Mindset

Some random internet stranger was jumping up my butt a while ago on another website about whether or not I live an ideal sustainable lifestyle....calling me elitist and holier than thou and other ignorant B.S. While the argument she was trying to pick with me was pointless, it did get me thinking. The thought occurred to me that in the past few months I have actually changed the way I think about living.

Because I decided to commit myself to being more environmentally and socially responsible, I have had to change how I think about making choices. This happened very subtly, really......and I am just now realizing that how I live and shop are not the same as they used to be. They are more simple! :D Yay!

I can explain this new mindset very easily. It sounds odd at first, but when you get used to it, it makes total sense to think this way in order to live sustainably and responsibly. Basically, when I am making a purchasing decision, I ask myself what I would choose if I were living 200 years ago, and was a pioneer shopping for supplies on the frontier. LOL! I can even substitute online shopping for old-time catalog mail order shopping.



I don't actually imagine myself as a pioneer. What I do is limit my options to those items that would most likely have been available to me then. And then I decide what is the best quality for my money. Simple as that.

For example: Let's say I need a shirt. First, I go to the thrift store. Sometimes I find what I need, and sometimes not. If not, I try and shop at a local store instead of a chain store (not always easy- not many local clothing stores anymore). Next, I limit my choices to natural fabrics - cotton, wool, rayon, etc. Nothing synthetic - all synthetic fabric is made from petroleum, therefore not an option for me anymore!

From there, correct fit, quality and, of course, price factor into the final decision. I suppose the next step might be making my clothes, although I would rather buy good quality pre-owned than make new. Making things from scratch is not always the most sustainable way to do something, anyway. It really depends on the item and the situation.

As for food, I try and get what is local and organic. Again, not always possible depending on the season and availability. I do the best I can, plus this year's garden will give me canned food and lots of fresh stuff for a while.

For other items, I really do try and shop locally (to save gas and time) or order handmade and fair trade good online (the mail delivery person is coming here anyway- no extra trips- although I will buy local when I can). In person, I read labels and don't buy from companies that I know pollute the environment. I buy fair trade and recycled products whenever I can. I try and buy products made by small, local businesses or artisans.

I limit my driving and combine trips whenever possible. I settle for things that will work just fine rather than driving to Timbuktu for a special item or brand I don't really need. For example, this week I realized I needed a soap dish. There are no local handmade places where I can get one. Buying a plastic piece of crap at a chain store is not an option for me (pioneer, remember?) so I found a very affordable hand-thrown pottery soap dish on Etsy. Natural materials. Independent artist. Win-win.

So if I need a can opener......I think about what I might find in Ye Olde General Store. I am more likely to try and find an old-fashioned metal one at a second hand store than buy a fancy new plastic one at a chain store. So? That's my choice. Big deal. Does it make me better than anyone else? Nope.

Am I perfect? No way. But I make the effort. I do what I can. I know when to just grab a taco at the drive-through instead of making a 30-mile trip to the organic farmer's market. I'm realistic about things. And I'm a lot better off now than I was a few months ago. :)

Also: I've been cleaning the alpaca fleece (pic below). Such a pretty color! :)

Updates

Yeah, I've been a slacker on blogging. I've been less of a slacker on other things, though, despite not feeling well the past few weeks.

The garden was tilled and I planted about half of it. I know I really need to go weed it, like, YESTERDAY - been pretty much hiding out at home and knitting lately though.

Speaking of knitting, I am becoming good at it. I've taught myself a lot, learning from various websites and books. I can now knit lace and next I want to learn cables and color knitting. What I love about knitting is that it is such an old craft. I feel like part of an ancient community when I knit, because knitting has been done for centuries upon centuries......it's a lovely, "connected" feeling to knit.


My first hand knit lace scarf.

I've been using only natural fibers. I started with cotton and now I use mostly merino wool and alpaca. It's wonderful to use natural fibers!! I even have a skein of camel yarn. :) Again, it's the feeling of being connected to ancient crafts that is so very appealing -- in addition to making something warm and useful, of course.

A friend gave me a whole alpaca fleece yesterday. I am really looking forward to preparing the fiber and spinning it into yarn. It's relaxing just to think about it. Such a beautiful fleece, too - mostly a honey rose color. There is some white in it and the color goes all the way to a deep gold. I think I'll leave the color as it is (without dying it) and knit it from light to dark, so the finished product has a lovely shaded effect. Perhaps a whole blanket! That sounds WONDERFUL. :D

Meanwhile, my quest for sustainability continues. I have made some permanent changes, such as only buying natural fiber items for both clothing, crafts and home use. In fact, I have converted all of my bedding to cotton and it is really nice. I had no idea that natural fiber was so much nicer to use. It breathes, it's warm and doesn't suffocate my pores. LOL. I love it.

I've been trying to use sunlight as much as possible, to save on energy costs and light bulb use. Haven't used candles for light yet, but that is something I may do as the days get shorter later in the year. I may also start to use the wood burning stove for heat, too. We'll see how the cost to do that works out.

I have also stopped buying bottled water entirely. I have two stainless steel refillable bottles which work great. I stopped consuming anything that contains aspartame or MSG. I am still working on eliminating corn syrup from my diet entirely. I need to do more home cooking! Cleaning out my kitchen is definitely on my to-do list so that I have more space for that. I plan to try canning later this year, too, so I will need lots of counter space (and I have very little to begin with)!

So, the journey continues. I can say that I have been lagging a bit due to my health.....however, things have been moving forward even though progress hasn't been drastic. Lasting change is what I am striving for, anyway. :)


Alpaca wrap I knitted recently.