PARENTINGNOW™ Car Seat Questions and Concerns Answered

Car Seat Concerns?

GET YOUR INSTALLATION CHECKED AND QUESTIONS ANSWERED AT A CAR SEAT CLINIC

BY PARENTING NOW

ABIES DON’T COME WITH an instruction manual—but car seats sure do, and even then, we, B as parents, still question whether we are using the right type of car seat (infant seat, convertible car seat, booster, high-back booster?) and installing it correctly (rearfacing, forward-facing, back seat, front seat?).

If you too have had these questions, you are not alone. Fortunately, there are professionals to turn to when you have questions about car seat installation and need some guidance.

Parenting Now’s Car Seat Clinics provide parents an opportunity to meet with a Certified Car Seat Technician to have their car seat and its installation inspected. “Proper car seat installation is key to a child’s safety in a vehicle,” says Heather Gray, Parenting Now’s Car Seat Program Coordinator. “As parents, we aren’t expected to know everything, so let a professional guide you through keeping your child safe in the car.”

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT AT A CAR SEAT INSPECTION

Car seat inspections generally last 30-45 minutes. During this time, you will learn about proper installation, key tips and tricks for car seat installation, how to properly use a car seat, and leave with an understanding of what the next step is.

In general, The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration advises parents to keep children rear-facing as long as possible. Rear-facing in the backseat is the safest place for your infant and toddler to be. Your child should remain in a rear-facing car seat until he or she reaches the top height or weight limit allowed by your car seat’s manufacturer.

WHAT TO BRING

There are a few things that you will want to bring to your car seat appointment. Drive in the vehicle your child will mostly be riding in; the car seat you will be using (if you have one); and the child that will be riding in the vehicle. If the child cannot be present during the car seat appointment, bring note of their height, weight, and age. If possible, also bring along your car’s manual and/or knowledge of the make, model, and year of the vehicle.

HOW TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT

Parenting Now is currently offering inperson car seat inspections by appointment only at our office at 86 Centennial Loop in Eugene. Virtual appointments over Zoom are also available. “It is never too early or too late to have your car seat and its installation inspected,” says Gray. “Whether you are expecting or have a 4-year old, we are happy to answer your questions and ensure that your children are safely secured in their car seats.”

Send your questions and car seat appointment requests to Heather at heatherg@parentingnow.org. ✦

home spotlight Q&A

RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL GARAGE DOORS

QAre material shortages and Supply/Demand creating issues for Garage Doors?

AYes, we are experiencing an Industry wide material shortage and lead time issues, far greater than normal manufacturing Paul Burrell times. Please allow plenty of time on new construction projects and remodels for ordering product. The Manufacturers are all fighting over the same products and trying their best.

Overhead Door Co. of Eugene-Springfield™ Years in Business: 99 541-686-8144 • www.overheaddoor-eugene.com

HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING

QDo I need to do maintenance on my Air Conditioning and Heating System if it’s working fine?

AYES! Even though your air conditioner, furnace, heat pump, ductless and gas fireplace are working fine…this doesn’t Theo Carroll mean they are. It's often the most expensive equipment in your home so maintenance is critical. To extend operating life, heating/cooling equipment should be serviced at least once a year to ensure it operates safely, at maximum efficiency, and to manufacturer’s specifications.

Marshalls, Inc. 541-747-7445 • https://marshallsinc.com/ See ad on page 21.

DEAR EARTHTALK

I’ve heard Americans waste a huge amount of water and energy getting their clothes clean and dry. Do you have any tips for greening the laundry process?

T’S TRUE THAT

AMERICANS use huge amounts of water and energy to keep their clothes clean, dry and soft. Indeed, the average U.S. home expends about 12,000 gallons of water on some 300 loads of laundry per year. The non-profit Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) estimates that as much as 20 percent of the water used in our homes goes down the washing machine’s drain. Meanwhile, roughly10 percent of a home’s total electricity use goes toward laundry. No doubt, tightening up this one aspect of taking care of ourselves could make a serious dent in our carbon footprints and overall environmental impact.

Perhaps the quickest way to energy- and water-savings is to upgrade from an older laundry machine. Conventional washing machines (built before 2011) use some 40 gallons of water per load, while newer “HE” (high efficiency) machines can do just as good or better on 14 gallons or less. And since these HE machines have so much less water to heat up and are designed for maximum efficiency, they also use 50-80 percent less energy. They also spin faster, which removes more water from the clothes and thus saves dryer time. Whether or not your machine is HE, set it to the “high spin speed” or “extended spin” setting to remove excess moisture from clothes to reduce the amount of time and energy needed in the dryer.

Line-drying clothes is by far the most energy-efficient route, yet most of us (80 percent) rely on dryers to do the job quickly, despite the impact. While HE washing machines have been around for a decade now, it wasn’t until the last few years that more efficient clothes dryers became widely available. Newer units, especially those that meet the federal government’s stringent EnergySTAR efficiency standards, automatically sense how long to run and when to shut off based on the size/weight of the load.

If you have an older (conventional) dryer, consider purchasing a SmartDry sensor which attaches to the inside of your machine and then sends you wireless alerts when the load is dry, when delicates should come out, or if the machine has stopped working. The $60 device saves an average of 15 minutes of dry time per load. While it’s no replacement for a new machine, it can help you keep an older one from clogging up the landfill while putting off the expense and resource use of replacing it for a while.

Another low-cost way to reduce your laundry’s

Ienvironmental impact is by using a Cora Ball, an ingenious little recycled/recyclable plastic ball that catches plastic microfibers that shed off fleece clothing in the washing machine before it winds up in our waterways and oceans. And if you like fabric softener but don’t like subjecting yourself and those around you to harsh chemicals—most fabric softeners use dipalmethyl hydroxyethylammoinum methosulfate, a synthetic chemical with softening and anti-static properties—try one of Friendsheep’s Eco Dryer Balls, which naturally softens and fluffs laundry by gently tumbling in the dryer alongside your clothes, separating the fabrics so heat can flow better, reducing wrinkles and static cling while reducing dry time. ✦

— B. JONES, TROY, NY

Making a few tweaks to your laundry routine can help you make a serious dent in your carbon footprint and overall environmental impact.

. PEXELS.COM PHOTO:

CONTACTS: Saving Water And Energy Through Clothes Washer Replacement, nrdc.org/resources/saving-water-and-energy-through-clothes-washer-replacement; Residential Clothes Washers Qualifying Product List, library.cee1.org/ content/qualifying-product-lists-residential-clothes-washers; SmartDry, amzn. to/3zJfTQG; Friendsheep Eco Dryer Balls, amzn.to/3xcxVZM.

EarthTalk® is produced by Roddy Scheer & Doug Moss for the 501(c)3 nonprofit EarthTalk. See more at https://emagazine. com. To donate, visit https//earthtalk.org. Send questions to: question@earthtalk.org.

ARGOS is a handsome 2-and-a-half-year-old pup ready for a home where he can flourish. Though Argos is shy around humans he does not know, his dynamic character shines once he trusts you. He is attentive, walks great on leash and has a sweet smile that brings joy to all. He loves to snuggle after a long walk and would love a home with a comfy couch or soft bed. Volunteers say, “He greets me with a smile and a happy dance. After a leisurely walk we have a little snuggle time.” This wiggly guy will need to be the only pet in the home and would love to be a part of a family with kids who are old enough to be patient as he settles in. He weighs between 60 and 65 lbs and is neutered, microchipped and up to date on vaccinations. Argos is a very affectionate, sweet gentleman that will make a wonderful addition to any home!

Greenhill Humane Society open seven days a week, 11 am – 6 pm at 88530 Green Hill Rd in Eugene. Cat adoptions are on a first come limited capacity basis. Dogs and small animal adoptions are by appointment. For more information call (541) 689.1503 or visit www.green-hill.org. The Cat Rescue & Adoption Network presents MUSTANG SALLY (pictured) & SARGE, a wonderful bonded pair of black panthers. Sarge is an affectionate

and confident 5-year-old boy kitty, and Sally is his 1-yearold twin “sister” who has a sweet and gentle presence. They are both playful and talkative, and will make loving companions for their forever family. They don’t like other cats, but they are great with humans of all ages. Sally & Sarge are in excellent health, altered, vaccinated, microchipped, and negative for FeLV & FIV. To meet this pair, please call 541-225-4955 option 1, or visit our website at CatRescues.org

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