I read a great article in Fast Company about Walmart’s plan to have a label on their products sharing their carbon footprint. If anyone can get this going, Walmart can. I think it will give consumers an amazing ability to use their dollars to vote for more sustainable products. There is great debate about which “green” measures are more important, like water conservation or energy reduction. Either way, it’s great to read about how this is going to happen in our future.
As a new mom, I did a lot of research about using cloth diapers. I read many articles, both pros and cons, of using cloth diapers over disposables. I have since landed somewhere in the middle. I was lucky enough to have my sister as my nanny for the first few months after I returned to work. Luckily, she was (mostly) amenable to using the cloth diapers. After much research, I choose the BumGenius brand of cloth diapers. These are really amazing and I have been very happy with each style I have purchased. My favorite is the fitted style, solely because they are easier to launder and put away. No inserts to stuff after they come out of the dryer! Also, I did buy some “seconds” from cottonbabies.com, and they still look perfect to me. This site is not to be missed, not only for the great products, but also for the vast information regarding cloth diapering in the modern age. Check out the blog on Cotton Babies for more tips and information: http://clothdiapers.blogspot.com/
The other key purchase I made that I would recommend to all new moms is the flannel wipes. These are the perfect size for not only as wipes, but also for all kinds of spills and spit-ups in the early months. They get softer with every wash, and it is a lot easier to through the wipes into the Wet Bag with the cloth diaper for the laundry. What is a “wet bag” you ask, well this is a waterproof bag for all the dirty cloth diapers. There are many pretty print options available, and I choose the bag over a pail as I think it’s easier to tote down to the washer. I also purchased a small size for the diaper bag.
We are now using a mix of disposable and cloth as my daughter now attends day care full-time. They are not able to handle the bulk of storing each child’s dirty diapers separately. It was a disappointment to me, but we still use cloth diapers at home and over the weekend. My husband still calls them “fake diapers” but it makes me happy to know I have made a contribution to reducing the use of disposable diapers.
I am so excited for my newest purchase of ReSnackIt reuseable sandwich and snack bags. Now that I have to pack lunch for my daughter every morning, I realized how much more plastic baggies we are using. ReSnackIt was created by a Mom who wanted to cut down on all the extra plastic in lunch boxes everywhere. They offer two different sizes and a large number of prints. The bags are also available in select Whole Foods Markets primarily in the New England area.
Can’t wait to report on how we use them and how well they clean. From the reviews posted, they are wipeable and can also go through the dishwasher.
Eco-friendly and cute, it will be hard to choose just one. They are offering 10% discount when you buy 3 or more!
https://emilyroachwellness.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Emily-Logo-header-1.png00eroachwellnesshttps://emilyroachwellness.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Emily-Logo-header-1.pngeroachwellness2010-02-10 20:33:002010-02-10 20:33:00Eco-chic alternative to sandwich bags
Green Glass Co. makes use of used wine bottles and more to create beautiful glassware and gifts. My favorite is the Beachglass votives, which are unfortunately sold out due to their popularity. The Cobalt glasses with etched fish are on my wish list too. If you have a large collection of glass bottles, they may be interested in purchasing them from you.
Check out the site for a full range of products and purchasing details: Green Glass Company
We go through about 5 bottles of seltzer every week in my house. Although we buy the large bottles and recycle them, it is still a lot of plastic we purchase. I discovered the seltzer maker by Soda Stream. Check out their online store which has products starting at $89. I am a fan of the Pure machine, with sleek lines that would blend in on the kitchen counter. It would pay for itself in about 16 weeks. Plus the carbonators can be refilled, futher reducing waste.
https://emilyroachwellness.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Emily-Logo-header-1.png00eroachwellnesshttps://emilyroachwellness.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Emily-Logo-header-1.pngeroachwellness2010-01-29 13:46:002010-01-29 13:46:00Seltzer Maker from Soda Sense
https://emilyroachwellness.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Emily-Logo-header-1.png00eroachwellnesshttps://emilyroachwellness.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Emily-Logo-header-1.pngeroachwellness2009-12-31 09:54:002009-12-31 09:54:00We have another snow storm coming!
One of my favorite purchases from Amazon has been my Ceramic Compost container for my kitchen. Food waste makes up a large part of everyone’s weekly trash and composting is an easy way to reduce the waste. I can fill my compost almost every 2 days with food scraps, including egg shells, daily coffee grinds and filter, and peels from bananas and more.
Many towns offer free or discounted compost bins for outside the house. When your kitchen counter compost is full, empty it into the larger compost bin. Bins come in all sizes so you can find the one that best suits your available outdoor space.
For a list of all the items that can be composted, and guidelines on turning and using the soil generated by the waste, please visit: VegWeb.com
And don’t forget the charcoal filters for the compost bin in the kitchen. They are a must! Plan on changing them every other month. I have also washed mine out and dried fully to remove mold build-up after disposing a large amount of moldy strawberries! Norpro Inc. Compost Keeper Replacement Filters
Great gallery of ideas from Better Homes & Gardens: “Making something new from something old”. My favorite are the ideas for the old mantles~ the headboard looks amazing!
