[SustainableTompkins] deodorant

[Gail Blake]

Well, to take up my own challenge and stay unashamed, try not using 
deodorant. Just wash your arm pits every day (that sponge bath thing 
if you're not showering). When I first tried this 25 years ago, the 
first couple of weeks were pretty difficult. I smelled really bad - 
it seemed like I was purging all those toxins that 
deodorant/anti-perspirant had prevented me from purging for years. I 
thought, "Wow, I am going to have to abandon this experiment!" Then 
all of a sudden it got better and that daily washing took care of the 
problem. I have spoken to other people who have had this same 
experience. And if you think that I just got used to the smell, I am 
willing to bet money that my coworkers, the people in my yoga class, 
and the people I dance with don't think of me as "that smelly woman".

When you think of what deodorant and anti-perspirant do - either mask 
odors or prevent your body from perspiring, which is important to 
ridding your body of toxins - you may want to look at other solutions 
to the problem you are trying to solve. The odor is there because 
there is something on your skin that has a smell you don't want to 
have. Use plain old soap and water to wash it off. No more little 
plastic bottles.

Earthily, Gail

At 04:29 PM 2/26/2008, you wrote:
>I was not offended by Tony's comment (I gave him the benefit of the
>doubt and assumed he had tongue-in-cheek); in fact, given his
>profession (chef), I hope he does wash his hair more often than I do.
>
>But staying earthy (and along the lines of that great series of
>graphics re: all our "by-products" on display at IC):
>
>Does anyone have suggestions for deodorants that do not come with
>lots of plastic packaging?
>
>I brush my teeth with baking soda, and the cardboard container is
>easily recycled, but Tom's no longer has deodorant in glass bottles,
>and I hate to think how many plastic Tom's dispensers have been
>buried in Seneca Meadows on my behalf.
>
>We do have to balance ecological responsibility with social
>responsibility--minimizing BO.  Heavens, one reason Isabella
>bank-rolled Columbus was to get all those East Indian spices to mask
>odors.
>
>Margaret
>
>PS: actually, this has nothing to do with how smart we are: we
>habituate to our own BO, and this can be a problem in close
>quarters.  Ask Amy  (local girl makes good) seems to print a letter
>on the subject of how to diplomatically tell co-workers they have an
>odor several times a year--so scads of letters must be getting sent
>to her on the subject.  I've been meaning to write in to her saying
>that BO is not always a matter of hygiene; sometimes it reflects a
>health problem such as diabetes.  Other times it's just food
>preferences.  I know I have gone through garlic phases that were
>probably not pleasant in close quarters.
>
>
> >  > Frankly folks, I find some of this discussion a little......too earthy.
> >
> >Nothing like a little shaming to put an end to a useful discussion. And I
> >was just thinking how wonderful it is when this listserv becomes an
> >electronic "salon". I would go so far as to say that your insinuation here
> >is a bit offensive, Tony.
> >
> >We really need to trust that everyone on the list is smart enough to
> >figure out when they are in danger of offending their co-workers and need
> >to wash. Living more sustainable is going to mean challenging many of the
> >behaviors that have been marketed to us by corporations and media. It's
> >going to bring up the ick factor for many of us. But if we don't have an
> >honest and open dicussion, how can we ever hope to change things?
> >
> >Gail
> >
> >
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