In my last post I shamelessly admitted my dependence on hair salon chemicals. Between salon appointments, however, I've given up shampoo. You read that right, I do not use shampoo. I am a fairly new convert to the world affectionately known as "no-poo." I'm not kidding. Enter the term in your favorite search engine and you'll find a plethora of information about kicking the shampoo habit.
Three months ago, I would have told you I would be very unhappy without shampoo. Every day, with only rare exception, I would shampoo, condition, add various styling products - mostly smoothers and leave-in conditioners - and blow-dry. When I did skip a day I felt unfinished, unclean and slightly embarrassed all day. When I first glanced at an article that mentioned the no-poo method, I just laughed inside. No way was that something that would work for me.
Then, one day, I was sitting in the salon feeding my addiction and mentioned my everyday shampoo habit. My colorist said, "Well, that's part of your problem." She then informed me that she was on the third day since last washing and that was usually her best hair day. Her hair did indeed look healthy, shiny, frizz-free and not dirty at all. She told me I should only be shampooing once or twice a week. I was shocked and a little speechless at the very idea! However, I remembered another salon employee, while showing me various hair products, laughingly saying, "We wash our hair to make it clean and then add all these products to make it dirty again!" I decided to give the idea a little more thought and maybe see if I could handle reducing my shampoo dependency.
I knew how I felt when I just skipped a day shampooing, though, and certainly didn't think I could get to Day 3 with my traditional shampoo routine. Remembering the no-poo article, I started doing a little research to get a better idea of what was involved. I found the above mentioned plethora of information and started sifting though it. It seems fans of the no-poo method fall into three camps - the all-natural/green crowd, those with curly/frizzy hair looking for control, and fashion divas who believe they have found the "dirty little secret" to great hair.
The idea behind reducing or eliminating shampoo from your routine is this: Shampoo strips the hair and scalp of stuff we don't want - dirt, product build-up, excess oils - but also strips our natural oils which can be very beneficial. Without the oils, we add conditioner, smoothers and other product to put the moisture back in. Our body produces more oil to replace what was washed away. Which we strip out with shampoo, so the body makes more and more. So, we need shampoo because we use shampoo. Of course, there are also lots of chemicals in shampoo and all those plastic bottles to manufacture/recycle/dispose.
There are several ways to go no-poo. Some just stop using anything. A good hot water rinse while scrubbing the scalp well with your fingers is enough for some to remove any dirt and excess oil. A vigorous brushing once dry will spread any remaining oil evenly down the hair shaft providing conditioning, shine and frizz-control. Some suggest using a clean washcloth while in the shower to rub down the hair shaft will distribute and remove excess oil. I have not been thrilled with the results of this method for myself.
Another option is to only use conditioner. Most conditioners will remove dirt and excess oil without stripping the helpful oils. Just skip the shampoo and apply conditioner. Rub your scalp well with your fingertips to loosen any dirt and excess oil. Keep a comb in the shower and run it through your hair to well-distribute the conditioner and loosen dirt and excess oil on the hair shaft. Rinse and you're done! As a side note, my stylist recommends using a comb with conditioner even if you don't give up shampoo. You'll use less conditioner and apply it more evenly.
The third option is to use baking soda and apple cider vinegar (ACV) in place of shampoo and conditioner. The baking soda will absorb any excess oil and cleanse the scalp of dirt. Apple cider vinegar will then neutralize the baking soda, soften the hair and balance the pH. This is my favorite no-poo alternative so far.
I put about 2 Tbsp. of baking soda in an old 8.5 oz shampoo bottle. In an old 16oz conditioner bottle, I add 2 Tbsp. ACV and then fill it with water. Most sources I found recommend starting with 1 Tbsp. in 1 cup water for each, but I found I prefer a little more baking soda. I keep these in the shower for wash day. Just before washing I fill the shampoo bottle with water and shake well. I tried adding the water in advance but the baking soda will crystallize and clump if allowed to sit in the water for a time. Then I was pouring rocks on my head. I squirt the baking soda solution all over my head, focusing on the roots and scalp. Then I scrub my scalp vigorously with my finger tips. I let this sit a minute and then rinse well. I run a comb through it while rinsing to help ensure I get most of the baking soda out. Then I take the ACV solution and apply that all over my head, focusing less on the scalp and more on the length. I let that stand a bit then run a comb through again. A final rinse to remove the ACV solution and I'm done. It's about the same effort as shampoo and conditioner. The results are fantastic! My hair feels clean, soft and manageable.
I know the first thing you're thinking is, "I'll smell like salad dressing!" The truth is, while you definitely smell the ACV in the shower, by the time your hair is dry you won't smell it at all. Because I like my hair to smell nice, I add smell-good-stuff to my ACV solution. Right now I have a cinnamon stick that soaks in the solution (one stick is good for a few batches) and added a couple drops of jasmine essential oil. I've also tried no cinnamon and other essential oils depending on my mood. When my hair is dry I have a hint of the fragrance and none of the ACV. Scent is totally optional and does not affect the results.
On the evening after a wash I take about 4 sections from each side of my part, cross them over the part and clip each on the opposite side before going to bed. In the morning, when I remove the clips, I have nice volume instead of flat bedhead. Day 2 is a no wash day, so I wash the rest of me and just style my already dry and voluminous hair. Before bed on Day 2 I clip the roots again, just in case I decide not to wash on Day 3.
On Day 3, I check the status of things. If my hair still feels/looks pretty good or I think it will be a ponytail day anyway, I skip the wash again. I may put a little baking soda or baby powder on the roots and brush thoroughly if it appears a bit greasy. If I don't feel good about how it will survive the day, I do a conditioner wash. If I skip the wash on Day 3, I do the conditioner wash on Day 4. A conditioner wash doesn't leave my hair feeling quite as nice as the baking soda/ACV wash, so the day after a conditioner wash I'm generally ready to start the cycle again. I think I'll get better results from the conditioner wash once the keratin treatment fades from my hair. Right now I think it's almost too much moisture on top of the keratin.
Now that I am through the adjustment period, I have been really, really pleased with the results. There was definitely an adjustment period, though. Just like a nursing mother weaning a child, just because you skip the shampoo for a day, that doesn't mean your body will immediately make less oil. You will need to wean yourself and allow your body time to adjust. Reports are that it may take 1 week to a couple of months. I had to try it a couple times to learn the best ways to apply and rinse the baking soda and ACV. I also had to tinker with the amounts a bit. The first week I felt like my hair was always too oily and kept checking mirrors to make sure it didn't look as bad as it felt. I started seeing improvement failry quickly, though. I did use shampoo once a week for the first 3 or 4 weeks while I adjusted. Some people just go "cold-turkey" and suffer through the oily period.
A word of caution: If you choose to eliminate shampoo, you will need to check the other products you use, including the conditioner you use if you do the conditioner wash, to make sure they are no-poo friendly. Primarily, you need to look for silicones in your product. Typically a silicone will end in -one or -ane. A silicone that starts with peg- should be water soluble and no problem for no-poo. If it doesn't start with peg-, none of these cleansing methods will wash it out. You would need a sulfate to wash it out, which means shampoo. I find that the presence of natural oils produces the same effect as many of the products I used to use. I have eliminated many of those products as well. I still use a leave-in-conditioner about once a week. Instead of a separate product, however, I just took my regular conditioner, put a little in an old pump bottle, and diluted with water until it reached the same consistency of my previous leave-in.
So, how does this balance for me?
Heart/Body/Mind: Always great to eliminate those chemicals from my body and my hair looks and feels great!
Time: Wash days are about the same but no-wash days save me lots of time both washing and with the blow dryer.
My Wallet: Baking soda and ACV are much, much cheaper than shampoo and conditioner. A bottle of conditioner will last much longer if I only use it once a week or so.
The Earth: Love saving the chemicals and the plastic bottles!
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Thursday, December 9, 2010
My Follicular Chemical Dependency
I never meant for it to happen, but I have developed an addiction to better hair through chemicals. I am not particularly hooked on day-to-day products or implements, but my trips to the salon every couple of months are one of my personal indulgences. I'm always looking for that perfect cut and chemical combination that will allow me to just blow-dry and go, looking natural and at least decent. I dream of hair that will survive New Orleans humidity, wind on the sailboat and rainy days without looking completely horrible.
As a teen in the late 80's - early 90's, I started chemically-treating my hair as soon as my mom would let me. First, the perm to achieve BIG hair. In college I started coloring. Then it was just for fun, always using products applied at home and that would wash out relatively quickly.
I used non-permanent products for two reasons: (1) I like to change it up and didn't want to be stuck with one color and (2) I always fully intended to go gray naturally. I never want to be one of those ladies at 80 who still dyes her hair brown and thinks it fools anyone. I really don't think I would mind being gray, but growing out the color and dealing with the gray roots / colored ends for months seems like it would be brutal. One day, in a moment of weakness, I decided to give myself a little treat and get salon highlights to add a little dimension to my hair. Then I needed more highlights to blend the roots as the first set grew out, then full-color when I started to have too many highlights - I was firmly on the carousel. Now I have a fair amount of gray and I'm stuck. My current colorist - the best I've ever had - tells me she can help ease me into gray, but I'm afraid. I'm just not ready to risk it to give up the color habit.
Recently, I've added to my addiction. After months of envy and wishing and dreaming, I took the plunge and had a keratin treatment. If you haven't heard about this, it's a hair treatment that results in smooth, straight, frizz-free hair. It isn't a relaxer or a true straightener, but the results are pretty impressive. There are many varieties of keratin treatments and there is a fair amount of controversy about them. Many keratin treatments contain high levels of formaldehyde which can be dangerous for the client and even more so for the stylist that applies the product regularly. The stylist who applied my treatment insists that the product she uses does not have any formaldehyde and is not toxic. She did not wear a mask, though she did open a window for ventilation before opening the solution.
During the treatment the hair is washed with a clarifying shampoo to remove any buildup and then dried. A chemical product is applied to the hair and allowed to set for a bit. The the stylist uses a flat iron to completely straighten and smooth the hair. The hardest part then is the wait. Once applied, I could not wash my hair for 72 hours. I also couldn't get it wet at all, wear it in a clip or ponytail or even put it behind my ears. I had to avoid anything that might crimp or kink my hair, so not even a hat. The product is a bit waxy/greasy feeling to begin with, so by the third day I felt disgusting!
When I was finally able to wash my hair, I was astounded. My hair is naturally just curly enough to poof and frizz, but not enough to wear it curly without a fair amount of work. Straight is even more work, though, with a round brush, blow dryer and flat iron. I washed and conditioned as usual, but did not add any other product so I could see the unaided result. I blew it dry with no brush at all. When I finished my hair was straighter, smoother and shinier than I can usually accomplish with lots of time and effort. We spent that evening at a windy, humid concert on the riverfront. When we got home, my hair was still straight and smooth. WOW!! I'm now a little over a month post-treatment and can still blow-and-go with no product or styling implements. My hair feels silky and healthy. My son told me this morning that in the light my hair "shines like gold." If this really lasts the 3 - 6 months promised by my stylist, I may have a new addiction.
So, what's the downside? First, it's really expensive. It starts at $250 at my salon. This was a huge indulgence for me and I'm having a hard time justifying spending that much again, even with the amazing results. Luckily, it's supposed to just fade out so I shouldn't ever have frizzy roots and straight ends to force me back to the salon. Second, it's almost too straight for my taste. That's getting better as time goes by, but I'm used to having a lot of volume (my stylist says too much) and it's taken some getting used to. I now have to use a curling iron if I want the ends to turn under and for the first week or two even that didn't work. Of course, it's also fairly counter to my other efforts to reduce the chemicals in my life.
So, how does this balance for me?
Heart/Body/Mind: All the chemicals can't be good for my body, but the results sure make me feel good!
Time: The color just takes time to apply. The keratin means a couple hours spent in the salon, but a big improvement on the time I spend "fixing" my hair.
My Wallet: Ugh!
The Earth: Again, all of those chemicals can't be good.
As a teen in the late 80's - early 90's, I started chemically-treating my hair as soon as my mom would let me. First, the perm to achieve BIG hair. In college I started coloring. Then it was just for fun, always using products applied at home and that would wash out relatively quickly.
I used non-permanent products for two reasons: (1) I like to change it up and didn't want to be stuck with one color and (2) I always fully intended to go gray naturally. I never want to be one of those ladies at 80 who still dyes her hair brown and thinks it fools anyone. I really don't think I would mind being gray, but growing out the color and dealing with the gray roots / colored ends for months seems like it would be brutal. One day, in a moment of weakness, I decided to give myself a little treat and get salon highlights to add a little dimension to my hair. Then I needed more highlights to blend the roots as the first set grew out, then full-color when I started to have too many highlights - I was firmly on the carousel. Now I have a fair amount of gray and I'm stuck. My current colorist - the best I've ever had - tells me she can help ease me into gray, but I'm afraid. I'm just not ready to risk it to give up the color habit.
Recently, I've added to my addiction. After months of envy and wishing and dreaming, I took the plunge and had a keratin treatment. If you haven't heard about this, it's a hair treatment that results in smooth, straight, frizz-free hair. It isn't a relaxer or a true straightener, but the results are pretty impressive. There are many varieties of keratin treatments and there is a fair amount of controversy about them. Many keratin treatments contain high levels of formaldehyde which can be dangerous for the client and even more so for the stylist that applies the product regularly. The stylist who applied my treatment insists that the product she uses does not have any formaldehyde and is not toxic. She did not wear a mask, though she did open a window for ventilation before opening the solution.
During the treatment the hair is washed with a clarifying shampoo to remove any buildup and then dried. A chemical product is applied to the hair and allowed to set for a bit. The the stylist uses a flat iron to completely straighten and smooth the hair. The hardest part then is the wait. Once applied, I could not wash my hair for 72 hours. I also couldn't get it wet at all, wear it in a clip or ponytail or even put it behind my ears. I had to avoid anything that might crimp or kink my hair, so not even a hat. The product is a bit waxy/greasy feeling to begin with, so by the third day I felt disgusting!
When I was finally able to wash my hair, I was astounded. My hair is naturally just curly enough to poof and frizz, but not enough to wear it curly without a fair amount of work. Straight is even more work, though, with a round brush, blow dryer and flat iron. I washed and conditioned as usual, but did not add any other product so I could see the unaided result. I blew it dry with no brush at all. When I finished my hair was straighter, smoother and shinier than I can usually accomplish with lots of time and effort. We spent that evening at a windy, humid concert on the riverfront. When we got home, my hair was still straight and smooth. WOW!! I'm now a little over a month post-treatment and can still blow-and-go with no product or styling implements. My hair feels silky and healthy. My son told me this morning that in the light my hair "shines like gold." If this really lasts the 3 - 6 months promised by my stylist, I may have a new addiction.
So, what's the downside? First, it's really expensive. It starts at $250 at my salon. This was a huge indulgence for me and I'm having a hard time justifying spending that much again, even with the amazing results. Luckily, it's supposed to just fade out so I shouldn't ever have frizzy roots and straight ends to force me back to the salon. Second, it's almost too straight for my taste. That's getting better as time goes by, but I'm used to having a lot of volume (my stylist says too much) and it's taken some getting used to. I now have to use a curling iron if I want the ends to turn under and for the first week or two even that didn't work. Of course, it's also fairly counter to my other efforts to reduce the chemicals in my life.
So, how does this balance for me?
Heart/Body/Mind: All the chemicals can't be good for my body, but the results sure make me feel good!
Time: The color just takes time to apply. The keratin means a couple hours spent in the salon, but a big improvement on the time I spend "fixing" my hair.
My Wallet: Ugh!
The Earth: Again, all of those chemicals can't be good.
Friday, December 3, 2010
The Laundry Room
One fateful day a couple of years ago, I briefly scanned a post on Facebook about making your own laundry soap. I had no idea such a thing was possible! I remembered an off-hand comment another friend had made probably 10 years earlier, while working for a detergent company, about all the bad stuff in commercial laundry detergents. At the time, though, I thought there was no other option except dirty clothes. I became a little bit obsessed with the idea of an alternative.
A couple weeks after I first saw the post I was still thinking about it. I went back through the old posts to read it more thoroughly. I started researching the idea and found several similar recipes. I bored my husband to tears talking about it. I decided to give it a try and started looking for the ingredients. I had a little trouble finding a couple things locally, so I ordered them on-line. When the package arrived it felt like Christmas and I couldn't wait to get home and try it out. I had fantasies of starting a no-detergent revolution. It’s silly how excited I was.
I made my first batch about 18 months ago and never turned back. I have seen no difference in the feel or cleanliness of my clothes. I think my whites are staying white a little longer and my colors may be fading a little less, but it isn't a drastic change and I haven't done a side-by-side comparison to make sure. The soap handles my 7-year-old son's messes as well as anything commercial I've used, though I do still occasionally pre-treat a stain.
I spent about $20 dollars on ingredients including shipping for the on-line purchase. I'm about halfway through the last batch I'll be able to make from that original purchase, so I've spent $20 on laundry detergent in 18 months. I’m actually only out of one ingredient and I've since found everything I need locally, so my next batches will be even cheaper. I make liquid and pour it into old gallon milk jugs, so no more wasted packaging, either. The make-it-yourself hook is set for me.
Now I needed a fabric softener alternative. In the warmer months I don’t really need softener at all with this soap, but winter months mean static. I tried several green varieties which were just fine, but it was always in the back of my mind to find something to make myself. I'm also not a huge fan of lavender and it seems everything "green" is lavender scented. Recently I read that some people use white vinegar in place of fabric softener. I was skeptical but figured it probably wouldn't hurt and I could always re-wash the clothes if they smelled like salad dressing. I've now done about a dozen loads with vinegar in the softener dispenser and am quite impressed. No smell at all and the clothes feel like they were washed with softener. Even my fleece was free of static and I can't say the same with traditional fabric softener. I’ve read the vinegar will also help the soap rinse cleaner, help balance the ph of the water and help prevent fading (many dyes are “set” with vinegar). I'm sticking with it!
It takes me about 15 minutes every 3 months or so to make laundry soap. Here's the recipe I use:
Liquid Laundry Detergent (2 gallons): 2 quarts hot water
1/3 bar Fels Naptha Soap, grated (I've read you can use other vegetable-based bar soaps - several suggest Ivory or Zote. I'm going to try castile soap for my next batch.)
1/2 cup Washing Soda (Arm and Hammer, NOT baking soda though!!)
1/2 cup Borax
1 quart hot water
Additional Hot Water to make 2 gallons
Mix grated soap in a saucepan with 2 quarts hot water and heat on low until melted. Stir in Washing Soda and Borax until dissolved and remove from heat. Add 1 quart hot water to 2 gallon bucket. Add soap mixture, and mix well. Fill bucket with additional hot water, and mix well. Set aside for 24 hours, or until mixture cools and thickens. It will separate and gel a bit as it cools. This is normal. Mix well when cool – I use a wand mixer to really smooth it out - and transfer to tightly covered containers for storing. Mix/shake well before each use. Use 1/2 cup of mixture per load.
I prefer liquid for my HE machine, but the powder variety is even easier to make:
Powdered Laundry Detergent 1 cup grated Fels Naptha Soap (again, the other options should work, too)
1/2 cup washing soda
1/2 cup 20 mule team borax
Mix and store in airtight container or bag. For light or small loads, use 1 tablespoon. For normal loads, use 2 tablespoons. For heavy loads, use 3 tablespoons.
You may need to tinker a bit to get the right recipe for you. Washing Soda and Borax are water softeners and help boost the effectiveness of the soap. You may need to bump those up if you have really hard water or step them down if you have really soft water. You can also add essential oil if you like scent, but I was surprised to find I prefer the no scent results.
So how does this balance for me?
Heart/Body/Mind: Fairly neutral – I do feel better in my heart about having fewer chemicals in my laundry, but I believe the direct impact on our health is minimal.
Time: Pretty neutral on time as well. It takes a few minutes to make, but I can skip the laundry aisle when I'm shopping.
My Wallet: The laundry soap is cheap and vinegar is even cheaper - definitely a huge savings over time!
The Earth: A definite improvement for the earth in both chemicals and packaging.
A couple weeks after I first saw the post I was still thinking about it. I went back through the old posts to read it more thoroughly. I started researching the idea and found several similar recipes. I bored my husband to tears talking about it. I decided to give it a try and started looking for the ingredients. I had a little trouble finding a couple things locally, so I ordered them on-line. When the package arrived it felt like Christmas and I couldn't wait to get home and try it out. I had fantasies of starting a no-detergent revolution. It’s silly how excited I was.
I made my first batch about 18 months ago and never turned back. I have seen no difference in the feel or cleanliness of my clothes. I think my whites are staying white a little longer and my colors may be fading a little less, but it isn't a drastic change and I haven't done a side-by-side comparison to make sure. The soap handles my 7-year-old son's messes as well as anything commercial I've used, though I do still occasionally pre-treat a stain.
I spent about $20 dollars on ingredients including shipping for the on-line purchase. I'm about halfway through the last batch I'll be able to make from that original purchase, so I've spent $20 on laundry detergent in 18 months. I’m actually only out of one ingredient and I've since found everything I need locally, so my next batches will be even cheaper. I make liquid and pour it into old gallon milk jugs, so no more wasted packaging, either. The make-it-yourself hook is set for me.
Now I needed a fabric softener alternative. In the warmer months I don’t really need softener at all with this soap, but winter months mean static. I tried several green varieties which were just fine, but it was always in the back of my mind to find something to make myself. I'm also not a huge fan of lavender and it seems everything "green" is lavender scented. Recently I read that some people use white vinegar in place of fabric softener. I was skeptical but figured it probably wouldn't hurt and I could always re-wash the clothes if they smelled like salad dressing. I've now done about a dozen loads with vinegar in the softener dispenser and am quite impressed. No smell at all and the clothes feel like they were washed with softener. Even my fleece was free of static and I can't say the same with traditional fabric softener. I’ve read the vinegar will also help the soap rinse cleaner, help balance the ph of the water and help prevent fading (many dyes are “set” with vinegar). I'm sticking with it!
It takes me about 15 minutes every 3 months or so to make laundry soap. Here's the recipe I use:
Liquid Laundry Detergent (2 gallons): 2 quarts hot water
1/3 bar Fels Naptha Soap, grated (I've read you can use other vegetable-based bar soaps - several suggest Ivory or Zote. I'm going to try castile soap for my next batch.)
1/2 cup Washing Soda (Arm and Hammer, NOT baking soda though!!)
1/2 cup Borax
1 quart hot water
Additional Hot Water to make 2 gallons
Mix grated soap in a saucepan with 2 quarts hot water and heat on low until melted. Stir in Washing Soda and Borax until dissolved and remove from heat. Add 1 quart hot water to 2 gallon bucket. Add soap mixture, and mix well. Fill bucket with additional hot water, and mix well. Set aside for 24 hours, or until mixture cools and thickens. It will separate and gel a bit as it cools. This is normal. Mix well when cool – I use a wand mixer to really smooth it out - and transfer to tightly covered containers for storing. Mix/shake well before each use. Use 1/2 cup of mixture per load.
I prefer liquid for my HE machine, but the powder variety is even easier to make:
Powdered Laundry Detergent 1 cup grated Fels Naptha Soap (again, the other options should work, too)
1/2 cup washing soda
1/2 cup 20 mule team borax
Mix and store in airtight container or bag. For light or small loads, use 1 tablespoon. For normal loads, use 2 tablespoons. For heavy loads, use 3 tablespoons.
You may need to tinker a bit to get the right recipe for you. Washing Soda and Borax are water softeners and help boost the effectiveness of the soap. You may need to bump those up if you have really hard water or step them down if you have really soft water. You can also add essential oil if you like scent, but I was surprised to find I prefer the no scent results.
So how does this balance for me?
Heart/Body/Mind: Fairly neutral – I do feel better in my heart about having fewer chemicals in my laundry, but I believe the direct impact on our health is minimal.
Time: Pretty neutral on time as well. It takes a few minutes to make, but I can skip the laundry aisle when I'm shopping.
My Wallet: The laundry soap is cheap and vinegar is even cheaper - definitely a huge savings over time!
The Earth: A definite improvement for the earth in both chemicals and packaging.
Friday, November 19, 2010
I'll Start with the Easy Lifting
Since I'm just getting warmed up on the blogging, I'll start with a change that is not creative or unique, but I've been working on for years and have finally found the perfect balance for me - shopping bags. I'm sure everyone has heard the arguments for reuseable shopping bags, the horrors of those plastic store bags and the questions about whether paper bags are any better. So, several years ago I started my quest to eliminate those plastic shopping bags from my life. This was an easy choice, for me, as they have long bugged me for many reasons that have nothing to do with the environment - they hurt my hands to carry them, I hate trying to catch all the loops when carrying more than one, it takes WAY too many for my typical shopping trip, it takes too many trips from the car to get everything inside, they break too easily, they spill too easily and they were always in my way. I knew I would never miss them if I could just find another way to carry my groceries.
It started with an impulse buy. My local grocery had some large reinforced bags (not fabric) with nylon straps for a couple bucks each. I bought a few and fell in love. These bags held so much - I could get a fairly full grocery cart of stuff into 4 bags. They were sturdy enough to put a gallon of milk, a jug of juice and a few smaller things in the same bag. If I could lift it the bag would hold it. They were shaped and folded like a paper bag with flat bottoms so they would stay upright in the car on the way home. They had a short handle for carrying in the hand and a long handle for over-the-shoulder. I could frequently get all my groceries for the week into the house in ONE trip. For a while, I was set. But, once the novelty wore off, I started to forget them - either forgetting to put them back in the car after unloading or forgetting to bring them in at the store. They also weren't really washable, so after a time they started to get funky. Then, the handles started to break. I probably would have just bought more, but the store no longer sold them.
I still wasn't ready to invest in the expensive canvas options I knew were out there, so I bought a few of the smaller fabric bags for about a dollar each. These worked OK, but didn't hold as much, didn't survive washing very well and I had the same problems with forgetting them. For a while I would just buy more when I forgot them since they were so cheap. I eventually accumulated more than a dozen and realized things were getting out of hand. On the up side, I had so many that if I forgot to put them back in the car after unloading, I still had plenty more in the back. I also expanded my thinking from just grocery bags and started taking them to the mall and other shopping trips, when I remembered to bring take them in with me.
Then, I found Repax. For me, these were perfect. It's a local product (BONUS!), though I have since seen others that are similar. Repax is a set of 4 large nylon bags that stuff into a small carry bag. The 4 bags will carry a week of groceries for my family. Like my first set of bags, if I can lift it, the bag can carry it. I almost always do laundry and grocery shopping on the same day, so I unload the groceries and then throw the bags in the wash. Best of all, the stuff sack with all 4 bags fits in my purse. So I always have them with me - at the grocery, at the mall, at the toy store, anywhere I am shopping. I'll pull one out at clothing stores while I shop to make it easier to carry the items I'm considering. When only getting a few items at the grocery or department stores, I'll use one of these instead of a cart. I also discovered I could fit some washable/reuseable produce bags in with the carry bag with the grocery bags. No more store plastic bags at my house!
So how does this balance for me?
Heart/Body/Mind: These bags are easier to carry and I feel better about using them.
Time: I save time carrying groceries into the house. They are MUCH more convenient than other options, so I use them more.
My Wallet: These bags are more expensive than the cheap fabric bags at many stores, but cheaper than the canvas options I've seen. Some stores where I shop are offering a bag refund now, so I've probably gotten about half the total cost back in refunds.
The Earth: A definite improvement for the earth.
It started with an impulse buy. My local grocery had some large reinforced bags (not fabric) with nylon straps for a couple bucks each. I bought a few and fell in love. These bags held so much - I could get a fairly full grocery cart of stuff into 4 bags. They were sturdy enough to put a gallon of milk, a jug of juice and a few smaller things in the same bag. If I could lift it the bag would hold it. They were shaped and folded like a paper bag with flat bottoms so they would stay upright in the car on the way home. They had a short handle for carrying in the hand and a long handle for over-the-shoulder. I could frequently get all my groceries for the week into the house in ONE trip. For a while, I was set. But, once the novelty wore off, I started to forget them - either forgetting to put them back in the car after unloading or forgetting to bring them in at the store. They also weren't really washable, so after a time they started to get funky. Then, the handles started to break. I probably would have just bought more, but the store no longer sold them.
I still wasn't ready to invest in the expensive canvas options I knew were out there, so I bought a few of the smaller fabric bags for about a dollar each. These worked OK, but didn't hold as much, didn't survive washing very well and I had the same problems with forgetting them. For a while I would just buy more when I forgot them since they were so cheap. I eventually accumulated more than a dozen and realized things were getting out of hand. On the up side, I had so many that if I forgot to put them back in the car after unloading, I still had plenty more in the back. I also expanded my thinking from just grocery bags and started taking them to the mall and other shopping trips, when I remembered to bring take them in with me.
Then, I found Repax. For me, these were perfect. It's a local product (BONUS!), though I have since seen others that are similar. Repax is a set of 4 large nylon bags that stuff into a small carry bag. The 4 bags will carry a week of groceries for my family. Like my first set of bags, if I can lift it, the bag can carry it. I almost always do laundry and grocery shopping on the same day, so I unload the groceries and then throw the bags in the wash. Best of all, the stuff sack with all 4 bags fits in my purse. So I always have them with me - at the grocery, at the mall, at the toy store, anywhere I am shopping. I'll pull one out at clothing stores while I shop to make it easier to carry the items I'm considering. When only getting a few items at the grocery or department stores, I'll use one of these instead of a cart. I also discovered I could fit some washable/reuseable produce bags in with the carry bag with the grocery bags. No more store plastic bags at my house!
So how does this balance for me?
Heart/Body/Mind: These bags are easier to carry and I feel better about using them.
Time: I save time carrying groceries into the house. They are MUCH more convenient than other options, so I use them more.
My Wallet: These bags are more expensive than the cheap fabric bags at many stores, but cheaper than the canvas options I've seen. Some stores where I shop are offering a bag refund now, so I've probably gotten about half the total cost back in refunds.
The Earth: A definite improvement for the earth.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
This is me, joining the blogosphere.
Alright, alright, I can't resist - I'm jumping in. Welcome to my blog, both of you. Let me tell you what you can expect from this blog, at least as I currently intend it. I hope to use this forum to talk about things I'm trying, things I've changed, and things I think need changing to bring better balance to my life. I'm noticing more and more in my life that I make many decisions by weighing four different categories of information: how it will affect the mind, body, and heart of myself and my family, how I want to spend my time, the financial impact and the cost or benefit to the earth and those who share it with me. The scales tip in different directions with each decision.
I'm full of contradictions - I drive a not-very-fuel-efficient SUV but I'm constantly looking for ways to reduce, reuse and recycle. I'll try all kinds of "green" products and alternatives, but there are some chemicals I may never give up. I get just about all of our food from the farmer's market, our locally-owned grocery or Whole Foods and feed my family home-cooked meals at least 4 nights a week; however, we also eat at McDonald's (gasp) and love our fried Louisiana seafood. As a small business owner, I feel it is very important to shop at local small businesses, but I'm no stranger to WalMart and Target. So if one post sounds too tree-hugger for you, tune in next time and I may be a shameless consumer!
I also reserve the right to post anything else that comes to mind. I promise to keep the discussions of specific politics and religion to a minimum, but may ramble on about my family, my business or my hobbies from time to time. If I ever sound like I'm trying to tell you what to do, please know it is not intentional. I know that what works well for me may not suit you at all. I hope I can influence some of you to consider something new, and that some of you will influence me as well.
I'm full of contradictions - I drive a not-very-fuel-efficient SUV but I'm constantly looking for ways to reduce, reuse and recycle. I'll try all kinds of "green" products and alternatives, but there are some chemicals I may never give up. I get just about all of our food from the farmer's market, our locally-owned grocery or Whole Foods and feed my family home-cooked meals at least 4 nights a week; however, we also eat at McDonald's (gasp) and love our fried Louisiana seafood. As a small business owner, I feel it is very important to shop at local small businesses, but I'm no stranger to WalMart and Target. So if one post sounds too tree-hugger for you, tune in next time and I may be a shameless consumer!
I also reserve the right to post anything else that comes to mind. I promise to keep the discussions of specific politics and religion to a minimum, but may ramble on about my family, my business or my hobbies from time to time. If I ever sound like I'm trying to tell you what to do, please know it is not intentional. I know that what works well for me may not suit you at all. I hope I can influence some of you to consider something new, and that some of you will influence me as well.
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