NCDR Where do you draw the line?

littleredfish

All this talk lately about unpaper towels, mama cloth, cloth TP, and so on got me thinking; where do you draw the line? I was cleaning my bathroom today, and looking at various things like make-up removal pads, kleenex, cotton balls...what disposables have you removed from your life?

What about products? Shampoo/conditioner, toothpaste, etc. What do you make and what do you buy? I was just curious where everybody was at with this stuff and why you chose to make one thing nd maybe buy another?

MrsPteranodon

I will never get into mama cloth, family cloth.

We use paper towels sometimes but we compost them so I really don't feel that bad about it. 

 

stoneycakes

I don't know if there's a specific thing that I would definitely draw the line at.  A lot of people draw the line at mama cloth or family cloth.  I love my Diva cup and I am considering getting/making some mama cloth for my first PP AF.  I don't use family cloth, but I wouldn't say that I never will.  I consider getting rid of the disposable products in my house to a be (very long) work in progress.

As far as other products, I do what comes easily and cheap, lol.  I wipe down things with vinegar and water solution.  Super easy to mix and super cheap.  Sometimes I go out of my way to buy eco-friendly products.  Sometimes I just can't stomach the price tag or I stick with a regular brand that I like better.  I've tried homemade laundry detergent and didn't like it. It was too much work for my taste and I didn't think it was significantly cheaper or better than regular detergent.  I think that kind of turned me off to making other items, but I am always open to simple recipes for things that work well.

bugandbibs

I don't have a line. I take it one item at a time. If it's something I buy a lot of, I think to myself is there a better way?

Into+the+Kitty

My line looks like a sine curve. I'm totally ok with some things other people would find beyond extreme, and other things - like for example, making my own shampoo - are just the farthest thing  from what I would ever want to do.

Like stoney, I think that the switch from disposable works better over time. I can't imagine sticking with any change that we've made if we just did everything all at once. I also can't imagine ever looking around at everything we have and have done and being "done" KWIM?

KatelynEA90

My line is not Eco-friendly at all. It basically ends at cloth diapering. I still use disposable wipes because I can't get into cloth wipes for some reason. I have them, I just never seem to use them.

I doubt I will get into momma cloth or family cloth.

DH has a paper towel problem. I might try to switch to rags but I'm not sure DH will get on board. I could at least use them though.

I won't make any products. 

tjkdlhb

I'm trying.  But I don't think I'll reach any "eco-friendly nirvana"... just working on being better...without going so far that I drive DH insane.

ETA: Currently, I've been trying to making better choices with my personal care items... but haven't switched to organic foods   They're just SOOO much more expensive.  I may try to grow some this summer.

littleredfish

tjkdlhb:

I'm trying.  But I don't think I'll reach any "eco-friendly nirvana"... just working on being better...without going so far that I drive DH insane.

ETA: Currently, I've been trying to making better choices with my personal care items... but haven't switched to organic foods   They're just SOOO much more expensive.  I may try to grow some this summer.

Yeah I don't buy organic because the FDA has so many loopholes for some things to be considered organic that aren't really. Plus the prices are often outragous. I also plan to plant my own garden but for now I try to buy local an in season and stock my deep freeze before winter.

Sarah226

We aren't very eco-friendly other than CDs and I also have a diva cup.  My DH barely got on board with CDs (though now he likes them, sort of), so I'm not sure he would be on board with, say, un-paper towels.  He's a paper towel addict, and uses like, 57 sheets to dry his hands.  Drives me batty.  If I tried un-paper he'd probably not remember the "rules" and use them on bacon grease or something.

I might consider mama cloth pantiliners to use with the diva cup when AF returns.  I could also possibly get on board with family cloth but definitely just for pee.  DH would think I'd totally lost it, though!  I'm not very crafty, so I don't really see myself making anything, except maybe a vinegar/ water cleaning solution, but thats pretty straight forward.

I might consider mam cloth pantili (grrr! Disregard! My tablet hates paragraphs and now won't let me delete this!)

giraffe54

I strongly believe in trying to live small on the whole rather than taking a hard stand on certain issues. I try to live in a way that avoids having to use a car, and I try to find ways to enjoy life without purchasing excessive material items. My husband and I both work in green fields. I plan to educate my child(ren) to respect the earth and make wise chocies. But I still I used Grovia biodisposables when I travelled with LO - on an airplane no less. I use paper towel on occasion. I would never use mama or family cloth because of the increasing degree of sanitation concerns but I swear by my Diva Cup. For the life of me I don't understand why everyone isn't using them. 

 

MintBerryCrunch

MrsPteranodon:

I will never get into mama cloth, family cloth. We use paper towels sometimes but we compost them so I really don't feel that bad about it.nbsp;nbsp;

Basically this, except we don't compost paper towels. I have tried to reduce how many we use by getting more kitchen towels and rags, but that's mainly because paper towels are freakin expensive. Ikea has a pack of ten white washcloths for like 4 bucks so I got a few of those and try to use them as much as I can.

unaveragejane

I am open to a lot of things, but I will NOT use that deodorant crystal thingie. My armpits sweat if I just think about a warm summer day (or Ryan Reynolds), and I can't stand the thought of being stinky in public. I do use Tom's of Maine when I'm going to be at the house all day, but I'm completely devoted to using something stronger (and much worse for me I'm sure) when I'm around people with noses.

tjkdlhb

The other thing is our vehicles.  I will not be able to buy a greener vehicle until DH or I work in the community in which we live. Our house is in the middle, but both of us have long drives that are trecherous in the winter, with many huge moose.  I have almost gone off the road several times with my four wheel drive SUV with studded tires.  I'd rather not be so green with this one and be alive.  Hopefully we'll get jobs closer to home soon... but until then... it is what it is.

AimnJus917

I don't think I could ever use mama cloth or family cloth, but I definitely want to try a cup when AF returns.  All our paper products except napkins are 100% recycled and I think that's the best we can do as far as paper - DH is a paper towel junkie, but at least they are recycled and not from trees.  We have Amazon subscriptions for tissues, TP and paper towels which is nice because we never have to buy them in a store.  We use cloth wipes but only for pee and wiping messy faces. We started out using them for both pee and poo, but it got to be too gross for me to rinse the wipes even with a diaper sprayer. 

Oh, I stopped using disposable swiffer refills too.  I bought a reusable dry floor mop (Scotch Brite I think) that works well and came with an extra refill too. We also use a Shark steam mop with washable cloth pads to mop the floors.  Old CD MF inserts have become dusters.  All mixed paper & junk mail is saved in a bin and taken to a local school for recycling, instead of in our garbage.   I know we're not "crunchy" by any means, but I must say, in my circle, we are probably the greenest people I know.  

I think it's great if everyone can do SOMEthings green - the more the better, obviously.  But I think if everyone did even a little, it could make a big difference.