Where do you start?

Cassandra1028

I'm going to sound very naive, so please be patient and keep the flames on the lowest setting available

I really want to start becoming more eco-friendly....started out with wanting to CD because every time we emptied the diaper champ I literally got a knot in my stomach thinking of all of those diapers sitting on/in the earth for years and years and years.

So, it got me to thinking of how I can be more eco-friendly in our house without going broke (DS works FT and I only work about 6 hours per week doing counseling, so we need expenses to stay the same, not go up).

I also have a son who is allergic to almost everything, food wise (soy, dairy, wheat for sure, and still working on some other things to figure it all out) so I have to be very careful what I eat (EBF) and do our "special" shopping at a local organic food store here in town. I must admit, the meat (chicken, lunch meats sans sodium nitrite, etc) taste sooo much better than regular grocery store stuff. But it's sooo expensive.

I'm looking to change the following things:

A) cleaning supplies (how do you know what chemicals are "bad" and which are "okay" for the environment?)

food (I'd love to get to the point of not buying anything processed - make our own bread, etc)

C) general everyday things like electricity, gas, water usage

So, my question is - are there some websites that you all use to try to slowly get eco-friendly? I very well can't buy a hybrid car, put solar panels on my house, and plant a garden all this week (although we have tried for 3 years in a row to grow the garden...it never works - we have horrible soil). Any pointers would be appreciated. I don't even know where to start.

TIA ladies - I really do appreciate all of the help you have already given me with the CD situation. I hope I'm not bothering you all too much, trying to get all this advice and nothing to give back.

SWBs Wifey

*We clean almost everything with vinegar and baking soda. 

*I'm not picky about toilet paper, so I buy the recycled kinds- whatever is cheapest that week.

*I recently bought microfleece to use instead of swiffer cloths for dusting and getting the stubborn dust and dog hair that stay in the corners after sweeping/vacuuming. 

*I probably only use 5 paper towels in a week (DH uses more) and only for things like cooking bacon on in the microwave or other greasy things.  Almost everything else, I use a washcloth or rag for- including mopping. 

*We compost everything we can.  I have a black thumb- kill everything I touch, so we don't garden, but I have great compost for neighbors that want it!

SapphyrEyes

Cleaning supplies, vinegar and baking soda.  I also recommend the book Green Clean.  It has some great recipes in it although I do think one or two ingredients is not the most eco-friendly but don't quote me.  That book overall is a valuable resource.

Food, eat more vegetarian meals during the week and save the meat for weekends or something special.  This overall will be easier on the budget as meat is expensive whether it's organic or the crappy, fatty stuff you get at the regular market.  Also, shopping your local markets for produce may be cheaper than the big chain stores.  When you do your grocery shopping shop all the ads in your area and make a circle to hit each one for the best deals.  Buy in bulk (without excessive packaging the things that you use a lot of....i.e. we use a lot of certain flours and pastas so it's cheaper to buy it from the bulk bin than from the boxes, the same with dried fruit and nuts for us).  Once you start making your own bread you'll be able to do it in your sleep.  Do big batch cooking and freeze into smaller portions (you can do this for bread and cookies as well) and fall in love with your crockpot if you have one.

Electricity, turn your thermostat up/down a few degrees for the summer/winter respectively.  Invest in a programmable thermostat (worth the $50-90 you'll spend and you'll earn it back within a year if you use it properly). Use timers for lights you have a fairly regular schedule with (outdoors lights, hallway entry lights, even lamps in a bedroom).  Switch over to CFL's slowly.  Try to use your AC less in the summer, and when you do use it turn any ceiling fans on to help the air flow continually move.  Check your owners manual because they move one way for winter and one way for summer.

Gas, plan your trips so you know exactly where you're going and try to condense them. Ask yourself, do you really need to go to XYZ place? Try not to go out/drive your car one day a week.  If you're on a highway or a road with few lights, use your cruise control (it should be your best friend when you're driving and yes it really makes a difference).  Keep your tires properly inflated by checking them once a week, as well as keeping a clean air filter in your car.  They make air filters that all you have to do is rinse them off with the hose and put it back in your car.  (More expensive initially, yes, but cheaper over the long run because you won't have to replace it like a normal air filter which needs to be changed once or twice yearly depending on your climate/air quality.) And don't drive over the speed limit or with any excess weight in your car if you can help it.  Basically don't use your car for permanent storage.

Water usage, turn your hot water heater down to 120 degrees.  You don't need it hotter than that.  For your regular laundry fill up the tub with clothing and wash everything on cold.  It will come clean, I promise.  I don't even separate my laundry anymore.  I just put in a wash basket and when it gets very full I throw it in the laundry.  I occasionally will wash my sheets and towels on hot just to kill anything that might be there especially after anyone is sick, but usually I don't bother with anything other than cold water. Follow your normal wash routine for your diapers.  Also, invest in some dryer balls (one of our very own makes them, search the Eco-Nest siggies) you'll save money over having to buy dryer sheets.  And when you use your detergent you do not need to use anymore than 2 TBSP of detergent for your laundry.  It will all come out clean.  You'll save money doing this as well. You can also make your own laundry detergent (again 2TBSP is all you need) which is cost effective in the long run.

Hopefully this was helpful.  I don't have any websites to share but I do have some recipes for cleaning and food if you're interested.  PM me if you'd like.  :-) 

 ETA:  This is generally a flame free board so no worries.

Hippinski

I'm going to sound very naive, so please be patient and keep the flames on the lowest setting available

This board doesn't flame.  If we have a problem with a post or a poster we take it up with them.  We don't take it to another board and point fingers. 

 

A) google search for homemade cleaners.  You will find that most can be made with ingredients already found in your home.  Switch to cloth cleaning rags and skip the paper towels.

  start by cutting out the boxed. processed foods.  Making your own bread is a good start and I have a couple of recipes in my blog (listed in siggy) that can help.  Buy as much organic and locally as you can.  Join a CSA and/or shop the farmer's market and eat what's in season.

C) turn off the lights in rooms you aren't in.  Unplug things that aren't being used.  Shut down computers when not in use (still working on that here at my house...my dh doesn't seem to get that one).  Convert your toilet to a low-flush model by adding in milk jugs to take up space. 

 

Some other easy things you can do that you might not think about are to re-use plastic baggies or get rid of them altogether.  Buy a reusable water container and stop buying plastic water bottles.  Stop using paper plates and plastic cups...buy some inexpensive glass or plastic picnic wear.   It's the little things that add up over time.