So I know this whole project is in large part about eliminating products, but after getting back to a hard-water wonderland, I needed some sort of shampoo to keep my hair from becoming a greasy mess. I heard about the bottle-free, mostly-made-with-natural-ingredients solid shampoos at Lush and bought Jumping Juniper, their formulation for oily hair. It arrived last week and has been working wonders. I've only used it three times, a few gentle swipes each time. No lather, very subtle scent, leaves my hair happy and clean, and only with two or three synthetic ingredients. If no-poo isn't working out for you, this is a reasonable alternative. Considering the number of washes you get out of these solid shampoos, it's an economical and eco-friendly alternative to the bottled variety.
My old aerosol of shaving cream is running very low, so I'm starting to think about alternatives. Lush sells shaving creams in tubs, but I'll see if I can't find tube or tub shaving cream in a store before I have something else shipped to me.
October 9, 2009
September 18, 2009
A couple of things to try.
A couple of bits of knowledge that are making life easier/friendlier/tastier/cheaper:
1) Stovetop Popcorn
The packaged microwave stuff makes something as benign as popped corn unhealthy. It's pre-flavored and, no matter what I do, it burns. Whether you burn it or not, you've still got about forty kernels that haven't popped at the bottom of the bag. And then, of course, there's the packaging. To avoid these things, I bought some popcorn kernels from the bulk bin at my local fancy-pants grocer and, with this method, popped all but six kernels without burning a single piece of popcorn. Flavored it with sea salt and pepper medley at the request of my housemates, although I was hoping to do cinnamon sugar. So many healthy and delicious flavor possibilities!!
2) I came across this instructable yesterday and tried it with my double-edged safety razor. As a result, a blade I was getting ready to throw out it worked like new. Same principle as a leather strop with straight razors of old, but using jeans instead. Take your razor and draw the blades backwards about ten times down about half the length of a leg. (Maybe use an old pair, since doing this might wear them down.) Do ten more backward strokes up the leg. And that's it. Also, to extend the life of razor blades, make sure they aren't wet when they're not being used. Blow the water out from the cartridge or open up the top of the safety razor and leave it somewhere dry.
3) I made a big pot of couscous for dinner a few nights ago and have been enjoying the leftovers since. Eating cold grains for breakfast is wonderfully easy and hearty and delicious and they'll make a great side for any meal. A tip I picked up from Food Matters.
4) I live with a couple of people who are OBSESSED with seltzer and buy the canned stuff regularly. This led me to investigate home carbonation systems. Again, initial investment is higher, but in the long term, saves money and reduces waste. For example, this. If you're going to be drinking seltzer for the rest of your life, worth the $90 and CO2 cartridges. To broaden this point, consider any food habits or other routines that cost you money and create waste on a regular basis. Now go on to Google and see if you can find an alternative.
In the whispy words of Michael Jackson, "make that change."
1) Stovetop Popcorn
The packaged microwave stuff makes something as benign as popped corn unhealthy. It's pre-flavored and, no matter what I do, it burns. Whether you burn it or not, you've still got about forty kernels that haven't popped at the bottom of the bag. And then, of course, there's the packaging. To avoid these things, I bought some popcorn kernels from the bulk bin at my local fancy-pants grocer and, with this method, popped all but six kernels without burning a single piece of popcorn. Flavored it with sea salt and pepper medley at the request of my housemates, although I was hoping to do cinnamon sugar. So many healthy and delicious flavor possibilities!!
2) I came across this instructable yesterday and tried it with my double-edged safety razor. As a result, a blade I was getting ready to throw out it worked like new. Same principle as a leather strop with straight razors of old, but using jeans instead. Take your razor and draw the blades backwards about ten times down about half the length of a leg. (Maybe use an old pair, since doing this might wear them down.) Do ten more backward strokes up the leg. And that's it. Also, to extend the life of razor blades, make sure they aren't wet when they're not being used. Blow the water out from the cartridge or open up the top of the safety razor and leave it somewhere dry.
3) I made a big pot of couscous for dinner a few nights ago and have been enjoying the leftovers since. Eating cold grains for breakfast is wonderfully easy and hearty and delicious and they'll make a great side for any meal. A tip I picked up from Food Matters.
4) I live with a couple of people who are OBSESSED with seltzer and buy the canned stuff regularly. This led me to investigate home carbonation systems. Again, initial investment is higher, but in the long term, saves money and reduces waste. For example, this. If you're going to be drinking seltzer for the rest of your life, worth the $90 and CO2 cartridges. To broaden this point, consider any food habits or other routines that cost you money and create waste on a regular basis. Now go on to Google and see if you can find an alternative.
In the whispy words of Michael Jackson, "make that change."
September 11, 2009
The New Routine
It has been almost two weeks since I moved into my apartment for the school year and there are a few things that are relevant to you all.
First, I received two books that I ordered: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver and Food Matters: A Guide to Conscious Eating by Mark Bittman of the NY Times. I finished reading the latter. The book does cover a lot of interesting facts about the effect of the American diet on our earth and our health, but goes on to repeat this mantra, "more fruits and vegetables, fewer animal products," one that I'm already following now that I'm cooking for myself. (I've been sautéing vegetables, eating salads, chomping on cucumbers, cooking pasta and rice with the occasional sausage or yogurt thrown in.) But Bittman, whose NY Times column, The Minimalist, I follow religiously, also included more than 75 recipes in the book as well as tips for cooking more efficiently and healthily. And for anyone who's looking to lose some weight, have more energy, and significantly cut their effects on the environment, this is a good book to read. (Did you know that for the average American, cutting meat from your diet for a year has a greater effect than not driving for a year? I didn't. That's big.)
Second, the hard-water situation here has suddenly made me less optimistic about my no-poo status. My hair was greasy and dandruffy this morning, and I decided to sneak a tiny bit of shampoo. (I mean less than a centimeter in diameter. Still does the job.) I did some research on the No-Poo LiveJournal community about dandruff and found some interesting things. One suggestion was using a 1:1 white vinegar to water solution on your scalp occasionally. Another was to use ginger tea or dissolved ginger powder. I also found people saying that a tea rinse was good for their hair. (Rosemary seemed to come up with dandruff, for some reason.)
Someone mentioned a solid shampoo from Lush. Intrigued, I decided to check out the website. (Here.) Soak and Float was the dandruff one, which apparently smells like campfire, but the idea of a solid shampoo is intriguing. Lush products are all vegetarian, many of them contain only one or two synthetic ingredients, and this eliminates the packaging troubles of bottle shampoo. They also seem to last significantly longer than a bottle. If I decide to go back to occasional shampooing, I will definitely consider trying one of these.
First, I received two books that I ordered: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver and Food Matters: A Guide to Conscious Eating by Mark Bittman of the NY Times. I finished reading the latter. The book does cover a lot of interesting facts about the effect of the American diet on our earth and our health, but goes on to repeat this mantra, "more fruits and vegetables, fewer animal products," one that I'm already following now that I'm cooking for myself. (I've been sautéing vegetables, eating salads, chomping on cucumbers, cooking pasta and rice with the occasional sausage or yogurt thrown in.) But Bittman, whose NY Times column, The Minimalist, I follow religiously, also included more than 75 recipes in the book as well as tips for cooking more efficiently and healthily. And for anyone who's looking to lose some weight, have more energy, and significantly cut their effects on the environment, this is a good book to read. (Did you know that for the average American, cutting meat from your diet for a year has a greater effect than not driving for a year? I didn't. That's big.)
Second, the hard-water situation here has suddenly made me less optimistic about my no-poo status. My hair was greasy and dandruffy this morning, and I decided to sneak a tiny bit of shampoo. (I mean less than a centimeter in diameter. Still does the job.) I did some research on the No-Poo LiveJournal community about dandruff and found some interesting things. One suggestion was using a 1:1 white vinegar to water solution on your scalp occasionally. Another was to use ginger tea or dissolved ginger powder. I also found people saying that a tea rinse was good for their hair. (Rosemary seemed to come up with dandruff, for some reason.)
Someone mentioned a solid shampoo from Lush. Intrigued, I decided to check out the website. (Here.) Soak and Float was the dandruff one, which apparently smells like campfire, but the idea of a solid shampoo is intriguing. Lush products are all vegetarian, many of them contain only one or two synthetic ingredients, and this eliminates the packaging troubles of bottle shampoo. They also seem to last significantly longer than a bottle. If I decide to go back to occasional shampooing, I will definitely consider trying one of these.
September 5, 2009
Oh, what a beautiful morning.
I just had the most wonderful morning.
Mr. Sun woke me around 8:00. I rolled around in bed for a bit before gathering up a couple of cloth bags, my wallet, and shopping list and rode my bike over to the local farmer's market. Granted, a lot of things were overpriced, but I spent the cash I had on my person to buy some fruit, squash, tomatoes, apple cider, honey, and peanut butter. Rode back home, unloaded my milk crate (which is connected to my bike rack with cable ties), and headed out to the local grocer for everything else I needed to kick off my first ever cooking-for-myself experience.
I left the store without a single plastic bag, not even the little ones you use for produce. (Ultimately, my carrots, apples, lettuce, and spinach ended up in the two cloth bags I had brought.) The woman at the register was very understanding and loaded my purchases back into my shopping basket so I could load them into my milk crate outside. After a stop at a cafe near the grocer (where I picked up a half-dozen bagels and had a lovely surprise encounter with some friends who were abroad last semester/year), I found a route home that was easier than any I'd tried before.
The great thing about having to cart things around with your own strength is that you think seriously about what you need and don't need. You buy food for a shorter span of time and fewer things are likely to go bad and get wasted. I ended up cutting out some snacks that were on my list because, with a little thought, I realized how unnecessary they were for the next few days.
I'm hoping to keep a similar routine while the weather stays nice. I'm lucky to live near a lil' old town where everything is accessible by bike. And since I can never get myself to exercise for exercise's sake, this is a perfect way for me to get into better shape without feeling like I'm wasting time.
To top it off, as I pedaled into the final stretch of my ride home, I listed off adjectives to describe how truly awesome the day is and how wonderful the whole morning has made me feel. Ahhhhhh, to live.
Mr. Sun woke me around 8:00. I rolled around in bed for a bit before gathering up a couple of cloth bags, my wallet, and shopping list and rode my bike over to the local farmer's market. Granted, a lot of things were overpriced, but I spent the cash I had on my person to buy some fruit, squash, tomatoes, apple cider, honey, and peanut butter. Rode back home, unloaded my milk crate (which is connected to my bike rack with cable ties), and headed out to the local grocer for everything else I needed to kick off my first ever cooking-for-myself experience.
I left the store without a single plastic bag, not even the little ones you use for produce. (Ultimately, my carrots, apples, lettuce, and spinach ended up in the two cloth bags I had brought.) The woman at the register was very understanding and loaded my purchases back into my shopping basket so I could load them into my milk crate outside. After a stop at a cafe near the grocer (where I picked up a half-dozen bagels and had a lovely surprise encounter with some friends who were abroad last semester/year), I found a route home that was easier than any I'd tried before.
The great thing about having to cart things around with your own strength is that you think seriously about what you need and don't need. You buy food for a shorter span of time and fewer things are likely to go bad and get wasted. I ended up cutting out some snacks that were on my list because, with a little thought, I realized how unnecessary they were for the next few days.
I'm hoping to keep a similar routine while the weather stays nice. I'm lucky to live near a lil' old town where everything is accessible by bike. And since I can never get myself to exercise for exercise's sake, this is a perfect way for me to get into better shape without feeling like I'm wasting time.
To top it off, as I pedaled into the final stretch of my ride home, I listed off adjectives to describe how truly awesome the day is and how wonderful the whole morning has made me feel. Ahhhhhh, to live.
September 3, 2009
Another Wake-Up Call
AHHHH. I'm so sorry about the neglect. My lifestyle changes became a status quo and I had little to share. But this has changed! New information has come into my life and new inspiration has sprouted from it.
I posted about No Impact Man, the movie, but in a visit to a bookstore/cafe recently, I found No Impact Man, the book, on the shelf. Since I had read about a fourth of it in the store, I bought it and finished it within a few days. There is no doubt my love of this book springs, in part, from the fact that a reader like me is a member of author Colin Beavan's figurative choir. But the thing that I love most about this book is that, unlike many works so far in the environmental movement (say, An Inconvenient Truth or The End of Suburbia, neither of which I've seen but both of which I've heard plenty about), which just scare the shit and hope out of you, Beavan has the ability, through his experience, to combine scary, mind-blowing statistics with personal anecdotes, throwing in the occasional piece of religious or philosophical wisdom, namely about waste, want, etc. and ultimately leaving you with a sense that there is something you can do as an individual.
Sure, 80% of consumer products are made to be disposable, our country is set up so that most of us can't get by without a car, and there is little we can do directly about how our energy is generated/distributed/wasted, but individuals account for the majority of spending in this country. While each person can't take down the unsustainable status-quo on their own, if consumers as a group speak out against wasteful products with their wallets, industry will have no choice but to respond.
The trouble is hopelessness. Individuals feel that they cannot make a difference, government doesn't feel significant pressure to take action, and we all go on with our lives as normal as climatologists shit their pants in fear. What people need to understand is that doing things that are good for the environment is not about sacrifice. It's about changing habits, many of which have led to the deterioration of our health and happiness as a society. Television is one that Beavan tackles. Another is the food industry, which fills livestock with hormones that end up in our children and ships produce from across the world that could just as easily be grown regionally. The chemicals we put down the drain come back in our taps. There is so much more. Beavan shows us, as many have tried, that ultimately, it's not about the earth and environment. It's about people and our ability to live happily and healthily on this planet.
I'll stop with the preaching now, but I highly recommend picking up this book. I've already passed it on to someone and want to share it with as many people as I can. If you decide to buy it, I suggest you do the same. Ignorance is bliss, until we have to pay for abusing our planet and ourselves.
Some more good reading, from Michael Pollan, author of The Omnivore's Dilemma: Why Bother? at the New York Times.
So yes, from grandiose and global to puny and personal. I recently moved into my apartment at college, where the water is hard and my hair is responding to the change. Before coming back to school, my family moved into a house with a water softener and I took a few swims in a pool, so my hair was picture perfect. We'll see if I need to make any major changes to water-only.
I've started carrying around a handkerchief to use in place of tissues, paper towels, paper napkins, etc. I've found out where I can compost food scraps on campus, which given my fruit and vegetable consumption, will reduce my trash contributions significantly. I considered buying a growler at the local brewery, which can be refilled whenever you want. But unfortunately, the local brewery has closed down. But if you are a beer drinker and have a local brewery, see whether they have a similar option.
I've plugged my computer, router, and computer accessories into a power bar. If I'm not using the computer for anything, I shut it down and turn off the power bar. Leaving the lights off whenever I can get by with the natural light in my room is something else I'm trying.
Also, I'm thinking about buying some terry cloth and sewing some washable panty liners. While the prospect of using reusable pads alone is a little much for me to handle, when paired with a menstrual cup, the maintenance will likely be minimal. When I get around to the project, I will post details.
I'm part of this training program right now and our school's sustainability representative came in to talk to us. She asked us to think about and share an eco-confession and an eco-celebration. In my head, I considered the changes I've made in the last six months and can confidently say that the amount of shampoo, conditioner, and face wash I would have flushed into the waterways, the feminine products and packaging I've kept out of the trash, and the energy I've conserved–-though insignificant day-to-day--is considerable over time. I'm living as comfortably as I did in February and am filled with hope that there is more I can do. And remember, you (yes you) can make a difference. Take on changes one at a time and before you know it, your celebrations will outweigh confessions.
I posted about No Impact Man, the movie, but in a visit to a bookstore/cafe recently, I found No Impact Man, the book, on the shelf. Since I had read about a fourth of it in the store, I bought it and finished it within a few days. There is no doubt my love of this book springs, in part, from the fact that a reader like me is a member of author Colin Beavan's figurative choir. But the thing that I love most about this book is that, unlike many works so far in the environmental movement (say, An Inconvenient Truth or The End of Suburbia, neither of which I've seen but both of which I've heard plenty about), which just scare the shit and hope out of you, Beavan has the ability, through his experience, to combine scary, mind-blowing statistics with personal anecdotes, throwing in the occasional piece of religious or philosophical wisdom, namely about waste, want, etc. and ultimately leaving you with a sense that there is something you can do as an individual.
Sure, 80% of consumer products are made to be disposable, our country is set up so that most of us can't get by without a car, and there is little we can do directly about how our energy is generated/distributed/wasted, but individuals account for the majority of spending in this country. While each person can't take down the unsustainable status-quo on their own, if consumers as a group speak out against wasteful products with their wallets, industry will have no choice but to respond.
The trouble is hopelessness. Individuals feel that they cannot make a difference, government doesn't feel significant pressure to take action, and we all go on with our lives as normal as climatologists shit their pants in fear. What people need to understand is that doing things that are good for the environment is not about sacrifice. It's about changing habits, many of which have led to the deterioration of our health and happiness as a society. Television is one that Beavan tackles. Another is the food industry, which fills livestock with hormones that end up in our children and ships produce from across the world that could just as easily be grown regionally. The chemicals we put down the drain come back in our taps. There is so much more. Beavan shows us, as many have tried, that ultimately, it's not about the earth and environment. It's about people and our ability to live happily and healthily on this planet.
I'll stop with the preaching now, but I highly recommend picking up this book. I've already passed it on to someone and want to share it with as many people as I can. If you decide to buy it, I suggest you do the same. Ignorance is bliss, until we have to pay for abusing our planet and ourselves.
Some more good reading, from Michael Pollan, author of The Omnivore's Dilemma: Why Bother? at the New York Times.
So yes, from grandiose and global to puny and personal. I recently moved into my apartment at college, where the water is hard and my hair is responding to the change. Before coming back to school, my family moved into a house with a water softener and I took a few swims in a pool, so my hair was picture perfect. We'll see if I need to make any major changes to water-only.
I've started carrying around a handkerchief to use in place of tissues, paper towels, paper napkins, etc. I've found out where I can compost food scraps on campus, which given my fruit and vegetable consumption, will reduce my trash contributions significantly. I considered buying a growler at the local brewery, which can be refilled whenever you want. But unfortunately, the local brewery has closed down. But if you are a beer drinker and have a local brewery, see whether they have a similar option.
I've plugged my computer, router, and computer accessories into a power bar. If I'm not using the computer for anything, I shut it down and turn off the power bar. Leaving the lights off whenever I can get by with the natural light in my room is something else I'm trying.
Also, I'm thinking about buying some terry cloth and sewing some washable panty liners. While the prospect of using reusable pads alone is a little much for me to handle, when paired with a menstrual cup, the maintenance will likely be minimal. When I get around to the project, I will post details.
I'm part of this training program right now and our school's sustainability representative came in to talk to us. She asked us to think about and share an eco-confession and an eco-celebration. In my head, I considered the changes I've made in the last six months and can confidently say that the amount of shampoo, conditioner, and face wash I would have flushed into the waterways, the feminine products and packaging I've kept out of the trash, and the energy I've conserved–-though insignificant day-to-day--is considerable over time. I'm living as comfortably as I did in February and am filled with hope that there is more I can do. And remember, you (yes you) can make a difference. Take on changes one at a time and before you know it, your celebrations will outweigh confessions.
August 3, 2009
Make Your Own Lip Balm
Make Your Own Lip Balm from CraftTutorials.net
What I've been looking for. All I need is some beeswax.
What I've been looking for. All I need is some beeswax.
July 30, 2009
I caved.
I got in the shower this morning, my hair greasier than usual, and lazily skipped the dry corn starch treatment, thinking that the baking soda I had in the shower for my face would hold the solution. It didn't. Baking soda made my already greasy hair both waxy and greasy. If it wasn't early in the morning, I would have known that this is the effect it had before. Anyway, I had no time to be experimenting before going to work. (Although, apparently, I had time enough to blog.) I wearily reached for the shampoo bottle and squirted a dime-sized blob into my palm, worked it into a bit of a lather, and massaged it into my scalp. I feel like I've betrayed my own cause.
But you know what? I've gone without shampoo for almost five months and I fully intend to go back to a no-poo or at least less-than-conventional-poo lifestyle. Although shampooing for the first time after it has fallen out of personal habit and favor makes me realize why people give up on no-poo so often. Shampoo provides a predictability that no-poo cannot. It smells like sex-candy. And a little goes a long way.
Now that it's properly clean, I can confidently say that my hair definitely feels better than it ever did when I was shampooing and conditioning daily. Even if you don't give up shampoo, try to wean yourself gradually. Use less per application. You don't need it to lather on your head for it to be effective. Take a little in your palm, rub it around in your hands, and work it as far as it will go. If necessary, repeat. (I did two applications: top and sides, then crown and back.) See how much you can cut down without your hair looking any less clean than it would have with the amount you usually use.
In other news, I went a week without apple cider vinegar and could feel the effects: breakout, lethargy, tightness of clothing, etc. I've been making it with warm water and mixing honey into it recently because it's deleeeeecious. Facial routine is unchanged. Also, I ran out of Burt's Bees lip balm and have been using the super-artificial, super-effective moisturizer that I use on my elbow-rash on my lips. I'm thinking that with some beeswax and minty oil extracts, I could make a lip balm of my own, but in the meantime, this will have to do.
But you know what? I've gone without shampoo for almost five months and I fully intend to go back to a no-poo or at least less-than-conventional-poo lifestyle. Although shampooing for the first time after it has fallen out of personal habit and favor makes me realize why people give up on no-poo so often. Shampoo provides a predictability that no-poo cannot. It smells like sex-candy. And a little goes a long way.
Now that it's properly clean, I can confidently say that my hair definitely feels better than it ever did when I was shampooing and conditioning daily. Even if you don't give up shampoo, try to wean yourself gradually. Use less per application. You don't need it to lather on your head for it to be effective. Take a little in your palm, rub it around in your hands, and work it as far as it will go. If necessary, repeat. (I did two applications: top and sides, then crown and back.) See how much you can cut down without your hair looking any less clean than it would have with the amount you usually use.
In other news, I went a week without apple cider vinegar and could feel the effects: breakout, lethargy, tightness of clothing, etc. I've been making it with warm water and mixing honey into it recently because it's deleeeeecious. Facial routine is unchanged. Also, I ran out of Burt's Bees lip balm and have been using the super-artificial, super-effective moisturizer that I use on my elbow-rash on my lips. I'm thinking that with some beeswax and minty oil extracts, I could make a lip balm of my own, but in the meantime, this will have to do.
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