four-leaf clovers, leprechauns and mamas

Filed Under Going Green, Tips & Tricks | March 17, 2010

The Green Mama

Since green beer and leprechauns aren’t quite our style, but green is, we thought we’d take advantage of St. Patrick’s Day to get tips and tricks on going green from Manda Aufochs Gillespie, a.k.a. The Green Mama. An environmentalist, writer, business owner and mum of (almost) two, she started The Green Mama in 2007 in response to the growing demand for healthier homes, spaces and products for children and their families, she’s also a recent transplant to Vancouver from Chicago.

How can someone start “going green”?
I have three philosophical tips for those just getting started:

  1. Start with the savings (either time or money).
  2. Ask questions.
  3. Have fun!

The biggest barrier to people making better choices is how hard we are on ourselves. New parents particularly fall into this trouble: give yourself a break. Start with things that actually seem like fun. Yeah, using cloth diapers is the green and cost effective choice, but if every time you think about doing it you want to cry, pick something else to start with. If you do something new and it seems worth it to you, your enthusiasm will lead to other green habits and it will inspire others.

What are the next three things a family might do to go green?

  1. Join a CSA (community supported agricultural project a.k.a. a farm box) or become a regular at your local farmer’s market. A family will save approximately $500 a season over conventional produce and you will get the highest quality produce: local, organic, and fresh. The health benefits will be felt by the whole family, but even better you can be assured that if your toddler only eats two bites of carrot the whole day at least those two bites have the most nutrition possible without pesticides.
  2. Try cloth diapering or even baby potty training. A family can save $2000 per child using cloth diapers instead of disposable. A family can save even more with elimination communication (a.k.a. baby potty training): a new, old trend. Our grandparents had their children potty trained by 18 months on average, families who use cloth diapers or practice baby potty training often get a similar result. That can save a lot of diapers and a lot of potty training battles with your three-year-old.
  3. Give up the throw-away habit. A bottled water habit can cost a family $1200 a year, the paper towel habit $50, disposable batteries $30. Other habits than can add up: disposable dishes, Ziploc bags, baby wipes, and cleaning products. There are greener alternatives for all these things that will save you money and the environmental (and sometimes health) savings will also add up.

What are common faux pas people make when trying to be greener?

  1. Not reading labels. To avoid being greenwashed, you have to bring along your reading glasses and flip to the fine print. Most likely source: your personal care products. If it isn’t certified organic (USDA Organic or Canada Organic Biologique Label) then be skeptical of claims of natural, non-toxic, or safe for baby. These other claims are often meaningless and baby products are often the most misleading.
  2. Think paying more means it is better. Sometimes things cost more because they are better quality and sometimes they just cost more. Most likely source: the nursery. For instance, an expensive new crib can often expose a child to more off-gassing chemicals, such as formaldehyde, than a used crib. Whereas buying a certified organic mattress might actually be worth it for your child. The same goes for many other aspects of a nursery where a bit of information upfront can save parents from spending (or re-spending) thousands later.
  3. Falling into the plastic trap. Everything about having a child forces you up against plastics: plastic bottles, plastic toys, even plastic lining on cans of formula or food. Many plastics have been found to leach BPA, phthalates, or other chemicals. Most likely sources: lining of canned goods (including formula) and soft chewy toy. More information has been coming out about the health effects of these chemicals: from feminizing effects on baby boys to toxicity concerns. Canada has done a good job minimizing exposures by banning BPAs in certain baby products, but these chemicals are still nearly ubiquitous. The exposure levels for North American children are among the highest in the world. The alternative is to get back to the basics with glass, stainless steel, and natural fibers like cotton and wool.

Does being more eco-friendly mean spending more money?

No! This is where it is good to remember every cliché you have ever been taught: less is more; penny wise is pound foolish. Quality often does cost more, but still the greenest moms I meet are also often the most frugal. Why? Because it’s more sustainable to have fewer things that are more durable; and if it is valuable enough, you won’t routinely walk off and leave it at the playground. The same goes with businesses: being green means investing in better products that will pay-off in the long-run and reduce exposure in the short-term. Being green really can and should save money as well as other resources.

Going green while saving green, we like the sound of that! For our full interview with Manda visit our yoyo diaries blog. There was just too much green for one article.

 

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