About a month ago,  I signed up for the Washingtonpost’s post points–little tips e-mailed to me about various topics.    Today’s tip couldn’t have been more relevant in our household: avoid throwaway batteries.  With the release of the new Harry Potter and Annabelle’s new, earlier bedtime routine, my husband and I find ourselves lying in bed at night, holding mini flashlights for reading while Annabelle sleeps beside us.  Well, as you can probably guess, we’re burning through many batteries and today I was supposed to purchase some new ones.  Here’s the post point that has changed my  mind about what batteries to buy:

Many digital gadgets, such as cameras and GPS receivers, take standard AA or AAA batteries instead of pricier, custom-sized rechargeable batteries. But don’t let yourself get in the habit of running to the nearest convenience store every time these devices run out of power. Use rechargeable batteries instead. That approach will cost a little more upfront–expect to pay from $10 to $20 for a set of 4 AAs and a charger–but over the long run you’ll save money from not having to spring for a fresh set of batteries every week or so. You may even save money in the short term, if your only source for a new battery is an overpriced store in some tourist hot spot. Finally, you’ll leave a lot less trash behind.

-Rob Pegoraro, Consumer Technology Columnist

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Seven months ago when my daughter Annabelle was born, a good friend Teresa offered to pick up a baby gift, but when I explained that our little one had more than enough (materially), Teresa told me about Kiva, an organization that lets donors sponsor small businesses across the world, who are described as the working poor.

Within a few days, Teresa had purchased a Kiva gift in Annabelle’s name.  We donated $100, split between four businesses, and already, $25 has been paid back and redonated.  It’s a great organization that helps folks get back on their feet and to help their communities by growing as businesses.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

So last week I made an appointment to donate blood at our local hospital.  I have A negative blood, a rare blood type that 9% of the population has.  More rare than A negative is AB positive and AB negative.  Fortunately, another donor offered her seventeen year old daughter to me as childcare for the five minutes or so during which the bank collected my blood.  Afterwards I enjoyed some water and juice and the good feeling of knowing that I had just helped save lives by giving blood (and I also learned that I lost a pound too!).

Overall, I’d say giving blood is a pretty humane and environmental act.  What do other folks think?

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

This past Tuesday I hosted an ecofriendly baby party at my home.  While lunch was nothing fancy (cold cuts, veggie burgers, pitas, and bread), we used my nice china and drank from washable/reusable plastic cups.  Also, I have not yet acquired cloth napkins in my green home, so I dug deep into the pantry and found pretty leaf patterned napkins.   Cleanup was simple enough afterward–just placed the dishes into the dishwasher (we have energy star appliances) and voila, the party’s mess was no more.

Other green activities at our party included lots of singing about animals, reading books about Cows that Type, and sharing stories with each other about breastfeeding, baby’s sleep or lack thereof, and all other issues baby related.  Everyone lives local so not too much fuel was burnt for this get together, and it was a bright sunny day with only low-energy fluorescent lit lamps giving us extra light.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Yikes!  While reading my Ideal Bite this morning and sipping from my reusable water bottle, I learned that polycarbonate plastic (which my bottle–an enviroproductsinc item) leaks bisphenol-A and is linked to birth defects, miscarriage, and prostate cancer.   I’d been dragging my feet about purchasing a metal or glass bottle, and now I’ll search for one today.   Below is a picture of my polycarbonate water bottle, and just for user’s knowledge, I have never been able to get the bottle completely clean of gunk when I have put juice or fruit nectar mixed with water into this bottle.  So, whatever I start drinking out of needs to be environmentally friendly, healthy for my body, and easily cleaned.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Today Annabelle is running a fever of 102, which we think is an allergic reaction to one of her 6 month shots (I asked the ped. to give one shot and the others will be given one at a time with four weeks between).  In any case, I’m home with our sick little one and lots of t.v. (and home design reading too!).  Anyway, Ellen is hosting a green living episode today and I’m psyched.  I’m glad my time in front of the boob tube can be well spent so I can learn some more about how to protect our environment.  I’ll post more about what I learn later today (or when Annabelle is feeling better).

Cheers,

Jessica

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Over the past few months step by step we are replacing all cleaning and personal care products with eco friendly products–everything from laundry detergent to shampoo and deodorant. I plan to post our reviews of these products and confess the good and the bad of switching over. Before I tell you about our dishwasher detergent (it didn’t go so well), I’ll post the outcomes of two different kinds of paraben free shampoos and conditioners.

Let’s start with 365 Organic Shampoo and Conditioner grapefruit scented.

It smells great, builds a smooth lather, and gives me clean and oil free hair. I love the way my hair feels after I use this product, and it’s pretty cheap too. Now having tried 365 I wasn’t seeking out other brands of paraben and chemical free hair care, but after forgetting to repack my shampoo and conditioner from our trip to Connecticut I needed to purchase.

Since Giant is closer to our house than Whole Foods, I decided to browse the shampoo aisle and found that they carry a large selection of natural personal care products. I winced as I spent about $8 a bottle on Avalon Organics shampoo and conditioner lavender scented.

Once home I was excited to try my new products. Well, the lavender smell is nice. I did feel calmer as I showered and smelled the lavender, but the lather was terrible. The best way to describe the feel of this shampoo in my hair and on my hands is sticky. To add insult to injury, once I blow dried my hair my roots looked a bit oily and it made my hair feel stiff.

At this point, I think I will freecycle my Avalon Organics hair care and visit Whole Foods to buy 365 organics shampoo and condition, which in my p.o.p. is a much cheaper but more satisfying shampoo and conditioner.

More product reviews to come . . .

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

My article on eco friendly baby raising will be published in the upcoming issue of mix tape zine.   The zine’s logo is “Go on!  Make time for the small things……..”   Other topics of interest in this edition include eco tips for renters, several crafting articles, yoga for kids, etc.  I think I’ll place an order for relatives and other crafty friends.  To take a peak and made an order, click here or here: www.mixtapezine.etsy.com

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Downtown in D.C. today, the Live Earth broadcast will be hosted by the National Museum of the American Indian until 10:30 p.m. tonight. The event features former Vice President Al Gore, and country music stars Trisha Yearwood and Garth Brooks. Although this green mama would love to be there, we’ve got our hands full with little Annabelle and house hunting, so we’ll watch the live broadcast on NBC and MSNBC. Live Earth is just another effort for solving the climate crisis. Click here to learn more and to join their site for updates and e-mail.

Well, I’ll be tuning into Live Earth tonight. Hope other green mamas and papas do too!

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Sorry for the delay in posts. Oh how busy this green mama has been! This past week we were house hunting, I applied and interviewed for a part-time job working with international students, and then I enjoyed a few mornings watching my friend Sara’s boys while they took turns at swim lessons with their mom. And, once the weekend rolled around, our family packed and drove up to Connecticut to celebrate the 4th of July. What a week! We had a great time, but I was sorry to be absent here on my green mama blog.

Still, I was able to focus on doing some eco friendly work. I put together an article for mix tape zine about caring for an eco friendly baby and the environment at the same time. I recommend five easy ways to grow a green baby, which I’ll quickly list here but for all the details, you’ll have to take a peak at my article when it is published. They are:

1) Flush. Use flushable diapers and practice infant potty training, or elimination communication.

2) Wash your baby’s bottom. Avoid using baby wipes when changing your baby’s diaper or letting baby use the toilet.

3) Consider “used” another word for environmental. Check out freecycle.org and craigslist.org for on-line baby items in excellent condition.

4) Rub it on right. Purchase and apply environmentally friendly personal care products for baby that won’t contaminate our water supply and soil.

5) Skip the take out. That is, baby food. Make homemade baby foods to avoid consuming baby food containers made of plastics that many communities are unable to recycle.

So even though I feel guilty about burning a lot of fuel to travel north to visit distant family, I feel a bit better since I’m spreading the word about how to care for mother earth. If you have other eco friendly baby tips, please e-mail me or post a comment. Thanks!

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!