The Jewish Passover holiday is associated with springtime, freedom and joy. The pleasure of cleaning out the old for the new and a good spring clean. Well the joy of the Passover spring clean took a very nasty turn for me and my family yesterday, and it was an an even sadder one for another family.

My husband took our son to work with him yesterday, and while in the kitchen he watched as our toddler played with a small water bottle. The next moment he was gagging and screaming, my husband quickly checked the bottle – it was bleach!

This is a heart stopping moment: an ambulance was called and our small, baby boy was rushed to hospital. Fortunately for us he is okay, but while in the Emergency another young boy was rushed in, unconscious, poisoned: he had also drunk from an innocent water bottle, though this time filled with pesticides and he didn’t survive.

Spring cleaning has become a madness of chemical cocktails to get your house sparkling and clean but along side this, people become careless and the rate of accidental poisonings takes an enormous jump and a large percentage of these stories have very unhappy endings.

Apart from all these cleaning chemicals being extremely bad news for the environment, they are also poisonous for your family and home, and you breathe in the fumes as you clean. The cleaner at my husband’s place of work had brought in bleach in a water bottle from home and left it in the kitchen – that is how simple it was.

This Passover, being green is not just for the environment but for your family too – use vinegar and baking soda and I promise they do the job very well and you will all be a lot healthier and happier.

Read more on injury prevention tips here.

Read more on green cleaning products:
A green guide to home cleaning products
Get your dry cleaning wet
Eco-Rabbi on Passover Cleaning

Image via gamenerd

Busy moms can lose their “green” focus. Green Prophet’s EcoMum goes over 7 focal point tips to keep over-stretched moms on their “eco” pointe.

It’s been a while since this EcoMum reported her tips on Green Prophet. I’ve been in my “mummy bubble” and from here I take it for granted that most people these days have a much greener outlook to life and are slowly but surely making positive changes to their environment.

But I seem to think my bubble maybe bursting as I find myself answering more and more questions about the basics of green parenting. This made me think of getting back to my core beliefs of eco-parenting. Read on about my thoughts on green food, education, toys, diapers, cleaning chemicals and transport. Of course you can start off with your child from birth by using organic baby clothes.

But in this short guide I’ve provided 7 focal tips to keep any green parent, or want-to-be green parent on track. 

1. Food Glorious Food (breastfeeding and organic food)

No matter which way you look at it, breastfeeding is the best way to first feed your baby. I understand there are mothers who simply cannot and formula is a savior for them but do not let us be fooled by profit driven companies: formula is not the healthiest option for your child or yourself.

Going organic: Next, even if you cannot afford organic food all the time at least make sure that the first food you introduce to your babies is organic. You will be buying small amounts, so cook bulk and freeze.

Avoid plastic bottles and containers that do not specify that they are BPA free as there is a danger that it will leach and the news just gets worse and worse about BPA.

Ditch the canned food, especially tomatoes as the cans are lined with plastic which contains BPA. Steer clear of processed foods, apart from all the additives, because the salt content is very high and this can be far more damaging to your child than sugar. So get cooking. Green Prophet has a wonderful series of recipes. Look through our archives.

2. Toy Town

I have to admit on a tight budget this can be a very frustrating and at the same time a satisfying task, that of keeping the toys green. News reports are being constantly updated with toxic toys from the Far East, lead paint in toys is appearing even in the most reputable company’s toys, so choosing and buying toys has become somewhat of a mine field.

So how do I do it? First of all I really don’t think that you can beat good old pots and pans and wooden spoons. My kids love them and do not seem to bore from them; another useful fact is to have a few quality toys and swap and change from day to day, quality not quantity, is a constant truth. Try buying wooden toys and steer clear of soft plastics too as they may contain PVC, another nasty.

3. Teach your child to be an environmentalist

When I am out and about on holiday with my children it makes my heart sing to watch my daughter, age 4, picking up rubbish and putting it in the bin while muttering about naughty people. She’s my star!

At home we wash all plastic containers and reuse for storing all her bits and pieces, stones, odd shells and pretty ribbons.

If anything gets broken it goes to Dad first for a fixing treatment not the garbage bin or it may not reincarnate as something new.

We have taught her to love and appreciate nature, not to waste water and most importantly to make the most of what we have and not to crave new things. She knows about recycling, from home and nursery. Children are incredibly curious and listen with bated breath and absorb all these crazy little facts we bombard them with, so make them worthwhile and the next thing you know your children will be teaching you how to look after the planet for their future.

4. Stuff and Nonsense

This is the long list of all the things that companies tell us we need to have happy children, starting from day one of all the must haves, enough to make your head spin and your overdraft at the bank grow.

Please start to ignore them or at least take with a pinch of salt. This is consumerism gone mad.

Nursery furniture has been in the news recently with some worrying facts about chemical fumes from glues, stains and fire repellents, so if you are buying a cot or bed try to find the most natural option, in this case second hand is not always the best case.

Mattresses should always be new and preferably made from a natural foam or wool with organic cotton liners. Co-sleeping is another option.

Clothing lists can be covered by good second shops which are increasing in their numbers around the world,thankfully. If you really must have new, try to go down the organic cotton road. Paint your nursery with natural or low VOC paints and don’t do it the day before baby of child moves in, air the room well.

In general keep your home well ventilated and remove shoes at the door, they are the biggest carrier of pollutants into the home.

5. Green Clean

This is really very important, ditch those chemical cleaners, laundry soaps and personal toiletries. All they do is feed your body a chemical cocktail. I have not used a chemical, non-eco friendly product in my house for years, my health and the health of my family has never been better, our home is full of natural smells and our laundry is now whiter than white. Our shopping bill is also smaller.

Vinegar, bicarbonate of soda and hot water, that’s all I use for cleaning. Steer clear of health and beauty products that contain parabens, the choice of natural products now available is great, or olive oil works just fine for me.

6.  Walk and Go Slow

Yes I know it is hot outside in the Middle East, even cold and wet sometimes (if we are lucky) but seeing people drive 500 meters to the shops or the school is ridiculous. Please walk or carpool, get together with your friends and go together shopping or fill the car with kids for the school run, even organize a “walking bus.”

And if it is a question of time, dare I say it, maybe reexamine your timetable, slow life down a bit or it’ll be over before you realize. The kids will have grown and left and your memories will be of racing around in the car. Try staying in one place, find entertainment at home and in each others company, and enjoy your local environment.

7. Nappies (diapers for Americans)

I will end my 7 focus tips with my favorite subject and one that I know still causes heated debates. Disposables are user friendly and yes, do save time and effort for parents but and this is a very big but, they are very, very unfriendly to the environment. They demand a lot of resources to be made, including water, and they are not biodegradable.

Today there are better environmentally friendly disposables available in the Middle East and they do not demand a second mortgage. And cloth nappies today really are not as scary as nappy deniers like to contend, if my husband (half Moroccan, half Iraqi) can change a cloth nappy, then anyone can.

My final tip, please stop using conventional baby wipes, either make your own or buy the eco-friendly option. They are packed full of nasty chemicals that apart from not being an healthy idea to leave them on your child’s skin should most definitely not be used to clean faces or hands.

Signing out. – Sophie, your EcoMum

Top image via pinksherbert

So how to keep your little ones smiling and the earth green?

Well it is easier and often cheaper than you may believe, it’s all about changing your perspective and being a little radical, and not conforming.

Entertainment

There are so many ideas out there for all age groups. The traditional games are still loved by every child, the delight and anticipation of pass the parcel is one of my favorites, add an extra twist with questions, forfeits and games between each layer. Musical chairs or statues, gets them dancing and burns that energy off. A treasure hunt gets their minds working too and is good for all ages, for the young ones use picture clues.

Parties are not just about games, I took my daughter to a party recently where they all decorated their own cakes, it kept them all very busy and very happy for about half an hour, heaven for us nattering mums! If you don’t want to go the sweet route, let them make their own pizzas, this is a definite winner for everybody, as you are also cutting out the stress of preparing food.

If you really want to you can have a green theme for the party too, get your children’s creative juices flowing and get recycling all the wrapping paper from presents, you can make giant paper pompoms (this is another great cheat as it also gives them something to take home too!).

Food & Party Bags

Fast, convenient, junk food is very tempting and I do understand time is precious but there are options just as easy, sometimes more fun for the children and you, and definitely healthier. The pizza option we’ve already mentioned, other options that the kids can get involved in too, are making burgers, fruit smoothies and a taco bar. My daughter’s last birthday cake was made from organic wholewheat flour, organic cocoa, organic eggs and goat’s milk, and the kids loved it.

As for the party favors, well we’ve covered the present with a make your own craft, and harking back to my childhood, a piece of scrummy birthday cake wrapped in a paper napkin (and no bag!). An idea I think I might use next year is a plant pot and a packet of seeds, they paint and decorate the pot in the party, then just pop a slice of cake in there with some flower or veggie seeds. If you feel you need to add some more bulk, try dried fruits and fruit leathers, fresh popcorn is always a winner too.

Plates & Decorations

At the end of the day, you could be left with heaps of disposable plates, cups and burst balloons, all very unfriendly to the environment.

I keep a stack of plastic cups, plates and bowls at home all year round, as they are supremely handy when friends come to play and they are the best for parties too. If you really can’t get your head around washing up after, there are plenty of greener, biodegradable options available today.

As for decorations, balloons are quite nasty things, when you dig a bit deeper you discover a plethora of chemicals, there are eco-options made from latex but as yet I have only found them sold to performers here in Israel. So no balloons, big deal, get creative with your kids, paper chains, paper pompoms, all made with old wrapping paper, newspapers, enjoy!

Oh the joys of back to school, done with all the holidays (for now), found bliss in returning to a routine and actually drinking my tea while it’s still hot. Then being a mum and thinking this is just too good to be true (because you know it is), you see your child having a veritably good scratch of her head.

On closer inspection head lice are the culprit and action is demanded. Living in the Middle East, there always seems to be rounds of head live thriving at schools. There are healthy ways to do it.

Conventional treatment for head lice is not an inviting option, the off-the-shelf shampoos and treatments from your pharmacy all contain insecticides. These shampoos are recommended to be left on the hair for several minutes: they might be killing the critters but they can also be absorbed through your child’s scalp into their bodies – a big no, no!

Some of the nasties, an insectide called Lindane can have some very bad side effects (read about it on Natural News blog), and when you realize that lice don’t actually pose medical risks it seems crazy to endanger your child’s health with these chemicals. They are also not 100% effective. If you do go down the chemical road it is advised never to follow one treatment with a different one and always follow the instructions. Chemicals can react!

More facts about headice

A few facts about the dreaded lice to get us better equipped: these little fiends do not see our child’s head and leap from classmate to classmate. Children are friendly and heads rub together, and they like to share brushes, ribbons and hats. Once the lice are in place they get busy, laying between 3-5 eggs per day and they live for about 30 days, not a pleasant thought. Lice are not fussy either and it does not matter how clean or dirty the child is!

So what to do? The best thing to start off with is a preventative treatment:

1. A new brush: First up, make sure each member of your family has his or her own hairbrush and it is important to teach your children the importance of not sharing brushes. My first ever case of head lice as a child was after letting a friend brush my hair with her brush. Next, same goes for hats, this may seem unreasonable but once you have a case of head lice at home you’ll appreciate the wisdom.

2. Shampoos and oils: Use an oil based shampoo, such as olive oil or coconut as these are not friendly to lice bodies, adding a few drops of essential oils can also work such as tea tree oil or rosemary, though be careful about contraindications. Tea tree oil is contraindicated with babies, small children and mums to-be. Look for professionally mixed shampoos and conditioners, though keep the ingredients natural.

I am a big fan of Jason Natural cosmetics but am yet to find them here in Israel. Maybe they are imported to other parts of the Middle East. If not, they should be. Other essential oils that have been found helpful in the prevention of head lice are eucalyptus, peppermint and lavender, apparently head lice just don’t like the smell. So if you’re inclined add a few drops to your hairbrushes, hats etc. Though again remember only lavender and tea tree oil can be used neat on the skin and always check for contraindications. Just because they are natural does not mean they are harmless.

3. Time to knit out the nits: Okay, so prevention hasn’t worked and your child is still itching their head in frustration and the temptation to zap the head lice with shampoos is high. Please take a breath and go and get a good nit comb, at the end of the day they really are the only effective treatment. Now this may mean a lot of screams and tears for those with lovely long tresses but to date it is the most effective and natural way to get rid of this little foe.

4. Don’t forget to vacuum and wash: Another must is your handy vacuum cleaner. Wash down the bedding in a hot wash (don’t forget hats and ribbons too) and vacuum pillows and cushions that come into contact with your heads; although head lice need human heads to live they can survive up to 24 hours without us, so get them before they get you!

Did you like this post from Ecomum?

Read more green tips from Ecomum:
Ecomum on Clean, Green Toys
Ecomum Ecos Your Moon (Menstrual) Cycle
Ecomum on Bathing Baby and Water Conservation

[image via finkelez]

Yes I know that for many, just as cloth nappies, the idea of cloth mentrusal pads and moon cups are hard to swallow but really these days there are many converts, and more and more women are realising the multiple benefits of ditching those disposables.

So what are we actually talking about, what is available and just why and am I singing their praises so loudly?

Cloth pads are nothing new, and there are centuries of history dedicated to their us: although introduced to the market at the end of the 19th century disposable sanitary products only really became popular about 80 years ago with the market expanding to what it is today in the last 40 years. And women were doing just fine before that. Don’t let those big corporate money makers let you believe anything esle.

So what are the issues surrounding disposable products?

• pollutants in the growing of cotton
• paper production and plastics
• health issues such as toxic shock syndrome
• the actual disposal of the product

To get you started here are some of those entertaining facts and figures compiled from a study in the UK.

1. On average a woman will use around 12,000 disposable towels and tampons in her lifetime
2. 98% of which are flushed down the toilet,
3. Of which an estimated 52% go directly to the sea untreated, not a pleasant thought,
4. They also cause 75% of blocked drains
5. Tampons take at least 6 months to biodegrade and towels are not biodegradable, the plastic may breakdown into smaller pieces (ideal fish food!) and they are filled with a cocktail of chemicals which keep them white and absorbent.
6. Disposable sanitary products put even more pressure on landfills than disposable nappies.

The other main environmental issue surrounding these products is the manufacturing process and the materials used. Tampons are made mainly from cotton and rayon, for issues surrounding the cotton industry read Greening Your Baby’s Wardrobe, but in a nutshell conventional cotton is one of the top 3 polluters in agriculture and the processing of cotton is just as chemically laden, not as innocent or as natural as we thought.

Rayon is made from woodpulp, again a chemical process, plus you have to chop those trees down first! And sanitary towels are made mainly from rayon and plastics.

*Fact: Tampons and sanitary towels are NOT sterile products*

One other issue regarding the environment and our health was the bleaching agent used, namely chlorine gas which causes dioxins, a known carcinogen, though thankfully due to pressure from health and environmental groups many manufacturers stoppped using it and levels of dioxins found have dropped though occasionally trace levels can still be found.

It is not just the environment that these products pose a threat to, many health issues have been connected as well: Toxic Shock Syndrome, though rare is something every women should know about if using tampons, and if tampons are your preferred choice then avoid ones made from cotton and rayon (100% cotton tampons have shown no links TSS), or with lubricants as these may also contain parabens, choose organic cotton tampons (Natracare and Organyc are available in Israel).

It is also known that many women suffer from allergic reactions from the materials and chemicals used in towels, sometimes just heightened sensitivity and soreness though often increased rates of Thrush are also associated with these products.

A Healthy & Eco-Friendly Alternative

So what are our options; well I am very happy to say that there are plenty available to us in Israel.

My personal preference are organic cotton towels made by Alona, these use certified organic cotton and come in two parts making them extremely comfortable, very effective and very easy to care for.

Organic cotton is very soft, highly absorbent and breathable (something that disposables are not being made from plastic).

Many women who have changed over to cloth pads due to health reasons say that their symptons disappear instantly. Alona’s pads are available in a range of sizes to fit every woman’s needs, and their unique two part design allows easy change of liners throughout the day. Panty liners are also available. Alona is available for advice in English and Hebrew.

Cloth pads are very easy to look after, just soak after use in cold water and place in your regular laundry cycle.

For those of us who prefer tampons, the Mooncup offers an excellent alternative, available at Bishvilenu, this menstrual cup is made from soft silicone and comes in two sizes; before and after birth.

Bishvilenu offer full support, giving advice, no problem in English.

Bishvilenu also offer a range of biodegradable organic cotton disposable pads and liners.

Do not let yourself be discouraged: there are plenty of safer options around and a big freebie too –– our imagination. Unfortunately, toy makers are so aggresive in their marketing, not just targeting the parents but the children too, that we often are left feeling that if we do not buy these toys for our children that we are somehow depriving them of the fun of growing up.

Well folks, it just ain’t true! Some of the best loved toys and games are often the homemade variety and whatever you are made to believe your children really wouldn’t miss half the toys they have these days.

The main concerns with toys these days and the reason for alot of the recalls is lead content in the colours, something you really don’t want your children in contact with. Children under the age of two are very susceptible to lead poisoning which has long term effects, and sadly children under two just love to suck and chew away on those brightly coloured toys. The best piece of advise here is keep your kids away from anything questionable and at the moment this seems to mean toys made in the far east.

This may seem like an impossible idea but there are more and more toys available that are made in europe to high safety standards with full transparency about the materials they use in production.

Haba toys, specialists in wooden toys, are available at Nuli, though this site is only available in Hebrew, Gal Golan the owner, is always very happy to answer any questions you may have in english. Another good place to do some safe toy shopping is Baby Teva, they have an online shop and a bricks and mortar shop in Tel Aviv and Haifa, again they have no problem assisting you in english. Baby Teva stocks Selecta toys, another very environmentally aware manufacturer who use sustainable sources of wood for their products and non-toxic colours with a beewax finish.

Lead, sadly is not the only threat to our childrens health where toys are concerned. Phthalates and bispenol-A are also big health worries and should be avoided, sadly they are found in many of the toys and products specifically designed for putting in your baby’s mouth. A few months ago bispenol- A was in the news alot concerning baby’s bottles and alot more of us became aware of manufacturers that promise BPA free products. The same goes for phthlates as awarenes increases more and more manufacturers are finding alternatives and labelling their products phthlate free. Though please check it out before you buy it.

I know buying Haba & Selecta toys are alot more expensive then plastic products but really at the end of the day you are buying a quality product and peace of mind, why take unneccessary risks with your childrens health when you do not have to. Below are some helpful hints and how to choose new toys:

How To Choose

1. Do you really, really need to buy it.
2. What does it offer your child.
3. Where does it come from and who made it – big corporate factory versus locally made.
4. What’s it made from – avoid PVC toys, cheap metal jewelry, childrens cosmetics and composite wooden toys.
5. How long will it last.
6. Always check safety standards.
7. Be eco-friendly – how many airmiles does it have, if wooden does it come from sustainable resources and is it recyclable.

Big Tip

Some of the happiest hours for my daughter were spent in the kitchen pulling out pots and pans and banging around with wooden utensils and it didn’t cost me a dime!

One way of saving water and keeping our little ones a little more dry-eyed is by cutting back on bath-time. Coming from England where water conservation was never at the top of the list I was surprised to know that we have a much more eco-friendly (and baby friendly) method for keeping baby nice and clean.

Here in Israel (and the Middle East), talking to friends and fellow mums, it seems most people are convinced that baby needs bathing every day. This is not really neccessary from a water saving point of view, nor for your stress levels, as not every baby is fond of bath-time and most importantly it is not really beneficial for your baby.

Bathing your baby every day strips their delicate skin of their natural oils and can leave their skin dry and vulnerable. It simply is not a must.

So what are the Brits doing (and probably most of the world) that we don’t seem to know about here in Israel? Well it’s called “Tops & Tails” and there are even specially designed bowls for this, but being an ecomum I view this as an unnecccessary purchase –– any bowl will do the job nicely, thank you very much!

The Theory: Very simple, all you need is a bowl of warm water, a flat surface in a warm place, a soft cotton cloth, a towel and your fresh nappy and clothes and you are set.

Really? All you are doing is giving your baby a sponge bath, the top and tails idea is more for when it’s cold (something it seems to be in England) and then you just undress the top half of your baby first, wiping them down gently, be sure to wipe between all the delicate folds of skin, under the chin and around the neck, under the arms and behind the ears and dry down well because trapped moisture in these areas can lead to redness.

After finishing the top half you are down to the tails, of course living in Israel we can usually fully undress our little ones for their sponge baths, making life even easier.

Baby soaps, creams and lotions are not needed either, again as they can dry the skin, stripping the skins natural oils, for more read Chemicals & Your Baby’s Skin.  If you feel that is an absolute look for unscented soaps, Weleda and Dr.Bronner soaps offer gentle options.

Again, you do not need to do this every day, every 2-3 days is enough, especially if you wipe your baby’s bottom clean with water at every change. Steer clear of baby wipes as they are just full of nasty chemicals and leave more on the skin than they clean away!

Follow your sponge bath with massage and you will make the whole experience one of joy and smiles.

Top Tip: When your baby is born, give them a gentler start to life and ask the nurses not to bathe your little one, just to wipe them down!

Our first port of call in the family raising stakes is pregnancy and keeping mother and baby healthy.

So what should we be doing & avoiding?

Food, Glorious Food

Yes, organic is your number one choice for a healthy pregnancy, no contest to the matter. The amount of chemicals used in producing conventional foodstuffs is frightening and so-called acceptable levels are being questioned regularly, and its not just your fruit and veggies –– dairy and meat products are laden with hormones and antibiotics that the animals are regualrly dosed up with.

Here’s a great recipe for those craving pickles.

Cosmetics & Toiletires

Take a look at the ingredients on your shampoo, body lotion and face cream, see if you understand what all the chemicals are, even if it’s written “natural” on the product there are only needs to be a minimum of 1% natural ingredients, so just what are all those chemicals you are introducing into your system? Because your body is absorbing them!

One family of chemicals to stay away from is the Paraben family, widely used as a preservative in just about all your creams and lotions plus your make-up. Parabens (methylparaben, propylparaben, ethylparaben & butylparaben) are considered by the World Health Organization as an Unclassifiable Carcinogen and are suspected of mimicking or blocking hormones. A british studied linked them to breast cancer, other studies link them to hormone disorders such as underdeveloped testes in baby boys.

Not really something you want, thankfully there is now plenty of choice around of natural cosmetics, make-up and toiletries that exclude such nasties, but always check, don’t be too trusting.

Other chemicals to steer clear of are perfumes which can hide a multiude of chemicals that legally do not need to be declared.

Mineral-based make-ups are a good natural choice if you are not pregnant but are often not the best route when you are. Minerals come from metals and these are often not recommended for your growing baby.

The beauty of the internet these days is that you can pretty much find an alternative for everything, the market is developing in Israel but choices are still somewat limited here.

The Beauty Parlour

Who hasn’t gone to get their nails done or their hair cut and not noticed those chemical smells wafting up from all those pretty coloured solutions. So you guessed it, the recommendation is to steer clear of these places, find a hairdresser or beauty salon that uses safe natural products that pamper you both. Just to list a few nasties, there is formaldehyde in your nail varnish being readily absorbed into your system, again a suspected carcinogen. DBP also in nail varnishes is banned in children’s toys as it is water soluble but what about us! This nasty can cause birth defects in boys, but the good news is there are brands out there free of these chemicals just take a minute or so to check.

At the hairdressers try to stay clear of hair colours and treatments, while its on your head you are absorbing it through your scalp, not a pretty thought, chemicals in hair colours can include lead acetate, APE a hormone disruptor, and coal tar which is a known carcinogen. Try henna or other natural colours if you really need to colour your hair but it’s best just to wait until after baby is born.

Fragrance Free

If you are beginning to think what on earth are you going to enjoy while you are pregnant, you need to forget all those fancy perfumes too, full of synthetic chemicals that are so so easy to inhale and absorb. They have been connected to anything from mild headaches to birth defects. A staggering 95% of fragrances are made from pertroleum derivatives and contain phthlates which have been linked to everything from allergies to cancer.

Don’t be discouraged by this list –– there are plenty of healthy natural alternatives available and this is the best time to start using them.

See more green related baby stuff of Green Prophet:
Chemicals and Your Baby’s Skin
Baby’s First Food

Unlike most European countries or the States we are yet to be blessed with nappy services. So how does one keep those cloth nappies (diapers) clean without feeling swamped?

To tell the truth it’s really easy and no it does not feel like extra work, quite the opposite in fact, once you have a routine you will wonder what all the fuss was about.

So how do you keep those nappies clean?

The Famous Nappy Bucket

This is the first essential, of course after the baby and the nappies. You will need a bucket with a lid, for safety reasons and to keep any smells tucked away. There are two methods to using your bucket:

1. Wet Bucket – this is the traditional method where you have a bucket full of water with a few drops of Tea Tree oil added for anti-bacterial purposes ( some people use nappy soaks but I have not found an eco-friendly one here in Israel – though Bambino Mio sell a regular nappy soak here). Every time you change you discard the khaki and toss the nappy into the bucket, when full you sling them all into the machine, nice and easy.

The downs of this method is the weight of carrying buckets of water & nappies around and the smell. The water draws out the peepee and it is a strong smell when you open the bucket. Also another consideration in Israel is the heat, I personally did not find this a problem, but some mums have reported that the water stagnates very fast over here.

The big plus is that it minimises stains.

2. Dry Bucket - basically it’s just like another laundry basket, some people even just use flip top bins. I still recommend a few drops of Tea Tree oil in the bottom, this method seems to be the most popular here in Israel.

The downs to this method is stains, as the nappy does not get a soaking for a day or so, it can be a problem, some people use the pre-soak cycle on their washing machines instead.

The pluses are lack of smell, no weight lifting and you do not need to keep it in the bathroom or near the toilet.

Washing Time

You can just throw your full bucket into your machine, add your laundry powder or liquid, preferably ecological. We have several options here in Israel, Ecover which has been around for several years now, but if you are not a fan Earth Friendly products are available here too now, they have a laundry liquid specially for babies too, which is suitable for their sensitive skin, it also has a built-in soya softener which does not effect the nappies ability to absorb like conventional fabric softeners.

If the nappies are just with peepee then they are good to go at 40 degrees, you can also fill up the load with your regular wash too, no they will not smell. If we are talking khaki too then a hotter wash is recommended at 60 degrees. There is NO need to boil wash your nappies!

Instead of fabric softeners, which are a big no-no, as the oils reduce the nappies ability to absorb, you can use half a cup of vinegar, this works as a fabric softener if your water is hard. Another benefit to vinegar is that being an aicd and urine an alkaline it helps to neutralise any lingering peepee.

Stains

Okay so we don’t like stains but let’s be honest do you ever here your baby complain. The blessing of Israel is the sun, if you are really flustered by your nappies being stained let them hang all day in the sun, the best bleach in the world.

Please, please do not bleach your nappies, it’s really nasty to your baby’s skin and the environment and it will readily destroy your nappies.

Earth Friendly products has a great stain remover that you can spray on your nappy before wash and ecover has a non-chlorine whitener to add to your wash.

Drying

Line drying is the best option all round, being friendly to your nappies, sun bleaching out unwanted stains and of course it’s free. Tumble dryers do give your nappies that fluff factor but if you have the sun why waste electricity.

Read more about cloth nappies on Green Prophet:
Cloth Nappies Reign Cloth Nappies

::Tinok Yarok

Okay, I admit, I do not spend hours shopping for the new trendy look and yes second hand shops and organic clothing are my buzz words, and yes I am most likely to wear something until it falls apart but heh! whoever said that I couldn’t be sexy too! So here’s a fun way to enjoy ourselves: green sexy knickers!

There are several great companies out there, admittedly not here in Israel but maybe this will get the ball rolling.

Green Knickers (from the UK) offer these wonderfully, fun & sexy knickers, made from a range of different ecominded fabrics such as organic silk, hemp, recycled materials and faritrade organic cotton. The British designers also manufacture locally keeping their knickers “low carbon.”

These wedding knickers are just the best: I just dig the description too.

“ With an OLD bow made from reclaimed rags, a NEW pair of organic silky hemp briefs, a jewellery clasp to attach something BORROWED and a BLUE bouquet of roses, this lucky lingerie is all you need on your big day!”

And just so you don’t think it’s only for us girls why not treat your man to a pair of green boxers, you know it’s the only way to go, Eat Organic!

Well there is “Hope” for us here in Israel, literally. The Hope lingerie store in Rananim Mall in Ra’anana is selling a line of organic cotton briefs from a Brazilian company.

For more sexy looks check out g=9.8 and Enamore.