Green Post

In honor of St. Patrick's Day, I thought I would do a "green" post. Now, it is more than just my writing that is green...

Our family recently made the switch to cloth diapers. Kevin and I had intended to do that with Hannah's birth, but new mommyhood overwhelmed me and the thought of coin laundry (we moved shortly after she was born) kept us from taking the plunge. However, millions (okay, not really, but that is what it feels like) of diapers later, the guilt kept creeping up on me -- all those diapers, sitting around for eternity... Potty training Hannah somewhat early (we started pre-2 1/2) helped, but with a new baby, I knew there would be millions of new diapers added to the pile. So, with a leap of faith (and trust in the knowledge that in another few months we will be coin laundry free), we converted to cloth.



Now, this is not your mama's cloth diaper. No, cloth diapers these days are quite sophisticated. The bumGenius! one-size diaper is the wonder diaper--it is essentially a disposable diaper that you wash, no pins or plastic pants needed. What makes it even more amazing is the fact that it grows with the child. Hannah and Abby are not just wearing matching colored diapers, they are wearing the exact same diaper, just Hannah's is expanded out (Hannah wears them for nap time and bedtime). I figure that in a year we will break even on the cost factor (although, the coin laundry for a few months is not helping), then, for every month after that, we will be saving money. It is a lot of upfront money -- you can't just buy one or two, you have to buy 12+ (we are currently making do with 14, but I figure we need a few more). However, every diaper is about the cost of one box of cheap diapers and I know we do at least a box a month (newborns do more). Plus, if you got someone on the inside that can buy them for you at a discount or you find them on sale, then you do even better.



So far, the conversion has gone well. I figure I spend about twenty extra minutes every two days on diapers, which honestly isn't bad for the year+ of savings that I'll get. Yes, I see more poop than I used to, but potty training has made me immune to that (don't ask). Greatest benefit -- no more guilt!


We have also made other steps around the house to be more green. Buying reusable shopping bags was an easy, relatively cheap change we made -- you can buy the bags at $1 a bag and you only need ten (or less) and can rest assured that the world is free a few more plastic bags. We recycle like crazy (Hannah is even in on the deal). We try to turn off lights. In another few months when we are buying appliances and such, our goal is to go energy efficient wherever we can (although the priorities are the washer and dryer and refrigerator -- supposedly those are the big ones to change).



There is much work to be done to make our family more green. I know shorter showers are important. We need to cut down on the amount of paper towels we use (I go through them like crazy). But, maybe, if we keep making little changes, we can help. Maybe we can make sure that the girls inherit a planet a little cleaner for them.



Please post your suggestions on how you try to be green -- I'm always looking for new ideas!

To go along with this green post (but not relating to it in any way): it seems that Abby's eyes might be turning green. They've been a mystery, not really being any shade, but more days than not Kevin and I both agree that there is a greenish hue. It is a possiblities because I have hazel eyes (really, they are green and brown, but I call them hazel for simplicity) and my mom has green eyes. It is still to early to know for sure, but that is the current thought (by this time, Hannah's eyes were deep brown).