Things that make you go, hmmm

Once you take a step off the merry-go-round, virtually everything once sacred gets called into question.

Early this year, I decided to experiment with making my own laundry detergent as an alternative to commercial brands: one cup of washing soda, one cup of borax, one finely grated bar of Ivory soap, mix well, and you're done in five minutes. It's inexpensive, works great, and I'm still using it.

This summer, I added the solar clothes dryer (translation, clothesline), and although I'm using it all the time, I was reminded how much I loved the fresh smell of sheets my mom hung outside to dry.

The other day, a friend shared with me an article from the UK Guardian that has me taking that thinking even farther. Journalist Susan Elkin writes, It's been one year since I stopped washing my hair.  Well, talk about things that make you go, ewwww. And then, I read the article and was enlightened by what I read. We have totally bought into the idea that we're all dirty and smelly and only copious amounts of sweet selling products will save us from being social outcasts, untouchables. This is one more indication of the artificial bubble we have built and imprisoned ourselves in. My friend has reduced her shampooing from every two days to once a week, and I'm going to experiment with cutting back, too, and giving my poor scalp a break. The key seems to be rinsing your hair (without shampoo) very couple of days.

Which got me thinking about something else in the shower this morning...are we so foul that we really need all these deodorant soaps?  One time when we were camping, several years ago, I made the trek to the showers, stepped inside and turned on the water, only to realize I had forgotten to bring my soap. What to do? Dry off, get dressed, gather up all my stuff, head back to the campsite, find the soap, and start all over again? No. I showered without soap, and nobody's nose was offended. Which has me thinking again. What are we doing to our skin?  There may be another experiment in my future. One thing leads to another.

Last night I discovered something really cool while leafing through the latest issue of Better Homes and Gardens: compostable toothbrushes.  Made from a plant-based plastic, this is one more small step away from our petroleum-based products and lifestyle addiction.

This morning I stumbled on another website, MyPlasticFreeLife.com, and I've added a link over on the lefthand side of my homepage. I haven't had the time to really explore all of its nooks and crannies yet, but it looks like a great source of helpful information.

Have a great weekend, everybody. I'm going to be cross stitching and baking cookies and being apolitical.