Here’s a tip that works for me: Never buy books!  Why?  Because reading is overrated and television is the wave of the future!  Instead of wasting valuable time and money on books for my young, impressionable daughter, we just plop her in front of the television, which is FREE (we don’t have cable).

I found this adorable picture on Multnomah County Library’s website

All right, calm down.  I do believe in books and reading.  I was an English major, after all.  I wasn’t kidding, though, about never buying books.  I just wanted a snazzier intro to the oldest tightwad trick in the book: Use the library.  Yes, it’s been said before, but despite the existence of this wonderful public institution, many people still spend hundreds and thousands of dollars on books, CDs, and DVDs each year–even though all these things can be acquired for free.  Not only does patronizing the library save money, it saves trees and other resources.

Now, unlike some other unnecessary baby gear, books can be enjoyed for years and even passed down from generation to generation.  We even published an article about throwing a book baby shower for this very reason.  So no one is going to take away your treehugging license if you decide to buy some well-chosen books for your child’s collection.  Although I haven’t ever bought a book for my daughter, she does have a little compilation of favorites given to her by her friends and relatives.

I used to think getting all of Audrey’s books from the library would avoid book burnout, but this has not proven to be the case.  She insists on reading the same books over and over again, whether they are library books or part of her own set.  I am ashamed to admit that I had one book checked out for an entire year.  I finally had to return it when someone placed a hold on it.

Speaking of holds, I’m surprised by how many people do not know about the library’s hold system.  The only way to get good CDs and DVDs, including new releases of television series, albums, and movies, is to place them on hold.  If you rely on browsing the shelves for these items, you’ll have to wait years to listen to a new album or watch a new release (and by then they won’t be new anymore).  This system was crucial for us as new parents when we were stuck inside every night with a sleeping baby.  We watched many movies and television series thanks to our library, and unlike cable, Blockbuster Video, or Netflix, it was entirely free of charge.

The library can also be a great place to socialize with a baby or young kids.  Our library system hosts readings by published authors, art exhibits, writing contests, and book clubs.  Each branch also provides story times for different age groups and holds contests to motivate kids (even babies) to read. 

For hours of free, eco-approved entertainment, march on down to your local library today.  And for more Works for Me Wednesday ideas, stop by Rocks in My Dryer.

We started using cloth swim diapers last summer as we spent endless afternoons running through sprinklers or splashing in wading pools.  Now that Roscoe is extremely mobile, his cloth swim diaper is getting even more wear on a daily basis.

Even for families who feel overwhelmed by using cloth diapers full time, swim diapers are a great option. You just pull on the swim diaper, which is usually part of a little swimming suit, and plunk baby into the pool.  As long as they’re not soiled, you simply rinse them, wring them out, and hang them to dry when the swimming session ends.

Not only are cloth swim diapers easy to use, they are actually considered more sanitary than their disposable counterparts. Their sturdy elastic leg bands keep fecal matter more securely in the diaper than disposables.  My aquatic center requires that parents bring cloth swim diapers, buy them at the front desk, or go elsewhere. Rebecca has had similar experiences at swimming pools in different parts of the state.

If you aren’t motivated by the thought of diaper leakage, consider the mounds of soggy disposables that head to landfills on a regular basis.  Better yet, think of the economic advantages of a reusable swimsuit diaper.   A swim diaper suit at Target will run you less than ten dollars.  Instead of having to buy a swimsuit and then shell out over a dollar per disposable, you are all set for the entire season.  If you want to hunt for a used swim diaper, you’ll get an even better deal.

The one drawback that keeps some people out of cloth is the occasional poopy diaper.  With disposables you just chuck it in the trash and put a new one on.  What happens when an unexpected dirty diaper comes right in the middle of your wet afternoon and your baby is wearing cloth?  The simple solution for this is to have another cloth swim diaper as a backup.  I purchased both of our swim diapers for $3.99 on clearance at Target, making our total summer cost of swim diapers and two suits less than eight bucks total.  Not a bad deal! 

Of course, in our backyard, Roscoe wears his most favorite outfit of all––his birthday suit.  It doesn’t get much greener or thriftier than that!  

Here’s a green idea that works for me: I buy all of my child’s clothes at secondhand stores.  It seems like lately I keep hearing about expensive organic cotton onesies and bamboo socks.  While it’s great to support companies who use sustainable products, why not just buy clothes at a consignment shop?  I’ve found so many cute things—many of them from mainstream manufacturers like Old Navy, the Gap, and Gymboree–for much less than retail.  In fact, I have never paid more than eight dollars for an item of clothing.  (My limit used to be six dollars, but then I splurged on an adorable eight-dollar bunny sweater!)

Are you worried that pesticides and chemicals from non-organic clothing will irritate baby’s skin?  I have to say that I’m not, but another bonus of used clothing is that once it’s been washed several times, less pesticide and chemical residue remains on the fabric.

The Children’s Exchange in Portland, Oregon

I usually go to consignment shops for my baby clothing, as I appreciate the selection.  However, it’s much less expensive to buy kids’ clothes at thrift stores.  Garage sales supposedly boast even cheaper wares (I am not a garage saler myself!).  I’ve also heard of people scoring huge lots of clothes from eBay or Craigslist.  Lastly, don’t forget the best way to acquire used clothing: hand-me-downs!  Audrey is fortunate to have older cousins who pass on their outgrown garments.

I’d venture to say that acquiring secondhand clothes is better for the environment than buying new organic duds.  Whenever Audrey needs a wardrobe update, we walk on over to Portland’s The Children’s Exchange (pictured) and pick out whatever she needs.  I get to support a local company and dress my daughter in deceptively eco-friendly fashions.

Fill us in on your used clothing adventures or brag about a great deal by posting a comment!  And for more Works for Me Wednesday tips, head on over to Rocks in My Dryer. 

I will risk my green cred by admitting that I never got the hang of riding the bus with my daughter.  Before I had a baby of my own, I’d see parents wearing their babies in slings or pouches, hopping on and off the bus with ease.  During the ride, the babies would sleep or calmly stare out at the view.  Maybe it wasn’t as easy for these parents as it looked–I know it wasn’t that easy for me!  I tend to choose walking over bus-riding most days, so I hardly qualify as a baby-bus-riding expert, but here are some pros and cons involved in the different ways of traveling with your tot.

Wearing Your Baby.  The most common baby-toting method for bus-riding in my town is a sling or baby carrier.

• Pros: You can get on and off the bus with ease and have your hands free for taking out money, tickets, and transfers. Joy swears by the sling that she used for Roscoe during his first six months and found that when she wore it he would quickly slip into a temporary coma. Very convenient for public transport!
• Cons: Some babies (like mine) do not cooperate with slings. My daughter would cry and squirm until I took her out. Then I’d have no place to put her if I needed to get my money out. Also, if I was wearing my baby, I couldn’t carry much else, like groceries or library books. This was a problem if I was taking the bus to run errands.

Taking the Stroller.  In Portland, we have to fold up strollers before getting on buses, but we can wheel strollers directly on trains or streetcars.  If you are planning on buying a stroller to use on public transportation, figure out how it works in your city.  If you have to fold the stroller up and carry it on, you’ll want something that folds compactly.  Look for a model that’s light-weight and has a carrying strap.  I chose the Maclaren Triumph because it weighs just eleven pounds–about the lightest I could find at the time.

• Pros: Strollers are nice if you plan to walk long distances to or from your bus stop. My baby preferred sitting in a stroller to being worn for long walks.
• Cons: It can be unwieldy to take your baby out of the stroller, fold the stroller up with the baby tucked under your arm, then get everything and everyone onto the bus.

Using the Stroller + Sling Combo.  I’ve tried wearing my baby in the sling and taking the stroller along as a backup.

• Pros: It’s easier to deal with folding up the stroller and getting it on the bus if the baby is secure in a sling or pouch.
• Cons: You’re still dealing with the unwieldiness of the stroller. If your baby doesn’t feel like riding in the stroller that day, you’ve brought it along for nothing!

Simply Carrying the Baby.  Last term I needed to take my toddler to work with me on Fridays.  This involved two one-hour bus trips, complete with stints of walking and transferring lines.  Because she was old enough to set down every once in a while, I decided to just carry her to the bus stop (or let her walk alongside me in her nonlinear fashion).

• Pros: No dealing with slings or strollers!
• Cons: It gets hard on the arms and back after awhile. If your child isn’t old enough to set down, you’ll have a hard time getting out your money and tickets.

Walking everywhere with my baby or taking her on public transportation works for me.  For more helpful Works for Me Wednesday links, head on over to Rocks in My Dryer.  How are you managing taking your little ones on public transportation?  Please leave a comment with your traveling tales, stroller or sling recommendations, or questions for other bus-riding parents.

I’ve managed to go my whole adult life without owning a car.  When I was pregnant, I wondered if I’d finally succumb to automobile ownership, but I’ve found I get along just fine.  In the first few weeks of parenthood, I plopped my daughter into a sling and stepped out the door. 

At three months, she took her very first stroller ride, and at almost two and a half years she still takes a spin in it almost every single day.  I have found the stroller indispensible for a car-free lifestyle–jaunts around town are entertaining for the baby, and the basket provides some storage space for books or groceries we pick up along the way.  We enjoy what I like to think of as a European way of life: Instead of driving to the store every week or every other week and filling up an entire cart full of groceries, I stop by every few days and pick up the items I need by foot.

My husband does have a car, but I have only driven it once, and that was to take him to the emergency room (long story).  He does commute to work by car, and I have to admit that I rely on his chauffeur services to run to the store for particularly heavy or unwieldy items.  Yes, I am grateful that I don’t need to walk down the streets with a 24-pack of Seventh Generation toilet paper or a ten-pound bag of flour!

In many ways I’ve had to revolve my life around not driving.  It’s no coincidence that we live within walking distance of shops, libraries, restaurants, and coffee shops.  It can definitely be inconvenient to rely on walking or bus-riding, especially with a fussy baby.  A few times a year the weather is bad enough to keep me stuck indoors all day long.  Also, my hour-long bus commute to work would take a mere twenty minutes by car.  This may seem like a waste of time, but I use the bus ride to read or grade papers.

Despite the inconveniences and drawbacks, I love remaining car-free.  I hate driving and am thrilled to live a life that doesn’t require getting behind the wheel.  We save thousands of dollars by not buying a second car, not to mention all the time and money we save on gas and maintenance.  My husband’s commute by car is terrible for the environment, and I rely on the bus to get to work two to four times a week, so we can’t claim to be carbon-neutral.  However, we are able to cut back on our combined carbon emissions by running most household errands on foot.  On those bad days when I’m standing in the rain with my toddler in one arm and a bag of groceries in the other, at least I have the solace of knowing I’m doing the planet a small favor!

Check back soon for my tips on taking babies on public transportation.  And for more Works for Me Wednesday ideas, go to Rocks in My Dryer.

Lately, Roscoe spends all of his time running around our house, hitting a ball with his “ockey tic”  (hockey stick).  He can’t go anywhere without it and even has it by his side when we lay him down at night.  It is his most cherished possession.  It also happens to be a wooden spoon. 

Roscoe also uses his “ockey tic” as a drumstick, a “scooper-dumper” (shovel), and a  cell phone when he can’t be reached on his land line.

A few weeks ago we went to grandma’s house, two hours away.  Roscoe spent the car ride talking on his phone and beating his drumstick along to the songs on the radio.  Upon his arrival we went down to the beach where he used his spoon to dig in the sand, ladle seawater into his mouth, and pack down the exterior of the sandcastle he then quickly destroyed.  One toy sustained all this activity for the entire day.

Before I had kids I heard people talking about how children tend to latch onto cardboard boxes and rubber bands as their preferred playthings, but I had no idea just how true it would become. 

Here are some other objects that Roscoe adores:

Real pans: Instead of playing in a toy kitchen, Roscoe bangs around with authentic culinary stuff while I cook dinner.  I think he likes the fact that actual pans are much louder than their plastic counterparts.

The vacuum cleaner: Roscoe has to be held by daddy while the two of them vacuum the floor together.  It’s always the highlight of his day.

Tape: He loves having scotch tape stuck onto his hand and then sticking it on the other hand for awhile.  This whole process is very entertaining and can last for at least ten minutes.

What weird objects do your children love to play with?  Maybe we can get a top ten list going once we get all your ideas!

Store-bought Play-doh, which consists of a mystery list of ingredients and comes in individual little plastic containers, is more expensive than homemade. It’s easy to make a non-toxic version with a few common pantry items. I like to leave it white instead of coloring it, but below you’ll find how to use natural ingredients to color your play dough. If you roll it out, cut it into shapes, and bake them like cookies, you can even paint your creations. Try a batch today and see what your youngster thinks.

Edible Play-dough

Two Play-dough recipes

I found these recipes here.

Rubbery Play-dough

2 cups baking soda
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup cornstarch

Mix with a fork until smooth. Boil over medium heat until thick. Spoon onto a plate or wax paper.

Nature’s Play-dough

1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
1 cup water
2 tablespoon oil
2 tablespoon cream of tartar
beet, spinach, and carrot juice

Mix flour, salt and oil, and slowly add the water. Cook over medium heat, stirring until dough becomes stiff. Turn out onto wax paper and let cool. Knead the dough with your hands until of proper consistency. You can use the un-dyed version or divide it into balls and add a few drops of the vegetable juices to make green, pink, and orange.

Or maybe you’d like to try a scrumptious edible play-dough recipe. I’ve included a picture for inspiration. (Remember that eating it yourself is not required.)

For more Works for Me Wednesday ideas, check out Rocks in My Dryer.

One thing I wondered when I was pregnant was what everyone was carrying around in those huge diaper bags.  I observed moms and dads dragging around overstuffed bags bigger than the carry-on luggage I’d use for a weekend trip.  What the heck did they have in there–fully cooked meals, extra outfits, an entire package of diapers?  I didn’t get it.  And I must admit, I still don’t.  I’ve been a mother for over two years now and have never carried around a diaper bag. 

During my daughter’s first six months or so, I didn’t bring anything with me on outings I knew would last just an hour or two.  I mean, I seriously didn’t bring anything for the baby: not a diaper, a book, a toy.  If I was planning on being gone for longer, I would tuck a Zip-loc bag into my purse. The Zip-loc would contain one extra diaper, another Zip-loc for the wet diaper, and a little baggie with two or three wipes.

Now that my daughter is older, I have to be a little more prepared on outings.  I still use the same Zip-loc/diaper system, but I’ll also bring a small book, a little snack, and a cup.  This all fits in the bag I’d normally carry around–a regular bag, not a diaper bag.

I know diaper bags don’t have to be gigantic pink bags appliquéd with teddy bears and ducks.  Hey, there are even some stylish, eco-friendly bags out there, like this messenger bag (pictured) I found on Zoe B Organics.  I wanted to avoid an extra purchase, and I never minded being diaper-bag free.

But I still want to know: what do YOU keep in that jumbo diaper bag?!

Like some cloth diaper users, I assumed that disposables were the best option for nights, but felt conflicted about chucking them into the trash just to buy us a bit of rest.  I posted about the battle between my exhaustion and my eco-guilt here.

A few weeks ago Roscoe solved the problem himself by wetting through his disposables two nights in a row.  Erin, Wendy, and Alissa all submitted comments to my “Nighttime Diaper Dilemma” post that recommended using a pocket diaper with extra inserts.  In sleepy desperation we gave it a try.  The result was blissful slumber and a clear conscience!

Although I was originally a staunch supporter of prefolds with covers, I have come to love our pocket diapers for their convenience and aesthetic appeal. A pocket diaper consists of a diaper cover lined in a moisture wicking layer.  There is a pocket between the outer cover and the liner where you insert a long terry cloth pad to soak up moisture.  Since you insert the pads while you’re folding the laundry, it makes for a more convenient diaper change than prefolds. 

The only downside is that you have to wash the entire diaper every time.  With prefolds you can often just rinse the cover so that it can be used again.  Since we’re trying to lighten the laundry loads we do around here, we use prefolds during the day and save our pocket diapers for nighttime use.

We use three main brands of pocket diapers, all of which I love for varying reasons.

Fuzzibunz: These are legendary among cloth diaper users and have gained increasing popularity in recent years.  My favorite features of Fuzzibunz diapers are their snaps.  Roscoe can’t pull them open himself and they adjust for a variety of waist sizes.  These are a hot item at resale shops and can earn up to half their retail price when sold used.

Happy Heiny’s:  This innovative diaper design adjusts with snaps in the front so that it fits baby for a variety of ages.  You can use the same diaper for babies from eight to thirty pounds and the Velcro is tough enough to prevent my son from being able to take off his own diaper. Happy Heiny’s pocket diaper in cow print is beyond cute!

Bum Genius:  These diapers also adjust for babies from 8-30 pounds and use Velcro for the waistband.  They are great quality and would have a high resale value. They come with two inserts: one for daytime and thicker one for nighttime use.

There are many, many more pocket diapers out there but these three are the only ones I’ve tried so far.  I’ve been impressed with their effectiveness, but mainly I’m just happy to be getting a bit more sleep and feeling a bit less guilt.  We’d love to hear about your nighttime cloth diaper victories!

The “Dirty Duds Bag” by Bumkins was an impulse purchase for me.  I was tired of packing plastic sacks into Roscoe’s daycare bag and relieved to see that someone else had thought of an easy solution.  After I bought it I almost headed back to the store.  $12.95 for a bag that I could easily sew myself?  (If I had a sewing machine and any extra time.) Plastic is free!  Still, it seemed unsanitary to recycle plastic bags after they had been filled with Roscoe’s poopy diapers and I didn’t want to take the time to wash them out and wait for them to dry. 

I’ve actually found our wet bag to be incredibly helpful.  We rinse it out in Roscoe’s leftover bathwater each night, hang it up in the bathroom and find that its extremely lightweight, waterproof fabric is dry by morning.  It never smells and its fun print is easy to find in the depths of his diaper bag.  The bag can hold about ten cloth large cloth diapers, which is just right for our needs. 

The only complaint we have about our “Dirty Duds Bag” is that the drawstring doesn’t close as tightly as I’d like.  I’m not sure if this is unique to the bag we have or if it’s a design flaw.  We end up cinching it as tightly as it will go and then wrapping the string around the top to ensure that it stays completely shut.

Rebecca came up with a thriftier solution by using a dry bag that she found at REI for less than ten dollars.  Her bag is waterproof, holds over a weekend’s worth of diapers, and closes shut by rolling the top over and clasping it with a buckle. She takes this bag to her daycare and even on weekend trips, easily storing her daughter’s diapers without stinking up the car.  The dry bags at my small, local REI were all around $30, but you can find the cheaper versions at larger stores or online.  If you can, check out fabulous used outdoor gear shops like Next Adventure in Portland, Oregon, to find pre-owned dry bags.

Whatever solution you choose, don’t do what I’ve done on more than one occasion.  It’s no fun discovering that you’ve forgotten to empty the bag the night before, leaving the diapers to “ripen” overnight.  Pew!  Please let us know what eco-friendly solutions you’ve found for storing soiled cloth diapers on the go.