crazyhippiemom

For those tree huggers out there who look at every piece of paper and ponder a life so violently taken… the tree, that is.  And for those who consider the inhumanity of say, a cheeseburger.  Also, for those of you who balk at an item of styrofoam and lament for the generations which will be cut short due to this pervasive evil in the land… this one’s for you.

As the designated washer of dishes, tub scrubber, food cooker and laundry doer, i.e. “The Mom”, I’ve often sought out ways to minimize my pain and suffering by reducing the amount of dishes to be washed, scrubbing to be done, food to be cooked and laundry to be cleaned.  It’s not that I’m lazy, although that point is ALWAYS up for discussion (and for those who would like to discuss it, you can wash your own dishes, scrub your own tub, cook your own food, and do your own darn laundry - so there), it’s that, well why do all the extras if you don’t have to?  For instance, many families use paper plates as a means to not have to go through the riggum-n-roll of the dishes ‘thing’.  Other families use self scrubbing items for their tubs, so on and so forth.  Of course, most, if not all, of these items are not very eco-friendly and certainly would cause the tree-hugging kind to curse and spit.

It became my duty, therefore, to seek out more ‘green’ ways of reducing my pain and suffering.  And I’ll pass these on to you so you can reduce your pain and suffering.  Perhaps you can do the same for some poor, indentured gal, trying to be June Cleaver in an Angelina Jolie world (yeah, I don’t really know where that came from).  Here goes.

Green Restaurants -  I can think of no better way for my family to show me their appreciation, than to say, “Hey, let US take YOU out for dinner!”  Then, when you pull up, low-n-behold, it’s an eco-friendly joint with tons of tofu burgers and broccoli sprouts.  Now we’re talking!  AND you won’t have to worry about the dishes cuz there won’t be any! Check out a list of green restaurants in your area at sprig.com.

Green Paper Plates - Okay, so they weren’t AS thoughtful as one would have hoped.  You’re still at the stove, whipping up some phenomenal veggie casserole, when someone pulls out the 100%, chlorine-free paper plates.  Oh yeah!  Now, only if we could get some self-cleaning pots, life would be sweet!  To learn more about these and other eco-friendly papers goods check out seventhgen.com.

Green Sponges - Fine, so you had to cook and now you’ve got to clean up the mess you made in that dargone kitchen.  Do it with the 100% biodegradable, natural cotton sponge, Skoycloth.   Not only is this sponge chlorine-free and made from recycled products, it’s cute as heck!  You’ve got to use them fast though, these suckers fully compost in five weeks. They’re not kidding when they say “biodegradable”.  Check out these sponges at skoycloth.com.

Compost Unit - So your little ‘trash-compactors’ didn’t devour that superbly created veggie casserole, don’t fret, compost those leftovers.  In fact, compost just about anything that’s been in your fridge more than 2 weeks.  This compost can recycle its weight in food every 10 days and they’ve got some doo-hickies in it to eliminate those stinky odors created by rotting food.  Can’t go wrong there.  Check it out at naturemill.com.

Cleaning Crew - This is the end-all-be-all of reducing your pain and suffering.  Get a cleaning service, but not just any old cleaning service, this is a ‘green’ cleaning service.  The crew not only cleans your abode with massive vigor and skill, they also provide instruction on how to maintain the ‘greeness’ they’ve created with their non-toxic-cleaning-products-using selves.  Find a ‘green’ cleaning crew near you at coopamerica.org.

Stain Remover - If you’ve got kids, you’ve got stains - stains on their clothes, stains on your clothes, stains on the sofa, stains, stains, stains.  That means you’re going to need a stain remover.  Well, boy is there one out there for you! The Naturally Clean Stain Eraser boasts effectiveness on coffee, beets, chocolate and marinara sauce, just to name a few.  And what makes the Naturally Clean Stain Eraser so “natural”, I’m glad you asked. Instead of using harsh acid or alkaline detergents, Naturally Clean uses pure, vegetable-based enzymes to dissolve fats, oils and grease. Also, the erasers are biodegradable.  Pick up a pack at chemfreesolutions.com.

Change that shower head - If you want to reduce that tub grime, you’ve got to eliminate hard water.  And how do you eliminate hard water?  Once again, I’m glad you asked.  Get a chlorine-removing shower filter.  Aesthetically, it’s superb - your hair and skin will look softer and be less itchy.  Environmentally, it’s a tree-hugger’s dream - this filter has been certified by the National Science Foundation to rid the water of almost all toxic chemicals.  And on top of everything, you won’t have to scrub that bad-boy as often or as vigorously.  Buy it at greenhome.com. 

I think this list is a good start to get you on the road to pain-free living.  It’s not that we don’t love doing all these wonderful things for our families, it’s about working smart not hard.  A major point is also minimizing the carbon footprint we leave on the earth.  Try some of the suggestions above and if you can think of some others, by all means, send me a comment and let us all know about it.  

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