Laundry Lesson

Last month, we decided to begin to eliminate plastics from our household. One of the first things to go was liquid laundry detergent in hard plastic bottles. We didn't toss out our old detergent, because we also try to maintain an economical household, and that would have been wasteful. We used it to the last drop, and even cut the bottle in half and wiped it clean!

Then, unsure of whether we would make our own detergent or use a store bought powder (in a cardboard box), a little research was in order. On our usual bi-weekly shopping trip, we  perused the laundry aisle and decided to pick up a box of 365 brand laundry powder. The ingredients were clean, no scents or fillers, and best of all, it was plastic free...or so we thought.

Back home, I enthusiastically opened the cardboard box only to find an over sized plastic bag filled with pristine white powder and a hard plastic scoop. Really?, I thought. At first I felt scammed by the cleverly designed, pretty pretty picture on the front of the box, but quickly recognized that I was to blame for being so naive. After all these years, I know better than to judge a book by its cover. I should have thought about the scoop, and searched online before hand for a company who either provides a cardboard scoop, or an aluminum pour spout.

I shook it off, and sent my husband (whom I will refer to, from today forth, as Thomas) back to the store for a refund. Take that Whole Foods Market! This step is of utmost importance to the eco-friendly consumer, you'll only be defeated if you allow it to happen, don't be afraid to return products that do not meet your standards.

Back at square one, and dangerously low on laundry detergent, we decided to attempt to make our own. We flipped through some green cleaning books we have at home and searched the web to find hundreds of recipes that all essentially include the same things: washing soda, some kind of soap or soap flakes, borax, and baking soda. It takes some work to grate the bar soap, but it's worth it in the end if you want a 100% natural, plastic free detergent.

The basic recipe (from Homemade by Reader's Digest):
1/2 cup soap flakes
1/2 cup baking soda
1/4 cup washing soda
1/4 cup borax
1 16 oz container with lid
*When washing diapers or stained garments, I like to add 2 TBSP Biokleen Oxygen Bleach Plus (which we've had on hand for years, when we run out, I will not purchase more because it comes in a plastic tub.)

1) Grate a bar of soap on a course kitchen grater (We use a Microplane hand grater).
2) In a large bowl mix all ingredients together. Store in container.
3) Use about 1/2 cup per load of laundry (We use about 1/8- 1/2 cup depending on the size of the load, and the soil level of the clothing or diapers).

For the average household, this detergent is probably fine. For the first few weeks, I loved it, especially the cost compared to store bought. However, if you are cloth diapering, as we are, this powder will interfere with the absorbabilty of your cloth inserts, and may lead to leaks. We had no problems until we started using this powder. The first night that Dylan's diaper leaked, I thought it was just too full, but when it started happening several times per day, Thomas mentioned that he had read something about detergents mucking up cloth pads.

I consider urine leaking onto our mattress (we're co-sleeping) every night urgent, so I had to act fast. Realizing that I probably had to begin using liquid detergent again, I headed to the store. I wasn't expecting to find anything but the usual hard plastic bottles of liquid detergent, as I had been down this aisle many times in the past. To my surprise, there was another option this time.

Seventh Generation has a new liquid laundry product, called Natural 4X Laundry Detergent, that comes in a cardboard (surely plastic lined) container.The spout is hard plastic, as is the lid, but it's a step in the right direction, to be sure. The bottle reads "This bottle uses 66% less plastic..." The cardboard is compostable and recyclable. Though the packaging is somewhat progressive, I have a problem with Seventh Generation as a company. Seemingly every product that they make, across the board, is loaded with SLS. For the record, if there is ever any controversy regarding the safety of a product, I will err on the side of caution. If you have no problem with SLS, this detergent is probably a good option.

I think for the time being I will go back to using Organic Green Shield soap nuts liquid detergent. I plan to use this liquid for Dylan's diapers only. I will continue to use the homemade powder for all our other laundry needs. I also plan to find a recipe for homemade liquid laundry detergent that will not interfere with the cloth diapers, and do not plan to purchase liquid detergent again once this one runs out.

If the thought of making your own laundry detergent seems daunting, hold off, everyone has to start somewhere, there's really no wrong way to "go green," making the commitment to do so is the first step. Most days it feels like we're taking two steps forward and one step back, and I have to admit that even I worry about what we might do next.

How did I get here?

     I haven't always been this way. Like the majority of us, I was bottlefed as an infant, raised on the Standard American (SAD) Diet, attended daycare and public school, and had never truly left the United States (aside from sporadic visits to border towns in Mexico) until I was 20 years old. I don't believe my childhood was tragic, or even bad, but I believe that it could have been more enriching. I don't blame my parents for any of the above, they had a child young, and they did the best that they  knew to do. Someone once told me "Once you know better, you do better," and that is exactly what I plan to do.

The Past

          I suppose this journey towards a more "natural" lifestyle began about 6 years ago;  I was 17 years old, and my boyfriend (who is now my husband) of one year and I decided that we wanted to be "healthier."
     For the life of me, I cannot remember what triggered the switch, but nevertheless, we decided that we wanted to start making our food from scratch, instead of continuing to consume the packaged, chemical preparations we were used to. For a month or more, we were buying whole, raw chickens to bake, organic cow's milk, frozen broccoli, and ground turkey for homemade, grilled turkey burgers. I distinctly remember feeling such pride that we had followed through, and I really believed that what we were doing was "healthy;" and in a conventional way, it was.
     I began to devour books about human nutrition and cooking; at the time, I couldn't get enough. My hunger ultimately led me to the internet where I found articles about factory farming, pesticides, food-borne illness, animal welfare, food additives, and the like. The research I was doing was overwhelming, to say the least. Everything that I knew to be true about food was turned on its head.
    One day, I came across a video called Meet Your Meat. I was reduced to tears and inspired to action; From that day forward I was a vegetarian. My boyfriend was reluctant to join me, and I never once pushed the matter. I never expected him, a self-proclaimed bacon lover, to make the significant lifestyle change that is vegetarianism. After a month or so, he told me that he wanted to try a one week trial vegetarianism; he did, and we never looked back.
     For the next three years, we were vegan. We didn't consume any animal products or by-products, and we even sold our leather belts and shoes, and our wool sweaters and coats.
    In 2008, we took our first European trip to England and France. Needless to say, there is no paucity of delectable chocolates and cakes, or rich cheeses in Europe, and upon our return home, we were vegetarian again.
     Since then, we have taken a few more trips across the pond (on a particularly special trip to Greece and Italy, my boyfriend became my husband), and another to Central America. In an attempt to further my knowledge and enhance our already "alternative" lifestyle, I have worked in many health food establishments and even majored in dietetics and human nutirition in college. Our seemingly simple journey to a healthier lifestyle has become a whole lot more complex, in a good way; think carbohydrates.

The Present
     Last year, we moved ourselves and our belongings halfway across the country, from FL to TX, in search of a more challenging, and more affordable education. When we arrived, poised to begin school, we were surprised to find out that I was expecting our first child.
     Thankfully, our perfect plan changed and now my husband is in school and I am managing, with our 5 month old son in tow, a sports nutrition establishment not five minutes from home.
     This year has been all about Dylan. On April 4th, I delievered him 100% drug free, with my husband and my amazing doula by my side. As far as hospital births are concerned, I had a best case scenario. I did my research, and carefully chose a modern, but experienced doctor who favors natural childbirth, respects a woman's right to give birth like the animal she is, and welcomes the company of a birth doula. I formed  a very specific birth plan, and it was followed to the 'T' thanks to all of the above supportive people. I was not confined to a monitor or a bed, and in fact, labored mostly at home. I was 8 1/2 cm when we arrived at the hospital and walked the halls and the delivery room until about 9 1/2 cm, when my water broke, on its own. After 40 minutes of effort on my behalf, Dylan was born. He was placed in my arms and breastfed immediately after he was born, even before being wiped clean of the protective vernix. He was not vaccinated and didn't even receive a vitamin K injection, his umbilical cord was allowed to stop pulsating before being clamped and cut, and he was and still is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.

     I don't regret delivering in a hospital, but if ever I am pregnant again, I will plan a home, water birth.

The Future
     My husband will transfer from his current college to Texas A&M University in January 2012, and hopefully will make it out in just over two years a Wildlife Biologist. The current plan is to become ex-pats as soon as possible after his graduation. If only for a few months, and only for a post-grad research project, we will leave this country. As Dylan grows, we feel it is important that he, as an unschooled child, have a wholly enriching environment to explore, enjoy, and to learn. Besides, all we have is this world, right now, and we want him to enjoy every minute of this one life.