Fertile Eggs are Incredible and Edible

March 10th, 2012

Spring is just around the corner.  That brings the thought of the Resurrection, known to most as Easter.  When the Roman Catholics entwined their religious celebrations with those of the pagans they held captive, these captives held tight to their fertility symbols, particularly the egg and the rabbit.  Although fitting symbols for fertility, they lack a true connection to the story of Jesus’ death on the cross.

For me, Easter, or Resurrection Sunday, is a time to celebrate that Christ has risen, and it is time to start thinking about hatching eggs into baby chicks to provide eggs and meat.  For once, I am ahead of the game.  The incubator has been on for a week now, and we are studiously turning eggs and watching the thermometer in the hope of hearing a couple dozen peepers soon.  We love farm fresh eggs, and can taste the difference between organic free-range fertile eggs and the run of the mill store variety.  There is such a difference that even our dogs won’t touch the store variety, and look up at us as we try to fool them with the tasteless pale variety, as if to say, “Are you kidding me?  What did I do wrong?”  We feed our dogs eggs to give them shiny full glossy coats.

Nearly 30 years ago, when I worked in a dietary position at our local hospital, I was instructed on low fat, low cholesterol diets, and other food and nutrition practices.  We were told that because the yolk contained cholesterol it was unhealthy to consume more than one egg a week, and this was especially true for people with heart issues.   It seems like the pendulum has now swung the other direction. Reportedly, the Harvard School of Public Health says there is no real significant link between heart disease and the consumption of eggs.  I could have told them that, but no one asked me.  I was told when I was young to eat both the yolk and white together, as they are best used by the body when eaten together.  I never questioned it, it just made sense that God designed them to be together, and if the yolk was good enough to sustain the chick’s life, it should do something for mine.  In any case, the old dietary advice I received at the hospital is now thrown out, and at least one new study has purported that eating eggs actually reduces the risk of blood clots, strokes and heart attacks.  Go figure.  No surprise there.

All I know is that I feel better when I eat them.  But, I only eat organic, free-range, fertile eggs.  You may ask, why fertile eggs?  It is simple.  A non-fertile egg is dead.  The longer it sits in the egg carton on the shelf, the more it is decomposing.  Who has not cooked and eaten a store-bought, non-fertile egg, and suffered from the “rotten egg” burps or a foul smelling flatulence from your alimentary canal signaling its distress.  These are subtle reminders of the dead matter you’ve consumed, and it is the reason I prefer to consume life-giving matter.  In a more vivid mental picture, I liken the debate of live-egg/dead-egg to a woman’s fertility cycle.   When the egg cell is unfertilized it dies and passes from the body into the drought, as it is incapable of sustaining life.  If it is fertilized, it is alive and has its own energy force to sacrifice for your life.  One has nothing left to offer and is considered useless, the other is alive and can give back.  In some cultures, an egg that is nearly fully developed into a chick is considered a delicacy, and can fetch a good price when sold.  This is not something I favor, but to each their own.

The health benefits of eggs are astounding.  They contain lutein and other compounds to reduce and prevent cataracts, and breast cancer.  The consumption of six eggs a week is reported to reduce the risk of breast cancer by 44% in women.  The vitamins and minerals contained in eggs assist in healthy hair, nails, and nerves, and eggs are high in choline, which helps regulate the brain, nervous system and cardiovascular system. They are one of the rare sources of naturally occurring Vitamin D, and are full of the good kind of fat, are high in protein, and contain all 9 amino acids.

No, I am not interested in eggs as symbols of fertility, nor am I interested in celebrating any other pagan ritual.  I just want to eat many incredible and edible eggs.  Did I just hear a peep?  Here comes the chicks!

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Sunscreen: Nanoparticles vs Total Body/Skin Nutrition

March 5th, 2012

College students everywhere are dropping their pens and closing their computer to head out on spring break.  The beaches of the southern states and various warm tropical islands and coast lands will be teeming with scantily clad bodies.  Hopefully, they will have thought about protecting their skin before having a “good” time.

Often, when we think of hours in the sun, we think of skin cancer.  And, when we think of preventing skin cancer, we think of sunscreen.  However, new studies being done are raising awareness that some of the sunscreen ingredients may be harmful.   The problem is not from the type of ingredient, but from the size of the ingredient particles.  Nanoparticles, which are particles between 0 and 100 nanometers, are being added to sunscreens because of their inability to be seen by the naked eye.   These particles are made of the same ingredients that have traditionally been thought to be helpful.  In the Unites States the most common active ingredients in sunscreen are zinc oxide and titanium dioxide.  Both of these chemicals turn the skin a whitish color when applied.  However, manufacturers discovered that reducing the particle sizes of these ingredients to less than 100 nanometers allowed them to be put on the skin, without a whitening result.   This change was done for cosmetic reasons, and may be harmful.  Perhaps, it will build up in the body as skin absorbs smaller particles more readily, with a potential for an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease or toxic levels causing inflammatory disease and immune deficiency.  Perhaps, it will cause environmental damage.  Although no concrete conclusions have been made in the study of these ingredient’s nanoparticles, it is known that nano-formulations of many products considered safe in larger size particles increase free-radical formation and DNA destruction.  It is also known that many ingredients that have been put into sunscreens in the past were discovered to be harmful to the body or environment and have had restrictions places on them, or have been taken off the market in the United States completely. Some examples of these are p-aminobenzoic acid(PABA), retinyl palmitate and benzophenone. Mothers with high levels of retinyl palmitate in their body are more likely to give birth to underweight baby girls, this chemical demonstrates carcinogenic characteristics when exposed to sunlight.   Another chemical, oxybenzone is a known hormone disrupter.

After three decades of borderline non-regulation, the FDA has formulated guidelines for sunscreens, and ingredients are beginning to be scrutinized.  In many other countries, labeling guidelines are currently being revised to inform the consumer if particles of less than 100 nanometers are in products, and the U.S. is likely to follow their lead.

Curiously, after all the hoopla about exposure to sun causing skin cancer, followed by years of consumers slathering themselves with copious amounts of commercial sunscreens, which lead to the discovery that many of the ingredients used to formulate those sunscreens were harmful to the human body, we now have new studies that show using high SPF products can actually lead to a higher potential for skin cancer.  Imagine that.  We are actually supposed to let some sun rays touch us after all.  You mean God knew what He was doing? Go figure.

As time goes by, I suspect that studies will show that the rays of sunshine falling on the scantily clad bodies on the beach probably don’t do any harm at all, provided a truly healthy diet and plenty of water is consumed, a healthy lifestyle is maintained, and moisturizing with healing ointments occurs frequently.  Much like the natives of Bali have done for centuries, they might find themselves enjoying their time soaking up the warm rays….freed from commercial sunscreen, and in balance with nature.

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Sunshine Prevent “Walking Dead” Syndrome

March 1st, 2012

I am of Northern European descent, and my children and I have light brown or blond hair, and blue or green eyes.  Usually, lack of exposure to sunshine during a winter in the north land turns us all ghostly pale, and we look unhealthy.  However, we are learning to prevent the “walking dead” look.  We are learning to get into the sunshine during the winter and “tan our hides,” as my teen calls it.  We enjoy making snow forts, sliding, skiing, and playing with puppies.  We do whatever it takes to get a little sunshine on our skin.  This sun exposure assists us with not only looking healthier, but being healthier.  The sun spurs our bodies into making Vitamin D, the necessary nutrient for healthy bones and many body functions.

Although it is necessary for everyone to get some sun exposure for our body to produce its own Vitamin D, too much exposure can lead to skin cancer, and this is especially true if the body lacks the nutrition to prevent it.  It is recommended that an adult human receive 1000 units of vitamin D daily.  To take in enough sunshine for your body to manufacture 1000 units of vitamin D varies according to time of day, amount of skin exposed, how much hair is on your skin, your location along the Earth’s meridian, and time of the year, but many people generalize it to be about 15 minutes to one-half hour daily for an adult, if your face and arms are exposed.  Milk is fortified to contain about 100 units of Vitamin D per 8-ounce glass, and this is one of the most common forms of dietary Vitamin D consumed by Americans.  To be healthy, however, our diet must also be composed of foods that give us Vitamins A, B, C, E and K, which are necessary for cell renewal and health.  It is important to note that keeping the body well hydrated by drinking plenty of water assists in the body’s ability to utilize all the nutrition in the food we eat, and, as an added benefit, reduces the appearance of wrinkles.

Commercials can spew off the reasons we should buy and use their sunscreen product, and these are usually followed by prevention of skin cancer claims.  However, the first line of defense in the prevention of cancer is your diet.  Everyone has cancer cells in their body, but you do not have a healthy diet, and consume enough Vitamin D, or expose your skin to sunshine so your body can manufacture its own, you are on your way to looking like, or perhaps being one of the “walking dead.”

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Spring Cleaning: A Simple Solution

February 24th, 2012

We are nearing the end of another long winter in the north woods, and soon it will be time to do spring cleaning.  Years ago, when I forayed into starting a commercial/residential housekeeping company, I didn’t like to work with the toxic chemicals that existed in many of the commercially available products, so I made my own all-purpose antibacterial cleaner.  It worked well for many of the surfaces in the kitchen and bathroom, and the employees didn’t have to suffer from toxic fumes or unsightly skin breakdowns.  But, the best part for me, the owner, was that it was cheap.  I was able to cut the overhead, AND accomplish the task of satisfying the customer, AND not feel guilty for exposing my employees to toxic chemicals.

If you are interested in making your own bottle of all-purpose cleaner, you will need the following items:

A 32-oz spray bottle

3 cups hot water

½ cup white vinegar

1 teaspoon washing soda (it’s stronger than baking soda, you can find it in the laundry aisle at many stores, such as Walmart)

20-25 drops of tea tree essential oil

Simply put all the ingredients in the spray bottle, shake and get to work. I like to use it on appliances, on counter tops, tables, sinks, toilets, and floors.  If you prefer a more aromatic solution, add lavender or rose essential oil, or your favorite scent.

This solution works because of the anti-bacterial properties of the tea-tree oil, and the pH balances of the vinegar and soda.  It is a simple solution for a not so simple problem: Spring Cleaning.

 

 

 

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Natural Healing: Pain Free With No Adverse Drugs Reactions

February 21st, 2012

We are nearing the end of a beautiful winter in North America.  Soon the snow will be melting and the gravel roads will have weight restrictions on them.  With that in mind, my husband and sons were busy this weekend building the wood piles in preparation for next winter.  As luck would have it, on the first load of the weekend, my husband’s back went out in an area of an old injury as he picked up a large, stout piece of oak.  By the time he arrived home an hour later, the look on his face told me of his discomfort.  His pain was still manageable, and through a few natural remedies, he was able to give himself relief.  Then, keeping himself limber through repetitive gentle motion throughout the next few days, he has no pain, and all is well.

In our culture, Americans reach for Non-steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs, or NSAIDs, over 30 billion times annually.  But, in an effort to avoid all pharmaceutical substances and their potential side effects, our family has avoided using NSAIDs for years. Most people are not aware of the increasing reports of Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs), such as gastrointestinal issues, including dyspepsia, bleeding, ulcer perforation, irritable bowel syndrome, and renal (kidney) disease.  Other surprising problems include central nervous system problems (seizures), and erectile dysfunction.  It seems that with most pharmaceutical drugs you can take for an illness or injury, you are “fixing” one issue, but creating another.  Is it really worth it when you can try other options?

First of all, there are many options to reduce swelling when there is an injury such as my husband’s.  In addition to drinking plenty of water, he ingested the herbs goldenseal, Echinacea, and ginger to strengthen his body’s ability to reduce the inflammation.  Salicin in white willow bark tea helped reduce his pain.  Cold packs and hot packs applied intermittently helped to relieve swelling.  The cold packs prevented the blood flow by constricting the capillaries to the affected area, thus drawing out the toxins formed in the tissues as they work at repairing the damage.  The hot packs increased the blood flow, allowing more nutrients to rush into the area and provide nourishment for the damaged tissues as they worked to repair themselves.  He continued to be active through the next day, to keep limber and prevent stiffness.

Although natural healing is not usually as fast as just “popping a pill,” it seems a safer, less expensive way to heal.  The lack of “side effects” is a plus.  After all, who would want to risk suffering from ADRs, if it is totally preventable?   

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Parley for Parsley

February 17th, 2012

The parsley plant I brought in from my garden has grown too big for its pot, and is crying out for a larger dwelling.  As a biennial, it is in its first year of growth, and is waiting for the snow to melt to be placed in the herb garden to allow it to soak up the sun.  It is a good companion planting herb, and my experience is it is best used around tomatoes and carrots, fooling pests and predators.  I keep parsley on hand for many reasons, one of which is my love of parsley buttered potatoes.  My Grandma Pep taught me how to make them as a young teen, and it fostered my love of parsley, and my endearment for her.

This rich green plant has three common varieties, flat leaf, curly leaf, and plain leaf, although you may know them under different names.  It is a member of the same family as celery, carrots and cilantro, known as Umbelliferae, and is thought to have its origins in Sardinia.  Greeks made funeral wreaths from parsley, and Romans made garlands for the winners of sporting events.  Some people believed that because it took so long to germinate and begin to grow, only evil people or witches could grow it.  In the ancient cultures of the Middle East and Mediterranean, there are many more stories told throughout their history about this herb.

Late in my pregnancies, I consumed a chlorophyll liquid made from parsley and other herbs to build up the hemoglobin in my blood.  But, parsley offered other medical and nutritional benefits.  For example,  myristicin (an organic compound found in essential oil of parsley) inhibits tumor formation, and activates an enzyme that works toward fighting oxidized molecules and neutralizes carcinogens, such as those in cigarette smoke.  Parsley assists in fighting against prostrate and colon cancer, as well.  This herb is a uterine stimulant, and when consumed near labor, it may induce and assist with labor.  Some people like to use it for a natural breath freshener, believing the chlorophyll it contains, along with enzymes, kills odors.  Thought to be placed just for decoration, it is the reason many upper-class restaurants add a little piece of parsley on the dinner entrée plate.

Other abilities of this green power house include its anti-inflammatory qualities, contained in the abundant luteolin, an antioxidant flavonoid that locates and eradicates free radicals, while promoting carbohydrate metabolism.  The naturally occurring flavone, apigenin, contained in parsley also fights tumor growth.  One of the biggest surprises to me, when referring to parsley, is that it contains large amounts of Vitamin C and A, and huge amounts (153% in two tablespoons) of Vitamin K, which is necessary for healthy bones, heart, and nerves.  One more reason I use it to make my V-7 Juice.  Parsley is cheap, full of nutrition and easy to obtain.

Besides eating it fresh, drying it for future use, and healing my body, I have used parsley as a fill in fresh flower bouquets, and on buffet tables to decorate the area around the platters and serving dishes.  This plant is quite flexible in its service!

 

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Marijuana Retards Brain Development

February 13th, 2012

As a believer in natural healing, true happiness, and truth in education, I often go into schools and talk to students about the effects of drugs on their bodies.  I do this for many reasons, but the most important one is for my children.  I want their peers to have the truth before they find themselves in the position of even thinking about using harmful chemicals to obtain an elusive happiness.  With a growing percent of adults pushing for the legalization of marijuana, it seems like a good time for sharing my expertise and personal view from my perspective as a mother, grandmother, professional educator, drug reduction officer, and natural healer.

As a drug reduction educator, I often explain to students the physical and emotional and relationship changes that occur in a marijuana user.  Those that are pro-legalization, even for medical reasons, need to understand the far reaching effects on society, if addiction occurs.  Pre-adult use of marijuana can have a profound effect on the growth of the prefrontal cortex of the brain, its use results in either stagnation, or retardation, of this important part of the brain.  Located in the anterior part of the frontal lobes, this part of the brain is responsible for the executive functions of a person.  For example, it helps a person determine good and bad, same or different, and it deciphers what the future consequences for current activities will be, predicts outcomes, and controls the ability to suppress urges including sexual desires.  I always tell the students, if you have ever had your parents exclaim to you, “What were you thinking?” you can rightly tell them, ‘Nothing!’  You would be telling the truth.  The truth is they are not able to think through many of the decisions and problems they face.  They need to be taught at a very young age to trust their parents and seek them out for advice.  Hence, my instructions to parents are to not judge and condemn them, even from a religious or spiritual aspect.  They cannot change how God designed the maturing process, but they can and will, in time, develop as better individuals with your guidance.  But, they need to trust that they can come to you with their mistakes, and know that you will help them make better choices next time.

Marijuana is a gateway drug, along with alcohol and cigarettes, and often leads to the desire or openness to experiment with stronger chemicals.  This is human nature.  People have an innate desire to jump higher, run faster, go farther, etc.  The flesh of man has a never ending quest for pleasure, power and there is an active curiosity that exists in all man.  I could quote drug use statistics here, but I encourage you to search out the current facts for yourself.   Research shows that the use of marijuana can cause a myriad of health issues.  But, one of the most shocking revelations to many shows marijuana can cause infertility, and potential chromosomal defects.  The full effect on the reproduction cycle of THC, the abbreviation for the mood altering chemical within marijuana, is still being researched, but it doesn’t look good.  While I have compassion on those that are comforted by the use of marijuana medically, my concern is the ease of access to the drug may increase these issues in society, and I wonder what price we are willing to pay as a nation for that freedom of access.  Are we willing to pay for higher healthcare costs related to the frequent and open use of marijuana and the stronger chemicals it leads to the use of?  It is something to think about.  The countries that have open use policies have some confining policies and citizens I have spoken with don’t like the interaction on the streets with these users, nor do they like knowing their taxes are paying for their care and maintained irresponsible lifestyle.

I use herbs for healing, and many are confused that I don’t recommend the use of “Lady Jane”, aka marijuana, for healing.  Although I have my personal reasons, I also have my professional ones, as well.  First, I believe in prevention of illness, and through proper diet and a healthy lifestyle most of the things that plague the flesh can be prevented and healed.  There are other herbs to pick from that can offer healing and do not have the negative effects that marijuana has on the body.  There are choices to be made.  When given the choices, in my experience, the people that gravitate to the use of marijuana have tended to live life on the edge of self-destruction all along.  They prefer mood and behavior altering drugs instead of the healing of the core of the problem only.

Personal relationships I have had with marijuana users have varied a little, but even the norm was not good.  Usually, paranoia is prevalent; communications are intermittent, undependable, and vague.  Financial progress, social capabilities, parenting skills, physical health, and self-worth and commitment to responsibilities are below average.  Of the users that appeared to have it “all together,” spouses of the abuser eluded to a lack of familiar communication and intimacy within their relationship, and a general lack of attentiveness.  In short, abusers do not make fulfilling marital partners, as the chemical changes their ability to reach out and be consistently open and giving, in a reliable, and dependable manner.

The last item I’d like to bring to the forefront in the potential legalization of marijuana is the silly argument of “legalization will make the drug taxable, gaining revenue for the states and federal government.  I doubt that will happen.  Those that are users will begin to grow their own plants in pots and planters, or fields, for their use, and will be doing it legally.  I know many that would be doing it now, if it were legal.  How is that going to be regulated for taxation when grown for personal use?  It is not likely the government will collect any revenue from them.  Legalization sounds like a good idea, until you research all the possible outcomes.  I think a its time to speak up for a cleaner, brighter America.  We all have better things to do than drugs!

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My Valentine’s Day Suggestion

February 9th, 2012

Another Valentine’s Day is looming on the horizon, and people everywhere are wondering what could they give or do for their special loved one.  This has always intrigued me.  For decades, I have been amused that people feel the need to set another day aside for displaying their affection openly for one another.  By that, I mean another day in addition to their meeting, engagement or wedding anniversary.  Shouldn’t commitment and vows be continually held in the highest regards between two lovers or between anyone, for that matter?  To me, EACH day serves as an opportunity to give to my “better-half,” and to romance and honor him.  But, as commerce would have it, a need to promote the purchase of “things,” keeps people employed, and thus, a large portion of the population will participate in the ritual of “V-Day” and purchase a menagerie of items.  Many of which will be disposed of in landfills in the coming years.

Valentine’s Day is purported to have begun when the Catholic Church attempted to combine a pagan holiday with the remembrance of a saint named Valentine.  The pagan holiday was a fertility celebration, and brought with it the idea of cupids and spreading “love,” albeit not the Agape love that the Christian church recognizes as being of Christ, but a fleshly one. Nevertheless, through the years, it has settled down to a ritual that is recognized by the symbolic colors of red and pink, hearts, cupids and arrows, sentimental greeting cards, and more recently, the favored candy: chocolate.

The big question for me is, does this hoopla really make for stronger relationships?  I doubt it.  In the current age, when life is whirling by at a rocket’s pace, I fail to see how chocolates and a greeting card really bring a couple close together.  So, I am making a suggestion born of experience.  Forget about buying a huge box of chocolates (Let’s face it, everyone these days is worried about getting fat), and forget a fancy card (put the $3 to $5 in your savings), arrange for your children and or pets to be cared for by a friend or relative, turn off your phones and electronics, and sit in total quiet together.  In silence, look into the eyes of your soul mate, and reconnect with the person that whirls around you each day, trying to be and do all the things to help you obtain your dreams.  After all, didn’t the dream start with them?

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Blemish Free and Loving it!

February 6th, 2012

Acne.  The mere mention of the word, and my teenage girls give me a nasty look.  Say “zit” and they will clench their lips and breathe in abruptly, as almost to snort, demonstrating their distaste of the word, and to cue me in that they are irritated with me for mentioning it.  You see, some of my children have really struggled with having smooth even toned skin, and any word that describes imperfections of skin is a painful reminder to them.

Their father had serious problems with acne and often had painful boils on his face, neck, chest and back, well into his early thirties.  Fortunately, I did not have any of these issues with my skin, and was very glad to be spared from them.  But, these girls struggled with it, but thankfully, have learned some simple things they can do to lessen the outbreaks, and have almost won the battle completely.  Here are the simple changes they have made to accomplish this:

First, they have decided to avoid excess sugar and processed oils in their diet.  They drink their coffee and tea “black,” without sugar, creamer, and other additives.  They avoid candy and fried foods, allowing exceptions for birthdays, and special occasions only.  Also, they know that consuming a minute amount of apple cider vinegar in warm water along with a touch of honey, boosts their skin’s health by providing necessary nutrients, and normalizes their body’s pH balance.  Acidic pH is a common precursor to acne.

Second, they wash their face with a wet wash cloth every morning and evening, using a cleanser designed to remove the excess oil.  They are sure to remove the cleanser thoroughly with the use of the wash cloth that has been rinsed well.

Thirdly, they apply a natural astringent poured onto a cotton ball at least once each day.  Our family uses witch hazel.  This reduces the size of pores on the face, and prevents blackheads, and freshens and tones the skin.

Next, they apply a mask to their face at least once a week.  It serves to pull the toxins out from the pores and nourishes the skin, leaving it taut, even toned, and more radiant.  They make an egg, oatmeal, or mud mask and apply it, then let it dry before washing it off with a clean wet washcloth.

Then a scrub is applied at least one time a week.  There are many commercial or natural scrubs, and they have tried many.  One of their favorite natural scrubs is baking soda.  It is cheap, convenient, and easy to use.  To apply dampen face with clear water, and rub baking soda into the skin for approximately one minute to exfoliate any dead skin cells, and remove dry skin from acne and other blemishes.  Rinse thoroughly.

Lastly, they are careful to use a moisturizer designed for their skin.  It does not have oils in it to clog pores.  The moisturizer protects their skin from damage by creating a barrier and hydrating it to prevent premature wrinkles.

I thank my mother for her careful example of a good skin care regime, and have I have reaped the benefit of utilizing it.  Now, another generation knows the secrets of beautiful skin.

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Rededication to Recycle, Reuse, Refurbish

February 3rd, 2012

While the garden and lawn are covered with a blanket of snow, my project list has grown a life of its own, and it continues to lengthen like a bad weed.  (However, we all know there are no such things as bad weeds, only wild ‘unwanted’ plants that provide lots of nutrition) In my kitchen, cabinet doors and curtains need REPAIR, the hardwood floor could use REFINISHING, and my back entry has a corner the needs RETAPING, and a window that needs REGLAZING.  All these “RE’s” can be overwhelming.  But, I am not in this house alone, and thankfully my children are being RETRAINED, and I am learning to RESTRAIN from REPLACING the items that they have damaged.  Instead, opting to use them as RETRAINING tools, to teach them to RECYCLE, REUSE, and REPURPOSE.

Recently, my ever vigilant husband brought it to my attention that our budget for disposables had increased, even though another child had left home, and it seemed that we were on our way to growing  a ginormous carbon footprint.  So, after a REVIEW of our habits, and REDEFINING of our objectives, we came up with ideas to REDUCE the pollution we are RESPONSIBLE for.  We will have a REGATHERING to see if we will need to READJUST our objectives in a month.  Here is a partial list of items we will REVIEW to see if we are making progress in the right direction:

First, we decided to RETHINK any decision to make a purchase, other than necessary food items. Items purchased must be of sturdy construction, and meant to be non-disposable.  In other words, the items must be safe for the environment and non-toxic to nature in their present state.  Plastic items are not considered non-toxic, so we will avoid them when choosing household supplies, furniture, decorations, etc.  We have made a monthly shopping list of household supplies, and this takes into consideration the REDUCTION of landfill waste, so we utilize supplies that offer REDUCED post-consumer waste packaging, and look for products that offer REFILLS instead of needing to purchase another full-sized container.

Second, we will attempt to REPURPOSE clothing and other dry goods by finding people that can use them.  For example, our worn jeans will be cut into four inch squares for a quilt project next winter, and the quilts will be given as gifts to people we love.  Jeans that we don’t use for quilts will be given to a neighbor that cuts them into strips and makes rugs using a weaving loom.  In the past, our tattered bath towels have become rags, but now they will also be sewn into potholders and dust mop covers with little effort, and stained tablecloths will be fashioned into dresser scarves, placemats, and even curtains.

Third, the unused or damaged tools and machinery outside will be REFURBISHED, and REPURPOSED, as well.  An example of this is the unused two-wheel garden cart that has sat in the shed, will gain a new life as a trailer by adding a wooden box to it, using leftover wood or salvaged lumber, a trailer hitch and a new paint job.  The deck boards that were replaced last summer and have unsound sections, will be RESURRECTED into new planter boxes to decorate the front patio. We also agree that the broken cups, plates, and other porcelain, glass, or ceramic household items that accumulate throughout the year will be set aside, and made into stepping stones for RENEWING the walkway near the house and the garden in the spring.

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