Modern Mommy Gear

Bikes, Buses, Trains, Boats, and the Subway today!

2009-07-08T15:21:00.000-07:00

Modern Mommy and family recently travelled to Europe to visit friends. Our journey took us to five countries. We walked along remnants of the Berlin Wall (Germany), across the Tower Bridge (England), up the Eiffel Tower (France), on the beaches of Normandy, over the canals of Amsterdam (Holland), and into brewpubs and waffle shops in Brussels (Belgium). Along the way, we stopped to observe the environmental efforts of our European allies.

With a tight travel schedule that included nine cities in five countries over fifteen days, transportation was a vital component of our trip. Navigating 3000 km of country and urban roads, with road signs and traffic rules posted in unfamiliar languages held little appeal to these first time trans-Atlantic travelers. Instead, to take advantage of the mass transit options that so many of our European friends utilize daily, we planned our path using nearly every public transport option imaginable. Similar to Dorothy's exclamation, "Lions, Tigers, and Bears, oh my!". Our motto for the Euro2009 Adventures was "Bikes and Buses, Ferries and Trains, and the Metro Subway each day!"

In the larger cities in Holland, a mix of bicycles, canal boats, buses and cars were found. However, in the smaller towns, bicycles outnumbered the cars, easily 5-to-1. We rented bicycles, complete with saddlebags and baby carriers, during our three days in Groningen. Roadways were segregated into bike lanes and vehicles, with bicycle police patrolling to ensure inexperienced or naughy riders adhered to the rules of the road. There was a bicycle etiquette that we quickly learned as we signalled our way between buses and pedestrians. As we biked to the grocer, city-wide celebration, Farmer's Market, restaurants, and tourist attractions, we realized how European cities encourage neighborhood living. Everything you needed was a short bike ride away. With parking at a premium and space limited, it was faster and easier to bike than drive to most destinations. Major sites and all train stations had extensive, multi-level bike parking garages available at no charge.

Words can't describe the myriad of bicycle and tricycle gear we encountered in Holland. Baby carriers on the front or the back of the bicycle, or sometimes both (one kid in each), windshields, horns, and lights. Saddlebacks were not limited to basic black cross-country bags that triathlethes use. Nearly every bicycle was adorned with colorful sachels on both sides of the rear wheel to hold groceries and more. My personal favorite were zebra striped bags. Check out Basil.nl for a selection of Holland's finest bicycle bags.

We opted to purchase a EuRail pass for the trip, so the majority of our inter-city travel was done by train. Step out of the "light rail" mindset. These high speed (yes, one train clocked at 300 km/hr through the English Channel) trains were luxurious and spacious (with luggage racks, food rests, and food trays). Snacks and meals were served via snack shop in one train car, as well as from a pushed tray up and down the aisles. Our EuRail pass seated us in the first class car on most trains, so internet ports and power sources for available for commuters, and the comfy seats reclined. We often sat with four recliner seats facing each other, with a table in between. Travelers have the option to reserve seats on popular routes or timetables, but unlike airline travel, the EuRail pass allowed us to hop on board any train. So when we were caught up touring, we could simply arrive at the train station later than we planned and hop on the next train. The trains ran like seamlessly, and we always arrived at the minute we were scheduled to. It was easy to understand why millions of Europeans commute and travel by train each day.

We took advantage of the extensive country to country networks of railways and booked a ticket on an overnight train from Germany to France. Our 3 person sleeper car had three bunk beds that folded up against the wall with a sofa beneath for daytime travel, a shower, sink and toilet. All this tucked neatly inside less than 35 sq feet. For less than $200 that included train/hotel/breakfast, we treked more than 1000 km and created another unique and memorable experience!

Innercity travel during each of our nine cities was easy and affordable with extensive Bus lines, Metros, Subways and Tube stations, strategically placed around the cities. Aside from two late night arrivals when we opted to take a taxi straight to our hotel from the train station, we hopped aboard underground and above ground mass transit to get between attractions, to find meals, to sightsee and get a feel for the layout of the city, and haul our son, backpacks and two 49 lb suitcases from the hotel to the trainstation and back.

Our ex-patriot friends currently residing in Holland drove to meet for the weekend in London and paid $75 to drive a car through the Chunnel and then $50 a day to park their vehicle during our three day stay. While aboard one of the famous red double decker buses, our driver told us parking in downtown London was available for $10 an hour. The sight of black cabs and red buses in all directions was so memorable that two-year old Levi returned home with the matchbox car he calls "London Bus" that he now sleeps with every night.

The Great Cloth Diaper Debate

2009-04-25T20:11:00.000-07:00

This week, the Great Diaper Debate heated up when Jeffrey Hollender, host of "Big Green Lies" and president of Seventh Generation products, proclaimed disposable diapers were better for the environment if you live in an arid climate. Hollender stated, "If you live in a place where there is an abundance of water and you can wash the cloth diapers, cloth is good. But if you're in a place like L.A. where where there isn't enough water, disposables are often the better choice."

Experts, environmentalists, and parents around the nation have risen to refute his self-promoting stance as biased, misleading, or flat out inaccurate. Modern Mommy missed the show, so I hit the Seventh Generation website to discover what data was used to support Hollender's position. The Inside Poop on Diapers states the following facts:

Cloth diapers are made from cotton, a renewable resource.
Manufacturing disposable diapers in the U.S. uses 250,000 trees and 1.3 million tons of wood pulp.
According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, some 18 billion disposable diapers are thrown away each year. They are the third most common item in the average landfill behind newspapers and food and beverage containers.
The EPA says disposables account for about 3.4 million tons of annual waste.
That 3.4 million tons, however, represents only about 2% of all the trash sent to landfills each year. Why? Because disposables are less bulky than they used to be and weigh about 1/3 less than they did 20 years ago thanks to new, more efficient absorption technologies.
Water usage was at least two times greater for cloth diapers depending on whether they were washed at home or by a service.
Washing cloth diapers at home uses anywhere from 50 to 70 gallons of water every three days.
Cloth diapers generally require the use of chlorine bleach for sanitizing purposes. Once rinsed down a drain, chlorine can combine with organic material naturally present in ground and surface waters to create toxins like chloroform.

While there are environmental concerns about the water usage and pesticides used on conventional cotton, cloth diaper manufacturers have responded by offering consumers fabric choices such as rapidly renewing bamboo, hemp and organically grown cotton. The Seventh Generation report neglected to mention most disposable diapers consume barrels of non-renewable oil, as well as cutting down trees.

In addition to the consumption of natural resources used to manufacture disposable diapers, the carbon emissions that result from weekly trips to the store to purchase the 18 billion throwaway diapers that are discarded each year, the Inside Poop on Diapers "overlooks" the fact that the 8000 disposable diapers used per child from birth to potty learning take at least 100-500 years to decompose. Most studies speculate the plastic particles actually never completely decompose, just break down into smaller pieces over time.

A quick Google search and review of our high efficiency washing machine manual revealed modern, front-loading washers cut water usage by at least 40%, consuming only 20-25 gallons of water per load.

The Seventh Generation article does not footnote data, so I'm not sure where they got their information, but chlorine bleach is not recommended for use on the vast majority of cloth diapers. In fact, the use of bleach on modern cloth diapers actually voids the warranty of many brands of cloth diapers. A hot water wash is all that is need to clean cloth diapers.

Finally, let's acknowledge the pink elephant in the room. How did the CEO of a company that profits from the sale of disposable products suddenly qualify as an "expert" on the environment? I am happy to acknowledge Seventh Generation helps reduce consumers' environmental footprint, by offering products made from recycled materials and less toxic ingredients than most other companies that sell single-use products. However, the simple fact of the matter is that Hollender profits by telling consumers single-use, throwaway diapers are better for the environment. That fact alone should disqualify him as a jury member, panelist or expect on the subject.

Other unbiased studies, such as Britain's recent Updated LifeCycle Assessment of Disposable and Reusable Nappies 10/2008 found when cloth diapers are washed at temperatures of less than 140 degrees, occasionally hung to dry, and reused on a second child, the environmental impact of cloth diapers is in fact less than disposable diapers.

Applying Hollender's logic on the devastation to the environment of washing my son's 36 cloth diapers instead of discarding 8000 disposable diapers, should I wear my clothing once before sending it to our landfills, stop using my stainless steel, BPA-free Klean Kanteen and start buying single use bottled water, and replace my dishes, silverware and cloth napkins with Seventh Generation's paper plates, paper napkins, and plastic forks?

Oddly, I have yet to encounter anyone who argues those disposable products are better for the planet then washing and reusing our clothing, linens and kitchenware. Why are diapers any different?

The Diaper Debate

2009-02-27T02:12:00.000-08:00

Children inspire a series of discussions, sometime debates, and OK, face it, occasionally heated arguments between the most loyal and loving life partners. First comes the decision whether you are both mentally, physically and financially capable of the enormous responsibilities of parenting a child for at least 18 years. Then comes the debate of how many can you provide for, and whether to announce to anxious grandparents-to-be that you have started "trying". The joyous absence of ever-faithful Aunt Flow leaves requires a run to the library to check out every baby naming book ever written and you and your partner navigate the potential relation-ending decision of whether to name your sweet, soon-to-be-born baby girl after Recently Departed Dear Old Great Granny Ester or after the cute blond chick, Izze, from Grey's.

Luckily, some decisions are easy... like whether to use reusable diapers or single use diapers. No brainer, right? Disposable diapers are easier. Or are they (Velcro seems pretty easy)? Disposable diapers leak less. Or do they (Hemp seems pretty absorbent)? Disposable diapers use less water (But does that outweigh the environmental impact of human waste wrapped in plastic and sitting in a landfill for 500 years)? The Great Diaper debate has been waged since Johnson and Johnson introduced the first disposable diaper into the US in 1949. Recently, the Environment Agency in the UK published an Updated LifeCycle Report, confirming that the ability to line dry cloth diapers, wash at reasonable water temperatures and reuse the same set of cloth diapers on more than one child made cloth diapers the more environmentally-responsible choice.

Luckily for today's parents, cloth diapering has evolved from the first mass produced cloth diapers in 1887. Modern cloth diapers are easy to use, can be laundered at home, have a high resale value on auction sites such as Ebay and Craig's List, and are available in a variety of styles and fabrics to fit every family's fashion sense and finances.

Flat or Prefold Diapers: Resembling the original cloth diapers that have been used since the 1800's, Flat and Prefold cloth diapers are square or rectangular pieces of fabric that are folded and secured around baby. Flat diapers are a single layer of fabric cut into a square, and prefold diapers are a rectangle divided into thirds with additional layers of the fabric in the center panel where baby wets. Replacing giant (and intimidating) safety pins that held traditional diapers in place is the Snappi® fastener - a t-shaped stetchable, non-toxic design with teeth to grip the fabric on each of the three ends. A snug fitting diaper wrap may be used to hold the diaper in place instead. Available in bleached cotton, unbleached cotton, organic cotton and hemp, flat and prefold diapers are an ultra cost effective option. Ranging in price from $1-$8 each and available in preemie, newborn, infant and toddler sizes, these diapers require a waterproof diaper cover to keep baby's clothing and crib dry. They are fast drying, but have a longer than average learning curve to perfect folding techniques. Without elastic around the legs, flat/prefold diapers are more prone to leaks and blowouts.

Contour Diapers: Hourglass shaped fabric is cut to eliminate tricky folds, while maintaining a simple, usually single layer, trimmer fitting diaper - narrow between the legs to reduce bulk with wide wings to wrap comfortably around baby's waist. Thicker, plush cotton or hemp fabric is more absorbent with less bulk than flat or prefold diapers, and the hourglass shape makes it easy to put on baby. Some contour diapers have an additional diaper doubler sewn into the center of the diaper for added absorbency, without increasing the overall thickness of the diaper and prolonging the drying time. Contour diapers require a Snappi®, snug fitting diaper wrap, or diaper pins to hold it in place, as well as a waterproof diaper cover. Faster drying time and a shorter learning curve than flat or prefold diapers, but still prone to leaks without elastic at the legs. Reasonably priced at $7-14 each, they are usually sold in two sizes.

Fitted Diapers: Shaped to cradle baby's bottom with added elastic at the legs to contain messes and attached Velcro or snap closures at the waist make them easier to use than flat, prefold or contour diapers. Moderately priced at $6.50-17.50 each, fitted diapers are usually sold in three sizes, and are available in cotton, organic cotton, and a hemp/organic cotton blend. Considerably thicker (and more absorbent), fitted diapers take a substantially longer time to dry than contour, prefold or flat diapers. Fitted diapers require a waterproof diaper cover to keep clothing and cribs dry, but do not need additional external fasteners. Fitted diapers are an exceptional starter potty training pant, providing superior leak protection while still allowing your toddler to feel wet.

Pocket Diapers: Shaped diapers with elastic legs, attached Velcro or snap waist fasteners, plus an attached outer waterproof layer and (usually) an attached stay dry inner layer make pocket diapers very easy to use. The back waist seam is left open to create a pocket between the outer waterproof layer and the inner (usually stay dry) layer, where an absorbent pad is inserted. Pocket diapers are meant to be changed completely with each diaper change - not just the insert (even though the stay dry layer may feel dry, urine has soaked through it). The pocket opening results in super fast drying times but longer assembly times, and provides tremendous versatility. Heavy wetter soaking the crib sheets after 12 hours overnight? Simply switch the absorbent pad from microfiber to hemp, or insert two pads instead of one. The attached waterproof layer is synthetic, as is the stay dry inner, but organic cotton inners are available. At $16-$21 (with absorbent inserts often sold separately), pocket diapers are sold in at least three sizes and are one of the more expensive cloth diapering options. Many pocket manufacturers offer specially sized inserts to fit their brand of pocket diaper, and due to narrower or wider crotch widths, some inserts are not inter-changeable with other brands of pocket diapers. Flat, prefold or contoured diapers often make excellent, inexpensive pocket diaper inserts.

All-in-One(AIO) Diapers: Shaped diapers with elastic legs, attached Velcro or snap waist fasteners, an attached outer waterproof layer, (usually) an attached stay dry inner layer add one element to the pocket diaper - a sewn-in absorbent pad - resulting in the easiest of all cloth diapering options. Comparable to disposable diapers in terms of ease of use, AIO diapers are a single unit that is easy to secure and doesn't require any additional parts, making it a great option for dads, babysitters, travel, and daycare. The attached waterproof layer is synthetic, as is the stay dry inner, but organic cotton inners are available. Ranging in price from $9.50-$23.00 and available in at least three sizes, All-in-One diapers are one of the most expensive diapering options. AIOs are very trim fitting, but the sewn-in absorbent layer requires one of the longest drying times.

One-Size Diapers: Ultra-modern diapers with elastic legs, attached waist fasteners, (usually) attached outer waterproof layer, (usually) attached stay dry inner layer and adjustable rise successfully balance cost with ease to use. Designed to fit babies 7-35 lbs with either a snap down rise or cinching leg elastic, one set of 3 dozen one-size diapers generally last a child from birth to potty training. For the uber-green parent, one-sized diapers are the show stopper. Instead of wasting 4000-9000 disposable diapers, eco-responsible parents can diaper a single child with 36 diapers at a cost of $18-$35 each. One-size diapers are available in a variety of styles - from AIOs to fitteds, with pocket diapers being the more widely used. The Pros/Cons of each style are the same as previously mentioned in each category. The added benefit of only having to buy one set of diapers instead of 2-4 sizes brings the overall cost closer to prefolds and covers and considerably less than sized cloth diapers. Laundering the same set of diapers every three days for 2.5 years means the one-size diapers will likely only diaper one child. Whereas, sized diapers can often last through multiple children, as they are used for a shorter period of time before the baby outgrows each size.

At a cost of $0.15-0.35 each, throwaway diapers cost families an average of $2000 per child and comprise the third largest component of US landfills. Slightly more kind to the earth than conventional single-use diapers, unbleached and flushable/compostable disposable diapers cost an average of $0.10 more per diaper than conventional bleached diapers, putting them out of reach for most families impacted by the current economic crisis.

Available in a myriad of styles to fit every lifestyle, fabrics to fit every personality, and price ranges for any budget, reusable cloth diapers are the fiscally-responsible and eco-responsible choice among today's modern-chic parents.

For more information on Modern Cloth Diapers, visit Modern Mommy Gear's Cloth Diaper College:

Modern Mommy Gear is the go-to online store for today’s modern-chic, eco-responsible mom. The store is the one-stop source for eco-responsible family gear from cloth diapers to baby carriers. Driven by a commitment to help families leave the planet a better place, Modern Mommy Gear offers the eco-responsible, green gear to keep families happy and the planet healthy. For more information or to start shopping, visit www.modernmommygear.com.

Living Greener and Surviving the Recession

2009-02-26T23:17:00.000-08:00

Beating the recession requires families to examine the way they spend their money and find inexpensive alternatives to fulfill basic needs. Simple changes like using cloth diapers instead of disposable diapers go a long way toward saving money and the planet – two of this generation's biggest concerns!

Below are five simple tips from Robin Morris, founder of Modern Mommy Gear, to help parents save both cash and the planet in these challenging economic times.

1) Switch to cloth diapers – Kids use an average of eight diapers a day until they are potty-trained. At this rate, most children will go through more than 7,000 diapers from birth until potty training – diapers that usually sit in landfills for years! Smart, eco-responsible parents can switch to modern cloth diapers and spend less than $750 from birth to potty training – compared to $60 - $100 a month on disposable diapers.

2) Breastfeed or make your own baby food – If mothers are able to breastfeed, they can save thousands of dollars! A newborn baby can consume nearly $3,200 in baby formula in a year. Furthermore, all moms and dads can save by making their own baby food. A pound of fresh carrots is only 89 cents, whereas a couple jars of carrot baby food sell for around $3. In addition to saving money, parents can eliminate the waste of the baby food jars by using reusable Baby Cubes.

3) Pack lunches – According to the U.S. Dept of Education, the average family of four with two kids in school discards at least 880 disposable drink containers and lunch sacks, and up to 2,640 plastic baggies per year. At 50 cents each, the water bottles alone cost parents $400 a year. Imagine the money saved and the environmental impact of using reusable lunch sacks, water bottles, bamboo utensils and sandwich wrappers instead.

4) Host toy/clothing swaps – According to Morris, a great way for parents to avoid paying the high prices of retail clothing and toys is to organize a clothing or toy swap with other local parents and neighbors. In addition to the social benefits of bringing everyone together, the swaps provide a low-cost alternative to outfitting families and keeping up with their growing needs.

5) Save on gas and electricity – Plan family activities that eliminate the need for gas and electricity. Turn off the TV, Blackberry, computer and iPod for a couple hours, and play a game, go on a bike ride or check out books at the local library. Parents should explain to kids why it's better to don a sweater on a cold evening, turn off lights when they’re not in use or wait until the dishwasher is full to start it to get their kids thinking green from an early age.

Living Greener Part III - Greener Grocery Shopping

2009-02-06T11:33:00.001-08:00

When you were a kid, did you ever try a peanut butter and banana sandwich? Delicious! For about the last five years, I've started every day off with a peanut butter banana burrito - 2 Tbs of low fat peanut butter smeared across a La Tortilla Factory high fiber tortilla and rolled around a banana. It's just the right mix of carbs, fiber, fat and protein to sustain me until lunch time. Friends and family will confirm that I even pack the La Tortilla Factory tortillas with me on vacation!

About a month ago I read the book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. Utilizing a large garden and local farmers markets, Kingsolver shows how a family of four can survive on fresh, locally grown food for twelve months. Kingsolver delves into the nearly lost art of working the family farm, sharing first hand knowledge about harvesting, cooking and canning "in-season" fruits and vegetables to last throughout the year. If a fruit isn't in-season and available locally, the Kingsolver family did without.

I have yet to see a banana tree growing wild among the Aspens of Colorado. So under Kingsolver's plan, the banana that traveled thousands of miles to ultimately arrive at my home would be officially off-limits.

In the real world, the boundaries for greener living can be a little more fluid than Kingsolver's inspirational handbook. After a stressful week juggling laundry, soccer practice and a demanding boss, take-and-bake pizza may be all you can manage to pull together on Friday night. No worries! The goal of living greener in 2009 is to try to make the best choices we can, as often as we can, for our family, our finances and our planet. Even a few changes can make a huge difference. Here's a pick-and-choose list of our suggestions for greener groceries this year:

Buy Organic when shopping for the worst offenders (aka "The Dirty Dozen"). Pesticides help protect crops by warding off damaging weeds, diseases, and bugs, but they also leave a residue on our produce. According to the Environmental Working Group, the highest concentration of pesticides have been found in these twelve fruits and veggies: Apples, Cherries, Grapes, Nectarines, Pears, Peaches, Raspberries, Strawberries, Corn, Potatoes, Bell Peppers, Celery, and Spinach.
Shop Farmers Markets. You'll support the local economy and receive the freshest fruits and vegetables in return! During the summer, we walk up to the Belmar Farmers Market for a suburban Sunday harvest picked off produce delivery truckbeds. The farmers have told us, in most cases, the fruits and veggies are picked and sold within 24 hours! Visit ColoradoFarmers.org for list of Farmers Markets in Colorado.
Join Community Supported Agriculture (CSA): By joining a CSA, you help cover a farm's yearly operating budget by purchasing a share of the season's harvest. Your share in a CSA assumes the costs, risks and bounty of growing food along with the farmer or grower and helps pay for seeds, fertilizer, water, equipment maintenance, labor, etc. In return, the farm provides a healthy supply of seasonal fresh produce throughout the growing season - usually late spring through early autumn. Many CSAs have drop off points throughout the city where you pick up your share of that week's harvest. In addition to supporting local farms, your family gets to sample a variety of extraordinary fruits and vegetables. Your drop-off may include lavender cauliflower, and some CSAs invite members to harvest some of the crops (like strawberry picking days and pumpkin patches).
Buy Fresh over Frozen, Frozen over Canned: Frozen foods require a lot of energy to keep the food frozen as it is trucked to your local grocer. Canned foods generally have a high sodium content and may be store in cans lined with BPA.
Fewer Ingredients the Better: Have you ever read the ingredients on a box of crackers? The box in our pantry lists 15 ingredients, with many ingredients containing lists of their ingredients in parenthesis. Two recent studies found high-fructose corn syrup, a common ingredient in many foods and drinks, was contaminated with toxic mercury! If childhood obesity and diabetes wasn't enough to keep your children clear of added sugar, the presence of this neuro-toxin should be.
Less Packaging for a Cleaner Earth: As you stroll the aisles, take a look at the amount of packaging that stores the foods you are considering buying for your family. Did you know that while #5 plastics are recyclable, they are one of the hardest and costliest plastics to recycle, or that the #7 category of "other" plastics are usually not recycled? Can you buy an item in bulk and split it up into smaller portions at home? Do you really need string cheese wrapped individually and sold in a larger plastic bag of 12, or could you slice a block of mozzarella into smaller servings for school lunches? Many staples like honey, coffee, peanut butter and pinto beans can be purchased in bulk using bring-your-own-bag containers at Whole Foods or Sunflower Market.
Cageless Birds and Hormone-Free Cows: California voters recently passed Prop 2 - a bill requiring veal calves, pregnant pigs and egg-laying hens be confined in a space that allows for them to lie down, stand up, extend their limbs, and turn around. Nearly two thirds of voters were in favor of Prop 2. Really? 37% of voters feel it is OK to not let the hen turn around occasionally? Wouldn't you call animal control if you neighbor caged his Dalmatian in a kennel so small it couldn't wag its tail? Respecting the animals that spend their entire lives producing food to nourish your family is part of being a responsible citizen of the Earth.
Plan your Meals: Once a week, sit down and come up with a list of meals for the week and make a grocery list ahead of time. When you do it alongside the Sunday coupons, you'll even save extra money. T-Bones on sale this week? Plan a couple meals using the sale item, and you can even cook all the meat at once to save time later. Shopping from a list keeps you from buying pricey convenience foods and helps you purchase only what you need.
Walk, bike or stop on the way home: Try not to make a specific trip to the grocery store. Passing by on the way home from band practice? Stop in and grab what you need (keep your reusable grocery bags in the car), so you don't have to make an extra trip. We live close enough to bike to the grocery store. A shopping bag on each bike handle keeps our bikes from getting off balance and ensures we don't over buy.
Buy (and use) a set of reusable grocery and produce bags for each shopping member of your family. My husband and I each keep a set in our car, and we have a set hanging on the laundry room door for the days we walk or bike to the store. I even keep a cute string bag folded up inside my purse for trips to the mall, and a canvas bag in my son's stroller for impulse buys when we are out walking. Reusable bags hold more, are sturdier, and last for years. Plus, most grocers will give you $0.05-$0.10 per bag - each time you bring them to the store. In just a couple of months, the bags paid for themselves.

There are a number of ways to shop greener this year. Making some of these changes will not only keep the Earth clear of toxins and trash, they'll save you money and keep your family eating healthier!

Living Greener Series Part 2 - Lunches

2009-01-19T21:56:00.000-08:00

Two weeks in to your 2009 New Year's resolutions to live a more eco-responsible lifestyle for the sake of your budget, your health, and the planet, your aura is probably glowing kelly green. OK, perhaps, it just resembles a ripe lime. Or, at least a very respectable chartreuse. Not to worry, you've got the whole year to get the family up to speed on greener living.

Drastic changes work as well as crash diets and last about as long as Britney's first marriage. Instead, implement small changes into your weekly repertoire, one by one. Focus on a single tactic until it becomes habit, before adding the next. You'll be able to spread out any upfront costs and the repetition become ingrained into your daily routine.

One of the easiest lifestyle adjustments with the greatest impact of reducing waste is modifying your lunch routine. Whether you find yourself bringing a sack lunch to eat at your desk while you work through your lunch hour or send the kids to school with a nutritious homemade lunch, there are simple easy steps you can take towards achieving the Three R's:

Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.

A typical school lunch often consists of the following: a sandwich, fruit, bag of chips and a dessert (each stored in a single use plastic zip lock bag), a cold drink in a disposable container, and a paper napkin all carried in a plastic or paper bag that ends up in a trash can.

According to the US Dept of Education, American schools average 180 days of instruction per year. The average adult working full time outside the home puts in 260 working days. That means the average American family of four with two kids in school and two working parents discard at least 880 disposable drink containers, 880 lunch sacks, and as many of 2640 plastic baggies - just for lunches alone. While many of those items can be recycled, don't forget recycling efforts consume energy. Reduce what you can, then recycle what remains.

America's favorite 1970's homemaker, Carol Brady sent Mike and the Brady kids off to school every morning with a thermos and cool (reusable) metal lunch pail. And you can bet that June Cleaver didn't send the Beav off to school with a plastic juice box to toss into the trash.

Striving for a happier family and a healthier planet often means making what was old new again. For each member of your family, consider investing in a cool reusable lunch kit with would make Carol and June proud!

Start with a stainless steel, BPA-free, resuable water bottle by Klean Kanteen. 880 water bottles at even $0.50 a piece is costing you $400 each year. Many single use drink containers are not recyclable, and only a fraction of those that eligible are actually recycled.
Replace your reliance on plastic baggies with reusable sandwich and snack containers. The Wrap N Mat was invented by a Colorado mom. It uses velcro to secure a reusable cloth around your sandwich and comes in several colors. It keeps your BLT fresh and even doubles as a sanitary place mat.
Add in a Snack Sack to hold crackers, chips, or cookies. This mom invented cloth sack has a draw string top to secure contents. It even comes with a carabiner to clip the snack to backpacks or duffle bags for hikes or soccer games, besides being a great addition to your lunch kit.
Don't forget a set of reusable silverware made from sustainable bamboo by Bambu. Available in adult, child or infant sizes, as well as chopsticks and sporks for sushi and small bites.
Complete your lunch kit with a reusable lunch sack such as the ECObags lunch sack made from recycled cotton, the colorful, water resistant Handy Sack by Generation Baby or the insulated Lunch Tote by Built NY.

For a fraction of what you are currently spending to send your family with a disposable lunch from home, you can outfit your family with cool, colorful, safe, reusable gear that not only work for lunches, but sports, picnics, bike rides, and family outings, and will last for years. You'll save money and reduce needless waste.

Living Greener Series Part 1 - Goals

2008-12-28T17:03:00.000-08:00

The presents have all been opened, the last of the eggnog and fudge consumed, and the relatives have departed. Soon we'll toast the passing of 2008 with family and friends, and look forward to the coming year. With the best of intentions, we'll exclaim "This year I'll lose weight" or "Get organized!" Then the days will get busy, the laundry will pile up, and cold winter weather will persuade us to skip another early morning jog.

It seems too many resolutions are vague and fail to offer a path to success. Just as you would set performance goals at school or work, your resolutions should contain some key elements. They should be attainable and measurable, with an outline to achieve, a method to be held accountable, with a reward at the end.

We just returned home from a family vacation in Arizona. After thinking about how our holiday celebrations differ from the rest of the year, I started compiling a list of goals for 2009.

SIT-DOWN MEALS: Sit down at the kitchen table together for one meal every day. Some days it may be breakfast, other days it can be dinner, but schedule it on the family calendar. You'll eat healthier, save money, and enjoy your family more. During the holidays in AZ, the dinner table was set every night with fine linen, china, silver, and crystal. Everyone lingered after dinner to chat, and dinners often lasted two or three hours.
FAMILY NIGHT: Designate one night a week as Family Night - no excuses. Save electricity and turn off the TV, Blackberry, Mac, and Wii and focus on your family for a couple hours. Pull out the Trivial Pursuit, try a new recipe, or learn how to play dominoes. Single? Invite a friend to join you. We enjoyed a walk, a dip in the hot tub, and a few boisterous games of cards.
ONE IN, ONE OUT: For every new item that enters your house this year, give up one item. Our son is the only grandchild on both sides, and our house is overflowing with new toys, books and puzzles. This week, we'll be picking out some old toys to donate, and the following week we're hosting a Toy Swap with our playgroup.
FEWER CARS: Pledge to walk, bike, carpool, or take the light rail one day a week, one week a month, or to at least one event per month (like an Av's game or to the DCPA). Set a goal that is realistic for the transit options available, and stick with it! You'll save money, reduce emissions, and de-stress! We spent five days with 11 family members and only two cars and never had more than one in use at a time, with many people walking the mile to and from the hotel.
SHOP GREENER: Replace one product each week with one that is healthier for your family and the planet. Keep buying (or using) it and add a new one each week. Treat it like the Twelve Days of Christmas - where week 1, you switch to cage-free eggs. Week 2, you keep buying cage-free eggs and switch to rBGH-free milk. Week 3, you keep buying eggs and milk, and replace disposable plastic water bottles with a reusable, BPA-free, stainless steel one. The repetition will quickly become habit!

They sound like huge goals until you stop and realize how intertwined they are, and how even little changes can make a huge difference keeping your family, finances, bodies, and planet healthy in 2009.

Every couple of weeks, I'll be adding more suggestions on living "green". Whether it's gift buying or travel, I hope you'll be inspired to incorporate some of these simple goals ideas into your own lives.

Vote or Quit Complaining

2008-12-08T13:35:00.003-08:00

I am a Child of the Eighties. I began kindergarten during the 1979-1980 academic year, which meant my formative years were spent listening to Mrs. Garrett teach the Facts of Life at Eastland School and to Arnold often inquiring, "What you talking 'bout, Willis?" I fell in love for the first time with a smart, Young Republican named Alex P. Keating, long before he was the face of Parkinson's Disease. I watched Michael Jackson moonwalk on Motown 25, while my Aunties screamed like the day the Beatles appeared on Ed Sullivan. I layered my clothes like the Material Girl and John Hughes helped guide me through the challenges of adolescence.

Much like my parent's generation will be forever linked to the moment when a handsome, young, Catholic president was gunned down during a Parade in Texas, I was jumping rope on the playground when they canceled recess to announce the Challenger Space Shuttle had blown up a minute after take-off. I watched my country take turns with the Russians boycotting the Olympic Games, while a handsome, ex-Hollywood heartthrob played a strategic game of Star Wars and kept my family safe from Communism. Yes, I am a Child of the Eighties, who once believed a Republican President could be the only person on the planet strong enough to demand another Super Power to " tear down this wall!"

I am also a member of Generation X. In the 1990's, I donned over-sized flannel and frequented bagel shops and coffee houses. A depressed singer from Seattle changed the course of music history and concerts morphed into an all-day Lollapalooza. Pedro taught me about dealing with AIDS on the only reality TV program I've ever watched. Live television broadcasts allowed me to witness a Royal Wedding, the LA police chase a white Bronco through the streets of Los Angeles, and missiles explode during the first Gulf War. Cheers closed, but at Central Perk there were six Friends who helped me navigate my twenty-somethings.

During the four years I spent at the University of Colorado at Boulder, I learned more than academics. It was an era of self-discovery, and the place that exposed me to world issues and opposing viewpoints. Ellen came out, but Mathew Shepard was brutally murdered. College was affordable, but the University took heat after admitting more out-of-state, higher paying tuition students. Campus NARAL hosted rallies for a woman's right to choose across the UMC Fountain from Pro-Life advocates protesting a local doctor's support of late term abortions. I waited for hours for a chance to hear Hillary to address the students in Norlin Quad about why we should "Rock the Vote" in favor of her husband, who promised to play his sax on MTV if elected. Yes, I am a Gen X'er, who once believed a Democratic President could be the only person on the planet with the convictions to protect the rights of every American boy and girl .

I was blessed to be born into an average, middle-class neighborhood. My parents were high school sweethearts and for 36 years have worked hard to escape the 50% divorce rate that plagues American families. I have family who benefit from the tax breaks afforded to the wealthy, and family who have had to rely on government assisted housing, WIC or food stamps for a time. I live in the beautiful state of Colorado, a place John Stewart described, "There is absolutely no middle ground in this state: You're either a rapture-awaiting Promise Keeper or you drive a car that runs on G.O.R.P." during the DNC. I am married to a registered independent, a man who voted against Clinton both times, yet admits he was the strongest President of our time.

Yes, I see both sides of the political equation. There are valid reasons for a strong national defense and a healthy socio-economic interior, and I believe anyone willing to stand up to the scrutiny of the national news media to seek the highest office in the land loves their country and has the best interest of the nation at heart.

I am fortunate to live in a country where, as a woman, I was able to open a small business. With that right, comes responsibility. Today, I should be working on my quarterly tax filing. Instead, I have another American obligation that requires my attention. The mail-in ballot for the 2008 election.

My Granny Hazel was born in 1911 and lived 93 years. She voted in 18 presidential elections, and told me when I turned 18 that if you don't vote, you forfeit your right to complain. She took her responsibility seriously (and complained quite a bit too!).

As I look back at the events that shaped my past and molded my beliefs, I realize the 2008 election is not about the past. It is about the present and affects the future. My present is comprised of the challenges of operating a small business during a recession, struggling to keep and heat our home, and affording quality health care. My future includes top-notch and affordable education for our son, saving for his college and our retirement, and leaving him with a healthy planet instead of a national debt. Today, I am voting...as a wife, as a mother, as a women... for the candidate that promises to protect the things that I hold dear to my heart.

Your concerns may not be the same as mine. Regardless of our differences, I encourage you to find the candidate who cares about your issues and get out and vote on Election Day. Otherwise, quit your complaining.

Copper Bandits Bring Eco-Tears

2008-12-08T13:35:00.001-08:00

Enticed by the steadily rising price of precious metals, criminals have discovered a destructive and environmentally devastating manner to steal from their communities and bring heartache and havoc to its citizens. Copper thefts have been on the rise for several months, and increased police patrols in previously targeted industrial, commercial, and construction zones have forced thieves to find new sources of copper to sell for cash.

Our Lakewood home was the target of one such copper theft. At approximately 10:00 pm on Saturday night, Lakewood's own copper criminals struck our quiet Belmar neighborhood.

The cavalier criminal(s) trespassed on our property and vandalized our home when they cut the copper piping connecting our home's water supply to our automatic sprinkler system. As my son slept and my husband and I watched re-runs inside, they removed the copper pipes and stole the brass backflow regulator from the side of our home.

As water rushed from open water pipes into our neighbors driveway, we heard the sound of running water that we assumed was our sprinkler system turning on. We retired for the evening after a TiVo'd episode of Cheers, only to awake the following morning with so little water pressure we couldn't turn on a faucet or flush a toilet.

At six AM, my husband discovered water gushing out the side our house with enough force to still reach the neighbor's driveway a few feet away. After shutting off the water, we reported the incident to the Lakewood Police Department, and began repairs.

With great frustration, we paid the plumber, sprinkler repairman, and the hardware store, knowing that the time and money we spent on repairing the damage far exceeded the dollar amount the perpetrators received when they sold the copper pipes and sprinkler valves to the scrap yard.

But the greatest heartache came when I called the water company two days later. In just under 8 hours, almost 10,000 gallons had gushed from our home and ran down the street before we discovered the damage and shut off the water.

Our family strives to respect Mother Earth and reduce our Carbon Footprint so our son has a healthy, safe world to grow up in. We refuse to buy bottle water or accept plastic shopping bags. We adhere to watering restrictions on the lawn we were required by our developers to install, and we grow many of our own vegetables and herbs. We recycle. We compost. We turn off the water when brushing our teeth, don't pre-rinse our dishes and run the dishwasher only when it is overflowing. Our front loading washer runs on an eco-cycle water level, and we wash all of our clothes in cold water. We work very hard to generate as little waste as possible.

I was born in the desert of Arizona, and my family lives in a high altitude desert where water is precious. The image of thousands of gallons of water running down the asphalt brings eco-tears to my eyes.

Rocky Mountain High

2008-12-08T13:34:00.003-08:00

For many Colorado families, summer means international soccer tournaments at the Air Force Academy, afternoons spent splashing around Water World, or a cross country trek to a real-life, modern day Wally World that would make Clark, Ellen, Rusty and Aubrey green with envy. In our home, it wouldn't be summer without at least one summer camping trip.

My husband often shares childhood memories of racing down the hillside with his brother and cousins and leaping off the dock into Warm Lake, Idaho, where his grandparents owned an A-frame log cabin. There were long, leisurely weeks spent trolling the lake in the "snoozer cruiser", a lawn chair pontoon boat built by hand, and a summer spent learning to water ski with his Granddad behind the wheel of the modified boat and Aunt Carolyn patiently coaching from the water.

I spent my first twelve summers boating at Roosevelt Lake and tent camping in the White Mountains of Arizona. My Granny and Granddad would haul their three youngest grandchildren in the cab of a 1977 pickup on Monday to set up the campsite before a myriad of relatives arrived for the weekend. Patiently enduring the demands of grandchildren who each needed to build their own campfire, they baited every hook for us, and fawned over each prized 3.5 inch catch. They taught us to fish, hunt, camp, and most of all, appreciate and respect the land over the consecutive summers of my youth.

In our family, these are the treasured memories that define a summer.

My husband and I couldn't wait to let our son, Levi, experience the natural beauty, thankfully, still protected within the boundaries of our National Park System.

A five family camping extravaganza was planned over July 4 th weekend. With friendships that spanned almost two decades, enriched by the addition of spouses and children, and set among the pines of the Rocky Mountains, the trip was shaping up to be an event worthy of a dozen pages in the modern mommy scrapbook.

Having recently discovered the fine art of upright mobility, our 13 month old Levi wobbled on the uneven,rocky slope. Within minutes of our arrival, crash! A cloud of dust billowed around his head like Charlie Brown's old pal, PigPen. Levi bounced back up without a scratch, but with a new layer of dirt that covered his entire 30 inch body, from his sandy blond hair down to his laces of his brand new Chuck Taylors. The stream of dirt that ran from his nose for two days was as steady as the babbling brook that beckoned several of us to wade into its chilly waters.

A five event, round-robin style tournament of cards, horseshoes, badminton, ladder ball and sharp shooting played out over the weekend, with the strategy and skill of world record breaking Olympians. Bella Karolyi would have been proud to hoist the Trivial Pursuit champion above his head, and Michael Phelps has nothing on Michael Hawley, who earned a metal in the mens, womens and childrens watermelon eating contests.

Look out Rachel Ray! A new S'more was created when one suburban dad turned culinary expert elected to cover his daughters' graham crackers with Reeces Peanut Butter Cups instead of plain old milk chocolate. Just one of these rich, gooey treats would have been enough to satisfy, had I consumed the Peanut Butter S'more before I roasted the first three regular S'mores.

As exciting as our alpine adventures were, the true highlight of the trip was sharing the great outdoors with our son, Levi. For hours, I watched my son explore the forest, as only a child can. He examined every stick to discover what sound it made when tapped against the towering lodge pole pines. He was captivated by the golden colors of the fire, having never before seen an open flame. Fearless, he attempted to capture ants with his bare hands, using his recently developed pincher grasp. He reached a level of ecstasy that can only be achieved after your dad offers you your first taste of sugary, sticky, roasted marshmellow on a stick.

My sweet son drifted off into a sugar coma that night, cozy under four layers of winter clothing, tucked in a sleeping bag and beneath two blankets (requirements for summer camping at 9000 feet). The forest sounds were barely audible over our laughter. The campfire crackled as another log was added, and a million stars twinkled brightly overhead.

I finally realized what John Denver meant when he sang the tale of a Rocky Mountain High.

Green + Brown = Black Gold

2008-12-08T13:34:00.001-08:00

No, that's not the recipe listed on the back of the food coloring box, play dough box or artist's color wheel. Green + Brown = Black Gold is the formula that my husband and I discovered last week during our "Learn to Compost" class.

In our ongoing effort to reduce our carbon footprint, my husband and I recently watched "Human Footprint" on the National Geographic Channel. Throughout the 1 hour show that aired on April 13 th, Host Elizabeth Vargas used visual representations to convey the message that Americans consume an enormous amount of food over their lifetime. The numbers were astonishing - 12,000 hamburger buns, 12,000 oranges, 19,000 eggs, 87,000 slices of bread, and 26,000 cups of milk. That is per person, per lifetime. Seeing those items spread across a football field made our jaws hit the floor and renewed conversations about what we can do to help.

Since our son was born last June, we have been making lifestyle changes to create less impact on the earth, from cloth diapers to reusable shopping bags. Our two recycle bins are overflowing by the end of the week because we no longer fill-up even one 13 gallon kitchen trash can with non-recyclable waste. We buy products sold with minimal or recycled packaging (did you know that the #5 plastics used for most food containers like sour cream or yogurt are one of the hardest and costliest plastics to recycle?). We expanded our vegetable garden this year, but since the City of Lakewood ( and my HOA) would frown upon me keeping a cow and chickens in the backyard, we still rely on our local grocer for much of what we consume. We try to buy only what we need, but there is still waste each week. With only two of us eating solid foods, I can't bring myself to serve Boca Veggie Dogs 4 days in a row to use the 8 hot dog buns before a couple of them mold.

A few days after "Human Footprint" aired, Oprah invited superstar BFF Julia Roberts to discuss howJulia composted her Thanksgiving Dinner with zero waste. The light bulb went off. If Julie Roberts can turn compost with a pitch fork, so could this suburban modern mommy!

Compost is a combination of organic material (GREEN) mixed in a 1:2 ratio with dry material (BROWN). The result is rich, nutritious material used as mulch and fertilizer for your garden, trees or lawn (BLACK GOLD).

Denver Recycles/Solid Waste Management, Denver Urban Gardens and Metro WasteWater Reclamation District sponsor a beginning composting class called "Learn to Compost". The free, two-hour class is offered on Saturdays and week nights throughout the summer in Denver Urban Gardens Grove Community Garden, and is taught by volunteers. Our two compost gurus guided us through the Composting Demo Site, showing us how to build or buy different types of compost bins, containers, and mounds. From a free-form pile directly on the ground with a tarp over the top, to perimeters created with cinder blocks, recycled crates or bamboo poles, to top-of-the line, rotating drums or balls made from recycled plastic, there are options available for every budget and backyard.

The process for composting is pretty straightforward. After buying or building a 3x3x3 foot compost bin, alternate 4-6 inches of brown matter with 2-3 inches of green matter. Browns are composed of things like newspapers, egg shells, dryer lint, peanut shells, vacuum cleaner bag contents, coffee filters, yard trimmings, and cardboard rolls. Greens are items such as moldy bread, fruits and vegetable peels, non-dairy or non-meat food scraps, pond algae and pet hair. Once a week, wet the pile to the consistency of a wrung-out sponge and stir with a pitch fork, allowing it to heat up to the optimal temperature of 140 degrees. In about two months you have compost that can be applied as mulch or sifted into a fine compost resembling products sold in stores.

According to the EPA, yard trimmings and food waste constitute more than 20% of the waste needlessly sent to landfills each year. The class is free, compost supplies are minimal, and it only requires a few minutes of time each week to maintain. Composting will reduce our waste, educate my child, and enrich my garden?

Sign me up! Now if I can just figure out where to put the cow...

The "Learn to Compost" class schedule is available at Denver Recyles. Denver Recycles also teaches a separate class on Worm Composting, a process by which thousands of red worms consume your green matter in a container stored under your kitchen sink. This is a favorite composting method among families with children (and based on my husband's reaction, dads).

Every Day is Earth Day for Local Mom

2008-12-08T13:33:00.000-08:00

On April 22, people across the globe will celebrate the 38th anniversary of Earth Day, a grassroots demonstration that catapulted the environment into the American conscience. Initiated by US Senator Gaylord Nelson and coordinated by Denis Hayes, an astonishing 20 million Americans participated in the 1970 Earth Day rallies. By 1990, there were 140 countries and an estimated 200 million people across the world engaged in Earth Day activities, and in 2007, that number reached one billion.

Robin Morris, a Lakewood mom, believes Earth Day should be celebrated every day. When they announced they were starting a family, friends informed Robin and Paul that they would see the world differently through the eyes of child. They couldn't have been more right. Pregnancy complications placed Robin on complete bed rest for 17 weeks. Armed with only a wireless internet connection, Robin avoided Dr. Phil and Days of Our Lives by googling everything "baby" - from making baby food to the debate between disposable and cloth diapers.

"The more I read, the more concerned I became about the way our actions impact the world we were leaving for our soon to be born baby," she said.

Graduates of CU-Boulder, one of the most environmentally aware cities in Colorado, they decided they wanted to teach their child by example. Building a "green" house from the ground-up wasn't in the family's budget, so they started incorporating smaller changes.

"It didn't make sense replace a working light bulb with an energy efficient one or throw out full bottles of commercial cleaners because you are generating un-necessary waste, " Robin says.

Already equipped with Energy Star kitchen appliances and a front-loading washing machine, they adjusted the temperature and insulated their water heater, and starting replacing burned out bulbs and toxic cleaners with natural, biodegradable and efficient household products, and bought a set of reusable shopping bags. Billions of plastic bags end up in landfills annually, but many reach the ocean where sea turtles perish, having mistaken them for jelly fish.

"We found reusable shopping bags had a larger capacity, stronger handles, and looked cooler," says Paul. They focused on buying less, recycling more, using alternative modes of transportation, and expanding their vegetable garden.

Surprising their family and friends, they made the decision to use cloth diapers and make baby food and diaper wipes. Baby food jars can be recycled, but a couple jars per day for six months start to add up. With two sets of reusable, freezer safe containers, they puree unseasoned fruits and veggies from the meals they were cooking for themselves. As for the cloth diapers, these were not the flat, square cloth diapers held together with safety pins. Modern cloth diapers have elastic legs and Velcro waists, are as easy to put on as disposables, and can be laundered at home.

"At first, people thought we were crazy", admitted Robin, "but then they saw how easy they were to use." With several styles to choose from, fabrics such as organic cotton, hemp, minkee and fleece, and pastel and brightly colored solids, and patterns with pirates, leopard prints, and geometric swirls, picking out the diapers was half the fun. Depending on the style, 36-100 cloth diapers cost as little as $400 and a complete set of premium diapers run about $1500, but can be resold or used on a second child. At six to twelve diapers per day for two to three years, one baby will generate 4000-10,000 diapers. According to the Real Diaper Association, 92% of disposable diapers end up in landfills and never completely decompose. The extra load of laundry every three days uses as much water as potty trained child flushing the toilet.

Robin became so passionate about the eco-friendly products she discovered during bed rest that she decided to leave her position as an HR Professional and start a web based retail company, www. ModernMommyGear.com.

"Busy modern moms don't have 17 weeks on bed rest to research products the way I did, so I'm bringing these functional and fashionable products together in one place for modern parents to discover how easy eco-friendly parenting can be," explains Robin. Many of these products are mom-invented. Stylish, reusable shopping bags, dishwasher attachments to wash and dry plastic bags, stainless steel sippy cups, pet supplies made from recycled soda bottles, biodegradable laundry soap, and home décor constructed with recycled LP records, Modern Mommy Gear showcases more than just the top rated cloth diapers. With a basement full of inventory, she now works from home, swinging by the post office to mail packages on her way to story hour at the Belmar Library.

"With advancing technology, it is easier than ever to be green." reminds Paul. If you are interested in learning more about cloth diapers or other eco-friendly products, contact Robin via her store email. She's happy to meet you for a cup of coffee to chat. Just be sure to bring your own reusable coffee mug.