Change 4, Week Unknown: Use more environmentally friendly cleansers, part 2.
After my one week hiatus turned into a billion, I'm back! What didn't change is that I continued to use a few new EF products.
A few months ago, I learned about a line of products called Gudonyatoo. They make soap, deodorant, shampoo, and more. The products I purchased included Pumpkin Caramel Cheesecake Whipped Clean and Original Almond Whipped Shave Cream.
One of the perks of this company is that it is from Indiana. They, as far as I know, only sell their products through Etsy, though...so, I still have to deal with shipping which isn't a positive on my list.
The Whipped Clean smells fabulous, does not dry out or irritate my skin, and I'm not smelly the next day :) The 8 oz jar lasts about a month.
The Whipped Shave Cream was just as great as the soap--and much better than standard shaving cream. I have yet to nick myself with the razor while using this. The good news, I'm still on my first jar from a few months ago.
For those who do not want to use fragrance or dye, just ask and they will make it. This is how I'll order my products next time to see how they stand up.
Overall, this will be a product I continue to purchase and use unless I find something that meets my needs better.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Friday, January 22, 2010
Apologies...
for not posting more this week. Between homework, work, and out of control allergies, I needed a break. Today I barely have a voice, and congestion doesn't even describe my current state. I'll be back next week with a change, some thoughts, and maybe a recipe using local ingredients.
Stay tuned!
Stay tuned!
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Going Local
This weekend, Matt and I had time to visit the Indy Winter Farmer's Market--we had been there once before, but that was prior to starting the blog. Now I get to write about it!
This particular post will not be in the "change" format since it will be focusing on a particular company/family. In the future, there will be a post, but companies/families/farmers/products that get the spotlight will be written in today's format.
We were able to pick up quite a few things: greens, soap, and ketchup to name a few items. The item of focus today is the 7 Grain Pancake Mix from Bridgeton Mill. Breakfast this morning was awesome thanks to this little treat. About the 7 Grain Pancake Mix: because the many grains used, the texture of the cake was more like a corn or skillet cake rather than pancake. Regardless, they were yummy!
This falls into the "local" category because, although Bridgeton Mill isn't located in a suburb of Indy, they fall within 100 miles of Indy.
Bridgeton Mill is Indiana's oldest continually operating mill--it's been in operation for over 180 years! They are located in Bridgeton (thus, the name) in Parke County which is famous for its many covered bridges, 31 to be exact. In fact, the mill is located next a covered bridge. In their long history, they've milled various items including logs, grain, and feed. A little bonus, the family is really nice, and you can tell they enjoy what they do and have pride in their products.
From their brochure: "It started as a sawmill in a log building. Folks started locating near the mill and soon asked for flour and cornmeal...The miller started cracking corn and making whiskey. A horse racing track, saloon and 'hotels ran by women' were built. The little village aquired [sic] a wicked reputation and it was called Sodom. In 1849 the 1st bridge and 1st Post Office were built. They didn't want 'Sodom' as the official name so they named it Bridgeton, after their new bridge."
If you're local or visiting, stop by the mill, take a tour, and pick up some of great products this family produces (or visit the IWFM through April :) !
This particular post will not be in the "change" format since it will be focusing on a particular company/family. In the future, there will be a post, but companies/families/farmers/products that get the spotlight will be written in today's format.
We were able to pick up quite a few things: greens, soap, and ketchup to name a few items. The item of focus today is the 7 Grain Pancake Mix from Bridgeton Mill. Breakfast this morning was awesome thanks to this little treat. About the 7 Grain Pancake Mix: because the many grains used, the texture of the cake was more like a corn or skillet cake rather than pancake. Regardless, they were yummy!
This falls into the "local" category because, although Bridgeton Mill isn't located in a suburb of Indy, they fall within 100 miles of Indy.
Bridgeton Mill is Indiana's oldest continually operating mill--it's been in operation for over 180 years! They are located in Bridgeton (thus, the name) in Parke County which is famous for its many covered bridges, 31 to be exact. In fact, the mill is located next a covered bridge. In their long history, they've milled various items including logs, grain, and feed. A little bonus, the family is really nice, and you can tell they enjoy what they do and have pride in their products.
From their brochure: "It started as a sawmill in a log building. Folks started locating near the mill and soon asked for flour and cornmeal...The miller started cracking corn and making whiskey. A horse racing track, saloon and 'hotels ran by women' were built. The little village aquired [sic] a wicked reputation and it was called Sodom. In 1849 the 1st bridge and 1st Post Office were built. They didn't want 'Sodom' as the official name so they named it Bridgeton, after their new bridge."
If you're local or visiting, stop by the mill, take a tour, and pick up some of great products this family produces (or visit the IWFM through April :) !
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Change 3, Week 3: Use more environmentally friendly cleansers, part 1.
Change 3, Week 3: Use more environmentally friendly cleansers, part 1.
Ahhh...this one is going to take a lot of experimenting.
Why do we want to incorporate this into our lifestyle?
We want to decrease the amount of toxic components we contribute to the environment.
How are we going to do this?
We're going to slowly incorporate EF cleaning products into our life through the form of various household cleansers and body cleansers. This week's change will focus on dishwashing pellets...very exciting!
Last week we took the plunge and decided to change up our dishwashing routine. We were out of our regular pellets, it was time. We decided to purchase Method's Smarty Dish tabs which do not contain phosphates or bleach.
Why did you choose this product?
We chose Method because of their choice to use only natural, non-toxic ingredients in their cleansers.
What do you think?
This is not the product for us so far. We may continue to experiment with the pellets, or maybe we'll research other things we can do with them. They, like many products in this category, leave nasty residues on the items in the dishwasher.
To remove the residue, I placed an upright cup of distilled white vinegar in the dishwasher and ran another rinse cycle. It worked, but, in the end, it's wasting water.
Overall, this product gets 0 stars. Sure, it may be EF in its composition, but it certainly is not EF when considering extra water consumption.
Guess we'll have to try something new!
Ahhh...this one is going to take a lot of experimenting.
Why do we want to incorporate this into our lifestyle?
We want to decrease the amount of toxic components we contribute to the environment.
How are we going to do this?
We're going to slowly incorporate EF cleaning products into our life through the form of various household cleansers and body cleansers. This week's change will focus on dishwashing pellets...very exciting!
Last week we took the plunge and decided to change up our dishwashing routine. We were out of our regular pellets, it was time. We decided to purchase Method's Smarty Dish tabs which do not contain phosphates or bleach.
Why did you choose this product?
We chose Method because of their choice to use only natural, non-toxic ingredients in their cleansers.
What do you think?
This is not the product for us so far. We may continue to experiment with the pellets, or maybe we'll research other things we can do with them. They, like many products in this category, leave nasty residues on the items in the dishwasher.
To remove the residue, I placed an upright cup of distilled white vinegar in the dishwasher and ran another rinse cycle. It worked, but, in the end, it's wasting water.
Overall, this product gets 0 stars. Sure, it may be EF in its composition, but it certainly is not EF when considering extra water consumption.
Guess we'll have to try something new!
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Short and Sweet
Work started last week, and school started today. With that, I'll keep this short and sweet.
Indianapolis has a recycling center that accepts 1-7 and cardboard! Do you know what this means for me? This means that every time I drive to my specialist and every time I drive up to visit my parents (both are in the same city an hour north), I do not have to lug 1-3 months worth of recycling with me!
About time, Indianapolis.
Bad news, it's a bit of a drive...however, it's not far from work/school (the same place). It's not really bad news.
I'll be back with the update of the week tomorrow :)
Indianapolis has a recycling center that accepts 1-7 and cardboard! Do you know what this means for me? This means that every time I drive to my specialist and every time I drive up to visit my parents (both are in the same city an hour north), I do not have to lug 1-3 months worth of recycling with me!
About time, Indianapolis.
Bad news, it's a bit of a drive...however, it's not far from work/school (the same place). It's not really bad news.
I'll be back with the update of the week tomorrow :)
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Baby Steps
I broke.
Yesterday, in my mess of feeling all garbage-y (yes, a real word), I bought a bottle of soda. Cherry Coke Zero to be precise. And it was good. Good. This is the first soda I’ve purchased in over a week…maybe in over 2.
It’s not the end of the world.
I’ll recycle the bottle, cash in the points, and know that at least I didn’t buy one every day.
Changes are a progression of actions. They lead to an ultimate goal. It’s unreasonable to set a goal of, “I’ll never buy soda again!” Instead, I’ll remember the goal of merely reducing our purchases, not ceasing them.
That’s what we have to remember about changing our ways when it comes to “greening” our environment: everything falls into place when we take small steps rather than trying to change everything at once. When we try to change everything at once, things get hectic, frustration ensues, and, often, we give up.
This Munkii isn’t giving up.
Yesterday, in my mess of feeling all garbage-y (yes, a real word), I bought a bottle of soda. Cherry Coke Zero to be precise. And it was good. Good. This is the first soda I’ve purchased in over a week…maybe in over 2.
It’s not the end of the world.
I’ll recycle the bottle, cash in the points, and know that at least I didn’t buy one every day.
Changes are a progression of actions. They lead to an ultimate goal. It’s unreasonable to set a goal of, “I’ll never buy soda again!” Instead, I’ll remember the goal of merely reducing our purchases, not ceasing them.
That’s what we have to remember about changing our ways when it comes to “greening” our environment: everything falls into place when we take small steps rather than trying to change everything at once. When we try to change everything at once, things get hectic, frustration ensues, and, often, we give up.
This Munkii isn’t giving up.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Change 2, Week 2
Change 2, Week 2: Stop using plastic produce bags.
Let’s just jump right into this one.
Why do we want to stop using plastic produce bags?
Plastic produce bags are a waste. I don’t use them unless the sprayers recently attacked the leafy vegetables and I’m buying leafy vegetables. What I do if this isn’t this case—the majority of the time—is just put the produce in the basket because it has to be washed anyway. It seems like Matt always uses them…it drives me batty!
What about biodegradable bags?
Biodegradable bags are better but why support the need to produce them when we can re-use something instead?
What alternative will you use?
Mesh bags. I’ve thought about buying mesh produce bags for a while but never did because I hardly ever use bags anyway. Well, I changed my mind. The reason I hardly used plastic bags is because I didn’t like the waste—regardless of the handiness. With mesh, I get the convenience of 10 onions in a bag rather than 10 onions rolling around in my basket and on the conveyer belt. When they get dirty, they can be washed. It's that simple.
Where did you find your bags?
Etsy. we purchased our bags from AMK Designs. We chose the 6 pack with the storage bag and also 3 extra large bags.
What do you think?
All the mesh bags fit into the storage bag, and the storage bag clips to a handle of whatever—we attached it to our grocery bag. They offer convenience without guilt: what’s not to love.
Overall, we give it 4 ½ stars. The reason for this is that one bag was damaged in shipping. There are lots of cute designs by various sellers on Etsy. If you decide to try this out, find a seller near you to cut down on shipping and waste.
*Note: This product was not given to us to test: we purchased it. The seller is currently unaware of this review.
Let’s just jump right into this one.
Why do we want to stop using plastic produce bags?
Plastic produce bags are a waste. I don’t use them unless the sprayers recently attacked the leafy vegetables and I’m buying leafy vegetables. What I do if this isn’t this case—the majority of the time—is just put the produce in the basket because it has to be washed anyway. It seems like Matt always uses them…it drives me batty!
What about biodegradable bags?
Biodegradable bags are better but why support the need to produce them when we can re-use something instead?
What alternative will you use?
Mesh bags. I’ve thought about buying mesh produce bags for a while but never did because I hardly ever use bags anyway. Well, I changed my mind. The reason I hardly used plastic bags is because I didn’t like the waste—regardless of the handiness. With mesh, I get the convenience of 10 onions in a bag rather than 10 onions rolling around in my basket and on the conveyer belt. When they get dirty, they can be washed. It's that simple.
Where did you find your bags?
Etsy. we purchased our bags from AMK Designs. We chose the 6 pack with the storage bag and also 3 extra large bags.
What do you think?
All the mesh bags fit into the storage bag, and the storage bag clips to a handle of whatever—we attached it to our grocery bag. They offer convenience without guilt: what’s not to love.
Overall, we give it 4 ½ stars. The reason for this is that one bag was damaged in shipping. There are lots of cute designs by various sellers on Etsy. If you decide to try this out, find a seller near you to cut down on shipping and waste.
*Note: This product was not given to us to test: we purchased it. The seller is currently unaware of this review.
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