One of the families covered in this article get around fridge use by keeping a small freezer in the basement along with a cooler upstairs. They keep the cooler cold with “Two-liter soda bottles full of frozen water, which are rotated to the freezer when they melt.” This family’s fridge is sitting empty and unplugged in their kitchen.

There are some pros to this practice. For example, my favorite anti-fridge quote in the articles is…

“Refrigerator lust is one of the things driving huge energy-use increases in the developing world,” wrote the blogger “Greenpa” on his “Little Blog in the Big Woods” two years ago. “A great deal of what’s in your fridge absolutely does NOT need to be there.”

I agree. Having a fridge can likely lead to over consumption and a general lack of consideration toward purchases. People buy a ton of junk that’s unnecessary, although you don’t need to dump your fridge to be smarter, greener consumer. The fridge also uses about a sixth of all energy in a typical household, making it by far the largest energy hog appliance in most homes.

On the flip side:

Refrigerators have gotten much better over the last two decades. Basic models now use about 60% less electricity than the fridges from 20 years ago while ENERGY STAR qualified refrigerator models use at least 20% less energy than required by current federal standards and 40% less energy than the conventional models sold in 2001.

Additionally, the fridge is obviously very convenient. No fridge, in my opinion, could lead to impulse buys (you’d need to make more frequent trips to the store) and along those same lines, it would waste time. I don’t have extra time to run out every other day for a smaller container of milk.

Lastly, there are plenty of ways to save energy that don’t require giving up your fridge.

• With some basic maintenance your fridge can be more energy efficient.
• You could have more family activities over electrical activities.
• You could plant windbreakers.
• Try some solar lighting.
• Turn off lights when you leave the room and unplug items when they’re not in use.
• And so much more – placing all the energy drain blame on one appliance is silly.

DON’T FORGET: If you do give up your fridge or trade up to a newer, more energy efficient model, you should recycle your old refrigerator.

What do you think – could you live without a fridge? Personally, I’ve lived with a super small, energy efficient fridge for years, because a large one seems unnecessary for my family, but to have none at all seems excessive.

[image via stock.xchng]

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

Moonpads is an Etsy shop run by Annie Rose Shapero. Annie has been making her Moonpads since 2003 and they’re carried both at her own web shop and in stores across the country.

Facts about Moonpads:

Moonpads come in four sizes – a pantyliner, a regular absorbency, extra absorbent, and a long pad.

AN ORGANIC DEAL: The pads come in 100% organic cotton but just because they’re organic, you won’t pay more. Annie notes,

“All the pads in my Etsy shop are currently organic. I have made conventional cotton pads before, and I do sell conventional cotton ones to a few retail stores, but most stores choose to go with the all organic because a) why not? it’s better for the planet! and b) I don’t “upsell” organic- i charge what it literally costs me to buy organic cotton and dye it. When you factor in the percentage that stores mark up, this makes them about $0.70 more than conventional. To me, it’s utterly immoral to charge a “luxury upsell” just because a product is organic.

HOW THEY’RE MADE: Moonpads are made with organic cotton that is grown in the USA and milled in the USA by union workers. Annie hand dyes the fabric herself, and notes, “I use procion dyes. this is the safest dye i could find- it’s recommended for baby clothing and for the chemically sensitive. It creates a chemical bond with the fabric, so there are no chemical residues to get into your body. This also makes it very colorfast.”

My review will be later this week, but just to note, these pads are super thin, which is a nice design characteristic. As I’ve noted before, some reusable pads are so thick they seem like a diaper, and none of us want that (well, unless just postpartum). These pads stay closed with a snap – some are basic snaps and some are very pretty little colored snaps (see below).

PRICE: Moonpads vary in price from about $6.50 to $7.75 and whole sets are available as well. Additionally, Annie offers seconds (when available) which is a great way to score a deal.

STYLE & DESIGN: The best thing about Moonpads are all the many styles they come in. Many styles are offered in all sorts of cool designs. Visit Moonpads to see them all.

HOW THEY WORK: Moonpads can be used like any other menstrual pads. You simply wrap them round your undies, snap, and go. There are two washing options; rinse, dry, and wash OR soak and wash. Instructions for both washing methods are easy and are included on a brochure that arrives with your pads.

Here’s a visual tour:

Top view…

Bottom view…

Later I’ll post a review of these pads, and some reasons why you might want to switch to reusable pads vs. disposables. If you want to learn more asap, visit the Moonpads Reusable Menstrual Pads website.

If you’d like to win your own Moonpads enter the Moonpads Reusable Menstrual Pads Giveaway.

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

Adult Toy Recycling is offering full recycling of all sex toy items, including used, not so used, broken, and otherwise handled sex toys. They’ll even recycle the batteries for you. The process is simple. You send in your toys by mail, and the company takes care of the rest.

Bonus – for every package of sex toys you send in to be recycled, you’ll receive a coupon for $10 off at the all eco-friendly VibratorShopping.com plus free shipping. Ah recycling and less expensive sex toys. Honestly, I never thought I’d type that sentence out. Click on this little logo below to learn more…

If you’re looking for more ways to green up your sex life read: Green That Honeymoon Sex.

[Tip via here]

[image via stock.xchng]

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

Here’s the deal; just because you believe in green living doesn’t mean you need to move into a tree, co-op housing, or an off-grid home. You don’t have to wear peace buttons and amber oil, grow dreads, or smoke the green stuff.

I think there’s a collection of people who think that green means a specific fashion or lifestyle is required, or that if they live green, people will assume they’re into this kind of stuff. The truth is that anyone can or cannot live green. Trust me, I lived in hippie Humboldt land, and not everyone was all that green. You can wear a business suit and be ethical and green.

In a general sense, I think we need to lose the old-school culture based ideas about green vs. the hippies.

What’s your take on this excuse?

[image via stock.xchng]

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

All expenses in the world have leverage and many expenses are choice orientated. Not trying because you think it’ll be too expensive is not a great excuse to ignore green living. If you need help getting over this issue, we discuss it all the time here:

• Organic Food Costs Rise – 11 Ways to Save Money on Organic Food
• How Green Living Saves You Money: Napkin Example
• Why Does Being Green Cost So Much?
• Raising Green Kids In A Commercial Culture
• Kids & Shopping – How Kids Can Be Smart Consumers
• As a parent, do you understand the impact of the need for stuff?

If you’re complaining about the cost of green living, I’d take a very close look at what you own, how you make decisions about purchases, and figure out if you’re handing over cash on a need to have, or want to own basis.

Also, just to be clear, I think that there are some green products that are overpriced, but there are also plenty of conventional products that are overpriced as well. In a general sense, I don’t think green living is expensive. If anything, green living can save you money; on everything from doctors visits to gym memberships to beauty products to gifts to that wall of paper towels to the third car you don’t need.

In what ways has green living saved you money?

[image via stock.xchng]

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

So what if it is?

Frankly I’m tired of this excuse. Yeah it might be a crock, but it’s a lame excuse to use to avoid green living.

Green living is so much more than the global warming issue. True green living supports local economy, fair employment, resource and nature preservation, healthy bodies, and much more. Green living will ensure we don’t live in a concrete jungle void of trees and allows us to learn how to keep dangerous toxins out of our homes and kids.

To flip with global warming. Don’t believe, believe, do what you like, but it’s really a moot point.

Now, do we have any non-believers out there; who still are into green living? If so, tell me why in the comments.

[image via stock.xchng]

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

With the new year almost upon us, many folks are thinking, “Hey, this will be the year I try to live a little greener.” Others will say, “What a waste of time.” There are hundreds of excuse why someone can’t or won’t go green. That said, I’ve decided we’ll have an anti-green weekend before 2009 arrives. This weekend we’ll look at five reasons why you really shouldn’t bother with green living.

This weekend, I’ll post six of the most common excuses I’ve heard over the years. Starting with…

I’m just one person so it’s not like I’ll make that big a difference:

Actually, (and maybe surprisingly) I agree. One person alone recycling ten cans a week won’t make all that much difference. However, if someone thinks of green as a global effort then they might think differently, because many together can make a huge difference.

If just one block of families recycle all their cans, that’s a lot. If everyone in the city recycles that’s a lot more; and so far we’re not even out of our local community yet. If everyone thought “I can’t make a difference,” if people refused to join up, who knows if women would be voting now. Maybe we’d still think slavery was super keen. One voice, one action; is all it takes to start a revolution, but how far it can go is up to everyone.

Have you seen green group efforts that have paid off?

[image via stock.xchng]

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

BUT I have been wanting to do a little something about sex here at Tree Hugging Family – seriously, there’s a lot of waste involved in sex. Here’s the deal. This is still a family blog; read whole family blog. So instead of showing pictures of things like greener sexy undies, and getting all crazy in-depth here, I’m sending you away.

Just in case you’ve missed it, I wanted to point out that Treehugger has an awesome guide with links galore called “How to Green Your Sex Life” that covers condoms to undies to stuff I’d rather not mention at a family blog; still, it’s important stuff, especially if you want to reduce your waste, save resources, and stay healthy. You can still have fun, just try and make it green fun.

Other helpful links:  

Top 10 Ways To Green Up Your Sex Life

Let’s Talk About (Green) Sex, Baby

Get Eco Sexy

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

Today we’re going to kick things off with the eco negatives of conventional female products.

Landfill issues: Of course even just one woman creates enough tampon and maxi-pad waste over her lifetime to make you cringe – just where are all these products ending up? In landfills of course. Multiply this issue by all the many women in the world and it gets pretty scary. Many conventional options are not biodegradable and this includes the product plus packaging.

Animal issues: From tampon and pad companies that test on animals (most of the conventional ones) to the thousands of plastic tampon applicators washing up on beaches each year, choking birds and fish, conventional tampons and pads pose huge threats to wildlife and habitat. Not to mention human health safety – do you want to vacation at a tampon filled beach?

Health issues: I’m sorry, but when it comes to where we put tampons and maxi-pads; is this really somewhere you want pesticides and chemicals?! Ick.

• 107: number of ingredients in pesticides thought to cause cancer, and it’s not as if we’ve haven’t tested them all. (After Silent Spring, NRDC, 6/93)
• 5 out of 9: Number of pesticides used on cotton that are categorized as “The most dangerous chemicals” by the EPA.
• 25% plus: Estimated amount of insecticides that annually (and globally) end up in conventional cotton.
• Many conventional tampons and pads are chock full of dyes, fragrances, and rayon.
• The FDA has publicly, and rather frantically, released statements, in the past, that rumors about tampon safety are incorrect – that chemicals are doing no harm – whether or not you trust the FDA’s judgment is a long discussion for another time, but in the meanwhile read this.

Coming up: Reviews of some better, greener choices you can make when it comes to tampons and pads.

Click here to learn about all the current contests, themes, and green challenges going on at Tree Hugging Family in May 2008

[photo via stock.xchng]

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

Natural burials with biodegradable coffins and no embalming have been popular in Britain for many years, and now green cemeteries are popping up in states like New York and California, among others. For more details, see this CNN article.

The Green Burial Council maintains a list of approved providers who will facilitate green burials with conventional cemeteries in eight states. These providers can also assist people interested in being buried on their own land.

So, what do these biodegradable coffins look like? Eco Coffins offers cardboard coffins in natural, creative or custom. The poppy coffin falls in their creative category.

Here’s a natural version:

Or, if you want a sleeker natural coffin made of recycled paper, you can go with Ecopod:

Obviously, burial is a very personal choice. It’s also something many people, including me, don’t really like to think about. However, as the option of natural burial becomes increasingly available, it’s something to consider.

Post from: Tree Hugging Family