Pet products that don't dent the environment

I have a cat. Her name is Puma. I may be biased, but she's the best cat in the world. In fact, half the reason for this post is so that I can show you cute pictures of her. The other half is to tell you about a better option for cat litter. I used to use the standard clay litter and hated it. It always had a weird smell, produced dust that my asthmatic lungs couldn't handle, and was so heavy. So, as usual, I did my research and found an awesome alternative: Feline Pine Cat Litter.

I first tried FP long ago. It was the pellet kind and I just didn't like that it didn't clump. Somewhere between then and now FP developed a clumping litter, so I gave it a try. It works wonderfully. Clumps incredibly well, masks odors and actually smells nice on it's own, given that it is pine. Now, before you go all, "What about the trees?!" on me, just know that they manufacture FP from scraps of wood leftover from logging. And since it is natural wood, we can put this back into the environment without guilt. The box is cardboard, so recycle or compost that baby!

Feline pine has no chemicals or additives, it is literally just pine. Their box says "Healthy home. Healthy cat. They are what they eat, and breath, and lick, and touch." I love this motto because isn't that what we all want? We want products in our home that keep us healthy, including our pets. Finding sustainable and healthy options for our pets is just as important as finding them for ourselves.

I've used FP for years now. I will never go back to clay litters. In all honesty, my new goal is to train Puma to use the toilet and get rid of the box altogether. Wouldn't that be a dream? Well, this process can take a while and I am still doing my research as to how to begin. So, in the meantime, I will stick with my Feline Pine. If you'd like to try FP out risk-free, they are offering a free rebate right now. The deadline to buy is 3/31 and to mail in the form is 4/15. Save your receipt, remove the UPC from the box, and mail them in with the form.

One more Puma picture. If you can find her.

Use This, Not This: Part deux

It's the return of "Use this, Not this"! In hindsight I probably should've made my sign say, "Use this, Not that," but oh well. For now, I'll let it be. Anyway, let's review. During these posts, I will give sustainable, more affordable, and overall more healthy product alternatives to every day items we use. So, let's get started!

Deodorant. We all need it. No, seriously, we all do. For years I searched for a viable non-aluminum-containing alternative. They all were sticky and/or not very effective. Until now. This year, I discovered the Deodorant Stone. It is made of Potassium Alum (natural mineral salts) and it is so very effective.

I purchased this deo stone on Amazon for a bargain price after reading rave reviews. The label reads: "24-hour deodorant protection made with natural mineral salts that eliminate odor-causing bacteria: *Non-staining, fragrance-free, hypoallergenic *No parabens, no propylene glycol * No animal testing *Gluten Free"
Yes, it really is a rock! You simply dampen one end and very lightly rub it into your armpit, re-dampening for the next armpit. It will last a very long time, because you are just taking a tiny portion with each use. My fiance was skeptical and laughed at me. He tried it one day and has been amazed and hooked ever since. Not even regular deodorant completely eliminated slight odors, but this stone does!
Household Cleaners: We all have to clean. Again, yes we do! I have used homemade products for years, so I have no alternative "Not this" to show you. On the left with the blue cap is my glass cleaner: 1C rubbing alcohol, 1C water, 1Tbsp vinegar. Works like a charm! On the right is my all-purpose cleaner: 50% vinegar, 50% water, splash of lemon juice (something new I tried this batch). To learn more about the anti-bacterial effects of vinegar here is a PubMed study and a little Wiki history. Buy the large jug of distilled white vinegar, nothing fancy. These will save you loads of money and will reduce the plastic containers you consume as well.

Paper towels: Now that we've got our cleaners in order, what do we wipe our mess up with? Cloth napkins reduced my paper towel consumption, but use of these kitchen cloths has completely eliminated my consumption of them. Seriously, this pack has been sitting unopened in my cupboard for months. I purchased my cloths from Trader Joe's, but you can find kitchen cloths nearly everywhere these days. They are highly absorbent and dry quickly. Literally the same material my dad and his colleagues used to wash and dry the fire engines when I was a kid, called a shammy! Or you can use washcloths or rags. It really doesn't matter, so long as what you use is reusable.

Sustainable cotton balls

If you're like me, you use cotton balls on a daily basis. I use two per day: one in the morning and one at night with my toner. Cottons balls aren't the most expensive item I buy, but when I added up how quickly I go through them and how much waste that creates, I knew I had to do something to offset this. I was initially inspired by The Zero Waste Home's blog, which tipped me off to reusable (washable) cotton face rounds. I know, you'd think these would've been a no-brainer!

Their blog recommends Better For Grown-ups Cotton Rounds, but I hesitated to purchase these because of the price. I did a lot of searching and found many alternative options on Etsy; some for a better price. When I finally found some that satisfied me - fair cost for amount of rounds + material that pleased me - the seller ran out! So, I patiently began to wait for the seller to make more and put them up for sale.

While waiting, Pinterest (seriously, this site has changed my life) lead me to a tutorial on how to make your own make-up remover cloths/cotton pads. Again, what a no-brainer! I have made 31 of these so far and have plenty of fabric left for more. Making my own is by far the best deal I could've gotten. And compared to my napkins project - though it was easy - this is even easier, simply because I do not have to care what they look like! This tutorial includes a recipe for homemade make-up remover too. I have yet to make this, but it is something I will be trying as a replacement to my make-up remover wipes (as soon as my stash runs low).



For the cotton side of my pads I purchased a yard of organic cotton hemp fabric on Amazon. For the other side I used an old flannel nightshirt I no longer wear. These cotton rounds work like a charm! If you aren't someone who sews, I still recommend purchasing these as they will definitely pay for themselves in no time and will reduce waste from day one. The ideal rounds I found were made by an Etsy shop called BabyZing. I'd recommend checking back to see when she has them for sale again if you decide sewing is not the route for you.

Look at my napkins!

My first day of spring break and I've already made 12 cloth napkins! I wonder when this productivity will wear off? This isn't a post about anything new, it is more of an update to my original entry: Cloth Napkins: Not just for those fancy dinner parties! I haven't sewn in years, so I am overly excited by what I just made and thus had to share it with you. I also wanted to endorse using cloth napkins again. Cloth napkins have reduced my spending and my waste. I no longer use paper towels/napkins at all. Additionally, this project was fun, fairly quick (quicker if you're an avid sewer - is this the right word?) and satisfying in the end. If you would like to make your own napkins - it is a great beginner sewing project, anyone can do it - this instructive page will show you how.

Product choices that save you money and time

First, just let me say: finals are over! So, I hope to have a few good posts over the next week and a half. I have found that one of the most important things that I can do to live more sustainably is to pay close attention to the products that I buy. Manufacturers today know that a product that requires you to continually purchase replacements or components for it will, in the end, make them more money. Marketers know that if they can convince us that these products are faster and easier, leaving us with more time for living, we will surely buy these products. We live in a society in which quick and easy are valued above quality and longevity. At times, quick and easy is just fine. I mean, who doesn't like saving time?!

There are other times though, that saving time doesn't mean saving money or sustaining your household and the planet. There are times when that seemly convenient product can be replaced with something equally convenient, easy and will surpass the lifespan of the other product. This is the start of a series of posts that I'd like to call "Use this, not this" in which I give you product alternatives that are sustainable without any added hassle. So, without further ado...

Purchase a hand-powered flashlight instead of using a battery operated one. We all know we need to have flashlights around the house, with batteries in them, for safety. The problem is, those batteries lose charge over time, even if we rarely use the flashlight. I found this hand-powered flashlight at IKEA for $4.99. You simply crank the handle a couple of times, push the button and, voila, you have light! No batteries needed It is a nice bright light too, it actually shines brighter than my battery-powered. An alternative to this would be to invest in rechargeable batteries to use with a battery-powered flashlight, but recharging will add to your electric bill. Link to IKEA Flashlight: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/30190857/

Instead of buying peel-away sticker lint rollers, purchase the original fabric lint remover. The peel-away kind really are just a gimmick. They offer no quicker, more convenient or easier way to get this job done. They just add trash to your garbage can. I know what some of you are thinking, "I have a pet, you can't imagine how much fur I deal with." I too have a pet, so yes, I can. And I can tell you this reusable lint remover works twice as well as the sticky kind. I have had this one for years and it is not wearing out in any way. When it has accumulated hair, I simply use a little friction with my hand to comb the hair (fur) into a bunch and throw it away. Simple as pie! The traditional lint roller can often by found alongside the peel-away lint rollers at your local store.

Alright, I admit, this one is a stretch. As a Seattle-ite, I know that the last reason people choose their coffee-making method is to save money. Everyone has their particular type of bean and their particular type of method of brewing that they prefer. But I was thinking, if anyone does happen to be flexible, this is worth a mention. Drip coffee pots require filters. Filters cost money and contribute to trash (although I believe compost is an option with some brands). By using any of the options on the left (Espresso machine, Percolator, French Press) no filter is required. You simply wash the components of the machine itself and reuse. These methods also leave your grounds compostable. These coffee-makers are available at most retail department stores, big box stores and coffee shops such as Starbucks, Peet's, Tully's, Seattle's Best and a whole host of local shops that I am sure the coffee snobs would vilify me for not knowing. :-)

That's it for now. Not trying to overwhelm anyone with too many products to exchange at once. I will continue to find new sustainable replacements and post them, so stay tuned. I've been using many for years and often forget that the disposable alternatives exist. Still working on my mental inventory of what I've replaced with sustainables. In the meantime, I've been finding awesome new homemade products that will save you money on Pinterest. Once I try these out and can officially give them my seal of approval, I will share them with you too! If you are impatient and want to try the first run of these out yourself, you can scoop them off of my board called "Money Savers!" here: http://pinterest.com/alliemcnurse/

The Take-Along Essentials

Studying for finals is upon me, so I have to keep this one short for now. One thing I always find important is having reusable items on hand when I am "out and about". Women know that these days our purses are more like duffle bags, and adding anything more to them might cause some serious damage to our shoulders.

With that in mind, I narrowed down the important things that I like to keep in my purse that save money and the planet. If you are someone who drives more than walks places, you can always keep them in your car instead. Here they are:

• A reusable water bottle. You can buy these almost anywhere, even thrift stores. How does this save you money? You won't find yourself buying any bottled water wherever you go. How does it save the Earth? No bottled water=no plastic=no waste. For more info about the truth behind bottled water, see my links to popular films on the subject at the bottom of this post.
• A reusable hot beverage tumbler. Mine again is stainless steel with a fulling sealing lid so that I can throw it in my purse and not worry about leaks. I got this one from Value Village (thrift store in WA). If you don't want to lug both beverage containers around (and I don't blame you), you can use the tumbler for water or coffee. This one may or may not save you money (depends on the cafe), but it certainly saves the Earth by avoiding those paper cups which equal waste!
• Last but certainly not least: A fold-up reusable bag! This is an absolute must since it is so compact and weighs nearly nothing. Some stores will give you a discount for using cloth bags, money saver! And you are not using plastic or paper bags, Earth saver! The ones shown above are from Target. I bought them years ago in the $1 section. I heard they still sell them in-store. There are many other brands and ones that fold up even smaller than this (I think some of them you can fit in your pocket!). Do a Google search and find the product that works best for you.

These three simple items really keep me from contributing to waste in our environment. Some of you may not be such a tree-hugger like myself; so instead, think about the lack of waste accumulation in a different light. How much time and money do you spend sorting and recycling, taking out the garbage and buying new bags? I don't throw out my trash that often, but people with families can every couple of days. Reducing what you waste, little by little, will save you time and money in the end. And don't worry, I have more ideas to share!

Links to bottled water info:

FLOW: For the Love of Water http://www.flowthefilm.com/

Tapped http://www.tappedthemovie.com/ (Looks like this one is on Hulu right now for free!)

What to do about those plastic trash bags?

Over a year ago I was feeling guilty about throwing out my trash in plastic bags. I recycle every bit that I can. I try to reduce the containers I bring home by using my own water bottles, coffee tumblers and produce bags. But in the end, I still had waste (and still do). In fact, due to apartment living, student life and budgeting, I am not yet ready for the completely zero waste lifestyle. So, I decided to find a trash bag that wouldn't add to the trash.

I discovered and have been using BioBags ever since. I purchase mine at my local Bartell Drugs, but for those of you who can't find them, as usual they are on Amazon (I swear, I have no deal with Amazon, I am just really obsessed with their website). BioBag sells a large variety of bags; for yard waste, food waste, pet waste, toileting, and compost system products as well. They state, "We will never compromise our earth or our standards." How can you say no to a company like that? This is one product where I am not sure how the price compares, but this for me personally, is one I am willing to let slide in the budget arena due to the positive impact it has for our planet.

BioBags do require some special care. Because they are effective at composting, they will begin to compost in your trash bin if you throw in damp food items and liquids. How do I avoid this and make my trash bags last more than a few days? I have a large plastic tupperware in which I place my food scraps, coffee grounds, tea bags, etc. When my BioBag is 3/4 full of dry trash, I put on some gloves and dump my food waste container's contents into my BioBag and take it out to the dumpster right away. Does it require a little more effort? Yes. Does it add significant time to my weekly duties? No. Unless you consider 30 seconds significant.

Additionally, the secret benefit of the food waste container is this: If you have a container with a sealing lid, you will have no garbage smell at all. Doesn't matter if you're throwing out onions and fish bones, still no smell! I just chose a random bin I already had and never used due to it's odd size, nothing fancy or high priced.

One day I hope to have a yard and compost my food waste myself. Or at least live in a building that gets the city "Yard Waste" bins. For now, I am happily using my BioBags, recycling, and reusing/reducing whenever I can.

Let's get personal

Hopefully this post doesn't make anyone uncomfortable. I've noticed that as I've gone through nursing school I can no longer gauge the appropriate vs. the TMI. Nevertheless, as women we all know we have our Aunt Flow come to visit us once a month. This once a month visit can cost us quite a bit, and let's face it, it's a never ending cycle at least for a good 40 years.

I found the solution years ago, but due fear and a boatload of questions, I didn't begin to use the solution until months ago. The solution being The Menstrual Cup. There are a few versions of this out there. The Keeper Cup, the Moon Cup, and the Diva Cup. I chose this cup from GladRags because, you guessed it, it was the best price I could find! However, I bought it on Amazon for around $20. When I calculate that a box of tampons costs around $5 a month, this cup was paid for in 4 short months.

What caused my fear to subside? Well, I did my research. I read countless reviews from multiple sources. I also had the benefit of having two friends who used a version of these cups. I never heard one bad review or complaint. Additionally, it wasn't simply about a product, it was about what that product meant. No more waste! No more reliance on large corporations! No more spending money every month! In a way, it was about freedom. If you'd like to ask me any questions you have of your own, feel free. Like my friends and the countless other reviewers, I am a 100% satisfied customer.

If you are someone who also uses pads during Aunt Flow's visit, GladRags also sells pantyliners, pads and cleansers. Looks like they also sell new mom supples, such as nursing pads, too!

Cloth Napkins: Not just for those fancy dinner parties!

Lately I've been trying to think of *more* ways to reduce my waste and save money. Inspired by The Zero Waste Home I've decided to begin using cloth napkins. I found some freebies in the laundry room giveaway counter (Seriously, I think it's a genie. If I wait long enough, everything I have been looking for shows up down there.), but I am also planning on sewing a few more over spring break with inexpensive fabric I purchased on Amazon. It comes in all colors!

If any of you own a sewing machine and want to start saving money and the planet, here is a simple instructive page. If you are not a DIY type, I am sure you can find some cheap ones at thrift stores near you! Remember, thrifting is also sustainable!

Sustainability can be economical and ecological

My goal is to aid people in creating sustainable lives, both economically and ecologically. People will make changes for varying reasons; some to save money, others to preserve our Earth. When these two reasons can come together and attain the same goal, this makes for sustainable living on a broad scale and benefits us all.

These changes may seem like a lot of effort at first. They may seem more costly to invest in reusable materials instead of disposable. They may take a lifestyle change and require baby steps. My recommendation to you is to find the ideas that are realistic for your lifestyle and begin there. I have, in order to maintain my budget, invested in my reusable products over the course of months. So, you see, there is no need to rush into this if you cannot. There is no shame in taking baby steps, either to maintain your comfort zone or your pocketbook. After all, if change isn’t comfortable and economic, how can it be sustainable in the long run? The ideas I post won’t be overly expensive. It is my mission to find the bargains that will reap the biggest rewards. I truly believe that when you see the change in your finances and your waste reduction you will be inspired to add more sustainability to your life, little by little.

The ideas I post are not always my own, and I will always give credit where it is due. I hope to bring more followers to the people who inspire me and help me to maintain this blog with fresh ideas.