Junk Mail, Snail Style

Now that most of the country has email, most snail mail can be considered 'junk' mail. I have been letting my mail pile up throughout the week just to see how much I actually accumulated. The results were astounding.  Half of my counter was covered with bills, magazines, advertising flyers and so much more.  Electronic mail is easy to reduce, all that you have to do is click unsubscribe at the bottom of the email and you will not see that chain of emails ever again.  Snail mail is a little different.  In order to take one more step in shrinking my ecological footprint I am questioning the norm of excess snail mail. 

Don't get me wrong, there is something exciting about going out to the mailbox to see what has been sent to you, but 9 times out of 10 it is garbage.  My goal is to eliminate those '9 times' and just leave the goodies like birthday cards, packages and letters (unfortunately, I don't think anyone still writes letters) so that every time you go to the mailbox the chances of it being something exciting are much higher.  It sounds silly, but it is the little things in life that mean the most.  

Step one - Bills and statements.  Most companies offer electronic bill pay and statements because it saves them paper and postage.  Take them up on that offer, you will save a 46cent stamp, a check and the chance of contracting disease from licking the envelope.  I have been against switching for the past few years. My husband has been on my case about it, but there is just something about writing out a check that....Well, that already sounds stupid.  So, this week I plan to go paperless with my statements and bills.  Just think, in stamps alone, that could be a savings of $50 a year. Action: This will require 20 minutes of visiting each website and selecting the paperless option.

Step two - Magazines. Somehow I have about five different magazines being sent to my house. We don't even read a quarter of them.  Action: This will take 15 minutes on the phone canceling the subscriptions that we don't read and another 5 minutes of gathering old magazines to donate to a local business or doctors office. 

Step three - Junk Mail. There is a website that helps you opt-out of junk mail. Catalog Choice is all about sustainability and allows you to take your name off of company mailing lists. It does take a little bit of time, but it is free. This will take care of most of the credit card offers, advertisements, etc. Action: This will take 5 minutes every time I come across junk mail from a new company. Just set up an account and start entering each of the companies information as the mail arrives. 

Step four - Enjoy. Enjoy the excitment of going to the mailbox again.  It might not be a bad idea to send a little positive energy into the universe by hand writing an actual letter yourself and surprising someone else when they open their mailbox! Who knows, you might get something back in return. Action: Hand write and send a letter.  Make someone smile. 

I will check back in a few months to let you know the difference that I have seen in my mailbox.  Until then, think green!

Immunizations

I know this tends to be a touchy subject.  Most parents either feel strongly one way or another about immunizing their kids.  However, there are also a large number of parents that are stuck in the middle, this blog is geared towards them.  The norm is to immunize as a baby and then periodically through life.  The number, type, and contents of vaccines has many parents questioning the norm.  Rising numbers in autism is also a huge concern. 

What is worse, giving the immunizations and risking a child's health or not giving them and risking the child's health? Which risk is greater? As a new mother, this the first challenging decision among many and there really is not much help readily available.  As soon as your baby is born they are trying to give him or her a shot for Hepatitis B. If you are not prepared for it, which most new parents are not, you instantly get put on the spot to make a decision.  You are trying to adapt to the overwhelming idea of being a new parent and you already have this weighted decision on your shoulders.  I am not saying one way is right and one way is wrong, but I am saying it is wise to do your homework beforehand and ask questions so that you can feel confident in your decision. 

As I asked around to other new parents, I found that most had the same questions that I had.  This was very comforting and unsettling at the same time.  I don't disagree with immunizations; I think that they are vital for saving lives. I do, however, have questions that were not being answered.  Like, for instance, why is it that science cannot link autism and immunizations, but every story that I have heard from parents with an autistic child can relate it back to the exact time of an immunization? It is all very puzzling.

I watched a PBS documentary called The Vaccine War. Although most people think it favors mainstream, I believe it really gave a fair representation of both sides of the situation. If you are challenging this norm, it is a good video to watch.  Also, it is important to know that there are doctors that see both sides, the documentary did not touch on that.  These doctors in the middle understand the importance of immunizations, but also consider other factors, which makes their recommendations slightly different then mainstream. These doctors are hard to find, but "where there is a will there is a way".  They can give you a fresh perspective on the topic so that you can make the educated decision on your own. 

Bottom line, I know there is a lot to do when preparing for a baby; decorating the nursery, baby showers, doctor appointments every week, etc., but try and do your homework before you deliver if you have questions.  I found the best resource to be other moms, new and old.  If you still don't have your questions answered, find a doctor that is willing to help you get your answer and help you feel confident one way or the other.  Without guidence, the middle is a very unsettling place to be.                  

Scrappin' for Cash

Not only have I found ways to SAVE money by challenging the norm, I also (with the help of my husband) found ways to MAKE money. By recycling old appliances and scrap metal you can get paid. Yet another win-win.

For past few years we have been salvaging any aluminum, nickel, copper and brass that would have typically ended up in the trash and instead turned it into cash. We collect the metals and drop them off at the scrap yard.  By taking these metals to the scrap yard we are recycling and making money. Anyone can do it and it is an easy process. We have never left the yard with less than $300. Just look up your local metal scrap yard for details. It does help to pre-sort the metals to get the best value. For more information visit the site Scrap Metal Junkie .

Recently, we also learned that you can make money off of recycling old refrigerators and air conditioning units too! Every electric company has their own rules, but ours allows us to turn in two refrigerators and two air conditioning units units per year. They even send someone to pick them up for you free of charge. All that you have to do is schedule a pick up on their website. Six weeks after they pick up your appliances a check arrives in the mail. We were able to get $75 for each fridge and $25 for each a.c. unit. Easy money! It is exciting too, where else can you drop off a boat load of trash and leave with a wad of cash?

No Cable, No Problem

After saving money by switching to cloth diapers and canceling my trash service, I started to think of how else one can save money by questioning the American norm. Many things came to mind, but for starters I thought I would share something my husband and I changed not long before I started this challenge. The norm for us was cable tv.

We spent $80 a month on cable tv. We typically watched the news and a few shows. We also had +Netflix for an additional $7.99 a month. As much as I would like to get rid of our TV all together, my husband and I agreed to just get rid of our cable to keep the peace in the house.

We canceled cable, kept +Netflix and added +Hulu Plus for another $7.99 a month. At the time I was just out to save money, but it turned out to be a smarter decision. We will save over $800 a year, plus have access to more shows on our own time. The shows on +Hulu Plus are endless and updated daily. We also purchased an +Apple TV to make life easier. With the +Apple TV the movies available on +Netflix  are always updated. We both added an app to our phones to stay up to date with the news, but I believe you can also access news and sports on the +Apple TV as well.

Many Americans struggle to make ends meet, but cable still seems to be a staple. Consider changing your norm, there is a less expensive way that will give you the same if not more options. We did it and my family of four couldn't be happier. There is even a large variety of educational baby shows for Luna and many shows for my teenage step-daughter, Summer.

Mainstream Meets Holistic

When I became a new parent I took on a responsibility greater than any that I have ever come across, and I am no longer just talking cloth diapers and recycling.  With the advice from experienced parents, the wealth of information available on the internet and the guidance from my child's doctor, it is my job to take it all in and decide what I feel is right and then use it for my child's health and well being. This is easier said than done.

I struggled with this up until last week.  What I was finding was that the advice given from my family and friends on raising Luna was of huge value to me. It was tried and true and it made sense.  The internet was hit or miss and sometimes made matters more confusing then they had to be, but it was an option. Her doctor gave solid advice, but there were always some things that left me feeling unsettled. This is never a good place to be as a mom, especially when your child's primary care physician is supposed to help guide you all the way through you through adolescence.

When you are choosing a doctor for your child your options seem endless, but in reality your options are very limited.  Mainstream doctors all seem to have similar views on raising a healthy baby. Their views have helped raise millions of healthy babies so how can I argue? Choosing mainstream is the norm for most parents and it works.

I had been challenging that norm since the beginning of my pregnancy. It seemed like following mainstream was the right direction, but I never felt good about my decision. I was always left with too many unanswered questions.  After much contemplation, I finally decided that I had to make a change. My doctor had told me to buy vitamins for Luna. He wrote down the brand name and told me she should be taking them every day. This brand was the #1 doctor recommended brand.  I read the label, "artificial colors and sweeteners".  Really? There is no part of that that seems right. How could I trust a doctor that thought putting artificial anything in my babies body was okay? Other decisions that he (mainstream) made for her were out of my league, but this I could understand. That was when I started to look for an alternative. 

I needed to find someone that I could trust and that I felt confident was giving me the guidence that I truly felt was right. Making the decision to step away from this norm is like being found alone on a deserted island.  You lose the support of society and that is a very scary place. With help from a friend, I was lucky to find someone who shared my views where mainstream and holistic methods meet in the middle. I have never walked out of a doctor appoinment (even for myself) feeling like "that actually makes sense". I don't disagree with the mainstream medical world at all, it does have its place, but I feel that holistic medicine can play an equally important role in the growth and development of a child (or anyone) and it will with mine. It was also amazing how closely related this doctors views were with the advice that was given to me by my friends and family who were raising children 30+ years ago. We may have lost something in the middle there.  I finally feel 100% confident that I am doing the right thing for my daughter and that is a good feeling.
 

Go Green, Save Green

What is the point of trash pick up service if you don't have any trash? I pay $26 a month for a trash truck to take my waste out of site out of mind so I can maintain a clear conscience. After the past few weeks of learning to reduce waste by recycling and composting, I found that there really isn't anything left to throw away. So again, not only am I reducing my ecological footprint, but I'm going to save $312 a year in trash pick up by canceling my service (not to mention the cost saved in purchasing trash bags). Try it, you will be surprised.

Win-Win

My first shipment arrived! Luna is now wearing Bum Genius cloth diapers 80% of the time. That will hopefully change to 100% when I get more diapers. Right now my $100 only got me seven sets, seventeen more to go to make life a little easier. Even though that seems like a big investment, these diapers are for all sizes so they will last her until she is potty trained and will be able to be reused for another child. This will be a HUGE SAVINGS to my pocket and the environment. It's a win-win if you ask me! Not to mention, they are EASY and she loves them! Thanks to everyone for all of the advice. 

On a side note, I recently was sent a text of a newspaper article on The Great Cloth Diaper Change Challenge (no lie) which  is being held on April 20th at 11:00am in efforts to beat the world record of the number of cloth diapers changed at one time.  See this site for locations near you, find it on Facebook or just enjoy knowing that there is such a thing!

14 Days and Counting

15 days ago I was living my 'norm' complacent and content. Since then, a fire has been lit inside me to challenge the basic ways of life in America. The idea came to me during an unrelated sermon the Sunday prior. In an attempt to make a change for my daughter's generation, I am on a mission guided by the reality in my own day to day life to 'challenge the norm'. I hope that my experiences resignate with others to question their own choices and live based on what they believe is moral, not what is 'normal' in soceity. With so many topics in mind to confront and no idea where to start, my journey has grown its own two legs and my path has been cleared for me.

So far, in the past two weeks:

1. I have cut my house hold waste by more than 75%.  I have taken up trash digging as an unwanted hobby and learned that after you recycle and compost there really isn't anything left to waste.   
2. I have learned to use my resources to find ways to recycle items not typically accepted (styrofoam, electronics, bags and wrappers).       
3. I have swithced my plastic trash bags to the +Seventh Generation brand which are better for the environment. 
4. I unloaded a lot of unwanted items on +Craigslist ad posting service to be reused by others.
5. I was given a set of three compost bins and two rain barrels from a friend. I have installed and started using them with the help of my sister, an environmental teacher in Pittsburgh.
6. I purchased a counter top compost container and a three tier recycling bin system to make life easier on my family.
7. I contacted the township to better understand how my town handles recycling and what actually ends up happening to the waste.
8. I made plans to visit the local recycling facility Recycling Services, Inc. in Pottstown, PA  to learn more about the process.
9. I decided to make the switch to Bum Genius cloth diapers which should be happening with in the next week when my shipment arrives. I have also purchased +Seventh Generation disposable diapers to tie me over until I receive them.    
10. I switched from plastic bags at th grocery store to reusable.
11. Lastly, but most importantly, I managed to get the support of my husband and step-daughter to help take the weight off of my shoulders.

A No Brainer: Reusable Grocery Bags

I don't know why I didn't make the switch sooner. I went grocery shopping Saturday and spent $200, $3.96 (+ tax) of which went towards four reusable shopping bags at Giant Food Store (displayed next to the plastic and paper at the end of the check out line).  All of my groceries fit easily in these four bags.  If I would have gone with my norm of plastic I would have had at least six more bags to carry (hanging uncomfortably up my arms cutting off my circulation all while praying that they didn't rip)!  Not only were the bags easier to use, they also held the groceries better than plastic on my ride home, they also did not tear! Plastic is a hassle!  In my opinion, plastic grocery bags are not convenient or smart in any way.  Honestly, make the switch, if not for the environment do it because it MAKES MORE SENSE and it is SO MUCH EASIER! I have to wonder if we are a society of convenience or we just really have a thing for plastic!

You can also find these bags on +Dr. Mercola's website for only $1.97. His bags are made from 100% recycled plastic bottles. He is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to living better.

If you don't decide to make the switch, there is a recycling container for your used plastic bags at most grocers.

New Additions to the Family

My husband, step daughter, Luna and I welcomed a few members to our family today!  Say hello to our 'new' compost bins, rain barrels and three tiered recycling tubs!  In case you didn't notice, I am actually very excited. No, I did not name them, but it is still early. 

I did have to buy the recycling tubs in order to get something that worked for my family, but the compost bins and rain barrels were given to me by a friend in exchange for helping her with a project.  I also got a small ceramic compost container for my counter top in effort to make things easier on everyone. With these new additions I hope that my trash digging ends today. I still have one more can to get through though, gross! I think I am beginning to get a complex.  Someone one that read my blog last week gave me some advice; "not to get too weird".  If they only knew!

Honestly, all the changes that I have made in a little over a weeks time have been so simple and EASY.  As I told my sister, who is an environmental teacher at a charter school in Pittsburgh, I am just relearning what we were taught in elementary school.  It is not hard, it just takes some small adjustments out of the norm, but it make such a huge impact!

What are your recycling habits?  Share your stories, I am finding the best way to learn new ideas and improve are testimonials from others!

Inconvenienced by the Convenient

Working on becoming a better consumer this past week has been challenging. It's amazing how my life had conformed around convenience and not what is ethical. Unfortunately, I think most Americans conform as I did.

I know the idea of wasting less does not seem astronomical, but you should try it. Once you are stuck in your ways it is very difficult to change your norm, or maybe it's just me. I question everything I do now. I managed to only toss 5% of what I would typically, but it took work. I had to pick through my full trash can twice to sort out the recyclable and compostables, both times were nauseating.

I also had to do my homework. I didn't realize how little I knew until I started sorting through my trash. I contacted the township to find out the do's and don't's of recycling. They were a huge help. I also downloaded a great app called WGW Recycle. It made it so easy, you type in what you want to recycle and it tells you exactly what to do with it. It even directs you to local recycling sites that take some of the things are typically not accepted.

Our fast paced society that demands convenience has made it so difficult to live life otherwise. Everything we eat, drink or buy is individually packaged to make things fast and easy. I have to quickly to make some process changes for my family and me or it will never work. What I learned from the app and the township was a start, but I have a whole lot more work to do to have an easy, streamlined system.

Cloth it is!

Through much deliberation I have decided to go with cloth diapers.  It was an easy decision after hearing the opinions from the many people that have used or are using cloth. There were only a few discouraging stories, but I will hope for the best.

I wish I didn't have such unsettling memories of cloth diapers growing up. I might have actually listened to my husband and made the switch sooner. I just remember being at the sitters after school. She had a baby and used cloth (20 years ago). The saftey pins, smell and unpredictability gave me a sour impression that I held onto.

I bought my first trial diaper, Bum Genius.  This brand won the vote hands down.  Funny, the only brands of diapers I knew before this were Huggies and Pampers!  They are much different than I remember.  Luna tried them out this afternoon.  Not only do they look super comfortable, they are easy and are also really cute!  As I was warned, the initial investment seems scary, but they pay themselves off quickly and actually end up to be less expensive in the long run. 

I have heard some controversy over how they are not much better for the environment because of the amount of water and detergent you use. I'd be interested to hear opinions on this. Like I said in the beginning, this is a journey for me. I don't claim to be an expert, I am just hoping to learn and make a difference.