps. Would love to hear other thoughts or suggestions!
1. Hyland's Teething Tablets. I found these at Whole Foods and they'd been recommended to my husband by several people at work. They are all natural, made primarily of chamomile. Last night Mr. Happy couldn't get to sleep so we gave him two of these, I nursed him and he was out. He woke up at 5:00 am, clearly because of his teeth; he was still tired so I gave him two more and he slept til 8:15. I'm going to avoid giving them to him during the day (unless the pain is preventing him from napping and he's tired) and use some of the other methods that follow.
2. A bottle of chamomile tea. I gave him one of these this evening to help him relax. He liked it (it was a little warm) and drank quite a bit.
3. A washcloth soaked in chamomile tea, then frozen. I dipped the corners in the tea, then twisted the corners and stuck them in a plastic bag in the freezer. Its nice for him since the part that didn't get wet isn't icy cold on his fingers.
4. Frozen fruit in his sucky. A while back I noticed a friend of mine giving her son this little thing that's like a pacifier but instead of a nipple at the end, its a mesh bag. She put fruit in it and he could suck on it. We got one for Mr. Happy; today I put some organic frozen mango in it. He loved it! I was nice and cold, but he didn't have to hold the cold part and super sweet and yummy. I also tried blueberries which he liked but made a big mess (didn't think that one through). Other - better - options would be banana, grapes, etc.
5. Cut up veggies and fruit. I give him big pieces and watch him VERY closely. Cucumber worked well; carrots too but I have to hold it so he doesn't choke. This option just requires you help and supervise. A lot of times I'll let him suck on a cold apple or pear that I'm eating and he loves it.
6. Traditional teething toys. I don't like the idea of him sucking on plastic but he seems to like some of them because they have little ridges that probably feel good on his gums. The round rings are the worst because his fingers get cold; ones with hard plastic handles he seems to like more but all of them warm up pretty quickly. I keep a stash of four or five in the fridge and switch them out.
7. Nursing. The old standby. I think this helps relieve some of the pressure on his ears too and he just likes the comfort of it.
8. Massage. Sometimes I'll massage his gums, but he doesn't really let me do it for long unless my fingers are cold.
Hope that helps. Would love to hear other thoughts or suggestions!
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Baby Food
So when Mr. Happy (as I will from now on refer to my son, since, as my husband says "He's the happiest person I've ever met!") turned 4 mos old the doctor said he could start eating solids. While some things I read encouraged exclusive breastfeeding until 6 mos., Mr. H (for short) was a chunk and seemed to not only need more but really be ready for solids (he could hold his head very well, hold a spoon well, swallow without the tongue thrust, etc.)
At that point I started researching baby food, and discovered some websites that encouraged families to make their own because its cheaper and possibly healthier. One I like is www.wholesomebabyfood.com. It has recipes and tips - such as freezing the food in ice cube trays then storing in plastic freezer bags so that you have easier perfect portions on hand.
So far I've made sweet potato, butternut squash, beets, carrots, peas, potato and pears. Last week I finally ordered a Foley Food Mill (found it cheapest on Amazon) - before then I'd been using a mini food processor that I already had. It did ok on some things, but for most it can't get a really smooth consistency. The food mill arrives tomorrow and I've loaded up on lots of things to make once it arrives: broccoli, cucumber, spinach.
It takes some time, but if I spend one day cooking I can have enough for over a month. I just ran out of the squash that I made in mid-march. We've definitely supplemented with jarred baby foods because its easy when travelling and provides a little more variety (e.g. I haven't been able to find organic peaches so he's only had those in jars). I save some of those glass jars and use them to heat the frozen cubes that I make - sometimes I'll mix the two together even.
It has not always been a success - the video of Mr. H trying lentils and spinach for the first time is hysterical. Because he's perpetually happy, instead of fussing and getting upset about it (not sure if it was the taste, texture or what) he just wouldn't close his mouth and started singing instead. What a nut.
At that point I started researching baby food, and discovered some websites that encouraged families to make their own because its cheaper and possibly healthier. One I like is www.wholesomebabyfood.com. It has recipes and tips - such as freezing the food in ice cube trays then storing in plastic freezer bags so that you have easier perfect portions on hand.
So far I've made sweet potato, butternut squash, beets, carrots, peas, potato and pears. Last week I finally ordered a Foley Food Mill (found it cheapest on Amazon) - before then I'd been using a mini food processor that I already had. It did ok on some things, but for most it can't get a really smooth consistency. The food mill arrives tomorrow and I've loaded up on lots of things to make once it arrives: broccoli, cucumber, spinach.
It takes some time, but if I spend one day cooking I can have enough for over a month. I just ran out of the squash that I made in mid-march. We've definitely supplemented with jarred baby foods because its easy when travelling and provides a little more variety (e.g. I haven't been able to find organic peaches so he's only had those in jars). I save some of those glass jars and use them to heat the frozen cubes that I make - sometimes I'll mix the two together even.
It has not always been a success - the video of Mr. H trying lentils and spinach for the first time is hysterical. Because he's perpetually happy, instead of fussing and getting upset about it (not sure if it was the taste, texture or what) he just wouldn't close his mouth and started singing instead. What a nut.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
The Painting Project
Hi all. Sorry I haven't posted in a while. We took a trip up to Connecticut to visit my parents, and then this week I finally started painting. We moved into this house last November - Jacob was just a few weeks old! - and have been slowly making changes ever since. Mostly over the winter this involved sealing up the house from drafts - tightening all the window locks, adding weatherstripping around the windows and doors, installing door sweeps, insulating outside wall light switches and outlets, inserting glass doors over our fireplace, and putting foam insulation on our garage doors. I also installed an Energy Star thermostat that we got as a housewarming gift from my in-laws (what a great idea for new homeowners!) - replacing the old dial-style wasn't nearly as difficult as I thought; the instructions were very simple to follow. I think all of that really helped reduce the amount of oil we used to heat the house.
So now its spring, and in addition to the requisite spring cleaning, I got bit by the paint bug. We wanted to start with Jacob's room, so I started researching the best options. The issue of course with paint is VOCs - Volatile Organic Compounds - which can off-gas toxins into your home polluting the indoor air. Luckily nowadays there are many choices - just Google no VOC paint and you'll get lots of info from naturally pigmented clay to low VOC commercially recognizable paints. In the end, I choose Freshaire Choice which is only sold at Home Depot. It touts itself as the only paint that has no VOC in the base paint AND in the chemicals used to tint the paint. It was not cheap - about $37/gallon. But it went on very nicely, had very little odor while wet and no odor after it dried (only about 1 hour to dry with all windows open). I also liked it because the whole product line concept is eco-friendly - all the materials in the display at the store are made of recycled and sustainable materials, the label on the paint cans are made of recycled paper, etc. While this product does not (yet?) have the range of color options as some of the conventional brands, there were plenty to choose from and the benefits overall made it worth it.
So while I wouldn't recommend trying to paint a room by yourself with a 6 1/2 month old - thank God he stuck to his nap schedule those two days - it is doable. Now I want to do every room in the house!
So now its spring, and in addition to the requisite spring cleaning, I got bit by the paint bug. We wanted to start with Jacob's room, so I started researching the best options. The issue of course with paint is VOCs - Volatile Organic Compounds - which can off-gas toxins into your home polluting the indoor air. Luckily nowadays there are many choices - just Google no VOC paint and you'll get lots of info from naturally pigmented clay to low VOC commercially recognizable paints. In the end, I choose Freshaire Choice which is only sold at Home Depot. It touts itself as the only paint that has no VOC in the base paint AND in the chemicals used to tint the paint. It was not cheap - about $37/gallon. But it went on very nicely, had very little odor while wet and no odor after it dried (only about 1 hour to dry with all windows open). I also liked it because the whole product line concept is eco-friendly - all the materials in the display at the store are made of recycled and sustainable materials, the label on the paint cans are made of recycled paper, etc. While this product does not (yet?) have the range of color options as some of the conventional brands, there were plenty to choose from and the benefits overall made it worth it.
So while I wouldn't recommend trying to paint a room by yourself with a 6 1/2 month old - thank God he stuck to his nap schedule those two days - it is doable. Now I want to do every room in the house!
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Ode to Diapers
So I guess my obsession with eco-baby stuff started with diapers. When the munchkin first arrived, I had been given packs of Huggies and Pampers at my baby showers. So of course I started with those. But throwing away upwards of 10 diapers a day into the bin made me want to vomit - and not from the smell. Of course I had seen schmultzy articles in parenting magazines at the doctor's office about the "great debate": cloth or disposable. But I figured there had to be some other alternative. Thus began the search.
First I tried Nature Babycare, because they said they're chlorine free (good for all), disposable (good for me), and made of all natural materials (read, no petroleum-based products, I think). While quite a few people like these (reviews), I found the tab was sharp and cut into my little chunk's chubby legs. That was the end of that.
Then we tried the gDiapers. These are the equivalent to a hybrid vehicle but for diapers - on the plus side they have many of the earth friendly benefits of cloth (primarily, nothing in the landfill), and some of the convenience of a disposable (don't have to wash every dirty diaper). On the down side, I have had trouble with leaking, but I also had that problem with the Pampers, so in my mind that is a wash. The other issue is they are a bit bulky; that hasn't slowed down the munchkin (he's 6 1/2 mos. now and has been sitting for almost a month, and started rolling at about 3 mos.). The only thing is his onesies get a little snug.
The biggest pain about the gDiapers is getting the time to flush them. Let me explain. The diaper is in 3 layers - an outside cotton layer that velcros on (comes in an assortment of colors) and can go in the wash if it gets dirty; a middle layer is a waterproof nylon that snaps into the outer layer; and the inside layer is a chlorine-free insert that you take out and either throw away (I don't flush the poopies - its too messy), flush, or garden compost (more on that later). I end up with a stack of diapers in the pail and about 3 days worth takes me 10 minutes to flush. It makes me feel good when they are all gone, knowing that big pile of diapers isn't going into a landfill.
Hubby doesn't do gDiapers, though - he can't seem to figure them out for some reason (I'm calling you out sweetie). So we still needed some "traditional" diaper solution for him and for at night (while the gDiapers worked fine at night if I doupled up the insert, I am just lazy at that hour). So we now use Seventh Generation diapers for dad, night and travelling. They are also chlorine free (read about why that's important here) - but the best part about them is the tabs are super stretchy and soft. Downsides: they use an absorbent gel in the diaper, they're most likely made with petroleum based plastics (I don't see any claims that they are not), and they are not compostable.
For more basic but detailed info on diapers, here's a good article: http://thegreenguide.com/reports/product.mhtml?id=45
If you are interested in gDiapers, I would suggest getting a starter kit from Diapers.com. Here's a tip to save $$ - if you like them, its cheaper to buy a couple more starter kits, than buying individual extra diapers (you're going to want about 6).
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE - post if you have other feedback on diapers. I'm not 100% happy with my options now and would love to hear others' experiences. BumGenius, cloth diaper services, compostables - anyone?
First I tried Nature Babycare, because they said they're chlorine free (good for all), disposable (good for me), and made of all natural materials (read, no petroleum-based products, I think). While quite a few people like these (reviews), I found the tab was sharp and cut into my little chunk's chubby legs. That was the end of that.
Then we tried the gDiapers. These are the equivalent to a hybrid vehicle but for diapers - on the plus side they have many of the earth friendly benefits of cloth (primarily, nothing in the landfill), and some of the convenience of a disposable (don't have to wash every dirty diaper). On the down side, I have had trouble with leaking, but I also had that problem with the Pampers, so in my mind that is a wash. The other issue is they are a bit bulky; that hasn't slowed down the munchkin (he's 6 1/2 mos. now and has been sitting for almost a month, and started rolling at about 3 mos.). The only thing is his onesies get a little snug.
The biggest pain about the gDiapers is getting the time to flush them. Let me explain. The diaper is in 3 layers - an outside cotton layer that velcros on (comes in an assortment of colors) and can go in the wash if it gets dirty; a middle layer is a waterproof nylon that snaps into the outer layer; and the inside layer is a chlorine-free insert that you take out and either throw away (I don't flush the poopies - its too messy), flush, or garden compost (more on that later). I end up with a stack of diapers in the pail and about 3 days worth takes me 10 minutes to flush. It makes me feel good when they are all gone, knowing that big pile of diapers isn't going into a landfill.
Hubby doesn't do gDiapers, though - he can't seem to figure them out for some reason (I'm calling you out sweetie). So we still needed some "traditional" diaper solution for him and for at night (while the gDiapers worked fine at night if I doupled up the insert, I am just lazy at that hour). So we now use Seventh Generation diapers for dad, night and travelling. They are also chlorine free (read about why that's important here) - but the best part about them is the tabs are super stretchy and soft. Downsides: they use an absorbent gel in the diaper, they're most likely made with petroleum based plastics (I don't see any claims that they are not), and they are not compostable.
For more basic but detailed info on diapers, here's a good article: http://thegreenguide.com/reports/product.mhtml?id=45
If you are interested in gDiapers, I would suggest getting a starter kit from Diapers.com. Here's a tip to save $$ - if you like them, its cheaper to buy a couple more starter kits, than buying individual extra diapers (you're going to want about 6).
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE - post if you have other feedback on diapers. I'm not 100% happy with my options now and would love to hear others' experiences. BumGenius, cloth diaper services, compostables - anyone?
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Clean Green
Inspired by Green Mommy's very first comment, I'll share some green cleaning tips.
First, when I just came home from the hospital after having a C-section (and moving into a new 4 bedroom house), I was in no shape to clean. Not only did I want to find a cleaning solution that would be good for the environment, I also didn't want my 3 week old exposed to lots of harsh chemicals. While it took some searching, I found a great cleaning service that uses earth-friendly products (Mrs. Meyers). The house smelled and looked fantastic. I'd urge anyone who uses a cleaning service to check out the green alternatives - I searched on the web and found Purity Power cleaning in the PA area, which is not only green, it also pays its cleaners living wages and was only $5/hr. more expensive than the cheapest non-green cleaning service we found.
Now that I've decided to stay home a little longer before returning to work, we're saving money by not having a cleaning service. So what do I use. Well, the most versatile product I've found is baking soda - sinks, counters, walls, everything - the stuff is amazing and CHEAP. I've heard adding vinegar to baking soda makes it even more potent but I haven't found a need yet. I've also switched to using Seventh Generation (click for coupons) laundry, dishwasher and liquid dish soap - I bought all of this at Diapers.com where you can save a lot of time and money by ordering by the case.
I also bought one of the GreenWorks product - the glass and surface cleaner. Aside from some greenwash concerns, I don't find it works very well. I washed my windows with it and they got all streaky - I should have just stuck to the diluted vinegar. If you've tried this and had bad luck in the past, read these tips.
The other thing I've done - no more paper towels for cleaning. Only sponges or clothes that can be reused. I am going to start cutting up old T-shirts (ones that are not donatable) to use for rags.
First, when I just came home from the hospital after having a C-section (and moving into a new 4 bedroom house), I was in no shape to clean. Not only did I want to find a cleaning solution that would be good for the environment, I also didn't want my 3 week old exposed to lots of harsh chemicals. While it took some searching, I found a great cleaning service that uses earth-friendly products (Mrs. Meyers). The house smelled and looked fantastic. I'd urge anyone who uses a cleaning service to check out the green alternatives - I searched on the web and found Purity Power cleaning in the PA area, which is not only green, it also pays its cleaners living wages and was only $5/hr. more expensive than the cheapest non-green cleaning service we found.
Now that I've decided to stay home a little longer before returning to work, we're saving money by not having a cleaning service. So what do I use. Well, the most versatile product I've found is baking soda - sinks, counters, walls, everything - the stuff is amazing and CHEAP. I've heard adding vinegar to baking soda makes it even more potent but I haven't found a need yet. I've also switched to using Seventh Generation (click for coupons) laundry, dishwasher and liquid dish soap - I bought all of this at Diapers.com where you can save a lot of time and money by ordering by the case.
I also bought one of the GreenWorks product - the glass and surface cleaner. Aside from some greenwash concerns, I don't find it works very well. I washed my windows with it and they got all streaky - I should have just stuck to the diluted vinegar. If you've tried this and had bad luck in the past, read these tips.
The other thing I've done - no more paper towels for cleaning. Only sponges or clothes that can be reused. I am going to start cutting up old T-shirts (ones that are not donatable) to use for rags.
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