What kind of "crunchy" are you? - Page 2

[Devaya]

Originally Posted by Arwyn

For me, it's 95% personal, 5% environmental. I just don't really like make up, I have my own sense of fashion but it includes wearing whatever looks good on me until it falls apart, not until it goes out of style, and I don't like spending a lot of time or money on my hair. I can justify these things by saying that being a minimalist reduces the amount of pesticides, oil, energy, sweat shop labor, chemicals, etc, that I am responsible for supporting, but really, it's just my style.

: I am in the same boat here... really I'm just far too lazy to bother with makeup and I barely look in the mirror most days, but I do like nice jewellery By the way, Arwen (similar to your MDC name) is what I was going to call DS if he was a boy.

Welcome, McCartney!

I tried to have a homebirth but ended up in hospital (still, no medical pain relief), I cloth diaper (or re-usable nappies as we call them here in the UK), try to eat organic and reduce packaging, PLAN to grow some veg now that we finally have a garden, don't use chemical cleaners/shampoo etc, I'm not vaxing or circ'ing, I would never CIO, I co-sleep, I'm b.feeding past infancy, all of DS's clothes and toys are second hand or gifts, and I couldn't be less interested in TV and material things. I live in a comparatively 'crunchy' area of the U.K. but there is still a very large 'middle-class' contingent that is pretty consumerist and so on, and in terms of parenting I am definitely on the way crunchy side of the continuum in my city (I'm one of very few who CD, and who still co-sleep at one year of age).For me, it's just 'normal' to be crunchy, I can't imagine it any other way.

[Collinsky]

I don't know how crunchy I am. Compared to whom? I've had four unassisted homebirths, we do extended bfing, baby-led solids, babywearing, cosleeping (four in my bed all night, every night ). We're radical unschoolers and into consensual living. No vaccines, no fluoride, no well-baby or well-child check-ups. We eat organic, whole foods (caveat below), and we like to get local produce and meat as much as possible. We use herbal or homeopathic medicine for illnesses.

Because of the RU/CL, we aren't restrictive with our children in the ways that other crunchy families are. My kids can have Twinkies and sugary cereal. They can play with Barbie or even Bratz. They can watch TV or play video games. (They also play eat whole wheat bread and salad, play with wooden blocks and cooperative board games, and enjoy books, arts and crafts. They're just not limited to those things.) So being less mainstream in one area makes me look more mainstream in the other. I'm okay with that.

We recycle, which I kind of thought everyone did? - but I havent' done cloth diapers for a couple years since we don't have a W&D anymore. (I tried to make it work but it didn't.) We try to conserve electricity and water - for instance I run the shower, turn it off to lather up, and turn it back on to rinse. Lots of little things like that.

I spent a couple years growing out my hair and getting it to its natural color. Which was fine. But I always missed doing more with it. I like cutting and coloring my hair! So I'm not crunchy there. I am pretty low-maintenance though - I cut and color my hair myself usually, and any style has to be wash-and-go. I don't own a blow dryer or styling products. I have gotten my nails done once - fake tips - and it looked pretty, I admit, but they really do start to get in the way. I got a pedi last fall and lurved it. I would so do that all the time! I mean, if I had disposable income and disposable time to myself...

Make-up, I love. Love love love it. It's one of the areas where frugality has taken its toll, since I don't own much. I also quite enjoy shaving. If that makes me not crunchy then so be it.

I also use regular commercial deodorant with aluminum in it. Ugh. I've tried other things, just haven't found anything that works for me. Still searching.

I guess that pretty much sums us up.

[bluehairedwoman]

Welcome McCartney! I'm also a new-ish mom, to DD named Lennon, so you two should get together & write some songs.

i'm not as crunchy as i want to be. if we define crunchy by internal beliefs, rather than how one appears/dresses on the outside plus logistic limitations, i'm very crunchy. but i am limited by the fact that i live in a city in a small apt (no way to compost, garden, collect water, etc.) without a washer/dryer (tried CD when DD was newborn but her little skinny legs were too small for the smallest diaper cover & poo just leaked everywhere so we had to give it up), not a lot of access to local produce, second-hand stores, etc etc. i would love to do so many more things but our environment makes it very difficult (and isn't the goal of 'crunchiness' to simplify life?).

couldn't have a natural or home birth for medical reasons. limited attachment parenting and nursing since i'm forced to work for financial reasons. but DD is exclusively fed breastmilk and i'm proud that i haven't given in to the pressure to give her formula.

great discussion.

[bluehairedwoman]

[QUOTE=Collinsky;12451972]I also use regular commercial deodorant with aluminum in it. Ugh. I've tried other things, just haven't found anything that works for me. Still searching. QUOTE]

only thing that works for me is the liquid spray bottle with just purified water & mineral salts. crystal something in the blue bottle. it's not an antiperspirant so you will still sweat. but you don't smell because the salts kill any bacteria. try it!

[frontierpsych]

I like to tell people "I'm not crunchy, just lazy"

I breastfeed because bottles are a PITA.
I cloth diaper because it's cheap.
I'll be starting EC soon so I don't have to potty train later.
I don't vax so I can skip well-baby visits.
I don't circ because I don't want to have to clean an open wound that sits in a dirty diaper
I homebirth because I'm too lazy to drive to the hospital.
I cosleep because I don't feel like getting up in the middle of the night to check on baby.


Okay, granted those aren't my *real* reasons (at least not completely) but they're the fun ones!

[sweetpeppers]

I've been a vegetarian since high school, vegan mostly. I started out researching natural birth and breastfeeding, because I had been born at home. I started using cloth diapers after I bought one at whole foods when my son was 6 months old. Then I found out about attachment parenting when my son was eight or so months old, though I had already been naturally parenting that way for the most part. Then I found out about all the babywearing stuff that I'd been missing out on just using my one wrap, and from that site, I found this board, and a lot about cloth pads, diva cups (though I'm afraid to buy one because it might jinx me back into my period :P), becoming more green, and lots of other stuff that I had no clue about before. Anyway, it really all started when I got pregnant, and I got into living off the grid and living "poor" when I decided I didn't want to go back to work (and as a single mother, that means you are scraping for every penny). I still drive everywhere though, use plastic bags, I don't take my own bags to the store, I don't eat all organic, and lots of other noncrunchy things.

My crunchiness:

babywearing, cloth diapering, co-sleeping, breastfeeding, unschooling, raw vegan, don't shave or shampoo, barefoot everywhere, try to buy mostly used, um, that's all I can think of at the moment...next baby I would like to have unassisted, ec-ed, I want to live in a cob house off the grid...and while I'm at it I'd like a pony

[7libramama]

Hi all! I am loving the crunchiness here! We are a home and waterbirthing, lotus birthing, babywearing, nonvaccinating,extended breastfeeding, child led weaning, co-op belonging to, mostly organic and local eating, Goodwill shopping, ecofriendly neo-hippie family. We live by Rethink, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. I don't use make-up and use a crystal for deodorant, do shampoo and shave though(wish I were braver in this dept). Can't seem to give up eating dead animals though, something about being type O and roadkill.

[Maela]

Welcome! :hi


In the area that I live, I am definitely considered "crunchy." Here on MDC, though, I feel pretty "mainstream" sometimes.

I'm crunchy in these ways:
Homebirth/natural birth
Bfing
cloth diapers
part-time ECing
co-sleeping/No CIO
no paper products in our house except some wrapping paper, printer paper, and toilet paper
I'd like to unschool when Dd is older (although I guess you could argue I'm doing that now)
we have a push lawn mower instead of the gas ones
one car
ride my bike to places as much as I can
I'm vegetarian (although I can't say I enjoy it)
growing some of our own vegetables
recycle
I don't dye my hair
I like my nails short and unpainted (is that crunchy?)
Use crystal deoderant (love it!)
try to give Dd mostly healthy foods
made our own babyfood
learning to cook from scratch (getting better everyday!)
Use cloth shopping and produce bags
informed vaxing (delayed & selective)
we will not circ if we ever have a boy

Things I would like to get into that I don't do yet:
grow more of our own food
use a clothesline to dry our clothes
use more natural cleaning products
use family cloth for urine
use cloth menstrual pads
buy more foods locally
eat even healthier
buy more second-hand clothes

Ways that I'm not crunchy that probably won't change:
We use disposables at night
I wear a little bit of eyeshadow and mascara every day
I like hairless legs and armpits
I plan on weaning dd between 2-3 yo
would like to have dd in her own bed between 2-3 yo
no desire to use family cloth for poop

[AndrewsMother]

I think that I am crunchy light.

*We co-sleep, BUT I am trired of waking up with a knee in my mouth. DS has a bed next to ours, but we do not force him to sleep there.

*I breastfed and formula fed, because I worked in a male dominated field for months 3-6 of DS's life and my hours were sporadic at time.

*I made my own baby food, resreving Gerber for travel or diaper bag back up.

*I used disposeables, but wanted to cloth diaper. Our washer was on it's last leg at the time.

* We purchase 90% to 95% organic and or locally grown fruit and vegetables.

* We share a vehicle and ride public transportation when time permits.

*We recycle, use our own shopping bags, take short showers, limit electricity consumption, maximize our driving time.

*I don't use chemicals on my hair except for a black hair rinse/dye.

*We practice AP

* we use natural detergents

However,
I love shoes and clothes and trendy restaurants. Second hand is great if I can find what I LIKE.

As I read other posts I notice things that we do at home, but I did not think to list. I am probably crunchier than I realize, but I really don't keep a list of the crunchy things that we do.

[phathui5]

I'm very much into fashion,love having my hair done and wearing make-up,ect...So does that make me not so crunchy?

I don't think that makes you uncrunchy. In fact, I just bought some lipstick and foundation today at the Body Shop. (Though I guess that's one of the crunchier places to shop).

[AndrewsMother]

Originally Posted by Maela

Welcome!

Things I would like to get into that I don't do yet:


use family cloth for urine
use cloth menstrual pads

I would love to try both of the above, but DH thinks that it is weird. If I just make the switch he might not object too much.

[kirstenb]

Originally Posted by AndrewsMother

I would love to try both of the above, but DH thinks that it is weird. If I just make the switch he might not object too much.

Your DH sounds like mine! I've mentioned it a few times to him and he just gives the "not on your life" look. I'm trying to wear him down though...

[McCartney]

Originally Posted by annie_noah

I'm very crunchy when it comes to parenting choices, but I'm also a white collar professional, enjoying shopping and team sports and that type of thing, but I try to make the greenest and most ethical choices I can.

You might enjoy my post called Flaunt Your Crunch! It also includes a link to a "test" to see how crunchy you are.

Love your blog! But I could not find the link for the test...?!

[7libramama]

Thank goodness for balance is all I can say! Doesn't matter really how crunchy as long as one is comfortable in their "level" of crunchiness! Funny but when I started "giving things up" I started liking how much lighter and more free I felt. I love not having to fuss with my hair or make up. I love the fact my family is doing it's part to reduce our carbon footprint. Hey I haven't heard of a family urine cloth? I think I get it, but for clarification?

[Shane]

Originally Posted by AndrewsMother

I would love to try both of the above, but DH thinks that it is weird. If I just make the switch he might not object too much.

"use family cloth for urine"

What does that mean? I'm not familiar.

[7libramama]

Hi Shane, I am guessing it's a washcloth or something to that effect that is reusable. I hadn't ever heard the term either. I wonder if my uber crunchy dbf would go for it.

[Collinsky]

Originally Posted by Shane

"use family cloth for urine"

What does that mean? I'm not familiar.

Originally Posted by 7libramama

Hi Shane, I am guessing it's a washcloth or something to that effect that is reusable. I hadn't ever heard the term either. I wonder if my uber crunchy dbf would go for it.

It can really be anything - pretty much anything you would make a cloth baby wipe from. Flannel squares, light washcloths, cut up t-shirt. You pretty much treat them like you would baby wipes or cloth diapers. (We don't use it ourselves - I've looked into it a little though since when we have a place with a washer and dryer we might.)

[Shane]

Originally Posted by 7libramama

Hi Shane, I am guessing it's a washcloth or something to that effect that is reusable. I hadn't ever heard the term either. I wonder if my uber crunchy dbf would go for it.

Ok! I get it. So maybe like the cloth washies I used in place of baby wipes? We've been known to go down that road before. See, I'm finding out through this thread I'm more crunchy than I've admitted to myself.

I don't use a gas lawn mower, just one of those old timey lookin' ones that has the blades all in a circle and you just push it and go. I've come home to find on more than one occasion my neighbors have cut my grass for me. They feel sorry for me for using the mower I use. But I just can't justify the air pollution for what I consider to be a small area to mow.
I don't shave or use deoderant.
I wash my hair once a week.
I take the bike 6 days a week. I have a bike trailer that sits both LOs and has room in the back for all our stuff.
We've used cloth shopping bags, forever.
Only fluroescent lighting.
Instead of a house alarm we have 6 dogs. On a wireless fence. They double as body pillows and foot warmers, so we can keep the thermostat low at night. We keep it set on 80 in the summer and 68 in the winter.
We mostly buy or make the kid's & pet's toys, wooden or cloth, mostly.
Can't give up the meat though. I love me some animals. I mean it, I really love them. I grew up on a farm and my daddy still kills a lot of our meat and he taught me that on slaughter day we'd tell our animals thank you for what they are providing to us. That that was their job and they were happy to do it for us. And never ever waste a bit of it, because that would be disrespectful. No matter how many they all have names and get petted and loved on regularly. I don't mean to offend anybody, that's just my personal story that I'm sharing.

[momoftworedheads]

My RL friends like to call me Earth mama or fashionably crunchy. I do like clothes but do not buy that many. I do like to get my hair done once in a while. I just grew it our for over a year and then donated it.

Here is what we do at our house:

We used a MW for 2 of our 3 sons births. Natural childbirth, no drugs at all!

Extended breastfeeding

Selectively vaccinated (1st child) and now no longer vaccinate at all!

babywearing

Co-sleeping

use a chiropractor, do yoga

cloth diapering

reuse clothing as much as possible. I buy most of my clothes at Goodwill and I do not care what anyone thinks.

walk or take public transportation to help the environment

recycling as much as we can

buying local produce and meat

I do like basic funky clothing and jeans. I do love Birkenstock sandals but only in summer! I wear mineral make up sometimes.

Take care!
jen

[lovinlife1219]

What a fun thread! I was born and raised as mainstream as it gets, and only in the past few years have I gotten more and more "crunchy"...some of my family thinks it's cool but most of them think I'm crazy! I live in a pretty rural area, so some things that are "crunchy" are more or less "country" out here. But then I've also noticed how people are so wasteful here too! Sure, everyone grows their own veggies and meat, but hardly anyone recycles! And WalMart is one of the only stores around, so I would venture to guess that almost everyone shops there for everything.

-Natural, un-medicated hospital birth
-Extended breastfeeding (don't even own a bottle)
-Cloth diapers (except I use disposables at night)
-Co-room (??? She was in my bed but now she is in her crib, right next to my bed. She can come in my bed if she wants, but she usually chooses her crib.)
-Recycled toilet paper and paper towels
-All natural cleaning products
-Homemade bread or from the bakery, baked that morning
-Mostly vegetarian, meat less than once a week, fresh food, no preservatives, corn syrup, food dyes, etc...about 60% organic
-Homeschooling
-One car
-Have chickens that roam our 1/2 acre and lay lovely eggs
-Grow a garden (but plan it bigger every year. Fruit trees are still babies)
-No vax, no well-visits, use homeopathy and chiropractor
-Recycle almost EVERYTHING
-No flouride
-Wear mineral makeup on rare occassions, don't dye hair
-Buy a lot 2nd hand
-Wooden toys
-No plastic grocery bags

I don't really know what else, that is what comes to the top of my head. That is what we're already doing, this is what we plan on doing next;

-no more disposable menstrual pads/use a Divacup (or something along those lines)
-more fruit trees, nut trees, berry bushes and a bigger veggie garden
-can and preserve what we don't eat
-dry all clothes on the clothesline that I am asking for Christmas
-compost everything that I can

I guess that's all for now. It's such an adventure!