Project Outcomes

How does your project affect the world, the field, your community, the client?

My project will affect numerous people as well as myself.  I have set my intentions to help gain my own self-reliance but to also help others better understand they can do it too, especially if they're living in a city.  Community is present everywhere, some communities may have stronger affiliations and clear relationships and roles, where others might not have much of an active community but in the end the people are still there. I want to emphasize using your community resources before gravitating towards more mainstream options. This self-reliance and independence can be very empowering so watch out! It feels great to tell people and show people what you can do with a little bit of knowledge.  There are other ways to focus more on the community other than making products that are healthy, for instance, using alternative transportation more.  This includes: biking, walking, carpooling and public transit.

What are the primary achievements of the project?

• Create a universal cleaning product
  
  

• Make all of my own beauty products
  
  

• Make my own unique recipes and be one of the few rather than one of the many
  
  

• Active experimentation
  
  
  
• Produce little waste
  
  
  
• Work in the kitchen to create typically bought products (granola bars, bread, salad dressing, peanut butter and nut milk)

Describe your contribution to building your peer networks, the knowledge commons and the epistemic community.

I had a lot of fun with this OP, I engaged in a variety of hands on experiments, which is how I learn best.  I focused on chatting with other Gaia community members on resources and materials used for creating my products.  I have established a guild buddy that I will begin meeting with in March and I have also focused on skyping and connecting with other like-minded folks who have helped me figure out my processes by asking supportive questions that push me to think.  I really value this creativity and aspect of Gaia.  As for the content I presented on I feel like it is the up and coming trend.  My goal was to really try to set myself apart from others, but also make it work for ME.  This was something that I talked about in depth with Liam, another associate and he said he was amazed by some of my recipes and was excited for me to share more. I am happy to say that some of my recipes are original (cream blush, foundation, toilet fizzes, dog toy, mascara, and granola bars-to name some right off the top of my head).  I definitely sourced out other recipes but I always made adaptions to make it work for what I had, or what I could source locally. 

Includes dissemination through...

• Discussions
• Output packet
• Community Outreach
• Video Documentation
• Talking with peers
• Gaia Newsletter

How may your work alter the political landscape in your home, your community and the wider sociopolitical arena?

My work will encourage the presence and necessity of sustainable communities in the world. A sustainable community means they thrive on what is present around them. In example: strong leaders, problem solving, outreach programs, individual strengths and important resources. With a sustainable community you will have people feeling involved, and needed. I think once this feeling is embraced only then will it truly alter the political landscape of the world. But initiating any sense of community should enhance your home life as well as your communal life because of the investment you feel towards your friends, co-workers, and the co-op down the street. My work also serves to bust the food, cleaning, and cosmetic industries. It shows that you can use a variety of natural, organic ingredients and still get effective products to make products for your body and for your home. It is also more cost effective and creates less waste as a whole. With this self-reliance it creates less dependency on larger corporations.  

A worldview/patrix that was observed and I would like to reduce was the traditional gender roles.  Majority of the project that I have set out to accomplish or have accomplished are linked with a female energy.  Where the woman spends all day at home completing projects to have a stocked house.  I also noticed that when it was brought up amongst peers that only woman had something to say about homesteading and their DIY endeavors.  Occasionally a man would speak up but it was usually to speak of the projects his female partner has been contributing in their home. It makes me really want to challenge this idea as time goes on as society has really pushed for these genderized jobs.  I strongly don't feel like it is just a woman's job to complete these projects. After digesting this and reflecting, I want to get more involved with the other side of homesteading with: building, construction, solar panels, and aquaponics.  To show that I am a lady of many facets and I can function in a variety of jobs and skills.

Just because something has worked well for me doesn't mean that it will work for you perfectly.  I mean nothing is perfect but however, be wiling to adapt and make amendments as you're working on a recipe.  I think that's the fun of it! It's a good tool to push yourself and seek out opportunities while experimenting.  For example, I really like brown mascara and found a lot of examples on how to make black mascara.  I figured why not try and use cocoa powder as it is used in a lot of my other health and beauty products.  Now I can day I have chocolate mascara and that I am wearing chocolate on my eyes- can you say that?  I feel proud and empowered that I am one of the few rather than on of the many.

I have built up my resume and cover letter due to my skill-flex session with Ava Klinger.  This will help me promote myself while searching for jobs in the field of Urban Agriculture.  I most recently had an interview for a Garden Teacher at an elementary school.  I see this as a great fit for what I would like my career path to be.  Mainly because of the hands on approach to learning that we give children and then growing food and teaching them about their roles in the environment. I have also focused on body language to support my feelings and thoughts about the people and settings around me.