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

Diva Cup product review after 7 years of use (VIDEO)

I finally made a product review of the diva cup. I wanted to share some information and tips for those that are interested in switching from tampons/pads to a healthier, environmentally conscience alternative.

Something very important I did not mention in the video is that, Diva cups as well as other menstrual cups will last up to 10 years as long as you sterilize, use, and store the diva cup properly. You'll need to sterilize your diva cup each month before use. To do this, boil your Diva cup in a saucepan of water for 5 minutes or so. Turn the diva cup as it boils so not to burn or scorch it. Afterwards, clean with the Diva wash. Wash clean the cloth pouch that holds the diva cup as well. Clean your diva cup with water before you insert it (every time); and clean with the Diva Cup wash 1-2 times a day as needed.

Watch the video below for additional information.

Extreme environmentalism

Henry D Thoreau from Walden says, "I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life.." I live my life by these respects. I will work hard for my own to build shelter, and grow my own food-- other than these basic essentials, why would I need anything else?
I can better spend my time in the woods, exploring, and living for free.
Naturalism similarly suggests conserving energy, recycling, reducing waste, and other clean practices. Yet animals do not recycle or commit to clean practices because that's simply their nature. People have invented microwaves to heat food and television for entertainment.
"Men have become the tools of their tools" is an accurate portrayal on the disillusionment within our society.
What are some of the practices of wild animals? Animals eat a raw diet (whether they're herbivore or carnivore). Animals build their own shelter out of readily materials-- using their own strength (without machinery); own no clothing or use hygiene products; and Obviously the list goes on.

Minimalism is included in the practices of naturalism and environmentalism. Minimalism suggests letting go of unnecessary objects/possessions in your life. 'Letting go' has been a mantra in Buddhism and many other philosophies. Herman Hesse writes in Siddhartha "Property, possessions and riches...had become  chain and a burden".

Once you have become free of many of your possessions, or all, you feel free to move-- as if you've lifted the weight of your belongings off of your shoulders.

Focusing on our most basic needs and living independently from bills and corporations, will force you to grow your own food; build your house out of mud/straw/sand/rocks; filter water you have collected to drink; eat raw herbivore diet; wash your clothes minimally and do not own much clothing...or much of anything.

The  idea is to conserve finite resources and minimalize on space. Animals are usually nomadic creatures, and do not carry 'things' with them. Although the couple in the picture below are practicing minimalism, they are not practicing all natural living, which is fine if they want to live in a city with air pollution and commercialism.



this is NOT an example of natural minimalism

Another topic I will bring up (at a later date) is my refusal to drive vehicles. Not only are vehicles unsafe, but they're environmentally unstable unless we can ALL design our own water vehicles, or make our own moonshine for fuel. Then again, water may be a scarce source in the future.

I prefer to walk where I need to go, usually walking 1-4 miles a day. If I'm going to a friend's house, they'll give me a lift for courtesy.

Going back to water shortage, my grandparents and my partner and I shower minimally, once every two weeks, or use wash rags for face and privates. Using these practices will help me in the future when I will be living outside. I have many other ways I conserve water in this post, "How to Save/Recycle/Conserve Water".

Generally, if you live in a city you can also recycle glass and plastic for a little bit of cash.

My family drinks soda, so I have them save the cans to recycle (and I collect some along the road as I walk)-- I do this to make a couple of dollars too.

My grandparents even practice extreme environmentalism; recycling all plastics, cans, containers, and cardboard/paper. When I mention recycling, I do mean you should recycle or reuse objects you come to possess, but I also mean limiting your purchases. If buying food from a store, buy food in bulk (which comes in boxes), or use cloth bags. Purchase less stuff and eat food that can be composted.

Furthermore, do your part to clean up your environment, not just inside your home. Humans have the advantage because we are evolved animals who must take the responsibility to balance the use of technology with nature and wildlife.

 




pic from "Circle of Iron" with David Carradine

We can choose to use solar panels for electricity, and learn many homesteading techniques to live freely. We can grow our own food. We can build our own home. We can walk our own path.

Garden Prep (What I'm doing to prepare for spring gardening in DECEMBER)

On Friday, my partner and I had a surge of energy, so we cleaned up the yard, organized materials, burned recyclables for our garden so we could start prepping for Spring gardening. Technically, I will be gardening in February since I'll be starting Cabbage and Brussels indoors. In the first three pictures, you will see that I made seed starting trays out of water bottles and duck tape. 

I always suggest to people they should use free, recycled,
re-purposed materials to create your own tools/supplies.

To make these trays, cut off the head/lid of the
water bottle, line bottles in rows, then tape.

Remember to puncture holes in the bottoms of each
water bottle for drainage.

The compost pile is full of leaves that I raked up around the yard.

Compost should be 1(nitrogen):3(carbon) ratio.
Compost needs to contain 1 part food scraps to every
3 parts of wood-based materials
(leaves, sticks, bark, ash, paper)

This past summer I grew tomatoes, peppers, and beans here.
Next Spring, I will be growing Cabbage, Brussels, and Broccoli here,
as seen here.

In the making of our herb garden. We had logs around our
house from a tree we had to cut down.

More free materials!

 As I said, I want to create a HEART-SHAPED FLOWER BED. I want it to look something like this, but with the bricks I have found around the yard:

Photo Source: Romantic Garden

Burning brush and wood from around our yard helps
add nitrogen to our soil, and it also helps us to expand the garden.

The garden, on my Mother's property, is currently 35 ft long and 13 ft wide. We're expanding the garden by another 30 ft for maximum yields!

Below I have posted a video from growingyourgreens.com, where "John goes on a field trip to Orange County Farm supply to share with you their hanging vertical garden made from an old shipping pallet. In addition, John shares with you how to deal with pests in your garden organically without the use of man made chemical poisons. In addition you will learn the most important aspect of a vegetable garden the soil and the best nutrients to add to supercharge your plant growth to grow bigger and tastier fruits and vegetables":

Check out the link below to see specific gardening requirements for each fruit, vegetable, and herb:

Vegetable Gardening Guide from Explore Cornell University

COB BUILDING (Straw, clay, & Sand for building DREAM EARTH HOME)

Are you interested in a home made of materials from under your feet? Do you want a house that costs less than a car or a computer? Would you rather have a home sculpted from clean, Earth materials than a home made of toxic, commercial products? Of course you do!

Below I have posted some of my favorite videos from Youtube that talk about how to make INEXPENSIVE DREAM HOMES made of the cleanest materials (straw, clay, and sand.) These videos are to urge you to want to build a home of natural materials (rather than toxic plastic walls, fiberglass insulation, and other flammable products.) Homes made of clay (blended with straw/sand) are fire-resistant, bug-proof, earthquake and tornado-safe; and can be mended and shaped easily if it needs restructured. Clay is also abundant and common in most regions.

Government Still Hasn't Found a Way to Help the Poor

Hard problems can be resolved with simple solutions. Albert Einstein said, "We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them." Solutions require change from individuals, even something as trivial as voting with our dollar. 
  Although it sounds that I shift the blame of the Government limiting resources, it is not so. Is it really Capitalism? 
Does it matter who is to blame? 
Perhaps we shift perspective by taking away the concept of Hierarchy... 

I can say, "Government doesn't realize the necessities of poor people because they have never been poor" or "Government officials, Democrat or Republican, create bills, laws, and programs without understanding where poor people come from, the situations they are in, and the stress that encompasses all aspects of their lives"; or I could say, "Government limits the poor getting their needs met: Quality food (organic, fresh, and nutritious), clean water, and decent home". I used to have this thinking, that a "Man" oppresses minorities, low income families, and I suppose I still think that as White men do own, control the most in the first world. And I do believe this country is under a Hierarchy. 
This "Stick-it-to-the-man" was very much my attitude in High School, but I have expanded my views a bit. In fact, lets shift the thinking from "The man", when in fact: you're 'the man', he's the man, and she's the man as well (TOOL reference from Hooker with a Penis song).
In the case of consumerism, we have a choice where our money goes. We may have little choice in jobs, but we do not have to buy 'things'-- we do not have to buy from Wal-Mart, or any other conglomerate.
Instead of voting who becomes in the position of hierarchy, lets vote with our dollar, or begin trading with one another locally. Walmart is notorious for dominating small towns in Rural areas. 
Perhaps a bigger message to those in power would be to completely stop voting. What if 300 million Americans decided against voting for a President; and learned a Trade (message therapist, hair dresser, gardener) to cut out the middle man and support one another skills. The middle man always makes more money than the wholesaler and the person purchasing the product or service usually pays more for the good than necessary. 

What if everyone saved enough money for land, or shared land with family or some community in an effort to live off-the-grid? Solar panels would replace Coal (a finite resource); Rain collection would replace water companies and fluoride-free drinking water; Organically home-grown food would replace grocery stores; building with all natural materials (like Cob Homes) would replace toxic building materials found at monopolies like Lowe's; use bicycles instead of cars to end the Oil industry; quit buying plastic that supports petrol; quit buying paper-based materials that kill trees. 
I imagine it would be quite simple to end these Corrupt, Wealthy, Destructive corporations if we stopped believing that we need them.

It seems the "problem" is that the Poor is seen as entitlement, and our taxes which go to Medicare, Medicaid, School Grants, Food Stamps, WIC, and other programs seem like robbery. Perhaps it is robbery, and the little money we make should not go to things we do not believe help the Poor.
And it seems the "problem" comes from the Poor living dependently. So the solution would be to shift the Poor to live independently from Government and tax-payers. If the case is that we need to help the Poor come to live independently, the solution seems to point to Homesteading. 

Homesteading entails self-reliance on a small scale, where food, clothes, housing, energy, and other commodities are maintained and created off the land. Because Homesteading allows the Poor to grow free food, and other free resources it teaches others how to live within the environment, without destructing the environment, without pollution, and without the demand from other beings (corporations, organizations, tax-payers). 

Growing food does take time, but takes little knowledge and effort. Likewise, building your own home out of free materials also takes little knowledge. ANYBODY can grow food and build their own home out of earth (straw, clay, and sand), which are all free materials. I have several posts on building a Cob home here and here.

As I have mentioned before, cob homes made out of clay soil, straw, and sand are virtually no to little cost because of their availability. Actually the only cost when constructing a home out of all natural materials is the cost of gas in transporting these materials. However, if you're obtaining these materials on your own land without the need of transporting materials, then you will be constructing your own at a cheaper price. Even growing Winter Wheat to dry out to use for straw will allow you to save money.

My perspective of our world is this: with all the waste and trash our society produces, we can feed, house, and clothe our nation's poor. Much food, supplies, clothes goes to waste because of the mass production in America. We simply discard food that we barely touch, and yet it is illegal to dumpster dive. What makes sense in this? (Recently I heard of volunteers get fined by the government from feeding the homeless/poor). 

Not only that, but America demands clothes and supplies from other countries instead of producing our own. Why are we raising cows in India, have them shipped, then stripped of their skin in order to be shipped to America to use for "leather", "suede", "fur". As of now, we could end mass producing clothes with all the clothes in second hand stores.

National Geographic, from their article "Feeding 9 billion" states "A bumper crop of corn piles up outside full silos in Brazil's Mato Grosso state, which sends much of its grain to China and South Korea to feed pigs and chickens. The demand for more crops to feed livestock is one reason experts say we'll need to double crop production by 2050". And what makes sense that America destroys forests and land in order to raise cattle when we could raise crops for feeding our poor?

Traditionally, people have a job, then you need clothes for that job, then that requires a vehicle to get you to that job, then that requires insurance for the vehicle, then you have to buy a house so you're not laughed at for living with your parents, then you get married and have kids which becomes costly in itself. Before you know it, you're $100,000 in debt just to live!

The Poor aren't the only ones with inequality, when Living itself becomes profitable to corporations. It's true you're being brainwashed from advertisements to purchase unhealthy food, or costly clothes, or costly cars, but you bought the Television that brainwashed you! And you're the fool that believed in holding onto Traditions when you have to purchase $400 worth of presents for your family, friends, and extended family at Holidays!

I hear people say they wish they weren't in debt, they wish they didn't have to have a job until the age of 60+ years old, etc, and I think: There is two sides to this story. On one hand, it's too costly to live without a College education, and we want a high paying job so that we can buy a house, and take care of our family, and be comfortable for the future. The Middle class wage is declining while the 1% keep getting richer (as you can see in the picture above). The United States ranks 64th in the world of income inequality, just above Jamaica and Uganda!
And then on the other hand, ask yourself: why did I have children? Or why did I get married to have a costly wedding? Or why did I go into debt for an education, a vehicle, or a house? What were my Other options: living like a Stinky Hippie on a Commune? Well, essentially yes!

There is Government assistance in place that pays for a portion of your Grocery costs, and Kentucky Food Stamps will also pay for Vegetable and Fruit seeds. These are small but beneficial ways Government has helped my partner and I survive without jobs for the last three years. If Government wants to continue their Socialistic society (like having Free Public Library Books and assistance programs), then we could also implement programs that would provide communities (Homeless peoples) with a couple acres of land, build homes out of free, recycled or all natural materials, and teach them how to grow their own food, and implement solar energy. A Man from Texas actually does this for a living, gets funding from Government to help Single Mothers, Poor people, and others to live independently from the Government that once pretended to help them. Watch the video below of Dan's amazing work.

If Government must be in place, and Anarchy is too radical for our society, then I envision a Government that funds groups through Grants which would provide low-income family's seeds to grow their own food, Solar panels, rain collection systems, and other self-sustainable devices as to work towards complete independence for all peoples! At that point, would anyone need money or materials from businesses any longer? I assume there lies the underlying, corrupt problem of why Big Government does not want to help the poor. Corporations and lobbyists actually manipulate the Government, and want to keep people dependent on their products and services in order to get bigger and bigger gains.
The top 1% wants their vacations, their boats, spas, fancy dinners, fancy mansion parties. The top 1% is happy that you made them rich. And you fell for it.


I digress, I have another post which I speak about the details of Homesteading, in this post "How Single Mothers (Homeless, Needy, or Poor) Can Live for Free".

Homesteading is an Investment, which is why it would be better for the poor to be helped by the government to create this type of lifestyle. 1 acre of Land will cost you $20,000 in Kentucky. Fruit trees cost between $30-50 per tree, and equipment becomes pricy once you create a collection of gardening supplies.
But what the government doesn't tell you is that: they don't want you to live self-sufficient and independent from them. Although they give much money through welfare, medicare, medicaid, and the like to all the poor, they still want you to FEED into the system (buy a toxic-home, buy health insurance, buy electric, buy fluoride-laden water, buy a car, buy car insurance, feed your children processed foods, and the list goes on.) Why would they want you to be a homesteader if it means you're going to break away from the things they want you to pay into? Actually I hear of many cases where FBI will spy on Homesteading communities in an effort to bust them for growing Cannabis plants or any trivial case they can profit on.
The other day I heard a strange story here of a man getting arrested then fined $300 for wearing a Peace shirt.

For myself, I have never lived above the poverty line, and my Mother as well. My Mom takes care of eight people, while six people live under a small roof, including a dog. My Mom wishes someday to live with freedom, retired, perhaps living close to the beach. It's a small dream, but the Poor have small dreams. They, we, just want to be happy and comfortable. We don't want much, just our basic needs met: food, water, shelter, maybe a shirt or a pair of pants.

Basic Skin and Hair Needs & the Foods that Work

pic source

It's not unlikely that a woman would use three different skincare products, then follow this regimen up with three different makeup products like I was doing. I remember using lots of facial products to prevent acne, and lots of makeup to cover it up. I am glad I realized I needed to heal within the body, at the source, rather than treating the symptoms.
From 2009 to 2011, I was smoking and drinking heavily, consequently my face broke out severely in 2011. During this time I was stressed from school. The combination of stress, lack of sleep, alcohol, and cigarettes affected my hormones. Once I made the connection that these stressors elevated my hormones and promoted the cystic acne, I immediately stopped smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol, and began eating green juices, green smoothies, fruit smoothies, raw vegetables, raw salads. Within a couple of months, my family noticed a drastic difference in my face.

Now, I use zero foundation on my face. I wash my face with only water, and maybe use some of the foods listed below. I usually have one break out right before my period, but I combat that with aloe. Of course I grow several aloe plants, so I always have aloe around to use. Fruit and plants for facial care is an overall healthy, effective, and natural alternative to commercial skincare products, and they are also inexpensive. For example, fruit and plants naturally provide nutrients and moisturizes the skin. Coconut oil can be applied on the face, body, and hair as a moisturizer. Another example, sea salt can be an exfoliate for the face.
Many of these plants and fruits can provide a specific skin or hair need. I do not mention it below, but I especially like using tomatoes on the face. Below I have listed many different foods that take care of specific skin and hair needs:

Cleanser: baking soda, oranges, lemons, limes, tomatoes, apples, onions and garlic (sounds weird to use on the face, but they contain antibacterial/antibiotic properties), strawberries, ALOE VERA

Toner: Apple cider vinegar, cucumber or celery juice

Exfoliate: Sea salt, sugar, cornmeal, oats, ground nuts, wheat germ, ground flax seeds

Calming/cooling: mint, oats, Aloe Vera, almond milk
Tighten skin: pineapple, persimmon, squashes, banana peel
Lighten dark spots: Lemon or pineapple

Moisturizer: Oil (coconut, olive, walnut, etc), avocados, Aloe Vera, bananas

Toothpaste recipe: 2 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp cinnamon, 2 tsp water made into a paste and applied to teeth (credit: Eco Beauty by Cox & Cox

Your skin needs Vitamins A, C, E, B vitamins, and Selenium. Foods rich in Vitamin A are carrots, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, Swiss Chard. Those rich in Vitamin C are citrus fruits and tropical fruits. Get your B vitamins through Bananas. Get vitamin E through nuts and seeds. Your skin needs vitamin D as well, so be sure to catch some sun rays throughout the week outdoors. Overall, I recommend eating a fruit dominate diet with vegetables, tender leafy greens, and some grains, beans, nuts, seeds. If a food is good for you to eat, it is probably good for your skin too. 

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.

What's the best, free material to use for raised beds?

PALLETS

Pallets are accessible anywhere and everywhere for free. I would recommend using pallets to make your own house, compost bin, raised beds, or décor in your home. My partner found these pallets behind a country store; but you can find them behind any grocery store, big business and organization buildings (i.e. college campuses.) Pallets are all around us, it just takes some energy to go find them.

What you need to know about Compost (& doing it for free)

Compost is a crucial aspect in gardening because it is FREE, ORGANIC, HIGH QUALITY material, that fertilizes your soil so you can enforce nutrition and strength to your plants. According to "Why Composting is Important" from Environment.gov website, up to 30% of the material we add to the landfill is organic materials that could be composted at home (i.e. dust, paper, and food scraps) for gardening. In other words, YOU should be composting to reduce the amount of waste you're adding to landfills, while you could be using that compost to grow food, for free, for you and your family. Using your own compost to grow your OWN food is the healthiest thing you can do for yourself and your family.

Earth-friendly chick

Being conscience of our environment and researching how to protect it, is not just a man's job. Everyone should aim for creating a cleaner environment, which is why I wanted to mention one MAJOR way women can generate less waste, that is put into our landfills: getting rid of disposable tampons and pads.

Did you know, in 1998, 12 billion sanitary pads and 7 billion tampons were dumped on our earth in North America alone? Not to mention the 170,000 tampon applicators found at the U.S. coastal areas that same year.

If that statistic doesn't change your decision to switch to an alternative feminine hygiene product, then think of it this way: The average woman's menstruation span is between 11-52 (41 years), and when multiplying the number of pads/tampons you use each month by 12 (months in a year), then multiply that number by the average menstruation span, 41 years. For the sake of my readers, I'll do the math for you. Lets assume you use 4 tampons or pads per day for 5 days. That equates to 20 disposable tampons or pads per menstruation cycle. To reach the amount of disposable products used in a year, multiply 20 by 12: you use 240 tampons or pads each year. Now for the real shocker: multiply 240 by the average menstruation span of 41 years, which will give you close to 10,000 tampons or pads you'll use in your lifetime.

Not only are tampons and pads wasteful, most contain surfactants, adhesives, polyethylene plastic, dioxin, a carcinogen (by-product during the bleaching process of tampons containing rayon.) The chemicals put into the tampons and pads can leach out into your body...and your water when dumped in a landfill.

Would you like an alternative to tampons and pads, that are much safer for our environment and yourself? There are two options to completely eliminate the waste you add to landfills, such as the DivaCup and homemade cloth pads.

Source: Rowdy Kittens

The DivaCup is a silicone cup that catches your menstruation throughout the day (without having to take it out until you get home from work or school.) The DivaCup is used throughout the year for each period, and discarded when it is time to buy a new DivaCup. They cost approximately $24. Go to eBay to purchase them at a cheaper price than the DivaCup's website (you save money on shipping if not on the product itself.) Moreover, American women spend approximately $150-$200 a year on tampons and pads. By making the switch to the DivaCup, you're not only saving the environment and yourself from harmful waste products, you're also saving a significant amount of cash. Considering the DivaCup is scary to those who have NEVER heard of them, go to their website here (DivaCup) and find out more about the reasons for switching to the DivaCup and how you can make it happen.

Source: New Life on a Homestead

Secondly, cloth pads are another cost saving alternative to tampons and pads. Actually, you can make your own. Cloth pads are self-explanatory, as they are sheets of biodegradable cloth that absorb your flow. You can purchase five to use one pad, each day, while you machine wash your other pads. Cloth pads can be reused for as long as you take care of them. All that is required is washing the pads, and once they tear up, you can compost them. Here is a website that will take you to a collection of sellers that have made their own cloth pads to the public (at very cheap): Etsy, "Cloth Pads"

But if you prefer to make your own (because you're SO creative and you know how to work a sewing machine), then here is a website that will give you instructions on how to make your own, why you should use cloth pads to the alternatives, and other information regarding use: Tiny Birds Organic baby & family

Keep in mind, that eating a raw diet with emphasis on fruit will change your menstrual cycle. Some women have even said that they lose their period.

Many women have switched to using these eco-alternatives, and women have been using these products for over 50 years, so don't feel uneasy about using something new. If you have any questions and comments about using the DivaCup or cloth pads, leave a message below!

Raised Bed Garden Ideas & Using Free materials

The number one rule in constructing raised beds, is to be creative. And to be creative, use materials around you. By using materials around your house or finding materials in nature, you're making a project for FREE, being environmentally safe, recycling, reusing, and building an intimate relationship with your garden. Below are examples of the types of raised beds you can construct yourself.

Tin or house siding sheets

Source: Creative Garden Supplies

Logs/Wood (Vertical & Horizontal)

Source: Instructables

Source: Curtis and Kaye Absher

Rock (Cross-stacking & Packing)

Source: Sally Gardens

Source: Container Gardening For You

Other Recycled, Cheap, and Effective

Materials for making Raised Beds...

• Pallets 
• Cylinder blocks
• Tires
•  Steel Tubs
•  Trash cans/buckets/Plastic Containers
•  Wagon/Wheel barrel
•  Aquarium/Glass windows for cold-frame raised beds
•  Ceramic structures (toilets, sinks, tub)

My partner and I are constructing our raised beds out of plastic siding that we already had lying around. Below are pictures of the first raised bed/box garden my partner made, which was made up of boards from pallets.



Watch the video below by John Koehler, discussing examples of Container Gardening, vertical gardening, and ways in which you grow food to conserve space:
 

How to escape from the pressures of society

It is no wonder we want to escape from reality if we have to wake up at 6:30am and prepare to go to a job we hate, to pay off 'things' that we're told we have to have (i.e. vehicles, cable, cell phones, etc.) My post on how single mothers can live for free similarly answers the question 'how can we escape from society (or pressures)?'

Vehicles and other transportation are one of the largest contributors directly associated with air pollution. Moreover, your food should be coming from your garden. We cannot keep depending on the reliance of vehicles for our convenience of imported food. Or else if we face some sort of collapse of oil, then we can say good-bye to Florida Oranges being shipped on a truck to Michigan; or California dates transported on a truck to New York. 
Our dependence on the grocery store is directly related to our dependence on oil. 
I admit I eat many imported foods but there is a reason why I am trying to grow as many fruit trees and fruit bushes and vegetable gardens. I would love to construct an in ground greenhouse for lemon, lime, mandarin, and banana trees. 

Once again, find a way to grow your own food -- I have a blog post on how apartment dwellers can grow food (if you don't have garden space to do so) here: Three Ways to Grow Food & Other Plants for Apartment Dwellers (Indoors/Outdoors). 
Ask friends or family who own property, preferably more than 3 acres -- if you can build a garden or build a small house for you and/or your family. In return, you can give them your extra or leftover food you grew, in exchange for living on their land. 

If you do not have family or friends that can allow you to do this, find a spot in the woods that is less traveled by human/animal, has shade and sun, and is close enough to human contact in an emergency. Tutorials on debris shelters for living in the woods go to
Semi-Permanent Debris Shelters - Vegans Living Off the Land
and Construct your own home.
Screw anyone that tells you you have to own property! 
I am growing food on my Mom's and grandparents' yard, and building my Earth home in my Grandparents' woods because I intend to live for free.

I have mentioned our dependence on driving a vehicle, which leads me to my next tip: Reduce your use of other technologies like cell phones, washer, dryer, dish washer. These things are expensive and unnecessary in most cases. If you want to "escape" from the pressures of our society, you may want to remind yourself of what is most important. Once again, these machines are an unsustainable and finite resources (when coal cannot be used to power our luxuries.) However, technology is NOT the issue, it is powering these technologies and being obsessed with the technologies that are symbols of capitalism, greed, laziness, and sloth. Of all technologies, internet access is the best tool for teaching one another how to do things for FREE. It is one of the greatest Anarchist technologies.
With that being said, I would invest in solar panels when you can afford to do so. Small Solar panels will power at least the use of a laptop or one light of your house. 


If you plan to settle down (and own your own property): build your own house out of recycled materials (i.e. wood, straw, mud, and stone from the woods.) For more information on how to create a home using recycled materials, and innovative ways to construct your home for CHEAP, go here for inspiring videos: Kirstendirksen on youtube, also read The Hand-sculpted House for another approach to free and environmentally-conscience building.

Escaping the pressures of society would be to live as the other animals using your evolved skills of construct large shelters and growing food. Keep in mind, Humans are the only animals that heats (cooks) their food, we have all of these (wonderful and convenient yet unsustainable) technologies. 
It only makes sense to eat fresh, raw, ripe fruits and vegetables that you can grow in your climate. Forage for foods that grow in the wild.