August 31st, 2007 Frank
The Voluntary Human Extinction Movement is about returning the Earth to its natural state - i.e., without people on it, mucking everything up.
From their website:
VHEMT (pronounced vehement) is a movement not an organization. It’s a movement advanced by people who care about life on planet Earth. We’re not just a bunch of misanthropes and anti-social, Malthusian misfits, taking morbid delight whenever disaster strikes humans. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Voluntary human extinction is the humanitarian alternative to human disasters.
…As VHEMT Volunteers know, the hopeful alternative to the extinction of millions of species of plants and animals is the voluntary extinction of one species: Homo sapiens… us.
So I’ve joined up. There are no dues, fees or anything to mail. It’s just a state of mind. There are, however, groups on Facebook, MySpace and Yahoo!, plus others. See the full list here.
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August 30th, 2007 Frank
To follow up my post on the Cosmetics Database website (LINK), I wanted to talk about Dr. Bronner’s soaps.
I’ve started using Dr. Bronner’s organic soaps instead of my old shampoos and body washes, which contain loads of unpronouncable chemicals that you don’t know what they do.
Dr. Bronner’s don’t just SAY they’re organic like most ‘organic’ cosmetics, they’re actually made the way soaps have been made for thousands of years, are fully organic, have no animal by-products, aren’t tested on animals and are really quite nice. I use the almond 18-in-1 soap for a hand, body & face wash plus shampoo, and I’ve tried the peppermint 18-in-1 soap for toothpaste. Yes, using it as toothpaste takes a little getting used to but it’s not unpleasant. I’m going to try sprinkling baking soda on the toothbrush as a mild ‘whitening’ scrub. Have you read the chemicals that are in toothpaste? Why do the tubes say ‘do not swallow’? I don’t want to know.
Hikers, trekkers & backpackers use Dr. Bronner’s out in the woods or on a long walk because it’s fully biodegradable, which is really nice. Wash up your dishes, clothes and your body with one soap, can’t beat it!
You literally only need 2 drops of it in your hands to do your hair (if you’ve got short hair - folks with long hair might need 3, really long hair would need 4 or 5 drops). 1 drop will do your hands. 3 or 4 drops on a cloth or sponge will take care of your body wash needs.
I haven’t used it yet for washing dishes or clothes yet, but once I’ve finished with my current supply of dishwashing soap and laundry powder I’ll give them a shot. I have used Ecover for both, which is fully biodegradable, but it’s expensive and not very concentrated, plus at the moment it’s tested on animals. I would think one teaspoon will clean a sink of dishes, and I’ve read 1/4 to 1/3 of a cup (60-80 ml) will do a load of clothes. UK clothes washers are much smaller than US washers, so maybe 50-60ml at most should do it.
After washing up, I’ve started using Sun Dog lotion, which again is fully natural and organic. Nothing I can’t pronounce on the label 
and no animal testing again. I’ve had stuff that absorbs into my skin faster (I can’t stand greasy skin after using moisturizer) but this has no unnatural chemicals and whatnot. I’d rather have a little extra greasiness than unknown substances absorbing into my skin.
For cleaning hard surfaces like kitchen counters and bathroom areas, Dr. Bronner’s have Sal Suds, which is a fully biodegradable, organic, natural, dilutable cleaner. I would think anyone with kids would be crazy to use anything else, especially bleach and other factory-made stuff, for cleaning if they have a baby, toddler or other child. For the moment I’m going to stick with a vinegar and water mix, which kills bacteria naturally and is biodegradable like all the Dr. Bronner’s stuff.
Finally, everything they make is fully biodegradable and none of it is tested on animals.
(and for what it’s worth, I’m not paid by Dr. Bronner’s to say any of this, I just really like their stuff and believe in the product)
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August 28th, 2007 Frank
One of today’s headlines on the BBC website was that grocery shoppers will be facing higher prices on fresh food, particularly meat, because of the recent floods as well as the even more recent foot and mouth outbreaks. With wheat prices set to increase by about 200%, the cost of getting cattle to market will go up accordingly, and the cost increases will be passed on to the consumer.
Fresh veg prices will also rise but I’ve planted a late batch of seeds for spinach, lettuce and peas that will help me out with salads and side dishes at least. My cherry tomatoes have just been harvested and my salad tomatoes are getting fat and green.
So…yet another good reason to give meat a miss whenever possible!
BBC NEWS | Business | Shoppers ‘face meat price rises’
Oh yeah…tonight I made my first paella. Could do with a bit more herbs but I’m quite satisfied with it! Fully vegan, and if I feel the need I can add some meat or whatever else in it when I warm it up. Perfect lunch food for work!
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August 27th, 2007 Frank
I think most level-headed people knew this already, but now it’s been proven again: antibacterial soaps don’t kill the bacteria they say they do, aren’t any better than regular soaps, and actually make the bacteria they’re supposed to kill stronger in the process.
Here’s the link to the University of Michigan results
If you really want to kill the bacteria, use an alcohol wash, but I think the best bet is to eat and be generally healthy (eat well and exercise a bit) and let your body build up its natural resistance to the bacteria.
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August 24th, 2007 Frank
At the Cosmetics Database website (http://cosmeticsdatabase.com/), you can look up the cosmetics you use every day (well, for men we can call them ‘products’ :)) and not only see what ingredients they contain, but also see if those ingredients are linked to cancer, if there are any violations, restrictions or warnings on the ingredients used, if the ingredients are toxic to development or reproductive organs, or if there are other concerns. You’ll also find out if the manufacturer has signed the Compact for Safe Cosmetics (click to see a list of signers) and if they conduct animal testing.
You’ll probably be surprised what your products contain, and amazed at how many companies still do animal testing of cosmetics. There are arguments for (humans have benefited from products aided by animal testing) and against (animals don’t consent to being tested) animal testing…but I basically don’t like it.
I’ve used Body Shop and Paul Mitchell stuff for years (not exclusively, though) because they publicly state and campaign against animal testing, but they still use loads of chemicals that I can’t pronounce and would rather not have swimming about on my head.
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August 22nd, 2007 Frank
I’m definitely an omnivore and love my steaks, lamb or chicken curries, cheeses and milk, but I’m starting to look into the possibilities of a diet that features less meat. At the moment (without much research, to be honest) I’m considering cutting back all or most of my meat intake during the week, and having more veg, bread and other stuff instead. On the weekends I’d allow myself to have more meat and basically just see where it goes from there, basically see if I ‘miss’ having meat or if I just have to have a steak or whatever during the week.
To be honest, though, at the moment I’ve already gravitated towards this sort of thing without really thinking about it. I have meat in the freezer waiting to be used (usually chicken and ground/minced beef) but I’ll often find myself not wanting to wait to defrost it. I can’t always plan that far ahead Sometimes, if I’ve eaten quite a lot during the day or had a big dinner the day before I’ll just have nacho chips or yogurt for ‘dinner’. For lunch at work I’ll have a vegetable soup or tuna/salad wrap and that’s all I need. For breakfast I’ll have a cereal bar if I’m in a rush, or oatmeal/porridge or cereal to get started right.
So what’s the point of a meat-reducing diet?
- It’s cheaper (no argument here - you can fill yourself up on fruit and veg much cheaper than you can with meat)
- It’s a more direct way of getting nutrients (by skipping a step in the food chain, you get vitamins and minerals direct from the fruit and veg)
- It’s healthier (for example: most meat-eaters get way too much daily protein in their diet, which can affect the pancreas…also, with less fat in your diet you’ll have a lower chance of heart disease, high blood pressure and of course weight problems)
- You get less junk chemicals in your food if you buy/grow organic veg (unless you buy expensive organic meat, you don’t want to know what sort of chemicals and growth enhancers go into cattle, pigs and other animals)
- It’s better for the environment (cow, pig and sheep farming produces methane, which is worse than carbon emissions when it comes to global warming (a UK government organization recommends reduced meat intake for just this reason, plus fecal runoff is bad for water supplies and factory farming is just plain evil…more reasons why here)
So…what about the drawbacks?
- The main one I can think of is that as a life-long omnivore (technically speaking, if I were a carnivore I’d be eating ONLY meat, and very few people are actually carnivores, we’re almost all omnivores) I would miss the taste and experience of a truly tasty fajita, burger, steak, whatever.
- Getting protein won’t be a problem - walk into any health food store and pick up whey protein powder to supplement daily protein intake, take multivitamins (vegans need B12) and job’s a good ‘un. FYI - whey protein is preferrable to soy protein because nearly all soy you can find is genetically modified (GM).
I think I’ll give it a shot for a couple of weeks, while doing regular daily light exercise like walking or whatever, and see how it goes, and how I feel. If the rest of the month goes alright I’ll probably try it for all of September!
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August 20th, 2007 Frank
I’m still surprised at the number of people I talk to in my daily life that don’t know about Freecycle or other sites like it.
Essentially, the idea of Freecycle is to reduce the amount of trash and rubbish that goes into our landfills. It allows people to get rid of things that they would normally throw away but are still usable. It also allows people to find things that they may be looking for, but they don’t necessarily need it in brand new condition.
I’ve used Freecycle to get a very good condition IKEA corner desk, stereo speakers, a huge wardrobe, computer parts and much more. In my travels around the area I’ve also discovered areas around the city I live in I wouldn’t have discovered otherwise.
I’ve also used Freecycle to get rid of computer parts, a futon and mattress, electrical stuff, a camoflauge net, books, hair clippers and more. It’s ideal for stuff that you want to put on eBay but really can’t be bothered with, or know that you won’t get much money for.
There are totally random things you can find on the mailing list, like DIY/building materials, car parts, pet and baby supplies, clothing and loads of stuff.
Check it out at Freecycle.org, you never know what you’re missing!
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August 17th, 2007 Frank
Here’s my Technorati Profile, check me out if you can. Let’s share links! Drop me a comment and I’ll add you to my Technorati ‘buddy list’.
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August 17th, 2007 Frank
Chances are you’re reading this on a computer (duh!), and you might be concerned with how much power it uses while you’re using it. What you might not know is that your computer probably uses less electricity than other stuff in the room it’s in.
In this post on Treehugger.com, the resident ‘EcoGeek’ helps answer the question of reducing the amount of electricity your computer uses: Ask the EcoGeek: How Can I Make My Computer Efficient? (TreeHugger)
The EcoGeek replies with plenty of common sense answers, such as:
- when you’re not using the computer, shut it off or set it to ‘Standby’ or ‘Hibernate’ modes if you think you’ll need it again soon - this saves the most energy
- shut down power-hungry programs that you’re finished with - these take up CPU cycles, which consumes more power
- when it comes time to upgrade, look for seals of approval from power-saving organizations and environmentally friendly industry groups, which are committed to making recycling computer parts easier and cheaper and using fewer environmentally unfriendly materials
These are good suggestions, and there are others in the original article, but I’ve got a few more to add:
- set your screensaver to ‘blank’, and set the timeout for 5 minutes - this sets your monitor to emit NO power while you’re away from the desk
- clean the fans and inside of your computer periodically with a brush and/or compressed air can - this lets the computer work with less heat and less electricity
- set your monitor’s brightness control a little lower, this uses less energy to illuminate the screen
- put your monitor, computer, printer, desk fan, phone charger, etc., on a single switched power strip so you can shut everything off with a single switch - not only do you ensure you have no power ‘leaks’, you’ll protect your computer system from power surges
- if you have to do massive downloads or DVD backups, do it at night when electricity charges are less and businesses aren’t using huge amounts of power off the grid
I think most computer ‘power users’ will be familiar with some of these energy-saving tips, but the average computer person (I’m thinking of, say, my mom here) probably never considers this.
What would happen if one person in every business sent an email with these suggestions to the head IT guy, personnel manager and top boss of their company? It might not save a ton of money for one computer, but to apply this to every computer in the company would probably save quite a bit on the electricity bill.
Computers are very similar to cars - keep them maintained and they’ll go on forever. Very rarely does anything in a computer actually *need* to be upgraded or fixed (don’t tell my gamer friends that, though! :)) so it’s usually just a matter of using them wisely.
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August 16th, 2007 Frank
I suppose most people don’t think they need to think about simplifying their life, but I bet if they look around they’ll be able to find some things they wish they could simplify, or easy things they could do to make their life just a little easier.
- Freecycle. If you have a TV, furniture, a bike, computer parts, books or other things you want to get rid of, try giving it away on Freecycle. Just go to Freecycle.org, sign up for an account, and send a message to the mailing list detailing what you want to give away. People come to your house or flat and just take it away! You don’t have to find a dumpster or vacant lot, deal with trying to sell it, or anything, you don’t even have to deal with transporting it. Similarly, you can look for things that people are giving away, you’d be really surprised what you can find!
- Declutter. This is an extension of step #1, Freecycling helps you declutter or dejunk your house or apartment, but to really get down to it you usually have to be a bit tougher than simply ‘let’s get rid of the old couch on the porch’. Decluttering is generally considered to be getting rid of books you didn’t really enjoy, giving away clothes you haven’t worn in a year, that sort of thing. Why have 2 or 3 comforters/duvets when all you need is 1? You get the idea. Start with one room, or even one part of one room (like the top of your desk instead of the whole desk) and once you get going the decluttering juggernaut is hard to stop!
- Drive a little slower. Obviously this saves money on your fuel bills (watch your fuel mileage rise), but it allows you to see the countryside or city a bit closer than you normally would. Remember the old adage ‘taking time to smell the roses’? I’m lucky in that my drive to work takes me past cow and sheep farms, among other things, so I get to see how the lambs and calves grow up during the year. You can’t experience that if you are always trying to overtake the guy in front or whatever.
- Walk. Instead of driving half a mile to the corner shop, why not walk? We used to walk everywhere when we were kids, and it wasn’t until I got a car that I started putting on weight. Apart from the exercise, walking around your neighborhood also introduces you to the area cats that hang around, you might bump into a neighbor you’ve never spoken with, you make yourself visible to kids that might be hanging around to cause trouble (not that they all do, but hey, some do). It also puts you in touch with the environment around you and who knows, you might find yourself picking up a drink bottle or crisp packet that someone has just tossed on the ground. And then what? You’ve connected with the neighborhood and you’ve started to care a little bit more.
- Drink tap water. It’s been widely reported and long known that bottled water wastes resources (making bottles, transportation of bottles, etc.) and it generally no better for you than normal tap water (unless it’s filtered), so just fill up a used bottle from the sink at home or at work and use that. If you’re really concerned about what’s in your tap water (chlorine, flouride) get a filter pitcher made by Brita or Pur. If you’re really REALLY concerned about Bisephenol A use a Sigg bottle or a glass bottle instead of plastic.
- Take newspaper to the local animal shelter. You get rid of the newspaper and the shelter gets newspaper to line the cages with. You may want to call the shelter first, to make sure they’ll use the newspaper.
- Find a local farmer’s market. Supporting local farmers cuts emissions and helps the local economy, plus you’ll get tastier, healthier food. The nearest farmer’s market to me has loads of organic free range beef, water buffalo and ostrich, plus cheeses, wines, vinegars, plants and other things. It might cost a little more than the slabs of factory-processed foods you get in a typical supermarket but it’s better for you and the animals as well.
- Bring lunch to work with you. Why rush around to find out where everyone wants to eat lunch, then rush out to the car, rush to the restaurant or fast food joint, stand in line, rush to eat lunch, then rush back? Unless you have a 2-hour lunch break or are dining out with your boss you never have the luxury of actually relaxing during lunch. Save loads of money and have healthier meals at the same time. If you want to get away from your desk, use the company lunchroom or find a bench to sit on outside. Or eat in your car, listening to your music.
- Use power strips to shut off stacks of electronics. Even when shut off, everything you plug in uses a bit of electricity. Your TV, receiver, stereo, amplifier and other front room things don’t need to be on when you’re out. Neither does your computer, printer, monitor and other office items. Plug them all into one power strip so you can unplug or switch off one plug instead of several.
- Re-use shopping bags. You don’t have to buy fashion shopping bags or canvas bags or heavy plastic bags, just re-use anything with handles when you go shopping. In Europe it’s very common to use cloth bags for shopping, it’s becoming more common in the UK but is just starting to catch on in the US.
- Switch to direct debit billing and online banking. It’s more convenient, wastes no paper and your bills come out automatically every month. What’s not to love? If you really want to have paper records you can always print out a summary of your account.
- Recycle. Finally, if you can’t re-use anything, drop it in a recycling bin. Glass is infinitely recyclable and just about everything made from plastic has a recycling logo on it.
These tips don’t cost any money and maybe once you try a couple of these things and see how easy it is, you’ll try a couple more. Once you see what difference they make you may want to give another couple of things a chance.
Is there anything you’d add to the list?
Is this list too ‘out there’ for the average person?
What’s your feedback on the site? C’mon, I want to know!
