I have to give a say a huge thank you to @elamental for putting together this competition and for constantly reminding us that we need to be making a conscious effort to be of more service to the earth. To look at how we are living our lives and to make the necessary changes so that we are living in harmony with nature. Everything we need to survive, comes from nature and our number one priority needs to be protecting that which sustains us.

We all need to start taking responsibility for how we live our lives, we need to start reflecting on the choices that we make on a day to day basis. What can we do differently that would benefit the earth, benefit us all? How can we expect anything to change if we do not change, it starts with us, with you and I.

I have lived off grid for 9 years now, first in my bus and now in my truck, I have relied on solar energy and my energy bank has grown within that time, just as my life and needs have. This is something we could all do and yes it is a huge change but the benefits are enormous. But this is not the earth deed I wish to share with you today, today I want to talk about the small changes you can make within your life. I am a big believer in starting out small, but always aiming to achieve big.

What do you use to clean yourself and your home. There are so many different cloths, sponges and brushes on the market today, all with their numerous selling points. All but one, at the end of the day all of these products have to be thrown away, but where do they go, into landfill and what exactly will they be adding to the soil?

This is what I use to clean my dishes, my work tops and also myself. It is very efficent at keeping both me and my house clean. The cleaning products I use, well that is for another time. It is made from Esparto grass which grows all over the mountains that surround my housetruck. The grass is cut and left to dry and viola it is good to go. It is 100% natural and 100% biodegradable. It is just one example of how nature provides everything we need, in ways that we may not have thought of.

Another example, is the mishak natural tooth brush. I have been using these for over 2 years now. The brush is actually a twig of the Salvadora persica tree. You need to chew the twig and then need to peel back the bark and underneath you will find that little bristles form, just like a brush. This one twig will last about 3 weeks and again anything that remains is 100% natural and biodegradable. As well as being a wonderful gift from nature, it also has many medicinal benefits.

Over the years, dental researchers and medical publications have studied the natural antibacterial properties found in the miswak, which is extracted from the roots and branches of a very particular tree called the Salvadora Persica, or Arak tree. Several of these studies reveal that when used correctly, the miswak can have a positive impact on your oral hygiene through:
• Plaque reduction
• Teeth whitening
• Fighting bad odor
• Killing bacteria
• Increasing salivation
• Helping with nicotine addiction
http://www.thisisatoothbrush.com/miswak/#miswak2

Remember every little step we make towards reducing our carbon footprint is a step in the right direction. I really encourage everyone to get involved in this great contest. @elamental will be running it most weeks, so make sure to keep an eye out on his blog for further contests.

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