| Thank-you for adding your name to The Shoppe mailing list. It was also lovely to meet some of you at the Natural Skin Care Workshop on Saturday. As you will know by now I'm all about encouraging people to use alternatives to consumer products. I've placed below an excerpt from one of my newsletters (No. 52) about 'alternatives' and how to use them. I hope it is useful.
You'll find more information about what I do at www.theshoppe.com.au
Keep well. I'll have a newsletter out again soon. Pam - The Shoppe
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| | Why Use Alternatives?
If every human on earth lived the same privileged lifestyle as the developed nations what a mess our planet would be! The reality is that we (in the modern society) live far, far beyond our means and, more importantly, beyond the planet's means. The earth just cannot sustain this so-called 'wealthy' lifestyle. Planetary resources are limited. Consumer products abound like there is no tomorrow. Thousands of new products are created and manufactured every day - much of it ends up as land fill because it either did not meet consumer need or due to over production - all discarded as if we do not have a worry in the world. This era of consumerism must change - it is outdated, irrational and a dangerous way to live. It may have seemed practical and advantageous in past times but now is well and truly obsolete. |
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The ‘4 C’s’: Consumerism, Commercialism, Capitalism & Chemicals
According to history books ‘capitalism’ (as we know it today) originated in the 16th century in Italy. It’s loosely based upon four main concepts:
- The endless accumulation of wealth and capital
- The endless pursuit of growth and profit
- The exploitation of labour
- The exploitation of nature (animals, the environment).
Although the above may have been a wonderful concept when first begun in medieval Europe (and served humanity well over the last 400 years). Times are now very different. No longer do we live in adverse poverty and strive for a more even distribution of wealth. Nor do we have a narrow-minded view that the Earth is flat and life on Earth is only about as far as we can travel on foot or with a bullock and cart! Attitudes change – and one is now well due. Thankfully we now see ourselves universally as inhabitants of Planet Earth – billions of inhabitants in fact! We see the whole picture, that is, billions of people using resources, living a lifestyle, that they rely solely upon Earth to maintain into the future. How irrational that now seems?
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| | Times Have Changed
Everyone should hear this message - because it's the only way forward: 'Consumer products have finished - gone - relegated to the past'. The only impediment to 'using alternatives' (and less consumer products) is habitual. It doesn't cost extra money, time or effort - it's just a matter of habit changing. Of doing something different - 'old habits die hard' as the saying goes. |
| | What are the Alternatives?
Here's the list of the most useful alternatives:
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| Vinegar:
Basic uses - Cheap generic vinegar: cleaning, disinfecting, deodorising, anti-bacterial agent, insect repellent
Better quality cider or white vinegar: hair conditioner, culinary, skin astringent, personal deodorant, therapeutic uses, preservative (food)
Useful Tip - Use plain vinegar in place of commercial preparations as a disinfectant or make something similar by half filling a recycled plastic bottle (an old vinegar bottle is ideal) with cheap (white) vinegar. Fill the remainder of the bottle with water. Add a few drops eucalyptus oil and 2 drops green food colouring. Apply lid and shake. (For Lavender disinfectant use lavender oil and pink/purple colouring). Looks and works just like commercial disinfectant!
More information e-Book No. 33 Versatile Vinegar - download information here
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| | Bicarb Soda:
Basic Uses - abrasive Cleaner, deodoriser, whitener, stain removal
Useful Tip - Make a quick Carpet and Room Deodoriser by three-quarter filling a clean medium-sized jar with bicarbonate soda. Add 6 drops eucalyptus or lavender oil. Apply lid. Shake well to blend. Leave 24 hours for the perfume to permeate the bicarbonate soda. Punch holes into the lid of the jar to form a sprinkle-top container. To Use: Sprinkle onto the carpet area, focusing specifically on areas that require extra deodorising. Leave 30 minutes - then vacuum or brush off. Deodorises the room as well as the carpet.
More Information e-Book No. 9 Amazing Bicarb! - download information here
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| | Soap:
Basic uses - Household cleaning, personal cleaning, garden spray (insect repellent), deodorising, general household use
Useful Tip - Turn a bar of soap into 20 litres of Economical Soap Jelly to replace all your commercial detergents by grating one bar of soap. Put one half in one 9 litre bucket. Put the other half of grated soap in another bucket. Add ½ cup washing soda and 2 litres of boiling water to each bucket. Stir both buckets until mixture has dissolved. Top each bucket up to full with water. Leave to cool. Use approx. 1 cup of mix to full wash tub (for clothes) OR use to wash dishes OR as a liquid hand wash or hair shampoo.
More Information e-Book No. 50 Recycling Soap - download information here
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| | Oatmeal:
Basic uses - mild abrasive cleaner, skin care & cleanser, water softener, culinary, hair-care, chemical free soap alternative
Useful Tip - Make a deep skin cleanse Oatmeal-Honey Facial Scrub by blending together: 4 teaspoons oatmeal, 1 tablespoon clear honey and juice of one lemon or water (for sensitive skin). Apply to the face. Massage in gentle circular motions for approximately 3- 5 minutes. Rinse off. (Apply once weekly)
More information e-Book No. 30 Natural Skin Care - down-load information here
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| | Herbs:
examples: rosemary, thyme, sage, parsley, lavender
Basic Uses - skin care, hair care, personal deodorant, general deodorising, oral care, cleaning, mild disinfectant, insect repellent
Useful Tip - Make a simple Herbal Infusion by placing 3 teaspoons fresh rosemary, lavender and thyme leaves in an earthenware or glass container. Gently crush the herbs with the back of a spoon (to aid release of essential oils). Add 250ml boiling water. Leave to infuse for about 5 minutes or for a stronger infusion leave longer. Strain and use as a hair rinse, skin (facial) astringent or pour into spray bottle and use as a mild deodorant or body spray. Add to homemade skin creams and other products.
More information e-Book No. 61 - Harnessing Herbs - download information here
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| | Eucalyptus Oil:
Basic Uses - stain removal, deodorising, disinfecting, cleaning, therapeutic, insect repellent
Useful Tip - Make a very versatile and useful All-purpose Grime/Stain Remover and Surface Spray by mixing together 1/3 cup each of water, cloudy ammonia* and liquid soap-jelly**. Add 8-10 drops eucalyptus oil. Mix and pour into a recycled spray container. Cleans everything: Stains on clothing (apply before washing) or spray onto surfaces to rermove grime, grease and dirt from walls, vinyl, stove top, tiles, around light switches, etc.
* cloudy ammonia has a strong odour - replace with vinegar if preferred
** see recipe above or use bio-degradable dish-washing detergent if soap jelly is not available.
More information e-Book No. 23 - Green Cleaning - down-load information here
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| | Rice-flour:
Basic Uses:personal care products, talc alternative
Useful Tip - Make a simple Foot Deodorising and Healing Powder by mixing equal parts rice flour, bicarb soda and dried or fresh sage & rosemary. Pour into food processor and blend to fine powder. Store in a clean jar with metal lid. Pierce holes in lid with nail and hammer to allow for easy sprinkling. How to use: Sprinkle onto dry feet after bathing or showering
More information e-Book No. 27 Fantastic Feet - download information here
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| | Lemons:
Basic Uses: mild bleach, cleaning, deodorising, skin care, hair care, disinfectant, culinary, insect repellent, therapeutic
Useful Tip: After squeezing juice from a lemon (for salad dressing or other culinary uses) save the half lemon skin for cleaning. Simply dip in bicarb soda or salt and use to clean sink surface or wall tiles. Alternatively place lemon halves into a bucket or bowl of water in a room overnight - it will absorb strong odours such as smoke, cigarette odour and fresh paint/chemical smell.
For more informtion: e-book No. 10 - The Humble Lemon. Download information here
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| | The Benefits:
Using alternatives will benefit you (safer/less chemicals), the environment PLUS save you money by replacing expensive commercial products with cheaper alternatives. Here's what you can remove from your shopping list: oven cleaner, dish-washing detergent, laundry detergent, carpet deodorant, surface spray, floor cleaner, carpet shampoo, wooden surface cleaners, surface sprays & cleaners, abrasive cleaners, deodorizing agents, bathroom cleaner, mould remover, disinfectant, toilet cleaner, drain cleaner, window cleaner, water softener, stain remover, skin cleansers and astringents, hair shampoo, toothpaste, talc, shower gels and personal cleaners, liquid hand soap, pet care products, hair conditioner, floor & wood polish, insect repellents, garden sprays, air fresheners and room deodorizers and much more!!
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| | For more information:
Environmentally-friendly Basics e-Book Set download
Six e-books covering with the most common household alternatives – Bicarb Soda, Vinegar, Lemon, Eucalyptus Oil, Soap, Oatmeal - that have a multitude of safe, environmentally friendly uses around the home. Very cost effective!
Contains: No. 9 - Uses for Bi-carb Soda, No. 10 - Humble Lemon, No. 33 - Versatile Vinegar, No. 51 - Uses for Eucalyptus Oil, No. 50 – Recycling Soap, No. 58 - Old-time Oatmeal. (Also available for purchase individually).
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| | | © 2015 Pam Marshall - The Self-Sufficiency Shoppe
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