Little helpers 4 ingenious products to make your day easier
1 LITTER-BOX DEODORIZER
2 DELICATES DRYING RACK
When attached to the hood of your cat’s box, chemicalfree odor absorbers banish smells for up to one month. Works on trash cans, too! Catit Magic Blue, $30 for a year’s supply, catit.com.
Get hand-washables high and dry with this suctioncupped helper. Hang socks, scarves, or bras from 10 swivel clips in the shower or elsewhere. Suction drying rack, $25, wayfair.com.
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T H E R E A L I ST
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3 ZIP-FRONT ATHLETIC TOP
4 SMART ALARM CLOCK
Made for women who have had breast surgery and may have difficulty raising their arms, this shirt fastens in front and features a built-in bra. Pauir top, $54, pauir athleticapparel.com.
This app-controlled wonder features USB charging ports, a Bluetooth speaker, and mood lighting. It also wakes you with a Spotify playlist. Beddi, $100, amazon.com.
Written by Brandi Broxson Photographs by Philip Friedman
OCTOBER 2016
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REALSIMPLE.COM
IS IT REALLY BAD TO USE DISPOSABLE DIAPERS? Studies have shown problems with both disposables and cloth diapers, says Darby Hoover, a senior resource specialist at the Natural Resources Defense Council. Although disposables account for tons of waste (in 2013, an estimated 3.6 million tons in the United States, says the Environmental Protection Agency), cloth diapers demand lots of water and energy during cleaning. Biodegradeable disposables aren’t necessarily better. Says Hoover, “They still go to a landfill and create methane as they break down.” (Methane is about 28 times worse that carbon dioxide in terms of global warming.) Compostable is the magic word in disposables, but only if your community is equipped with composting services capable of handling diapers. If you prefer disposables, buy those labeled “totally chlorinefree” and made with pulp certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. (Seventh Generation fits the bill.) If you opt for cloth, look for organic cotton or hemp, and wash in full loads in an energy-efficient machine at the right temperature, no bleach. Or find a diaper-laundering service that adheres to these eco-conscious practices. —KAITLYN PIRIE
L E F T: S O F T S T Y L I N G BY C H A N E L K E N N E B R E W. R I G H T: T H A N K Y O U T O A N N E M E L I A , S E N I O R E N V I R O N M E N TA L S C I E N T I S T W I T H A N E N V I R O N M E N TA L E N G I N E E R I N G F I R M I N K A N S A S C I T Y.
Eco-quandary
