Home < Moms Meet < Do This, Not That

Do This, Not That

Change all lightbulbs to compact fluorescents: check. Switch from buying bottled water to using refillable bottles: check. Gather a stash of reusable bags: check.

Many parents are ready to make more green changes, but they aren’t sure which ones are really more environmentally sound. We asked the experts to weigh in on the eco-friendly changes that count—and got answers to some of our nagging questions.

Which is better: Hand washing dishes or using the dishwasher?

Dishwashers use half the energy, one-sixth the water, and less soap than washing dishes by hand does, according to a study from the University of Bonn, in Germany. Plus, according to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), if you run a more efficient Energy Star dishwasher (look for the logo on the dishwasher), you’ll save 5,000 gallons of water, $40 in utility costs, and 230 hours of your time annually versus hand washing. Even if you’re not using an Energy Star appliance, the dishwasher is still a greener option.

More tips:

• Scrape, don’t rinse. Prerinsing dishes can use up to 20 gallons of water every time you wash.
• Run a full dishwasher. Most of the energy used by a dishwasher goes toward heating the water, and you might as well get the most from each cycle.
• Use short cycles for everything but the dirtiest dishes, recommends consumerenergycenter.org.
• Turn the dishwasher off after its final rinse and open the door to let dishes dry without using electricity.

Verde verdict: Use a dishwasher with a full load every time, and skip a prerinse.

Should I clean with recycled paper towels or cloth towels?

“Reusable towels are better than anything made from paper, even it it’s recycled,” says Diane MacEachern, author of Big Green Purse: Use Your Spending Power to Create a Cleaner, Greener World. “Wash the towels along with other items so the energy and water costs are shared.” According to MacEachern, paper manufacturing emits high levels of pollution, even if the end product is recycled paper. “Avoid throwaway paper products whenever possible,” she says.

More tips:

• Make your own cleaning rags from old T-shirts, frayed towels, and clothes too worn to give as hand-me-downs
• Save energy by drying towels on a rack or line rather than in the dryer.
• Make washing more energy-efficient by only doing full loads of laundry.
• Use cold water with all loads—except bedsheets. According to Eric Ryan and Adam Lowry, authors of Squeaky Green, bed linens are the one area where a little extra energy is worthwhile, since hot water kills dust mites.
• Choose an Energy Star washer, since it’s more efficient. According to the DOE, if your washer is more than ten years old, you’ll spend about $145 more annually on utilities than with a newer one.

Verde verdict: Reusable cloth towels save money and environmental resources.

Should I replace my synthetic furniture with new, natural furniture?

With chic designs and earth-friendly materials, green furniture has revolutionized homes. Still, temping thought it may be to retrofit your whole house with these sustainable choices, that’s out of the question for most budgets. And it would create the problem of finding a new home for your old pieces. Unless someone in your family is experiencing health problems, such as more frequent asthma attacks, because of off-gassing synthetics, you should replace worn-out furniture gradually, piece by piece.

More tips:

• Start with your mattress. “The piece of furniture to change immediately is the one where you spend most of your time,” says Greg Horn, author of Living Green: A Practical Guide to Simple Sustainability. “Most mattresses off-gas formaldehyde and flame retardants, which are potentially harmful.” A mattress is a long-term investment, so replace yours with one made from healthy materials, such as antimicrobial, antibacterial natural rubber latex and organic cotton or wool covers.
• When you buy new furniture, look for sustainable, safe materials, such as products bearing the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) logo.
• Although many green experts suggest buying used furniture, since it doesn’t require the new use of energy to make it, do your homework first. Be wary of furniture pieces that may be covered in lead-based paints. Because there is no way of determining the type of paint without a lead test, when in doubt, opt out.
• Look for solid wood, since synthetic materials (as well as sealants, paints, lacquers, varnishes, and adhesives) can release gasses that are unhealthy to breathe. In addition, small children put their mouths on furniture or put their hands in their mouths after playing, and this can cause them to ingest toxins.
• Before replacing old furniture, clean it with natural products and air it out. Then find it a new home. “By selling or donating,” says Horn, “another person doesn’t have to buy new and there’s no landfill involved.” You can find your pieces a new owner on freecycle.org or craigslist.org.

Verde verdict: Replace little by little, starting with your mattress.

Summer’s almost here, and that means grilling time! Which is more eco-friendly and economical: gas or charcoal?

We grilled the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory for some answers.

“There’s going to be twice as much carbon released from a charcoal grill as from a propane grill,” says Tris West, a researcher at Oak Ridge. Even though lump charcoal comes from wood, which is a renewable resource, it’s not readily available to most people, meaning it takes a lot of carbon emissions to get the charcoal to you.
Don’t confuse lump charcoal with pressed-charcoal briquets (a mix of sawdust, igniters, and other chemicals). Briquets emit harmful amounts of carbon monoxide as well as volatile organic compounds, so they should never be used.
Verde verdict: Switch from charcoal to natural gas or propane.

Should I hand-wash my car or take it to the car wash?

The seemingly harmless summer driveway ritual of hand washing your car is a significant source of water pollution. Commercial car washes use 60 percent less water than backyard car washers, according to the EPA. Ick factor: The EPA says that dirty water containing soap, detergents, residue from exhaust fumes, gasoline, heavy metals from rust, and motor oils can wash off cars and flow directly to storm drains into the nearest creek or stream—where it can harm water quality and wildlife. This is more likely to happen at your home, since most car washes recycle wash water several times before sending it to a treatment plant.

More tips:

• While you may be tempted to wash your car and then water the yard with that water, giving the grass a toxic bath will do more harm than good.
• Try natural, nontoxic waterless car wash products like Lucky Earth (luckyearth.com) to maintain your car’s finish and appearance. Lisa Peri, CEO and founder of Lucky Earth, recommends immediate removal of bird droppings and tree sap with waterless car wash sprayed on a reusable microfiber towel.
• Wash your hands sparingly to conserve resources. Peri recommends cleaning it once a month to maintain the clear coat and spot cleaning more frequently.

Verde verdict: Roll up your windows and put the car in neutral; commercial car washes are the best way to clean your vehicle without dirtying the environment.

Which is better for my baby—a BPA-free plastic bottle or a glass bottle?

This one is a toss-up. Both options are healthy for baby, and similarly priced. If your little one hurls bottles across the room like the next great NFL quarterback, glass bottles may be more dangerous than they’re worth. On the other hand, all plastic—even if it’s free of Bisphenol-A (BPA)—is made from petroleum, a nonrenewable resource. BPA is a plastic additive and a hormone disruptor that’s been linked to health problems such as cancer and some reproductive disorders.
Ron Vigdor, president of Born Free Natural Baby Products, says it comes down to parent preference: “Glass bottles are recyclable, but they’re also heavier.” BPA-free plastic bottles are also recyclable, he adds, and many parents prefer their lightweight, hard-to-break features.

More tips:

• Developing bodies are more vulnerable to toxins like BPA, so definitely buy BPA-free plastic if you choose a plastic bottle or sippy cup. If budget is an issue, start by replacing the bottles that have scratches and other signs of wear.
• Any new bottles purchased should be BPA-free or glass.
• Since babies have bottle preferences, too, start with one or too bottles. Junior can test-drive before you plunk down for dozens.

Verde verdict: Go with either glass or BPA-free plastic, or both.