Category Archives: Eco Friendly Home

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.

How We Are Trying to Keep Our Minivan Green

One of the things we needed with the coming of the new baby is a minivan, which we bought a bit over a week ago. It’s an idea I resisted, as we’ve done so well as a one car family. But babies have more doctor appointments and our one car was a 4 seater. Not exactly adequate for a family of 5.

I kept aiming for a larger sedan, rather than a minivan. Better gas mileage as a general rule. But I didn’t win that debate, and a minivan is what we now have. A 2002 Mazda MPV, to be specific.

I have to admit, it is comfortable for all of us.

Our goal, however, is to only use it when we need to do something with the kids along. We aren’t buying extra car seats just to be able to switch back and forth by the number of people. That would be a waste.

Instead, the old car is the commuter/errands without kids car.

This allows us to take advantage of the better mileage of the old car. I built the habit quickly of running errands only when my husband is home, and I want to keep that habit so that I can just go in the car rather than the minivan. It just makes sense to me to be efficient.

Another key point is how long we keep it. I have always had a habit of driving a car until it costs more than I’m willing to pay in repairs. Generally someone else is willing to go further with it. I’m just not the sort to replace a vehicle every few years. That’s not a green decision in most cases, no matter how good a newer vehicle feels.

Some of the lacks I like. No DVD player installed, although it could have one. I’ve always felt that if you must have one, a portable one makes more sense than one stuck in the car. That said, we don’t have a portable DVD player either. I can think of other ways for the kids to keep themselves busy on the kinds of  (rare) trips we take as a family.

No power doors or power seats. That makes things harder for the kids, but I don’t mind needing to open the doors for them. The kids will be able to cope with those when they’re older. And I think I can adjust my own seat.

Overall, I think we can do well by keeping our usage sensible. No overplanning activities for the kids. No driving just to drive. Thinking about which car we use.

It’s not as green as a hybrid or low emissions car, but it will do. Especially on our budget.

Taking Care of the Kids – CPSIA Style!

If the government can overreact, so can I! It’s time to clean house and make sure there are no toys, books, clothing or anything else that might contain lead or phthalates. Nothing in my home has been tested; how do I know my children are safe?

The only solution is to start cleaning it all out. After all, it could be toxic and it’s for the children’s safety!

Time to Clean House, CPSIA Style!

Let’s start with the things we have for my soon to be here baby. May as well get her off to a healthy start. Goodness knows my other kids are probably contaminated already.

Handmedown clothes. Well, so much for those. I have no idea what’s in them.

Come to think of it, her few new outfits and cloth diapers haven’t been certified so far as I know. Oh well. Do I really want to use disposables? I guess we’ll have to try elimination communication with baby.

Oh crap, the potty hasn’t been tested. This is going to take some work.

Toys. Oh my. Toys. Let’s see… handmedown, handmedown, handmedown, new but has it been tested? Really can’t tell yet.

Crib, cradle, what about my rocking chair? I’ve used them all for each of my kids. Then there’s the stroller and car seat. Not to mention my other kids’ beds. Is there any place safe for them to sleep? Can we even go anywhere safely if I don’t know what the car seats are made of?

Awww! Books! I like my supply of baby books! But how can I know if they’re safe? Even libraries are worried. Not to mention my books for my older kids.

OMG! The older kids! Can I even send them to school? Will the schools do enough testing to keep my kids safe? They have books there too!

Guess we’ll just have to start all over with all the kids’ stuff.

Maybe that’s the idea! Stimulate the economy by making people buy all new stuff to protect their kids! Too bad lots of manufacturers will go under because they can’t keep up with expenses. The price of safety, right? Surely we can cope with the scarcity created and cost of extra testing by paying more.

And don’t worry about the landfills. Or do. There’s an awful lot to be thrown out if companies don’t want to or can’t afford to test their products.

I wonder what it would cost to test the house. Can’t be too careful, after all.

Ending on a Serious Note

Ooh, sounds important, doesn’t it?

But seriously, read up on CPSIA directly from the CPSC site if you’re concerned. It’s confusing at times, boring as can be to read, but a much better source for information than any secondhand, unofficial interpretation. It’s still miserably written, and no doubt will have a major impact on small and home businesses that produce children’s products, but keep an eye out for good bits such as:

Will infants’ crib bedding, blankets, bath textiles, and apparel fall under the heading of “durable product”?

No. Congress did not define the term “durable,” but it is commonly understood to mean able to exist for a long time without significant deterioration. Cloth/textile items are generally not considered to be durable goods. None of the items Congress specified in section 104 as examples of durable products are items made entirely of cloth, rather they are primarily made from rigid materials (e.g., cribs, toddler beds, high chairs, strollers, bath seats).

Do the phthalate limits apply to children’s shoes or socks?

Shoes and socks are not considered to be children’s toys or child care articles.

All that said, I really think the targeting should have been more focused. The problem products have not generally come from small or home based businesses; for lead the problem has often been Chinese imports. A better look at the standards of where we are getting children’s products from, and rules about what we will accept would make more sense than CPSIA. Not to mention a better time frame for things companies haven’t had to test for before.

Cutting Your Computer’s Carbon Footprint

I love my computer. I wouldn’t be able to do what I do without it. But computers don’t necessarily have the best of carbon footprints, particularly if they’re left on more than necessary.

Some of this is pretty easy to handle. Shutting down the computer AND remembering to turn off all accessories at night is a good idea. If this is a challenge, try getting a Smart Strip for your computer. This will shut down accessories whenever you shut your computer down.

For times when you may be more off and on the computer, you can adjust your power settings on Windows computers through the control panel. You can tell it when to go on standby or hibernate, depending on your preferences.

I would also note that it’s a good plan to just not turn on speakers, printers and so forth until you’re actually going to use them. For me this is obvious, as I print very rarely and prefer my computer to be quiet, but less obvious to others.

What About Replacements?

The real challenge can come when you aren’t sure whether or not to replace a computer or its parts. Many people get a new computer every couple years or less.

I don’t replace mine lightly. It’s 3 years old and going strong. My husband’s is (I think) a bit older yet. It’s a handmedown from my older sister, so I’m not quite certain of its age. It has enough power for what he needs a computer for, and that’s quite enough for us.

Sometimes all an older machine needs is some more RAM or a better hard drive. I’ve switched RAM out myself on a computer, and it’s not that hard, but it’s been a while and I can’t explain it. If in doubt, just have a professional do it.

Another way to help an ailing system is to do a virus scan, an antispyware scan, and remove all unnecessary programs, especially things you don’t use that run in the background. It’s amazing how much stuff can clutter up a good system and slow it down. I like Avast antivirus and SuperAntiSpyware… both free. But I would also note that my preferences change as the programs get changed, so do some research as you pick how you protect your computer. You should always have antivirus and antispyware protection on your computer.

Monitors can be a separate matter. A flat screen monitor is much more energy efficient than a CRT. It comes down to when is it right to replace it in consideration of the energy used to create each, as well as what happens to the old monitor after.

Disposal is a Challenge

This is one problem with computers that just hasn’t been properly solved yet. There are recycling programs out there, but you have to be careful. Some programs just ship the problem off to some other country, where the toxic materials aren’t properly handled. It’s a mess for the environment and for the people living in that toxic mess.

If the computer is still usable other ways, you may be able to donate it to a program that will refurbish it. Goodwill has a program at many locations, for example, and also offers instructions on how to get your personal data off the hard drive first. Contact your local Goodwill to be sure. Earth911 is another good resource.

Cooking with One Power Source

Cooking at home is one of the best things you can do for your family. As a rule it’s healthier, and encourages family time, especially if you get the kids involved.

One of my favorite things is to cook with just one power source. The classic is the crock pot, of course. Very easy to make a one dish meal in one, and the power consumption is low. But you can do the same in the oven.

I can start a meal with whatever meat, and maybe some potatoes. Towards the end, start a pan of vegetables to roast. If you don’t try roasting vegetables, you may just be missing out on a treat! They can be wonderful. Very different from steamed veggies.

The trick, of course, is finding foods that can be cooked all at the same temperatures. Time is easy enough to handle just by figuring out when to start things.

If you can cook in this way, you’re minimizing the power used, and using it as efficiently as possible. It won’t work all the time, but when you can swing it, great!