Reduce This!: the little things

So I haven't done one of these in a while because I am very busy with getting ready to move while still trying to keep my disgustingly mobile 7month old from killing herself....ok, and I forgot.

So this time I thought I would talk about some of the little things that we do here in studio apartment-ville to try and be environmentally conscious. Some of these things I have talked about before and some I haven't.

1. We use flushable diapers
2. We buy baby food in glass jars instead of plastic (this also has the added benefit of keeping those nasty plastic chemicals out of LM's food)
3. We buy most of LM's clothes used
4. We sell our used baby stuff (cribs, swings, etc.) on Craig's list instead of throwing it in the garbage.
5. We use biodegradeable/enviro safe dish soap, shower cleaner, baby wash, toothpaste, shampoo/conditioner, and laundry detergent.
6. We take short cool showers
7. We do not get magazines or catlogues (if we can help it) delivered to the house. We try to look at that stuff online.
8. We do not wash our clothes unless they are actually dirty.
9. We are using used Fresh Direct boxes to move instead of purchasing new ones
10. I no longer use razors. Husband mostly uses electric razor (no disposable) and the razor I used before is recyclable.
11. Uh, I can't think of any more. When we get to Portland there will also be composting and vermicomposting of food scraps and compostable diapers.

Learned something disturbing this weekend. Most common brand-name "tear-free" baby shampoos are tear free because they put anasthetic in the shampoo that numbs the eye, not because their ingredients are gentle enough to go in the eye without burning...ugh! Also, Aveeno is made by Johnson & Johnson which is proctor & gamble and they test on little bunnies. We use Burt's Bees now.

Also found out Kashi is made by Kellog's....f#%&ing corporations. I don't think Kellog's tests on bunnies, but it is possible that the cereal has bunnies in it.....

Reduce This - Week 5 (?)

I'm losing track of my weeks here, but whatever.

So this week I am trying to get rid of all the caustic chemicals in my daily life. One of the big one, one that often scares me is the drain de-clogger. That stuff seems like it could burn the skin off your face and snack on your muscles.

So in order to get rid of such things I need to find a replacement. And here you have a potential winner.....baking soda! We haven't tried it yet, but we plan on it. Look at all the things you can do with baking soda....who knew. Method and Mrs. Meyers Clean Day (and they smell nice) also offer biodegradable products to clean the house if you aren't down with the whole baking soda thing.

So the process for drain-o replacement is pouring a water/baking soda mixture down the drain followed by white vinegar. Sounds fine and much less horrible for the environment.

Plus when we are done we can make an elementary school science fair volcano.....awesome!

Reduce this - step 3

Ok so because I am sick (and so is LM) and that means that I hate my life right now this installment of Reduce This is going to be short and sweet. This week I am giving up shaving. This will save water, disposable razors, etc. I have a recyclable razor which are awesome, but you still have to throw away/replace the blade so I have decided to just let the leg hair (and arm pits) grow wild and free.... I guess if it grows there it belongs there right!?!

I will still be using the electric trimmer to tidy up the private areas since that gets uncomfortable when it is overgrown.

So that's it. I will think of something better for next time, promise!