Green

[dancer]

Over the years I've tried to take steps to be more 'green', less wasteful, more conscious of chemicals and how I consume things. Having a kid and being responsible for all of the 'stuff' she is exposed to makes it yet more important

Comments

[dancer]

The Old Navy PJs are 100% cotton/retardant free. Gap stuff for girls seems to run really skinny (this just kills me, starting a distorted body view for girls before they are even able to comprehend it - another discussion for another time). The Old Navy ones just fit her better. They have an additional panel in the butt for more room in there. The girl has junk in the trunk like her Mom. ;)

I hear you RE the furniture. We bought a new living room set when she was born, coated in something to keep stains off, so I'm sure it's got lots of nastiness.

[lsl]

I hear you on the distorted body image thing for girls. As a parent of 3 girls it is hitting our house hard already. It kills me to hear elementary aged kids complaining about their bodies and daying clothes "make them look fat". argh.

One thought on the Gap clothes though, some kids are super skinny (like my oldest) and it can be challenging to find clothes that fit correctly and comfortably. There are all shapes even in little kids, so having a variety of shapes of clothes is good and not necessarily a body image thing.

[dancer]

"There are all shapes even in little kids, so having a variety of shapes of clothes is good and not necessarily a body image thing

[ahaseurus]

There are a lot of ways to look at "green". Impact on global/local environment, toxic contents here, workers' conditions... In New England, we're living in a hostile climate. In Holland, enormous greenhouses grow local produce year round - yummy - costing many, many euros in electricity. Here, only some greenouse tomatoes from NH or Canada. Unless one wants to subsidize Sandoz (Schwiez) - the biggest producer of vitamin C in the world - buying fruit shipped in at great expense is a good choice. Given the environmental catastrophe in China, does choosing "Made in USA" make sense for the globe? And so on. Yeah, at some point the opportunity cost of "doing the right thing" is too high. I think approximate trumps perfect 100X. You're doing the best you can, so stress as little as possible and raise a good kid! (from all reports, you are)

[jetgrrl01]

I had to let a lot of it go early on. Not that I don't try to buy organic where possible, and certainly I read ingredients on any packaged food and stick to things that have ingredients I recognize, but the days where it's enough that we're eating something at all... I can't worry about it too much! I think you're doing marvelously!

[roaming]

(Looking for the "like" button to let you know I came, I read, I liked)

[lachesis]

Mina's well loved, and (last I noticed) not on fire, so I think you're ahead, Jodi. :) Hugs to all!