It's fun, even if it is Eco.

Caleb almost 4 months old.  Don't you just want to pinch those chipmunk cheeks?  Mama's milk rocks!

For years I've made choices that were not because I wanted to "Save the Earth", but because I felt a strong conviction (breastfeeding/babywearing) or because I wanted something different (cloth diapers).  I even made the choice to go completely cloth for my own womanly needs because I prefer comfort over ease. 

One of the reasons I am blogging about this is because over the past few years I've felt lazy about doing my part.  Being bombarded by television, radio and internet awareness ads leaves little to be desired, if I do say so myself.   I would even feel comfortable saying that, at times, I rejected the whole Eco movement because I was tired of all the extremist poster-child views being shoved down my throat.  

Until last week, when I was part of an interesting conversation.  I had never stopped to think about what I was doing to help the environment.  Mostly because the choices I made were not for the enviornment to begin with.

It's ironic, to me, that one person can be so critical of your choices in food or clothing and then be so outwardly disgusted at the thought of using cloth menstural pads.  It was during this one eye-opening conversation that I started reflecting on the choices I have made in the past eight years.   

*Cloth Diapering: I miss this stage.  I loved cloth diapering and, yes, I feel jipped because I never tried it with my babies before Caleb.

*Smackerlicious (my own brand that I stopped producing for more family time)

*Sullybunz

*Motherease

*Prefolds w/ fleece covers

*Fuzzybunz

*Various other WAHM diapers

*Cloth wipes with homemade Burt's Bee's apricot oil.  Yum!!!

WARNING: Cloth diapering can be IS addicting.  

*Cloth menstural pads: These are so comfy!  If you don't think it's for you, just give it a try.  Buy one pad and use it, wash, use it, wash.  Switch back and forth between paper and cloth.  Try it during your heavy and light days and see for yourself.  Just try it.

Essence of Eve

Pretty Pad's

*Breastfeeding/Extended Breastfeeding/Delayed Solids:

Choosing to breastfeed/delay solids eliminated bottles, nipples, formula cans, baby food jars and a plethera of other disposable products. I started making my own baby food for my third son (second pregnancy). By the time Chloe came along, she went straight to table food that I would mush/chop it up for her by hand.  Caleb didn't even get that..he ate straight people food by 11 months because he was ready.  No mushing, smashing, pureeing or chopping for him.  

*Cleaning products.

I've changed out about 85% of my old beloved cleaners (lemon scented anything) for more yummy smelling, and envioronment friendly, products.  

Mrs. Meyer's

Method

Vinegar (not so yummy smelling, but it does the trick)

The one cleaners I have not switched out are my favorite laundry detergents & softeners. 

*Trying to remember my cloth shopping bags more: I need to put a sticky note on my garage door.  

*Recycling more: I wish our pick-up was every week..we fill it up too fast now.  I guess that's a good sign.  

*Eating more whole foods: I don't buy organic unless it's on sale.  I am just trying to eat more healthy foods and provide these items to my children who already love veggies and fruits. Having a husband who is willing to prep the veggies makes it that much easier.  Plus, they don't sit in our fridge, wilting, while we eat out.  Again.

Things I want to do/accomplish:

*Build a small raised bed for a garden.

*Start a compost bin

*Build a chicken coop so we can have fresh eggs and chickens.  Whichever comes first. (I'm still working on hubby)

*Stop eating fast food

*Bake bread (no more store bought)

*No more soda

I'm not one that gets on the whole environmental bandwagon, as you may have figured out by now. Instead, there are things that I've been open to trying.  Cloth diapers lured me in because they were too cute!  It wasn't until after using them that I started to understand the benefits.  Breastfeeding was something I wanted to do since I was a little girl and saw a lady at church lovingly cradle her new baby to her breast.  When I held her afterwards, her breath smelled like peppermint.  I educated myself and gleened information that was pertinent to our lives and let the other stuff go.  I think the biggest thing I've learned over the past eight years is to just give something a try. You may like it and even be willing to incorporate it into your daily life. 

However, it could be that I'm truly SilentlyCrunchy and in serious denial.

For more Talk About Tuesday's, please visit Lara's blog:

The Lazy Organizer