I just want to share with you some of the planet-destroying, oil-drenched items and packaging that we have found we can happily live without. Bathroom items mostly. The shit that we all get suckered into buying, 'cause you need it. Little pots of goo, really. So here goes. Make-up, hair products of any kind even shampoo and conditioner. No more dyes, spays or gels either. Sun screen, nail polish, tooth paste, razors (for me, Dennis still has to look presentable), shaving cream, hand sanitizers, perfumes, deodorants, if in doubt, wash. Ointments, bug spray, cotton swabs... I could go on, I've seen what people hoard in their bathroom cabinets.
Why didn't I just tell you what I do have in my cupboard? Toothbrushes, dental floss and toilet paper. But now we can add toilet paper to the list of things we live without.
See, the other day during a walk in the swamp with my baby and our water dog, nature called out to Dennis in more ways than one. Old man's beard. It was hanging from every tree on every branch. And when he came back out from hiding he was raving about his most excellent adventure. This amazing ass wipe. "Better than toilet paper, absorbent, durable." So the obvious question? Why do we use toilet paper then?
The walk turned into a collection. With the sun shining and gleaming off each beautiful strand. We excitedly collected enough for a few days. Yep I've since been using it and I agree. It even works well for a chick and a pee. It's green too. No really. Not the Sheryl Crow, one-square-per-use kind of green, that's just gross. But we don't even have to kill our trees to wipe. The trees just grow the stuff for us.
What have we done with the store-bought, dead-tree variety? Our 15 year old quickly claimed it when we shared the good news with him. He told us that he would be buying the toilet paper from now on. But ya wanna know something funny? When I went out to the outhouse this morning I saw that he'd already been dipping into the green shit.
I'm just waiting now to see if it can handle a blood flow. I'll keep you posted.
interesting post. ive got rags for peeing, gave up on shit as i got too lazy with washing rags but i could when necessary. funny how some of us can cope real well, infact i prefer to squat, then we had some people in a city here affected by a bad earthquake who couldnt cope with a long drop or chemical toilet because "its gross" and they are sick of "camping"
ReplyDeletei think you guys a marvelous!!
we're definitely happy campers if nothing else. much of the way we live would be described as camping by the denizens of the spoiled-ass corners of the world but to us it just feels right. many of my childhood years were spent living in similar circumstances as a child of back-to-the-land hippies. modern living has always left me feeling a little suspicious ever since. feels like a house of cards. which it is. not to mention it's boring.
ReplyDeleteyou had mentioned on my blog when i was reading a book about ovens that you want one...so.....
ReplyDeletefound this blog with details of their building an outdoor oven, thought you might be interested.
http://slowlivingessentials.blogspot.com/2010/03/bambino-woodfired-oven-using-recycled.html
also read their latest post which is a modification to the door.
You have got a very attractive blog for sure,keep it up.
ReplyDeletewill do. thanks for the kind words.
ReplyDelete