In the life of a Treekid |
The treekids are students who live at Dickinson College's Center for Sustainable Living, aka the Treehouse. We strive to change our lifestyles to make less of an impact on the environment. But what really happens in the life of a Treekid? Are short showers and cozy sweaters all there is to being a Treekid? |
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Hey guys!
One of my goals for the semester was to understand what is in my beauty products, and when possible try to make my own. What I am finding out is that making my own products would be fairly labor and time intensive (at least for a college student.)
BUT that finding better alternatives to products is fairly easy.
If started out on a gradual slope. Last semester I began using Suave with all natural Shea butter, by far not perfect but a small step forward. Then, before the semester even started I started using Organix organic coconut milk shampoo and conditioner. It’s made out of egg whites and coconut milk mostly…and also very expensive for the quantity…so also not the best option for me, but so far I have loved how it has made my hair feel! I don’t want to go back to inorganic hair products.
I am realizing just how many chemicals are in the products I previously used. So my new challenge is to only use organic or all natural beauty and hygiene products for two weeks!
In order to do this I will be:
- Washing my hair with baking soda (after I finish my other organic shampoo) 1tbs baking soda per cup of water (this can be increased with hair thickness and length)
- Conditioning with Organic Apple Cider Vinegar. Also 1tbs per cup of water, only applied to hair below the scalp. Can also be increased for hair texture, thickness, and length.
- Deep Conditioning with Organic Coconut Milk (most likely once a week) http://saisun.hubpages.com/hub/Going-Nuts-for-Coconut-Milk-Hair-Conditioner
- Using a 100% vegetable soap (The Honey & Black Seed Soap pictured above)
- Tom’s Natural Toothpaste
- Tom’s Natural Deodorant (Not the best natural choice, It contains aluminum like most deodorants, which is not environmentally friendly and has been linked to breast cancer.) Hopefully, I will find a better alternative soon.
- Burt’s Bees Lip Balm and Lotion
- No Make-up!
Some of the other tree kids may be joining in on my escapes.
It’s going to be quite the adventure. Feel free to ask questions about what I am doing and what you can do!
Treelove,
Kenze
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I had the best saturday this past weekend! Why, you ask? Well it didn’t involve crazy college shenanigans. Nope, I merely spent my time with my housemates! In the morning I spent some time with fellow treekid, Megan, and we strolled around High Street enjoying the Arts Festival in town. After smelling all the decorative candles and making plans for crafting jewelry together in the future, I hopped over to the student-run bike shop, the Handlebar (if you haven’t been I suggest a visit soon!!) and hung out with the Advisor, Glen Peterman, who helped me do some conversions on my bike and get it back on the road. Super excited to have a fully-functioning bike again, I did a circuit out at Wagonner’s Gap Road past beautiful farm country. It felt so nice to be flying down the road, getting temporarily off campus for some time to think as I looked out at the vast fields and mountains around me. I returned to the house to find that my housemates wanted to go swinging at a park nearby, so I hopped on my bike again with them and we chatted at a park until it got dark. It was so nice to reconnect with them as well after a hectic week of presentations, classes, and meetings. It’s especially nice to realize that people you live with and take for granted when you’re running out the door on the weekdays, enjoy your company and want to know what’s going on in your life. Upon returning, the treekids went to the a-capella concert on campus and then we all returned to our house. In typical treehouse fashion, about half the house ended up surrounding the couch we have in our kitchen, as some of us ate, knitted, or played music precariously seated on a variety of chairs or squished together on the couch. We talked and talked until after midnight about a bunch of things and laughed SOO much! I think my favorite thing about living in the treehouse is that you never have to plan out your weekends. The more you let yourself enjoy the company of others around you, the more you learn about people around you and the more relaxed you become. I hope this is a lesson I can take from the treehouse even after I leave, since it makes me appreciate spending my time with such great people!
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NotesTonight was the bike to the farm potluck! Almost everyone in the house joined the event and biked the 7 miles to the college farm where we shared a DELICIOUS potluck meal. We all crowded around the fire for the chilly evening and watched the beautiful sunrise behind the yurts.
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At the Treehouse, we mow our lawn with a push mower instead of a regular gas powered mower. It’s actually kinda fun!
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NotesBefore and After eating local foods at the Dickinson College Art on the Farm event last night.
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We had some fun today picking from Dickinson’s edible landscaping for our Outing Club dinner!
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