Comments on: Facing the ugly eco-truth

By: k

Sun, 30 Sep 2007 14:46:30 +0000

you can wash out your Ziploc bags and reuse them, that’s what I do. just make sure they are perfectly dry before storing.

You can wash out breadbags and larger plastic bags too, and hang on the clothesline to dry. (or in the dishrack)

I have been using Pandora Pads (Cotton Feminine Pads) for many years now and I am really quite happy with them.
http://www.pandorapads.com/cotton_menstrual_pads.htm

By: chichimama

chichimama — Sun, 16 Sep 2007 12:12:30 +0000

I have given up many things in the name of the environment over the past year, but I cannot bring myself to give up the ziplocs. And my kids would starve without string cheese.

Good luck with the car thing. I went with the fuel efficient SUV I must say. The fuel economy is the same as on the minivan…although the price tag was not. My next car will be a hybrd though.

By: Tales of life with a girl on the go » Blog Archive » Back to school, with less packaging

Sat, 15 Sep 2007 04:16:09 +0000

[...] this morning I read Dani’s Postcard from the Mothership on facing her family’s ugly eco-truth and I decided that I could tackle the packaging problem that BlogHer Act Canada has identified [...]

By: Fawn

Fawn — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 19:50:53 +0000

Are you sick of me yet? I just remembered that I wanted to mention to those still doing diapers that one can also use cloth wipes when doing cloth diapers. I just cut up some old towels, or you can use baby washcloths, and throw them in the washer at the same time as the diapers. There are lots of recipes for wipe solution or you can just use water.

To take things one step further (and one that I admittedly have not gone in) you can also buy more ecologically friendly feminine-hygiene products these days. I saw a reusable “cup” for sale at the drug store, and when I bought cloth diapers, I also got an insert for reusable cloth pads from this company: http://www.newmoonpads.com/pads.html.

And of course, there are always cloth breast pads (which I did use) for those leaky months after breastfeeding begins.

By: Fawn

Fawn — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 19:45:51 +0000

Here’s another idea from another Whitehorse blogger:
http://www.rebecca-writes.com/rebeccawrites/2007/7/5/popular-posts-from-the-past-cloth-napkins.html

By: Fawn

Fawn — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 19:42:33 +0000

I recently heard about these cool wrappers you can use to replace some of your ziplocs: http://www.reusablebags.com/store/wrapnmat-p-2.html. I didn’t buy any myself, but I realized that I have quite a few cloth napkins that I can use to wrap crackers, sandwiches, or whatever else that is relatively dry, and just throw an elastic around it.

For lunch, I use a small Corningware dish that comes with a rubber lid. I don’t like heating food in plastic containers because it seems unhealthy to me. (I’m okay with using plastic containers, but heating them up supposedly releases yucky chems I don’t want to think about.) I have four Corningware dishes and use one for myself and one for Jade every day. That way there are (usually) always two that are clean.

For groceries, we use cloth bags as well as collapsible plastic bins from Ikea. I like the collapsible part because it means they take up a lot less room in our already-cluttered car.

By: Cait

Cait — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 17:33:23 +0000

I have another one: don’t use bottled salad dressing. Homemade takes half a second, is healthier, tastes better, and will contribute to reducing your carbon footprint.

By: Cait

Cait — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 12:58:29 +0000

I don’t use a dryer, but I don’t know how feasable that is for a family of 5 with a spit-uppy new baby.
If you have an old plastic bag or two in your car or purse, you can use them for groceries etc, and they’re also pretty useful when one of your kids suddenly starts feeing pukey while you’re roaring down the 401 in rush hour! That way you don’t feel terrible when you forget the reusable ones at the grocery store.
Of course, eating less red meat is the new eco-friendly measure that’s in vogue right now, as well as eating locally. Besides, local fruit and veg is tastier.
Spaeking of which, they’re expectig frost over the weekend, so get your marketing in today!

By: Sharon

Sharon — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 11:52:07 +0000

Ihave a gas guzzling van and it so bothers me every time I fill up. And I’ve had the thing for 6 years now. MY Next vechile will be fuel efficent. Jack drives a diesl Jetta. WAY more fuel efficent than my van. at 1000km per 55 L tank. It’s aweome and the car is now 7 years old.

Here’s what I do already
Line dry my clothes all summer. And hang most stuff up in the winter. Shirts and stuff like that.
Rubber maid containers or Dollar store ones for lunches Hardly ever you ziplock.
Wash out milk bags for lunches too. Sandwiches and leftovers go in these.

I have the bins for gorceries
eco Freindly lights almost everywhere.
Although I have stop buying cheeze sticks. Alot of waste on thoses.

So Dani if you buy that mazda five I will be watching you because I was thinking that what my new car should be.

Good luck!

By: Cyn

Cyn — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 11:41:43 +0000

Great ideas, and thanks for posting this – I’m off to look at the other bloggers and their ideas / resources. I also just realized there is enough natural light coming in that I could turn off my overhead light