How Do you do your laundry? #BlogChallenge Day 28

I like to go pretty crunchy (natural, green, whatever) with my laundry.
Detergent:
To a one gallon container add:

• 1/2 cup Borax
• 1/2 cup Washing Soda

Fill 3/4 full with hot water and shake until powders are mostly dissolved (I use a plastic 1 gallon vinegar jug so that its easier to shake and pour). Add:

• 1/2 cup liquid castile soap (I'm currently using Dr. Bronner's Almond Hemp)

Fill the rest of the way with water and invert to mix. This will separate and become a little lumpy, but I just shake it before each use. This recipe originally called for two gallons of water but I made it more concentrated to save space. More water may equal less lumps. I use two Tablespoons per load in my HE front loader. There are 256 tablespoons in a gallon, so I should get about 128 loads.

I have noticed some fading of dark colored knits when using borax in the laundry. This doesn't bother me too much since most of our cloths come from thrift shops :-)

Fabric Softener:
Distilled white vinegar
4 homemade dryer balls
Myers Green Day Lemon Verbena dryers sheets (not as effective on static as the dryer balls! I only use these 'cause I got them on sale).

For Diaper Laundry:
I'm trying out Eco-Sprout right now and am happy with it so far. 
Dawn Original dish detergent worked well for occasional "stripping" of noxious fumes that accumulated over time. I soaked the diapers with the detergent for a few hours and then washed them without any soap until there were no suds left.
I always add a little vinegar to the fabric softener compartment for diapers too.  

Tip
I do a lot of cleaning with cloths instead of paper towels. I have learned from experience that you should hang wet cloths to dry instead of throwing them in the laundry pile wet. That will prevent stinky gross stuff from growing on it! 

Favorite Eco-friendly Thing: #BlogChallenge Day 24

My favorite eco-friendly choice is to buy what I can in bulk and store it in glass jars. It is thrifty, reduces packaging waste, and is just plain pretty! I found someone on Cragslist who was selling 2 huge boxes of jars for $20

Green Living--My Best Advice

First I have to say that the overuse of the adjective green is is starting to get on my nerves. The problem is, most people know what you mean when you use it...and environmental stewardship has too many syllables. But I digress...

I entered a giveaway where the blogger asked for comments answering the question: What is your advice to someone who is just starting out trying to live green. I don't remember what I answered--something simple and practical I hope, but the question rumbled around in my brain until I realized what my best advice would be.

My compost pile

Know the Why.
Ouch, that hurts my grammar nerve. What I mean is, know the why behind aspects of the green lifestyle. For example, I was struggling with the question of why to compost. Clearly vegetable matter is biodegradable, how could there be any harm in throwing it in the garbage? The fact is, putting compostable materials in the garbage is a total waste of their potential. Instead of adding nutrients to my garden, I am sending it off to a landfill where it will join the milieu of dirty diapers, dog poop, and disposable razors, etc that will be good for nothing for untold centuries. Thinking about it that way makes the work of composting worth it to me. The same logic works for recycling too.

After turning every week for a few months: A wheelbarrow full of sifted homemade compost ready to nourish the garden!

Its always good to research the claims you hear about online. For both negative and positive claims, look for sources listed. Do you trust them? If all the author gives is their opinion, I usually keep looking until I find some original sources. Well, I'm geeky enough to search Pubmed for actual research articles, but that's not for everyone. Just be skeptical and research until you are satisfied.

Own Your Why.
Take steps that you are passionate about and it will be easier to stay faithful to your commitment. I don't know about you, but I am the conservation cheerleader, recycling coordinator, chief diaper washer, compost dumper/turner/sifter etc for my household. Sometimes that can wear me down, but these things are part of me and my deep desire to reject the throw-it-away mindset. What's your green living passion?