Our old clunker of a washing machine came with our house.  A typical top-loader from the 1970s or ‘80s, it probably used about forty gallons of water per load.  Another downside of this appliance is that it did not even get the clothes clean.  Dark clothes (i.e., all my clothes) came out with streaks of lint, clumps of detergent, and the dirt and grime they had before “washing” them.

A positive pregnancy test motivated me to replace my washing machine.  I wanted to try cloth diapers and figured pre-baby was the ideal time to switch.  I knew a good front loader used just ten gallons of water per load, but I was disappointed that they cost so much more than top-loaders.  The cheapest one I saw advertised was $800.  Knowing I could save hundreds of gallons of water, not to mention all the energy used to heat the water, I convinced myself it would be worth it.

Then a weird thing happened: we got the washer for far less than we’d budgeted.  First, we just so happened to show up on a store-wide 10% discount day.  Also, the washer in question turned out to be on sale.  And, we got a tax credit and some sort of energy credit.  Ask around–someone may want to pay you for selecting an energy-conscious option.  To top it all off, the store offered a rebate on the delivery charge.  The strangest thing was, we did not ask about any of this stuff–the guy at Sears just kept handing us forms and coupons.  Our Kenmore washer–listed at $800 in the Sunday paper–cost us just $350 including delivery!  That’s about the same price as a standard water-guzzling top-loader.

I love my front-loading machine.  All of my clothes come out clean and fresh-smelling and take less time to dry due to the extra-fast spin cycle.  This machine has made cloth-diapering much more efficient.  I wash diapers every four days on the heavy cycle–no extra rinses and no wet pail.  This means I am able to use just 900 gallons of water a year washing cloth diapers.  I also use a third of the detergent I’d use with a top-loader.  Compare that to someone who uses a top-loader every four days: they’ll use 3600 gallons a year!  Add in extra rinse cycles, more frequent washes, and wet pails and they could be wasting as much as 10,000 gallons of water a year on their cloth diaper laundry alone.

My washer has already paid for itself and will continue to save water and energy years after my daughter is out of diapers.  If you are in the market for a new machine, hunt around for special discounts and tax credits.  You may find, as I did, that a new high efficiency machine is well within your reach.

For more Works for Me Wednesday tips, head on over to Rocks in My Dryer.

Ever since Audrey started on solid foods at six months, she’s loved oatmeal. We spoon-fed oatmeal to her for months, and now she asks for her “oats” and feeds herself. I was happy to find a cheaper, more nutritious alternative to the typical rice cereal, which many parents are now avoiding as a first food. (Read an article about how to choose baby and kid cereals here. Learn more about the oat porridge I made Audrey in the early months here.)

I had a harder time finding a dry cereal that Audrey could enjoy as finger food. Cheerios, a common baby finger food, contain both wheat and sugar–two ingredients doctors say to avoid during baby’s first year. Plus, they’re not organic. My neighborhood stores offered plenty of organic Cheerio-like cereals, but almost all of them also contained wheat and sugar (sometimes disguised as organic cane syrup). 

Finally I found the perfect solution: puffs. Both Nature Valley and Arrowhead Mills make puffed grain cereals that are perfect for babies. The only ingredient is the grain itself–no sugar, no salt, no additives or preservatives. I’ve seen puffed corn, rice, millet, wheat, and kamut. Kamut is the preferred puff in our household. Although it is a larger relative of wheat, many people with wheat allergies or intolerances can digest kamut. If you are really worried about introducing wheat or its cousins, I’d recommend the corn puffs instead.

What about the price? I try to buy the six-ounce bags when they are on sale for $1.50 ($4/pound), but the regular price is $1.90 ($5.06/pound). Yes, this is more expensive than a jumbo-box of Cheerios, which can be had for 22.2 cents an ounce ($3.55/pound). However, I think the extra price for an organic, whole-grain cereal is worth it. And most importantly, kamut puffs are one of Audrey’s favorite foods!

This week’s Works for Me Wednesday is all about what doesn’t work for you.  Cheerios weren’t working for me, so I’m glad I found an alternative.  For more Works for Me Wednesday ideas, head over to Rocks in My Dryer.

Every time I pull the plug on Roscoe’s bath, it pains me to watch several gallons of relatively clean water vanish down the drain.  Perhaps this angst is inherited from my resourceful mother, who always transferred our bathwater to the washing machine for a load of laundry after we were tucked into bed.  She currently keeps a bucket in her shower at all times to capture water for use in her garden but she wishes that there was a better solution for all that gray water waste. 

Thanks to Brac Systems, an innovative Canadian company, there is!  They have designed a grey water recovery system that filters bathwater and redirects it for use in toilets.  The entire system costs just a few thousand dollars (plus installation) but Brac claims that the system could save people up to 40% of their water bill costs.  It’s possible to redirect the water for landscaping use as well and to use the system to harvest rainwater. 

Since my life is too complicated for a new Brac System at this time, I’ve turned to simpler solutions for saving bath water in the short run. 

• We wash Roscoe’s cloth diaper covers in his leftover bath water. 

• I sometimes soak my toes in his tub, getting a mini-pedicure while he plays.

• Roscoe uses his bathwater as a beverage.  (Gross I know!  We’re working on this.)

• A few nights a week, Roscoe showers with daddy to save water and time.

• Rebecca opts for weekly baths for her toddler, saving at least 120 gallons of water a week by forgoing a daily tub time.

• Some people use leftover bath water to flush toilets.  They leave a bucket in the bathroom, scoop up some leftover bath water and pour it into the toilet, activating the flush mechanism.    

Roscoe accrues enough grime in a day to truly create his own gray water.  Someday it shall all end up watering our petunias or supplying our toilets.  Until then, we shall dutifully do our best to make it a darker shade of gray before it goes down the drain.  For a huge list of simple tips that just might make your Wednesday a little easier, go to Rocks In My Dryer.  

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. 

Having fabric bags on hand makes life so much easier.  It prevents that bulging drawer of plastic or paper sacks from spilling out onto your kitchen floor, alleviates global warming guilt, and may even make you feel a bit proud as you whip them out at the check-out line.  So, how can you get bags for little to no money? 

Ask around:  I’m a teacher and as such, am loaded with canvas shopping bags.  Every educational conference I attend adds to my cache.  See if the people you know have extra fabric bags or don’t use the ones they have.

Visit thrift stores:  If aesthetics aren’t important to you, you can certainly score some canvas bags with cheesy slogans or colors on them.  Hey, their garish colors might make them easier to remember next time you’re headed to the store! 

Make your own:  If you have the time and creative talent, click onto this website to find patterns for sewing up your own grocery bags.  You can score cheap fabric at a thrift store or by getting creative with old curtains.  It just occurred to me that Maria from “The Sound of Music” was actually quite eco-conscious! 

If you end up having to spring for some bags, remember that they’ll save you money in the long run since most grocery stores will give you a few pennies off for each bag.  They’ll quickly earn back their expense and save hundreds of sacks from ending up in the trash.  For more great “Works for Me Wednesday” tips head over to Rocks in My Dryer. 

We’ve really tried to limit the toys littering our home.  Why then does it seem that clean-up time takes longer and longer each day?  There are blocks spilling onto the carpet, books stacked precariously around Roscoe’s room and wheeled vehicles strewn about our house at the end of every single day. 

That’s why we LOVE bubbles.  They disappear just as quickly as they appear.  And, they’re so very cheap!  You can mix up your own batch with water, dishwashing soap, and a few drops of glycerin. (Available for a few bucks at your local pharmacy). You probably know that just water and soap will work, but the glycerin will help create better bubbles that last a bit longer.  Look here for several bubble recipes and here for suggestions on what to do with the bubbles, including using a hula hoop and a kiddie-pool to make huge ones and a fly swatter to create a blizzard of tiny bubbles.  You can also use pipe cleaners to make simple bubble wands for little environmental and economic cost.  Have fun!

Roscoe Prefers Mouth Frothing Over Bubble Wands

For more Works for Me Wednesday tips, go to Rocks in My Dryer.

I remember the day we made our first eco-friendly Trader Joe’s detergent purchase. We loved the smell of our fresh laundry and basked in the green glow of our new standby.  While the large plastic container was an environmental downside, the price was reasonable and the lavender essential oils gave it a crisp, clean scent.

 Roscoe helps with the laundry

We wanted to switch to a greener detergent for our family’s health and the environment. Green brands don’t contain optical brighteners, chemicals which bond to the skin with traditional detergents. We also liked the fact that scents are often plant-based rather than petroleum-based, which tends to cause less skin irritation. As if that weren’t enough to convince us, natural detergents biodegrade easily in water and don’t contain phosphates, which are very harmful to aquatic wildlife.

Overall, we were utterly thrilled with ourselves for our ethical and thrifty laundry detergent decision.  But that was until we noticed the smell. Even when Roscoe had wet diapers, they reeked of rotten garbage.  At first we thought he had been sneaking asparagus in at snack-time, but then our daycare provider noticed as well.  She recommended stripping our diapers by washing them in several loads of hot water without laundry soap to remove the residue causing the foul odor.

After further research, I found that eco-friendly detergents with essential oils or mainstream brands with petroleum-based scents can coat cloth diapers, making them non-absorbent and causing them to smell, even when wet.  There are several suggested remedies for this stinky conundrum, including using vinegar in the rinse cycle, adding baking soda to the laundry soap, and doing an additional hot rinse after each load.

The problem with all of these options is that they require more time and/or effort from our already busy family.  Instead, we’ve looked into switching to a diaper-friendly detergent and saving the rest of our Trader Joe’s stuff for our non-diaper laundry.  The list below includes some recommended choices. 

I’ve heard that Charlie’s Soap is the ideal diaper laundering product. According to the company, each load of laundry requires just one tablespoon of soap and leaves no deposits on clothes.  Many cloth diaper aficionados have informed me that there is no stripping required with Charlie’s Soap and you can buy it at some natural baby stores, such as Mother Nature’s in Portland, Oregon. 

Since Portland is two vast hours away and I’m too swamped to order Charlie’s Soap online, I opted for Biokleen’s Free and Clear Laundry Powder.  There’s no plastic container, it’s safe for high efficiency washers, it’s fragrance-free, and it’s available at my local grocery store, a mere five minutes from home. 

It’s amazing how something as simple as laundry soap can be such a challenge for a busy family trying to go green.  Then again, solving that dilemma has been a huge triumph and relief.  We’ll keep you posted as we set our eyes on future eco-friendly hurdles.  They may not be overcome with grace, but we’ll keep stumbling greenward!  For more Works for Me Wednesday tips, go to the blog carnival at rocksinmydryer.com. 

It clutters our family’s mailbox and rapidly fills our recycling bin, but who has time to actually contact every source for this mass of wasted paper?  Lately I find myself spending ten minutes a day reading and shredding piles of envelopes. That’s time I’d much rather spend sorting through matchbox cars with my toddler.  Enough!  I finally developed a few solutions to stop the endless stream of junk mail flooding into our home. Less Junk Mail=More Play Time!

Opt Out:  I didn’t think I had the twenty minutes it took to print and fill out the online forms available at Opt-Out, but then I realized that I spend twice that amount of time each week shredding junk mail and tromping out to the recycling bin.  It’s worth a little effort to get the time savings in the long run!

When I finally went to the Opt-Out website I found the process surprisingly easy. The site will let you fill in your information and then formulate dated, addressed letters to seven different marketing networks and credit reporting agencies. I then simply printed out the letters, addressed the envelopes and sent them off with my own postage.

The site also has the Opt-Out telephone number listed to get you off the phone solicitation list.  No more calls during dinnertime or when Roscoe is in the middle of a diaper change! It also prevents me from tersely interrupting the telemarketer and bitterly informing him or her never to call my number again.  (Which isn’t easy for a generally congenial person like myself.)

Just Say No:  I have a secondary strategy to rid our family of excess mailings now that I feel freedom is in sight.  I just printed up a bunch of quick notes to send in the postage-paid envelopes that are often enclosed with junk mailings. Feel free to copy the text of the note below. You’ll notice that it’s a bit snarly, but sometimes that’s what it takes to get off the list!

To Whom It May Concern:

I would like my name to be removed IMMEDIATELY from your mailing list.  Rather than spending your organization’s time and energy sending me mail that is of no interest to me, please stop sending me any offers from this point on.  If you do not concede with my request, I will be forced to make further and more forceful complaints. I expect you to honor my wishes.

 Sincerely,

(Include your name and address)

Or Say No Nicely:  Here’s a note to send to charities that load you up with junk mail.  It sounds a bit less hostile, but still works:

To Whom It May Concern: 

Surely your charity wants to put its limited resources to the best possible use.  I would like to be removed from your mailing list.  My family has chosen to focus our giving on a few organizations and yours is not one of them.  Please help us limit waste and save your charity’s time and money by honoring our wishes.

Sincerely, 

(Include your name and address) 

You can fit about four of these notes per printed page and easily have a stack ready to shove into envelopes when the junk mail arrives.  Then just sit back, relax and watch those heaps of incoming mail slowly dwindle.  Ahhh….  If you want even more tips on how to make your life easier, go to Rocks in My Dryer for more “Works for Me Wednesday” ideas.  And don’t forget to check yesterday’s post for tips on how your cleaning closet confessions can win you some free Shaklee products.  Register and spill your deepest cleaning secrets today! 

In case you didn’t notice, you are currently enjoying a carnival–minus the expensive rides, suspicious ferris wheel operators, and heartburn.  Today is greenbabyguide.com’s first post in Rocks in My Dryer’s ”Works for Me Wednesday” blog carnival.  ”What is a blog carnival?” you ask.  It’s a herd of bloggers all writing themed blogs on a similar subject–in this case, a simple solution that works.  On Works for Me Wednesday greenbabyguide.com will strive to provide an eco-tip that makes life a tad easier for you and a bit better for the planet as well.  

As a working mother, I sometimes long for packaged foods—but I’m not thrilled with the economic or environmental costs.  Oftentimes the nutritional content is horrid and hydrogenated oils seem to be lurking everywhere.  Plus all that packaging isn’t exactly eco-friendly.  But still, I love the idea of pulling warm homemade cookies out of the oven to share with my eighteen-month-old. Do I have a Betty Crocker complex?  Very possibly. 

Lately, I’ve taken to making my own packaged foods so that I can still fit some baking into my very full life.  My mother, a frugal green pioneer in her own right, first perfected this pre-packaged concept by using her “Make-A-Mix” cookbook back in the eighties.  It offers 67 recipes for mixes that can be creatively used to whip up 306 different favorites.

You create your own mixes by measuring out and combining dry ingredients and storing them in Zip-loc bags or Tupperware.  Then when you want cornbread with dinner or pancakes for breakfast, you can dump the mix into a bowl, toss in the wet ingredients and have a glorious home-baked product without the cost, packaging or time required from other options.  Plus, it’s much easier for me to whip up homemade muffins with my toddler when the prep time is cut in half.  You can preview the whole book here and even try some of the recipes. 

It was re-published in 1995 and again in 2007 with even more recipes and is still very popular.  My only criticism is that I would add more wholegrain flour and cut down on the sugar in several of the baked goods.  Still, with a few modifications I can spend an hour or less on the weekend preparing a few mixes, and end up with a stash of dry ingredients that will provide me with a month of homemade favorites.  Works for me!