to use the dishwasher or to handwash ?

Ever since I have been having the privilege of a dish washer in the kitchen, I have had this on going debate. Three things which need to be considered: use of electricity to run the machine, energy used to heat the water used and of course even blow/air dry dishes in the washer; water consumed, and the eco-damage cased by the dish washer detergents. Dish washer detergents, in comparison to hand washing liquid or dish bar soap, are more chemical ridden ( thats the logic behind us not being able to use regular dish detergent for the dish washers.)


I would want to experiment with soapnuts to wash dishes....have to see how that works out...i remember my ammama telling me about how the erstwhile dhobiz used soapnuts to wash pattu/silk sarees. Translating the soapnut effect to dishes should work .right?..btw it was my 'shampoo" till i moved out to be on my own....

Read more...

And then ...I found Craigslist!

I have loved "preloved" furniture. Fascination for the whole concept of extending life of mundane things has kept me more greener than I could be. Buying used and second hand extends life of furniture and helps keeping it alive. Coming from a culture where furniture is passed down through generations and even cars live as long as 20 years in a single home, I used to be utterly amused to find perfectly workable furniture and goods near the garbage bin (read - in the US). It was very normal to get some decent and usable stuff back home to my apartment while I was a penny-saving-struggling student. I should admit, I do like to extend life of things if they work for me. One such thing in my house is a faux plant which was to be gutted and I picked it up. It provided my drab balcony with a fresh appeal through the frozen winter and moved onto some one else's house as the kitchen garden took over my balcony :). I feel happy to have saved a small amount of plastic from becoming landfill. I am not sure how long we can hold it out, but I am sure this will help for a while at least!

Craigslist is the sole shopping center for me in the US. sounds familiar?...yes i am among those hooked cragislist shoppers. For me it is more than hunting for a bargain. I get motivated seeing the amount of sales happening on the site. It keeps me from wanting more "stuff". How?...hmm simple....I see the amount of things/stuff people want to get rid off and I assure my happiness in being a minimalist. More than anything, I like to love furniture pieces which have been cared for by another person but they don't have space for it in their lives. Provided it can fit into mine :). Th cane set in my living room, my ikea dining table , bed side tables, study table and the chair and recently, an Ikea Poang chair and footstool live with me in my apartment.


I miss not having things passed down from a grandparent, or some antique kitchen stuff my grandmother. :(.. Seems like craigslist gives me a chance to just look at things people leave for their grandchildren. Weird right! but it takes a few strands of EQ to understand my sentiment!

Hail Craigslist!

Read more...

The Movie about Food in the US

All these days, I used feel I was alone in defending local buying, eating as organic and natural, unprocessed as possible....i hope this movie will be an eyeopener for everyone. Even people who are not a part of my life,  matter to me...they do...because, a single sick person in the society means the added cost and associated under productivity. So it does come back to me...I am among those who believe in "vasudeva kutumbam"

Read more...

मुंबई मेरी जान -notes to self

I sat down to watch a movie, an incident based one for that matter, after a long time. Haven't been able to get myself to do that for a while now. I am not sure if I can ever understand common man's rationality.

Hyper sensitive leads to nothing constructive. Having known this for a long time now, I have not done anything much to overcome that, at least according to me. I am taking my baby steps even as I speak.

Read more...