Why DIY is all about Empowerment.

The greatest strength of Capitalism, according to economists, is its ability to self-correct. There is no lumbering government control mechanism dictating what should or should not be produced in a given year. It’s all determined by the people. And the people, to put it succinctly, know what they want. Those who fawn over capitalism’s genius tend to equate “know what they want” with “know what’s best.” But there’s always been a crucial piece to that equation, a “now you see it, now you don’t” kind of variable that ultimately determines the health of our entire behemoth of a mass-producing, mass-consuming society: knowledge.

Knowledge Is Power, or vice versa…

The people, with their dollars, can’t correct imbalances in what’s being produced, can’t “vote” for what’s really necessary, what’s really needed to benefit the people (as opposed to the corporations) without knowledge. Hence, the birth of advertising.

photo credit: Joan Thewlis

There’s nothing inherently wrong with advertising. It’s goal is simply to let people know whatcha’ got and then let the system work it’s magic — if they need it they will come. Unfortunately, as Noam Chomsky has pointed out, it was all too easy for the new corporate bigwigs in the 1940’s to come together and discover the key to their fortunes — it’s not “if they need it they will come” but “if they think they need it they will come.” As soon as that discovery was made, advertising moved to disempower the average American. The goal was not to appeal to their intelligences but to produce their ignorance.

Whether you believe this transformation was orchestrated or not, it’s impossible to ignore its results. Generation by generation goes by with products continually multiplying and spliting apart our ability to think or do almost anything. We’ve gone from a generation that no longer darns socks or fixes household tools to a generation that can’t even pick up sponge or a mop!

“Just Say No” to DIY

Our every activity, our every endeavor is parsed out to a unique gadget or wonder that eliminates our need to know anything about the goal and how to get there. Cleaning the shower? Here’s an automatic shower cleaner complete with automatic shower cleaner soap. Carpet? For that you’ll need a carpet cleaner with some special carpet cleaning soap, actually 3 kinds of carpet cleaning soap. Mopping the floor? Don’t overexert yourself! Just plug some batteries into this handy dandy mop with the special floor cleaning soap inside! Oh, there’s more. There’s window cleaning spray, oven cleaning, dish cleaning, dishwasher, laundry, car upholstery, house upholstery, furniture, computer, computer screen… Every application must have a different kind of soap. And we haven’t even talked about the body yet.

When I first discovered the world of homemade cleaning supplies I made a fascinating discovery: you can do all of those things with only four or five ingredients, all of them natural. It was like a door opened into another world. What did I feel? I felt powerful.

It wasn’t just about saving money, which is easy to do when you only need to buy a few inexpensive ingredients and you don’t need a whole cabinet of specialized soaps that cost an arm and a leg and get half-used before you throw them out. And it wasn’t just about saving the planet, which is easy to do when you’re using things like tea tree oil instead of bleach, or plain vinegar and water instead of whatever it is that they put in Windex (I don’t even want to think about it, but the smell tells me it can’t be good!).

It’s not just those little truths that make me feel powerful, it’s this: I know how to do it. Like generations before me, I know how to do it.

I’m reminded of my mother telling stories about my grandfather, who passed away when I was still 3 or 4. Having lived through the Depression, my grandfather didn’t buy things, he made them.

My mother tells stories of going butterfly catching with nets that he made, of a handmade glider on a stick that could be spun round and round and then deftly, with practice, be brought down to a safe landing just like a real airplane. The fort in their backyard was built from cardboard and came equipped with a counter-weighted door that would swing open with a string and then stay open until commanded shut again. These were beautiful times, times when we didn’t need corporations to get anything done, didn’t need them to have a good time.

Save the Planet by Doing It Yourself

Although it’s true that my sense of empowerment came from a pure sense of knowledge and ability, the fact remains that our over-reliance on advertised and mass-produced objects to get anything done represents more than just “learned helplessness”, it’s also destroying our planet.

Is the popularization of the green movement changing all that? To a certain degree, yes! Our information super-highway is injecting a healthy dose of “knowledge is power” into our society and jump-starting our economy into a widespread love affair with all things green. Companies like Seventh Generation have bloomed and graduated from the local health food store to membership in the world of chains and big box giants. Even still, unless we continue to educate and empower ourselves, there’s no reason we can’t be duped.

photo credit: Cookiemouse

With Walmart’s decision to join the game leading to a reduction in the stringency of organic certification (and thus the permission of greater use of pesticides and synthetics while still using the label “organic”) it’s clear that we can’t rely on the big guys to give us true green products just because we ask for them. If they can get away with it, they’ll bend the rules without telling us.

The same goes for skin care products and cosmetics. The Organic Consumer Association’s current push to regulate organic claims on cosmetics stems from the fact that any company can take a product containing mainstream ingredients (synthetic foaming agents, preservatives, etc.), add a few organic herbs, and then label it “organic.” You simply cannot walk into your favorite health food store, buy something labeled “organic” and go home thinking you’ve gone all-natural and sustainable.

So what’s there to do? You can learn the lingo on the labels of course. You can dissect those chemical formulas to avoid a laurel sulfate or a paraben, but say yes to glycerin (a simple vegetable sugar) and tocopherol (Vitamin E).

Or you can do something else: you can make it yourself.

By making our own household and bath products we ensure that everything that goes into them is non-toxic and natural. We reduce waste by only making what we need. And we empower ourselves to capitalize on the joy in doing versus the joy in buying.

HurricaneCandice speaks of the DIY movement in her Eco Warrior blog:

One of the things I love so much about the Sustainability movement is the sense of empowerment. It’s such a subversive act, to deny corporations and “the norm” and choose to do something on your own, with your own hands and know-how. One of my good friends was telling me that her craft store was booming these days, that people are starving for engagement. People are more and more interested in hands-on, DIY stuff because it means they get to be closer to nature, closer to their families; doing things out of love and dedication instead of feeling forced.

DIY empowerment is alive and well, whether it’s fiber artists making and sharing gorgeous one-of-a-kinds, woodworkers keeping ancient craftsmanship alive, or hackers twisting electronics to their own lifestyle.

While completing my recent research into natural preservatives and methods for skin care products (Part 2 of my Guide to Natural Skin Care Preservatives coming soon!), I’ve been fully enjoying my new hobby, with the awareness that I’m joining a movement, empowering myself, and mothering the earth, all at the same time. David Wann says it well in his Simple Prosperity: Finding Real Wealth in a Sustainable Lifestyle, with words that inspire me:

I began to notice that people whose lifestyle didn’t center on money were often healthier and more interesting… They were passionate about doing active, celebratory things like playing music, dancing, playing chess or bridge, embroidering, fly fishing, cooking delicious meals, studying history, gardening, and staying current with political issues. TV wasn’t a central part of their lives; they were less distracted by commercial hype and less detoured by all the products. What they earned seemed less important than what they learned. I watched how they focused directly on the tasks at hand and accomplished them with finesse and artistry. I was fascinated that in many cases, the ordinary American Dream-life was much more expensive than the extraordinary lives of these unique, self-creating people who lived their lives rather than trying to buy them. They had real wealth, or you might say, the right stuff.

What about you? Do you find those moments when you take the time to “do it yourself” are worth it?

I’m getting ready to post more homemade recipes, too, so let me know what you need or suggest a few of your own!

Sharing Knowledge is Sharing Power!

Mama Hope

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