All natural, is it the way to go?

So I know I am not 100% Environmentally friendly, I still get those awful plastic bags from the grocery store, although I have every intention of making that switch to canvas reusable bag VERY soon! I still occasionally throw away a tin can of soup instead of rinsing it and recycling it AND I feel like Duane and produce WAY too much garbage for just 2 people. BUT I have made some choices that I feel very good about lately. I chaulk it up to my becoming a mommy soon (85 days and counting till D date) and wanting to be the VERY best mom that I can be.

One of the choices I have made is to use chlorine free diapers. The ones I have chosen to use are made from recycled materials and will decompose compared to pampers or huggies that take 1000+ years to decompose. They also are not bleached (but don't let that own white/browny color throw you off, I have done my research they are quite absorbant) which is good for a newborn babies bottom. Chlorine causes cancer as well as many other health issues and therefor this choice is not only better for the environment but also for the health and well being of my child. You may wonder why I have not chosen the obvious choice of cloth diapers than if I am worried about waste. Well the answer is very simple...To keep the cloth diapers clean, you (or a diaper service-which also throws fuel into the mix, and carbon emmisions) will need to bleach or use harsh chemicals to disefect and keep them from having all sorts of stains. This is also bad for the environment and your babies health. I find this time consuming and unessecary and would rather spend the time nurturing my child. So disposable chlorine free diapers it is for our family. Check out http://www.seventhgeneration.com/ for the brand we have decided to use or google chlorine free diapers and read up on other pros/cons I have missed here on my blog or to find other brands. A hint as well...In Canada these diapers can run you $24+ a package, at Cost Cutters right across the border $11.99 (sometimes $10.50 on sale) and with our dollar being almost at par it makes it well worth the trip!

I have also decided after reading an article recently that stated that one of the best things you can do for your family is use natural cleaning products, to make the switch! Also, I can't let this slide my oldest most dearest friend has been telling me this for years! Thanks Lindsay for being so patient while I made my own mistakes. So once again my choice is not only environmentaly friendly it also has huge health benefits! It can prevent respitory problems (such as asthma) and allergies (skin allergies are a big part of my life and so this is a big one) and since I have made the switch D's allergies have also calmed down. I have been using seventh Generation products (same as the diapers) but they can become pricey SO this morning I googled natural home-made cleaning products and I found and amazing website. http://www.treehuggingfamily.com/25-safe-non-toxic-homemade-cleaning-supplies/. The added benefit to this saving $$$ AND it is even better for the environment b/c instead of purchasing new products every time you run out you are reusing the same bottles over and over! AND they are simple to make. The best thing I can say about natural cleaning products is that I can breath while I am cleaning, and don't feel the urge to wear a biohazrd suit everytime cleaning day comes around, plus my eczema doesn't act up! I have also switched to a natural laundry soap...and WOW what a difference in my exzema! I can't say enough for going natural!

I am also going to throw this little side note in, I eat organic when I can, I try to price check and make sure it isn't just a few cents more. BUT I can tell you I am lactose intolerant and although regular milk (ie: Diaryland) makes me very ill...Organic milk stored in those adorable glass bottles, not only tastes better but doesn't make me feel at all sick. Just something to ponder. What kind of steroids are the dairy companies injecting into our dairy cows? What kind of chemicals are coming out of the containers that the milk is being stored in and what effects can this have on us?