No More 'Poo!

In addition being a clutter-hater, I also am quite frugal (my husband would say cheap), and lately I've been thinking about shampoo and conditioner. Every month or two I spend enough to take us all out for tacos on large plastic containers filled with I-don't-know-what to wash my hair and scalp and let it go back down the drain, to the wastewater treatment plant, where it will have to be dealt with before it goes into the river. I know there's a place where you can rate your cosmetics to see which ones are better for the earth, but nothing tops this, for the environment and my budget: not buying shampoo at all! I've discovered a new movement: the no-pooers - and I like what I'm reading!

http://www.happynews.com/news/4242009/ditching%20shampoo%20dirty%20little%20beauty%20secret.htm

Apparently, you can have even more beautiful hair by not using any products! OK I'm dubious. Not that my hair is beautiful, but it could be a lot worse, and I'm not sure I can duck public life long enough to give no-pooing a chance. Apparently you can mix a little baking soda and water to remove the "excess" grease, while leaving the healthy amount of head grease in place to make your locks shiny and healthy looking. But then there was something about needing some vinegar to counteract the alkaline of the baking soda, so that your scalp doesn't get too... soda-y. If anyone knows anything, please share! I'm very intrigued.

Recycle that toothbrush! Eeww - really?

Your old toothbrush can become a park bench! Well, yours and a bajillion others - and not the bristles, just the handle. Razor handles, too, and, um, tongue cleaners. One moment, please - energy to make tongue cleaners never should have been expended in the first place - just my opinion, but I've got a spic n span tongue just by scrubbing it with my toothbrush. ANYWAY, all these plastic mouth and face hygiene tools, as long as they are #5, can be mailed - POSTAGE PAID! (I love that part) - to Preserve Products, and here's the link: http://www.preserveproducts.com/recycling/recyclepreserveproducts.html. Just print out the little label, pop in all those squirrelly toothbrushes, and look for a Oral B bench in a park near you.