Small Steps

For 15 months we've been moving non-stop. It was an excellent lesson in paring down, giving up material goods, and learning that I could live with even less than I thought. When you go to new places, the impact of environmental destruction, pollution, overpopulation, and overconsumption is shockingly obvious. Seeing parts of the ocean completely fished out, garbage dumps on pristine islands, and poverty right next to shiny capitalism, it became harder to accept that I was doing my part to be the change I wanted to see in the world. Of course, I'm guilty of not being super eco friendly what with flying everywhere - though I love trains and try to travel by them if possible (This one month trip was completely overland) - and I am far from perfect but I felt like it was finally time for me to do a little more. These aren't huge things, but just tiny ways in which I feel that a little effort adds up, is better for the environment, for my health, and probably for other people.

- This month marks one year of being anti-perspirant/deodorant free. And no, I don't smell bad. In fact, I smell better than I ever have. I found an awesome pump-spray that contains only alum (a type of mineral salt) and water. It kills bacteria, sprays without ozone layer destruction, and is also free of carcinogens and environmentally toxic chemicals. It's also insanely cheap.

- I switched to a sulfate and paraben free organic shampoo. P uses baking soda to wash and apple cider vinegar to condition. His hair is no longer falling out, and we are not putting shit into the water supply any more. After seeing what a tub of Sodium Laureth Sulfate looks and smells like, you won't want to use regular shampoo either!

- I skip body lotion and use almond oil instead, with a vanilla pod in it. There's nothing in it but... almond oil, and a vanilla pod :) No chemical additives, refillable glass bottle, totally natural. And it smells amazing.

- I cut out a large part of meat from my diet. Ideally I would be entirely meat free, but I like to keep the option of eating meat in places where it's the only available food or is humanely and healthily produced, like on small farms in Poland. I don't think eating meat is entirely wrong, I think we just eat too much meat. And most meat in the US and UK is industrially produced and highly unhealthy.

- I'm planning to make more of my condiments and foods from scratch. It's easy and fast, you can re-use jars instead of buying new ones, it tastes better, and you're not giving money to big companies.

- I started renting rooms from individuals or small family run hotels over staying in bigger hotels/chains.

- I'm planning to build my own computer instead of buying the apple desktop I wanted. It sucks, because they are so pretty, but after finding out about Apple's hideous labour practices, I can't really feel good about owning a mac. I can avoid HP, Intel components and keep supporting the BDS movement by not buying goods that support Israeli apartheid, and I can also avoid giving my money to Microsoft.

- Couchsurfing. It's been a great way to meet people I'd never meet normally, exchange ideas, and become immersed in different cultures. Everyone I've been has been generous, kind, helpful, and full of warmth. I can't think of a better way to learn about a different country and to act upon ideas I believe in.

I don't want to go all nutty and start wearing burlap sacks, but I feel like if there are little things I can do that are easy enough to incorporate into my life, I should probably do them. I'd love more suggestions! Anything that supports human rights and is environmentally friendly is something we should be doing!