Advice on being as green as possible

[cherryredretrochick]

I already do quite a lot but I never really feel like it is enough.
We are moving house in a week and I would like to make the new house as green as possible.
WE currently:
Use Hemp Nappies with fleece liners and washable wipes.
Ecover washing liquid and conditioner.
Ecover washing up liquid.
Bicarb to clean bathroom.
Recyle as much as possible.
at least 50% hand me down clothes.
Wash every day but tumble once a week (nappies we live in a flat)
Use old carrier bags in bin (although want a better alternative).
Use pannier bags on pram rather than carrier bags for everyday shopping.
Don't use a car (excpet the last month I have borrowed one as can't push pram recovering from an operation)

When we move I plan to:
Get a compost bin and water butt.
stop using dryer except in emergencies.
shop locally everyday so no more supermarket.

What else could I do?

If you need to use soappowder (I like using real stuff for the clothes TBH, as well as a hot wash for nappies), then use at most half of what they tell you to use. And no fabric softner.

And I have recently found lots of great websites for natural cosmetics/lotions and potions etc. purenuffstuff.com, ecotopia.com, beautybazaar.com. I will warn, some products are hit or miss in terms of scent (they all work fine, but some of hte smells are not to my taste). My favourite site is definately the purenuffstuff one. And they do a range for problem skin exsema (sorry can't spell that!!) and psorisis ranges. Ecotopia sell degradable bin bags and bulk sized cleaning/washing stuff.

Another thing you coudl try is those laundry balls. I don't get on with them either, but I think maybe I let our clothes get too dirty, or overfill the machine, or just have acrap washign machine (although it is Basch and only 2 years old so shoudl be good).

Just boiled my mooncup up actually, I gave up on it after about 6 months because it kept giving me trush but I cut the end off completly and have use it a couple of times now with no problems, I have some cloth sanitary towels but don't really like them.
I do bath the kids every night, but since dd2 now slepps better I ought to stop, used to be for the routine aspect as dd2 would never go to bed without routine.
My whole family has orders in for used prefolds as they are the best cleaning cloths ever. Ols shaped nappies and the girls preemie clothes now belong to the dollies of the house.
I am going to look at soapnuts, do they really get stuff clean though, my pair are dirty herberts. We are not at the clothes for more than one day stage yet, although dh and I wear them for ages.
Don't use any air fresheners, open windows, or use an essential oil burner if really niffy. I also use essential oils for alsorts and make a nappy wash if dd2 has sore bum from chamomile tea, cooking oil, lavendar oil and tee tree.

PP, I have just changed from Clarins to a natural paraben free moisturiser but is made in the US....will try the prenuffstuff next time then. have you used their facecream? Needs to be fairly good as my skin gets really dry in winter...may try their ezcema cream for DD1 too...

Haven't read all of thread, apols for any repetition.

Energy saving light bulbs.

dh re-uses water from boiling breakfast eggs to water the plants.

We grow herbs, tomatoes, beans/peas from organic seed on our balcony. (no garden )

Spirit vinegar in water is a good cleaning substance/dishwasher rinse, if you can get past the smell.

Beds in our house are changed roughly every 2 weeks, and clothes (not underwear, obviously - I mean trousers/skirts/jumpers) often worn several days running. ds1 has a set of clothes for kindergarten/outdoor play which he can let get grubby and wear several times, and different clothes for at home which hence also last longer.

Get soem natural teatree oil soap and use it in the shower at that time of the month. Thrush is a right pain. I got some advice from mooncupp directly as I ahd a similar problem and they said that if you boil it long enough it shoudl kill the germs. I also used to put mine for a run thruogh teh dishwasher after a hand wash, then sterilised it by boiling. allthe usuall advice about thrush - only wear cotton knickers and trousers, allow to 'breathe' as much as possible - e.g. night time- wear a nighty.

I have to say, it sounds like you are doing lots already.

I really liked teh purenuffstuff face cream (don't like the smell of the night cream though, but ti does work). The range is quite small, but they do cater for different skin types. I have really dry skin (pregnant currently), and that is what made me switch initially - that and watching the Sarah Beeney programme about 'how toxic are you...'. I am slowly working my way around their range to see which ones I like. The body cream is lovely. The soaps are good, but depends on the essential oil blend - a question of your taste I think. There is a great baby range, which includes chamomile soap. Teh best thing is that they are not that expensive - adn delivery is REALLY quick. I also like hte faith in nature stuff (got that from ecotopia website). That is more 'normal' smelling and a wider range

I agree PP - you are a right greenie Retrochick!

Re thrush, it can survive boiling and Milton is one thing that def kills it - a greener way is to use Citricidal (extract of grapefruit seed) from health food shop. You can drink diulted (and I guess douche?) and also could use for you mooncup...became an expert on thrush when it got into my milk ducts - ouch!!!!!

One thing I do use is Sure stick deodorant which is of course full of evil things but does stop your pits stinking! I've tried a couple fo green ones but they have been crap - anyone had any success in this area????

I have tried a few off of ecotopia, one made from hops and is solid (This is good) and one that is liquid roll on (various scents available, contains mineral salts). These are fine. I can't stand the stench from conventional deodorants as the day goes on (i.e. whiff of sweat mixed with chemicals - yuk). You def need to wash ur armpits every day if you use the natural ones.

Ow ll,
Being inspired I have just let dd put on a really bolognase stained top to go to nursery as she asked to wear it.
It does sound good on paper, I think things do actually become so normal that you forget you are doing things and just see all the plastic crap that hangs around the house.
That is actually the point isn't it, I keep telling my mum that if things are part of your normal routine they are not extra work.
Is lush OK re toiletries, that is what I always use and love it. They obviously claim to be fab but so do a lot of companies that aren't so.
I have to go and take dd to nursery now but when I get back I am going to spend hours looking at all these wonderful sounding sites.

The lush deo is really good. If lush is OK.

I think some of lush is ok, most in fact. but just have a check of the ingredients. Teh things that foam are not so good - they have SLS or SLES (I think). But then, it depends just how perfect you are going to be. I love lush stuff too, but must admit that some fo it irritates my skin, so keep it for treats.

You all sound pretty amazing anyway. Growing veg is good I reckon for kids/mum as well as the planet. Try Joy Larckom's book "Grow Your Own Vegetables", no fancy pix but really easy instructions on how to grow everything. I started off with her book Veg from Small Gardens (which I think GYO veg has replaced) and it tells you everything you could need to know!!!