Back by popular demand...a "re-print" of "Choose Cloth" (newly updated): Over the last couple of years, we have slowly been getting rid of everything that is disposable in our house. In a society that is obsessed with disposable everything...sometimes I feel like an odd ball. But hey, what's new? The progression has been as follows:

PAPER TOWELS: These were the first thing to go. They were expensive and I was addicted to them. I just bought a few more cloth towels and I grab them for everything. We have darker towels for staining spills.

PAPER NAPKINS: We didn't use these a lot to begin with, but I switched to all cloth napkins after I found the cutest little red ones with stars. Adorable. Now I have several sets and I *love* using them at every meal.

DISPOSABLE DIAPERS: We cloth diapered Bella from day one. It's one of the most enjoyable things about being a mama so far. They are so adorable, healthy, and easy to use. Love them.

FEMININE PRODUCTS: After I had Bella, I started to use what many affectionately call "mama cloth". Basically, reusable feminine hygeine products. I have a GREAT set of reusable hemp pads. After I get my period back I will switch to using The Keeper or The Diva Cup. And for those of you that are saying "ooooh gross!". Get over it...have you ever researched what is in a tampon? Sick.

TOILET PAPER: Our latest switch has been from paper to cloth toilet paper. This was definitely not a hard thing because we are already using cloth wipes on Bella (the cloth wipes we have are so soft and wonderful...most are made of flannel and velour or sherpa...2-ply). Before I decided to do this, I was intimidated because I didn't quite understand the logistics of it all. So, in order to help some of you "get it"...I will explain further and offer a pictoral description of the setup.

Basically, we have dry and wet wipes. Dry for pee, wet for poop. The wet wipes are in a wipes warmer on the back of the toilet. I put them in there every day with a solution of water, apricot oil, Dr. Bronner's soap, tea tree oil, and lavender oil. It's a lovely smell...much more fun than plain 'ol scratchy toilet paper! The dry wipes are just next to that on the toilet. I will eventually get a cute wire basket for the dry wipes. After you are done using the wipe, you just throw it in the wet bag hanging next to the toilet. Update since this photo was taken: The wipes are now in a basket in a drawer next to the toilet. Easy as pie. Here it is:

I know some of you have just vowed never to use the bathroom at my house ever again. But never fear, I will keep ONE roll of regular TP for my less "natural" guests. We do have one last box of tissues right now, but will just use the cloth wipes for that as well. And please don't worry about the sanitary issues...everything is washed in super hot water with soap, baking soda, and the occasional vinegar rinse.

GROCERY BAGS: I bring my own bags to the grocery store. I LOVE my string bags from Reusable Bags. Ecobags is good too. Many grocery stores will give you a small credit for bringing your own.

All in all, switching our house to completely cloth has been a GREAT experience...one that is environmentally sound, and also financially sound. We save SO much money by not buying disposable stuff.

I still have a few more changes to make. I would like to get sets of cutlery and plates to take to events where I know there will be disposable dinnerware. I don't do take out a lot, but if my restaurants were more eco-friendly, I would also get the stainless stell food carrier so they could just put it in there instead of the disposable boxes. The first time I heard about this, I was so excited. It was when I was visiting the Ecopolitan in Minneapolis. They asked me if I had brought in my own take out containers or did I need to purchase one from them. I did have to purchase one, but it was a recycled, compostable container. I love that place!

I also need to better at bringing my own travel mug to coffee shops. I have probably filled a landfill with all of the to-go cups I've drank from and tossed in the garbage 5 minutes later...so wasteful!

Re-evaulate your choices today...and choose cloth/re-usable!

If you would like to read another blog about this topic, check out my friend Sarah. She is a swell gal. She has her own business, Wallypop, and makes great stuff. Here it is.

Where do you buy your stuff? What kind of companies do you support? Do you even care?

These are questions I've been asking myself lately. It's brought to mind a blog I used to read. You can check it out here. Be warned...there is an expletive in the title of the website. I wish they didn't do that, but they did. So if that offends you...just pretend it's not there. Anyway...this person decided that they were going to stop supporting large chain grocery stores, instead only shopping at the local markets. It's an interesting read. The experiment is over now...but you can still read about it there.

So, I've been wondering if I could do that. I always make a conscious effort to support my local organic grocer, New City Market, who is just a mile away from us. Even when the price is a little higher, I will still buy it at New City because I know them, I trust them, and I would much rather give them my money. If there are things I can't get there, I go to the larger, but still locally owned Dahl's, or Hy-Vee. I try to avoid SuperTarget and WalMart.

However, up until now, I've been very loose on this. And lazy. I wanted what I wanted when I wanted it. But, I would like to do better. I would like to ONLY shop at locally owned stores. But not just for food...for everything. I've been giving this a lot of thought. For example...WHY do I NEED to go to SuperTarget for anything? What is there that I just couldn't possibly purchase somewhere else? That place sucks the life out of me. I walk in there and want want want. And it’s always stuff I don’t need at all. But they make me think I NEED it. Everything is so pretty and bright and it all calls my name. I hate slick marketing, and yet I fall prey to it. So, I want to stop going.

In order to do this, I may have to change my menu and my habits just a bit...but not much. I will have to buy food that is in season, because, for the most part, New City carries what is either in season, or something that they can get pretty easily. Most of my groceries consist of bulk products (dry beans, rice, dried fruits, etc). And it’s all organic so it tends to be produced on a smaller farm (this is not always the case, however, so please know your organic farms). I just want to be aware of WHERE my food is coming from and also how many miles on the road it took some gas guzzling truck to get it there.

I would much rather eat an apple that came from Washington, instead of New Zealand. Or better yet, an apple orchard in Pella, IA. It's a great day when I find those! Summer and farmer's markets make this part easier. This can be tough if you love avocados and mangos, like I do. They usually come from Chili, Mexico, or another tropical location. However, I feel that when you buy those products organic, you ARE supporting the small local farmers in that country. If you read the tags, you can sometimes go to the website of the farm and see the cute farmer guys who make your mango.

For other goods such as clothing, housewares, jewelry, etc…I am still able to shop locally. We have several great shops close to us that have everything I need. It’s just a matter of making the decision. When I need a can of paint, do I want to support giant big boxmart…WalMart, Home Depot, Sam’s…or can I go to Ace Hardware or another local store? When I need new socks or a t-shirt, should I go to Target or instead go to Back Country Outfitters, where I can get organic and non-sweatshop clothing.

So…I CHALLENGE you to think about buying locally…and buying with a conscious. Know what the companies are all about…what do they support? Your money is POWER. Don’t give it to companies who don’t deserve your business! The main objection to this is usually cost (i.e. "my local grocer is too expensive...etc.). I know that if you plan better and budget better, it's very easy to practice this. Also, don't forget that when you shop at big box stores, you are not actually seeing the TRUE price of a product.

As we approach the Christmas season, think about giving locally made gifts...soaps, jewelry, candles, and other goods made by local artists. If you are in a place where there aren't any options like that for you, check out Etsy (link below)...it's like eBay for handmade stuff. It's awesome.

Some great links: Top 10 reasons to buy local Local Harvest An interesting blog on this topic Etsy...handmade stuff