Guest contributor Joanna joins us this week to talk about the option of sustainable wood for baby furniture. Beauty and earth-friendly all in one.
Babies need furniture!
If you’re looking for alternative materials for baby furniture other than plastic, then wood can be an appealing option. However, when you’re purchasing wood furniture it’s best to look for sustainable wood to avoid deforestation for furniture production. Try your best to stay away from slow growing trees such as oak, redwood, beech and Colorado spruce. Look for medium growth rate trees such as red oak, birch and red-bud. Most importantly, they should be purchased from sustainable resources.
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Written on
March 20, 2009 by
SusanC
(This is the second article in MacKenzie’s series, What’s up with Cloth Diapering?)
So, from my last diapering post you know why I decided to cloth diaper.
Today I will show you what modern cloth diapering really looks like.
My very first stash consisted of only 8 diapers! Yes, it can be done, although I don’t recommend it! I ordered 2 of 4 different kinds of diapers (from left to right- Happy Heinys, Fuzzi Bunz 1.0, DryBees, Bum Genius 1.0) to figure out what we liked the best. I subsisted on this stash of diapers for two months before I bought 12 prefolds and covers along with snappis to lighten my laundry routine- but we will get more into that later!
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With the turn of the seasons and the cold weather, you might be looking to buy your children new pajamas. Or, if you are like me, new pajamas are given the night we decorate the tree.
But if you are concerned about being green and your child’s exposure to toxic chemicals, you might be wondering whether those new pajamas have been treated with flame retardants? And does it matter?
Whether or not it matters is a decision you’ll have to make yourself.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) considers chemically treated pajamas safe. In the 1970s, it banned brominated Tris and removed chlorinated Tris from being used on children’s pajamas after they were found to mutate DNA and identified as probable human carcinogens.
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You never know what yakking about green issues is going to elicit. Sometimes it’s a “give me a break already” but when my child’s Kindergarten teacher overhears me advising my neighbor about composting tumblers, she has a surprise in store for me. “Oooh!” she says. “I had worms in my classroom in Texas! Can you set me up with a worm bin?”
I’m totally excited and totally game. But I’ve never done worm composting in my house. What to do? First step? I read Worms Eat My Garbage. Great book, recommended by my sister-in-law, who’s a master organic gardener and 10+ year vermiculturist (is that even a word?).
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I have a confession to make. I want a tattoo.
I’ve always wanted one. I know that they are frowned upon by some. I know that they are not allowed by certain religions. I know that I don’t want my kids to consider getting tattoos until they are past 25. Hypocritical or not, I think that you shouldn’t get one when you are young because, unlike piercings or wildly colored hair, they are relatively permanent.
I turn 40 in one month, so that is what I’m giving myself. A tattoo. On my lower back so it won’t be seen by many – especially since I am not slender enough for a fan of low slung jeans and tiny shirts that ride up and show your booty.
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Written on
September 5, 2008 by
SusanC
My mother always told me to eat my greens. That advice is as true today as it was when I was young. But these days, green foods go beyond spinach and broccoli to organic selections of coffee, fruits, veggies, and burgers.
Conventional farmers use around 300 different pesticides to grow foods that are sold in supermarkets every day. These chemicals pollute the soils and waterways, harming fish, birds, and other wildlife. Pesticides are also dangerous for the farmers who are exposed to them on a daily basis. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that pesticides are responsible for 20,000-40,000 work-related poisonings each year in the United States.At home, these pesticides hitch a ride to the dinner plate on our favorite foods.
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Written on
September 4, 2008 by
SusanC
It seems like every home has a “home office” these days. For some, it’s their sole place of employment, for others it’s simply a place to pay the bills, surf the computer, and help the kids with homework. But whether yours is a dedicated room, a corner of the kitchen table, or just a state of mind, there are lots of things you can do to make it a greener and cleaner place to take care of business. Here’s how to green your home office:
Install CFLs: Replace traditional light bulbs with long-lasting and money-saving compact fluorescents that are better for the planet and better for your wallet.
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Earlier this week, some friends and I were talking about how to continue our weekly gardening play dates into winter. Throughout spring and summer we have been relishing the benefits of planting, tending and harvesting without looking past fall. Now that Labor Day approaches and autumn lurks around the corner, how do we relinquish this simple pleasure we share with our children outdoors?
Brows crinkled and faces twisted with despair as we recall those days spent indoors during the winter months. What to do? What to do?! How do we find a city garden that needs our superior weeding expertise all year round?
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A few weeks ago, late at night, I received an email from a public relations exec about an all-natural children’s hair care product. Called oopsy daisy! leave in detangler and conditioner, this “incredible, must-have” product was $18 for 8.25 ounces. What!!?? My hair care products don’t even cost that much (I admit, I may have screamed out loud)! This was the last straw in a series of eye-popping price tags that I just couldn’t let go without comment. After I hit “reply,” I was as calm and polite as possible, asking the exec to please explain me how a hair care product for children could be so pricey.
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