Going Green During the Holidays

With the holidays coming up, I thought it'd be good to remind people that the holidays can be a time of great excess, but let's try and focus on being with people we love, caring for the less fortunate, and of course, celebrating it in a manner that is helpful in providing a better world for DomerBaby and all the other children who will be inheriting the earth from us!

Part of "going green" is to buy things that are sustainable in nature (re: less plastic) and last a long time. The other part - the not as fun part - is to consume less all together. Now that Christmas is looming take a moment to be conscious of *all* of your shopping. Consider the source of your purchases. Is the item safe? What is it made of? Who made it? How far did it have to be shipped? The best items are made of sustainable materials (like wood, natural fibers, etc), grown and harvested responsibly (organic cotton, managed forests, fast-growing plants), and designed in a safe, sturdy, and high quality manner. Ideally it wouldn't travel around the world, either. You might consider buying one more expensive item than 12 inexpensive but questionable ones for the people on your lists.

Edit: check this article out - "the stick" has made it into the toy hall of fame! See what I mean?

On a personal level, please consider that we live in a small apartment with no storage before you go on your baby buying sprees this year [we've come to terms that we can't stop some of you]. An article of clothing, a small well-made (safe and natural) toy, or a book is *much* appreciated. Part of "raising baby green" is to raise them without an excess amount of things surrounding them. We're very committed to that. Please don't go overboard if you choose to buy a gift! Another great option is to buy something for toys-for-tots or adopt a child or family this Christmas instead. We are very blessed to be able to afford everything we need, but that's certainly not always the case.

Speaking of DomerBaby, s/he is getting stronger in there! Somehow it manages to whack me on the left and right side at once in synchronized fashion! I think it must still be lying transverse (sideways) and one is an arm and the other a leg. Or I have an octopus baby that they didn't discover during the u/s.