Category Archives: Going Green

The Disadvantage to Line Drying Cloth Diapers

Cloth diapering my daughter is going really well right now. She still has the occasional leak if she naps too long and I only have the infant insert in the diaper, but so long as I pay attention all goes well. She can even make it through the night with the full size insert in her bumGenius 3.0 cloth diapers.

Caring for them is going really well too. I’m pretty used to the clothesline routine for drying them. But there’s one little disadvantage we have to deal with…

There’s a pepper tree next door. It’s dropping those tiny little flowers all over the place.

I keep finding them in the diapers when I bring them in. I’ve not had this problem with other laundry, although I will admit I’m pickier about the condition of diapers when then come in than other clothes. Selene’s smaller, after all, and diapers have a rather important function.

Aside from that, I’m loving the clothesline, at least on warm, sunny days. The sun nicely bleaches out the color that the washing machine doesn’t quite manage.

Is the Cost of Going Green Worth It?

A lot of green purchases cost more upfront than their non-green counterparts. Organic food, compact fluorescent bulbs, cloth diapers… it can be hard to see why you would bother paying extra. All these steps seem like such small things.

However, each of these has the potential to save you some significant money.

The hardest to track is probably the organic food. How do you know if a health issue is caused by the buildup from the food you’ve been eating or if you would have had it no matter your diet? You can’t.

But other differences may be noted. You might find that you are more satisfied when you eat healthier foods. Some people find that their urge to snack goes down when they cut the junk food. Combine that with going organic and you might not be spending as much extra as you think.

Compact fluorescent bulb savings are also hard to track. You don’t know what fixture adds a particular amount to your electricity bill. Their estimated average savings per bulb for the life of the bulb is about $30… not a bad deal.

The need to recycle them can be a bit of a challenge, but you can learn how to handle that in your area at http://www.epa.gov/bulbrecycling

Cloth diapering is something I’ve recently gotten into, as readers of this blog already know. The upfront cost is significant, a few hundred dollars, but through the time my daughter is in diapers I will have saved a lot of money. I would have saved a lot more if I had used cloth diapers starting with my oldest child.

Depending on the brand of diapers you buy, payback can be a few months under a year to a few months over a year. That’s not a bad deal. It’s some extra work, but with modern cloth diapers it really is not all that complex. No pins required.

Not every green purchase has such obvious financial advantages. Organic and fair trade clothing for example, cost more, but you aren’t going to get that money back. They’re about making a choice based on your conscience.

The big changes such as solar power have extremely long payback times and can be unattainable for people who rent. It’s a great choice for those who can afford to wait to earn their money back and have a living situation that allows it, but it’s not a green choice that everyone can do right now.

Perhaps the most important thing to remember is that not every green choice comes with a price tag.

Choosing to buy less, for example. Making do with less is a green choice and doesn’t cost you anything. It is perhaps one of the most neglected green options out there, as people love to shop. That doesn’t mean it doesn’t matter, just that it’s one of the least glamorous choices you can make.

But it can feel really good. It’s an adjustment, but not so uncomfortable as some might think. And the impact on your pocketbook is a positive one.

Working My Postpartum Wardrobe

Can it be? Am I really more than 5 weeks postpartum? It can’t have been that long.

But it is. Baby Selene is growing so fast. Now if I could just fit into my old clothes.

I know, I know, it will be a while. I’m just really looking forward to having a wider selection to choose from. I really do not want to spend money on clothes that I’m planning on shrinking out of soon.

No, I’m not particularly stressed about my weight or figure as such. I’m mostly interested in not shopping.

I’ve been working hard on not buying anything for now. I’m not wearing any of my maternity pants anymore because they were all the low rise variety, and ride right along my C-section scar. Does not feel good!

I know I could head on out to the thrift store and find some clothes that would get me through the transition without getting anything brand new. Much, much better than my mother-in-law’s suggestion that I head out to Walmart and get some cheap stuff there. I’ve been wearing skirts every day, including my Renaissance Faire skirt, and she just can’t stand it. After all, I HAVE to have shorts for summer, right? So she insists.

But in addition to trying to be green, we’re trying to save a lot of money right now. That means that if I can get by without it, I am. And with all the laundry a newborn baby can generate, plus two older kids, it’s not hard at all to keep my skirts clean and in rotation, even though I only have 3 that I can get into.

I know the urge to get away from maternity clothes all too well. It’s nice being able to dress somewhat normally, even if things aren’t fitting quite the way they ought to. But I think I will save my clothing budget for when I’m at a more stable size.

It’s Not Green If You Don’t Need It

I’ve posted occasionally on green consumerism in the past, but it’s one of those points worth revisiting regularly.

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.

Getting Away From Disposable Dishes

I have long been careful to use as few disposable items as possible in my daughter’s school lunches. It’s so much cheaper to buy and use reusable bottles and containers for her food.

It also ensures that she doesn’t throw everything out at school, and I know how she’s eating. But that’s just a side benefit.

But with my son’s birthday coming up, I keep thinking about the disposable dish use for most birthday parties. Just seems kind of silly to be wasting those.

One idea I’ve read about that I really like is hitting the thrift stores for cheap, old dishes and silverware to use for parties. I like that. It’s great for the budget if you keep them, or if you don’t like them, back they can go. Donating to thrift stores is very easy.

I like the idea of keeping them, of course. That’s just the cheapest way to go.

The challenge, of course, is finding dishes that young children can handle with minimal risk of breakage. Plastic dishes are of course not that great an idea.

There are other times you should be looking at your use of disposable dishes. Some people bring their own containers to restaurants to bring home leftovers. It’s a bit more challenging in some ways for take out, as you may have called ahead, plus the restaurant has a standard way they get food ready. But if you’re nice when you ask and have your containers ready, they may cooperate with a smile.

Quitting disposable dishes is challenging, but it can be a great conversation starter, both with family and complete strangers. It’s an extra step to take a lot of the time, but really not all that inconvenient once you build the habit.