Going Green

So, the big thing these days is to be "green" (or what I would refer to as being environmentally responsible) and to try to leave as little a carbon footprint as possible. I've definitely made some changes in my life recently to live a more "green" life - I'm not sure if this is a direct result of having a child and wanting the world to be a better place for her (or at least last to see her children's children's children) or partly because "being green" is everywhere. There is a plethora of new products to choose from, so as a consumer we now have options in being able to buy products that are "environmentally responsible". And most of these new "green" products are priced comparable to the old stuff, and work just as well, if not better, so we should have no excuses as to why we can't do our little part to save our earth.

Here are the ways I am green:

• I recycle
• I breastfeed - I consider this being green as I am using my body (or natural resources) to feed my baby, no packaging involved
• I do on occasion make my own baby food (which again reduces packaging)
• I use a more "environmentally friendly" disposable diaper made by Seventh Generation (their diapers and wipes are chlorine free)
• I have on occasion used cloth diapers (I definitely plan on using them almost exclusively with my next baby, now that I am armed with more info and knowledge about them, and just have my shit together more as a mom)
• I have switched my laundry detergent, dishwashing liquid, and dish soap (and other household cleaners) to vegetable and plant based products (as opposed to petroleum based products). Again, I use Seventh Generation and have nothing but great things to say about them. They have "free and clear" versions of their products, which obviously contain no scents or dyes, and are great for the sensitive skin of a baby.
• I wash all of my laundry in cold water only

Factoid: If every household in the U.S. replaced just one bottle of 25 oz. petroleum-based dishwashing liquid with Seventh Generation's (or other) plant-derived product, we could save 86,000 barrels of oil, which is enough to heat and cool 4,900 U.S. homes for a year!

For more information on their great products, visit seventhgeneration.com. Their products are also available at your local grocery store or at diapers.com. I was able to purchase a Seventh Generations savings card through diapers.com, which saved me a percentage of my purchases for an entire year on their products. And you can purchase the products by the case at diapers.com, so I just stock up for awhile! All orders at diapers.com over $49 get free shipping, so I highly recommend using them for any/all baby needs.