Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Eco-Favs and Eco-Failures

This is my 430th post- it's a little overwhelming to think I wrote over 400 posts on the environment and yoga!

Although I've done this before, I thought I'd put together my Eco favourites and a 'fess up to the Eco-Failures.

Eco-Favourites:
1. The DivaCup: My absolute, most favouritest environmental AND yoga invention ever. I have saved close to 300$, hundreds of tampons from the landfill and TIME with this beauty. Also, practicing yoga has become that much more easier (along with travel, work and ease in every day living!).

2. My prAna revolution eco-mat. I adore my mat, despite the fact that it weighs a ton, is a bit embarrassing to roll out in class (cuz me and the mat are disproportionate) and no longer fits in my yogoco mat bag. Yep, it's been over a year and it's still like new, sticky and beautiful and environmentally friendly. LOVE.

3. No more Paper Towel. This was a tough transition but I would never ever go back. Trying to scrub a sink, tub, toilet or counter with paper towel seems ridiculous now- it's not nearly as clean or effective as a cloth rag. We never buy paper towel, and we don't ever miss it.

4. My Lioli produce bags are my favourite part of shopping. I no longer ever use plastic bags for produce, grains, seeds or rice. These easy to wash, easy to store and fabulous to use little mesh and solid bags not only keep my produce longer (cloth allows breathing while plastic sweats and increases decomp), they also decrease our plastic consumption significantly. It's come to the point that if I forget them, I can't bare to use plastic, so I just wash the produce really well when I get home.

5. Vinegar as a cleaning tool. Weirdly I haven't written about this (that I can find). Guess I didn't think it was EXCITING. I should write about why I heart vinegar now, and how I'd never go back to chemical cleaning. (mental note- made).

6. Going off the birth control pill. Best decision I ever made.

A couple of Eco-Failures since this journey began:

1. Salt deodorant: I am STILL paying for this epic failure. I really really wanted this to work, but unfortunately underarm reactions have had some pretty annoying results that continue to be a challenge.

2. DIY Yogurt: oh yeah, we did this three times and every time I vomited in a little bit in my mouth during the entire process. The texture was just so GROSS. I couldn't handle it. So for a while I just stopped buying yogurt. Then I tried some locally made stuff, but that texture was also really weird and gross. So... I'm currently on a no-yogurt eating kick. Sad really.

3. Soap end bits body wash: ummm- sadly about a week after making this the soap solidified. Awkward.

4. Urban Gardening: Sadly all our attempts have failed, including this year's little rooftop garden. It was impossible to get up there and garden, water and watch over our plants- mostly because we had a short window each day and we'd be walking right next to our neighbour's windows (on the fire escapes). We haven't been up there in weeks and I have no idea what that little box looks like right now.

5. TPE Yoga mats. Not eco-friendly. Need convincing? Post 1, post 2.

Well there you have it!

Upcoming posts this week: soap, vinegar, menstruation and yoga.

Blessings!

article copyright of EcoYogini at ecoyogini.blogspot.com


12 comments:

  1. Congrats on 430 posts! The Diva cup really didn't do it for me . . . sadly. Urban gardening, well, more suburban. But I have dirt to plant in. Doing it on the roof would be TOUGH!

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  2. this is a great eco review! love it and love your blog! so glad i have found you on the yoga blogosphere! stop by sometime!

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  3. I think you've done fabulously! The Diva Cup (or Mooncup as it's called here) has been my dear friend for 5 years now. My only objection is it's insistence that women over 30 need the bigger size. My pelvic floor is strong as it ever was at 37 thank you!

    I got over the yoga mat issue by not getting a new mat in 7 years. Soon I am going to have to deal with this though.

    Also for me is vinegar (I think you have posted about this as I remember talking to you about it....or was that on one of Yancy's posts?) and urban gardening (we have apples, and strawberries and runner beans and potatoes and tomatoes this year!!!!), but I still use paper towels and chemically deoderant and hair conditioner :(

    Himself swears by salt deoderant but it's not for me at all.

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  4. LOVE the diva cup!!! Also, going off birth control WAS the best decision I've ever made too. what a great list.

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  5. Wow. What an accomplishment! Congrats :)

    The Diva Cup is currently sitting in my fail pile :( It kept leaking on me last time I tried it. No matter how I put it in. So I switched back to regular old OB tampons. Might have to give the DC a second shot though.

    As for deodorants, try this: http://www.etsy.com/listing/35641572/deodorant-cream I bought two a few months ago and it was 100% worth it. It has a bit of a strong smell when you first put it on but that goes away quickly. Doesn't irritate and will work all day and then continue working through a yoga class. I recommend it to everyone :)

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  6. Great recap. I'm with you on the paper towels - it has been murder to wean my husband from them and we still have a roll around the house (recycled of course) but I stop him using it whenever I can by shoving a rag into his hand. I'll have to look for those produce bags. As for the pill, I took it for years (I'm talking like 20) with no problems but I know not everyone can do that. FYI there are non-hormonal IUDs if you ever want to go that route. And I can't tolerate latex so was happy to discover that there are condoms (and diaphragms!) made of other materials.
    I've had success with the deodorant but first I had to get used to the idea that it is NOT an anti-perspirant.

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  7. great post - i know what you mean, i can't imagine ever going back to paper towels! regarding produce bags - the assumption by many is that the produce is clean in the grocery store. unless it's lettuce or things like that, nothing needs to go into a produce bag - everything should be washed that comes from the grocery store produce aisle, lotsa folks touch that stuff :). along with vinegar, i am mad about baking soda paste for cleaning my stove, burners, sticky stuff in pans, etc. - and you can buy it in bulk!

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  8. Wahoo, go girl! That's a lot of posts! :)

    Yeah, I have some eco-fails, too, but we're all learning and trying. It's fun, huh?

    And go, DivaCup! Still loving mine!

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  9. Hi!
    I am a fellow yoga lover in halifax and I just came across your site.

    I read about your deodorant failures and wanted to tell you about my homemade deodorant. It is super easy and works great!

    All you need is:

    1/3 starch (arrowroot, tapioca, etc)

    1/3 baking soda

    1/3 oil mix (I use half olive oil and half cocoa butter so that it's solid but not too hard) I usually put a little more than 1/3 of oil because baking soda can be a little irritating- you can definitely play around with this!

    You could add some essential oils too- I don't bother.

    Melt your oils, stir in rest of ingredients and put in little jar. You could start by mixing up a little batch to see if it works for you.

    When you are ready to use it just rub a tiny bit (like half a pea or less) on your armpit- That's it!

    It lasts forever and it works!

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  10. Just looked up the Lioli bags - they look fabulous and I am definately ordering some - wondering though if they give you a hard time at the cashier (do you have to leave the produce out of the bag until after you cash through, or can they weigh it in the bags?)

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  11. I am a big fan of Jade mats but lately have been wanting to venture into trying different mats. I will def check out the prAna mats! (Congrat's on all your posts!!)

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  12. @Mysticpi: Hi! thank you for the deodorant recipe- i'll definitely have to give it a go! :)

    @Sarah: I never get questions about them, other than: "wow that's neat" or "can i see what's in there to ring in?". I've actually been quite impressed how open and fine the sobeys and superstore (and of course farmer's market) people have been :)

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