Home Chemistry

As we approach the new year, I've begun pondering my resolutions for 2008. Now, any logical person will announce that new year's resolutions are silly, and that we can start new habits any day of the year. To those people, I say "Bah Humbug!" I'm a resolution person myself.

Anyway, for a while now, I've been spouting the *Go Green* propaganda, yet doing very little myself. So most of this year's resolutions will be eco-friendly modifications to our current lifestyle. Some of them are so easy that I'm embarrassed not to be doing them already, and some of them are a bit more profound.

On the easy list:
- Turn off the computer when not in use
- Recycle plastic and glass (I have to haul the stuff to the mall, as we don't have curb-side pickup, but still, this is an easy one)
- Look at second-hand clothes and toys for little Eliot, rather than buying new

"Harder" list:
- Compost. Our community gardens have a compost pile, and even though we don't yet have a plot in the gardens, Frederic called and got the ok to contribute to the compost pile. This is "hard" because I have to haul my stinky biodegradables 3 minutes away every day or two.
- Use cloth wipes on Eliot. Since I'm already washing the dipes, it seems obvious to use cloth wipes, but I have been cheating and using disposable wipes because they are easier. No more!

And my ultimate resolution:
- Consume synthetic chemicals consciously.
What this means is that if I'm going to use a product with 30 unpronounceable ingredients, I should at least be aware I'm doing it. For certain items, the advantages seem clear- prescription medication, for example. However, do I really need to use synthetic shower gel, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, acne medication, or food additives, when natural products are just as effective, and arguably healthier?

I cannot make a blanket statement that synthetic chemicals are evil, but they certainly have no role in our body from an evolutionary perspective. Considering our daily dose of pollution is already more than it should be, I want to make an effort to take synthetics out of our home. This year will be filled with experiments in creating my own cleaning products from natural ingredients, using natural soaps (I've already started this one, and it's lovely!), and continuing to cook as much as possible from scratch.