The Planet and I

Have you gone green?  How do you feel about the Green New Deal?  Do you think climate change is real?  How do you get along with the planet?

I try on a regular basis to 'do the right thing' as they say.  I recycle (according to friends and family, I'm a 'recycling Nazi'), I signed us up to receive a compost bin which is picked up and emptied weekly, I try very hard to keep plants and trees alive, and not to waste food or water.  

I have a LONG way to go, though, before I can even get a "good" grade, and I have been trying to be more conscious of my behavior.  Having said that, I am a person who uses things until they either fall apart, or are otherwise no longer usable.  I've always been that way, mostly due to growing up in an atmosphere of uncertain finances.  We wore our clothes and shoes as long as they could last.  I think those habits are hard to break, but it's also hard to start new habits.

We have a lot of plastic food containers (mostly those Rubbermaid ones you buy in packages of 6 or so).  They are all near the end of their useful lives, and though it pains me to get rid of them, and add more plastic to the recycling bin, at least I can recycle them rather than just toss them.  Of course, then the question becomes how to replace them - buy the glass containers that are heavier, but will likely last longer?  Look for something better?  It's overwhelming a lot of the time, but I also know that I just need to do my research and make a decision and that will be the best decision for me.  And hopefully, it won't have an adverse effect on the planet in the long run.

I really enjoy looking to see what people post on Instagram, and I'm not sure how I found the account, but for the last couple of years, I've been following Sophie Benson.  She is a writer and fashion stylist who is incredibly eco-conscious and thoughtfully informed.  Through her and her Instagram posts, I've become so much more aware of how the fashion and beauty industries are some of the worst offenders to the environment.  She writes in a straightforward, easily understandable manner, and is able make it seem like a regular person is talking to you, not lecturing you.  Her article last year about purchasing and wearing/using second hand animal products (she is a vegan), and the follow-up, were very thought-provoking.  I really suggest following her on Instagram, even if you don't care about the fashion-y posts, as she links to the articles when she has written something.

Thanks to her, and just a better overall awareness, I feel a bit better informed about what products I buy to wear and to use.  I still have plenty to learn and new habits to turn into old ones, but I feel like it is all doable.

It has to be, right?

Just When I Thought I'd Figured It Out

As you likely know, I am an animal lover.  The Tim and I are vegetarians (though admittedly we eat fish on occasion), and we try really hard not to buy leather shoes, bags, etc. (though we still use/wear things we've had for years).  So we are not perfect - like most people - and we are not vegan - because we are ridiculously fond of dairy products.  But we do try to be conscious about what we are buying and what we are eating.

For many years, I've done my best to be really conscientious about beauty products.  I made every effort to buy and use things that were listed as being cruelty-free.  And for a while, it seemed that more and more companies were jumping on the bandwagon of wanting to be cruelty free, not testing their products on animals.  I was pleased because some of my favorite products and brands were on board, so I could buy and use their products in good conscience.

But that has changed in the past few years, apparently.  I don't know exactly when it happened (because frankly, I was going along obliviously), but at some point China demanded that any products from other countries that were sold there be tested on animals, as that is part of their accepted protocols.

I first became aware of this when I read a letter-to-the-editor in an issue of Allure magazine. The writer was bemoaning the fact that a product she had been using and really liked - Urban Decay Naked Palette - was now something she couldn't buy because they had started doing business in China, where animal testing was required.  Oh crap, I thought, and decided to do some research.  It was eye-opening to see all of the companies - drugstore and high-end brands - who had been cruelty-free, but were no longer.

From what I can determine, a lot of the companies that used to be cruelty-free still are, but have been bought out by larger companies that are not cruelty-free. Which adds another whole level to the issue.

Sigh.  Just when I thought I'd been careful enough to avoid using things tested on animals!  It's very disappointing to say the least.  Of course, China is a HUGE market for just about anything, and businesses are in business to make money.  

I've been making more of an effort than usual lately when I finish a product, to look for a replacement that is acceptable.  And that's OK, it's my responsibility to pay attention when I am buying things - be it safe food, non-polluted water, or face wash.  

But it was sure a heck of a lot easier when more companies were doing the right thing.

Thanks, China.

Maintenance Level

Before I say anything else, I have to tell you that I am SICK of rain.  This entire week it has rained every single day, and today I felt like I just should have tried to swim to work rather than attempt to walk!  I know rain is needed for plants, flowers, the planet, etc., but I enjoy it more when it is occasional and not constant.  And when it is not pouring as it was this morning.  I've spent the entire week longing to feel dry instead of damp ...

OK, now that I've gotten that off my chest, let's proceed.

A couple days ago, I read this blog post, and it got me to thinking about my own thoughts and ideas about beauty, aging, appearance, etc.

I think I've stated more than once that I enjoy fooling around with makeup, and that I like to try new things from time to time.  There are times when I think I spend too much time reading or thinking about it.  At those moments, I consider myself High Maintenance.

Then I'll read an article with a title like "How Supermodel Pretty McLovely Looks Natural" and realize that maybe I don't even *have* a level of maintenance, compared to others!  To me, using approximately 15 products on your face and/or person before you go out the door with your "everyday" look is nuts.  Granted, I don't rely on my looks to make a living, but it's amazing to me how many different things some people use on a daily basis.

My sister Nancy, for instance, never leaves the house without a full face of makeup.  I mean, lipstick, eye makeup, mascara, the whole thing - even to go to the gym!  WHAT?  And I know that she longs to get Botox, cosmetic surgery, etc., but cannot afford it.  Don't get me wrong, she's a lovely woman who always looks nice and extremely fashionable, but when she visits or I visit her, just watching her get ready to go to the grocery store is exhausting, you know?  And I have no idea what Nancy's actual hair color is, or if she has gone gray at all, since she has colored her hair since she was in high school and I was a little girl.  I assume she has gray hair, but couldn't swear to it in a court of law. ;-)

Then there is my other sister, Mary Ellen.  Who has worn mascara to each of her daughter's weddings, and that's it.  A few summers ago, her daughters talked her into getting her eyebrows waxed and she said, "I had no idea such a thing could make such a difference."  She has that lovely gray hair that everyone wants but so few are lucky enough to get.  She enjoys seeing her daughters try different makeup, hair color, etc., but is just not interested herself.  She finds even just the mention of something like Botox offensive.

All of my nieces love makeup, hair products, clothes, etc. in various degrees.  None of Mary Ellen's daughters understand her disinterest in such things, though to their credit, they find it more amusing than anything else.  I know that at least two my nieces get Botox injections pretty regularly (one is in her early 40s, the other in her mid-30s), which always surprises me.

So clearly, I'm not even has high maintenance as members of my own family!

I guess I'm at medium level, and even then, it depends on the day and what is or is not happening.  Theoretically, I would love to look great and put together whenever I leave the house.  In reality, if it's not a work day or I'm not going anyplace special, I look clean and neat, and that's it.  I've never been interested in cosmetic surgery or Botox, mostly because I cannot imagine why anyone would voluntarily have surgery or want someone to put needles into their face.  Admittedly, I used to look disdainfully at people who did either or both.  I have become slightly more forgiving, having convinced myself that a) it's none of my business what others want to do with their appearance, and b) they don't care what I think anyway.

I enjoy makeup.  I have colored my hair in the past, and may do so again the next time I go for a cut; I haven't decided.  I think it's important to be neat, clean, and have a good overall appearance.  And for some occasions, I'll spend a lot of time and effort before leaving the house to look my very best.  But I cannot imagine devoting a large chunk of every day to just getting ready to walk outside.

What about you?  Where do you fall on the maintenance scale?

This Bothers Me

I was trolling around on Facebook earlier today, and saw that someone had posted about this article.  Commenters were decrying the fact that women are judged on their appearances, forced to get Botox, etc.  I'm sure you can fill in the blanks here and guess what was said.

Meh.  And not just because I'm not a fan of Jennifer Weiner.

I am tired of people complaining that they are slaves to fashion, beauty, etc., and that these days social media makes things worse, and puts more pressure on all of us as women.

Because I'm sorry, but if you are allowing everything and everyone else to determine how you live/dress/act/whatever, outside influences are not at fault - you are.  When did people lose their autonomy over their own lives?  When did they actively decide that what others think or look like is the most important?

Now, I realize that this kind of thing has been happening one way or another since the dawn of time.  And I realize that peer pressure is hard for a lot of people to resist.  And that many people with children encourage their children to look good, pointing out those who don't.  And on and on.

I think like most other things in life, this is a case of choosing your battles - what is important to you? - and moving on.

Take me, for example.  I can remember very clearly during 5th grade, when a couple of my friends became obsessed with having a boyfriend.  They were newly busy fixing their hair, acting flirty, and who knows what else.  I did not understand this at all, and remember asking my mother if I should be doing the same thing.  She responded that it was up to me what I decided to do.  Since I was about as interested in having a boyfriend as I was in eating bugs, I decided to just forget about the whole issue.  I was still puzzled by my friends, but we all still got along just fine (though lots of times I thought they were acting stupid.  I wisely kept that opinion to myself.  Mainly because no one asked me).

And a version of that has continued, even to the present day.  We are bombarded with images and text every day, even to the point of telling us what we should be wearing in our 30s, 40s, 50s, and beyond.  I'll admit that every once in a while, I'll see someone who is probably around my age, and for a moment, wonder if I am dressing/trying to look younger than I should for my age.

Then the moment passes.

I like to look nice.  I will admit that I love makeup, clothes, shoes, jewelry, and plenty of other "girly" things.  I color my hair.  I wear makeup.  I try to keep my nails neat and clean, even if not polished.  I am probably slightly overweight, and I try to dress in a way as to not accentuate it.  I make an effort (granted a minimal one) when I am getting dressed to go out to look as nice and presentable as possible.  99% of the time, no one seems to notice - at least, if they do, they don't comment on it, one way or the other.

I have no desire for Botox or any of the other things like that.  I do not get my teeth whitened, I do not use the at-home whiteners.  I am not interested in plastic surgery at all.  I do not have tattooed-on eyebrows, or permanent eyeliner.  I know tons of people who do this, and other things which I find useless, and in my opinion are stupid.  But unless asked, it would never occur to me to comment on it unless someone asked me outright.

Maybe my perspective is unusual, but I hope not.  I just wish people would come out and say that what they decided to do or not do is their own decision, not try to opt out by claiming that it's all society's fault.  Few of us are doing anything because someone is absolutely forcing us.  Unless you live in certain areas of the world, your choices are all your own.

Just admit it, people.  And let's move on.