Thursday 3 November 2011

Thinking about economics

So, apparently, the 80's are back!
Funny headgear,
and leg warmers!
Two of Guy's favourite things: Mikey the kitten, and his Dinosaur film!
We had a lovely half-term, which finished with a surprise visit from Grandad!
On a more serious note; we've been talking more and more about the Occupy Wall Street/Occupy the London Stock Exchange movements.
I've read some really interesting articles such as this one, and watched some interesting speakers. And, yet, I'm still trying to find out what I can do to tread lightly and live simply. The Mother has some good ideas, and I am enjoying making our own dishwasher and washing detergent. My recipes go something like this:
Recipe for Liquid Laundry detergent

2 1/4 Cup Liquid Castile Soap
1/4 Cup White Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Glycerin
3/4 Cup Water
10-15 Drops Essential oil (If you use Dr. Bronner’s Liquid Castile Soap, you can get tea-tree, peppermint, etc. which have antibacterial qualities, so you don't need to add the essential oil).

Combine all the ingredients, put them in an empty laundry container – done!
Shake before using. Use 1/4 cup for small loads, 1/2 cup for larger or very dirty loads.
Recipe for Homemade Dishwasher Detergent

1 cup Washing soda
1 cup Borax (you can still get it in the UK, but it's hard to find! E-bay and Amazon are probably your best bet!)
½ cup salt
½ cup citric acid

Mix together and store tightly covered in a Mason Jar or tupperware (This is important! Otherwise it absorbs moisture and goes down to mush!).
Use one tablespoon per load. Add vinegar to the rinse aid dispenser for the best results.

McMama makes a homemade washing powder which looks fairly simple, too.

Although, I'm still trying to work out - Are banks really bad? If so, how can I function in today's society without a bank account?
If the 1% are getting paid more than ever before and paying less taxes than ever before, what are they doing with the money? Why is it not trickling back down into the economy?
What is the appropriate response for St. Paul's cathedral to the protesters, who now say they want to stay camped there until after Christmas? And what, indeed, would Jesus do with the current state of the global economy?