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posted by Kelsi on June 12, 2008 4:17 PM under Natural Family Living
Living in a condo keeps you from doing a lot of environmentally friendly things you might do if you lived in a house. One of those things is composting. Lately, I have learned about composting that I can do here, even though I am in a living space without a yard. I will soon begin to compost my kitchen scraps by vermicomposting. Vermicomposting is a large, unsightly word that describes the method of breaking down organic matter into dirt using worms. It is well-suited to small spaces where it may not be possible to have a typical compost bin.
While it is possible to vermicompost using buckets or totes, I am planning on buying a worm factory. A worm factory is a nifty contraption that allows the worms to move upward as they create "black gold" soil (see "continuous vertical flow" here). I am hoping to cut our trash down to a minimum and feed the worms! The worms run around $25 for a pound of red wigglers, which I am told is the best compositing variety. I'm going to spend the next week shopping around before I buy, and I will post what I purchase and where in Post 2.
Happy Composting!
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posted by Kelsi on June 7, 2008 11:19 AM under Natural Family Living
How do you balance being eco-friendly and yet still keep your family safe from germs? You've most likely heard about anti-microbial soaps and how some germs have become resistant. In the kitchen, there is a solution! In the book Organic Housekeeping by Ellen Sandbeck, I read about her "dual spray program". She keeps two spray bottles handy - one with vinegar and a dark colored one with 3% hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). The dark bottle is for the hydrogen peroxide, which needs to be kept away from light so it doesn't break down.
How does it work?
When the hydrogen peroxide is exposed to light, heat, or organic materials it releases its extra oxygen, so that pure water and oxygen are produced. Micro-organisms find pure oxygen to be exceedingly toxic. You can actually see the reaction as the hydrogen peroxide bubbles! In Sandbeck's book, she states that hydrogen peroxide kills 100x as many bacteria as vinegar, but when used in conjunction 10x more bacteria were killed as the hydrogen peroxide alone.
The dual spray system is good for these uses: disinfect countertops, stoves, sinks, and refrigerators, raw foods, and processed foods (do not use on marble countertops and the vinegar may be harmful to calcium-based natural stone).
To disinfect surfaces, spray with one bottle then the other. It is not necessary to rinse. Many people dislike the smell of vinegar, so you may want to spray the vinegar first. Produce and meat can follow the same method - spray with vinegar then the hydrogen peroxide. The hydrogen peroxide rinses the vinegar off. Non-cardboard processed food containers should be washed of any material that spilled, then sprayed with hydrogen peroxide then vinegar, and wiped down.
A final note: cutting boards. Most people think that a plastic or glass cutting board would be cleaner than a wood one, but the opposite is true. Both a study in 1992 and one in 1993 showed that the wood cutting boards were less likely to harbor germs such as salmonella, listeria, or E. Coli. The wood fibers actually soak up and kill the bacteria. More information on these studies can be found in Ms. Sandbeck's book.
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posted by Kelsi on May 25, 2008 7:58 PM under Natural Family Living
As you may be figuring out by now, my main "hobby" is trying to find ways to live more naturally, or as Chuck sees it, "harder." My response to an item we need to purchase might be "get the organic one" or "eww, that is filled with chemicals," at which point we usually choose my product or a happy medium (ok, occasionally he wins). My reasons are not to be difficult or annoying, but because I feel that there are so many potential hazards in products available that choosing something with fewer chemicals is less likely to be harmful to myself or my family.
Now, to get to the point of this post - stinky pits. One of the products I am trying to avoid is antiperspirant. Why, you ask? Because of the aluminum. Aluminum compounds are the most extensively used antiperspirants, and they work by stopping or limiting perspiration, which reduces the moist climate in armpits for bacteria, the source of the stink. You may wonder why aluminum is a problem - I did. I found out that aluminum is neurotoxin, "a toxin that acts specifically on nerve cells, usually by interacting with membrane proteins such as ion channels." The effects of neurotoxins are based on the toxin itself and the dosage, but I decided not to take any chances. I threw away my antiperspirant.
First, I tried walking around with nothing on and discovered that I after a few hours no one wanted to be near me. Over the next several months, I tried a lot of different deodorants - mostly the natural ones, but nothing worked for more than a few hours. I finally discovered Funk Butter. The stuff is amazing - it works for 12-48 hours with no stink and the Black Cedar Fig scent is wonderful! I was delighted to find that this cream deodorant was handmade too.
Months went by. One day I noticed a rash appearing under my arms. After some research I found that many users had the same issue (usually attributed to the baking soda, but sometimes also to the essential and fragrance oils). Sadly, I switched back to antiperspirant for my wedding. did not want rashy armpits with my sleeveless gown!
After we returned from the honeymoon, I began my research again. I tried everything, but found that one of the best "armpit regimes" was washing with baking soda and using Thai Crystal Spray Mist. The baking soda can be harsh, so I can't do it every day, but I mix it up with washing with Burt's Bees Shampoo Bar (I have no clue why this works) and the baking soda, using the crystal spray after both.
I'm not saying I smell like roses, but you can get close to me and not hold your nose, even after most long days!
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posted by Kelsi on May 24, 2008 8:24 PM under Natural Family Living
What better way to spend a Saturday then to learn about living sustainably?
Today, with the girls in tow, I visited the Maryland Heartland Sustainable Living Fair. We didn't leave as early as I hoped, but with two young kids I rarely leave on time for anything. The festival was held at the Carroll County Farm Museum, which I had never visited before, but I plan to return.
I went in the hope to learn more about green building or retrofitting a house, but unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to go to any of their workshops. What self-respecting five-year-old would sit patiently for an hour? When we first arrived Ari spotted the children's area, where we spent some time. Ari used some materials they had on hand to do some weaving. We wandered around a bit more, looking at the booths, and then stopped for lunch - an organic cheeseburger, vegan popcorn and cookie, and ice cream. Next we stopped by the animals they had in pens on the farm and strolled through their vegetable garden, staffed by Carroll County Master Gardeners. Ari played on their playground and then we walked to the plant booths and back to the kids area where she planted a flower for herself.
I did learn some useful information and make new contacts. I first found out about the fair from Karen Daniel of Daniel Creations, who had a booth set up for her cloth diapers (we bought a large hot pink one for Abby - Ari's choice). We discovered the benefits of Lamb's Quarter, an edible weed, from a gentleman staffing the Common Ground Farms booth. Did you know that Lamb's Quarter has tons of calcium, beta carotene, fiber, niacin, phosphorus, protein, riboflavin, thiamine, and vitamin C? I'm munching as I type! We also stopped by booths set up by Baby Drawers & More, Lolababiez - where Ari loved a purple Sigg water bottle, and the non-profit Green Building Institute, which looks like it will be helpful since I missed all of the workshops today. I bought a cool blue reusable bag with an Earth on it that is stored in a tiny pouch, which I plan to keep on hand for other festivals such as this where I neglect to bring a bag. Finally, I stopped by a booth run by Natural Parenting of Carroll County. The ladies at the booth were friendly and helpful, and just seemed like so much fun! They were also handing out free wipes from Seaside Quilts. Ari picked out an adorable one that was pink with crowns, and had polka dots on the reverse.
Eventually, with our bags stuffed and my skin somewhat sunburnt, we headed home. Ari was sad to go, which made me feel pretty good as I went for myself!
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posted by Kelsi on March 27, 2008 5:41 PM under Natural Family Living
Last week Chuck and I found ourselves with a slow drain in our shower. Naturally Chuck wanted to run to the store and get Drano, but I convinced him to let me try something first. I poured a half cup of baking soda down the drain, and followed it slowly with a cup of vinegar. It made spectacular bubbles and was cool to watch. I followed it with a pot of boiling water once the bubbling ceased. It WORKED! The drain is no longer slow and I didn't have to pour caustic chemicals down the drain.
Drain cleaners/ uncloggers are not only bad for the environment, but they also may kill the good microorganisms at the sewage cleaning plant. 90% of clogs can be cleared with a plunger. The other 10% may need an auger or a plumber. If you use a drain cleaner and it does not work, you will be putting yourself or the plumber you call at risk because the caustic drain cleaner can splash on the de-clogger when he/she uses the auger or clears the J-trap on a sink.
Of course, my wonderful husband had still purchased the Drano, so now I need to convince him to return it so I can say I saved money too.
Yes, I am a
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