Going Green...

So, I was watching CBC's Marketplace the other day. The episode was about "Lousy Labels" (To view episode click here: http://www.cbc.ca/marketplace/2011/lousylabels/ ), and while I only actually used one of the products on their Top 10 List and not because it was "natural" (it smelled pretty), it really made me start to think about all the chemicals we use in our homes on a daily basis. I was happy to know that because I have Brant in cloth diapers (98% of the time) I'm at least sparing him the plethora of chemicals in disposables and their wipes. Also, I was pleased to know that the laundry detergent I use doesn't have any added toxins or carcinogens, and while it's about 3 dollars more for a tin of it I don't mind spending a tiny bit more for non-toxic laundry detergent. But then I started doing a bit of research on the internet looking into what types of chemicals are in our everyday cleaning, personal care products and especially baby products that we can start avoiding. I obviously can't go out and replace everything in my house RIGHT NOW, but we ran out of baby wash and shampoo and hand soap this week so I was sure, when I went out to replace them, to read the labels and look for products without these chemicals. (http://parentingtips365.com/2010/04/27/11-toxic-ingredients-to-avoid-in-hand-soap-and-sanitizer-and-safer-options-for-your-family/) While the hand soap I bought was a bit pricer than normal hand soap (I also didn't shop around for the best deal, which I will do next time), I actually didn't pay a ton more for baby wash and shampoo. (A large bottle of his normal baby wash is about $10.00 and I bought two baby washes for $5.99 wach) I also looked online for natural cleaning products to clean the house. I found this neat website (http://www.care2.com/greenliving/make-your-own-non-toxic-cleaning-kit.html) that gives all the instructions on how to MAKE your own cleaning kit using normal everyday ingredients. Vinegar, baking soda, borax and essential oils. I'm sure lots of you have heard of stuff like this, but I'm really excited to start trying this out! I still have cleaning products in the house but when I run out of those I will be mixing some up. I think it will be a great way to save some money and have a 'toxic-free' house. Well, I'm really excited to make the switch and maybe one day when we're 'rich and famous' (or just have our own garden) I'll start growing our own veggies and work on worrying about the food!