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Low Impact Betty was a sustainability blog during the teens.
Artcycle Give Residents a Public Space, September 20, 2011
Clothing Reform, June 16, 2011
Shampoo Free From Fort Worth, Texas, September 13, 2011
Natural Beauty Solutions for Busy People, June 4, 2011
DIY: A Green Gift Bag, May 21, 2011
Fort Worth Star Telegram Class Acts Journalist
Artcycle L.A. gives residents a Public Space
By Diana Kohne
Last Saturday, ArtCycle L.A. took over Santa Monica Blvd. in East Hollywood for its 3rd year of art and bikes. Traffic was rerouted, and children giggled as they rode their bicycles in the street. Adults visited booths and connected with local businesses and neighborhood associations. Located in the most densely populated area of Los Angeles with the least public space, Art Cycle provides East Hollywood dwellers with a park once a year.
From a low impact perspective, Art Cycle should be a part of every urban neighborhood with little public space. For one day, hundreds of neighbors abandon their cars and televisions to spend a day on their main street. Neighborhood businesses set up booths along the double yellow line, where relationships are created that help support the local economy.
The future goal is even greener. Beyond providing a yearly temporary park on Santa Monica Boulevard, Art Cycle L.A. seeks to turn a local street lamp storage yard into a park. Looking across the happy crowd, it’s easy to envision the cooped up children of East Hollywood playing outdoors every weekend, adults entertained by weekend art fairs, and families on blankets enjoying movies and concerts in the park.
Where can you envision a new park in your neighborhood? If you’re fortunate enough to have a neighborhood public space, use it! Keep your park alive and revive your neighborhood’s spirit by planning an activity at the park. It can be as simple as tossing a ball around with a friend, or as complex as organizing a neighborhood arts and music festival. Local acts only.
Clothing Reform
By Diana Kohne
Every step of clothing culture leaves a big environmental footprint. It begins when the material is created. Cotton accounts for a quarter of US pesticide use, and synthetic fabric production pollutes air and water. Next, material is shipped overseas to be woven into fabric and made into clothing. Then, it is shipped back to the States as disposable fashion. Even after purchase, clothing continues to use energy with every wash. Eventually, most clothing is destined to rot and burn in landfills.
What can you do?
Make your clothes last as long as they can while using the least amount of energy and pollutants possible.
Here’s how:
Don’t use the Dryer.
The energy that exposes your wardrobe to excessive heat and tumbling causes clothes to fall apart faster. People in foggy London town dry their clothes without a dryer, and so can you.
If silly apartment and neighborhood codes chain you to the dryer, don’t use dryer sheets or fabric softener. Dryer sheets are not biodegradable, and fabric softeners contains flammable chemicals. Remember to clean the lint filter every time for the most efficient performance.
Wash it Cold.
It’s easier on the environment, on your clothes, and on your pocketbook. Use a phosphate free, biodegradable detergent. These are less likely to contain optical brighteners that, like phosphates, are difficult to filter, and interfere with the balance of aquatic ecosystems.
Repurpose it.
After a piece of clothing falls apart beyond repair, it can be repurposed in the kitchen to wipe counter tops. Cotton fabric can be composted after it becomes too disgusting to use as a rag.
Save synthetic scraps to piece together as a patchwork quilt or throw.
Mend it.
Stitching a seem or a tear is faster and greener than going shopping. Experience the rewarding feeling of DIY.
Wear it Again.
If you didn’t go to the gym in it or spill something on it, it’s probably okay to wear it again.
If it’s not, you’ll know.
Clothes can last for years without the use of harsh temperatures and chemicals, and with the help of a little bit of stitching every now and then. The average female spends nearly $2,000 and 400 hours shopping each year. The average American male is not very far behind. Doing your part to reform disposable clothing culture means a lot of time and money to spend on passions, past-times, and yes, clothes-pinning.
13 Sep
Shampoo Free from Fort Worth, Texas!
By Diana Kohne Published in Personal Care
How many bottles in your shower are necessary, and how many are a product of a successful marketing campaign? Distinguishing between media influence and necessity is a part of living a low impact life. After years of bath and body product use, it’s impossible to tell what the body needs, and what the body has become dependent on. Michelle Pitts chose to reset, and begin a life without shampoo. She has been shampoo free for 8 months, or, as she puts it, “poo free.” I asked Michelle, a conservative Texan who lives and works in Fort Worth, about her experience:
Why did you decide to quit using shampoo?
I listen to the How Stuff Works Podcast and they had an episode called “How often should I wash my hair?” They talked about the science of how shampoo works and how it is a new trend that isn’t necessary and is a huge moneymaker. I started thinking about just how much my hair frustrates me, how much I spend on shampoo… and how I dream of just shaving all my hair off one day to avoid having to shampoo it every day. I found myself washing it more often and doing multiple lathers per shower. My thoughts were, well, shampoo sounds like it may be doing more harm than good, so why not give a new hair cleansing method a try?
Tell us about the transition period.
Between 2 weeks and 2 months of having gone ‘poo free I was ready to give up because my hair was getting sooo greasy. I knew that was to be expected because my hair was used to being stripped of its sebum daily and was used to over producing oil to make up for what I stripped it of. My transition to using a baking soda hair cleanser took a lot of patience, but I knew that I was training my hair to create sebum at a slower rate, which would work to my advantage in the future! Every day now, I am so thankful that I made the sacrifice to go through the transition. I highly recommend a slight hair cut (I got 4 or 5 inches cut off) before starting to get off shampoo.
What results have you seen since you quit shampoo?
The list is extensive:
1. I used to get lumps in my hair when I would wake up in the morning and they have all but vanished.
2. My hair is more flexible and takes a lot more from me now.
3. I do not have to cleanse my hair as often. I can shower every day and cleanse my hair every 2 to 3 days and it makes getting ready in the mornings a lot quicker.
4. When I do cleanse my hair it is a much faster process because I don’t have to lather up and rinse and lather and rinse etc.
5. My hair doesn’t slip out of my pony tail holder or hair clips any more.
6. My hair is more manageable.
7. My hair is lighter weight. It has always been so heavy and given me headaches if I have it too long or pulled back for too long.
8. It also has more body. I thought that the more you put in your hair the more body it would have, but, apparently the less I put in my hair, the more body it has.
9. It has great flow. It used to often look awkward, the way it fell, but it falls naturally now.
10. I can touch my hair more. When I used shampoo, if I brushed it or ran my fingers through it often, it would get dirty quicker. Now I can touch it all I want and it doesn’t speed up the process of making it feel dirty.
11. There is no residue on my hair. I found out that most conditioners have a silicone based ingredient that coats your hair with a layer of a plastic like substance that weighs your hair down and keeps moisture from getting to it. I believe that it is because of this that my hair feels free of residue.
12. My hair is very strong.
Why did you decide to use baking soda?
When I searched for going ‘poo free, this was the one method that came up time and time again. Now, I am no good at science, but I was reminded of all the things we can use baking soda for: getting paint splatters off floors, our teeth, general household cleaning… So it makes sense that it is a natural cleanser and gently cleanses without harmful side effects. For those with short hair, they can use a baking soda paste, and for those with longer hair, you can dilute the baking soda and pour or spray it into the hair.
It is so convenient and you can just feel your hair being cleaned and staying clean for longer. This was a new experience for me that I never got with shampoo! It’s not that ‘squeaky clean’ feeling that shampoo gives you because that is stripped hair, not clean hair. Instead, it is a lighter weight, clean to the core, no residue feeling that I believe our hair naturally desires.
Are there other ingredient options?
Yes. Motown Girl website has other options which I have not yet tried. There are a variety of conditioner rinses you can do instead of baking soda… The key is not to use hair products with ingredients ending in –cone, as they have silicone in them. If you use a silicone ingredient then you basically have to use shampoo to get the plastic coating off your hair shaft. Other ingredients that are important in this ‘poo free process are vinegar and essential oils. You can mix different oils, such as lavender or peppermint into a vinegar rinse after the baking soda cleanse. The oils soothe/invigorate your scalp and the vinegar removes build up and closes cuticles. Chagrin Valley Soap and Craft gives extensive information about the benefit of periodic vinegar rinses and different ingredients that can be used to achieve hair goals.
Any additional thoughts?
When using this method of hair cleansing, it is a never ending process of experimenting and learning new things. I have found great benefit in having a circle of ‘poo free friends who share their experiments and findings with each other. Also, I have used conditioner periodically, then go for a couple weeks just doing vinegar rinses. After I towel dry my hair I also use jojoba oil mixed with essential oils and I find that my hair loves that and is soft and shiny. It is fun to play around with and it is nice to know that I am helping my hair get stronger and more manageable, which makes both my hair and myself happy!
Are there Downsides?
Everything has an ugly side… this one has so few.
1. My hair has been a little drier. In the winter I had major static problems and I haven’t yet found a solution to it. At that time I was only using baking soda. Now I realize that there are other rinses to do and next winter I plan on being prepared.
2. I have to be creative! I can see that someone who is not well versed in the natural ingredient world would have a hard time finding different ways to work with oils. It is never too late to start your collection of essential oils. They will change your life, as will Jojoba oil. I cannot imagine not having it around!
Michelle simplified her life by returning to a simpler approach to hair care. The ingredients that go down the drain are no longer skin irritants and pollutants like formaldehyde, phthalates, and those undisclosed synthetic fragrance formulas. Michelle’s story inspired me to make the switch 3 months ago, and I’m not looking back.
Natural Beauty Solutions for Busy People
By Diana Kohne
There is a reason why people purchase little plastic containers of chemical concontions that never spoil. Most people don’t have time to play with a double boiler until the right balance of a long list of ingredients creates a cream. It’s ok, there are simple solutions in the kitchen. No mixing necessary.
Olive Oil Lotion
Home made face lotion has to made frequently because it doesn’t contain chemicals to increase shelf life. If there isn’t time to melt a beeswax and borax blend, just a dab of olive oil soothes dry skin and give the skin a healthy glow. The trick is to not use too much. Pour a dime sized amount onto the palm. Dip only with the tip of the pinky. For under the eyes, divide that amount in half by touching quickly under each eye. Rub or pat gently until the oil is completely absorb throughout the area. Don’t apply too close to eyelids and only apply only to skin that needs moisturizing.
Coffee or Corn Meal Scrub
There are few things as invigorating as a coffee face scrub in the morning. Take your used coffee grounds into the shower. Rub onto the face in a circular motion to exfoiate and invigorate. Caffeine is commonly used in lotions and creams to reduce circles and puffy eyes. Also, it may protect against sun damage to skin cells. Coffee grounds are course, so don’t rub too hard! If a shower is part of a nighttime regimen, use corn meal in place of coffee. It’s caffeine free, and may leave the skin feeling smoother than the coffee scrub.
Vinegar Deoderant
Doctors instruct women who have had breast cancer to refrain from using those store bought deodorants. Why wait until a doctor tells you to quit? If you’re already using a green approach to kitchen cleaning, then you have a spray bottle full of white vinegar in the other room. Just pick up the vinegar spray bottle and give your under arms a quick spritz. It works very well, contains only vinegar, and shaves at least 30 seconds off of the bathroom regimen.
These kitchen solutions may not work for everyone, but they work for me, and many others. Always do a test on an area of skin, as when trying any new cosmetic. Keep an open mind. It may take a couple of weeks for the skin to adjust, as with any new product. I recommend only using these approaches on an ‘as needed’ basis. If the skin is not dry, don’t moisturize it. If the skin is soft, there is no need to exfoliate. Say good-bye to plastic bottles with phthalates and use your cosmetic money on a nice hobby. No beauty regimen can stop time, and you’ll need something to do when you get old.