The Relearning Process

We are our parents children. We are raised by them, led by them and most of us inevitably become them.  It only makes sense.  This is how we are conditioned. Growing up, what comes in is usually filtered and tweaked through their perception of reality and what they think is in our best interest.  Their perception of reality soon becomes our perception of reality in one way or another.  For example, I was raised on no fat/low fat labels and college after high school. Junk food could only be found hidden under my bed and Nintendo was not necessary when you have nature.  Seatbelts were an accessory and breakfast was a necessity.  Being 'on time' meant 30 minutes late and bike/riding helmets were exempt.     

Our thoughts and lifestyles are also shaped by society.  "First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes baby in a baby carriage." Do you remember that rhyme? I am not saying it is bad by any means, but just to provoke some thought ask yourself these questions; "Why is blue associated with boys and pink with girls?" "Why are the majority of American's indebted to someone?" Yes, a mortgage or car loan count.  "Why must we wear shoes, or clothes for that matter?" 40hr work week. Need I say more? "How about health insurance, car insurance, life insurance, home insurance etc." And the list goes on.

Only out of mere curiosity and the desire to explore, I have come to a point where I would like to learn things on my own terms and make my own perception of reality, this is what I call "The Relearning Process". 

The Importance of Magnesium and Vitamin D

Due to poor diet and an unsustainable society the normal American is deficient in magnesium. Through all of my recent research, doctors visits and conversations I am learning how important it is for our bodies to have an adequate amount of magnesium present to function properly.  Unlike calcium and potassium, magnesium is one of the essential minerals in our bodies that gets little to no attention. 

Magnesium deficiencies can lead to a long list of problems that have become common and are now viewed as the norm.  Some symptoms of magnesium deficiencies are:

• Fatigue
• Anxiety
• Irritability
• Depression
• Migraine Headaches 

These symptoms are usually treated with a prescription drug without addressing the underlying issue. You can get magnesium from a diet rich in foods like green vegetables, almonds, black beans, spinach and sunflower seeds.  Magnesium is also absorbed through the skin.  One of my favorite sites, Food Renegade, has a recipe for a magnesium spray that you apply to your skin daily to help with your levels. 

With one important mineral missing from our synergistic systems an array of other deficiencies can result. In this case, without the presence of magnesium our body also has a difficult time absorbing Vitamin D, which in turn leads to other problems.  One of the main ways we get Vitamin D is through sunlight. A doctor from Steiner Medical Practice told me that if you don't get at least 15 minutes of sunlight a day you are not allowing your body to produce enough Vitamin D.  At a glance, 15 minutes seemed like no time at all, but most of us work indoors and are only exposed to the sun when we walk from our car to our house going to and leaving work, that is if the sun is even out. Other sources of Vitamin D are through supplementation. My doctors recommends Vitamin D drops or Cod Liver Oil.  I recommend mixing the Cod Liver Oil in a drink so it is bearable.

Deficiencies in Vitamin D can lead to symptoms such as:      

• Chronic Fatigue
• Osteoporosis
• Muscle Cramps and Weakness
• Bone Weakness and Fractures 

Deficiencies in Vitamin D can lead to other deficiencies, but you get the idea.  Our bodies are synergistic units that can only be operating at optimal levels if they are given the proper ingredients.  This is a starting point, but a balanced diet high in vegetables, fruits, nuts and certain proteins will help balance the levels that the body needs. 

Baby's First Natural Foods

Luna is just about 8 months old. For the past few months I have been struggling with how to start her on solid foods.  There is an overwhelming variety of direction out there coming from doctors, family, friends, books and the Internet. Her first doctor recommended spoon feeding baby food; as in jars, as in the norm for most American babies.  He also recommended rice cereal in addition to her pureed fruits and veggies. The only reason that I began to question this norm was because in our history jarred baby food and a box of rice cereal were not options and somehow babies survived.  I don't feel that there is anything wrong with the mainstream style of feeding, it is easy and convenient. I just wanted to explore a more traditional way of introducing my baby to food. 

Then I switched to a more holistic doctor. She preached instilling healthy eating habits from the start to avoid problems in the future.  Ironically, I found her style to be more logical and convenient than the American norm. First, vegetables should lead the way. If you start your baby on vegetables then they grow to prefer vegetables over sweets. Well, that makes sense!  Next, I was advised to get rid of the spoon. What???  Let her eat her meals you eat yours and simply mash up and share any vegetables that you are having letting her feed herself. That was an interesting concept, but again, it made sense. If you let her feed herself she will eat if she is hungry and until she is full, if she is not hungry she will not eat.  While babies are still mainly getting a bottle or being breast fed they are getting all the nutrients that their little bodies need.  The beginning stages of adding solids (around 6-9 months) are more for exploration than nutrition. As I began to feed Luna in the more traditional manner life got a bit easier.

I also began to read more books on a babies first foods that were in line with what I had learned. I came across a great book that all expecting and new mothers should read if they are they are questioning the mainstream feeding style.  The book is called Beautiful Babies by Kristen Michaelis and Joe Salatin.  It takes you from nutrition before getting pregnant all the way to your babies first foods.  I highly recommend it.  Another is Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon. This book also challenges politically correct nutrition and teaches you to feed your baby the most nutrient dense foods that help grow a healthy baby.  What I learned from these books and Luna's new doctor all coincided. Egg yolks, vegetables, avocados, cod liver oil and roe are all great starter foods to get your baby on the right track.  Not once was rice cereal recommended.  I actually discovered that rice cereal is not easily digested by babies and is more of a nutrient lacking filler.  In a world of anorexia and obesity, I have learned that it is best to fill your baby with the most nutrient dense foods and steer clear from any fillers such as rice cereal.

Now, I am not judging one way or another, every situation is different, but I am finding the more natural approach seems to be a good fit for me and my baby.  So far she is accepting it and enjoying it better than she did the spoon! It is a step away from mainstream, but it is not nearly as difficult or inconvenient as I would have imagined.  This style actualy seems to lead to a happier baby and more free time for mom.    

Technology Freed

In this case, the norm is 'face buried in cell phone' or computer, iPad, etc. for that matter. Do you remember the last time you had a conversation with someone where there wasn't at least a brief pause to check a text? Or worse, where there wasn't a brief pause to actually make eye contact with you since whatever is on their phone is obviously much more interesting then what you have to say. Talk about annoying! We have turned into such a tech happy country that it has taken the place of social interaction. It has even taken the place of brain power in many cases, why use your own brain when you can just "Google it"? Albert Einstein called it when he said, “I fear the day when the technology overlaps with our humanity. The world will only have a generation of idiots.” Oh snap. He may have just been talking about the chick that fell into the fountain at the Berkshire Mall because her face was burried in her phone, but I have a feeling more people fall into that category. 

I wish I could say I was the exception, but I am not. I am guilty on all accounts. I have been rude to my family, friends, and coworkers by interrupting conversations to converse over text with someone that is not even there, only half listening while I check my emails, and browsing Facebook to check up on the lives of people I haven't talked to in years. I also have noticed a decline in my spelling (no need to know how to spell when you have spellcheck) and an increase in my desire to 'like' things that are not even Facebook related! Wow. Thinking about it wasn't as bad as seeing it written out. I am annoying myself just thinking about it. 

Well in case you wondered, this is why I am challenging the norm of my dependence on technology. Now, most of the technology that we have today wasn't even invented when I was a child so I know it is possible to survive! I am ditching my cell phone, computer and television for a week. I will use my phone to respond to anything important, but it will have to be done the 'old fashion way', over the phone. I will also continue to use my computer for work, otherwise I would get fired and I am not quite ready to challenge the norm of needing money to survive! Besides the few exceptions, there will be no Facebook, apps, random texting, web surfing, TV etc. You get the picture. I will report back at the end of the week and let you know how I made out. 

Farmers Markets Make Sense

The norm is to food shop at a grocery store once a week, but I can't think of any good reason to choose a grocery store over a farmers market. Despite our incredible need to fill our cabinets with snazzy marketing and impressive packaging, you can find everything you need and want at a farmers market.

Grocery stores are convenient at a glance, but what is so convenient about supporting big business and unhealthy industrialized food, while our local systems of quality foods suffer? You also run a greater risk of food borne illnesses with mass produced foods, which already lack nutrient density forcing you to eat more to be satisfied. Food, Inc. is a great documentary to learn about the mass production of food and what it is doing to America.

Farmers Markets are the next best thing to growing the food yourself. By shopping at a farmers market you are supporting local business and helping your community. You also will spend less for more quality foods. You can talk to the farmers and learn their practices to ensure that you know what you are putting in your body. Everything that you need and want can also be found at the farmers market from veggies to meats, homemade snacks and drinks to dairy, grains and spices. So you save money and are eating high quality, more nutrient dense foods.

If you don't know where to find a local farmers market just Google it, you may be surprised. You might have to drive an extra 30 minutes, but it's worth the trip. If a farmers market is still not an option, there are local organic food co-ops popping up everywhere. They deliver local and/or organic foods to your door weekly. They work closely with the farmers so that you are only getting quality products that are in season.

My husband and I buy 80% of our food from the farmers market, the rest comes from Kimberton Whole Foods and a few other local farms. Contrary to popular belief, we actually save money by shopping this way.

Allergy Tea Remedy

Like many, this time of year always brings out my outdoor allergies. I have had allergies for the past five years and have hated every minute, from itchy eyes, heavy head, stuffy nose, scratchy throat, and sneezing. Ugh! The norm for most Americans is to treat their allergies with over the counter medications, like Zyrtec, Allegra, Claritin, etc. My drug of choice was Zyrtec. I think I liked it more for the miniature bottle then the effectiveness.  It was not cheap either, running me $18 for a 24ct. and lasting me less than one month into allergy season.

In order to challenge the norm of allergy medication I (skeptically) tried a homeopathic remedy inspired by the site The Farmacy .  To kill two birds with one stone, I combined a cold remedy with an allergy remedy making the perfect concoction. This time of year it is always hard to figure out which of the two you are fighting anyway.  To my surprise, it actually worked! To think, all of these years I refused to try anything that I couldn't find at a pharmacy. Don't get me wrong, you can find a lot of wonderful things at a pharmacy, but for me this is no longer one of them. I am two weeks (and counting) symptom free during the worst weeks for outdoor allergies.

I found the ingredients at +Kimberton Whole Foods and my local farmers market.  For under $20 I got enough ingredients to make ten pitchers of tea, which will last me way past allergy season. Give it a shot and let me know what you think:

Ingredients:

2 cups - Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar 

2 tbsp. - Lime Juice

5 tbsp. - Bee Pollen

1 tbsp. - Ground Ginger

1/4 cup - Local Honey

5 bags - Traditional Medicinals Echinacea Tea medicinal

1 gallon - Water           

 

Directions:

1. Boil Water
2. Steep 5 bags of Echinacea Tea in 4 cups of water for 15 minutes
3. Pour tea into gallon pitcher
4. Add Apple Cider Vinegar and Lime Juice
5. Add Local Honey and stir until dissolved
6. Add Bee Pollen and Ginger
7. Stir vigorously until Bee Pollen and Ginger have dissolved.
8. Store in fridge
9. Stir first and drink daily

Enjoy!

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.

Spring Cleaning

Motherhood, working fulltime, and a million other lame excuses have put my house in dire need of some attention. I am big on zero clutter and crazy about organizing so spring cleaning is like a holiday for me.  So, the 'holiday' that typically would take me a weekend will probably be extended a couple of weeks due to my new awareness of waste.

Spring cleaning and the 'American norm' usually results in a mound of full trash bags waiting on the curb for pick up. Fortunately for the earth and unfortunately for my time, I am challenging my norm and spring cleaning with hopes to make a smaller ecological footprint than years before.

So far, with a room and a half complete I have not thrown anything away. I posted an ad on +Craigslist ad posting service and thirty minutes later I had a truck load of my stuff hauled off to its new home. If you haven't used it, Craigslist is a great way to recycle your things and help people in need, "one woman's trash is another woman's treasure".  Don't commend me yet, I still have all of my other unwanted clutter awaiting its fate in boxes. Sorting will be the next task.

I am finding that if I want this to become a lifestyle for me and my family I am going to have to make it easier for us to 'Reduce, Reuse and Recycle' ("3R's" Luna's favorite song by Jack Johnson) or it is going to be an epic fail. 

The Diaper Situation

:)

Since my eye opening trash debacle on Wednesday I have been analyzing everything I (and others) use and throw away. It's slightly annoying to be worrying about what others are disposing of in addition to working on my own trash issue. I just keep reminding myself "little by little" or "habba ne babba" as my African Religion Professor would have said.

I have not yet attempted to get my family on board with supporting my change in lifestyle, but all in good time. Until then, I will be forced to sort through their trash, which I did this evening.  Needless to say, it was gross and not something I look forward to doing again. That 'same page' conversation needs to happen soon. Anyway, I was able sort through the full trash can and recycle all but a piece of tin foil and a TON of diapers. A recycling and compost system is a must and, as I expected, my search for an alternative to Luna's diapers is imperative.

Since potty training a six months old is unheard of, as far as I know my options are either cloth or compostable. Besides the Internet, I have received some great advise from an old friend. If anyone has recent experience with either please share. I plan to make the big switch this weekend in effort to change my norm of filling the landfill one dirty diaper at a time.