Sergio and I have received the news that we will be having a baby boy in January, and the even better news that he is growing properly and looks very healthy in utero. Our plan, had the baby been a girl, would have been to use all of the hand-me-downs we have left from Ruby's (and even a few still from Amanda's) younger months. However, modern as we try to be, the majority of the clothing we have is decidedly for girl babies.
So, instead of rushing out to Target (ack - the more I go there, the more I just see SINGLE USE PLASTIC everywhere I look) or the mall or even the cute organic eco baby stores all over the peninsula, we are going to try and get everything secondhand. Which is not to say that we are going to settle; rather, we (or more accurately, I, the one with the nesting hormones) will be combing the bay area for exciting places to shop secondhand for the frijolito. I'd love any and all suggestions!
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
One Down
I was able to successfully remove one item from our trashcan forever last week: my deodorant. For years, I have been using Dove Clinical Protection deodorant and, with the exception of the time Safeway delivery substituted pomegranate scent for original scent, I have been very happy with it, especially insofar as it has kept my underarms nice and dry at all times. However, I have never liked:
a. what goes into it
b. the non-recyclable container it comes in
But I didn't think I could make the switch to one of those deodorant-rock things that real zero waste people use, because I need (well, I believe I need) antiperspirant, too. I tried the regular Tom's of Maine deodorant once, and the cotton-based Trader Joe deodorant another time, and both times Sergio told me I smelled "French" for the entire duration of my use of either product.
For the past two weeks, I have used this:
And it had been great! Yes, it does have aluminum in it, but all of the other ingredients are completely natural, and the container is recyclable. And, it passed the critical keep-dry-all-day test. In the spirit of full disclosure, Sergio tried it twice and said it feels like rubbing paste on your armpits, and I agree to a certain extent, but I have no problems with a light layer of paste on my underarms.
a. what goes into it
b. the non-recyclable container it comes in
But I didn't think I could make the switch to one of those deodorant-rock things that real zero waste people use, because I need (well, I believe I need) antiperspirant, too. I tried the regular Tom's of Maine deodorant once, and the cotton-based Trader Joe deodorant another time, and both times Sergio told me I smelled "French" for the entire duration of my use of either product.
For the past two weeks, I have used this:
And it had been great! Yes, it does have aluminum in it, but all of the other ingredients are completely natural, and the container is recyclable. And, it passed the critical keep-dry-all-day test. In the spirit of full disclosure, Sergio tried it twice and said it feels like rubbing paste on your armpits, and I agree to a certain extent, but I have no problems with a light layer of paste on my underarms.
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Kid Stuff
I've noticed recently that what is still ending up in the trash that isn't compostable (in other words, actual trash) is kid stuff. Specifically, there's a lot of stickers, chewed up odds and ends, and diapers in our trash. Let's see what could be done about each of these problems.
1. Stickers
Ruby is going through a phase where she has a first-class tantrum when I try to put her in the car seat. Seeing as getting in is non-negotiable, and I generally like to get to work on time, I needed something high value and capable of providing roughly thirty minutes of entertainment to coax her into the seat. So, every day, she gets a sheet (yes, an entire sheet. Amanda was the type of toddler who would have been content with a single sticker as a reward, but Ruby has a tendency to live life with a bit more intensity) of stickers, buckles up, and then sticks them in a wad on her knee while I drive to Palo Alto. Right now, I need these stickers like I need air to breathe. Therefore, I am hoping this is a phase, and they won't be in the trash forever. That's right; I'm not even looking for a green alternative. You've got to pick your battles.
2. Chewed up odds and ends
The girls leave their toys on the floor and the dog chews them up. This is just going to take some vigilance to curtail. I think we need to do a better job of instilling a sense of the importance of picking up a game when you finish before moving to the next one in the girls, and we also need to keep an eye on our tiny, rascally dog, too.
3. Diapers
Ruby is kind of sort of ready to get potty trained. But mostly, she's not. So, we persist with the diapers. Her cloth diapers are really starting to look like rags, and we are trying to avoid investing in expensive new ones when we know she only has a few more months of wearing diapers ever. So, we are down to only a few days' worth that are in good condition, and we don't have the extra diapers cushion we used to have when they are in the washing machine. Thus, more disposable diapers in the trash than before. It's true that there will be another tiny bottom to diaper before too long, and I have started looking into a compostable diaper service for those non-cloth-diaper times that I know will be coming up soon. At this point, similar to investing in new cloth diapers, getting a service for Ruby for just a few months feels like a big chore.
In other news, we didn't buy any vegatables at all from the grocery store this week! All from oour own garden, and it feels great.
1. Stickers
Ruby is going through a phase where she has a first-class tantrum when I try to put her in the car seat. Seeing as getting in is non-negotiable, and I generally like to get to work on time, I needed something high value and capable of providing roughly thirty minutes of entertainment to coax her into the seat. So, every day, she gets a sheet (yes, an entire sheet. Amanda was the type of toddler who would have been content with a single sticker as a reward, but Ruby has a tendency to live life with a bit more intensity) of stickers, buckles up, and then sticks them in a wad on her knee while I drive to Palo Alto. Right now, I need these stickers like I need air to breathe. Therefore, I am hoping this is a phase, and they won't be in the trash forever. That's right; I'm not even looking for a green alternative. You've got to pick your battles.
2. Chewed up odds and ends
The girls leave their toys on the floor and the dog chews them up. This is just going to take some vigilance to curtail. I think we need to do a better job of instilling a sense of the importance of picking up a game when you finish before moving to the next one in the girls, and we also need to keep an eye on our tiny, rascally dog, too.
3. Diapers
Ruby is kind of sort of ready to get potty trained. But mostly, she's not. So, we persist with the diapers. Her cloth diapers are really starting to look like rags, and we are trying to avoid investing in expensive new ones when we know she only has a few more months of wearing diapers ever. So, we are down to only a few days' worth that are in good condition, and we don't have the extra diapers cushion we used to have when they are in the washing machine. Thus, more disposable diapers in the trash than before. It's true that there will be another tiny bottom to diaper before too long, and I have started looking into a compostable diaper service for those non-cloth-diaper times that I know will be coming up soon. At this point, similar to investing in new cloth diapers, getting a service for Ruby for just a few months feels like a big chore.
In other news, we didn't buy any vegatables at all from the grocery store this week! All from oour own garden, and it feels great.
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