New to board

arizonatea

I'm pretty new to this board, I use to creep around but now I've decided to switch to a green lifestyle.

DH and I already decided we're going to cloth diaper, and I've started making my own lotions and things like that. Do you mamas have any advice on where else I can start making the switch? I want to use all natural cleaning products but I'm afraid it won't work.

TIA!

AKB090609

Homemade natural cleaners can definitely work, but it can take some trial and error. I think one of the easiest ways to go green is just to reduce your consumption. 

tjkdlhb

Unpaper towels (napkins)

composting

cloth diapering

re-useable bags for groceries (and mesh bags for produce)

Choosing things packaged in paper or sold in bulk using your re-useable containers.

I've started baking bread this week and wrapping it in a dishtowel then placed in a Tupperware container and that has worked REALLY well.

EDIT:  Choose one or two things to change at a time.  My husband and I decided that we would be willing to try almost anything and if it works, great, if it doesn't then we will try something else.  If you try to change everything at once it can be quite overwhelming.  Another thing we have started is a small garden to grow some veggies.  We have been gradually introducing new things over the course of the past year.

zaraceligon

You need to do it little by  little,and the 3 important things to keep in my are.

reuse,reduce and recycle.making your cleaners are not complicated and they are very affordable,all depend of you.if you want o do it or not.

some ideas of reuse could be. Like take you own shopping bags,use your own water bottle for when you are out,you can reuse jars,if you are crafty you can turn your cloths that you don't use in to cloths for your LO,or something else.

to reduce,reduce the amount of electricity,the amount of using soap,shampoo etc,can be a big different.

recycle,not only bottle or cloths, carton, compost,and planting you own food,you don't need to have a garden or big space for it you can do it on pots.

instead of buying bottle water,you can get a water filter or get a water delivery.

i out of ideas,good luck. 

barine

great to know you are going green. I love vitacost and etsy for green organic natural products. They are also great recipes via google. some might require test and error but you will find one that works.