ear ear
You know there's a problem when you start thinking it might be worthwhile to steal a single cotton bud from the natural soap and shampoo stall in order to sneak away and clean your ears!
Frank and I were at the Deloraine craft fair this afternoon, and surrounded by all manner of wonderful wares such as handmade paper, merino wool knitted skirts, watercolour paintings, recycled wood furniture and beaded jewellery my eyes lit upon the cotton buds.
Somewhere along the way I fell into the bad habit of cleaning my ears every morning with a cotton bud. I know, I know - the packaging says 'never insert into ear canal' but there is little in life more satisfying than cleaning one's ears when they feel a little clogged.
Two weeks ago my last packet ran out and I have been working hard to resist buying more. I realise it is only a small thing, but the plastic in those cotton buds is not recyclable and I am loathe to continue to use something which will only become landfill. And besides that, it is quite hard to find them in cardboard packaging and I refuse to buy yet another plastic container. Consequently I have been doing without my favourite daily ablution and my ears have become heavy and itchy and altogether uncomfortable. When I saw those cotton buds today I thought I might have gained a temporary reprieve.
Until I realised just how mad it is to steal a cotton bud to clean my ears! I managed to resist, but only because I was distracted by the Australian made echidna puppets and platypus toys.
Is all this environmental fervour really worthwhile? I think perhaps I might be taking it too far!
Update: I snaffled one from work so all should be well for another week or two!
Labels: environment, health, nablopomo 08
posted by cecily @ 6:56 pm
6 comments
6 Comments:
Thief ... environmentalist ... hmmm.
:)
Hey, Luke is back!
The nurse in you is coming out. Thank goodness you didn't steal that bud or you'd be writing about being arrested for shoplifting. I'll have to look around to see if we have recyclable ones for you!
Ha! That's hilarious, Cecily.
I had the same insane craving when I was on vacation last week. I didn't have any Q-Tips and my ears were slightly itchy. My paranoia made it a hundred times worse. I think I may have been inclined to steal, too, should I have been faced with the option.
Our doctor has told us to use either vinegar or hydrogen peroxide to wash out our ears. It feels weird, but the acid neutralized the base (from soap and whatnot) and leaves the ears happy and itch-free.
Works!
I don't have your commitment, I'm slightly obsessive about Q-tips! Maybe you could make your own reusable ones...like with scraps of fabric on a small stick that you could wash and reuse....actually that sounds really gross (though not as gross as reusable fabric toilet squares!) :)
There must be recyclable ones out there somewhere!
I've been thinking about this a little more. How is it possible that you are a nurse AND an environmentalist? Don't you contribute to landfill in the name of sterility all day, every day?
:D
Lmao!
Okay, I confess...I know it's wrong but I clean my ears too.
Not quite as obsessive about it as you, Cec - I usually go 2 or 3 weeks before they need it, so I can rationalise my use of the cotton buds because a packet usually lasts me a year or more.
I know vinegar is probably great, and I've a friend who swears by hydrogen peroxide, but I don't think either would feel so satisfying...!?
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