Detox Your House and Cosmetics! What do you do?

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newbiecrystal said:
Good for you! This past new years my resolution, which I never make those, too cliche...was to drastically reduce my family's eco footprint. I started recycling every single scrap I possibly could, digging things out of the garbage my family threw out...took a bit to train them, LOL...unfortunately the garbage man picks up garbage weekly, buy only biweekly for the recycling. my garbage can is never full anymore, maybe half...and by time they pick up the recycling that can is overflowing and things on top of it and next to it. Also switched all our bulbs to fluorescent which use way less energy and actually reduce electric bill by a lot. Stopped running the dishwasher and used it as a drying rack. Stopped buying cleaning chemicals and made my own using vinegars, oranges & lemons...etc. I want my husband to build me a clothes line so I can stop using the dryer. Maybe someday wash clothes by hand if I ever have the time lol. Someday I would love to cover the roof in solar panels. Someday I'd love to have no grass at all, every square inch of land covered in fruits, vegetables herbs and beneficial plants for my family, my pets, my livestock, and have enough left over to share with extended family and friends and this church food pantry that are amazing and helped my family in a time of need. I'd also like to grow vegetable plants in little pots to donate there so the ppl in need can bring home a continuous source of food and maybe learn about growing their own food. I also hope to have enough egg layers to share. I love talking to you guys..you're all brilliant. Have a blessed day :hugs
Click to expand...
You are definitely on the right track. Keep it up.:thumbsup
 
EggSighted4Life said:
Cool thread, you guys are way better than I am!

When we bought our house that is on well and septic, we cut out most chemicals... or so I would like to think!

But... I use antiperspirant. Tried the salt rock one and hated it. Mostly just brush my teeth with straight water. Bought Dr. Bonners castile soap for all our hand pumps and to use in the shower, but I hate it in the shower. For some reason my hubby insist on using Irish Spring, which quickly build up and clogs my drains if used with cold water. Still use Dawn and dishwasher packs (whatever the green ones are), as well as laundry detergent. We just scrub and flush the toilet. Doesn't smell quite nice and clean afterwards, but I guess it's OK since that's how it's been for almost 3 years now and I haven't changed it yet. Bleach is used as a cleaning agent in the laundry machine, when it starts to smell and on smelly dish sponges. We practically just rinse our hair, with the occasional use of shampoo and conditioner. Hubby uses hair spray daily. No cosmetics here. And yes, I used permethrin on my birds to combat lice/mites. (will switch to pyrethrum when it comes time to replace it.) I also cannot afford to use organic chicken or dog feed. Nor do I buy organic everything for myself. I do not however use herbicides, pesticides, or chemical fertilizers. We do use things like otc pain relievers as well as all the stupid meds we have to take. I used to have a red wiggler bin for composting but since the chickens have quit doing that. However anything left behind seems to attract rats. So my big fight right now is rats. Trying real hard to avoid poison as it doesn't line up with my lifestyle. So snap traps and 1 electronic shock trap are what I'm using, with some but probably not total success. We also use topical mosquito bite relief agents. And sadly I ferment my chicken feed in one of those big ol' non food grade plastic yard trash cans. As well as feeding it in a non food grade plastic rain gutter. I'm sure there have got to be more things I forgot to confess to! :oops: Sounds like I'm the temptress at the wrong place.. but I really do have a goal of becoming chemical free to the best of my ability. :hmm And I choose not to beat myself up for what I haven't yet been able to change, knowing that most things are a process. :old

We actually have a cheese factory right here in town and they are working on zero waste. They have some though not all organic products. They put them on sell often for only $2.50/#, that's a steal! We do talk about doing our own simple mozzarella, but I did NOT know you needed to use un-homogenized milk. Great info! I did buy raw, pasture raised milk (Humboldt creamery) for a while, but got scared off by one of the local vet's wife having used raw milk and catching something and being paralyzed in the past. Now all the milk from that place goes to the local cheese/butter factory. Also learning there is no regulation for the term pasture raised made me wonder (never mind the $16/gallon). That place (Alexandra's) that sells the milk to our cheese factory (Rumiano) also does sell pastured eggs and pasture raised and finished (no corn) beef and pork. This place being local I can see their pastures with the livestock in it. They still transport 3-4 hours for slaughter though. And we have another local farmer who also does pasture raised and finished beef/lamb and only transports his 2 hours for slaughter. In our move to conscientious consumption we WAY cut back, try to buy local/pasture raised (though not always because it gets pricey $8/# ground beef). We are lucky to get a good bit of local caught seafood. And we moved to buying only line caught for tuna or anything else we can. Big chicken can bite me! :tongue We raise and process our own, though I don't feel one bit of guilt for looking to pay someone else to process. Though we have done all our own so far. :sick

Anyways, my biggest personal issue(s) with making all the soaps and such is I'm lazy(ish), limited storage space, failure to follow through with ideas because I spend WAY too much time spinning it through my head, and the unending projects already consuming my time. :barnie Yep, I sprout for my chooks and do FF. Plus I grow meal worms. And chicken math has pushed my limits till I'm exhausted by mid summer every year and I just can't wait for winter so I can sleep a little more! :p

Yes, I did come to this thread to learn and I'm open to suggestions. Please don't hate if I can't be as awesome as you! :pop
Click to expand...
All of this takes time and energy... don't be depressed. My kids, who live with us, can't shake their need for the boxed products with all the chemicals.:he
 
newbiecrystal said:
Good for you! This past new years my resolution, which I never make those, too cliche...was to drastically reduce my family's eco footprint. I started recycling every single scrap I possibly could, digging things out of the garbage my family threw out...took a bit to train them, LOL...unfortunately the garbage man picks up garbage weekly, buy only biweekly for the recycling. my garbage can is never full anymore, maybe half...and by time they pick up the recycling that can is overflowing and things on top of it and next to it. Also switched all our bulbs to fluorescent which use way less energy and actually reduce electric bill by a lot. Stopped running the dishwasher and used it as a drying rack. Stopped buying cleaning chemicals and made my own using vinegars, oranges & lemons...etc. I want my husband to build me a clothes line so I can stop using the dryer. Maybe someday wash clothes by hand if I ever have the time lol. Someday I would love to cover the roof in solar panels. Someday I'd love to have no grass at all, every square inch of land covered in fruits, vegetables herbs and beneficial plants for my family, my pets, my livestock, and have enough left over to share with extended family and friends and this church food pantry that are amazing and helped my family in a time of need. I'd also like to grow vegetable plants in little pots to donate there so the ppl in need can bring home a continuous source of food and maybe learn about growing their own food. I also hope to have enough egg layers to share. I love talking to you guys..you're all brilliant. Have a blessed day :hugs
Click to expand...

Just a couple of things here:

One, for redoing and getting rid of that high maintenance grass lawn (I am spoiled, I have not mowed for 15 years, landscape is natural) you might like this blog even if it is from Montana.

http://montanawildlifegardener.blogspot.com/2009/02/how-to-remove-lawn.html

i have actually visited this house, botanist and wildlife biologist live here...and the yard is amazing.

Two...sourdough, I did do that some years ago and should start again...I would put mine in the fridge and it would go dormant. Then take it out and add 1/4 c flour I think...If you keep it for longer than a month or so you can take a (plastic freezer, eek) bag and flatten it out til quite thin and freeze it...it will live and stay viable for a long time...and you will still have your starter... when you unfreeze! Just refrigerate and then bring it to room temp and feed it!

So interesting that a lot of our good food is alive!
 
mobius said:
Just a couple of things here:

One, for redoing and getting rid of that high maintenance grass lawn (I am spoiled, I have not mowed for 15 years, landscape is natural) you might like this blog even if it is from Montana.

http://montanawildlifegardener.blogspot.com/2009/02/how-to-remove-lawn.html

i have actually visited this house, botanist and wildlife biologist live here...and the yard is amazing.

Two...sourdough, I did do that some years ago and should start again...I would put mine in the fridge and it would go dormant. Then take it out and add 1/4 c flour I think...If you keep it for longer than a month or so you can take a (plastic freezer, eek) bag and flatten it out til quite thin and freeze it...it will live and stay viable for a long time...and you will still have your starter... when you unfreeze! Just refrigerate and then bring it to room temp and feed it!

So interesting that a lot of our good food is alive!
Click to expand...
I want/need grass, but I need it for my birds...
 

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