Well January is almost over. I have been plastic bag free all month. It feels great to not have that drawer-full-of-plastic that has characterized all my past living situations!
I managed to go the entire month without bringing home plastic bags from the grocery store. I even started to take reusable bags with me when I went thrifting or to the craft store. On my last shopping trip, I forgot to bring my bags with me. I almost caved and got the plastic bags, thinking to myself that I could use them as liners for my bathroom and kitchen garbage cans. But I resisted, and told the clerk I didn't want any bags at all. I just put all my groceries back into my cart, and piled everything into my backseat. I got a funny look from the store clerk but I'll take that instead of plastic bags anytime.
My February change is going to be about the products that I put on my body. I've read some about the horrible things that go into commercial beauty products (is anybody else freaked out by sodium lauryl sulfates in our shampoo and body wash? So my commitment this month is to make my own shampoo, soap, deodorant and lotion. I'll use the recipes here (lotion), here (deodorant), here (shampoo) and here (soap). I'd also like to make homemade laundry detergent, but I have really sensitive skin, so hopefully I can find a recipe that will work for me.
So here's to chemistry and mixing, making and preserving! I'll be spending this month hunched over my stove, muttering to myself "Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn, and cauldron bubble".
Good luck everyone with your changes!
Peace
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I am so glad that your Jan change went well. And, good for you for sticking to your guns, even if it meant filling your car with loose groceries and getting funny looks! Right on!!
ReplyDeleteFeb sounds great. I would love to hear how it goes. I am on a mission to making my own laundry soap and would so love to eventually do my own shampoo and soap!
Good luck!
Suzy
My daughter has excema, and this recipe doesn't irritate her skin at all. I grate a bar of Fels Naptha, and mix it with 1 1/2 cups each of washing soda and Borax. Just shake it all up in a big mason jar. It sounded harsh to me, all that soap, and Borax too? But Ruby's skin doesn't react to it at all. We put about a cup of vinegar in the wash, too, which softens the clothes and helps the soap to dissolve. Your mileage may vary, of course.
ReplyDeleteThis detergent REALLY gets clothes clean too. I own a vintage clothing store, and you wouldn't believe that this pulls out without damaging the clothes at all.
so neat! I can't wait to hear how it goes...
ReplyDeleteYay for no plastic bags--I did the same change for January, but didn't think to just politely refuse the bags when I forgot my reusable ones. I'll be really interested to hear about the February challenge as well.
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting the recipes! If the homemade deodorant doesn't work for you, try the one they sell at LUSH. I have tried everything in the past (the crystal, Tom's) and I sweat right through them, but then I tried the one from LUSH and it totally works. (no I don't work for them, but it would be fun :)
ReplyDeleteyey!! together we are telling retailers "no need to offer plastic bags". Are you aware of the group called Conserving Now? It's a great activist/support group all about ridding the planet of plastic shopping bags, and has a facebook page!
ReplyDeletePeace,
Wendy
Thanks everyone! Wendy I will definitely be checking out that group. And Cat- I've tried the crystal too, it didn't really work for me. I'll check out Lush if my homemade experiment doesn't work.
ReplyDelete