I like to think that before I was carrying Baby, I was fairly earth-friendly. I used to make the claim in college that I was a "plain-clothes hippy." Most of my friends rejected this description, but I still stand by it. I used to be president of the Eco Club in high school and I've long been into "alternative" health care options, especially when it comes to Molly Tee (raw chicken anyone?). The other day, I expressed to Matt how I hoped this one vet might be available at the animal clinic I was going to because she was an herbalist and practices more natural-care remedies for animals. Matt asked "Why do you always have to seek out the weird option?" Because I am a plain-clothes hippy! Plain clothes because, come on, you don't have to neglect fashion and look homeless or a prairie-dweller just because you don't like chemicals.
Okay, but my point is that since Baby has been on the scene, I've become a pronounced, obvious hippy (who still enjoys fashion, thank you). Part of this transformation has been the fact that my nose/senses will NOT tolerate lab-brewed scents. I was never way into sun-riped razz-chemical, but now, I don't even like well, anything. I have pushed my Method body wash to the perimeter of my shower and have been instead using some Go Texan bar soap I got at the fair made of, I don't know, wheat, or something. My fancy Martha Stewart-recommended Fekkai shampoo has succumbed to the same shunned fate, replaced with some hippy juice that I think you can also use on mosquito bites (?) I acquired from Morning Glory. I threw out all the liquid Dial refill soap I had for bathroom soap dispensers because it caused the already threatening nausea waves to wash over me completely, which pre-pregnancy I had thought to be unscented. (What's in my bathroom now? You guessed it: more wheat bars.)
And the green cleaning workshop I attended with my pals for Chay's b-day was another major epiphany. I've used up all my comet and am now BFFs with Borax. It's super cheap, can be used for everything (kitchen! dishes! laundry! bathroom!), earth-friendly, and NO SMELL. I'm now trying to decide what to do with the few bottles of commercial cleaners that have been lingering in my cabinets for years. Ideally, I'd like to use them up and never buy them again, but I haven't used woolite pet stain spray since Molly was a puppy (an actual puppy and not just MY puppy). I've never used the weird free bottle of whatever that the Kirby vacuum people gave me, not to mention it reminds me of almost getting swindled. And honestly, now that I've gone green, it's hard to imagine getting any fulfillment out of using these products. On the other hand, I hate to just throw them in the garbage; it seems the pollute-y way. It's just that I have come to view commercial cleaners the same way I look at processed, chemical-y foods (peanut butter and jelly in the same jar will NEVER sit right with me) and I really want them out of my environment.
[brief interlude to allow you all to nap from the excitement induced by this post]
Hmm, I'll wait to hear y'all's thoughts on it. Meanwhile, I will go brew myself some red raspberry leaf tea (for toning my hippy uterus for birth times) and then perhaps wash some of my cloth diapers in borax. But don't worry y'all, I still really like hot dogs and candy, which I'll enjoy while I am reading Mothering and proclaiming my lactivist and intactivist views. Plain clothes. Hippy. I think I've made my argument!
Monday, July 5, 2010
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3 comments:
Team, in the style of Mizz Carrie Bradshaw, this got me thinking. I have no idea what to do with the horrid all-purpose cleaners I have accumulated over the years (some left in my care by roommates . . . a very long time ago I'm rather ashamed to say). Some Googling sez to throw the liquids down the drain and put solid items (powders, pastes, etc.) in the trash. (http://www.healthycleaning101.org/english/HCP_disposal.html)
This doesn't sit well with me, though. Lady Jen, water expert, might have some info. I'll also ask my dad, chemical expert that he is, and report back.
Of course you know, I love it! I also enjoy bars of soap. I have never heard of washing diapers in borax. I enjoy hot dogs and candy, too! (although you know our hot dogs are made of free-range, grass-fed wheat).
Team, the pouring down the drain doesn't sit well with me either. I was thinking if I mixed up a mop bucket of Mr. Clean, then poured it out, that'd be like 30 thangs of water with each small measure of Mr. Clean. But if I just pour Mr. Clean down the drain straight...that's a lot. I have about 4 bottles I want to pitch and most are full-ish.
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