Status Update:

So, since starting this blog, I have learned a lot of cool information, blogged about different ideas, and experimented with some ideas. For this post, I plan on updating you guys on some stuff and let you know what I plan on blogging about in the future.

To follow up on "Local Coffee", Peace Love and Rocky Roast in the Vista (downtown Columbia) has probably the best coffee in town. They have a wonderful concoction of gelato and espresso called an affegato that is out of this world. I definitely recommend this place!

As for "A Composting Revolution", I created the bin that I designed and it is doing very well. I have tons of worms and the bin still does not smell (I have my room mate to confirm)! It is definitely useful and I am willing to help anyone create a bin if they want to try it out. In a few more months, I might be able to donate some worms as well.

I have still been experimenting with veganism (not the lifestyle). Thus far, I went 3 weeks in December being vegan and 2.5 weeks in January being vegan. It is probably one of the best things I have done for my body. I feel so good all the time! I even got back into yoga and have managed to lose 15 lbs since the beginning of December and build some muscle. A basic daily diet for me is a variation of the following: a bowl of grits with olive oil and sea salt for breakfast, rice and beans in a wrap with peppers and salsa for lunch #1, wild rice with grilled zuccini and squash for lunch #2, barley pasta with tomato basil sauce and some more grilled veggies for dinner, and sweet potato with agave nectar for dessert.  The best part about it is I eat as much as I want without feeling guilty at all. I have decided to be vegan for several weeks in a row and then go a few days to allow myself to eat meat (because we all have to be able to enjoy the good things in life).

I still only wash my hair once a week. It does not get greasy (unless I put pomade in it) and I am trying to cut my shower time to 5 minutes which can be hard when hot showers are as wonderful as they are.

I ride my bike everywhere and try to do my yoga sequence at least once a day. I made my own sequence called the Warrior Crane and if you are interested in learning it, let me know! I'll make a video.

I have not been participating with the Occupy group as much as I was. I have been exceptionally busy with school, and since it is my last semester, I figured I would devote more time to making all A's.

Now, for my next blog, I plan on telling you guys about what I like to call monopolized corporate agriculture (because I like to coin terms). This is a concept that deals with environmental sciences, environmental activism, politics, and the idea behind the occupy movement. I will be talking about something many people do not know about: where their food really comes from. The result just may shock you!

The Ick! Factor

Alright guys and gals, I am here to talk about a few things that everyone knows about, something else that very few people realize (or should I say are in denial about), and a final thing that no one EVER wants to talk about. We are all becoming more aware of our impact on the environment when it comes to the garbage we produce. And if you don’t really know, you can look at one of my earlier blogs, “You’re Trash!” to find out. We know that certain plastics take hundreds of years to degrade and even longer when sitting in a landfill. But really, other than recycling and buying “green” products, there is nothing we can really do about that, right?

Wrong! You need to stop thinking that NOW.  We, as human beings constantly surround ourselves with disposables. Paper plates, plastic cups and silver ware, plastic wrap, and many other household items. But what about those things that we throw away without thinking of any alternative? What about shaving razors, tooth brushes and medical waste? What about baby diapers and (men, you may want to shield your eyes for the next few words) feminine hygiene products? Alright, I know, but please bear with me for a moment. It is scary to think that your tampon is going to outlive you by a several hundred years. Imagine every woman in the world who uses at least 12,000 of these her entire life. All of it goes to the landfills and all will stay there for hundreds of years.

This is where the ick factor (term coined by yours truly) comes in. Every person has the ability to reduce the amount of waste they produce every year by limiting the amount of disposables they use including diapers, pads, and tampons. However, the idea of having to wash these things instead of throwing them into what I like to call the “magical vortex bin that makes the nasty go away” is really just too nasty for many of us to handle. If we can get past the Ick Factor, just think of how much landfill space we would save (not to mention saving tons of money!). Think about what was done not even 100 years ago. People used cloth diapers and rags. Think about what archeologists will dig up in 500 years (ick!).

If you are interested possibly trying out alternatives to disposable feminine hygiene products, you may be surprised about the alternative options. Check out the following links:

http://www.divacup.com/
http://www.gladrags.com/c-2-gladrags-cloth-pads.aspx
http://lunapads.com/


Or, you can make your own! Here is a design you can try out.


http://how-to.wikia.com/wiki/How_to_make_a_reusable_menstrual_pad


Is this too nasty for you? Let me know what you think! Post a comment.