A Wake Up Call
For those of you receiving this post by email, please make sure to click on the blog link so that you are able to view the video. It is worth it! This post was written as part of Steady Mom’s 30-Minute Blog Challenge.
Janelle from Healthy Child/Healthy World has asked the mom community to help spread the word about a new campaign that they just launched centered on a video called “A Wake-Up Story.” They are trying to WAKE UP as many people as they can to the issue of chemicals in everyday products and encourage them to vote with their dollars in the marketplace and vote with their voices to governments.
Please watch this very short video (it is absolutely gorgeous) and then pass it on to as many people as you can. One by one we can make a difference together.
A Wake-Up Story from Healthy Child Healthy World on Vimeo.
Need some ideas for ways to share this very important message? How about…
…your blog
…on Facebook
…on Twitter (”Are you awake? Watch this and you will be. AWakeUpStory.org)
…on YouTube (you can comment on the video and/or share it on your playlist)
…on StumbleUpon (give the website a thumbs up)
…on Digg
…anywhere else you can think of!
My Cup Runneth Over….
For all of my male relatives and friends who may be reading this (any man for that matter), STOP READING NOW. You will receive WAY too much personal female information and your head may explode.
As you may remember, one of my goals for 2009 was to begin using a Diva Cup. Well, last week I went out to Gentle Rain in Stratford and bought myself a cup. I had read all the testemonials on the website that said using one of these cups makes you practically forget your period except for the 2-3 times that you change it each day. It can be worn up to 12 hours at a stretch and, if inserted correctly, will not leak and a pad theoretically does not even need to be worn (although a pantiliner is recommended in case of small leaks).
So the Diva Cup intrigued me in a couple of ways: something reusable that can save me money by lasting for years and reduce my contribution to the local landfill; and something that is more comfortable and convenient than traditional tampons and pads. Let me tell you, after buying mine last week I could NOT WAIT for my period to start (a bit pathetic, I know).
Well, I am now on day two of my period and the damn cup is not working. I will not even go into detail about the trauma that I first experienced when trying to even get it in and out (they don’t mention that in the testemonials). My bathroom looked like a crime scene after I finally got done working out all the details. Now I’ve got insertion and extraction mastered, but am not having much success with anything else. The cup is not opening properly and it is leaking as if it weren’t even there.
After seaching online, I found a fantastic mind-bogglingly great menstral cup resource that has helped me pinpoint some of my problems. I recommend this site to anyone considering a cup and wish that I had found it prior to buying my Diva. Here is what I think my cup issues are:
Diva cup directions: Everyone across the board seems to agree that the directions and illustrations that come with the Diva Cup suck are sadly lacking. There are much more realistic (and graphic) instructions provided by other women on the site. One woman wrote that she wasn’t sure of the last time she touched her ‘cookie’ so many times in one day.
Folding: I had no idea the number of different folds that can be used to insert the cup. One is so complicated that it is actually called origami. The Diva Cup instructions only give you the ‘C’ fold which may be the easiest but also the least effective and most uncomfortable. I have found the ‘Punch Down’ and the ‘7′ folds to be easiest and most effective for me.
Muscle strength: I think this is my biggest problem right now. I should have listened when my OB kept harrassing suggesting that I do my kegels! My cup has not been popping open properly, and I thought that it was a size issue. But now I suspect that my pelvic floor muscles are not strong enough to hold my cup in place. So, it is riding up too high, not properly opening and therefore leaking.
Style of Menstrual Cup: Diva Cup is probably the most mainstream of the cups. It was also the only option at my local health food store. But I now realize that there are quite a few cups out there and they vary in size, colour, flexibility and softness. There are also quite a range of prices and coupons to be found. I paid $35 Canadian for my Diva. But apparently you can buy one at iherb.com for a total cost of $15.49, which includes shipping. Their regular price is $18.99, but you can get $5 off with the code MUR878, taking the price down to $13.99 and they only charge $1.50 shipping in the U. S. (I’m not sure of their Canadian shipping rates).
So here is the rundown: I have not yet given up on my Diva, although many people seem to agree that it may be the most difficult cup to use for a beginner due to its size and more rigid silicone. I will work hard at my kegels this month and will hopefully have a much nicer visit with Aunt Flo next month.
I will recommend a menstrual cup to anyone who:
- is willing to have a very, very intimate relationship with her ‘cookie’
- is willing to do a bit of homework about the type of cup is best for them
- wants to save money over the long run
- is ready to give up traditional pads (although I wouldn’t do this immediately until you feel that you have got the cup mastered
- feels strongly that even a small, silicone cup can help make a big stride towards preserving our environment
Let me know if you have tried, plan to try, or have had any success/failure with these cups. You’ve already learned way too much information about me…you might as well share too!
Filed under Sometimes it's Hard to be Green, Up Close and Personal | Comments (2)Did I Say Simple?
I have been offline for over a week now and I would like to say that it is because I have been blissfully enjoying my children and husband throughout my wonderfully simplified Christmas season. We have been busy crafting homemade ornaments, thoughtfully writing out personal eco-friendly greeting cards to all of our close family and friends, and the kids are currently stringing popcorn for our tree and singing carols.
However, if l led you to believe that this scenario has played out even one day in our home this holiday, I would be a liar.
Here is the reality: Steve and I decided that I should start working asap to help alleviate some financial strain caused by a floundering economy. Thankfully, I found someone looking for seasonal work and began working at our local chocolate shop last week. An added bonus is that this is my absolute favorite store in town (for obvious reasons). A friend giggled a bit when I mentioned my new employer and said that all she could think about was Lucy and Ethel shoving chocolates anywhere they could as they whizzed by on the conveyor belt. I replied that I thought it would be a bit more like the movie Chocolat- yummy and a touch romantic. The reality is somewhere in the middle. There was a very amusing moment on Saturday involving a conveyor belt full of chocolates….but I digress.
My point is that not being gainfully employed for over four years has made me a bit rusty when it comes to schedule juggling. I’m only working part-time, but let me tell you that the new job has definitely thrown a kink into my whole ‘Simplistic Christmas’ plans. This really hit home today when a woman bought a basketful of chocolates for stocking stuffers and said that she was “Getting all of her last-minute shopping done.” It dawned on me that this is officially THE LAST MINUTE and I do not have much of anything done and don’t have much time in my schedule to get it done. This is the point where I run screaming for the rum-laced eggnog and try to sink into some oblivious stupor rather than deal with the reality of an overly stressful week.
At least I’m still doing my yoga. Breath in. Breath out.
So I’m going to re-assess my to-do list for this Christmas and see what can be cut out to help simplify and keep my sanity. If it turns out to be your Christmas card, I apologize.
In the meantime, here are a few links for some great, green, last-minute gifts in case you are in the same boat that I am…
Anamalz - These toys are so beautiful, I want some for myself! They are actually going to be stocking stuffers for my youngest. What I love is that they are organic, give a percentage to conservation efforts, and the price tag is phenomenal! I’ve seen them at both Mastermind Toys and local toy shops.
Affordable Mineral Makeup- My daughter is 7 and wants to start playing with makeup more at home. The chemicals in children’s makeup is even less regulated than adult cosmetics, which is quite scary. This online mineral makeup is inexpensive, safe and comes in all sorts of fun colours for her to experiment with. I’m giving her some Badger Balm and some extra vials so that she can create her own lip glosses and I don’t have to stress about what she is putting on her face. These guys ship quickly and cheaply-even to Canada.
Give an E-book- This is the number one gift that I am giving to all of my close friends this year (i’m sorry if I’m giving away your surprise). First of all, it is green. Secondly, depending on the book, it is free or low-cost. My favourite this year is Simple Mom’s Spend Less Than You Earn. It is actually a collaboration of several great bloggers and is chock-full of timely advice about ways to reduce your living expenses. Now who couldn’t use that?
Filed under Holidays, Sometimes it's Hard to be Green | Comment (1)Detour to Crazyville
Lately, I’ve been finding myself having imaginary conversations with other people. Sad, I know, but these are the things that run through my mind as I’m scrubbing the toilet in a quiet house while the baby is napping. My thoughts usually are along the lines of trying to decide whether I’m doing something ‘more green’ than someone who is obviously too self-absorbed to care about the plight of the woodland tree frog, or less green than someone who is obviously a complete tree-hugging wingnut. Here are a smattering of my thought processes:
‘We have two cars, and you only have one. BUT, you commute an hour everyday and we work from home.”
“I took an awfully long shower this morning, BUT I only bathe every other day compared to your everyday showers.”
“Sometimes I leave on lights, BUT at least I don’t have the TV on ALL the time like you do.”
I am quickly coming to the conclusion that comparing my footprint to someone else’s leads to a very quick detour from ‘Greenville’ straight to ‘Crazyville’. Being green is not about how you compare next to others. Everyone has different situations and different realities of life. But this sense of competition is a really hard habit to break. We all like to peek over at our neighbors and see how we compare. This either gives us a sense of great satisfaction and smugness, or a feeling of complete ineptitude and guilt.
So I have decided that I am going to continue to compare myself with someone. But the person that I am going to judge myself against will be the Jenni of the past (was that statement even comprehendible?). I am going to start this experiment by listing out all the green things that me and my family of five are doing currently. Then each month, I am going to pick something that I can either improve on or add to the list. At the end of each month, I can assess how I’ve done. Hopefully this changes my thought processes to something a bit more constructive:
”Last month we walked the kids to school once or twice a week. This month, we walked 4 or more times.”
“Last month I averaged 12 minutes per shower. This month, I can easily get the job done in 7.”
“We saved 20% on our electricity bill compared to the same time last year.”
These statements are a lot more healthy, and more importantly…sane.
By the way, I will not be putting my green list up on the blog. It would just be too tempting for someone like me to compare themselves to! I will make a note of what I am working on improving each month. Stay tuned.
Filed under Sometimes it's Hard to be Green | Comments (2)Spending Her Inheritance
Well I feel sheepish.
This morning was rushed like every other. Getting two children out the door for school, including packing a lunch (which can’t include peanut butter or eggs) can be trying for a mom who is still coping with a stubborn 1-year-old who really likes my company at 2 am.
So this morning, I realized that I never went through Katelin’s backpack yesterday. I had the streak of luck that there truly was no homework (like she said) and that there were no permission slips to fill out or lice infestation announcements. I did have to deal with leftover lunch which in the past has included really stinky cheese or gloppy tomatos. Thankfully this morning, it was just a couple of baby carrots still in the reusable container I send them in. I quickly tossed them in the trash, already thinking ahead to what I’ll pack up for Katie today.
“Um…You should compost those.”
Busted. Simultaneously I felt embarrassed and incredibly proud by my 6-year-old’s keen observation. I turned around to see that both she and Jack were watching my every move while they ate their buttered zucchini bread and slurped apple juice. It was one of those moments when the children seem far wiser than their parents.
“You’re right, I should. Mommy was just so busy, I didn’t think. ”
Of course we have a composter. And a compost caddy that sits on our back porch that makes it even that much more convenient dispose of our family’s organic waste. And for some reason this morning, those extra 10 steps and 20 seconds just seemed like way too much effort. Funny how a small child can put things into perspective.
It’s the planet that she’ll be inheriting after all.
Filed under Life in General, Nature, Sometimes it's Hard to be Green | Comments (2)
