photo credit: tiffanywashko

Cloth diapers have been the only choice mothers have had for centuries. With the arrival of the disposable diaper in 1940, parenting was turned on its head. Parents were freed from the constant need to wash and dry diapers ever day, instead they could simply toss out a used diaper and put on a fresh cleaning one. However, many parents are now returning to cloth diapers for environmental and health issues. Are cloth diapers really better than the disposable ones?

The average child will go through almost 6,000 diapers in their lifetime. That is a lot of dirty diapers, all of which will eventually find their way into a landfill. These diapers can take up to 500 years to fully decompose, slowly leaking chemicals into the ground as they do so. Cloth diapers, however, are washed and reused several times before being retired. Less trash and fewer chemicals making their way into the world is always a good thing.

Many people who are against cloth diapers point out that the amount of water used to wash diapers could be harmful to the environment. This would be true, if it were not for the fact that disposable diapers also require large amounts of water in the manufacturing process. This water is also filled with bleach and excess chemicals that are used in turning wood pulp into a white, paper diaper. Many of the detergents used to wash cloth diapers are considered safe for the environment when they are washed out, the same cannot be said of the disposable manufacturing process.

Cloth diapers not only have a positive effect on the environment, they can also have a positive effect on children’s health. Each of those 6,000 diapers that a child wears contains significant amounts of harsh chemicals. These chemicals are against your child’s sensitive skin each day, and have been linked to cancers in some studies.

Dioxin, a chemical byproduct of the wood pulp bleaching process, can be found in disposable diapers and is considered a cancer causing agent by the Environmental Protection Agency. The chemicals used to increase absorbency have been known to cause skin irritation, rashes, and pinpricks of blood in the genital area. Cloth diapers contain none of these dangers.

Parents who choose cloth diapers are not facing the same concerns that older generations had. New diapers are available in a vast assortment of styles and options. Some have thin plastic layers to prevent leaks, others allow space for removable inserts that add absorbency and protection. Cloth diapers can be purchased with snaps, Velcro, and simple plastic fasteners. Modern cloth diapering parents have a world of options to choose from.

Related Books:

From Diapers to Dating: A Parent's Guide to Raising Sexually Healthy Children, Second Edition

Diaper-Free Before 3: The Healthier Way to Toilet Train and Help Your Child Out of Diapers Sooner

The Little Mermaid (Reusable Sticker Book)

photo credit: kafka4prez

I have a small, ceramic, kitchen scrap bin that I use for collecting compost material. Normally I dump it out every evening and wash it out. This system has worked great, up until now. Suddenly there are gnats flying all over the kitchen.

Since the Mr. isn’t the compost and gardening type, he’s suggesting that i ditch the whole thing. He was willing to put up with it until now, but bugs in the house crosses a line for him. For me too, but I’m certain there is a way to keep kitchen compost scraps without gnats or other bugs. There has to be a way, because no one else is talking about the little flying things in their houses.

My plan right now is to dump and wash more often. I’m hoping this won’t be the long term solution. I hate thinking about washing the bucket after only a couple banana peels, it seems like such a waste of water. I’m also not too keen on heading out to the bin several times a day. I have to keep it far off to the back to keep the landlady happy, and I’d rather keep that trip down to 1.

Everything I’ve read so far talks about cleaning the entire house with bleach to get rid of the buggers, but I’d rather avoid the harsh chemicals. Of course getting rid of my kitchen scrap bin would work also. I wish I had a good lid for my pot, but when I bought it at the thrift shop there was no lid. I’ve been just draping a hand towel over the top instead. Clearly, that’s not working.

So, does anyone have any tips for clearing out gnats that doesn’t involve chemical cleaners? Or getting rid of my compost bucket?

Related Books:

Truman's Scientific Guide to Pest Management Operations

Sermon From the Compost Pile

Cleaning Plain & Simple: A ready reference guide with hundreds of sparkling solutions to your everyday cleaning challenges

photo credit: Fergus Randall

I missed posting my menu last Sunday, but that’s not something I plan to do this week. I’m looking forward to trying some new recipes this week, stepping out of my comfort zone to try some hopefully exciting flavors.

Vegetables are hard to come by cheap right now. I keep hoping to find a good greenhouse near me that is selling, but so far no luck. Instead I’m skipping some of my favorite outside treats to afford a few extra vegetables. I also skipped the fresh fruit for bags of frozen. Not as delicious, but much cheaper. Here’s what I’m making for dinner this week:

Sunday: Mashed potatoes, homemade chicken noodle soup. The man has been begging for some old fashioned chicken and noodles, so I’m obliging a small pot of it. I love mine poured over a heap of mashed potatoes with garlic and real butter. Yum!

Monday: Roasted green beans and peppers, homemade mac & cheese, veggie burgers

Tuesday: Sesame carrots, pasta with walnut-pesto, salad

Wednesday: Oven fries, roasted vegetables, pasta

Thursday: Roasted vegetable and feta sandwich,

Friday: Spaghetti, salad

Saturday: Caramelized Onion & White Bean Flatbread, homemade coleslaw

Check out the Mindful Menu at Chive Talkin’ and read the other menus people are sharing.

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Foods That Fight Pain: Revolutionary New Strategies for Maximum Pain Relief

In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto

California and New York moving toward requiring calorie counts on menus.: An article from: Food & Drink Weekly

Yesterday I opened a box to pull out a new Blackberry of my very own. On the outside, not a very green thing to do. But you see, my phone is different.

I’m the newest member of the Credo nation, a phone service that donates to various green and progressive causes. They plant trees, use soy based ink, and helps offset Carbon usage. They also sent me a sweet Solio solar powered charger for my phone. Yep, my phone is solar powered and that makes me happy.

Finding companies that support the things I support can be difficult. There is so much green washing that goes on, false promises and half hearted claims. Soda companies and bleach manufacturers have all claimed to be “green” when they hope it will bring in additional revenue. It has gotten to the point where you cannot trust any company that claims to be earth friendly without doing a mountain of research first.

Combining the use of a phone like a Blackberry with my goals to be simpler have been tricky, I will admit. Because I do 99% of my work online I wanted a way to stay on top of work. Yet, there is decidedly something not simple about being tethered to work and the internet 24/7. And yet, being able to glance at my email or my to-do list at a moment’s notice so far makes me feel less stressed. There’s no suddenly realizing I forgot something important or putting off going to the store while waiting for a necessary email back. Being tied in makes me feel a little more free.

Right now Credo is offering 2 Blackberry Curve phones for only $50, which is a freakishly awesome deal. And, if you tell them that I sent you their way I’ll get a little bonus. (You have to enter my phone number to list me as a referral)

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Green Living For Dummies (For Dummies (Home & Garden))

Green Living: Sustainable Houses / Des Maisons Ecologiquement Durables Umweltvertragliche Hauser / Duurzame Woningen

photo credit: Samuel Mann

What if everyone vowed to do just ten green things this year. Big or small, simple or hard, once or repeated. Just made a list of ten things and began checking them off. Even if it took all year, even if the list didn’t get finished, there would still be a lot of good done.

I keep thinking about the things that I’m doing, and the things that I want to do. I’ve given up store bought shampoo for the no-poo method, but I still buy soap from the store. What if I switched to buying handmade soap from someone locally? What if I learned to make it myself? I’m making my own bread, but there are still a lot of boxes of food in my shelves that I could be making at home. Sure I recycle, but what if I didn’t buy the stuff to begin with? It feels as if there’s always something more to do. And honestly, it’s that feeling that sometimes stops me in my tracks.

So ten. That’s a nice, round number. Give myself a year to finish the list, and an A for effort if I don’t get it all done. Would that prevent the paralyzing fear that there is too much that needs to be changed?

1. Stop buying soap in plastic packaging
2. Can and store homemade foods
3. Garden
4. Stop drinking soda in plastic bottles
5. Reduce our trash down to 1 bag per week
6. Have TV-free days each week
7. Cook from scratch more often
8. Hug a tree. Openly.
9. Use less paper/print off less things
10. Walk more often.

Honestly, the list doesn’t seem so hard. Sometimes, though, even the smallest change seems so hard in the face of how much more there is to do. I know, it sounds ridiculous. How could a person who gave up toilet paper find it hard to give up boxes of cake mix? I can’t explain it either.

So there is my list to work on for the year. It’s simple, and alone won’t mean much to the environment. But with others it becomes something larger than I’ll ever know. And I like that thought.

What are your ten green things for this year? Waht are you going to try to work on, no matter how small, to make a change?

Related Books:

Reusing and Recycling (Help the Environment)

Recycling (Now We Know About...)

First Aid for the USMLE Step 1, 2010 (First Aid USMLE)

I finally got around to using my bread machine, but I think I did something wrong.

The recipe book that was in the machine listed each recipe in 3 sizes: small, medium, and large. I wasn’t sure which size my machine was so I choose medium. I think I should have went with small. I was able to cut one slice in half and use it for a decent size sandwich. Despite the size, it was delicious. It was wonderful coming home from below freezing temperatures to a house smelling like bread. Once I added homemade butter it was to die for.

Reading through the guide I found a section in the back telling how to make jam with the machine. I wish some sort of fruit was in season here now so I could try to make some. I might give in and buy some berries from the store just to try it out and see how well it works. My guide book doesn’t have a recipe for the jam, but I did find a few recipes online using my bread machine. The only problem is that none of them list pectin as an ingredient. I thought pectin was a vital part of jam making.

Once I get jam making figured out, I’m moving on to pickles. And salsa. Than maybe some sauces and soups.

photo credit: BBJ-

I am obviously not a normal woman.

For Christmas I received a gorgeous silver ring set, sparkly and new, that would be the dream gift for most women I know. Me? I’m moping that I didn’t get the blender I had hoped for. Yes, a blender.

All I really want is to be able to toss some fruits and veggies into the the jar and mix them up into a yummy green smoothie. I would like to get back into my once a day smoothie habit. Drinking my veggies is just so much easier for me, especially when I have a dozen things to do with the kids.

Yesterday I managed to make a run to the local thrift store and scored a nearly new bread machine, instruction included, for only $8. While I was there I found a decent looking Juiceman Jr. that was tagged as works fine. For a while I thought this little juicer would be the temporary answer to my blenderless prayers, until I tried to use it. It juiced my carrots fine, but there was a lot of clunking sounds and a burning smell involved. I don’t think I’m brave enough to use it again, though from the Amazon.com reviews it seems the burning smell happens to new Juiceman Jr. juicers too.

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Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life (P.S.)

Green Smoothie Revolution: The Radical Leap Toward Natural Health

photo credit: Thomas Ott

I was reading on the Huffington Post over the weekend and stumbled upon this article by Dr. John Salerno: Why I Recommend Organic Foods To My Weight Loss Patients.

I recommend organic foods for my weight loss patients because I want them to eat nutrient dense foods, thus you have to begin with the dirt. The overuse of pesticides, herbicides, and other chemical additives for the growth of monoculture genetically modified crops, including corn, soy, rice, canola, and others have wreaked havoc with the soil.

My initial reaction was that this doctor was clearly crazy. I just could not see a connection between organicly grown foods and losing weight. But as I began to read more i started to see his point.

It is not so much that organically grown fruits and vegetables help you lose weight as much as non-organically grown ones can prevent you from dropping pounds. The added chemicals, fertilizers, pesticides, and more can cause water retention, food cravings, and have a negative effect on your body’s immune system. All of these things can cause you to gain weight or to be unable to lose some.

Of course, eating organic is not the sudden quick fix to weight loss, and I suspect I will begin to see a lot of new advertisements claiming it is. There are so many factors involved in weight, including genetics and body type, that any claims that you can lose weight easier with this or that really just annoy me.

On the other hand though, if this were to get more people eating organic and therefore increase the demand/lower the costs a part of me likes it. I’m a woman torn.

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photo credit: kevygee

I have decided to join the Mindful Menus over at Chive Talkin’. It’s a once a week meme where participants share their healthy meal menus for the week. Better eating through peer pressure and group participation.And there is a challenge for everyone to join in.

I generally print my menus off from E-Mealz each week and roughly follow them. Some days we skip, or change things based on what we have and my family’s picky tastes. Here is what we are enjoying for dinner this week

Sunday: Steak, homemade onion rings, green beans Yes, we are having steak. From a local grass-fed cow, but steak the same. I just couldn’t resist the sad eyes I was getting from my beef eater any longer.

Monday: Spaghetti made from whole wheat pasta and homemade sauce. I flubbed the sauce pretty badly last time, I’m hoping I won’t make the same mistake twice. Also, a nice salad and maybe some garlic bread.

Tuesday: Bean tostadas. Mix heaps of black beans with tomatoes, onions, green peppers, and some cheese. Yum!

Wednesday: Butter beans, cornbread. When it’s snowing outside I live for excuses to make big bowls of beans and cornbread.

Thursday: Stir-fry. I’ve got a bag of frozen stir-fry veggies that keep calling my name.

Friday: Lentil soup. This is a new recipe so I hope it turns out decent. The recipe seems simple, just lentils with rice and carrots seasons with curry powder. If it turns out too bad to eat, leftovers are likely.

Saturday: Roasted peppers with pine nuts and feta cheese. I’m not too sure my kids will eat this so I might have to make a back-up meal for them. But for me it sounds so good.

So that’s what we’re eating for dinner this week. If you want to go ahead and share your meal plan too! And you can link it up by adding it here.

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My Dinner with Andre (Wallace Shawn)

Saving Dinner the Low-Carb Way: Healthy Menus, Recipes, and the Shopping Lists That Will Keep the Whole Family at the Dinner Table

I was a very good girl this year, Santa brought me The Backyard Homestead,
Great Yarns for the Close-Knit Family, and Made from Scratch: Discovering the Pleasures of a Handmade Life. I closed my eyes and pointed at random to which one I would read first, which happened to be Made From Scratch. I’m a fee chapters in and already loving this book. Woginrich is a hilarious writer, and open about her failures as much as her triumphs. Something that I’m thrilled to read after reading too many books by perfect people.

I’s good for my ego to know that someone else manages to mess up often enough.

Yesterday evening we gave the bread recipe she shared a try. After my many bread disasters I was less than hopeful. But I was willing to try. After all, I had a packet of yeast left over and time to kill while my dinner cooked. How could I not give it a try? Especially when I had a cute little helper.

The bread didn’t turn out the prettiest, but it tasted like heaven. It was warm and soft, not at all hard like my previous loaves had been. Maybe it was just luck, but I finally got a loaf of bread right. And just in time for the holidays too.

Next up, I’m giving a shot at making butter. I never even considered it before. In my head were visions of long hours spent at a churn. Apparently I can make it in a few hours with a mason jar.

Related Books:

Better Homes and Gardens Homemade Bread Cook Book

The Best Bread Ever: Great Homemade Bread Using your Food Processor

Bread Baking (Nitty Gritty Cookbooks)