Plastic Bags

I just received a link from another member of Co-op America that I felt should be shared with all of you. It’s about the damage that our usage of plastic has wrought. http://tinyurl.com/6ghx85

I know; we have all been hearing about the evils of plastic bags and plastic in general ad nauseam. However, plastic bags have such an adverse impact on us and our environment that this message should be stated over and over again until we all take action. The time to reduce our usage of plastic bags is now. If everyone would at least cut back, it would make a huge difference. Please take a look at what this link has to show you. Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand or a million or a billion words. Whatever it takes for each of us to reduce or eliminate our plastic bag usage.

Many of you know what needs to be done and are doing it, but many of you probably don’t even really think about it. After all, plastic bags and plastic wrap are so convenient to use and work so well, why change it? We can all have an impact on our environment for ourselves and for future generations. It is the choices we make now which determine whether or not that impact is negative or positive. I am hoping that after reading this and seeing the slideshow you will all opt for the positive. Use the scroll down bar on the right side of the screen to see all of the slides.

Here are a few hints to get you started on the road to change. As we have been seeing almost everywhere we go, most grocery stores now sell fabric bags to be used in place of plastic. They are just as handy as and certainly stronger than plastic. No more overloaded plastic bags stretching and breaking causing cans and bottles to roll all over. We can use waxed paper (preferably non-bleached) or cellulose bags to wrap sandwiches and other portable lunch or dinner items in. Store leftovers in the refrigerator in glass bowls, casserole dishes and canning jars. Many of these items come with lids that are airtight. But, if not, a double layer of waxed paper secured with a rubber band or placed under a non-airtight lid works well. One can also purchase elasticized covers for bowls. They are made of a heavy duty plastic, but they are washable and reusable. To store meats and other items in the freezer, freezer paper (butcher paper) works well. Use biodegradable bags for picking up dog waste. Please share any other hints you have with our readers. We can all learn from each other.

Remember that even one little change in your plastic bag usage can have a big impact. Never think that you cannot have an impact. We are all in this world together. Let’s all work together to make it a better and healthier place for all of its inhabitants.

Recalcitrant Springtime

I have been looking forward to spring for quite sometime now. However, Mother Nature seems to have a different idea as to how quickly Spring will be arriving. Here in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area, we have been having a rather strange mix of freezing cold frosty mornings and sunny but chilly afternoons. It has been too cold to do any work out in the garden, so I have been having fun formulating new products for all of you.

Some of the new items are now available on the Devorah Naturals website. One of my favorites is the lovely new Rosehip Facial Crème which is light and emollient. I think you will really like it and it's great for all skin types. Three new bar soaps are also available with lighter 'springy' type scents. They are Bergamot Sage Soap, a subtle flowery citrus with a warm, musky undertone, Orange Lemongrass Goat Milk Soap, a bright, sassy, mouth watering citrus and Lavender Marjoram Goat Milk Soap, a light herbaceous floral.

Bathroon Cleaning

Everyone seems to be afraid of bathroom germs. After all, we deposit bodily excretions in the toilet (the gentlemen of our acquaintance probably sprinkle a bit on the floor too). We brush our germy teeth and spit into the wash basin. We shed dead skin cells plus the accumulated dirt and grime of the day onto the floor of our shower where it then flows down into the dark and dank drain. The moist humid air created from shower usage gathers on the ceiling and in the crevices of our bathroom tile making a perfect home for mildew and mold. It's no wonder we view the bathroom as a large and disgusting bacteria or fungus, reaching out to grab us with imagined germy tentacles. So, armed with a battalion of incredibly toxic cleaners we do battle on a daily basis to slay the demon bacteria. The problem is that while we are busy killing bacteria and fungus, we are also creating a toxic environment for ourselves and our families. The solution then, is to find a safer way to keep the bathroom space clean and fresh. The baking soda and salt mixture that I mentioned in my previous posting is wonderful to scrub tubs, sinks and toilets. Salt has long been known to be a natural antiseptic and disinfectant. Remember gargling with salt for a sore throat or after oral surgery? If you have non-porcelain sinks and / or tubs, a paste of borax (found in the laundry section) and baking soda with a little spritz of vegetable based soap will do a great job of cleaning. Distilled white vinegar in water with a few drops of one or more of the known antibacterial essential oils (tea tree, lavender, thyme and rosemary) is good to spray on toilet seats and door handles. To clean your drains, pour a cup or two of vinegar down them once or twice a week. If they seem a bit sluggish, pour some baking soda down the drain and follow with vinegar. A lot of fizzling will occur and some gunky looking stuff might bubble out. Follow with very hot water 10 minutes later. Then scrub your sink with your baking soda / salt mixture. For mildew and other fungal growth, try hydrogen peroxide, a paste of water and borax or washing soda (also available in the laundry aisle) or 100 proof alcohol. Remember to wear rubber gloves you have designated only for bathroom cleaning. Even though these ingredients are environmentally sound, they can still irritate your skin if exposed over any length of time.

Springtime Haiku

Gentle rain falling
Children dance arms stretched upwards
Greeting spring with joy

Spring is Coming

Despite the vagaries of the weather recently, it is apparent that spring is ‘around the corner’. Even when it’s freezing cold and the sky is spitting snow and sleet, the moist earthy scent that is a harbinger of spring drifts through the air filling my soul with the joy and hope of renewal. I lust for greenery, for the small tender shoots of newborn plants, the pale yellow green buds on shrubs and trees. I pour over gardening catalogues and websites. I daydream about my vegetable and herb gardens, about digging in the moist, fertile soil and planting my tender little seedlings.

I think about hanging my laundry out to dry in the sun. I imagine taking the corners of my white sheets, shaking them and watching them billow out, floating on the air in pristine and sparkling white glory, carrying the scent of the outdoors.

I open windows to rid the house of the stale air of wintertime and freeze myself with the too cold air. I look around the house and realize that she is due for her spring cleaning. It’s time to eliminate the excess accumulation in closets and drawers. It’s time to open her up and shake out the dust and dirt tracked in during the wintertime.

Housecleaning is a somewhat thankless job and I hate it. There are so many other things more interesting to do than cleaning. But even I will say that there is something almost magical about your home when it is clean top to bottom. It is welcoming when you walk in the door and it looks like company is coming, while the natural scents of herbs and flowers drift around you. So, I do a big spring cleaning and then try to maintain a semblance of that throughout the rest of the year.

I use cleaning supplies that I make myself from nontoxic substances that are readily available at the grocery store. If I am going to all the trouble to actually clean my house, I don’t want to fill it with toxins. How can I smell the lavender sachets made with the oil from lavender flowers in my drawers and closets if I have fragrance oils and objectionable chemicals polluting my personal space?

A simple example is what I use to scour my kitchen sinks with everyday.

½ cup baking soda
½ cup extra fine salt (popcorn salt)
A few drops of essential oil of choice, if desired
(tea tree, lavender, peppermint, orange, etc.)

Place the mixture in a shaker jar (I purchased a metal parmesan cheese shaker from the hardware store). Squirt a little liquid castile soap on the sponge, sprinkle the powder into the sink and scrub.

It makes my sink sparkly clean. This works on pots and pans, wooden cutting boards and bathroom fixtures as well.

Try it you might like it. It’s healthier for you, your family and the environment. I will add a few more recipes for you to try over the next few days.