Hippie Tip #8: Every day is Earth Day!

We owe it to ourselves. If we all pitch in and do our part by recycling, reducing waste, keeping our soil and water clean, keeping the trees upright, and reusing everything possible, then we are doing our part to take care of one another as well as our planet Earth.

It's a small World, after all. And we have only one to take care of. ♥

Hippie Tip #7: Tote it!

It's simple. Find all the cloth tote bags you can, then stash them in your car. Every time you go grocery shopping, to the farmer's market, or any kind of shopping for that matter, bring your bags with you. Some stores even give a discount for bringing your own bags. They're easy, they fit more stuff, and you'll never have another ripped-bag accident.

If you're too savvy for totes, then stash it in your Coach collection. Now that'll make a statement.

Hippie Tip #6: Bidet!

Why are we one of the few countries who doesn't use some sort of water-wash system? It's cheaper, cleaner, you don't use your hands (thus spreading disease and grotesqueness), and you're not wasting trees. SO much wasted paper.

Some countries use a simple scoop-and-wash method, others use a high-tech bidet with a spot-on stream of warm water that finishes it off with a nice blast of warm air. I'm not kidding. Try going to the bathrooms at the Narita Airport in Japan. I don't know how they did it, but they did. Perfection. And there was even a little speaker with fake flushing sounds for discretion. haha.

The bidet below is very simple. I can vouch for it....though I'm still working on the rest of the family (old habits are hard to break). It simply connects to your existing system without the need of a plumber or electrician. There is a plethora of more expensive, higher-tech choices as well. Or use a simple cup (just mark it "bidet" or you might have some angry guests!).

Call me a hippie. But at least I'm a clean one. :D

http://www.amazon.com/Astor-Non-Electric-Mechanical-Toilet-Attachment/dp/B003TPGPUW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1335055353&sr=8-1

Hippie Tip #5: Cloth Tissue!

How did we ever get by before the 1920's, when everything started becoming expendable? I remember my grandpa used to carry around a cloth hankie and I thought eww, so old school. Since then I've discovered that cloth is actually softer, more absorbent, good for allergy sufferers, cheaper, and you never run out. Cloth diaper flats make great cloth kleenex, as do simply-serged squares of fabric (thin flannel, velour, etc.).

Welcome back, old school.

Hippie Tip #4: Conserve water by attaching water-saving aerators on your faucets

They're cheap, they maintain your water temperature, and they conserve a lot of precious water. They have a little flip switch on the faucet that's super easy to use even when you're half asleep. We love ours!

It's not as big of a deal in rainy Hilo, but if you live in the dry states (say, California), where your water is pumped in from far away, these babies can save a lot.

http://e3living.com/shop/water-saving/faucet-aerators/products

Hippie Tip #3: Don't use Roundup!

It works. It works really good. Everyone uses it. And it's easy. But is it really worth it?

By using Roundup you are not only supporting the evil Monsanto, you are contributing to soil contamination, herbicide run-off and groundwater pollution, and you are poisoning anyone and anything that comes near it.

Alternatives:
-Use a weed wacker
-Torch it (on driveways and rocks)
-Let them grow (who ever said an outline of brown around the property is pretty anyway?)
-Use good ole elbow grease and pull 'em!

Pass it on. :)

http://www.newraleigh.com/articles/archive/toxic-free-nc-tip-of-the-week-weedy-weeds

http://www.naturalnews.com/025534_Roundup_research_toxic.html

Hippie Tip #2: Use SLS-free products

SLS (Sodium Lauryl/Laureth Sulfate) is the chemical that commonly makes products foam up. It's found in shampoo, soap, dish soap, and toothpaste among many other products. It contains a known carcinogen and can cause many other health problems. There are plenty of alternatives out there. Look for SLS-free on the label.

http://www.natural-health-information-centre.com/sodium-lauryl-sulfate.html

What's in your shampoo (and toothpaste/sunscreen, etc.)?
http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/

Hippie Tip #1: In the kitchen, use cloth instead of paper towels

This was a huge change for us because we used to go through rolls of paper towels like crazy. When Dayva was born 15 years ago my Mom bought me a large bundle of plain washcloths that I ended up using in the kitchen..and it took off from there. We have a large stack on the kitchen counter and a wetbag hanging from the stove for dirties. I know we're doing something right when we reach for the stack of cloth first, and using paper never crosses our minds.

We now go through about a roll (or less) of paper towels every couple of months.

This is what a wetbag is. Scroll down 3 pics to see the kitchen wetbag. They're really cute and make a great statement! http://sweetslings.com/pails.html