About a week ago, I received my Alaska Voter's Guide in the mail. I always look forward to reading these guides because each candidate has a statement regarding their goals and what they stand for (much more enlightening than all the pointless mud-slinging and gossip that is found in the media). I first read the statements by our presidential candidates. Neither the Republican nor Democratic candidates really said much of anything beyond vague statements that they will bring reform in Washington and fight for our future. Then they listed the "goodies" that they promise to give us, like more free money, health care, alternative energy resources, etc. I was not impressed. So Americans are stuck with choosing the "lesser of two evils" when they cast their vote for president next month. Unless we "waste our vote" on one of those smaller guys who has no chance of winning anyway.
"Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost." -John Quincy Adams
Voting for principle and standing alone is what I plan on doing this year. I don't want to waste my vote on a Republican or Democrat. Look what they've done to our country for the last 80 years! I am going to vote for Chuck Baldwin, member of the Constitution Party. He would like to return our country to a limited government based on the Constitution (do you remember that quaint historic document? Apparently all the guys in Washington have forgotten about it). His platform is the only one I've read that talks about any kind of real reform. He wants to bring home our troops from the 130 foreign countries where they are stationed and concentrate on defending our own borders (provide for the common defense). He would work to get rid of the Patriot Act, "free trade" agreements, and all other laws and organizations that limit our freedoms. He would work to end all socialist activity and bring us back to our Constitutional roots. I agree.
A word about socialism: Many people applaud all the various state and federal programs that are meant to help our fellow man with health care, housing, food, etc. I disagree. It's not that I am against social programs in general, I just know that the government is the absolute worst organization to carry out these tasks. I would be surprised if even 1% of our tax money ends up at the intended destination. The other 99% is wasted in overhead costs, corruption, etc. Anyone who works for the government knows that the system is bogged down with extreme waste, inefficiency, political red tape, and too many employees. These social programs should instead be carried out by the groups that are actually good at what they do. I'm talking about churches, private charities, and social organizations like the Lions Club. These groups have always worked to improve communities and provide necessities to those in poverty. They run (mostly) on private donations, donations that could be much larger if the average citizen and business could bring home more of their profits (instead of having their profits stolen by the government). Sure, there would be Scrooge-like people that never donate. And I'm sure there would also be corrupt charities that would con people out of their money without helping the poor. At least donations to these corrupt charities would be optional, whereas the current corrupt government does not give us that option!
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Integrated Agriculture
I recently read this article about integrated agriculture being practiced on small farms in Vietnam. The program they use is so fascinating; I find myself thinking about it often. In a nutshell, it is living & farming without waste. For example, grass that grows along the edge of a rice field is fed to cows. The cow manure is not thrown away, it is used to raise earthworms and even to power a methane gas cook stove. The earthworms are used to feed the chickens, and all the manure from all animals eventually goes back to be used as fertilizer in the fields & gardens. Kitchen & garden scraps are used for chicken feed and compost. These are just some of the examples. It is rather like the system that Mother Nature uses. She doesn't ship in supplies from other continents. Nor does she ship garbage out to the dump; every element of life has a purpose and can be used for something.
Now every time I throw something in the garbage, I look at it and think how it could be useful in some way. (Regrettably, life on an island in Alaska is largely without recycling options.) We already save all paper & cardboard to use as fire starter in our wood stove. Glass bottles & jars are useful for storing food & other items, but there comes a point when enough is enough and I have to throw some away! Plastic containers can also have a place, but I don't like them as well and usually just toss them. (I should probably avoid altogether buying food in plastic containers, but then my options are so limited.) Food scraps should of course go to compost, but I am still searching for the perfect barrel to make my own rotating composter (my attempt last winter to save food scraps in a bucket was a miserable failure, too much rain). What other useful things do we throw away? Old clothes & scraps of fabric too small to use also end up in the garbage can. In the old days, they saved pieces of cotton & string to make candle wicks. Cotton & other natural fibers can also go in the compost pile or the burn box.
What about the things that grow in our yard or nearby forests? Do we take advantage of the bounty of nature, or do we ignore the treasures right under our noses and rely on packaged salad mixes from the store? I took the advice of my sister-in-law and went out to harvest some of the dandelion greens that grow in my yard. They make a very healthful addition to salads. You can also make dandelion fritters & dandelion lemonade. We've also been eating the fiddlehead ferns that grow abundantly in our yard, very tasty! While I was outside yesterday gathering greens, I saw the hot air from the dryer exhaust escaping to the great outdoors. It made me feel momentarily guilty, first of all because I haven't installed my clothesline yet. Secondly, I thought, there must be some way to harness that wasted energy of the hot air from the dryer! If farmers in Vietnam can use the methane gas from cow manure to power their cookstove, what's my excuse?
Come back to my blog soon to see my next entry: how I used "garbage" around my house to make a mattress for my toddler!
Now every time I throw something in the garbage, I look at it and think how it could be useful in some way. (Regrettably, life on an island in Alaska is largely without recycling options.) We already save all paper & cardboard to use as fire starter in our wood stove. Glass bottles & jars are useful for storing food & other items, but there comes a point when enough is enough and I have to throw some away! Plastic containers can also have a place, but I don't like them as well and usually just toss them. (I should probably avoid altogether buying food in plastic containers, but then my options are so limited.) Food scraps should of course go to compost, but I am still searching for the perfect barrel to make my own rotating composter (my attempt last winter to save food scraps in a bucket was a miserable failure, too much rain). What other useful things do we throw away? Old clothes & scraps of fabric too small to use also end up in the garbage can. In the old days, they saved pieces of cotton & string to make candle wicks. Cotton & other natural fibers can also go in the compost pile or the burn box.
What about the things that grow in our yard or nearby forests? Do we take advantage of the bounty of nature, or do we ignore the treasures right under our noses and rely on packaged salad mixes from the store? I took the advice of my sister-in-law and went out to harvest some of the dandelion greens that grow in my yard. They make a very healthful addition to salads. You can also make dandelion fritters & dandelion lemonade. We've also been eating the fiddlehead ferns that grow abundantly in our yard, very tasty! While I was outside yesterday gathering greens, I saw the hot air from the dryer exhaust escaping to the great outdoors. It made me feel momentarily guilty, first of all because I haven't installed my clothesline yet. Secondly, I thought, there must be some way to harness that wasted energy of the hot air from the dryer! If farmers in Vietnam can use the methane gas from cow manure to power their cookstove, what's my excuse?
Come back to my blog soon to see my next entry: how I used "garbage" around my house to make a mattress for my toddler!
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Blow your Nose, Wipe your Mouth
If you are like most humans in this country, you will always make sure that you have a box of facial tissues and a package of paper napkins in your house at all times. 
These used to be regular items on my shopping list. I have always been a big user of Kleenex. The box ALWAYS ran out when I had a cold, so I would usually stock up on several boxes. But the paper tissues were rough on my poor nose. Even the ones with added lotion left my nose red and rough from all the wiping. About two years ago I had an "aha!" moment when I decided to use my handkerchiefs (which I already had) instead of facial tissues. I fold up the handkerchiefs and stack them neatly in a decorative wooden bowl on the kitchen counter. Once used, they go in with the dirty towels, kitchen rags, etc. 
Now if I am having a killer cold and run out of hankies, I don't have to run to the store. I just quickly do a load of laundry. I'm doing laundry all the time anyway, and my handkerchiefs can be easily added to any load I am washing. I have never bought another box of Kleenex and my nose is much happier now.I have recently been using soft cotton jersey fabric scraps to supplement my storebought hanky collection (small children=lots of noses needing constant wiping). I like these even better because they are softer and more absorbent. I cut them smaller than a regular hanky (an easier size for me to use). And since they are knit, they don't need to be hemmed. A nice soft & thick t-shirt at the thrift store would be perfect for cutting up to start your collection.
Cloth napkins are also a no-brainer solution to paper napkins. Like handkerchiefs, they are small and can be added to any load of laundry. I have collected many napkins at thrift stores, garage sales, etc. I've also stitched up my own from cotton fabric or repurposed tablecloths. My favorite to use are nice thick ones that are almost as thick as a kitchen towel (I made them from a great cotton tablecloth that I found at the thrift store). They are very absorbent & great for scrubbing messy faces or soaking up spilled milk. And they look so much nicer than paper napkins on the dinner table. Don't save your cloth napkins for special occasions, use them for every meal and save the trees instead!
Friday, May 30, 2008
Walking, Biking, Busing
Like most other people, I have been worrying and worrying lately about rising fuel prices. I mentioned to my husband the other day, "are you still going to go to work if the cost of gas to get there is higher than your paycheck?" Then all the sudden it hit me, there are other ways to travel besides our monstrous Jeep Wagoneer that gets 8 miles per gallon (on a good day).
So, I started walking everywhere. I am lucky that I live across the street from our town's shopping center, and have always walked to the grocery store. But church is ten blocks away, and we are always late as it is! But I walked to the church one evening (with Lola in the wrap and Jefferson in the stroller) and it took me 17 minutes. Could I commit to leaving 20 minutes early to get to church by 10 am? Yes. (Last Sunday I walked and I was 5 minutes early, yeah!) I have been walking all over the place now. Besides saving gas money, I already feel better because I am getting more exercise.
Another form of travel is the bicycle. Now, it may seem strange to my father that this hadn't really occurred to me before! He is the shining example to me about not using gas to get to work. He starting biking to work in the 1970s when he noticed he had gained a few pounds. He kept on biking even when he had to ride 13 miles each way in the hot Arizona sun. And he kept on biking in the Minnesota winters when the temperature dropped below zero (with protective clothing and snow tires). And I complain about how to get to the post office that is only 1.5 miles away. So I pulled my bike out of the basement, dusted it off, and made some repairs. We also pulled out our bike trailer (can fit both children, groceries, etc.) and ordered the part we needed to connect the trailer to the bike. All we have to wait for now are the new wheels that my husband ordered for his bike and we will be ready to ride anywhere. Truth be told, we live on an island in Alaska with very limited roadways. We can't drive more that 15 miles in any direction from our house. We have no excuse to use our car! Well, except for the fact that this is the rainiest city in North America (15 feet of rain annually). But for the price of filling up our Jeep a couple times, we could get some really nice rain gear.
The third mode of travel that I hadn't considered was the city bus. Our town is long and skinny running along a highway that hugs the shoreline. In other words, there is nowhere that is more than five blocks from the bus line. And to top it off, there is a major bus stop less than half a block from my house. But I had never thought about riding the bus before. I always just jumped in my car whenever I had to go anywhere, thinking that the bus was for other people, not me. Well, now I've decided the bus is for me. I found out that the month of May was "ride the bus for free month." Wow, I wish I had known that earlier. But even when June starts, I will be able to ride for only one dollar (my children ride for free). Or I can even buy a monthly bus pass for $25.00 (The cost of getting 6 1/2 gallons of gasoline, wow.) We have been riding the bus and my kids love it! I must say that it is easier than taking kids in and out of the car seats. Lola stays in my wrap and Jefferson sits on the seat. The bus will be great to use when it is raining sideways (as frequently happens in the winter).
It has been about 10 days since I have used my car and I feel great about it. I am going to see how long I can go. My other job is to convince my husband to either bike or ride the bus to his work (less than 2 miles away). Don't be such a wimp, Chris!
So, I started walking everywhere. I am lucky that I live across the street from our town's shopping center, and have always walked to the grocery store. But church is ten blocks away, and we are always late as it is! But I walked to the church one evening (with Lola in the wrap and Jefferson in the stroller) and it took me 17 minutes. Could I commit to leaving 20 minutes early to get to church by 10 am? Yes. (Last Sunday I walked and I was 5 minutes early, yeah!) I have been walking all over the place now. Besides saving gas money, I already feel better because I am getting more exercise.
Another form of travel is the bicycle. Now, it may seem strange to my father that this hadn't really occurred to me before! He is the shining example to me about not using gas to get to work. He starting biking to work in the 1970s when he noticed he had gained a few pounds. He kept on biking even when he had to ride 13 miles each way in the hot Arizona sun. And he kept on biking in the Minnesota winters when the temperature dropped below zero (with protective clothing and snow tires). And I complain about how to get to the post office that is only 1.5 miles away. So I pulled my bike out of the basement, dusted it off, and made some repairs. We also pulled out our bike trailer (can fit both children, groceries, etc.) and ordered the part we needed to connect the trailer to the bike. All we have to wait for now are the new wheels that my husband ordered for his bike and we will be ready to ride anywhere. Truth be told, we live on an island in Alaska with very limited roadways. We can't drive more that 15 miles in any direction from our house. We have no excuse to use our car! Well, except for the fact that this is the rainiest city in North America (15 feet of rain annually). But for the price of filling up our Jeep a couple times, we could get some really nice rain gear.The third mode of travel that I hadn't considered was the city bus. Our town is long and skinny running along a highway that hugs the shoreline. In other words, there is nowhere that is more than five blocks from the bus line. And to top it off, there is a major bus stop less than half a block from my house. But I had never thought about riding the bus before. I always just jumped in my car whenever I had to go anywhere, thinking that the bus was for other people, not me. Well, now I've decided the bus is for me. I found out that the month of May was "ride the bus for free month." Wow, I wish I had known that earlier. But even when June starts, I will be able to ride for only one dollar (my children ride for free). Or I can even buy a monthly bus pass for $25.00 (The cost of getting 6 1/2 gallons of gasoline, wow.) We have been riding the bus and my kids love it! I must say that it is easier than taking kids in and out of the car seats. Lola stays in my wrap and Jefferson sits on the seat. The bus will be great to use when it is raining sideways (as frequently happens in the winter).
It has been about 10 days since I have used my car and I feel great about it. I am going to see how long I can go. My other job is to convince my husband to either bike or ride the bus to his work (less than 2 miles away). Don't be such a wimp, Chris!
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Give cloth diapers a chance!
| Etsy Buy Handmade EtsyClothDiapers |
Everyone who knows me knows that cloth diapering is my pet issue. I could go on and on for hours about this, so I will be very brief.
Even if you don't have a baby in diapers, disposable diapers affect us all since they make up such a HUGE percentage of our landfills. They also use natural resources that are just thrown away after being worn for a few hours. The rumor spread around by proctor & gamble that cloth diapers are just as bad on the environment as disposables was some seriously twisted corporate propeganda. Be informed on the subject so you can tell your friends.
Not only are cloth diapers better for the environment, they are better for your baby. Rashes and other health problems are MUCH higher with babies that wear paper & plastic diapers. Not to mention all those mega-absorbent chemicals that shouldn't be anywhere near the reproductive parts of a baby.
Cloth diapers are also WAY CHEAPER than disposables, even if you add in laundry costs. Add up the costs over a 3-year diapering period and you will be amazed. Not to mention that those cloth diapers can be used on your next child, diapering for free!
And finally, cloth diapers are so cute! I get the shivers every time I see a baby that is afflicted with an icky disposable diaper. If you are thinking of prefolds, pins, & plastic pants, look around online to see the kinds of cloth diapers moms are using on their babies today. The choices are endless!
For more information, look at my Boise Cloth Diapers website. It has everything you would want to know about cloth diapers, including how to sew your own stash.
To shop for beautiful handmade cloth diapers & covers, go to www.etsyclothdiapers.com. There you can browse through more than a hundred different shops.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Cosmetic Safety Database
Today's post is a follow up to Monday's entry about SLS & soap. I found this really cool website today called Skin Deep. It is a cosmetic safety database run by researchers at the Environmental Working Group. In their searchable database, you can look up any type of cosmetic (shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste, etc.), brand, or even specific ingredients. They give each product a "hazard score" from 0-10 based on the chemical makeup and their knowledge and research of its effects on your health. And they give you details of what the specific hazards are with each product or ingredient (cancer, reproductive toxicity, etc.) Pretty cool! This is an easy place to look up any product or ingredient I am wondering about. And darn, it looks like I need to find a new deodorant.
One thing that surprised me was that the Body Shop products are some of the most toxic things out there! And they always seem so natural and environmentally friendly the way they are advertised. Boy, they had me fooled. And watch out, a lot of baby products are also really toxic.
This is a great resource for someone like me that doesn't speak "scientist" and doesn't know what all those ingredients are or what they do. They've done all the research for us.
One thing that surprised me was that the Body Shop products are some of the most toxic things out there! And they always seem so natural and environmentally friendly the way they are advertised. Boy, they had me fooled. And watch out, a lot of baby products are also really toxic.
This is a great resource for someone like me that doesn't speak "scientist" and doesn't know what all those ingredients are or what they do. They've done all the research for us.
Friday, May 23, 2008
Wrap your baby
I just want to say that I really love my baby wrap carrier! I just went on a long, long walk today with my two children (the three-year-old was walking/in the stroller, one-year-old in the wrap) and the baby was so easy to carry. I'm not sore anywhere! Wraps are amazing because they distribute the weight across both shoulders, your back and your waist/hips. I was afraid for a long time to use a wrap because they looked so complicated to tie. I really wanted an Ergo baby carrier because they have such good reviews, but they cost $90 each (not spending that much anytime soon!). I used ring slings a lot with both my children. Those are great when the baby is small or the walk is short. Otherwise they really start to pull down on one shoulder and hurt my back. I knew that a wrap carrier would distribute the weight better, but they were too hard to use (I thought).
Finally it dawned on me that using a wrap couldn't be more complicated than a structured carrier where you have to figure out all the different buckles and straps. So I made a wrap, tried it on, and wow, it was easy! I followed the directions for the front wrap cross carry on the Wrap Your Baby website. I haven't tried any others yet since I like this one so much (and I've already learned how to do it), but there are dozens of different ways to tie these wraps. You could probably even make up your own way.
The best part about the wrap baby carrier is the cost. To make mine, I bought five yards of jersey knit fabric (from the dollar bargain fabric bin), cut it to a strip about 30 inches wide, and hemmed the edges. It cost me five dollars, and there was enough fabric left over to make a second wrap. Instead I used some of the extra fabric to make a nice drawstring bag to contain the wrap when not in use.
You can even make your own no-sew wrap. If you use a knit (stretchy fabric) like jersey or fleece, you don't have to hem it. Just cut a piece that is five yards by 30 inches, that's all you need. If you don't want to make your own, there are plenty of places to buy one online. Try Etsy.com or just google "baby wrap carrier". And don't be afraid of tying the wrap, you will be pleasantly surprised when you see how easy & comfy it is.
To learn more about why baby wearing is so good for you & your baby, visit The Baby Wearer.
Finally it dawned on me that using a wrap couldn't be more complicated than a structured carrier where you have to figure out all the different buckles and straps. So I made a wrap, tried it on, and wow, it was easy! I followed the directions for the front wrap cross carry on the Wrap Your Baby website. I haven't tried any others yet since I like this one so much (and I've already learned how to do it), but there are dozens of different ways to tie these wraps. You could probably even make up your own way.
The best part about the wrap baby carrier is the cost. To make mine, I bought five yards of jersey knit fabric (from the dollar bargain fabric bin), cut it to a strip about 30 inches wide, and hemmed the edges. It cost me five dollars, and there was enough fabric left over to make a second wrap. Instead I used some of the extra fabric to make a nice drawstring bag to contain the wrap when not in use.
You can even make your own no-sew wrap. If you use a knit (stretchy fabric) like jersey or fleece, you don't have to hem it. Just cut a piece that is five yards by 30 inches, that's all you need. If you don't want to make your own, there are plenty of places to buy one online. Try Etsy.com or just google "baby wrap carrier". And don't be afraid of tying the wrap, you will be pleasantly surprised when you see how easy & comfy it is.
To learn more about why baby wearing is so good for you & your baby, visit The Baby Wearer.
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