If I had to build my dream home tomorrow, it would include a whole bunch of weird things. Like solar panels. And water retention systems. And it would probably be made of something weird like recycled milk jugs. Just saying...
But, alas. I am not building a house, and I do not have money for triple glazed eco-windows. We make do with what we have, and one of my favorite features in my home is my programmable thermostat. The little beauty came with the house when we bought it five years ago, and it's made energy efficiency incredibly easy. With a programmable thermostat, you set it once for your family preferences and forget about it. What could be easier!?
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It's been over two years since I started this blog, and some of my first posts were about cloth diapering. However, it's been awhile since I posted something for cloth-curious families, even though I receive more questions about cloth diapering than anything else. Today, I'm attempting to answer my most often asked questions in one post. Let's hope it doesn't turn into a tome...
This is the first series of updates on books I'm reading in 2015. I'd love to have you follow along! Leave your book recommendations in the comments and on the Moderately Crunchy Facebook page. Check out more frequent updates on both Instagram and Goodreads.
Crazy as it sounds, I've had my fill of inspirational stories. For those who don't know, I am a person who stutters (PWS), which is the politically correct way to acknowledge a person who stutters or stammers. Although, if we're being honest, I won't get too upset if you call me a stutterer. I'm accepting of the fact that I have a disability, and my speech certainly doesn't define my life. That being said, I'm semi-active in PWS circles, and I'm completely disgusted of the way certain organizations treat stuttering and other adult-persistant disabilities.
One of the greatest goals of this blog is giving you practical ways to save the world. No small task. However, technology is a big help is you're trying to navigate the confusing world of conscientious living. I'm going to be throwing a new series your way from time to time, focusing on apps that make eco-friendly living accessible for everyone. I'll be calling it Eco Apps, and it'll pop up a few times each month. Tell me what you think, and let me know if you have suggestions.
Today's featured app is Good Guide. This was one of the first apps I downloaded when I bought my iPhone, and I use it almost every time I shop. With this handy little app, you can scan bar codes or search a database of health, beauty, and cleaning products to see ratings in three categories: health, environment, and societal impact. When you click on the product information, the app spells out why that product received a specific rating, highlight potentially harmful ingredients, and recommend better options in the same product category.
It had been 10 weeks since I had my baby, my milk supply was well established, and I was itching to lose those last 6 baby pounds that were still hanging around. With the help of my Fitbit Zip (which I LOVE!), I decided to add food journaling to the equation to get things moving a little quicker. If you've never kept a food journal before, know at the start it's a daunting, psychologically draining task. There's nothing quite like confronting all your eating habits- the good, the bad, and the downright horrible. However, if you're serious about managing your health, it's a vital step in the process, even if you're not currently trying to lose weight.
I can't think of a time in my life when I've ever been happy with my body. For those who know me, that's probably going to come as a shock. I have, through some stroke of genetic luck, a pretty great body. In the interest of full disclosure (and with a deep breath), I'm 5' 5" and 120 pounds. I wear a size 4 or 6, and I have a five month old baby. In a world that trumpets fat shaming and thin privilege, we often overlook that women of all shapes and sizes suffer with distorted body images. Body hating is not reserved for the curvy girls, and my story is tragically common.
All of us have chores we despise. For me, it's folding laundry. Not actually doing the laundry, mind you, just the folding and putting it away part. However, a very close second to folding the laundry is doing dishes by hand. First off, it's tedious, and it makes my hands all dry and scaly. And, I'm sorta obsessive about germs, and I always feel like the dishwasher does a better job of sanitizing things. Lucky for me, the dishwasher also turns out to be pretty green.
Tis the season for New Year's resolutions. Ugh. I'm not a big fan of resolving to fail at things that make me feel bad about myself, and fitness is not always my strong suit. I have three kids 5 and under, which doesn't leave a lot of time to hit the gym, even if I wanted to spring for a gym membership.
Does loving your body have to be expensive and time consuming?
I'm not usually a fan of New Year's Resolutions. Something about forcing myself to do something I don't like makes me want to rebel. Against myself. Yeah, I recognize how little sense that makes. However, I'm all for challenging myself to do something I love. And I LOVE to read!!!!
There is no other hobby that can free our minds like reading can. Diving into a good book lets us learn about new topics, stay sharp, and be interesting. After all, you can't start a sentence with, "I was just reading about..." if you haven't read anything lately. Do yourself a favor this year. Be interesting. Be awesome.
