Over the past few years, I have been very interested in learning more about "living green". It is definitely easier said than done, but now I am just seeing more and more articles about the things that are brought into the average home on a daily basis and how it affects our developing children. As a mother of two, I simply can't feel good about disregarding the info. I have decided to take some steps to living a "greener" lifestyle.
I was watching an episode of "The Talk" yesterday. (Mommies, if you haven't seen this show, you simply must! It's airs live on CBS at 2pm EST.) Anyway, this particular episode focused on chemicals that are commonly found in children's toys, vinyl purses, etc. that are harmful even to the touch as they have been proven to cause hormonal development issues. For instance, many young girls' ovaries are maturing very early. There are also a lot of known carcinogens in these items. Children's toys? I mean, c'mon, kids are putting these things in their mouths! It also focused on how hazardous household cleaners are, microwaves, even baby powder, disposable diapers, clothing and common skin and hair products. Check out www.smartmama.com for more info.
Well, so I have decided to really start making some steps to becoming more "green". I have always said "oh I should" or "I would really like to", but it's time to put those shoulda-woulda's to action.
Last night, I convinced hubby to let me order cloth diapers. They may be a little tougher to deal with, but not that much. And we will be saving so much "green" in the long run. I only wish I had done this with Tanner. But I know I will be making up for all of that time with my choice to live more "green" from now on. I am happy that Breckin will be in cloth diapers and I know it will be so great for him.
Another thing that I will be doing is recycling. Unfortunately, Jake and I live in a county that does not do neighborhood recycling. I've let that be my excuse for too long. I am going to create bins for paper, plastic and glass and start taking the loads to a recycling center myself.
I've also been greatly considering getting rid of our microwave. Some things may become less convenient, but microwaving is so unhealthy. It changes the composition of our food.
And here's a big one - I'm going to be making all of my own cleaning products from now on. This includes cleaning products for my cleaning business, A Modern Cinderella. This will also be very beneficial to my health, as I am so often using cleaning products and being exposed to harmful chemicals each time. All I did was take the time to do some research on natural cleaning solutions and concoctions and it actually is not that hard to make them. Also, will definitely save me a lot of money! Another thing I will be making myself is Dakotah's flea retardant. I never even thought of how much the kids will touch her and not wash their hands and how much harmful chemicals they may be ingesting. As well as Dakotah by just having it on her!
Before Breckin was born, I had already decided that I would be making his baby food when the time comes to introduce solids. I have a food processor and Charleston has so many great farmer's markets. I know this will also save me a lot of money. May not be as convenient, but definitely worth it. Again, I feel terrible that I did not do these things for Tanner. I only wish back then I had known better.
I am also considering going through a lot of Tanner and Breckin's toys to get rid of the ones that might not be PVC. lead or Pthatalate-free. Toys like this are generally the ones with flexible plastic, such as teething rings (which, oh yes, go directly into the child's mouth!). Some brands I've discovered that are or have many toys that are PVC-free are Lego, Sassy, Melissa & Doug...there are many more.
Anyway, this is just my start to committing to a "greener" lifestyle. I know there are so many more things to change, but of course, big changes like these often require baby steps. I hope to keep you updated with my progress and my experiences with living this "greener" lifestyle. It's definitely going to take a lot of convincing my husband to get him on board - as we all know, typical men could care less where their food and clothing comes from and certainly hardly care about chemicals they might be ingesting...haha. I would never expect to find Jake reading up on stuff like this. I suppose I will just have to suggestively force him into seeing it my way, like I do with most other things. :)
