They’re comfy, they’re washable, they’re lace-free and they come with flexible soles­­––what more can I say?  IsaBooties sent Rebecca and me some sample shoes to try out with our toddlers a few months ago and they’ve become some of our favorite footwear.  I appreciate the fact that they don’t require fastening of any kind and also can be worn sock-free in the summer months. 

Before I discovered IsaBooties, Roscoe wore Robeez.  We loved the comfort and simplicity of the leather moccasins but were hesitant to have him wear them in the winter––which is always wet around here.  IsaBooties are made with ultra-suede fabric, which means that after they get covered with water or mud, they can just get tossed into the washer and the dryer. To be fair, Rebecca thought this was a downside of the IsaBooties—they can’t be worn on wet surfaces without soaking through.  She had her daughter use them as slippers.

For our eco sensibilities, it was great to learn that IsaBooties are formaldehyde-free, made in the USA, and come in recycled packaging that uses soy ink.  Unlike Robeez, IsaBooties are vegan, so they are perfect if you are looking for an animal-free bootie.

The cost for a pair of these soft slippers is a bit high for thrifty souls at $29.00 a pair, especially since IsaBooties aren’t recommended for pavement use.  Roscoe happens to be a serious sidewalk runner so he can’t use them all the time.  I also wouldn’t have him wear them if he was playing anywhere near sharp rocks since the bottoms aren’t that thick.

Rebecca’s daughter Audrey also loved IsaBooties and wanted to put them on all the time.  She wore them for about two weeks straight, and then the decorative ribbon started to fray indicating that they might not be the sturdiest choice for an everyday shoe. Rebecca would recommend them for non-walkers or indoor use only.

Still, if baby’s arrival is approaching and people are asking for gift requests, it’s nice to have a pair of convenient and cute Isabooties for the first year of his or her life.  Check out their website for a full range of colors, styles and sizes.

If you live in a steamy region where the humidity matches the temperature in degrees Fahrenheit, please stop reading this post immediately and start making your baby an ice bath.  My humble advice only works for areas where the air is light enough to move. 

In Eugene, Oregon, where I live, the temperature occasionally gets above ninety degrees and the humidity is almost always manageable.  Still, I am a self-professed heat wimp so I do all I can to keep our home cool.  We don’t have air conditioning, but with a little extra effort we mostly stay very comfortable through the warm summer months. Even if we did have air, I think I’d keep up the steps below to lower our power bill and our emissions with just a few minutes of effort.

Nothing about what we do is earth shattering, and I’m sure everyone used this same routine years ago.

Step 1: Put a thermometer outside your home where it is visible from a window.

Step 2: In the evenings, wait until the thermometer outside is cooler than your thermostat inside.

Step 3: Open the windows, turn on the fans, and get the air moving.  You can opt to blow the cold air in or the hot air out—but the main objective is air flow. 

Step 4: Secure the windows before going to bed only if you need to. 

Step 5: As soon as baby squeals at 5 a.m., open windows up again and get those fans on.

Step 6: When the temperature outside is hotter than inside, close everything up.

Step 7: Repeat as needed.

I actually get ridiculously excited as the fans whir around the house in the evening and our thermostat radically drops.  We’re able to keep the interior of our house between 70-76 degrees on even the hottest days just by opening and closing windows.

If evening and morning ventilation doesn’t seem to keep the heat down during the day, consider having an energy audit to check out your insulation.  Insulation is the biggest energy saver in heating and cooling your home and it should be working just as hard in the summer as it does in the winter.

Another strategy is to plant fast growing deciduous trees near your home so that you can have some relief in the years to come.  Believe it or not, there’s actually a website entitled “fast growing trees” that can help you find some options for your region.

If any sunbelt dwellers happen to still be reading, there is hope for you in the future as a company called BROAD is working on solar powered air conditioning.  Isn’t that the most obviously brilliant idea ever?  If you live in a dry climate, you may want to look into a swamp cooler as an eco-friendlier alternative to an air conditioner.

In the meantime, we’ll stick to our fans, our popsicles (organic and veggie) and an occasional run through the sprinkler.  I’ll end up using the same technology to keep my child cool that my grandmother did six decades ago–––which happens to be great for the planet and my pocketbook. 

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!  

My smallish city of Eugene, Oregon, has hit the big time by hosting the USA Olympic Track and Field Competition this week­­—and we’re striving to hold the greenest major sports event in history.  

It’s a thrill to see our little city on national news and spot a few ultra-athletes strolling our streets, but it’s even more exciting to see the creative ways event planners have minimized waste.  We’ve gone down to the race venue to admire all the green details.

• Compostable disposables: All the utensils and plates at the food booths are made from compostable materials. 
• Recycling containers everywhere:  Local organizers somehow found a way for all food (including meats and cheeses) to be thrown in the containers  with compostable utensils and dishes.  Another bin is for comingled plastic, aluminum and newspaper recycling, drastically reducing the amount of trash that will head to landfills.
  
• Solar powered stage: Solar panels have generated plenty of power to support big screen TVs, stereos and lights.
  
• Wind-power energy: All the remaining energy needed for the event was purchased from wind-generated power.
  
• Human power: A set of power-generating stationary bikes are available for volunteers who want to personally contribute energy by signing up for 30 minutes of pedaling.
  
• Valet bike parking: The meet has sometimes filled the fenced area that can hold more than 400 bicycles.
• Electric shuttle: The city offers a free EmX bus shuttle for spectators that is hybrid-electric powered.

As if that wasn’t all wonderful enough, there was also a track meet for local youth that takes place on the actual track where the potential Olympians sprint across the finish line.  Roscoe participated in the under two category—and ended up running his own direction. In the photo he’s about to cross the finish line after taking the scenic route with Dad and a friend.     

This Independence Day, in spite of the fact that I teach American History, I’m looking forward rather than back.  Maybe it’s motherhood, or rising gas prices, or melting glaciers, but it seems as though boundless independence might not be working for our country at this point.

We’re free to use as much fuel, energy, food, and water as we’d like.  We’re free to toss recyclables into the trash and drive Hummer limousines. The pursuit of happiness has pushed us into a level of consumerism that would have baffled our nation’s founders.  (I can’t help but mention here that they were imperfect as well—some of them using slavery to support their own luxurious lifestyles.)

Meanwhile, our unsustainable lifestyle is having a daily impact on the planet.  You have to check out this website, Breathing Earth, to see just how much more carbon we’re emitting than the rest of the world.  It’s humbling and a bit shocking.

So what do we do now? If you’re reading this website, there’s a good chance that you’re making eco-conscious choices instead of shrugging your shoulders in apathetic dismay.  The next biggest change we can make is to share our down-to-earth ideas with our local communities.  People are very threatened by the idea of composting, or using cloth diapers, or planting their own garden until they know someone who has done it themselves.  Share your cloth diaper experiences with other moms, start a green group in your area, and include your family in your eco-victories, even if they don’t share your enthusiasm. 

Grassroots movements have changed the world countless times.  On this Fourth of July, it’s good to remember that a small group of dedicated people started a nation based on freedom. Looking forward, we can help one another take small steps toward sustainability to make our shared future just a bit brighter.