Don’t get me wrong. I cringe every time we fill up and I know that the extra expenses brought on by high fuel prices are uncomfortable and even crippling for some tight budgets. 

So is there an upside?  Actually I think there are several. 

We are being forced to consider fuel efficient vehicles:  I like making the choice to drive less and walk more, but now I’m finding all sorts of creative ways to get even more out of our gas dollars.  Many families are taking on slightly higher car payments as they dump their SUV’s for more fuel efficient vehicles, knowing the gas savings will make a huge difference in the long run.  We finally sold the SUV we were using and I feel that a huge (carbon) weight has been lifted off our shoulders!

We are being forced to move more: More than sixty percent of American adults and over thirty percent of American children are obese.  The last decade of office inactivity and video games have contributed to the rapid spike in our weight issues as a nation. Now people have extra motivation to ride bikes to work or walk to the bus stop. Every extra step we take helps us with global warming and our American obesity epidemic.

Buying local is becoming cheaper: As fuel costs go up, so does the price of mangos grown in Central America or kiwifruit from New Zealand.  Since the local food movement has been rapidly expanding over the last few years, high fuel prices may just boost it to a whole new level. 

It’s changing the way we think: In Europe, where fuel prices have always been high, people have been willing to invest in public transport and focus on urban density.  Since we haven’t had the price pressure in America, we haven’t been forced to be as proactive.  Now building eco-friendly communities, buying local, and limiting our fuel consumption becomes more appealing to consumers wanting to conserve their budgets as well as the environment. 

What are your thoughts on this recent surge in gas prices?  How is it affecting your family and how are you managing to deal with higher prices?  Do you see any upsides (or downsides) that we haven’t mentioned yet?  Thanks for enriching this post with your input. 

National Geographic’s “Green Guide” ranked my hometown of Eugene, Oregon, as the greenest city in America back in 2006.  Popular Science makes us the fifth greenest this year and Forbes magazine puts us in ninth place.  That’s not bad for our mini-metropolis when you consider that there are thousands of contenders. 

So what is it like to live in this green wonderland?  GLORIOUS! Here are some common Eugene sights that you’ll notice as you wander our streets:

More gardens, less lawns. Many Eugene residents have replaced all or part of their lawns with food-producing gardens or flowerbeds.  Many of the people who do have lawns simply let them die out rather than using precious water on them over the summer.  When the fall rains return, so do our lush lawns. 

Compost bins galore. There are homemade contraptions and sophisticated manufactured containers, but they are plopped in the majority of yards here.  Some families are even brewing up their own compost tea for use in their gardens.  To see how to make your own bin, check out this post of ours. 

Rooftop solar devices. Some of these produce energy and others heat water for household use.  EWEB, our community owned power supplier, provides zero interest loans for people who want to use solar power to make their homes more energy efficient. 

Huge recycling bins and tiny trash containers. Sanipac, our local waste management company, provides curbside recycling for just about anything you can imagine, except for Styrofoam.  We can toss take-out containers, individual yogurt cups, newspapers, magazines, aluminum cans, cardboard, and most kinds of plastic into our giant recycling tub without sorting.  Since we also have curbside pick up for yard debris and many of us compost, our trash ends up being pretty miniscule. 

Fabulous food choices. Vegetarians and vegans can get just about anything they can imagine here and organic options abound.  At pot lucks there are usually several meatless dishes and grocery stores are loaded with healthy, eco-friendly foods.

Bikers everywhere. This town was built for bikes.  We have streamside bike trails that run from east to west and loads of bike lanes all through downtown.  Plus, our buses allow people to load their cycles up and find creative ways to commute. 

Is there a drawback to this glorious city of ours?  Hmm…. If so, I haven’t found it yet.  Hopefully this post won’t cause thousands more people to flock to our happy little city, although if you’re looking for a family friendly, eco-friendly city, Eugene is the place to be!

When my belly was bulging with baby, I imagined my newborn gulping breast milk from the clearest, most rigid plastic bottles that I chose, thinking that the ones that appeared closest to glass would certainly be the safest.  Months later as I read through the latest research, I was surprised to find out that my instincts were wrong. 

In fact, the rigid plastics used to make some baby bottles and almost all Nalgene bottles have the highest risks of leaching toxins.  (Nalgene will be pulling their BPA-laden bottles soon.)  On Friday, Canada’s health and environmental ministries announced that it will ban the use of bisphenol-a (BPA) in plastic products because of health concerns.  Read here for further details on Canada’s landmark decision. 

Since BPA actually mimics hormones, its use has been linked to possible neural and other health disorders.  The risk goes up if the plastic is repeatedly being exposed to very hot water.  Luckily we don’t have a dishwasher (never thought I would say that!) but we were repeatedly putting hot milk into the bottle and washing it in scalding water.   

After trying more flexible plastic bottles that are supposedly safer, I became concerned when they began to cloud.  Since clouding can be another indication of leaching, I finally switched to a Born Free glass bottle. 

It took awhile for my son to adapt to the new nipple shape, but he now loves it.  The cost is a bit more than other options (around $16.00 each) and the manufacturer recommends replacing the nipple every three months. Since a two pack of nipples cost around $7.00 each, I have to admit that I haven’t been able to bring my frugal self to make the investment in regular replacements.  Roscoe just has a small bottle once a day before bed, so I think he’ll be fine.   (One side-note: Many people wean babies from bottles altogether at one year.  We’re still breastfeeding here and doing a bit of bottle feeding.)

There are, thankfully, far more plastic and glass options out there now than I ever realized that are all BPA, PVC, and Phthalate free. This link has a wonderful array of mainstream and niche brand bottles that are safe for baby with links to the companies’ websites.  Our favorite source for the latest on other non-toxic baby products such as sippy cups and pacifiers is The Soft Landing Blog. 

Ironically, now that I’ve finally figured out a solution to our bottle-feeding woes, I’m about to start weaning.  Knowing what I know now, I would have bought the glass bottles in the first place and avoided several unnecessary purchases. What BPA-free bottles do you use, where did you find them, and how do you like them?  Thanks for filling us in on the best bottles for green babies.  For more tips from Rocks in My Dryer’s Works for Me Wednesday blog carnival, click here. 

Last weekend, a reporter interviewed Joy about the Green Baby Guide.  ”Are You a Green Mama” aired on two different nights in both Eugene and Portland, turning Joy into a regional celebrity.

 Check out the segment here!

If you want to view Roscoe running around in a cow-print diaper again and again for weeks to come, just click on “The Green Baby Guide is on T.V.” on the left-hand column of our homepage.

 How to Live a Low-Carbon Life, by Chris Goodall

Last night I had a personal crisis while reading Chris Goodall’s How to Live a Low-Carbon Life: The Individual’s Guide to Stopping Climate Change. The premise of the book is that each Westerner is responsible for emitting twelve tons of carbon dioxide every year–”four times what the Earth can handle.”  This book shows how the individual can personally reduce his or her emissions from twelve tons to three tons. 

I read through several chapters patting myself on the back for my low-carbon ways: I don’t drive, I don’t eat meat, I don’t live in a big house, I don’t turn the heat up too high.  Then I got to the chapter about air travel.  Goodall writes, “No single step that we could take as individuals to take responsibility for global warming comes close to deciding to stop flying.”  One round trip flight from England to the U.S. emits 3.6 tons of carbon dioxide.  A 3000 km (1864 mile) flight generates 4.5 tons-per person. 

Taking just one flight a year can easily push an individual over the three-ton carbon dioxide limit.  Goodall concludes that “the only morally responsible course of action is to avoid flying except in emergencies.”  He goes on to say that while this would be a sacrifice and curtail our freedom, the damaging effects of flying “means that severe and uncompromising self-restraint is an obligation.”

So there I was, congratulating myself for recycling a bunch of cardboard boxes and buying an organic apple–when I had just returned from a thousand-mile flight from St. Louis?  My daughter is now two years old.  In her lifetime, she’s already taken three flights to Denver, two flights to Reno, and one flight to Hawaii and San Diego.  How can I not fly?  Is Goodall saying that my daughter should never see any of her grandparents or great-grandparents again?  That she shouldn’t travel at all–see the world, experience different cultures, learn another language?  I immediately thought of ways to justify my air travel.  I also got defensive: It’s easy for him to avoid air travel!  He lives in England, where all his friends and family can be reached by rail in one day!

I felt guilty–not only for the flights I’d made in the past, but for the flights I knew I would make in the future.  It’s especially difficult to vow to stop flying when I know that the airplanes flying to Reno, St. Louis, or any other destinations will fly there whether I’m on that plane or not.  Of course, if every eco-conscious person ceased traveling by air, the difference would be huge.

I’ve always valued travel as a way to broaden my horizons, experience different cultures, expand my world view–and these were values I wanted to pass on to my daughter.  So where do I go from here?

There are a few ways to become more conscious about travel.  Every “carbon calculator” I’ve come across gives me different numbers, but sometimes it’s better for the environment to drive rather than fly, especially over shorter distances.  Traveling by train is eco-friendlier than going by car or plane, so in the future, I’ll look into more opportunities to ride the rails. 

Also, some airlines are already working on going green.  This article cites Continental Airlines as one of the “Ten Green Giants” who are making strides to become more sustainable.  Virgin Atlantic is experimenting with flying their jets on biofuel, although there is some controversy about whether or not it will have enough environmental impact to make a difference.  Learn more about it here. 

If I’m not willing to stop traveling altogether, I can at least alleviate my eco-guilt by buying some carbon offset coupons.  This website allows you to calculate the miles you traveled and put money towards a “carbon reduction project” such as a wind farm.  It’s not a perfect solution, but it’s a step towards acknowledging the harmful effects of my actions.  I may not lead the low-carbon life Chris Goodall wants me to lead, but I credit him for opening my eyes to my environmental transgressions.  And as Joy always says, “Progress, not perfection.”  I’m working on it.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children watch no television at all until after they turn two and urges parents to limit television after that.  We had no trouble sticking with these recommendations during the last few months.  With the writers on strike, there wasn’t much to watch, anyway.  I wonder if the AAP will rethink their position now that the writers are back and networks are showing so much concern for the environment.  Before the strike, youngsters could watch Leonardo di Caprio on Oprah praising adjustable thermostats and Ty on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition tearing down a perfectly good house and building an eco-friendly house in its place.  Surely all this media coverage will influence young minds everywhere, changing the world one Nielsen point at a time.

An Earth Day special sometime in the early 1990s was pivotal in my development as a young environmentalist.  Who knows why I found it so inspiring–one day I was living my selfish teenage existence, the next I was banning Styrofoam and collecting glass bottles for recycling (bottles that my dad, who unfortunately must not have watched that Earth Day special, threw in the trash because he didn’t want to drive around town looking for a recycling center).

At the beginning of the fall season, when I should have been out composting table scraps or harvesting rainwater, I was once again riveted to the television set during NBC’s “Green Week.”  That was months ago now, and I have to wonder if it’s begun to have the same effect on our collective eco-consciousness as that Earth Day special years ago. 

Important Environmental Lessons I Learned Watching NBC:

Recycle.  On Law and Order SVU, a mystery pizza was delivered to the precinct.  No one was hungry, so they were going to toss it, but then someone piped up with the unforgettable line, “Don’t forget to recycle the box!”  (Never mind that you can’t recycle greasy pizza boxes.)  Then the box blew up.  Hidden message: don’t recycle, because it’s dangerous.

Don’t Use Electricity.  The Biggest Loser made the grandest attempt to go green, weaving in other significant messages such as “Eating a Lot of Take-Out is Bad for the Planet” and “Drinking Lots of Soft Drinks Creates Piles of Waste.”  Contestants exercised without electricity (Bob let his contestants out into the mountains to hike, whereas Kim made her trainees work out in a dark gym).  As a reward for trudging up a ramp and dumping cans in a recycling bin, two contestants won what looked like Hummers, but were actually Hybrid SUVs.  On The Biggest Loser: Couples, which aired during the writers’ strike, the show is advertising their use of refillable water bottles rather than bottled water.

A bag of chips on The Biggest Loser

Use Solar Power.  On Life, Damien Lewis’s character had a dream about solar panels, proving that hearing about someone else’s dreams on T.V. is just as boring as hearing about someone else’s dreams in real life.

Drive a Fuel-Efficient Car.  E.R. tacked on a sub-plot involving a Smart car, which I surmised was their nod to Green Week.

30 Rock Particpates in Green Week

Don’t Open the Refrigerator (You’ll Kill a Penguin).  I learned this thanks to Green-zo, a beautifully realized character played by David Schwimmer on 30 Rock.

Now that the strike is over, we may be in for some more valuable lessons on ecology.  What better way to teach my toddler about environmental stewardship than to plop her in front of a T.V. set for hours on end?  I am sure somewhere, a gullible teenager is off collecting glass bottles for the recycling bin.  And with any luck, she’ll have curbside recycling.

Greenbabyguide.com was featured on Better Portland’s Surfin’ with Steph segment as a cyber pick just a few weeks ago.  How exciting!   The February 15^th show included bits on G-diapers, eco-friendly cleaning products, and greener baby shower gifts, along with a very positive review of greenbabyguide.com.

If you would like a small brush with fame, please consider being a part of our website.  We would love to incorporate photos of your child eating, enjoying nature, or doing anything else green (composting, gardenting, recycling, etc) into our blogs.  Please email the photo to us at greenbabyguide@gmail.com and include your child’s first name, if you want it posted as well.  

We are also looking for articles written by green moms and dads who are up to their elbows in the adventures of early parenting.  Check here for our submission guidelines and look here to see an example of an article we’ve published.  We’d love to get your quick tip or green idea sent to us at greenbabyguide@gmail.com.  Or just post a comment—we enjoy the dialogue with our faithful readers. 

The more wisdom we can get from a variety of readers, the more helpful our site will be to everyone.   You may notice that we’ve now upped our postings to four times a week, so keep checking back for more of our adventures in green living.  And please forward our site onto anyone who you think could benefit from our frugal green baby tips. 

 

 

 

Although we hope that one day the Green Baby Guide will be chock-full of absolutely anything you’d ever want to know about raising an eco-baby, sometimes it’s good to branch out a bit.  We scoured the Internet for the best green baby blogs and found mothers and fathers discussing everything from the best organic products to musings on home schooling and breastfeeding.

Pirate Papa is “a journal of anarcho-green D(o).I(t).Y(ourself). Parenting.” It reminds me a lot of our site . . . except that we are not rock-n-roll pirates.  Or dads.

Soft Landing Baby Blog provides “Non-toxic baby gear news and reviews.” Need a BPA-free sippy cup?  Get recommendations here.

Organic Baby NZ has all you need to know about raising an organic baby in New Zealand.

Green and Clean Mom  and Eco-chick are each written by mothers aspiring to have a little fun with their eco-friendly lifestyle.  Both blogs were recently spotlighted by an article in the New York Times.

Green Boot Camp focuses on frugal solutions for a greener family lifestyle.  Each blog offers simple advice and small goals for eco-friendly changes.

The Cloth Diaper Blog is a great source for tips on cloth diapering. 

The Great Green Baby offers reviews of green baby products.

I read the Nature Moms (“a guide to natural family life”) blog all the time.  She reviews products and discusses parenting ideas, home schooling, and much more.

Read Mindful Momma’s ”adventures in living a green and healthy life.”  Check this site out for creative craft and other DIY ideas.

Natural Moms Talk Radio features commentary from Carrie, “a work-at-home, home-schooling mom of four who loves to discuss all aspects of pregnancy, natural birth and alternative birthing options, breastfeeding, alternative health, home schooling, nutrition and natural parenting topics.”

Sage and Sassy’s blog claims that it’s “not hippie . . . just hip!”

Zoë B Organic Weekly features “All the Latest Organic and Eco-friendly finds for Organic Moms and Kids.”

The Haute Nature blog is a great stop for eco-crafts, offering “Ecologically based creative ideas, art, and green products for your children, home, and lifestyle.”

Green Fertility contains a fascinating collection of articles about “saying NO to the pharma-medico-industrial-baby complex and discovering the possibilities afforded by focusing on wellness of self and earth.”

Read about a family who does its best to be green with a new baby at Mummy Musings.

The Eco Baby Blog discusses “eco-friendly family planning.”

The Green Mom is not updated very often but contains information of interest to environmentally-conscious mothers.

Tushbaby is for the stylish environmentalists among us.

Green Style Mom is another good choice for eco-moms who don’t want to compromise their sense of style.

The Crunchy Domestic Goddess not only has a great blog name-it also includes Haikus!

Jenny at Green-Mommy eats organically, lives green, and practices “gentle” parenting.

Kind of Crunchy Mama offers a refreshingly honest perspective on green parenting.  She had home births, practices extended breastfeeding, eats organic food . . . yet cleans with bleach and loves the Cake Mix Doctor!

Walking Upside Down is a New Zealand blogger who writes about everything from diapers to acupressure.

The following sites haven’t been updated in while, but they’re still out there on the Web to read:

Green Baby Blog

Ecobabe

Rocket Mom Blog

Are we missing a great green baby blog?  Please post a comment or email us with your favorite websites devoted to green parenting practices, and we’ll be happy to add them to our list.  We also plan to generate a list of the Web’s best diaper websites soon.  Happy surfing!

When you have a baby, you’re always hearing about the latest hidden dangers and toxins lurking in almost everything you own.  Since my baby was born, I’ve been learning more and more about harmful chemicals in plastics.  The most recent panic-inducing study, published in this month’s issue of Pediatrics, proves that using baby bath products increases the amount of phthalates in babies’ urine.  Phthalates, found in many plastics, can affect reproductive development and play a role in allergies, runny noses, eczema, and even the concentrations of your baby’s hormones.

Was I just awash in toxic chemicals?

Yikes!  This information is enough to cause even the most laid-back parent to freak out.  (MSN’s headline, “Babies Awash in Toxic Chemicals,” didn’t help.)  You may have been lathering the baby up with baby wash and sprinkling him with powder since day one.  Now what?  According to uwnews.org, “Parents who want to decrease their baby’s exposure to phthalates should limit the amount of baby care products used on the infant, and apply lotions or powders only if medically indicated.”  I have decided not to freak out over the possible phthalate exposure of the past–instead, I’ll just work on limiting possible future exposure.

Limiting Baby Care Products.  Most pediatricians recommend using just water to wash a baby.  The great thing about this advice is that it’s easy and actually cheaper than using all those creams, soaps, and potions.  It’s difficult to know which products contain phthalates and which do not–at this time, companies are not required to include this information on their labels.  Burt’s Bees is one known safe choice.  Mama Rose’s Naturals produces baby care products from organic ingredients and essential oils which can be ordered online.  Although I haven’t purchased many baby toiletries for my daughter,  I am happy to know that my Earth-saving parenting tip to bathe your baby less often has another advantage: I am limiting her exposure to toxins.

For parents, there is always going to be something to worry about.  Maybe next year a new study will reveal that phthalates aren’t as terrible as everyone suspected.  Still, I figure it’s not a bad idea to reduce the amount of phthalates swimming around in my daughter’s urine.  Not only am I protecting her health, I’m looking out for the wellbeing of our planet, which doesn’t need another chunk of plastic filling up a landfill–phthalates or no phthalates!

Originally I didn’t think organic baby food would be such a priority for me. No one in my very frugal extended family had considered purchasing organic food because of the extra expense. The turning point came when I read in Consumer Reports, the ultimate thrifty guide, that organic baby food was worth the extra cost not just for the sake of the environment, but for baby’s health.

 

As if I wasn’t already convinced, last Wednesday’s issue of The Seattle Intelligencer drove the point home with an article entitled “Harmful pesticides found in everyday food products”.  The article describes a recent scientific study of 21 children between the ages of 3-11.  Researchers kept careful records of their dietary habits and found that those who ate mainstream produce showed signs of organophosphates in their urine and saliva samples. These findings are a bit upsetting considering that organophosphastes were developed from nerve gas during World War II. During the winter months, the detected pesticide levels were higher in the children, which most likely showed that they were eating more imported fruits and vegetables.  Now, before you get too worried, doctors aren’t sure what effects, if any, organophosphates have on children.  Still, it feels pretty great not to take the risk.  

 

When I first did research about pesticides, I was shocked to find that the foods with some of the highest levels of pesticide residues are family favorites such as apples and peaches. I wasn’t sure I could afford to buy only organic foods, so I focused on buying organic for the foods with the highest pesticide residue.  The environmental working group has developed a printable wallet-sized card that lists the top 43 fruits and veggies with the highest pesticide load.  If you simply can’t afford to buy organic, Tiny Footprints, the website of the Oregon Environmental Council, recommends cleansing produce by mixing one teaspoon of dish soap into a gallon of warm water.  Then thoroughly wash and rinse before consumption.  The  photo below shows one of the fruits with the sixth highest pesticide residue: the humble strawberry.

 

Once I had procured my produce, I was off to become a baby food Betty Crocker (organic-style).  I bought a fifteen dollar baby food grinder when Roscoe started on solids, thinking that it was the only method for mashing his food.  It very quickly ended up in the back of the cupboard when I realized that our blender and some ice cube trays were all we really needed.  I peeled and boiled or steamed the food, tossed it in the blender with some extra water and poured it into ice cube trays.  Then I dumped the frozen cubes into Zip lock bags for storage with labels and dates. Mainly I did large batches at once—which was quite convenient but sometimes backfired when Roscoe decided that he hated my four large Ziplock bags full of sweet potato puree.  You can find some simple directions for home blended baby food on Wholesome Baby Food’s website.  Here Roscoe has decided to use his dinner as a facial treatment rather than an actual meal. 

In the beginning, I was determined to make every drop of baby food myself. When I complained to my daycare provider about exhaustion and the stress of preparing Roscoe’s food, pumping breast milk, and writing lesson plans, she suggested a revolutionary idea: buying a little sanity in the form of prepared baby food. In the end I made some of Roscoe’s meals myself but also found deals on prepared organic foods.

 

The best discovery I made on prepared food for Roscoe came outside of the baby food aisle.  I bought large jars of organic applesauce and boxes of frozen organic pureed squash that worked great as baby food.  I also used cans of organic pumpkin and as my son grew, I used cans of organic beans and as finger foods.  Here Roscoe considers the complex flavors of pureed squash. 

Earth’s Best was our standby in jarred baby food and teething biscuits. Roscoe always loved their food (much better than anything that emerged from my blender) and we appreciated the fact that their whole line of baby foods are certified organic.  By buying large boxes of several dozen jars of Earth’s Best at Costco, the cost was just a few pennies more per jar than standard baby food.

 

When Roscoe started to be able to feed himself, we discovered Healthy Times puffs.  They are wheat-free, dairy-free, and soy-free but Roscoe never seemed to notice that they were missing anything.  They had much less packaging than mainstream puffs and were very fairly priced. Healthy Times was started by a mom over twenty years ago who was looking for organic, healthy alternatives and now has a whole line of foods including jarred baby foods and teething biscuits.

 

Annie’s Homegrown is more of a kids brand than a baby food label, but we’ve started Roscoe on the bunny crackers and would love for him to grow up with the brand name.  Annie’s has been around for a decade and were far ahead of the mainstream organic food movement.  They offer crackers, cereal and even organic macaroni and cheese that are appealing to children and much more nourishing than the mainstream alternatives.

 

The lesson that parenting seems to teach over and over again is, “be flexible.”  If you’re planning on making every drop of baby food from scratch, be open the fact that exhaustion may occasionally trump your plans.  Or, if you think it’s utterly impossible to make your own baby food, give it a whirl and see what you think.  The decision to feed our son organic food has raised my family’s awareness about the quality of our produce and the contents of our fridge are now reflecting our move toward organic foods.  We have the youngest member of our family to thank for propelling us much further on our green journey.