Eco-Friendly Family

Curious what your eco alternatives are...

What are eco-friendly alternatives to trash bags? What do you use instead of floor cleaner to mop? I've started the basics of using less paper towels, using green cleaning products and vinegar for basic cleaning, and using less electricity, but I'm trying to come up with uncommonly posted things to change.
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Re: Curious what your eco alternatives are...

  • imageletranger:
    We buy compostable trash bags. We use vinegar for floors. 

     

    Where do you buy these?

     

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  • imageSwitzerland87:

    imageletranger:
    We buy compostable trash bags. We use vinegar for floors. 

     

    Where do you buy these?

     

    There are several brands on Amazon.  I've only seen the Glad brand locally at Walmart in my area.

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  • Due to by-laws we have to use trash bags (otherwise I'd say you could try going without in some cases), but I think we'd get away with using compostable ones. We try to limit our actual trash output by recycling what we can and I plan on composting the appropriate things when we can.

    I also cloth diaper our newest arrival and have noticed a HUGE difference between the trash output now than when we were using disposables on her. 

    Other than that I'm a big fan of Dr Bronner's liquid Castile soap for cleaning as well as the tried-tested-and-true baking soda, vinegar, borax concoctions. 

    Line drying everything you possibly can also makes a difference. Good luck! 

    claudia poirier
    Little Dude: 16 Apr. 2009 | Little Doll: 10 Jun. 2012

  • We buy in bulk when we can - it usually means less packaging and therefore, less waste. 

    We bike to work whenever possible.

    We use old t-shirts instead of paper towels.

    We use natural cleaning products (baking soda, vinegar, castille soap, washing powder, Murphy's oil).

    We buy secondhand when possible.

    We use the compostable trashbags or reuse shopping bags for smaller trashcans.

    I've started canning and freezing local produce in the summer so I can avoid buying packaged frozen goods in winter.

    Hope that helps! 

  • I am new to this too but here is my list of things we do or have changed to:

    • Cloth Diapers (I use pockets - Bum Genius and Sun Baby)
    • Stainless steel straws
    • Unpaper Towels (I bought 10 cheap washclothes and use those instead)
    • Cloth Tissues
    • Family Cloth ( I do this for all, my DH is not so keen and only uses them for pee)
    • Diva cup
    • no-pooing
    • Making my own washing powder
    • Using Castille hand soap rather than body wash in the shower with a cellulose sponge
    • Using foaming hand pumps and refilling from bulk liqiud soap (I will be making this from hand soap when I run out of what I have already
    • Drinking mainly filtered tap water (this has saved me loads as I looove soda..but it is once of the hardest for me to do.
    • Using vinegar/baking powder to clean
    • Cloth produce bags
    • Reduce plastic that comes into the house ...I struggle with this one.

    Hope this helps with some ideas.

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    Diagnosed with Anti little c antibodies. DS1 7.11.11 - Anaemia and Jaundice. 10 days in the NICU, 1 exchange transfusion and 4 blood transfusions. DS2 29.8.13 - Anaemia 7 days in the NICU and 1 exchange transfusion. Both are now happy and healthy. 

  • Have you seen reusable diaper pail liners/bags? Just get a bigger version for kitchen trash and such!
  • There is a book called The Everything Green Baby Book, this has recipes in it to make all of your own cleaning supplies for your house as well as shampoo etc for you.

     In general we try to use old t-shirts or rags for all cleaning then just wash them, if we have to buy other things we will go to Sam's and get it in bulk to save on packaging. We'll also use Seventh Generation cleaners which are a good alternative if you don't want to make your own.

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