eco-living update
they are small changes, but changes none-the-less:
1. paper towels. we really started using rags awhile ago to clean up the kitchen, spills, and the table, but for kid's hands we have still been using paper towels OR wipes.... i now have a stash of washcloths in the kitchen for dirty hands & faces.
2. grocery bags. we have been using reusable grocery bags since my sister gave me some for xmas two years ago....but now i have been re-using the "vegetable" bags from the grocery. it takes a lot to remember to bring them every week but i feel like it is an important effort. i mean really, you put three apples in that bag and then throw it away.
3. deodorant. (okay, not so small of a change) i am still a little bit in disbelief that it really works. mama v gave me a recipe after my other post asking for help. it works and it is not for lack of smelling my own armpit (TMI - sorry). all i can say is - amazing. i made my own. thanks mama v..... your recipe is awesome.
1 T. baking soda
1 T. corn starch (i used arrowroot - no GMOs)
1 T. coconut oil
4. toothpaste. again, thanks to mama v. for the recipe. i checked with my dentist to make sure it was okay since there is no fluoride. i actually think my teeth feel cleaner. i'll have to check w/ my hubbie about my breath, but i really like it.
2 T. coconut oil
2 T. baking soda
10 - 20 drops of peppermint oil
she did give me a recipe for tooth "powder" that you can check out in the comment section of this post.
again, small changes that are working for us.
i have more in mind, but we are taking baby steps.
going to try my own laundry soap next..... see g'ma you are closer to "crunchy" than you think you are (wink, wink).
any small changes that you have tried?
1. paper towels. we really started using rags awhile ago to clean up the kitchen, spills, and the table, but for kid's hands we have still been using paper towels OR wipes.... i now have a stash of washcloths in the kitchen for dirty hands & faces.
2. grocery bags. we have been using reusable grocery bags since my sister gave me some for xmas two years ago....but now i have been re-using the "vegetable" bags from the grocery. it takes a lot to remember to bring them every week but i feel like it is an important effort. i mean really, you put three apples in that bag and then throw it away.
3. deodorant. (okay, not so small of a change) i am still a little bit in disbelief that it really works. mama v gave me a recipe after my other post asking for help. it works and it is not for lack of smelling my own armpit (TMI - sorry). all i can say is - amazing. i made my own. thanks mama v..... your recipe is awesome.
1 T. baking soda
1 T. corn starch (i used arrowroot - no GMOs)
1 T. coconut oil
4. toothpaste. again, thanks to mama v. for the recipe. i checked with my dentist to make sure it was okay since there is no fluoride. i actually think my teeth feel cleaner. i'll have to check w/ my hubbie about my breath, but i really like it.
2 T. coconut oil
2 T. baking soda
10 - 20 drops of peppermint oil
she did give me a recipe for tooth "powder" that you can check out in the comment section of this post.
again, small changes that are working for us.
i have more in mind, but we are taking baby steps.
going to try my own laundry soap next..... see g'ma you are closer to "crunchy" than you think you are (wink, wink).
any small changes that you have tried?
Comments
So I am curious about the deodorant. Does it become like a cream? or a powder? how do you store and apply it?
This is really neat, Kathy! I feel like the way you write about this stuff is approachable and inspiring...which I think is a hard tone to achieve when writing about eco-friendly whatnot.
glad to hear the deo and the toothpaste works for you...I'll give it a go.
For the laundry detergent, I've found the powder is the easiest to make and works better for me than making my own liquid...you may find differently though.
I make my own dishwasher detergent too~equal parts Borax and Baking Soda..use regular vinegar for the rinse aid in place of "jet dry".
I use regular vinegar for fabric softener too -works great.
I'm so glad you like the deo! Have you noticed that you can feel the coconut oil as you wash in the shower? It's almost as if it creates a barrier on the skin - without feeling filmy! Coconut oil is magical!
You might want to google fluoride and see if you find any information about it being a neurotoxin, as well as the fact that it tends to have the opposite effect on our teeth than we intend! We get plenty of it in our drinking water anyway, so you've really got nothing to worry about for leaving it out of your toothpaste. I make sure to provide fluoride-free toothpaste to my children (so far, they don't dig the salty homemade stuff) and plan for all of us to stay away from fluoride for as long as possible.
I too have been wanting to try homemade laundry soap, mostly because of its cost effectiveness. I prefer liquid over powder and have purchased all the ingredients for this recipe but have yet to finally give it a go: http://householdways.blogspot.com/2010/04/homemade-laundry-detergent.html. I'll get to it one of these days... Again, baby steps, right?!?!
We use a handmade washing machine for cloth diapers and our childrens' clothing, and the rest of our clothes get washed in the laundromat, so I prefer the liquid to help out our little machine at home. Besides, the thought of grating a bar of soap makes me want to run for the hills. These little steps often take an extra bit of time, so I'm always looking for ways to make shortcuts here and there! I'll let you know how I like it. Please let us know when/if you try a laundry detergent recipe, and how you like it!
BTW, I like Jeanette's vinegar suggestion. I often use it in the rinse cycle when the clothes are particularly stinky/dirty.
Thanks for the fun update.
http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/07/whats-the-deal-with-fluoride/
one car has actually been my favorite thing we've done. i keep telling kevin our relationship is going to take a significant turn if we ever have another car... i think we'd stick to one forever if we didn't live in FL where it rains and you can't just ride your bike everywhere....
and yes, you're fine without flouride. :) for all the reasons mama v said.