The anti-green thread. - Page 2

ChickyHip · 12-02-2007, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mommy2Ryan

I don't use cloth grocery bags. I SO want to...just fear people looking at me weird...

I think more and more people are using cloth bags and less and less are thinking it's weird. So you may be good to go on that, lol.

I use paper towels. I use them to make baby wipes so I have them on hand anyway. I try to use them sparingly, though. I wanted to use cloth diapers, but my husband flat out refused due to the start up cost. I had seen some patterns online and am considering making some and trying them and then telling him where to go. Haha.

val01 · 12-03-2007, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by springlakemi

I don't use cloth bags at the store. That goes back to the $$$ it costs to buy the cloth bags. Start up costs are not on the list yet.

I just wanted to mention that you can buy Wal-mart Reuseable Bags for $1 each. They are actually cool looking, but they are made in China.

Valerie

mommytosa · 12-06-2007, 10:20 AM

A few people had mentioned trying to switch to wasclothes to wipe the kiddos after meals and messes. This has been a life saver for us. You can buy a large pack of white washclothes for cheap just about anywhere. I keep them in a drawer in the kitchen and use them all of the time. I can't remember the last time I bought wipes for the house & I still have 1 in diapers!

The non green thing I do that is the worst is buying the small packets of wipes to put in my purse. I have 2 of the refillable containers that I used when I carried a daiper bag, but the packets fit better in my purse so I use them intead. I also buy yogurts and applesauce in the individual containers. I found that if I buy them in the large sizes I end up wasting. Also, there is normally a tv turned on in our house if we are home and this wastes electric especially since we aren't always watching it.

I also have to admit that alot of the green things we do started out as money savers with the side benefit of being green.

taylyn · 12-06-2007, 11:20 AM

I have been thinking about this Lately

The ONLY thing I do that is Green Is Recycle- plastic and Cans.

My Family is a bunch of HUGE wasters. We go through About 2 LARGE packs of paper plates a month

A 600 bag of Napkins

4 Big rolls Paper towels

Two HUGE trash cans of Trash a week

I go through Lots of cleaning products

pull- ups

Store bought Wipes - a tub in two weeks -
we have leaky faucets and we leave the lights and TV All the time.

Sorry if I Made any of you have a heart attack!

Typing it all out is helping me see the problem!!

penelope · 12-06-2007, 11:40 AM

Oh, I am so bad. I don't want to list it all. But you ladies are giving me such good ideas, so I am going to try to do better. The one thing I really wish I would have done, was cloth diapers. My daughter is still in pullups. I tried finding special underwear in the store, but they don't have those special training pants anywhere, and I can't afford any of the stuff I have seen online.
Anyway, be encouraged ladies, when your kids get older, you won't have to waste applesauce and yogurt anymore. I can't keep my teens or my 3 year out of it, so it never goes to waste here.

tiffanyamanda · 12-10-2007, 10:53 PM

I don't have too many..

I still use baby wipes. I have a bad gag reflex so I haven't managed to switch to cloth wipes yet. I love my cloth diapers though.

Our TV is on a lot more than it should be.

And I ALWAYS leave my computer running. I know I should shut it off but I hate to and I'm afraid it won't turn back on one day. lol. it's getting old.

LuvMySoldier · 12-11-2007, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by taylyn

...Sorry if I Made any of you have a heart attack!

Thanks! I got a chuckle out of that!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by taylyn

...Typing it all out is helping me see the problem!!

It really does, doesn't it? I did this too a while back and couldn't believe how much we consumed on a weekly and monthly basis.

It really did shave our household budget WAY down when we starting thinking more "green" about what we purchased. And used. And wasted.

swishina · 12-11-2007, 01:32 PM

I wanted to make my own babywipes, but when I saw how expensive the nice papertowels to make them with are, I don't think it's cheaper at all. Or do you guys use the cheap paper towels? Besides Huggies keeps sending me $3 coupons.

I use papertowels, but not very many. I try to use a rag to clean up most things other than grease or raw stuff. Also I am always forgetting my cloth bags in the car. Trust me, people thing it's less weird to use a cloth bag than to ask for no bag at all. I buy mini-applesauce because we like the flavored kind. And I don't use cloth diapers and never considered it.

Other than that I am pretty proud of the amount of trash vs. recycling that goes out each week.

T-shell · 12-11-2007, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by swishina

I wanted to make my own babywipes, but when I saw how expensive the nice papertowels to make them with are, I don't think it's cheaper at all. Or do you guys use the cheap paper towels?

I wondered the same thing. I don't use cloth grocery bags, but I haven't seen anyone here who does (I don't want to be accused of shoplifting). We do use paper towels and disposable feminine products. We also use disposable diapers mainly because I was still working FT for the first year of my youngest daughter's life. The diaper issue may not be too bad though; we live in part of the drought-stricken southeast.

mnmomma · 12-14-2007, 10:52 AM

I tried making my own baby wipes in the past but they never worked very well. My cousin's wife gave me her recipe- she sawed a roll of Viva paper towels in half- I am not sure how many sheets were on the roll- maybe 100- so each roll made 200 wipes. Then she put them in a baby wipe container and put in a bit of soap water to make them wet. I think I got a 2 pack of Viva paper towels for about $2 after coupons- so it was only $2 for about 400 wipes. The roll never worked out for me- I couldn't get the cardboard out of the middle of the roll that easily and then when it did come out the wipes never came out of the container easily- I would pull and a chunk of wipes would come out.

I need to make the switch to cloth napkins- but I don't use paper plates- even at family get togethers I try to use regular ones. I have 3 sets of Correlle dishes- the thin kind- so they stack well in the cupboards without taking up much space. I don't use cloth grocery bags yet- I hate the ones they sell at Cub or Walmart- they actually say the store name on them- I wish I could find some cheaper ones that are plain. I do reuse my paper bags and then recycle the plastic ones. I am a huge recycler. I have been known to go thru other family members garbage if they toss a recycleable.

Things I am getting better at are washing bigger loads of laundry- I am an over-seperater- so I would have a ton of small loads every few days. I also try to cut down on how many loads I do each week. I am getter better at the using less approach- less detergent, less shampoo, etc. I haven't changed to all CFL lights yet- but am in the process of doing so. We have started to turn down the thermostat to 65 here at night and in MN when it goes below 0 at night in winter- it is freezing. I noticed that dh snores less and sleeps more soundly when it is cooler in the house- but me I am freezing!