I'm wondering if anyone else has these same struggles...

I try live the "greenest" livestyle possible.  However, I have these internal struggles:
- I need things to smell good (and not like lavender or patulloui all the time).
- I love the smells of "my" products.
- I HATE waste--especially plastic.  It pains me to throw it away, but it even pains me to put it in the recycle.



Anyone else have this same struggle?  What do you do to create less waste and, yet, still have "nice" and "clean smelling" things.

Here's an example that's happening right now:
I ran out of dryer sheets while doing my laundry.  I don't wanna run to the store and I'm not sure I need to use those throw away sheets each time (and I certainly don't want to buy a big plastic bottle of Downey).  So, I looked up how to make your own and found this recipe.

I got my conditioner (which I'm also struggling with because I'm tired of having to throw away those big, plastic bottles when I run out) and giant vinegar out.  I mixed everything up and, as you would imagine, IT STINKS!  I hate the smell of vinegar.  I'm was hoping the Biolage would counteract it but I could still smell the vinegar.  I'm still trying them out but if my clean clothes smell like s!@# when they get out of the dryer, what the hell am I gonna do?!  Umm, how bout wash them again and not act like it's the end of the world?  <---Stupid reader voice forgot how much I hate doing laundry.

My struggle continues...
I drink a LOT of sparkling water...at least 2 cans a day.  That's a lot of waste.  I know it's recycle but I once heard that it's actually worse for the environment to recycle because of all of the chemicals recycling uses.


And, in case you're wondering, I STILL forget my reusable bags to show with!!!  I have added to my collection and now I have, a million.  A million bags I don't remember-ever.


How do these people do it?  I know they a tiny bit nutty.  I mean  Zero Waste?  I'm not sure that's ever gonna happen in my world but I would like to be a lot better than I am now.

I need your help.  Who thinks about this stuff too?  What do you do?

And I use K-Cups--uh, is there no hope for me?!

5 Things I Constantly Need Reminders About:

As a get-me-motivated-jump-start to my new lifestyle, I re-picked up one of my favorite books, Skinny Bitch.  It was so refreshing to be reminded of all of the important things in the book.  It's a straight-shooting, no nonsense guide to living the healthiest lifestyle possible...and since I'm a straight-shooting, no nonsense (trying to live healthily (is that a word)) kind of gal, this seems perfect.  

It's message in a nutshell, "If you want to be the skinny bitches that you're so jealous of, stop eating shit and move your body."  It's a message that I am 100% on board with.* (Do I look like a real author when I use the asterisk?)  

Here are some of the very best things I have taken from it, that I try and remember:
1.  Add more fruits and vegetables to your diet.  Duh.  This isn't rocket science.  If I want to lose weight, I need some green (or orange or red) in my life.  Besides, the more good stuff I put in there, the less hungry I am for the bad stuff.

2.  Aspertine is the devil.  I HIGHLY reccommend the chapter on this.  There are so many document adverse effects of aspertine (migranes, skitopherenia, cancer, just to name a few of the non-scary ones).  No Diet Coke!  This is one of my hardest ones.  I love it.  I want it.  On a tough day, I feel like I need it, but I don't.  I don't.  It's poison.  I don't, I don't, I don't. 

3.  Dairy is unnecessary.  Here's a little common sense for you.  Look at every other species in the world.  What do they do when they are born?  Drink their mother's milk.  Then, ween off of it.  Then, eat and drink other things...NOT another animals milk.  So, why do we drink cow's milk?  It's a myth that it creates strong bones and there is no medical evidence leading to that fact.  There IS eviece that shows: milk cause excessive mucus.  Just try this if you have a cold...one day have a lot of dairy in your diet.  The next, none.  Which day did you feel better.  1/3 of the population is lactose intolerant.  Hmmm, interesting.

4.  Processed food sucks.  "Diet" processed food sucks even more.  We should be shopping the perimeter of the grocery story, not in the aisles.  Well, maybe the spice aisle, I love that aisle.  
 

5.  Refined sugar is bad for you and highly addictive.  I have the worse sweet tooth in the world.  It might be the hardest thing in the world for me to slow down, but I am committed. 

HERE'S TO BEING SKINNY BITCHES IN 2011!


*Now, granted this is written by 2 vegans and while I'm not willing to go no animal products just yet, I certainly agree with their points.