Safe Place to Rest her Head

Yesterday we received our Naturpedic crib mattress for our little newbie that will be here in a few short weeks. Her older sister, however, was very excited to jump on it and test it out for her when we opened it up in our living room. Right away, I was impressed with the firmness and stability of the mattress and that there was no chemical smell when taken out of the package. Naturepedic mattresses are made with organic cotton, and unlike conventional mattresses, they are free of all the harmful chemicals that your baby would be exposed to if sleeping on a traditional mattress. Traditional mattresses are filled with polyurethane foam, which contains Volatile Organic Gases (VOC's) and then covered in Poly brominated diphenyl ether (PBDE's) to add flame resistance. With all the off gassing of these chemicals, we felt that we wanted to take the safest route and invest in an organic mattress for our baby. Thankfully, Lily's little head has been on Olivia's very nice organic mattress since day one. Her daddy, Chris, was very good about teaching us about the dangers of off gassing and VOC's before she was born. So we did not hesitate when looking into purchasing an organic mattress for our new little baby. When I say invest, I mean that these are a little more expensive than your traditional mattress, but we felt that it was definitely worth it. There are myriad companies out there that sell organic mattresses, but Naturepedic seems to be the one "green" organizations most recognize.

In addition to the environmental upside of an organic mattress, there are distinct safety benefits. Some evidence exists that the chemicals in traditional mattresses are linked to SIDS and many other illnesses. Natural Parenting has a very thorough and intriguing article about the link to SIDS and the toxins that are off gassed by traditional crib mattresses. One of the most interesting parts of the article is about mattress wrapping that is being done in New Zealand. Mattress wrapping is simply wrapping your existing crib mattress in a particular way with an impermeable plastic cover in order to minimize the toxic fumes that your baby comes in contact with. As a result of a large scale campaign aimed at educating New Zealanders about SIDS and mattress wrapping, the country's SIDS rate has dropped to one of the lowest in the world, and there has NEVER been a single reported SIDS case on a properly wrapped mattress.

So no need to fret if you already have a regular mattress. You can purchase a BabySafe Crib Mattress cover online for around $30.00. Just be sure to follow their proper crib wrapping instructions found at http://www.babysake.com/Howtowrap.htm.

All new pieces of furniture (non-organic) off gas a little. So when getting ready for your new baby, make sure you keep new furniture outside for a few weeks and/or months if possible in your garage or keep it in a well ventilated room. This includes a non-organic mattress. Follow your nose. If it has a chemical or "new" smell when it arrives at your house, it probably should stay away from you and your baby.

PaperBack Swap

Today I became a member of a PaperBack Swap. It is a free membership to a website where you literally swap books with other members. The only fee you incur (currently) is postage when someone requests one of the books you have posted to swap. Once you receive the book you have requested, it is yours to keep or you can swap it again later. Not only do they have almost every book you could ever want, they also have books on tape and CDs too.

Happy Swapping!

Two Green Thumbs Up!

Recently we added another California Baby product to our growing green inventory, the Calming Everyday Lotion. Like the diaper cream and shampoo/bodywash that we already use, this lotion smells so yummy and good. Knowing we will be using lotion for a very long time--and on two kids instead of one soon--I decided to invest in the 1/2 gallon bottle. Now having received it and used a little of it, I am reassured that this purchase will last a long, long time. The lotion is so thick that you really only need a small amount at a time. It rubs in very nicely and makes Lily's skin smell and look so good. I actually have been using it myself, as well. I can't get enough of that fresh lavendar scent! I used some this morning, and there is still a trace of the scent on my skin...and it makes my skin feel very soft and smooth. My big belly likes to absorb some of this lotion too! So far, we have really enjoyed all our California Baby products, and I would definitely recommend them to you. Though Lily rarely gets diaper rash, the CB diaper rash cream has cleared up her occasional redness within one diaper change. We use the shampoo and bodywash too, but since Lily really doesn't have much hair yet, it is difficult to write a very credible review. Nonetheless, it does lather nicely and gets her squeky clean before bedtime.

A non-California Baby purchase of ours this summer was TruKid Sunny Days SPF 30 sunblock. Like many parents of young kids, we are at the pool a lot over the summer, and we have gotten a ton of use out of this sunscreen already. I really like the consistency of this product, and it goes on easily and absorbs quickly. When first applied, it leaves a very light, almost purple sheen on the skin, which confirms that she is covered. I have been using it on my belly as well, and I have noticed when I get wet I can see it on my skin and it really does stay on. I can see the water bead on the area where I've applied it. My only complaint is that it is pictured on their website with a pump (as seen at the right), and ours did not come with a pump. Instead, it has a flip-top that allows for squeezing, much like a shampoo bottle. Because of the thickness of both the product and the bottle, it is difficult to squeeze much out. While this is not a major problem, it is an annoyance. TruKid sunscreen comes in a small 4 oz bottle, so you may want to order more than one if you plan to use it on your whole family. The upside is that a little goes a long way.

Product Update: Preserve Jr.

Preserve Everyday offers a 100% recycled toothbrush for kids. The Preserve Jr. is designed for children ages 2 to 8 and has a pea pod shaped handle that is easy for kids little hands to grab. In addition to its ergonomic design they are fun-colored and animal-shaped. They have partnered with the National Wildlife Federation and highlight different endangered species on each brush. Not only is the handle made of 100% recycled plastic, it is also recyclable when mailed back using the postage paid label the company provides.

Check out Preserve Everyday's website for more recycled and earth friendly products.

Post It Up, Baby!

Yes, we are now proud owners and users of a backyard composter...in other words, we are composter children. In our efforts to cut back on the waste we send to the landfill, we purchased our very own composter and in a few short weeks we will have wonderful organic fertilizer to use on our yard and plants. As you can see, I am part of the One Can a Month Challenge and one of the biggest tips Enviro Mom gives for getting to that one can goal would be to compost. After some product research I ended up buying this spinning composter from Gaiam when they were having a sale. I liked the idea that all we would need to do is fill it, spin it, and essentially forget about it until the fertilizer is ready. There are definitely cheaper ways to compost, but Jeff and I weren't really keen on the love and attention that goes into the other kinds so we settled on this one. If you don't have the outdoor space or want something even easier to use, you can try the Nature Mill, which is an indoor composter that works on a small amount of electricity and produces compost in about 2 weeks, all within the confines of your home. It will cost you around $300.00, but produces no odors, gives you endless fertilizer, and it diverts over 2 tons of garbage from landfills in its lifetime.

I will keep you "posted" on our composting progress!

Next Step: Black to Green to Clean

As some of you may know, Mavros is derived from the word "black" in Greek. As we continue to move from black to green in our house, we are shifting the focus of our greenification to our household cleaning supplies. Pretty much everything we use, with the exception of our dish soap, counter top spray, and laundry detergent, has some form of carcinogens and/or neurotoxins. Carcinogens are chemicals that cause cancer, and neurotoxins are chemicals that adversely affect the nervous system, reducing emotional well being, mental alertness, coordination and other functions associated with intelligence. When contemplating replacing our many different cleaning agents, I was figuring that this switch would be pretty arduous and costly. We would need all new bathroom, kitchen, glass, and carpet/upholstry cleaner...and the list would most likely go on from there. However, after doing some research I found a few natural and inexpensive solutions: distilled white vinegar, baking soda, and lemon juice. Vinegar can naturally disinfect and clean virtually every inch of your house when either used alone and/or mixed with baking soda and lemon juice. When I first read about vinegar as an all-purpose cleaning agent, I found myself scrunching up my nose at the idea of trading the "fresh and clean" smells of Clorox and Soft Scrub for the very pungent smell of vinegar. Just the idea of vinegar makes my nose close up. Fortunately, I found that you can mix in lemon juice to help balance the smell and that when the vinegar dries it does not leave an odor. So the task for this weekend is to go out and buy some distilled white vinegar and get cleaning! If the idea of using vinegar is a little scary to you, there are plenty of natural cleaning options out there...like Oprah's pick, Shaklee. Shaklee claims that all of their products are "non-toxic, eco-friendly and safe" but there are a few products in their line that have some questionable ingredients. Safemama.com says stick to the ones that are organic like the Basic H2 Organic Super Cleaning Concentrate and the Organic Germ Off Wipes. Other popular and safe companies are Seventh Generation, Dr. Bonner's and Method.

A word of warning: watch out for "green-washing" and stick to products that you know really use safe ingredients. Words like "bio-degradable," "eco-fiendly," and "natural" are actually all meaningless because there is no governing body to police these claims. If you want a full list of ingredients in your cleaning products, visit Household Product Database. To make sure your house is safe, eco-experts will tell you that making your own cleaning products is the safest and greenest way to clean. For some home-made cleaning agent ideas, visit Care 2 Make a Difference's website.

* Did you know:
Since World War II, roughly 75,000 chemicals have been introduced into consumer products, but less than 5 percent of them have been tested for health or environmental side effects. Many of these substances are found inside common cleaners such as countertop disinfectants, bathtub scrubbers and dishwashing liquids. Unfortunately, routine testing of these substances has revealed some un-routine results.

In 1989, the EPA estimated that the fumes produced by common household cleaners were three times more likely to cause cancer than other air pollutants.

Locavores

On Saturdays, Downtown Bloomington hosts our local Farmers' Market and Artist Alley. In our attempts to be greener and eat healthier, we have become frequent patrons of the market...in effect, we have become "locavores." Locavores are "people who eat locally produced goods." Each week we make a list of groceries we need to get from Meijer and a list of groceries and goods we can pick up from the Farmers' Market. This week I purchased some delicious ciabatta bread from Medici, some red potatoes, a huge and tasty cinnamon roll from Kelly's Bakery, free range chicken breasts from TJ's Free Range Poultry, and a few Kohlrabi (pictured below) from the Blue Shoolhouse Farm.
Last week my dad introduced us to kohlrabi (he got it, in fact, from the market). I have eaten it before at his house and have always liked it, but it was Jeff's first time trying it, and he loved it too. It is really hard to describe the taste...crunchy like a radish, fresh, and a little kick to the flavor. So needless to say I picked us up some more this week. I also re-stocked the poultry that we had gone through from my last visit to the market. I bought huge, boneless, skinless chicken breasts from TJ's Free Range chicken last weekend, and they were excellent. They came off the grill so tender and juicy. They really didn't need any seasoning at all!

Even if you don't need to stock your kitchen, the market is a fun place to be on Saturday mornings, bustling with people, music, food, and art. Definitely worth a visit...and don't forget your cloth grocery bags because my guess is you won't be leaving empty-handed!

Product Update: Klean Kanteen Kolor

Now you can get your favorite BPA-free Klean Kanteen in color. Just like the very popular and now hard to find Sigg bottles, Klean Kanteen is now offering its safe, eco-friendly product in new and fun colors. http://www.kleankanteen.com/

Lily totes around the original stainless steel version, and now you can see a few of her close friends strolling around town with Sigg bottles, as well...each with fun and different designs. Dalton Kruger is sporting this cool Captain Sharkey Sigg. Happy Birthday, Dalton!

Fresh Meat

Lily pretending to take a bite of her mom's delicious burger

Two weekends ago, Jeff, Lily and I made the short hike to our local organic farm to take a tour with Lily and pick up some fresh organic meat. Unfortunately, Lily fell asleep on the ride there so the tour was not going to be part of this trip, but it was an adventure nonetheless. Driving two miles past Carlock, we pulled off at the big Wettstein's sign and drove the long gravel path up to the house. Along the way we saw chickens running about, and we were startled when they ran right in front of our car. Now that is what I call free range. Next to the small house we could see a goat and more chickens, as well as some cattle in the distance. Jeff stayed in the car with our sleeping baby while I went up to the house. I really wasn't sure what I was going to buy, and when I went in I was more than overwhelmed with how much they had to offer. I knew that I wanted to get some steaks and hamburgers, as I had heard rave reviews. So I had Mrs. Wettstein (at least that's who I'm assuming it was) start loading me up with hamburger patties and a few steaks. Once I was satisfied that I had enough for us (and my dad, who had paid me to pick some up for him too), I paid her and we were on our way. She inserted a menu of all the different meats they had to offer, and again I was surprised by the selection. Everything from chicken to lamb to pork. So how did it taste in comparison to the not-so-organic-or-fresh stuff we usually get? Oh my gosh...it was so good. Jeff and my dad could not stop raving about the burgers. We haven't tried out the steaks yet, but I am sure they will be great too.

If you decide to take a trip out there, make sure you call ahead. On Saturdays some of the members of the family go up to Chicago to sell at the farmer's market. So if you plan to visit on the weekend, make sure to call and have them hold back a few steaks for you.

Dennis and Emily Wettstein RR # 1 — Carlock, (309) 376-7291. Drive through Carlock and you will see the sign on the right hand of the road about two miles up. We, of course, thought we had gone too far and missed it...so the first time we turned around about 300 yards from the entrance. Take it from me...drive the extra two miles through Carlock...it's well worth it.

So the Adventure Begins

Lily in her magenta cloth diaper

Many months ago I became very interested in cloth diapering and all that goes into it. I first started my research on the Internet. Learning as much as I could about all the pros and cons and how they actually work. The Internet was overwhelming and looking at pictures of the diapers online wasn't really a help. What I did learn from the Internet was enough stats and figures about the dangers to babies and the environment that lead me to want to find out more. So next I talked with some local parents that were CD'ing (clothing diapering) . They had a very positive and easy experience with them and referred me to Sarah, our local cloth diapering lady, for a consultation. Jeff, Lily, and I went to her house and she walked us through the many different cloth diapering options. She was very knowledgeable and lead us in a direction towards a diaper that would work best for our lifestyle. We ended up with the AIO (all-in-one) one size fits all mother's touch diapers. They go on just like a disposable and latch with Velcro. So easy! We got enough that I would only have to launder them every other day. If I do step back a little, I will tell you, years ago Chris and Beni told me they were going to cloth diaper Olivia and I thought they were nuts. I thought the whole idea was gross and didn't understand how the whole washing them thing was going to work. Then 3 years later I am having my own child and doing the same thing. So I know some of you out there think I am nuts too, but it really is easy and not gross. Of course, we didn't cloth diaper until she was having more solid #2's so I can't tell you what it would be like to cloth diaper a newborn. However, it has been great and easy and not only is helping the environment it is saving us money too. Cloth diapers can be used on subsequent children as well. Did you know that kids go through around 2-3,000 disposable diapers? That's a lot of money! Also kids that wear disposables potty train later and have more outbreaks of diaper rash. So the next step for us is to figure out if we can make CD'ing a newborn work. I plan to try it out, but if that becomes too overwhelming there are some more environmentally friendly disposables out there to use.

Seventh Generation makes Chlorine Free Disposable diapers and Gdiapers are a great newer product that have a cloth outer cover and a flushable insert. I have a friend here in town that uses them and really likes them. The covers are super cute too!



















* Did you know
Some of the facts: 18 billion disposable diapers are thrown in landfills each year, taking as many as 500 years to decompose. Disposable diapers make up the third largest source of solid waste in landfills, after newspapers and food and beverage containers--a significant fact, considering they are a single product, used by a limited portion of the population.1 It takes upwards of 82,000 tons of plastic and 1.3 million tons of wood pulp, or a quarter-million trees, to manufacture the disposable diapers that cover the bottoms of 90 percent of the babies born in the US.2

"(Conventional) Disposables contain chemicals that were banned in the 1980s in women’s tampons, but continue to be used to improve absorbency. Since babies inhale more air per pound of body weight than adults do, and are generally more affected by the toxicity of air pollutants, this is troubling. And since most diapers are treated with chlorine and press against the most sensitive spot on your baby’s body all the time, better to be cautious...”3

(1.) EPA, "Positive Steps towards Waste Reduction," June 1989.
(2.) Rhode Island Solid Waste Management Corporation.
(3.) “HEALTHY CHILD HEALTHY WORLD - Creating a Cleaner, Greener, Safer Home” March 2008