Should you be buying them?

There’s a right and a wrong way to go about buying eco friendly products. Certainly if it’s something you need, get the eco friendly version whenever possible.

But if you’re just replacing something you already own, think more carefully.

It’s good to buy eco friendly when you’re shopping, but that doesn’t mean you can just shop for whatever you want. Even eco friendly is not an excuse for consumerism.

You also want to be aware of greenwashing. So many products claim to be green, but the claims are pretty thin. Many of these claims aren’t regulated and can be put on just about anything. Don’t assume that terms such as “natural”, “green”, “nontoxic” and similar terms mean much at all. “Organic” and “recycled” are much better terms as there is some oversight on them.

You can also research the claims online. Companies that are offering products they claim are eco friendly will probably share details online, even if there’s not much information on the packaging. If not, you can probably get some good information just by searching on the product name. It’s amazing what some people can find out and will share quite freely.

Certification is good to look for too, so long as it’s a real one such as Energy Star for saving electricity.

For personal care products, check out Skin Deep’s Cosmetic Database. You’ll find out if the products have a lot of unsafe ingredients.

Do buy foods, personal care products and cleaning products in eco friendly versions when possible or make your own. These are things you use up and so you’ll probably be buying pretty regularly.

Don’t go replacing perfectly good but non-eco-friendly products just because you want the green version. If it’s still good it’s probably more green to keep it than to replace it even with the eco version. If you do get rid of things that can still be used, make sure they head to a thrift store, get sold at a garage sale or are offered on Freecycle. Someone else may still appreciate what you don’t want anymore.

There’s a balance to be had in buying more eco friendly products and in being too much of a consumer. Keep an eye on your habits so that you don’t fall into that trap.

I’ve come to realize that here in Yucaipa boots might just be a good idea for winter.

The thought occurred to me the other morning while walking my daughter to school. I could feel the cold air on my feet even through my sneakers. That’s on a dry morning, temperatures in the 40s, and it’s not really even winter yet.

So I’m starting to look at boots. Seems strange to me, even though I already bought some for the kids. I haven’t had boots in years.

I kind of like the looks of Earth’s Mirage 2. Looks nice and warm. But then there’s the Keen Kaley, which looks more stylish to me.

They’re honestly both a bit more than I’d like to spend. I haven’t spent that much on a pair of shoes in a long time. I’m trying to keep this one reasonable for our current budget, while balancing style, environmental friendliness and function.

Oh, and I have no intention of driving all over town for the right shoes, wasting gas. Thank goodness for the internet, where I can figure out what I’d like and if it can be bought on a regular errand or if I have to have it shipped here.

But I think one of the best gifts my daughter ever got for her birthday from a friend was some play silks. 2 years later and she still keeps pulling them out. They’re holding up well.

Play silks are such simple toys really, just a beautiful piece of silk. But the simplicity is the real delight. They get used to create costumes, mostly. It’s amazing how many costumes can come from a single piece of fabric, and yes, a bride can wear a green veil and look wonderful.

Play silks can be found at sites such as Magic Cabin or Amazon, as well as many others.

At the ages my kids are at, I really think they’re happiest when they’re being creative, and that’s why I think they love the silks so much. They may beg to watch television or play on the computer, but once they’re involved in creative play, they’ll go on for hours. Watch TV or play on the computer, and I can count on multiple requests for snacks and other signs of boredom.

It does bring to mind, though, that it’s time to get ready for summer. And so I’m presenting some tips today.

1. Use the air conditioner less.

Yeah, this one goes on all the going green lists, doesn’t it?

Use fans rather than the air conditioner when you can. They use a lot less energy and really can help cool you. They don’t actually cool the house, but they do make it feel better. You can also fill 2 liter bottles with water, freeze them, then place in front of the fan to make a cool breeze.

Figure out how warm you are willing to tolerate your home, and set your air conditioner’s thermostat to that. Your home does not need to be 75 degrees F all summer long. You may not even need to keep it as cool as 80. Figure out your personal limits and try to adapt to warmer temperatures.

Our air conditioner is generally not turned on during the day even if it’s 85 degrees in the house. We may use it to cool the house for sleeping, but it takes a really hot day to get it turned on during the day. It’s not as bad as you may think to adapt to warmer temperatures, even when it’s humid. Humans have been doing that for millennia.

2. Block the heat from getting into the house.

I’m not just going to say “use the air conditioner less” and not tell you how. I’m saying flat out do what you can to keep the heat from coming into your home in the first place.

There are a few strategies you can use.

If you have the inclination, make quilted covers for your windows. These have the advantage of keeping the warm in during winter as well as blocking sunlight. Just remember that the sun’s rays will steadily fade the colors in the fabric and don’t be disappointed when that happens.

Cardboard boxes are an unattractive but good option too, especially if you have some empty ones already around the house. Such a simple thing to repurpose.

Mylar also works well in windows, and has the advantage that it can be put in carefully enough that you can still open the windows without removing it when the day cools sufficiently. If you want to go cheap stores that carry camping supplies may have Mylar emergency blankets for as little as $1 each.

You don’t have to block all your windows if you don’t want to. Definitely get the ones that the sunlight pours directly into in the morning. These generally add the most heat to your home.

3. Prepare your propane grill.

You may love charcoal more than propane (my husband certainly does!) but propane burns much more cleanly when you barbecue. If you really need to use charcoal consider some of the natural charcoal brands out there.

4. Try a solar oven.

I really, really want to do this one this year, as does my husband. We just haven’t agreed on which type to make. I’m all for a simple one, he keeps looking at more difficult ones. He’s afraid the cardboard boxes used in many models won’t hold up to the heat – no matter how many instructions say they’re what to use.

You don’t have to make your own if that’s not your style. You can buy solar ovens online fairly easily.

5. Keep that garden going.

If you have the space, I hope you garden. It’s one of the best and most affordable ways to combine exercise and organic produce.

If you’re in a drought area, try to think of ways to use less water in your garden. You can install drip irrigation, for example. We’re currently using gallon apple juice jugs for watering, as I posted yesterday. It’s rather like using those Aqua Globes you see on television, except we’re reusing things we already had, and they’re really ugly.

If the garden isn’t working out, this is the time of year to really enjoy that local farmer’s market.

And in general, whether or not you’re in a drought area, try to use less water.

6. Plan your travel carefully.

Flying is a great way to travel long distances quickly, but it’s not green by a long shot. Drive or take the train when you can.

Consider taking vacations that really let you enjoy nature too. Camping is a wonderful family activity that can help even the youngest of children really appreciate nature. Just be sure to respect the campgrounds, stay on the paths and if you bring it in, take it out.

7. Line dry your laundry.

Yeah, sure, it doesn’t look that good. It saves a lot of energy, though.

You may have to battle your homeowner’s association if you live in some areas. Check the rules you have to deal with first. Then remember that you can still line dry indoors if you choose.

Clothesline don’t have to be expensive. My husband just put up a rope for me to use. It’s thick enough to support the weight but thin enough for the clothespins to clip on to.

You might even consider joining the Clothesline Challenge.

8. Green your sunscreen.

A lot of sunscreens rely on some chemicals that aren’t good for you or the environment. Check out the sunscreens listed at the Skin Deep database to figure out which brands you would like to try. Soleo appears to be a good brand.

What tips do you have for a greener summer?

They used a company called California Grazing for the job. The California Grazing site does a great job of explaining exactly why it is that goats are a green choice. Too bad the folks who take care of the fields near us and just spent days getting it mowed haven’t heard of them. I think the goats would have been a better choice. Certainly the school kids walking by would have gotten quite the kick out of seeing the goats at work.

Perhaps the best part is that this apparently cost Google about the same as having the area mowed. Not bad, not bad at all.

I know, of course, that gardening isn’t for everyone. So today I wanted to get into local food sources. If you can’t garden, if you don’t want to, if your garden fails, whatever the reason, buying local is a great option.

Farmer’s markets are often an easy choice. There may be several in your area. The USDA has a page all about farmer’s markets, and it may be a place for you to start searching if you haven’t spotted them already on your own. But it definitely doesn’t have all of them listed. I searched for a farmer’s market I know of in my area, one that has been going on for years, and it wasn’t listed.

Local Harvest is another great resource. Once again, they didn’t have my local farmer’s market listed, but it did show another that I know of nearby.

Local Harvest can also help you to find a CSA to join in your area. Community Supported Agriculture groups are a great option if you don’t mind prepaying and not knowing what exactly you’re going to get. I haven’t tried one yet myself, but every time I read about someone who has, the selection impresses me.

The Eat Well Guide offers similar resources.

If you want to learn more about sustainable eating, I suggest checking out the Sustainable Table website. It has some great tips that will help you understand why you want to avoid conventionally farmed foods when you can.

These are some of the things that make it easier for me:

1. State of Mind

It would be harder to use my clothesline if I really hated it. That’s pretty much obvious, I’d say.

A part of what I do is look at it as a chance to get a bit of exercise, which can otherwise be hard to get with 3 young children in the house. There’s a lot of lifting, and holding wet laundry to the line to clip it, then repeating over and over certainly gives the arms a bit of a workout. It’s not as much fun as lifting my baby of course.

2. Know How Long to Leave Clothes on the Line

My husband hates the feel of towels and jeans dried completely on the line. I do too. But what he doesn’t realize is that I dry all laundry at least part of the way on the line when the weather is nice. Jeans, towels and anything else that will feel kind of crunchy after I take down before they’re dry and toss into the dryer. Just doing the last little bit of drying by machine takes the crunch out.

3. Recognize the Benefits

I love knowing that I’m saving money drying my laundry this way. I also enjoy seeing how much better white items look after drying in the sun. It’s most obvious with my baby’s cloth diaper inserts, which often still have some yellow to them after washing. By the time they’re dried by the sun, the yellow is gone. The dryer can’t do that.

4. Have Enough Clothesline Available

I still need my husband to hang a second line for me. I may end up doing it myself if he doesn’t get to it soon. It’s not that hard, but I’d need a time when the baby doesn’t need me. On the plus side, it would do my son good to see that Mommy can do that kind of work too. Same for my older daughter, but I think I would probably try it while she was at school. Just the time of day I’m most likely to do these things.

Not having enough space for more than a load at the time makes using a clothesline harder on days that aren’t hot enough to dry everything quickly. That especially goes for if I’m doing general laundry and cloth diapers on the same day. Those inserts can take forever to dry! They are absorbent, after all.

5. Plenty of Clothespins

You can save on clothespins and clothesline space if you clip two pieces of clothes together, side by side, but that only goes so far. Running out of clothespins just before you run out of laundry in a load can be quite frustrating.

6. Hat and Sunglasses

One of my peeves with a clothesline is looking into the sun as I try to hang the clothes. Wearing a hat and sunglasses can really help. I don’t feel so blinded.

What tips do you have for drying clothes on a clothesline?

That’s not to say there aren’t good things to buy for Earth Day. If there’s a truly green change you’re wanting to make it’s a good time to do it.

For example, you might choose to use more energy efficient lightbulbs, such as CFLs. You might change laundry detergents. You might switch from a gas powered lawn mower to a push mower. You might buy a composter and start composting. You might switch to a low flow showerhead.

You get the idea. Just be sure that you’re really making an environmentally sound choice, not falling for greenwashing. There’s a lot of that out there.

If you’re living a generally green life already, you may feel like there’s not much to be done to improve your home, at least not within your current budget. That’s fine. There’s plenty more you can do.

There are Earth Day events in most communities. Some will be today, others on the weekend. Last year, for example, my family and I attended an event where people were able to help plant trees in an area that had burned in a wildfire. Our kids were too tired that day to help, but they enjoyed the educational parts of the event and a short hike through the nature reserve.

You can also encourage people you know to get more involved. One day doesn’t do much for the planet, but if you can use it to get people who aren’t thinking about the environment to consider it more, you could help with the problem. These things take time, after all.

Some are pointless at best, such as your typical antibacterial soaps. According to the article, the amount of antibacterial products in household soaps and such are not strong enough to kill the bacteria. Instead, they may only be helping create stronger bacteria.

Regular soaps do the job just as well in most cases. You’re better off avoiding products with triclosan in them. It’s really not helping you, and may be causing environmental damage.

Parabens and phthalates are also all too common. These two act like hormones in your body. Phthalates are hard to spot, as they hide under the name “fragrance”. Parabens are easier to spot as “paraben” will be a part of the word in the ingredient list.

When in doubt, the Skin Deep website is a huge help. It will help you to figure out which products are safer for you. You’ll be able to make more educated purchases for all sorts of personal care products for yourself and your family.

If you don’t need it, it’s not green!

I don’t care where it came from.

I don’t care what it’s made of.

If it’s the accumulation of more stuff, it’s not green.

We all struggle with this, especially since “need” is such a personal definition. Just look at what we think we need to get by in the United States versus other countries. In many cases the difference just ain’t pretty.

Be realistic about why you buy what you buy. Reusable bags and bottles are green because they keep you from using disposable bags and bottles. But having a whole collection of which maybe only a few are used is far less green. You hit the limit when you buy more of these things than you need.

Buying new things because you want to replace what you have with organic, fair trade, etc. is green in some ways, but wasteful if what you had was still perfectly good. Hopefully it’s all at least going to the thrift stores, Craigslist, Freecycle or something similar so that it will be used by someone else.

Being green can be complex at times. The right decision is not always obvious. A moment’s thought can do a lot to limit your mistakes.