Seeds As StoryTellers: Colonialism, Biodiversity, Queering Agriculture, & Human Genome

Scary truth about America's diet (food waste & unhealthy food consumption)

According to Ecowatch:"90 percent of the foods humans eat come from just 30 plants. Out of tens of thousands of plants we could eat, mankind chooses to consume only about 30 of them. It’s crazy to contemplate how limited our diets are compared to all of the different foods we could be eating".
A diet of 30 plants that humans consume is less worrisome that Michael Pollan's argument.
As mentioned in my post on re-wilding yourself with wild edibles, Michael Pollan has much to discuss on this subject. Pollan in In Defense of Food, says that the majority of American's calories come from 4 foods: wheat, sugar, soy, and corn. However he also mentions that another big portion of the calories come from dairy and meat products as you can see in the pie chart below from Food is Medicine.

Many health gurus tell you to eat simple, and this makes intuitively like eating an apple. I consider my diet simple as far as eating a large variety of fruits, vegetables, greens, grains, beans, nuts, seeds, but this means that I'm get a variety of vitamins and minerals. The kind of simplification in the typical American's diet is excluding these health foods for diet that is simplified to a handful of the same ingredients for every meal with a different arrangement of those ingredients.



Let me be clear: I do not fault an individual for the availability and price of unhealthy processed foods. Actually, there is much to say about the way food is distributed such as grocery gaps where urban and rural areas have to travel up to 20-50 miles to get a grocery store. Considering this, there are family dollar stores, gas stations, and liquor stores in close proximity to the poor urban and rural regions of this country. I can protest all day to avoid putting your dollar in these big corporations that are making you and your family unhealthy. And let me also be clear: just because your skinny, doesn't mean your healthy; and just because you're fat, doesn't mean your unhealthy.
In considering all of this, who do we look to that created this unhealthy industry? Do the CEOs and head management eat the crap that they sell in stores? Does Doritoes eat Doritoes? Do these people that run the corporations let their children sit in front of the TV and watch the food ads they put on TV to brainwash children?
It's similar, but not quite the same way cigarettes are sold. There is a warning label on cigarettes, but the only labels on packaged foods are those that are deceiving you into thinking it's a health food. Healthy food is a whole food like fresh fruits and vegetables.

The limited ingredients in a diet is just the least of our worries, because a much more pressing issue is that 40% of U.S. food is wasted, equating to $165 billion a year in waste according to CNN. This means that there IS enough food to feed the world, and the problem isn't an expanding population where the globe cannot produce enough food for everyone. This is another problem with corporations: they're producing too much food, and distributing too much food in the most consumer-heavy regions. Of course packaged food has a "long shelf life", which basically mean there isn't any nutrition left. So, let's consider what food is wasted the most. I worry, though, that when people do attempt to eat fruits and vegetables, this food typically goes to waste. 
 As mentioned, packaged food that can be preserved with a longer shelf life than fresh, raw fruits and vegetables, is a mixture of those same ingredients of meat, dairy, wheat, corn, soy, and sugar. Because these foods are highly processed, thus their raw, fresh form loses the nutrients and minerals that once was there before the processing. The solution to unhealthy food consumption and food waste isn't to grow more, sell more, or donate more. The solution lies within the power structure. This may sound like a radical idea, but by giving people and families their own land to grow their own food will be part of the solution.
This further angers me because there is the safety of pesticides and GMO foods argument that we need these technological innovations to ensure we have enough food and no money is wasted--well, isn't that a laugh when we consider that people deliberately are wasting food, and corporations continue to over produce and over sell foods. Not only is food wasted and chemicals used becomes unnecessary, but fuel and transportation become wasted. And lets get real about the land we use for what: where we have hundreds of acres of wheat, corn, and soy being grown exclusively for the fattening of cows, chickens, pigs, and animals to get fat on their unnatural diet in order for humans to consume them.

Of course there are many solutions, but we cannot keep making the same mistake of selling and growing more, because the problem is where the food is getting distributed, as mentioned by National Geographic: "the richer the nation, the higher its per capita rate of waste." National Geographic also states that: "To compound the environmental insult, food buried in the airless confines of dumps generates methane, a greenhouse gas far more potent than carbon dioxide. If global food waste were a country, it would be the third largest generator of greenhouse gases in the world behind China and the United States."
 Restaurant buffets are notorious for food waste. In fact the other day as I watched my mother and sister eat at a Chinese restaurant, we examined a family that continued to get food from the buffet that they ended up leaving there to be thrown away. My mother, sister, and I were furious at this, to the point we wanted to take the food (because we watched, and the food wasn't touched). 

Additionally, we have to refuse a global food corporation like McDonalds taking over America,  India, Asia, and Africa. We got to refine the food market, but the food shall not be refined! 
The solution is not necessarily individuals taking their business elsewhere, it is a matter of a culture shift and changing our perspective about the kinds of food we want to sustain the planet that works with this planet.

List of Socially & environmentally conscious documentaries on Netflix

Among the hundreds of Nazi, Hitler, and JFK documentaries, there are documentaries I have favored and hope that others watch the material to gain insight, information, and a new found empathy and understanding for all people, animals, the planet, and ourselves. Of course there are so many more documentaries I enjoyed and see value, and I condensed a list below of the best documentaries to watch on Netflix that are currently uploaded, and a small list of the documentaries I thought were decent. Many movies and documentaries are deleted periodically from Netflix. Some good documentaries can be watched on youtube and other sites for free; and of course, the list of documentaries on the left side of the page, can be watched on youtube.

Dark Girls

Through a lens darkly

Black Power Mixtape

The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross (series with Henry Louis Gates, Jr.)

The Reel Injun: One the trail of the Hollywood Indian

The True Cost

Walmart: the high cost of low price

Inequality for All

Surviving progress

Collapse

Earthlings

Blackfish

Cowspiracy

Food Matters

Forks Over Knives

The Fruit Hunters


Plastic Paradise

Cosmos (series with Neil Degrasse Tyson)

How to Grow a Planet & The power of the Planet (series with Iain Stewart)

Gore Vidal: The United States of Amnesia

Howard Zinn: You can't be neutral on a moving train

Money for nothing: Inside the Federal Reserve

Winter on Fire: Ukraine's Fight for Freedom

Ai Weiwei, Never sorry

Miss Representation

Pussy Riot

The House I Live In

Others Netflix documentaries that were worth a watch:
Slingshot
Hiroshima (BBC)
The propaganda game
Food Chains
Exit through the gift shop
Tesla: master of lightning
We're not broke
Citizen Koch
Ethos
Bottled Life
Documented
God Loves Uganda
For the Bible tells me so
Jesus Camp

10 year Veganniversary / Fruitarianism, most ethical diet




It's almost May, and I didn't want to forget to mention that April marks my-so-called Veganniversary. Ten years ago this month, I had an epiphany: that all People and animals have the same needs, desires, and want their life protected. And I began to extend this ethical principle into my diet and lifestyle. I chose not to consume animals, and use, or wear any animal by-product. I stopped using shampoo, shaving cream, body wash that was tested on animals. Other things that changed in my life: I began using a Diva Cup instead of tampons and pads; bought clothes secondhand, stopped frequently shaving and showering. I translated a superficial idea of Veganism into my life for many years.
I realized that including the food I called ethical is certainly not always ethically grown. Commercial fruit and vegetable agriculture were grown using methods that harmed other beings as well. Vegan "foods" can be considered unethical when the farmers are required to spray pesticides among other things to kill the insects. Another practice of commercial agriculture is that the soils are tilled which kills frogs, snakes, worms, moles, microbes that live in the soil. The farmers and pickers are usually working under horrible conditions of hot temperatures, long hours, fast labor, all the while being underpaid when the grocery chains are getting paid outrageous profits for selling to customers cheaply.
How is the fruit and vegetables I eat considered ethical under those conditions? This led to my second epiphany three and half years ago. Literally when I was working a desk job as a secretary--I was researching how to grow food, how to build a house with earthen materials, using solar energy, and foraging. With the new knowledge, I could not go on living a normal life.
Shortly afterword, I quit my job to pursue a life of homesteading. At that time, I also quit going to college because I was studying a degree I was not interested in any longer. Also my whole college experience was like living two lives. I made sure to focus on school and research, but I made time to party, drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes, stay up late, rarely sleep, eat vegan junk food, and make unhealthy choices--which led to my quest for optimal health on the raw vegan diet.

picture of me and a cabbage head I grew

As I am writing this, I understand that there are aspects of my life that continue to be part of the environmental problem. I still buy things wrapped in plastic (which I don't always recycle or re-purpose). I am not using solar energy at the moment, because that is an investment we have yet to make. I am not living in a cob home, and I am not using a composting toilet. I am not drinking water from a spring, and I am not eating solely from the food forest. And yet I continue to make steps towards this lifestyle which I desire to pursue.
It's true I could have kept a job to pay for essential homesteading items. Instead I have chosen to live a life without money (or little money). If I had money I could buy solar panels, and buy the straw bales and other materials for the cob home. And as it goes, I have chosen to work harder without getting money involved. We have chosen to live with little money, we are temporarily building a cob home next to my family and growing food on family property. Because of this, building and growing come with challenges, delays, and setbacks.

In my experience, most people prefer to spend a lot of money for less time and less effort put into a house, food, energy, etc. People would rather buy a home than build one, or people would rather buy food than grow it. I am the opposite. Instead of buying lumber for raised beds, I'll go to the woods to scavenge logs for raised beds-- which I haul and drag myself. That's my life. I prefer to spend all my time and effort on projects rather than making money to buy the lumber.



last years Spring garden, April 2014

Of course I would love a trading system, exchanging trees, plants, seeds, and other things for ones I need. I have traded many things before without involving money. I could do many things if I had the money. In fact, in the last three and a half years of gardening, I could have bought a hundred fruit trees; but I try not to think of it that way. I try to think in terms of accomplishments instead of what we lack. I think, I can save the seed from fruits to grow and propagate in the future without buying a tree. 




Of course you can check out the collection of fruit trees in our food forest in previous posts: Blooming Fruit trees in the food forest and Fruit trees & Fruit bushes we are currently growing (Garden update July 2014).

Ok, so I really went off on a tangent from Veganism to growing food to money to transcendentalism... What I mean to say is, I have come to see how we eat, how we make money, and how we live to be interconnected. And all people's choices affect other beings. By creating a food forest for myself and my family, I can ensure that we eat in times of shortage, depression, or economic collapse. The edible landscape I create could potentially feed a new generation of people. Humans have controlled and conquered all life from deforestation, slaying of animals, producing an abundance of waste. But Humans have the potential to create a brighter, healthier, and abundant Earth (something I mentioned in my last post: Beautify the world with guerrilla gardening, graffiti art & tips on seed bombing).

typical box of groceries for me

A true ethical lifestyle is one consisting of no waste or recycles supplies, and a diet consisting of Fruit that was foraged, and/or grown in our own backyard. This is the lifestyle I am searching for. I have deep connection to the woods, hunting fruit, climbing trees, being barefoot and naked, breathing fresh air, and surrounded by plants.


When you choose to be vegan, you question every facet of your life. We begin searching for the answers which are provided by nature...

  

Animal Rights Activists/Gary Yourofsky & Creating change

artist, Pawel Kuczynski

"As long as people will shed the blood of innocent creatures, there can be no peace, no liberty, no harmony between people. Slaughter and justice cannot dwell together." - Isaac Bashevis Singer 

I have been vegan for a 1/3 of my life, yet I truly haven't exhibited random acts of kindness the way Gary Yourofsky demonstrates his passion for saving animals. Yourofsky of ADAPTT , has liberated 1500 minks soon to be slaughtered at a fur farm; he has chained himself to many objects during protests; and landed many fines/arrests committing random acts of kindness. You can watch Yourofsky's inspirational lecture on animal rights at BEST SPEECH EVER.
I am not aware of many other animals rights activists that have taken the measures Yourofsky has. It is remarkable the efforts Gary has made to create a vision for our future. Recently I came across a group, PALS which protests businesses on profiting off of slaughtered animals. For footage see here PALS vs Whole Foods and PALS vs Chipotle.
The actions of people like this inspires me to step up to the plate. It is unfortunate that many people like me feel threatened by "authority" figures in the process of protest. There is a chance of getting gassed too during protests! Not only protesting, but I would get fined, arrested, and interrogated for writing "KILLING" at the bottom of a Stop sign. Even something as harmless as holding a picket sign saying "COPS ARE RACISTS" would alarm a police officer. 

Founders of 30Bananasaday, Durianrider and Freelee are known for their "abundant" way of eating, for example eating up to 70 bananas a day. Durianrider draws in a large audience through ironic humor and vocalizing his opinions of the corruption within the Raw food community. Durianrider and Freelee have encouraged more people to live the Vegan lifestyle than many of the Vegan activists. Here is a recent interview of Durianrider explaining his vision for a growing Vegan community "PBG Interviews Durianrider".  

For the last two years I have been focusing on Vegans Living Off the Land in an effort to encourage people to live the Raw & Vegan lifestyle as well as living for free. I envision a world where education and information are free, where technology can live in harmony with nature, and all animals can live in peace. 

"Monkeys killing monkeys over pieces of the ground"
 Lets move on from war, enslaving races, slaughtering animals, exploiting the poor and foolish. We pretend we are unique from other people/that we are different from others; but this invokes discrimination and prejudice. Not realizing individuals have the same needs, fears, and desires creates division.

Marshall Rosenberg, an excellent teacher on Non-violent communication, explains in this video how we can radically change our perspective of others by restructuring our language, for example he says, "when can see each others needs we see our oneness-- we then can realize we get more joy contributing to one another's well-being than trying to dominate or compete".

It is in our best interest to create change from within in order to inspire others to do the same. "Nothing can be changed except ourselves" but with the technology revolution, we can provide fast information and education that will enrich a world collectively. 

How to Save/Recycle/Conserve Water

1. Collect rain water with barrels, 5-gallon buckets, jars, and other containers. Even the smallest container will be able to water your starter plants. Also mulch around your plants in order to retain moisture (allows for less watering); and watering your plants in the morning or evening will reduce water evaporation.

2. Collecting water in larger containers (like rain barrels) will allow you to clean flower pots, trays or your dirty hands.   

3. Take 3 to 5 minute showers. Instead of showering everyday, wash your body and face with a wet wash cloth. You could even put a bucket or small container in the bath tub as you shower. This will collect some if not most of the water coming from the shower head.

4. Instead of drinking water from the tap, collect water with (clean/sterile) bottles or mugs as it is raining. Drink the water immediately, and do not let it sit outside for too long. Boil the rain water (if you're reluctant). You can also do this in place of showering. My cousin Lisa swears that rain water makes your hair softer and much more vibrant. 

5. If you eat raw vegan, you may notice a reduction in the amount of dish washing. Actually I use my blender to blend smoothies and drink out of, and I use a large bowl for my salads. I also have a ceramic skillet for cooking. Overall, I only use these utensils and do not wash dishes much. If you cook your food, you may find that you need to scrub longer or use more water to clean your skillets, pots, etc. 

6. Also when washing dishes, save up any contained water for Keyhole gardening, or reuse water when soaking dirty dishes.

7. When brushing your teeth or washing your face, do not let the water run. 

8. It is understandable to flush the toilet every time you defecate, but there's no need to flush every time you urinate. It's polite to flush outside of your home, but otherwise if you're drinking lots of water and eating high water content foods, you do not have harsh smelling urine! Actually, urinate outside or in a bucket to pour in compost (if possible).

9. Repair any leaks or make adjustments to kitchen/bathroom appliances. 

10. Do not wash clothes regularly. Most often your clothes are not dirty enough to need washing. Actually I have two pair of pants, one for gardening and outdoors and one for going to the groceries/hanging with friends. My garden pants are worn over and over, usually at the end of the week I will wash them. Same for my dress pants, I re-wear them until they need it. Because I have little clothing and I do not have a full time job, I wash one load of clothes every other week!!

I understand that this may seem extreme, or dirty and perpetuates the dirty hippie stereotype. But I find that teaching others these practices will allow us to look passed our dependency on modern conveniences. 

For other blog posts I have done on our consumption of water, please visit the links below:

April 30th 2014 Garden Update & How to Save Water

Extreme Environmentalism

The best sources of vitamins & how to avoid fat on a vegan diet

When people make the decision to diet, they try to avoid large amounts of calories or carbs, but never think about avoiding fats (meat, dairy, eggs, and oil.) In fact, I hear more often to avoid carbohydrates and eat more fats. Most people want to keep eating meat and dairy (fat), so they try to starve themselves of all other foods so they can continue to lose weight. Of course you can lose weight very fast by reducing your calorie intake, which is why people turn to that technique, especially men because they want meat. However it isn't realistic to believe you will maintain your ideal weight by reducing your calories and carbs. You'll binge out if you reduce calories and carbs for a long period of time.

Veganism makes more sense because you can eat large quantities of calories and carbohydrates from veggies, fruit, grains, and beans which will make you feel full consistently, while giving you large amounts of vitamins that animal products lack. Why don't you eat a LOT of calories and carbohydrates from fruit and vegetable sources so you can lose weight faster and get the most nutrition?

If you're concerned about vitamins on a vegan diet, I assure you that you can get the recommended amount of protein, calcium, vitamin D, and b12 from your calories through these plant-based sources:

Protein: Fruits (bananas), vegetables, Beans, nuts, seeds, oats, quinoa, soy products

Calcium: leafy greens, broccoli, cabbage, figs, dates, oranges, fortified soy products (soy milk has 50% more calcium than cow's milk)

Vitamin D: Mushrooms, sunshine, and fortified soy milk

B12: mushrooms, greens, and fortified soy or almond milk (or other Silk products)

Below I have listed the most common ways to replace the unhealthiest of fats:

Meat (for protein and in baking): Beans, Quinoa, Nuts, Rice, and Oats

Dairy (for drinking and in baking): Water, soy(bean) milk, rice milk, coconut milk, almond milk. Store bought soymilk is fortified with 50% more calcium than cow's milk. It is also fortified with essential daily vitamins.

Eggs (in baking): Pumpkin (puree), applesauce, mashed potatoes (for hearty meals), mashed bananas, non-dairy yogurt, and flax meal + water. You can also purchase Ener-G Egg replacer (which contains potato starch and tapioca starch to bind baked goods).

Oil (in baking): Applesauce, non-dairy yogurt

Oil (for frying): Slowly add water or vegetable broth/stock to a heated pan with veggies you're frying.

Sugar: mashed bananas, maple syrup (pure), molasses, or dates (pureed)

Hope this was helpful~

How to Tell your Parent(s) you dropped out of college

I admit I sneakily dropped out of college, before my Mother found out, because I really didn't want to make her feel that I wasted my time at college. I absolutely think I didn't waste any of my time while I was in college, just to drop out. College developed my writing, reading, social skills, as well as enhanced analytical nature. I met a lot of great people, and learned from great professors while I was in college, so I have no regrets.

But anyway, I felt uncomfortable telling my Mother to her in person. So, I texted my Mother that I had dropped out while I was hanging with friends for the weekend. My intention was to let her cool off while I was away, and allow her time to think about what I said, which was: I have my own plans, I'll take care of the house, siblings, while growing food and taking care of [my grandparents.]

To be clear, I chose to drop out because I got exactly what I needed to know out of college, which was: you're not doing what you love, and become self reliant by growing food and live in the woods. My epiphany brought my partner and I closer together, as well. We finally crossed paths on our goals, and it was thanks to a documentary called "Confronting Collapse: The Crisis of Energy And Money in a Post Peak Oil World."

When I watched that documentary, my partner and I immediately started drawing up garden plans and tools we needed. Although your dream may not be anything like mine; you can still make a decent wage if you live simply, and have your own marketing scheme without getting a degree. But this post isn't about why you have dropped out: it is about how to communicate to parents, that may be close-minded about your decision to drop out of school. Also, I have a blog post "Is college the right path for you?" that addresses a more pressing issue with college education, which may help you in your argument.

First of all, whether you tell your parent(s) face-to-face or through a social media to tell them about your decision to drop out of school, you need to give them a basic plan of what you want to do INSTEAD of college. 

1. Assure your parent(s) that you have thought about dropping out of school for a couple of months, so it seems that you have devoted a lot of time in this decision. Timothy Leary (from Flashbacks, 1983) wrote: "Drop out suggested an elective, selective, graceful process of detachment from involuntary or unconscious commitments. 'Drop Out' meant self-reliance, a discovery of one's singularity, a commitment to mobility, choice, and change."

2. Address an alternative plan that gives them some relief. Before you drop out, it would be great if you put a resume/job application somewhere, and received a job. This is so that (if you need time to think about your future), you can assure your parent(s) that you already have a job and you start working very soon. Or if you absolutely do not want to work, or cannot find a job at the time you told your parent(s) about your decision, let them know you are going to help them around the house with chores (i.e. work as their house-maid, and do not ask for money in return.) Although it's not ideal, doing the laundry, washing dishes, cooking dinner, and mowing the lawn for your parent(s) is better than nothing!

3. Mention that you are really sorry for the disappointment or anger they may feel. Tell them that it makes you feel worse than it does them because you have hit a crosswords. Also say that you can stay with friends or other family till  they cool off.

I used these three points to let my Mom know of my decision. She didn't speak to me for about 4 days, but after the 7th day she had lightened up because I was doing what I told her I was going to do (which was help my siblings with homework, chores, and work on my garden.) Honestly, I think my Mom prefers me helping her as her little helper, rather than a moody, stressed-out college student that was never home. Funny, huh?

Keep in mind, the world as well as your life may be shaped my luck or consequence, but the world works how it should. Everything works out how it should. Be patient, confident, and happy with your decision. Do not let dropping out of school define who you are. You are not a drop-out -- you are an individual that has other expectations and desires which has lead to your decision of dropping out of school.

5 QUICK, CHEAP, LOW FAT VEGAN MEALS/SNACKS FOR EVERYDAY

1. BOILED POTATOES (not fried) are very low fat. In fact, eating four, medium-sized, boiled potatoes are as low as 0.5 grams of fat. Although that may be a 400 calorie meal, it isn't the calories you should be worried about -- it's the fat you need to stay away from. It is best to prepare potatoes by boiling in water or baking in oven. If eating potatoes for dinner, strive to eat 3+ potatoes or until your stuffed. Have a salad before eating potatoes.

 

2. BOILED RICE (not fried) are very low fat because 2 cups of boiled rice is 0.9 grams of fat!! Two cups of boiled rice for yourself is about 400 calories. Do not be ashamed of the amount of calories/food your intaking. Because vegans and vegetarians do not eat meat, dairy, eggs, or chicken -- we do not fill up our bodies on fat, so we tend to eat a little more than the average meat-eater (isn't that ironic?)

Earth-friendly chick (Part II)

First I'll mention alternative cleaning products for your home, then skincare, cosmetics, and feminine hygiene. Instead of commercial sprays, detergents, bleaches, and other harsh waste to clean your clothes and your home, use baking soda, apple cider vinegar, washing soda, borax, and lemons for cleaning. These products are INEXPENSIVE, BIODEGRADABLE, SAFE TO TOUCH, ALL-NATURAL, and EFFECTIVE! Food sources and food bi-products (ACV, baking soda) are highly effective, safe for the environment, safe for you, cheap, and do not smell toxic.

Furthermore, shampoo, conditioner, hair-spray, the blow-dryer, nail polish, cosmetics are finite and unsustainable products that can only be made in a factory. Even "natural" products packaged in plastic must later be disposed of in the trash. 

Cleaning your home with safe products is usually a harder task than replacing your skin and hair care with food sources. For example, if you're looking for an exfoliate, moisturizer, cleanser, astringent, or calming mask, use food sources that have natural properties which helps clean your face, body, and hair.  I have listed below food sources that will provide specific benefits for your cosmetic and skincare needs.

Exfoliates for hair and skin are ground nuts, salt, sugar, and oats. 

Moisturizers for hair and skin are coconut oil, olive oil, avocado, aloe Vera and banana. 

Astringents (& taking off layers of dead skin) for skin are limes, lemons, oranges, grapefruit, persimmons, apple cider vinegar.

Calming agents for hair and skin are cucumber, oatmeal, nut milk.

Cooling agents for hair and skin are mint, spearmint, and aloe Vera. 
Tighten skin with butternut squash, zucchini, yellow squash, eggplant. 

Cleanser/Shampoo for hair and skin are castile soap or one part baking soda with two parts water. When using castile soap or baking on the hair, it needs to be followed with a rinse (which has replaced your conditioner). Rinses usually include one part apple cider vinegar to three parts water, or herbs. For example, if you are blonde, you should use chamomile or turmeric root (boiled and cooled); or if you are a brunette, use coffee, rosemary, thyme, sage, or black tea (boiled and cooled.) Use the boiled water to rinse your hair by straining the herbs and discarding them in your compost.

Actually, you can use food sources in place of your make-up. For instance, blush, lipstick, and eye shadow can be replaced with beet juice, freshly mashed cherries, and strawberries. You can use blueberries for mascara, as well. As far as hair, teeth, and clothes: water and baking soda are best replacements for the detergents on the market. To balance the properties of baking soda, use apple cider vinegar as a rinse or conditioner. Let your hair and clothes air dry after rinsing with water. If you have space in your yard, build a clothes line...ask your grandparents how to make one.You shouldn't have to use baking soda on your hair but 2-3 times a week. 

I have covered skincare, cosmetics, and the natural food sources you can use. Now I must express a great environmental concern on behalf of women: your menstrual cycle. I have mentioned several times before, including in this post Earth-friendly chick and this post Diva Cup product review after 7 years of use (VIDEO)
where I talk extensively about replacing the commercial, disposable, feminine products such as tampons, pads with cloth pads and silicone menstrual cups. These alternatives avoid adding more waste to the environment. I love using the diva cup because they last 10 years with proper care. And you can learn more about Diva cups in the link I posted with a video.