Sustainable Action
Some ideas from Organic Sister
Cancel extraneous magazines, Bake bread, Cook from scratch, Shop Farmer's Market,Food Not Lawns, Natural food, Preserve foods, Organic homebrew, Compost, Pesticide-free Gardening, Minimize power usage,Energy-Star appliances, Homemade cleaners, Minimal body products, Homemade toothpaste, Natural deodorant, Non-disposable razors, Sew, crochet, knit, Natural materials, Canvas shopping bags, Cloth feminine pads,Cloth toilet paper, Cloth napkins, Recycle, Reduce and reuse, Freecycle, Shop thrift stores,Combine shopping trips, Shop local,Buy in bulk, Drive 55 mph,One vehicle, Minimize water usage, Flush less often, Laundry in cold water, Line dry laundry, Water heater at 120F, Heater at 55-60F
Of these, I am presently doing the following:
Canceled extraneous magazines, Bake bread, Cook from scratch,Food Not Lawns, Natural food, Preserve foods, Organic homebrew, Compost, Pesticide-free Gardening, Minimize power usage, Homemade cleaners, Minimal body products, Homemade toothpaste, Natural deodorant, Sew, crochet, knit, Natural materials, Canvas shopping bags, Cloth napkins, Recycle, Reduce and reuse, Freecycle, Shop thrift stores,Combine shopping trips, Shop local,Buy in bulk, Drive 55 mph,One vehicle, Minimize water usage, Flush less often, Laundry in cold water, Line dry laundry, Water heater at 120F, Heater at 55-60F
Which leaves:
Shop Farmer's Market, Energy-Star appliances (my landlady's province), Cloth feminine pads [while necessary, don't know how long that will be!],Cloth toilet paper
Of these, the last is probably the one most people I have talked with balk at the most. The idea is just grotty to them. I wrote about this in the latest novel, before I realised that people now in suburbs were doing it. I thought it was a homesteading thing. But it makes sense, ecologically and financially, especially if you use a non-electric washer (like the kind for RVs) or have an 'extra small' setting on your electric one, or - novel idea! Boil your laundry (i.e., 'handwash'.)
All this is in addition to oil lamps and candles, making my own soap and cosmetics, which I already do, herbal medicine, and so on.
Getting away from vitamin pills is my next trick, which I may have mentioned. For decades I have thought of using herbal tinctures (homemade) or infusions instead of vitamin pills, not least because pills mostly upset my stomach. I got this idea from Dr. John Lust's Herb Book when I was in my early teens, and it was reinforced by the writings of Susun Weed, Dr. Christopher, and others. But somehow, I never managed to get it together. Now I am. Partly this is because I have empirical evidence that this is a workable solution, so to speak. And partly it is sheer cussedness. I don't want to be a part of the consumer parade any longer.
Step by step, though. Making haste slowly, I go.
Peace and all good!
Cancel extraneous magazines, Bake bread, Cook from scratch, Shop Farmer's Market,Food Not Lawns, Natural food, Preserve foods, Organic homebrew, Compost, Pesticide-free Gardening, Minimize power usage,Energy-Star appliances, Homemade cleaners, Minimal body products, Homemade toothpaste, Natural deodorant, Non-disposable razors, Sew, crochet, knit, Natural materials, Canvas shopping bags, Cloth feminine pads,Cloth toilet paper, Cloth napkins, Recycle, Reduce and reuse, Freecycle, Shop thrift stores,Combine shopping trips, Shop local,Buy in bulk, Drive 55 mph,One vehicle, Minimize water usage, Flush less often, Laundry in cold water, Line dry laundry, Water heater at 120F, Heater at 55-60F
Of these, I am presently doing the following:
Canceled extraneous magazines, Bake bread, Cook from scratch,Food Not Lawns, Natural food, Preserve foods, Organic homebrew, Compost, Pesticide-free Gardening, Minimize power usage, Homemade cleaners, Minimal body products, Homemade toothpaste, Natural deodorant, Sew, crochet, knit, Natural materials, Canvas shopping bags, Cloth napkins, Recycle, Reduce and reuse, Freecycle, Shop thrift stores,Combine shopping trips, Shop local,Buy in bulk, Drive 55 mph,One vehicle, Minimize water usage, Flush less often, Laundry in cold water, Line dry laundry, Water heater at 120F, Heater at 55-60F
Which leaves:
Shop Farmer's Market, Energy-Star appliances (my landlady's province), Cloth feminine pads [while necessary, don't know how long that will be!],Cloth toilet paper
Of these, the last is probably the one most people I have talked with balk at the most. The idea is just grotty to them. I wrote about this in the latest novel, before I realised that people now in suburbs were doing it. I thought it was a homesteading thing. But it makes sense, ecologically and financially, especially if you use a non-electric washer (like the kind for RVs) or have an 'extra small' setting on your electric one, or - novel idea! Boil your laundry (i.e., 'handwash'.)
All this is in addition to oil lamps and candles, making my own soap and cosmetics, which I already do, herbal medicine, and so on.
Getting away from vitamin pills is my next trick, which I may have mentioned. For decades I have thought of using herbal tinctures (homemade) or infusions instead of vitamin pills, not least because pills mostly upset my stomach. I got this idea from Dr. John Lust's Herb Book when I was in my early teens, and it was reinforced by the writings of Susun Weed, Dr. Christopher, and others. But somehow, I never managed to get it together. Now I am. Partly this is because I have empirical evidence that this is a workable solution, so to speak. And partly it is sheer cussedness. I don't want to be a part of the consumer parade any longer.
Step by step, though. Making haste slowly, I go.
Peace and all good!
posted by Kelly Joyce Neff | 11:51 AM
2 Comments:
Cloth TP? I'd rather use a bidet, or a quick shower. TP is barbaric anyways. Would you put your hands in the muck in a pig-pen and then wipe them off with a paper towel?
I'm just saying, is all. :-)
It's TMI-Tuesday, everybody.
W
As I said, this is grotty to most people. In fact everyone I have heard of or met who uses cloth has a squirt bottle handy.
Showering everytime you go to the loo would be wasteful and inconvenient ;)
Agreed about TP.
And if people think this is all just TMI, well, deal with it. This is real life.
=) k
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