Why Vegan Body Products?

I've had people say to me, "I get why you eat a vegan diet and I am against animal testing. However, I don't understand why you won't buy shampoos and lip balms, etc. that contain animal ingredients."

Simple answer: Do you know exactly what those animal ingredients are? If you did, you just might not want to put them on your body, either (especially lipsticks and lip balms since so much of them can be swallowed!). Here is a more simple list of common animal ingredients in cosmetics.

Next time you are in your shower, read the ingredients in your shampoo. It's a lot like reading the nutritional information on food. If you don't know what something is, it's probably not good for you. Look up the mysterious ingredients on labels before you buy the product. [I've found that an easily portable digital camera can help with documenting what ingredients are in a product.]

Makeup, lotions, and body cleansing products often have a variety of animal derived products in them. Why should this concern you? Did you know that, similar to food, what you put ON your body is absorbed INTO your body? (That is sort of the point regarding lotions.) Do you want strange chemicals and animal parts to become part of who you are? Want to know if your products are deemed safe (even if they aren't vegan)? Look them up on Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep: Cosmetic Safety Database.

I like a good bath. I'm just careful to note what the ingredients are first! As I've mentioned before, Lush vegan bathbombs are my favorite. Vegan Freak has a nice list of companies listed here; check out their whole site, too!

And, of course, there is the issue of testing products ON animals as well. All vegan products do not use animals in any way, not for the product itself nor the testing. Here is an interesting list of Cruelty Free Companies, and here is a great new way to be certified as a vegan product.

When it comes to buying products that go in or on my body, my basic motto is "When in doubt, throw it out."

Solar Houses

As many of you know, my family and I have been planning on building a house for about four years now. We started seriously planning the house (and where to put it) in early 2004. We purchased our land in August 2004. Our biggest holdup is that our county has very tough requirements on building a nontraditional "green" house. This is changing, but it has been an excruciatingly slow process.

We are building a Natural Spaces dome that we've named Desierto Cúpula. My update on the house has not changed in nearly a year, since there is very little more to report even though we (and our local architect) have been working diligently on the project. Our plan is to get permits before the end of this year so that the house can be completed in early 2008.

In an ideal world, using solar power, wind power, or any alternative (yet better for the environment) energy source would be easy to do. In Southern Arizona, where we live, it is not. This is very unfortunate since we have over 300 sunny days every year. The costs are significantly more and the incentives just aren't here yet. Government officials, such as U. S. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, are working on this, but they have a long way to go to get to the standard that we need to be at as a country. Please support your local politicians that are supporting alternative energy!

Contests such as the "Solar Decathlon" will help, too. But, note that the houses built for this competition are in the $500,000-$1million range (which is an unrealistic housing amount for the vast majority of home owners in the United States of America).

There are also many great programs, such as the Citizenrē REnU program. Unfortunately, my family and our project do not qualify for this program, but please check it out to see if you and your house do!

Vegan Perspective on Heifer International

With the Holidays right around the corner, I've been seeing more and more ads for Heifer International again (whose link I am consciously not putting on my site). I've also been hearing more and more people say that this is the gift they are giving friends and family this year. This makes many of my vegan friends and me very sad! Please consider this carefully before you pay money to this organization; your friends and family just might not agree with Heifer International's premise.

To be brief, Heifer International is an organization that allows givers to purchase a variety of animals (for different fees) that are then given to individuals, families, or villages. The animals are then raised by these people and either sold, raised for milk and eggs and wool, or outright eaten. I believe the organization's goal is to help end world hunger, clearly an admirable goal, but also clearly not possible in the manner they are attempting.

To share why this isn't possible, here are links to just two of the many articles that give voice to a vegan's discontent:

• Unitarian Universalists for the Ethical Treatment of Animals's Article on "What's Wrong with the Heifer Project?" [Note for those concerned: UFETA is not affiliated with PETA]
  
• The Independent's Andrew Tyler's article "Don't follow the herd and give a cow for Christmas"
  

So you like the idea of giving to a charity that can help starving people, rather than spending your money on gifts that may or may not be appreciated? Consider these humane alternatives that are doing a lot of good:

• Food for Life Global
• Sustainable Harvest International
  
• Fruit Tree Planting Foundation

Still not convinced that a vegan diet is the only way that world hunger can be ended? Consider these facts:

• The average number of lives saved [per year] by being a vegetarian is 95 (being vegan saves even more)
• GoVeg's "Meat and the Environment" page
• The Human Farming Association's "Factory Farming" page
• Vegetarian USA's Food "Choices & the Planet" page
  

My last words for today are actually The New York Times words from their "Reasons To Be A Vegetarian" article dated June 20, 1989.

Green and Clean

Part of the vegan lifestyle is to not purchase products that have been tested on animals or made from animals. My family also lives as "green" as possible, making our search for cleaning supplies even more challenging. I'm often asked what products we use for cleaning. I've tried out a variety of products, and I've found the following to work best (and we are really good at making BIG messes!):

• White vinegar. Yes, this simple and inexpensive liquid cleans amazingly well. If you want sparkling windows and mirrors, or just an all around clean surface, vinegar is your power liquid. Some people mix it with water and/or a drop or two of tea tree oil and squirt it onto surfaces. I prefer to just dump a little on a nice flour sack style white cotton kitchen towel, then wipe my surfaces with it (microfiber cloths work excellent, too, even with plain water). I then use the dry side of the towel for wiping the vinegar up and making sure there are no streaks. I never have any and it is great! Vinegar is great for getting rid of old cleaning product films, too. When you want exceptionally soft clothes (or if you have any bodily fluids on your dirty clothing), put a couple of Tablespoons of vinegar in your bleach compartment. Vinegar even cleans up urine stains on carpet and furniture from animals and little kids. Combine this with good ol' sunshine and you'll get a thoroughly clean item. For clogged drains, try a combination of vinegar and baking soda. Put the baking soda in first, then the vinegar. Close the drain if you can. Let your kids make volcanoes in the sink while it cleans itself.
  

• Bi-O-Kleen laundry detergent. This excellent product is all we ever use for laundry detergent. ONE (yes, one) tablespoon is all you need for a full load of laundry. Our clothing comes out perfectly clean with no stains. This product is safe for the environment and costs less per load than non-environmentally safe alternatives. We also wash all of our clothing on cold/cold. When we still had a baby in (cloth) diapers, we used Bi-O-Kleen and vinegar and washed all diaper loads on hot/cold, then again on cold/cold. This double washing was probably overkill. We use Bi-O-Kleen in foam dispensers for hand washing in our kitchen and bathrooms.
  

• Goo Gone. This product is one of the world's greatest inventions. Citrus power cleans all of our goo off all of our stuff. DVD stickers are instantly gone with Goo Gone. So are crayon stains, Sharpie marks, and a variety of other messes that you probably don't want to keep permanently. This stuff lasts a really long time, too, since you don't need much. If you haven't tried Goo Gone yet, you'll be amazed! It really makes your goo be gone. :)
  

• Mr. Clean Magic Erasers. When all else fails (which it seldom does), this tough product erases your mess. I keep a box in my kitchen just in case. I'm on my second box and I've been using these since they first came out. Amazing!

• Boiling water. Contrary to all logic, boiling water gets rid of all berry stains, no matter where the stain is -- the hotter the water, the better. We've gotten berry stains out of clothing, carpets and more with boiling water. Just be careful to not burn yourself. For a particularly large stain, try pouring the boiling water on the item more than one time.
  

• Tea Tree Oil (there are many brands, my favorites are Melaleuca and Desert Essence. When you need something to be disinfected, a drop of tea tree oil can do the job. You only need a drop, with a whole pan of water, as this stuff is very concentrated and powerful. There are a lot of cleaning products and beauty supplies made using tea tree oil. I've never appreciated the cleaning products, since I've found the above materials to work better and for a significantly smaller price. OTOH, I've loved some of the shampoos and other beauty products that I've used with tea tree oil. I don't find them "necessary", but they are a fun extravagance when you feel like it. I've been using tea tree oil for over eleven years now and I am still very happy with it. Try it on acne next time you have an outbreak.

• For dish cleaning, we either use Trader Joe's liquid dish soap and liquid dish washer soap, or another similarly environmentally conscious brand (depending on where we are shopping when we are running low on these products). We are careful about what we put back into the Earth, especially with our plans to use a large gray water system.
  

Have a Vision: Vision Boards and Vision Boxes

Vision Boards and Vision Boxes are becoming very popular! They are similar to Wish Lists, yet significantly deeper. Vision Boards can encompass not only our material desires, but also our deepest and innermost wishes and dreams such as "more peace" or "a magical existence". With The Law of Attraction and "The Secret" so popular, we're learning that our thoughts and dreams really can come true! We just have to really want them.

My daughters and I have vision boards. We made ours out of cut peg board. We glued cork on different areas of the boards (different for each of us), strung wire on the back, and stained little wooden boxes that we later glued on the boards. We use the cork area for the material things and/or short term events we want (ours are evolving with us). The other area we've mod-podged things that make us feel good -- pictures of things, words, etc. that reflect who we are and who we want to be (I've put lots of calm, zen images on my board; my oldest daughter has lots of magical images; my youngest daughter has gemstones and ballet photos). Basically, we put things on our boards that we want to manifest into our lives. My youngest daughter cleverly hooked a cup onto her board that she fills with little homemade clay items.

Some people choose to make Vision Binders or Boxes where they put photos and magazine words/pictures/items into. We prefer our Boards that hang on the wall, so we can look at them throughout the day. The boards definitely lack the portability of a binder though. I've seen a variety of Vision Boards made out of cardboard, foam board, and other materials. The great thing about these is that there is no set way of making them. It is entirely up to you! Christine Kane wrote a really great "How to Make a Vision Board" blog entry for those interested. Some people even make computer wallpaper Vision Boards for their screen's background. This is a very neat concept!

We enjoy our Vision Boards so much that we held a "Vision Board Day" with our Girl Scout Troop (I'm a Girl Scout Leader for both of my daughters' troops). I've been amazed at the wonderful and creative ideas the girls have had! This also gave us a chance to share our collection of catalogs and magazines. Some of the girls put only words all over their boards, others chose only pictures. One thing is for certain: our boards have to evolve since we keep getting everything we hope and dream for! It is amazing how these things keep appearing in our lives.

With the Holiday Season just around the corner, I'm excited to see the items that are popping up on my daughters' Vision Boards. I know what they'll love to receive and I don't have to ask them.

Don't forget to periodically take photos of your Vision Boards. It is fun to look back over time and see how your dreams have come true!

"Where Should I Live?" Find Your Best Spot

I've been asked this question several times now, so here is my answer.

I believe that everyone should live in the place where they thrive the most. This physical place will absolutely not be the same for everyone, nor do we want it to be! That would just cause horrible overcrowding issues. However, if your surroundings are causing you pain (physical, mental, or emotional), then it is time for change. Maybe you only need a small rearranging of your living room. Maybe you need to move to the other side of the planet.

Yes, I am enamored with where I live. My family and I have determined that where we live is the only place on Earth where we want to be. We look out our windows and feel ultimate contentment. We strive every single day to keep our level of contentment the same or better. It has taken a lot of time and questioning for us to get where we are and we still don't have our dream home, but we are working on that aspect also.

Do not be afraid of change. Your own personal "best place" might change over time. This does not mean that you were wrong before; it means that your needs have changed as you and your lifestyle change. Your "best place" might be a combination of places (e.g. Alaska in the summer and Florida in the winter). Perhaps you thrive best as a traveler. I'm always amazed at the people that love that lifestyle. It must be exciting. I, however, need roots to feel content. There is no correct answer on where your "best place" is. However, it is a huge mistake to not listen to yourself when you know that you are in a bad place.

If you aren't 100% happy with where you live, try spending as much time as possible checking out alternate locations.

Ask yourself these questions (and more!):

• Why do I live where I live?


• What brought me to this location?


• Do my surroundings give me pleasure and happiness?


• Does the weather where I live make me happy or bring me down?


• Do I need a lot of sunlight, or is snow skiing what gives my life passion?


• Do I spend more time dreaming of faraway places than I spend enjoying my present surroundings?


• Am I happy with where I am? (You might find that you are, even if at first you don't think you are! Maybe there is no better place for you than your current town.)


• Do I want to live off-grid or on-grid or with a grid-tie system?


• Do I need a large area for gardening? Small area for gardening? Or, does gardening not matter to me at all?


• Do I hate lawn care? What about shoveling snow?

Do you feel trapped in your town, in your life and want to move, but you don't know where to go or even how to determine where to go? If you don't have the time or the funds for traveling around the world, try checking out the following sites. I've found their questions worth thinking about in helping my family determine where our own personal "best spot" is.

Find Your Spot
Sperling's Best Places

Once you have determined the location of your "best spot", put up photos around your home to help you bring it into your life. Don't have photos? Check out that area's tourist sites. Order free newcomer packets. Check out real estate companies in that area. Print photos of what you want your life to look like. We've found that vision boards work nicely for helping us manifest our desires into our lives.

Above all, make the best of where you are. Live as if your dreams have already come true. After all, you are where you are today. Work on getting to your dream location while enjoying the best that your current location has to offer. Where you are right now is someone's dream location. Enjoy this day!

Making Your House the Home You've Always Wanted

As we spent time piecing together what our perfect living environment was, we realized that we needed to think more organically. Our needs have changed over and over again through the years as we went from a young married couple, to a family with a baby, a family with a young child and a newborn, and now a family with a young child and a middle aged child. As our children grow and as our own personal interests wax and wane, our environment needs to grow and reflect that. We have needed to build flexibility into our spaces, so that every time our needs change we don't need to spend a lot of money to remodel. We aren't the only Unschooling family to live in this way. For us, part of the change has been to design a whole new house around the way we live. Clearly, this isn't the answer for most people (and we aren't there yet as the designed house isn't built yet).

What can you do if you want to move, but you cannot?

Make your house fit your family's personality! Don't be afraid to rearrange the rooms in your house to fit your family's lifestyle better. Who says that you need to have a table in the dining area? Maybe that space works better as a Lego room. Take an honest look at what you and your family actually do with their time. Devote the largest and most convenient rooms of your house to those activities. Do you work from home? Maybe your living room should be your office. Are you training for an ultramarathon? Put your exercise equipment front and center. There is no rule saying that people need to sleep in the designated bedrooms, either. Do what works best for your individual needs. Try room dividers. Add shelving everywhere that you can make it fit. You are the ones that live in your house, not anyone else.

Here are a few books that helped my family make our house work more efficiently for us. I have a more extensive list in my aStore under the "Do Living Right" category.

Move Your Stuff, Change Your Life: How to Use Feng Shui to Get Love, Money, Respect, and Happiness
Karen Rauch Carter

Feng Shui for the Rest of Us
Gabrielle Alizay

The Bathroom Idea Book
Andrew Wormer

The Kitchen Idea Book
Joanne Bouknight

Taunton's Home Storage Idea Book
Joanne Bouknight

Built-In Furniture
Jim Tolpin

Taunton's Home Storage Idea Book
Joanne Bouknight

Taunton's Home Workspace Idea Book
Neal Zimmerman

The Organizing Sourcebook
Kathy Waddill

Catalogs I LOVE

I'm not a fan of receiving too many catalogs and other mail that I don't want. However, I am a huge fan of receiving catalogs in the mail that I'm going to keep around a while and reference. Be sure to check out online catalogs before you have a paper one sent to you. If you prefer to look and purchase online only, be sure to drop them an e-mail saying you don't want catalogs sent to you.

Here are catalogs that I love. They inspire me and my children. We keep them for weeks, or months, or years. We cut them up and make collages with them (then ATCs out of those), we dream about the photos, they broaden our worlds. They often intrigue us and help us have a more Zen-like life, all at the same time. And, sometimes, of course, we actually buy things out of them. :) We keep our wished for items on our vision boards for all the world to see and miraculously, we usually have our wishes come true.

Kid Stuff:
Chinaberry (books, toys, audio books)
Oriental Trading Company (they have several different catalogs)
MindWare (fun "thinking" toys)
Lego Magazine and Catalog
HearthSong (miscellaneous fun toys, lots of wood items)
Spilsbury (puzzles, etc.)
C.W.D. Kids (clothing for little kids)
Magic Cabin (similar to Hearthsong, but more Waldorf -- beautiful illustrations!)
Educational Innovations (science things, their catalog is MUCH better than their online store)
Steve Spangler Science (science fun)
Hammacher Schlemmer (fun dream toys)
Discover Channel Store (great toy and DVD source)

Household Stuff:
IKEA (everything you need to furnish an entire house)
Solutions Catalog (all kinds of interesting things)

Zen Stuff that has all kinds of things:
Isabella Catalog (the "grown-up" Chinaberry Catalog)
Signals
The Wireless Catalog
Gaiam (they have several different catalogs)
Lush (nice massage bars and bath bombs)
Dharma Trading (dyes and blanks for dyeing things -- I always keep a catalog on-hand)
Acacia (some of the neatest things I've seen for a while)

For Travel and outdoor:
Sahalie (clothing, traveling, and outdoor supplies)
TravelSmith (clothing and supplies for traveling)
Magellans

Online only:
Geeks.com (discounted fun electronics)
ThinkGeek.com (fun geeky things)
amazon.com (just about everything these days)
Kodak Gallery
Vegan Essentials
Rick Steves (excellent source for traveling supplies, best source for information about traveling in Europe)

Enjoy!

There's no such thing as a meat eating environmentalist

Ow, these are harsh words. But, are they true words? I didn't believe them when I first heard them, even though I was already a vegetarian at the time (now vegan). When you doubt something you hear (yet aren't willing to ignore and forget about it) what do you do? Well, I start researching to find out the truth. Truth is very important to me.

Conclusion: Yes, it is true. There is no such thing as a meat eating environmentalist. Here are just a small portion of sources that show this statement to be true (for those interested, actual studies can be found off of links on these sites):

• PETA's "Fight Global Warming by Going Vegetarian" Feature

• PETA's "Meat and the Environment" Article

• Original UN Report

• New York Times recent "Trying to Connect the Dinner Plate to Climate Change" Article Check out the Humane's Society ad on this page!
  

The proof is out there, don't be afraid of it. We can save this world, but only if we work together. The best thing you can do for the environment is to stop eating meat and its by-products.