Food for Thought
Razor Burn
I think all caucasian American women fall into one of two groups: those who can handle letting their leg hair grow out for a while, and those who can't. Most of my friends fall in the first group, and kudos to them. Me not so much. I don't know why, but I really really hate having hairy legs. Ick. Maybe because I like to wear skinny jeans, and skirts in the summer? But even when it's the middle of winter and I could use that tiny extra layer to keep me warm, I whack it off. Regularly, I shave at least once/week, usually more.
One thing I learned while reading "A Good Life" was how bad disposable razors are for the environment. I swept through the information, analyzing each sentence. Then I took all the new facts I'd learned and stored them as far into the back and dusty corners of my brain as possible. Could I give up eating tropical fruits to cut down on the gas it takes to fly them to Iowa? Yes. Would I stop shopping for clothing at retail stores as a sign that I wasn't going to be manipulated by big box retail and glamorous advertising? Yes. Would I walk to work every day even if it was 40 degrees and raining? Yes (*cough sometimes*). Was I willing to stop shaving? I'm sorry, what? Um... let me get back to you on that one...
The facts about disposable razors are pretty sad. Let's start with the fact that keeping our skin smooth and neatly shorn is a strange cultural phenomenon that appears in almost every Western state, as well as the Middle East, India, and Brazil. Generally speaking, we're taking a razor to our bodies for the sole reason that our culture finds leg hair and under arm hair especially offensive and unattractive. Don't even get me started on how young I was when I was asked if I kept other areas of my body shaved, too. It would make you sick. Yes, women go to great lengths to have silky smooth, hairless legs and underarms (and other areas of the body) because our culture tells us to - and it's one of the cultural norms that few of us question. In fact, most of us women have bought into it and agree. While I can't wait for that cultural norm to undo itself, chances are it won't in my lifetime. Why not? The most likely reason is that the razor business is huge, and I doubt they'll ever run out of manipulative advertising that keeps us coming back for more and more razors (the Economist has concluded that the 14-blade razor should arrive in 2100, if trends continue). There are some interesting socio-sexual reasons too (type "leg shaving" into wikipedia for some interesting reading on that). Men love them young girls, and we're all trying to keep our men coming back for more.
Back on the subject of the razor industry: at this point, we're expected to keep our legs silky smooth for the men in our lives (or the men we want in our lives - lord knows if you finally get him interested, he'll back away if he sees your legs unshorn). Each disposable razor is expected to be used 10-15 times, which means that, if I'm using mine properly, it needs to be replaced at least once each month. The US alone tosses 2 billion razors into landfills every year, and you can forget about the urban legend that razor blades are being recycled from decommissioned ships or that the razors are plucked out of your garbage and recycled. Businesses like Gillette earn $10 billion/year, and the industry isn't even creating something complex or seen as a necessity the way toothbrushes or clothing or cars are. Ten billion dollars! For disposable razor blades! Then again, I guess even though we don't think about it, razors really are considered an essential in this country.
Like I said at the beginning, shaving my legs is a staple in my daily (or at least, weekly) routine. I've never been in love with shaving my underarms, but ever since my boyfriend in high school complimented me on the fact that my underarms were always shaved (unlike SOME people he knew), I've kind of gone out of my way to shave there every day. And let me tell you something men - shaving your underarms hurts! With that thought alone, I decided to hide my razor a few weeks ago and was determined to put this cultural double standard in my past. Not only was I hoping to make a difference by cutting back on spending on something that isn't even necessary for my health, but I saw myself making a teeny tiny difference in the local landfill. Thanks anyway, Western culture, nobody is telling me how to be beautiful!
Long story short: I failed. Two weeks later I was hairy and disgusted and ravenous to get that hair OFF MY BODY. I felt sooo ugly! I felt just gross! I felt like a hag! Can you believe it? I couldn't. Every single day in the shower I would lift my legs up and take a look and just be repulsed. It was a serious mind over matter situation, and I felt myself quickly losing. One afternoon after a long day of itchy legs and feeling nasty, I ran home, slipped into a bathtub full of hot water, and lost all self control. I felt like a relapsed smoker, taking long sweet drags on a cancer stick. Thank you Jesus! My legs! My beautiful legs!!! Steven came home to find me sitting in cloudy water, hiding my legs and the razor from his view.
"What are you doing?"
"Nothing."
"Just taking a bath?"
"Yes."
Long, awkward pause.
"AND SHAVING MY LEGS AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
Now, unfortunately I'm sorry to say that Steven hasn't been very supportive of this branch of alternative living. I kind of enjoyed not shaving my underarms (by the time I finally did, I gotta tell you - no razor burn for the first time in months!), but every time Steven looked over at me in that way, both of our gazes would slowly wander to my hideous old woman nasty backwoods culturally unkempt hairy legs. Steven jumped for joy as I screamed out in frustration over my complete lack of restraint.
This is a battle that I'm still working on. I've decided that this might not be something I can do cold turkey. I know that I don't agree with WHY I'm shaving my legs (to fit into what my culture expects of me) and I don't agree with the environmental implications of buying and tossing razor blades willy-nilly. But the feeling of smooth legs sliding into tights or jeans as opposed to hair sticking and poking as I try to put my clothes on and walk around all day... well so far it's been hard for me to try to support the ethical side to this dilemma. So baby steps, my friends. Keep me accountable: for now, shaving once/week.
The ultimate goal, I guess would be to not shave at all? I'm not sure if I'm quite there yet. The other options offered by A Good Life are to have your legs waxed, although this is somewhat painful and costs much more than shaving. However, the legs stay smoother for longer and longer with each wax. Or else, going back to the olden days of a "straight razor" - you know the type? The ones seen in old Westerns and historical time pieces? Well, I don't know where you can pick those up these days, but I'm sure they're out there, somewhere. But what to do when it comes to sharpening them on a piece of leather. My growing PETA enthusiasm makes me cringe at the thought.
I'm not saying it's easy or fun, but even small things like shaving less (or not at all, if you have more strength than me) can make a difference in the way our culture and the next generation spend their money, how our daughters will view themselves as beautiful without having to impress a man with her razor-wielding skills, and the thought of billions of tiny silver and rusting razors in a grave below the surface of the earth... if nothing else, maybe our children will never have to know the pain of razor burn.
Question to those of you living in other areas of the world: Do women there shave their legs? In the Netherlands? In Egypt? South Korea?
Resources:
A Good Life: The Guide to Ethical Living
"Ask Leo & Lucy" (Leo Hickman, writer of A Good Life actually wrote an article about razors, seen here - basically the same thing written in the book)
Wikipedia - shaving, leg shaving
Green Sweeps
I found a great website called www.ecobunga.com - enjoy the savings and fun!
(Sweepstakes to win eco-friendly shoes: here)
Apple Orchard Adventures
Today Steven and I went to a local orchard - The Berry Patch - in Nevada. If you live in the area, I'd suggest you stop by, or find another orchard that interests you. The Berry Patch still had lots of things to go out and pick around the farm - various types of apples, pumpkins and gourds, and even raspberries! The man who was working out front even told us where to find all the best raspberries in a more secluded spot from where the hayride takes patrons. We came home with eight pounds of apples, 1 pound of red ripe raspberries, and four pumpkins - all for less than $20! We're going to use at least two of the pumpkins to make pumpkin pie, we might cut the other two into Jack-o-lanterns. Half the apples have already been cut down and are in the process of being made into a crisp (I'm on a break until the butter warms up a little bit). The other half will probably just be part of my lunches and after-work-snacks for the next couple of weeks. And the raspberries... I don't know! I might just eat them alone or alongside morning muesli... but I really want to try to find something fun and creative to do with them. I might throw a few into the apple crisp just to see what happens. INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cups butter
- 2 quarts peeled, cored and sliced apples (That's somewhere between 8 large apples to 16 medium apples.)
DIRECTIONS
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, oatmeal, cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar. Cut butter into mixture until crumbly.
- Take half of the mixture and pat it into the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish.
- Cover crumb mixture with apple slices, then sprinkle apple slices with remaining crumb mixture.
- Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 to 50 minutes or until apples are tender.
Mmmm.... autumn tastes good.
Pank Recipe
Mmmm... homemade pancakes. Or, Panks, as we call them here in the Athay house. The snow is falling here in Iowa, and I'm making breakfast.
INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons white sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
DIRECTIONS
- In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Make a well in the center, and pour in milk, egg and oil. Mix until smooth.
- Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Easy-Pancakes/Detail.aspx
Heavy Thoughts on the Walk Home
As I walked home, I had to put my book down. For one thing, the roads were busy, so reading and walking at the same time can become reckless. For another thing, a heavy thought was distracting me.
Here's how it started:
Steven E. Athay I am shocked that Obama won or that he'd even be considered, but I am very proud of my president, as I think the entire nation should be proud.
Ok, now, listen. I have a personal policy that I don't discuss politics with friends and family. I'm fairly strict about it, because I feel it causes more tension and discord than "being right" is worth. But hear this one out, because this really isn't political.
You can probably tell I edited that. Well, I only did that because I haven't asked permission from the party who left the comment if I can use it, so I decided to just delete it - just in case. But if that person reads this - forgive me. And trust me, I'm only using it as an example of something else.
The comment that Obama cheated to get the Nobel Peace Prize is pretty audacious. And ridiculous. I even responded to the comment online saying the same thing. See, I don't care if you don't think he deserves it; you are totally fine having an opinion about that, as anyone may have with any winner of the prize. Heck, I'm not even sure that he truly deserves the prize. The trouble I have with the comment is that there is nobody in their right mind who could possibly accuse Obama of having the ability (or desire) to cheat to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
Now, I don't really believe the person who left the comment believes that. I am pretty sure that person is being snarky - one of the things I like about them. But I do know lots of people who would take a comment like that and totally run with it. Quote it as though it had come down from God himself. And comments like that are thrown around so easily, even from "reputable" media outlets. Comments that can later be dismissed as offhanded, but everyone knows that the audience didn't take it that way.
It's my own belief that we need to be wise with the words we use. Who knows who takes those words and believes them without thinking about it? We are responsible for sharing discernment, not ambiguity; for spreading truth, not opinions. I understand the difference between jokes and seriousness, and that's why I thought this silly post was a good example - I've seen people post similarly ridiculous thoughts that were meant to be taken seriously, and would probably make your hair curl.
My point is that Christians, myself included, usually take on mantras like "Do everything as if you were doing it for God." and post them in our dorms or on our fridges. We wear bracelets that remind us to consider how Jesus would handle any given situation. We memorize verses that tell us to love our enemies. But I only see people apply these things on a small scale. "Would Jesus watch the Simpsons?" "Did I bake this pie as if it were for God?" "I don't have any enemies, so I'm okay, right?"
I rarely see Christians applying their beliefs to the big picture. "Would Jesus be arguing with his friends about politics?" "Did I spend the last 8 hours at work as if I were working for God?" "Am I treating my bitchy co-worker with love and respect...?" (Sigh.)
Here are some questions I wish Christians would ask themselves and try to find their Biblical answers:
How should I treat the environment?
How should I spend my money?
What responsibilities do I have to my community, and how would my life change if I lived like that?
When genocides are happening right now, when people are homeless and jobless, when food is being produced and sold in a way that is destroying the land and making people die... when there are real life and death, generation-changing issues at stake, why are we happy to remain ignorant, watch reality television, and ignore the world around us?
Why am I really arguing with someone about their political leanings? Is it really doing any good?
I used to believe that there was some built up tension between Christians and non-Christians. Then I realized it was between right-wing Christians and anyone (Christian or not) who is left-leaning. I often find myself on the opposite side of the argument than most of my Christian friends. Now I see that, right-wing, left-wing, chicken-wing - we're just fighting to be right. Put the KFC down, my friends (please, choose organic, free-range!). I ask you - is it so important to be on the correct side of the political spectrum. My answer: no. God wants us to love one another, and we're not going to convince each other by pushing buttons, shouting the loudest, or writing the longest facebook comments (or blogs - yikes!). If you're an American Christian, stop wielding your political beliefs around in one hand and your Bible (or lack-thereof) in the other. Jesus didn't do it that way*, why do we insist on doing so?
*At least, the Bible I read doesn't mention that... but if you can find a verse that contradicts me, I'm open to hearing about it.
An Unexpected Burp in the Plan
Two days ago something happened that stopped me in my tracks. Something that hadn't crossed my mind when I began this little experiment. I ran out of toilet paper. TMI?
Instantly I thought, "Well I better stop at Targeohno." I couldn't go to Target. I couldn't go to HyVee. I didn't really know where I could go. I don't know how to make toilet paper, and I wasn't about to buy it second hand. Is there such a thing as recycled... toilet... paper? Is there an ethical way to use toilet paper? I started doing some research.
Maybe a quick, interesting history on TP from Wikipedia first. The Chinese are the first known to use toilet paper (circa 6th century). Wealthy people in the past have used wool, lace, or hemp; poor people used to use their hand (yes), rags, wood shavings, leaves, grass, hay, stones, sand (ouch), moss, water, snow, maize, ferns, husks, fruit skin, seashells, and corncobs. Many countries use bidets instead of toilet paper, although I haven't figured out how they dry off. Any help? I also wonder what their water bills look like. Facts on Wikipedia also said that as of 2009, between 25% and 50% of the toilet paper in the US comes from tree farms in the U.S. and South America.
I found a website called re-nest that had the same questions I did - what kinds of alternatives to toilet paper there are? They say that Americans use more than 50 pounds of toilet paper per year per person (almost twice as much as Europeans use, probably due to their use of bidets). Many of the comments left referred to two alternatives: using cloths for after urination (TP reserved for #2), or using recycled TP (Seventh Generation brand most commonly referred).
I tried to see what "The Good Life" (i.e. My Alternative Living Bible) had to say about toilet paper alternatives, but they were surprisingly mum on the topic. Luckily, as I was beginning to get frustrated, Steven walked in at just that moment announcing that he had just picked up a pack of toilet paper from Wheatsfield, the local co-op we are members of. Since it came from Wheatsfield, I knew that it must be ethical, whatever he brought home. It turned out to be Seventh Generation.
Seventh Generation creates 100% Recycled Bathroom Tissue, whited without chemicals that contain chlorine. A 12-pack was about $12.00. As someone who rarely has a grasp on the value of a dollar (until recently), I didn't know if that was a good price. It seems that a pack of basic Charmin bathroom tissue (12 ct.) is about $7.99. However, let's be honest - we never bought standard TP when we shopped retail, and on top of that, I actually don't recall ever seeing Basic as an option at Target. A 12 pack of Cottonelle (mm...soft) is $12.49 - actually more costly than the recycled version. Scott brand toilet paper packs were also $11.99. After all my research, it seems that buying a package of Seventh Generation is really no different than buying any of the usual suspects!
Rest easy, my friends - the solution (for the Athays) is Seventh Generation. Recycled, unbleached, and the same price as regular toilet paper. Plus, the website www.seventhgeneration.com has lots of great tips about reducing your waste and helping our environment. I'd suggest you become a member of the Seventh Generation Nation for valuable tips and coupons today! (No, I am not being paid to promote 7thGen. I just appreciate them.)
Kimmy P
Soup's on!