I grew up camping. From summer camp canoe trips to family hiking trips to the times we didn’t want to rent a hotel on a road trip, I camped a lot. I’ve always considered myself a “camper.” However, when we moved to Colorado eight years ago and got invited to go camping with friends, I realized family car camping was a whole different beast than the camping I grew up doing. There was no filling your sleeping bag stuff sack with dirty clothes to make a pillow. People brought pillows! And mattresses. And bikes!

In the past several years, we’ve embraced this type of camping. I love sleeping with my pillow. I recently bought a sleeping pad and it’s divine. And yet, I still seek some degree of simplicity when we’re out in nature. Less is more. And this is particularly true when it comes to waste. I have no interest in creating a bunch of trash while I’m communing with the great outdoors. There are few things that hurt my heart more than an overflowing dumpster at the edge of a campground.

Figuring out how to minimize waste while camping can be a bit daunting. Drawing on my childhood memories of minimalist camping and my more newly-developed “zero-waste” habits, I’ve come up with some tips for making your outdoor adventures more waste-free!

one // Compost. Whether camping or in your house, composting is the number one way individuals can reduce the amount of waste they send to the landfill. By some estimates, up to 50% of household trash is organic matter. So much of our camping “trash” is compost: produce scraps, coffee grounds, uneaten sandwich crusts that fell on the ground… Put all this in a compost bin and take it home with you. If you don’t have your own compost service, most cities have a free drop-off locations. Line your bin with brown paper to reduce smell and make sure to tie your bin up high in a tree or put it in your car overnight!

two // Bring your own plates, cups, and utensils. When we camp, we bring three large plastic bins. One contains dry foods, one contains cooking utensils, and the third holds miscellaneous camping items like matches, flashlights, a first aid kit, bug spray, etc.

I pack plates, cups, bowls, and silverware for everyone in our family. I also bring a lightweight placemat to use as a cutting board, a sharp knife, a peeler, a large bowl for prepping foods, a cast iron pan for cooking, a sauce pan for boiling water, a moka pot (small stovetop espresso maker)…and any other cooking tools I’ll need for the meals I have planned.

I beg you, do not use disposables when you camp. It just goes against the entire idea of enjoying nature. You’re going to eat off a plate that was made by cutting down trees while you’re enjoying the view of the trees?

three // Take your “rag system” with you. I always encourage people to adopt a “rag system” in their home to minimize the use of paper products like tissues, napkins, and paper towels. And it’s not that hard to take some cloth towels on the road!

Here’s what I do: I take a bag of clean cloths (mostly dish towels, but also smaller clothes to use for spills and noses) and a wet bag for dirties. When a dish towel is dirty beyond reuse, I throw it in the dirty bag. Any super dirty clothes might go in there too. Wash it all once you’re back at home.

four // Bring tap water in reusable containers. Years ago, we had a large plastic “bladder” for taking water camping. These are great, and I support anything reusable that limits single-use water bottles! But, we made the mistake of letting our kids play with it at home, and it inevitably sprung a leak. Instead of buying a new one, the next time we went camping I brought a six pack of old wine bottles filled with water. I put them in one of those reusable wine carrying bags to keep them organized. This worked well, so now we bring them every time we camp. I also have a few gallon-sized bottles we bring. If the campground has a water pump, bring a funnel and you can easily refill these bottles. When we go somewhere without a water source, we bring a large 5-gallon glass bottle I bought at a vintage store as a decorative item. (I was searching Amazon for a non-plastic water container and saw a bunch of large glass bottles and realized I already had one sitting in my dining room full of fake flowers!) #usewhatyouhave

five // Minimize individually wrapped foods. It can be tempting to rely on “convenience foods” when you go camping. Granola bars, juice boxes, applesauce pouches, chip bags… Marketers convince us our life will be easier if our food is “grab and go.” But, really, when you’re camping there’s plenty of time to cut up some fruit or bread for a snack. There are many delicious snacks that don’t come with a lot of packaging. Make a big jar of trail mix to dole out to the kids. Give them bananas or apples. For more ideas, check out my post on low-waste snack ideas.

six // Recycle. Properly. It ceases to amaze me how many people put their recyclables in a plastic trash bag. If you do this, they WILL NOT be recycled. Put recyclables in a recyclable bag, like a paper grocery bag.

Another “no-no:” can crushing. Do not crush your cans; this also reduces the chances they’ll be recycled because recycling machines have electronic readers that scan for the shape of cans.

Something else to consider: rural areas typically don’t have as robust of recycling facilities as urban areas. If you’re someone who lives in a city and is going camping in a more rural setting, bring your recyclables back home to ensure they get recycled.

seven // Meal plan. Just like at home, you’re likely to waste less food and maximize your ingredients if you have a plan. Some of my go-to meals for camping are:

• pasta with pesto and veggies/legumes

• tacos with sweet potato or mushrooms, avocado, salsa etc.

• lentil soup with rice (make both ahead and just reheat!)

• peanut butter + jelly sandwiches

• vegetable and hummus wraps

• scrambled eggs and potato hash

• oatmeal (oats, chia seeds, flaxmeal, coconut flakes, raisins…)

• pancakes (try my make-ahead mix!)

eight // Consider non-tangible waste. Reducing waste is a simple step we can all take to help the environment. I’m a big believer that the benefits stretch far beyond the trash bin by simplifying your life. But it’s also important to remember that our trash might not be the biggest way we pollute the earth. The fossil fuels burned by driving to a campsite are not insignificant, and neither are those powering a RV generator. Often, when we camp somewhere with a body of water or a hike, I’ll see people driving from their campsite to the lake or trailhead. If this is absolutely necessary, then by all means. But you already drove to the campground, so maybe spare the earth the extra pollutants while you’re there?

nine // Keep learning and researching. Every year I have new ideas about how to do something that I hadn’t considered before. I discover new ways to reduce my waste or accomplish a task in a way that has a smaller environmental impact. My next goal: cook while camping with fewer gas canisters. They’re not recyclable and they’re also a hazardous waste, so they need to be dropped off at drop off locations and should not be put directly in your trash bin. (But, if you’re like me, they just accumulate in you house because you can’t confront the waste you’ve created!)

ten // Teach others. We need to remind each other how to take care of the earth so it will always be enjoyable for camping trips. Talk with your family and friends about the importance of reducing our environmental impact. Pick up any litter near your campsite. Exploring and respecting nature is a key to becoming more eco-conscious citizens!

I no longer own any cloth diapers.

After almost eight years of cloth diapering my three little ones, the youngest is officially potty trained. HURRAY!

Cloth diapering actually came pretty easy to me. It always just made sense to me. Use, wash, repeat. No trips to the store, one-time investment, use for multiple children.

However, while the big-picture decision to cloth diaper was a no-brainer, there was definitely a steep learning curve and several bumbles along the way. There are literally thousands of guides to cloth diapering on the internet, so I’m not going to rewrite one of them here. Instead, I’m going to give my eight biggest tips for cloth diapering. One for each year!

one // All-in-one diapers (AIOs) are a great starting place, but they are less versatile and don’t last as long as other diaper options. With my oldest, Willa, I registered for exclusively cloth diapers. I got bumgenius newborn diapers and a set of 12 bumgenius AIOs. They worked great and I loved them! But, I’d gotten one pocket diaper for free with one of my bumgenius orders, and found myself gravitating towards it when we had babysitters or wanted to stuff the diaper with extra cloth for nighttime. By the time my second baby came, I wanted more pocket diapers. But pocket diapers need to be stuffed, and when you’re sleep-deprived and swimming in laundry, that’s a lot. Enter: diaper covers. Just lay the cloth inside the cover, and you’re done. By the time I had my third baby I was using mostly diaper covers with cloth, and a few pockets.

two // Do not use too much detergent. Less is more! I completely whiffed on this one. The first time I cloth diapered I used way too much detergent and ended up with terrible build-up in my diapers. This means the soap is lodged in your diapers and so they can’t absorb the pee. I had to wash those first AIOs I had a bagillion times to get the build-up out and that ruined the elastic. I gave them away to someone who knew how to sew, and got new diapers for my second baby. This was a big fail, as ideally cloth diapers should last for multiple babies. Don’t use too much soap! Less is more! Just a teaspoon or so, depending on the soap.

three // Babies get diaper rash. Statement of the obvious, right? It is, but I think often parents think one type of diaper is more likely to give them a rash than others. This may be true (it probably is; you know your baby!) but I think it’s good to just accept that your baby will have some rashes and carry on with the cloth. That said, I recommend using diapers of natural fibers (cotton, usually). And there might be bits of time when you need to use some disposables, but don’t give up on the cloth. Change is the only constant and everything is a phase. I recommend a cloth-friendly cream for daily use. There’s a good list here, and I like this one.

four // Use what you have or what’s cheap. The cloth diaper options these days are extensive. It’s a huge market. There are tons of cute patterns and fancy buttons etc. etc. It’s easy to drop hundreds (perhaps thousands?) of dollars on new cloth diapers. But I don’t recommend that! If you get diaper covers, you can use a variety of cloth inside to absorb your child’s pee and poop. We used cotton towels that we already had, and I also bought some 100% cotton flour sack towels from WalMart. At less than $1 per towel they’re much cheaper than what you’ll find from the cloth diaper companies.

five // It doesn’t have to be all or nothing. So often people make a decision that they’re going to use cloth diapers OR disposable diapers. While I would obviously encourage you to use cloth diapers, replacing even a small number of disposables with cloth will save you money and help the earth.

six // You can travel with cloth! I shied away from traveling with cloth diapers for a long time. It just seemed like disposables were what you should use “on the road.” But eventually I realized that it’s not that hard to bring the cloth along. If your destination has a washing machine that you and your host are comfortable with you using, you’re all set. Or, if it’s a short trip (such as a long weekend camping), just bring a wet bag for the dirties and bring them home with you. I always figure it’s better to lug home laundry than trash!

seven // You do not need disposable swim diapers OR a special cloth diaper for swimming. Just use one of your diaper covers! Or even an all-in-one diaper. You’re going for containment not absorbency. Any tight fitting undergarment will do. These are one type of diaper we can definitely keep out of the landfill.

eight // It’s not easy, but nothing is with parenting… Oftentimes people will remark that cloth diapering is hard, or not as easy as disposables. I would respectfully disagree. Meeting a baby’s needs takes time and energy and diapers don’t change themselves. Any way you slice it, you’re parenting.

//

Did you cloth diaper? What would be your biggest tip?

Last week, I took the kids north of Denver to the Broomfield Bike Park by McKay Lake. I’d been on my list for awhile as a great place to let the kids play outdoors. I wasn’t sure how my older two, ages 7 and 5, would take to the “pump track.” Willa expressed some hesitation on the ride up, but once we were there they were eager to try riding.

We explored the playground first though, while we were waiting for friends to join us. I loved the way it incorporated nature; my kids love flinging themselves down the rock “slides:” angled rocks that you could climb or slide down. (I didn’t get a picture unfortunately, but there are also plastic slides built into the landscape.) The playground is right next to the beginner bike track, so it was easy for the kids to go back and forth between the two spots.

The beginner pump track was great. Kids who know how to ride a bike, or are adept at a strider, can do it no problem. Of course there’s a chance of falling, but it didn’t seem overly dangerous in my opinion. Even my 2 year old wanted to get out there and give it a whirl

It didn’t take long before my kids realized there were bigger tracks they could try. The track visible from the beginner one looks HUGE (see picture below), so I wasn’t keen to head over there. But I heard some people talking and realized there were two more beginner (or maybe intermediate?) tracks on the other side of the big track. We headed over there, and my kids enjoyed it so much! It was a tad more challenging than the beginner area but still doable for them.

We had a glorious day at this park. We were there over four hours and the kids didn’t even want to leave when I said it was time. I have never been to a bike park before so I don’t really know how this compares to others, but my sense is it’s a good one. If you live in the Denver area, I highly recommend checking it out, even if it’s a bit of a drive for you!

There’s a challenge I heard about on, ironically, social media. Can you spend 1000 hours outside this year? Every year, really. It is a challenge to spend less time in front of screens and more time in front of trees.

The idea that we all should be more connected with nature really resonates with me. Time outside was a huge part of my childhood. And since becoming a parent, in a city, it’s an issue that’s at the forefront of my mind.

I’ve recently read a few parenting books about the benefits of unstructured time outdoors, and I’m totally convinced. I’m always trying to find more ways to get my kids (and myself!) outside, so the challenge immediately appealed to me. I printed the tracker sheets, and we are seeing how many hours we can clock this year.

Research in child development recommends that children spend 4-6 hours outside each and every day. I know that might sounds a bit crazy to some, but I’m keeping it in mind as an average. We won’t do that every day. We won’t achieve that most days. But there are weekends and summer camping trips and maybe, just maybe, we can get close to 1000 hours this year. My son goes to outdoor preschool twice a week, so that give him a leg up!

Since I started keeping track earlier this month, I’m average about 3 hours outside per day. Much of that is walking or biking my kids to or from school, with a little playground or backyard time sprinkled in. I’m grateful for the time we’re outside getting from point A to B, but I also want to work on finding more unstructured time to just explore in nature. I will be consulting the list I made last summer about places to get outside in the Denver area. The 1000 Hours Outside website has lots more ideas too. Check it out!

How many hours do you and your kids spend outside each day?

If you follow me on Instagram, you’ll notice I post a lot about biking. Switching to a “car-lite” lifestyle has been one of the most significant intentional changes our family has made in the past couple of years. I am a huge believer that biking or walking more instead of driving has a profoundly positive impact on one’s life. It also is a change that helps minimize your environmental footprint. Transportation is the largest contributor to C02 emissions in the US. And most of the driving comes from short trips around one’s town or neighborhood. Of course the automobile has opened up so many opportunities to us, but next time you go to jump in the car for a short trip, ask yourself if maybe you could get there by a smaller, cleaner vehicle instead. (Or a larger one with lots of people on it!)

In order to making biking your norm, you need a bike to suit your needs. Enter: the cargo bike. We bought ours two years ago, and as cheesy as it sounds, it has truly changed my life. I get a decent number of questions and comments about my bike, so I thought I’d do a little FAQ here for anyone who’s interested. Let me know if there’s anything you’re curious about that I’ve missed.

What type of bike is it?
Our bike is a Nihola 4.0.

Nihola bikes are made in Copenhagen, Denmark. Their “family” model is the most popular: it has one bench which fits two children. Our model, the 4.0 has two benches so it can fit up to 4 children with seat belts.

Where’d you get it? Is it custom?
We ordered our bike from Practical Cycle, a bike store in Sacramento, California. They import Nihola bikes from Copenhagen and have sold them to customers across the United States. The bike was shipped in a truck directly to our garage! The cost of shipping was minimal relative to the overall purchase.

Why not just use a trailer or bike seat?
We’ve used both of those bike attachments to transport our kids. But when I was pregnant with our third child, I realized I really wanted a bike that I could use in place of a car to go almost everywhere we need to go. I didn’t want to bike just for recreation or occasional use. A trailer and/or bike seat can be heavy and awkward depending on your set-up. I loved the idea of a “bucket bike” where I could just throw everything in the cargo area and not worry about attachments or the kids dropping things etc.

Why a bucket bike instead of a longtail?
Longtail bikes were some of the first cargo bikes for carrying kids available to the American market. I remember over 10 years ago I watched a video about a family using an Xtracycle for errands (they bought a tree at a nursery, haha) and seeing that lit the flame that turned into a burning desire to own a cargo bike. But later, I saw a Madsen bucket bike (basically a longtail with a cargo bin on the back) and thought that would be much better for kids. More research led us to the Nihola, and I love having the kids in front of me so we can talk and I can keep an eye on them. And I love having the ability to just throw everything inside the cargo hold and get on our way. I don’t have to think too much about adding bags or attachments. And I don’t have to worry about the kids dropping their belongings en route!

Why do you like it so much?
This might actually be the hardest question to answer, just because it’s hard to put it into words. Riding a bike gives me a feeling of freedom and excitement while simultaneously making me feel calm and at peace with the world around me. The sensory experience of the breeze in your face and the weather all around you is truly good for one’s soul. I love getting my exercise while also getting somewhere. I like talking with the kids about the things we see around us. When I see traffic, I am gleeful that we’re not stuck in it. Riding a bike makes me feel strong and independent. The most mundane errand, is more fun when you’re biking. At least, it is to me!

When are you going to let your kids bike on their own?
When Denver has more protected bike lanes? ;) Kidding. Kind of. Willa is 7, and her biking skills are improving. Cameron is almost 5 and he’s good on a bike too. They bike on her own for recreation and in parks. But generally, the traffic and roads around our neighborhood do not feel safe for children, in my opinion. Even the large park we live near allows cars on the roads, and the drivers go too fast while looking at their phones. I wish my kids were able to bike more on their own, because I think it’s important for kids to be independent. And I’m a parent who is ok with kids taking on a bit of risk. But I also have to be honest with myself about where we live and central Denver just isn’t the best place for kids to be biking on their own at a young age. I’m hopeful the bike infrastructure will continue to improve though.

All that said, I plan to keep riding the Nihola with the kids for years to come. Often we bike to places that others would drive. This morning I took Willa to her soccer game 5 miles away. She’s not going to bike that on her own any time soon.

Is it hard to ride?
In short, no. It rides much easier than I thought it would before buying it. Even though we have the electric assist, we don’t use it all the time. The Nihola is relatively lightweight as far as cargo bikes go. The challenges with riding it are more related to navigating streets and obstacles in the city. It doesn’t clear steep curb cuts, so I have to angle the wheels to make sure the front doesn’t bottom out. It also doesn’t have the same turning radius as a two-wheeled bike, so I sometimes have to do three-point turns. Locking it up can also be tricky sometimes, depending on what types of bike locks are available.

Where do you ride it?
Pretty much everywhere! We live in central Denver, so we can get to so many places within a mile or two. We use it almost every day for school drop off and pick up, as well as trips to the grocery store, the doctor, friends’ houses, and more. I love having the cargo bike in the garage ready to go at all times, so we can just jump in it without too much rigamarole. I try not to drive unless I’m going somewhere over 5 miles. Last summer, we did swim lessons 4 days a week for 4 weeks about 45 minutes away (biking). I biked most days. It was a great way to spend time together with the kids and for them to decompress after swimming. Last year, I used the bike to bring my son’s classmate home from their preschool a couple days a week. I call it my “bike minivan:” I use it for everything!

Do the kids like it?
Yes! They’ve gotten very used to it over the past two years. They often complain now if we’re going to drive somewhere. But, just like anyone, they can get crabby if it’s hot or we’re on a long ride. They sit pretty close to each other so kicking and yelling at each other is not uncommon. But neither is singing songs or laughing. Mostly, we have a good time when we’re biking around the city.

Is it just for carrying kids?
No way. We sometimes load it up with lawn chairs and a cooler for a picnic in the park. I regularly use it for grocery shopping. Occasionally I’ll ride in it for a date night! (When we were in Copenhagen, that was commonplace!) Whatever kind of cargo you need to move around, there’s a bike for that!

How much cargo can it hold?
The bike can carry 265 pounds plus the rider. People often ask when the kids will be “too big” for it, but going by their weights, it will be a long time before we out grown it!

What about when it’s cold or rainy?
There’s a rain cover for days with inclement weather. We use it occasionally, but thankfully we don’t get too much precipitation in Denver. On days that are just cold, I have the kids bundle up with coats and blankets. The cover makes kids cozy for sure, but it’s hard to get them in and out of their seats and it’s sometimes a bit claustrophobic for them. I stay warm by using no assist and getting my heart rate up!

How much was it?
The Nihola 4.0 was $3500 and we added a BionX e-assist battery for an additional $2000. I sometimes feel uncomfortable when people ask how much it cost, but I also remind myself and them that it was much less than a car! And we are now a one-car family, so we feel like we came out ahead! There are definitely more inexpensive cargo bikes available, but we wanted one with high-quality parts that would last for years. We are hoping to use it for many years to come.

Should I get one?
YES! I’m a big believer that everyone needs some sort of cargo bike. Even if you don’t have kids, we all have stuff we need to carry around. You’re more likely to bike places if you have a way to carry cargo (hello, grocery store!). There are so many types of cargo bikes, there’s definitely one that would suit your needs.

If you’re in the Denver area, I highly recommend MacKenzie at Hardt Family Cyclery in Aurora. In other cities, search “cargo bike shops” and I’m sure you’ll find something not too too far away. They’re becoming more common all the time.

There’s tons of information available online too. Check out Denver Bicycle Lobby on Twitter or Cargo Bike Republic on Facebook; both communities have tons of advice to offer!

Just like that, summer is almost over and “back to school” time is upon us. Well, in Colorado, at least. With heading back to school comes supply shopping. I have to be honest, I LOVED shopping for my school supplies as a kid. Picking out the perfect new notebook and a fun new set of pencils. Getting it all organized. But, still being honest, school supplies that are made of natural materials that do not end up in the landfill are infinitely more beautiful and exciting, in my opinion.

Stop for just a second and think about how many schoolchildren there are across the country. Across the world. And how many of them are buying a pack of Crayola plastic markers for school. And plastic glue sticks. And plastic folders. And plastic binders. And plastic plastic plastic. Where’s it all going to go when they’re done with it or it break? Ok, enough thinking about that, it’s depressing.

In an effort to “green up” your school supplies, here are my tips:

one // Use what you have. Scour your house for leftover paper from last year. Tear pages out of a half-used notebook and send it to school with your kid (no teacher is going to count the number of pages!). Collect some slightly used crayons to make a full set. Take the free folder you got from a work event and put a sticker on it. Don’t buy supplies unless you truly don’t have them.

two // Look for supplies at secondhand stores. I often find paper, pens, pencils, tape, binders, markers and more at Goodwill and other thrift stores. I’m not sure why they’re there or why they didn’t get used, but someone needs to use them up! It’s always better to buy used than to buy “eco-friendly.”

three // Ask around. I posted on a FB group that I was looking for 1” white binders with clear inserts on the front. Turns out someone works in a courthouse where lawyers leave tons of binders lying around after hearings. So I’m going to go “save” two binders and my daughter will be all set for 2nd grade! You never know unless you try.

four // Work together with classmates and friends! Maybe arrange a school supply swap? Or buy things in bulk quantities and split them up amongst the class. Often things are sold in sets that might be more than you need.

five // When all else fails, buy responsibly. The sustainable goods market is taking off, and it’s not as hard as it used to be to find non-plastic materials that are okay for the earth.

Check out these sites:

• Wisdom Supply Co. - They have almost everything! markers, crayons, notebooks, folders, pencils, dry erase markers…be sure to read their descriptions of products if you have questions. Very helpful. They also have a fantastic document that shows how to swap their products for the more “traditional” ones you might see on your kid’s supply list.

• Package Free Shop - Binders, notebooks, pencils, and crayons. Good place to shop if you also need some household items.

• The Ultimate Green Store - Good selection of pencils, markers, and paper products. Other products too, such as backpacks and household items.

• Onyx and Green - (Available on Amazon) Made mostly of recycled and natural material. Good middle-ground products.

What do you think? Will you give any of these products a go? Or just buy the traditional ones? Does Crayola pay schools/teachers a dividend or something?

Happy back to school, everyone! Now, if someone could just tell me what to do about the two plastic containers of Clorox wipes I’m supposed to buy…

As I mentioned recently on my Instagram, my goal for the summer is to try to get the kids outside for at least 3 hours a day. Some of this will be swim lessons and other planned activities, but I’ve recently been reminded of the importance of unstructured outdoor play. I grew up doing this, on a large lot of land in northern New York, as I’m sure many people my age did. I’d spend hours playing in mud and water and setting up forts amongst the trees. But in recent years, there’s been a shift towards spending more time indoors with increase supervision. I’ve been reading “There’s No Such Thing As Bad Weather” by Linda Åkeson McGurk and she has me completely convinced of the benefits of freely playing outdoors.

We moved a couple years ago to a house with a larger backyard. We try to get the kids outside as much as possible. But lately I’ve been thinking about finding more “real” nature for them to explore. More trails and streams and mud. I reached out to some of my parent networks on Facebook, and received tons of great suggestions. I’m compiling them all here for my own purposes, and perhaps for your reference as well. I haven’t been to even half of these spots, so do let me know in the comments if you have any feedback on any of the suggestions.

Where to find nature experiences within the Denver metro area, divided by region.
Spots closest to Denver are listed first. —

NORTH

Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge // 6550 Gateway Road, Commerce City, CO 80022
There’s a driving loop for viewing wildlife, but several short walking trails as well.

Broomfield Bike Park // Zuni Street, Broomfield, CO 80023
Bike park and supposedly fantastic nature playground nearby. Free.

Sunflower Farm // 11150 Prospect Road, Longmont, CO 80504
A single-day admission ticket gives you access to this quaint farm in Longmont. Feed animals, play on swings and the treehouse playground, ride the horses or tractors. They also offer a preschool and summer camp options. Reservations required to visit.

Eldorado Canyon State Park // 65 Baldwin Cir, Eldorado Springs, CO 80025
Four trails ranging from 0.5 miles to 3.5 miles. Tip: aim to go on a weekday; weekends get very crowded.

Dirty Bismark Trail // Superior, CO - various trailheads along loop
{from the website} Dirty Bismarck Loop Trail is a 13.8 mile moderately trafficked loop trail located near Louisville, Colorado that features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as moderate. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from March until October. Dogs and horses are also able to use this trail.

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SOUTH

Washington Park // S. Downing St. & E. Louisiana Ave., Denver, CO 80210
Great walking paths, a new playground, and a creek to explore. Recent improvements have minimized car traffic inside the park.

South Platte Trail // various starting points along a ~20 mile route.
”Scenic bike ride but lots of places to stop! Get out down south by the Botanic Gardens at Chatfield.”

High Line Canal // various starting points
{from the website} At 71 miles long, the High Line Canal is one of the longest continuous urban trails in the country, twisting through the most populated area of Colorado while crossing a diverse mosaic of communities and nature. The Canal originates at Waterton Canyon in Douglas County and runs to Green Valley Ranch in Northeast Denver, falling within one mile of more than 350,000 residents.

Botanic Gardens Chatfield Farms // 8500 W Deer Creek Canyon Road, Littleton, CO 80128
{from a mom who works there}: “Amazing place to let your littles run around and explore. Farm animals, lots of birds, frogs, and beavers dams all along the creek. Most folks don't walk the full loop of the trail along the creek so miss a lot of the site.”

Chatfield State Park // 11500 North Roxborough Park Road, Littleton, CO 80125
{from their website} “Float your boat in the lake, bicycle or hike on a trail that provides scenic views of the neighboring foothills and Platte River valley, camp, ride a horse and even fly a model airplane - all at Chatfield State Park, nestled next to the foothills southwest of Denver.​​​​”

Castlewood Canyon State Park // 2989 South State Highway 83, Franktown, CO, 80116
Slightly hidden in the plains (not the mountains) which makes this park unique and sometimes less crowded than other state parks. Various hiking trails and much nature to explore.

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EAST

Bluff Lake Nature Center // 3400 Havana Way, Denver, CO 80238
No bikes or dogs allowed. Free entry. 1.2 mile loop and several other trails and areas to observe nature.

Star K Ranch // 16002 E Smith Road, Aurora, CO 80011
They do a great nature class for kids 5 and under on Thursday mornings. Check their Facebook for details.

The Urban Farm at Stapleton // 10200 Smith Road, Denver, Colorado 80239
$5 admission for ages 2+

Cherry Creek State Park // 4201 S. Parker Road Aurora, CO 80014
{from the website} A scenic oasis in the Denver area offering a wide variety of water and land activities for outdoor enthusiasts. The 4,000-acre park and modern campground are open year-round. View birds and wildlife, recreate or relax with the majestic Rocky Mountains as a backdrop.

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Crown Hill Park // 9357 West 26th Avenue, Wheat Ridge, CO 80033
Nice walking loop around a lake.

Anderson Park // West 44th Avenue and Field Street, Wheat Ridge, CO 80033
Access to Clear Creek. Possible water play and much to explore by the creek.

Alderfer / Three Sisters Park // 5136 South Le Masters Road, Evergreen, CO 80439
There’s also an east trailhead.

Bear Creek Lake Park // 15600 W Morrison Road, Lakewood CO 80228
When I first moved to Denver after living in places with more water, I laughed when someone told me this was a good beach. Then, a few years later, I took my kids to swim and said to friends, “this is GREAT!” It’s not the Adirondacks or Minnesota, but it’s still fun!

Lions Park // 1470 10th Street, Golden, CO 80401
Walk by the creek and play at the playground before or after. Water level varies so be cautious if there’s a high/strong flow.

Bear Creek Greenbelt // 2800 S. Estes St., Lakewood, CO 80227
{from the website} “This lovely, natural stream corridor provides a continuous trail connection and wildlife corridor from Wadsworth Boulevard west to Bear Creek Lake Park. The 379-acre preserve parallels Bear Creek and contains wetlands, fishing ponds, riparian forests and abundant wildlife viewing opportunities. Trail connections provide endless options for biking and walking along the scenic floodplain heading toward Denver or Bear Creek Lake Park and the foothills beyond.”

Lair o’ the Bear Park // 22550 State Highway 74, Idledale, CO 80453
Great walking path along a creek. Good for families and usually suitable for a stroller with large wheels.

Matthew Winters Park // 1103 County Highway 93, Golden, CO 80401
Various trails, but apparently the trailhead itself is a great place to play; a stream and some trials offer kids ample opportunity to explore nature.

North Table Mountain Trail // Access the trail via Highway 93 just north of Pine Ridge Road. (4758 Highway 93)
{from the website} North Table Mountain Trail is 1.5 miles and traverses the southwest side of North Table Mountain below the cliff band. There are excellent views of the Golden Valley. The trail is moderate to advanced in difficulty, with 300 feet elevation gain from the north and 400 feet elevation gain from the south. The trail branches left to the Golden Cliffs Trail shortly after the trailhead in the north. Stay right to keep on the North Table Mountain Trail. The trail terminates near Peary Parkway at its southern end.

Apex Park // 121 County Highway 93, Golden, CO 80401
Close to downtown Golden, this trail is nice on really hot days, it eventually follows a stream with good shade thanks to a dense forest. This trail is popular with mountain bikers, but there are “directional use” restrictions: “Bicyclists are required to ride in one direction only (uphill/west) on odd-numbered calendar days.”

I’d say I’m a relatively competent individual. I’m saying this not at all to self-aggrandize but rather because it’s relevant to the the advice I plan to give in this post. So about me: I graduated college, have a masters’ degree, have kept a few steady jobs, pay bills, usually get places on time. I make mistakes like everyone but I’m pretty good at keeping track of belongings, going to required medical appointments, making my kids’ lunches, buying groceries.

But here’s the catch: I’m a slow mover. I don’t do things very quickly. For a long time, I didn’t like this about myself. I tried to speed myself up. I hurried. I cut corners. Until more recently, when I had a revelation. Or maybe I just reminded myself of some wisdom others have been sharing forever:

Life is a journey, not a destination.

In the past year or so, I’ve made a conscious decision to slow down. And this seemingly small choice, just deciding not to rush, has decreased stress in my life dramatically.

Stress is terrible for our well-being. And I’m convinced, for me at least, there’s a direct correlation between feeling rushed and feeling stressed. When I’m feeling pressed for time I snap at my kids. I forget things. My blood pressure rises. It’s just not good all-around.

So I started telling myself to just slow down. To take my time, as has always been my nature. To do this, of course, you have to allot extra time to do things or get places. So that’s just what I do. If I need to be somewhere at 9am and I know it takes 10 minutes to get there, I leave the house at 8:30. Sure, you could say I’m wasting time by getting there early, but is stopping to breath some fresh air or check my Instagram really time "wasted?”

Of course, I recognize, this isn’t always possible. People have places to be and things to do. But whenever possible, I give myself and my family a little extra time to do what we need to do or to get where we need to be, and I think we’re all happier and more relaxed when we take this approach.

Happy weekend all! I hope you all have a moment to slow down.

One of the main reasons people buy food in packaging is for convenience. Right? That’s why I used to. Individual servings of chips, applesauce, granola bars etc. make it easy to pack lunches for yourself or your kids. Therefore, when you “give up” these individual packaged snack foods (which I would obviously recommend you do!), it can feel a bit daunting to have to come up with other snacks.

As a first step, you can always try just buying the food you like in the larger size…not zero waste but less packaging. But if you want to take it a step further and try to eliminate the packaging altogether, fear not: there are still tons of snacks available!

Easy “finger” foods:

• Pasta (maybe tossed with some pesto)

• chopped veggies

• apple slices

• chickpeas or lima beans (make your own from bulk or buy in cans)

Foods that come in their own “packaging:”

• bananas

• oranges

• lychees (find at Asian markets)

• snap peas

• hard-boiled eggs

Foods that come in bulk*:

• sesame sticks

• nuts

• dried fruits (mango is usually a hit!)

• peanut butter pretzels

• granola

• trail mixes

• plantain chips

• popcorn

• veggie chips

• dark chocolate pieces or chips

• chocolate-covered fruit or nuts

• “real fruit” gummy bears (these are basically fruit snacks)

My favorite recipes for snack foods:
Most of these are freezable either after they’re baked or in their pre-cooked form. Keep a stash of any or all in the freezer for your snacking needs!

• Candied Orange Peels

• Chia and Quinoa Flatbread

• Flax and Oat Breakfast Power Muffins (also works with sweet potato or pumpkin in place of banana)

• Vegan Cheez-Its

• Saturday Morning Blender Waffles

• Cinnamon Raisin Oatmeal Cookie Balls

• Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread Breakfast Cookies

• Banana Breakfast Bars

• Scallion Pancakes

• Crunchy Roasted Chickpeas

Snacks/recipes I want to try:

• Multi Seed Crackers

• Onigiri (Japanese Rice Balls)

• Homemade Potato Chips

Sometimes, when I read “zero-waste” blogs or Instagram accounts, I think to myself “well, easy for them to have just a Mason jar of trash when they don’t have kids.”

There’s definitely some truth to the fact that having children increases the amount of waste you produce. Tiny humans need things, and sometimes those things come in plastic packaging. However, the dominant parenting culture in the US often sends the message that the tiny humans need more things than they actually do. Moreover, marketers are constantly trying to convince parents that certain products will make our lives easier.

The truth is, more stuff rarely makes your life easier. Less stuff is the way to simplify! So, if you’re trying to cut down on your family’s waste, here are nine easy steps you can take:

one // Register for less. It’s been 7 years since I was pregnant with my first, but at that time, as soon as you were pregnant you started creating your baby registry. It was exciting. It was a way to prepare. A way to materialize an important life event ;) Despite being aware of the pitfalls of too much stuff, I still registered for too many things. I’m not sure exactly what I’d do differently if I could go back in time, but I know there are ways this cultural phenomenon could be adjusted. So much baby stuff could be procured from friends or second-hand stores. Maybe there’s something else you could ask your friends to gift you?

two // Use CLOTH wipes! The wet wipe has become ubiquitous. Any time one of my children has a runny nose or a messy face, another well-meaning parent will offer me a “wipe.” I sincerely appreciate the gesture, but on the inside I cry a little that wipes are so readily available. They are so bad for the earth. Single-use water bottles or disposable straws get used for longer than a wet wipe, and many of us have come to realize how awful those items are for the environment. I am not alone in this opinion: the UK is currently considering a ban on wet wipes.

The solution is simple: carry a little bag of cut up rags (made from old clothes or towels!) in your diaper bag, add water, and you have a wet wipe! Cheaper, too. Not to mention, a wet cloth arguably works better to clean a soiled bum. And if you feel like you just can’t give up a wet wipe for a poopy diaper change, maybe you could try to use fewer throughout the rest of your parenting day. It never has to be all or nothing!

three // Rethink convenience foods. Plenty of kids have made it to adulthood without eating a goldfish cracker. Honest! And babies learned to eat before puffs that come in plastic containers existed. And don’t even get me started on pouches of pureed foods (in short, they’re bad for kids’ health and bad for the environment).

Give your kids real food. Bananas and oranges come in their own “wrapper.” Apples are easy to transport without getting squished. Dried fruit tastes a lot like fruit snacks. Nuts are full of protein. Of course we all love crackers and pizza and mac and cheese from time to time, but remind yourself that babies and kids can usually eat the same foods you enjoy.

four // Use what you have. This is kind of a no-brainer, but it’s good to keep reminding yourself that before you had children you likely had most of the things you needed to live, and many of those items can also be used for children. Marketers want you to think you need baby-specific everything, but honestly how different are baby nail clippers from regular nail clippers? And are baby wash cloths softer than the wash cloths you already have? This logic is widely applicable. Before you buy something, ask yourself if you already possess something that could serve the same or similar purpose. But if you don’t…

five // …Borrow + buy used. So many people have babies. And all those people buy baby stuff. And then, their babies grow up. They don’t need their baby stuff anymore. They’d love to sell it to you! Or maybe even give it to you. When I wanted to get Willa a Bumbo, we shuddered at the thought of millions of Bumbos in a landfill. Just picture that for a second…. As a world, don’t need that many foam seats! So I found a used one through our neighborhood parents’ group, and made friends with the gal who sold it to me too! If you can’t find what you need from family, friends, or neighbors, hit up your local consignment stores or Goodwill. There are also lots of Facebook groups to “buy nothing” or you can purchase used clothes on online/app options such as: thredUp, Kidizen, Swap.com, or Poshmark.

six // Buy milk in glass bottles. Some kids don’t drink milk. But some kids drink a lot of milk. If your family likes dairy, try to find milk in reusable glass bottles. The glass goes back to the dairy to be refilled. Hurray for a circular economy moment! In Denver, you can find this milk from a local, organic dairy (their milk isn’t yet marketed as “organic” because they’re in one of the final years of an almost decade-long process of getting organic certification). You can also use their milk to make delicious homemade yogurt (if you’ve ever had Noosa yogurt, it’s made from their milk, so clearly it’s a good choice for yogurt!).

seven // Say “no thanks” to cheap plastic toys. You know the kind I’m talking about. The ones you get at birthday parties or school carnivals or at the dentist. These toys serve barely any purpose. They’re fun for a minute, and then they break and/or are forgotten. Just save the whole hassle and teach your kids to say “no thank you.” This goes for balloons and stickers too! Some might say “what’s the harm?” But I say, “What’s the point!?”

eight // Make your kids share. If you have more than one child, don’t aim to have multiple versions of everything. Of course we all want our kids to learn to share, but this can be applied to more items than we might realize. Water bottles. Lunch boxes. Swim floaties. An iPad. Your kids will benefit from realizing that resources are finite and they don’t always get their own everything. In our family, the things we buy for the kids are to be shared right away. If they receive a gift for a birthday or holiday, they can decide they don’t want to share it for one week. But after that, everything is to be shared. (This family policy is a work in progress for us…of course the kids are changing all the time, so we’ll keep revisiting the rules. But overall, I want to promote the idea that we share things and each member or our family doesn’t always need their own specific things.)

nine // Go to the library. Books take up space. Printing books uses trees. Kids “favorite” books change all the time. Buy a few you love, and then go to the library for fun new ones. This isn’t rocket science. (You’re all like, “duh!”) But take it to another level and look for a toy library in your area. We have one in Denver, and it’s amazing to be able to check out toys for a few weeks and then take them back for something else that's new and exciting. I’ve even heard that some cities have baby wearing libraries. Awesome.