So I Ask the Tribe, “What Does Crunchy Mean?”

crunched by Crunchy Betty on August 15, 2011
filed under Are You A Crunchy Betty?, Food For Your Soul

What does “crunchy” mean to you?

While you’re reading, ponder this.

—

You belong to a tribe. If you’re reading this, if you’ve ever commented on this site, if this reaches your email inbox, if you’ve sent me an email – you belong to this tribe. No membership fee required, and it appears that you didn’t even have to give written consent.

You are part of the crunchy movement tribe. (Even if all you’ve ever done is curiously touch a strawberry to the pimple on your chin.) You ARE a Crunchy Betty.

Let me tell you, this came as a huge surprise to me. This tribe thing. I didn’t know we were doing it, and I didn’t have a clue that’s what was happening.

But this weekend, I devoured Seth Godin’s book called Tribes, and suddenly the curtains in my brain parted and understanding poured through.

In a nutshell: Tribes are a group of people who have a common “cause” (ours being more crunchy), a leader, and a way to all communicate with each other to strengthen the bonds of the cause. We’re a force to be reckoned with, because we don’t do what businesses and corporations want us to do – we do what WE want.

The Evolution of the Crunchy Movement

When I first started this blog, I was clueless about blogging. I didn’t really have a regular blog that I read, and somewhere in the back of my mind, blogging was still “keeping an online diary” (which I did, sadly, back in my early 20s … and it was wholly self-serving and kinda pathetic).

So I’ve fumbled around in the dark quite often in the last year and a half.

But miraculously, with the help of YOU (every one of you), we were able to take this little idea and turn it into something energetic and full of momentum and dense with actions we can take on a daily basis.

YOU DID THIS.

We can officially call this a movement now. A lighthearted one, an experimental one, but a movement nonetheless.

We’re taking our lives – even in small, incremental steps – in a new direction. We’re casting off the hypnotizing magic of marketing and returning to self sufficiency and thoughtful progress in a wholly natural and conscious direction.

We’re changing our lives; and, as such, we are changing the world. (If you want proof, go back and look at the honey challenge – look at how many people participated and are STILL participating, look at all the blog posts.)

Part of being a tribe is supporting and helping those who have questions, those who need uplifting, and sharing our own opinions (EVEN and especially if they contradict mine). You guys have done that in spades through the comment section here and through the Crunchy Community. Please pat yourselves on the back (I would do it, but my arms only reach my coffee.)

I, on the other hand, have faltered quite often (as my inbox full of 68 unreturned emails over the last two weeks is showing). I promise to be better about helping you, especially because you guys are so freaking good at helping each other.

So What Does “Crunchy” Mean to You?

I receive that question a lot: “What exactly does ‘crunchy’ mean?”

So I’ve had to define it a lot, and the definition always shifts a little, but here’s what it boils down to.

To me, “crunchy” means:

Choosing first to try to heal, beautify, and clean using natural sources.
Being conscious of purchases we do make, knowing that buying is inevitable, but making unhealthy choices is not.
Being willing to get messy, make mistakes, and laugh at our experiments-gone-wonky.
Finding grace and gratitude in everything nature does offer, in the things we do have, and treating the earth like the integral part of life it is.
Having the willingness to share our knowledge and experience with people who ask questions or seem curious.
Striving to choose what’s “real” over what’s synthetically produced – in our beauty routines, in our households, and in our food choices.
Taking each day as a new opportunity to be more conscious of our actions, relationships, and the world around us.

What it does not mean to me:

Being stinky and unattractive.
Behaving in dogmatic ways and shaming those who choose not to join us or who have different beliefs.
Lacking in any way, shape, or form just because we choose not to blindly pull products off of shelves and cart bags home with us.
Losing personal style or fashion.

We need to define this, though, as a tribe. Even though I may have the framework, it is you guys who define what you want to embrace.

And I want to know what that is.

I want us, together, to define crunchy, so that when people leave comments saying “I’m not crunchy AT ALL, and I will never be” we can say, “Wait. But here’s what ‘crunchy’ really means. Are you sure you don’t want to choose that?”

So now you tell me, Tribe of Crunch, what does “crunchy” mean – specifically – to you?

And to take this even one step further: What can I do for you? What can I do to help YOU learn more, be more, and do more toward your goal to getting back to what’s real and natural?

What can I do for the tribe that’s about to define – ultimately – what the word “crunchy” means?

(This is so exciting.)

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gonefishin

I’d say you nailed my defintion of what crunchy is & isn’t. I especially like the part about getting messy, sharing our fails & laughing over the experience. Keep doing what you’re doing – I wouldn’t change a thing. Many thanks & lotsa luv! <3
- Crunchy Betty
  
  Aw, thanks!
  
  I always say that putting food on your face makes you look younger. Not only because the food’s good for your skin, but because you’re so busy laughing about how silly it all is, you feel like you’re 7.
  
  And nothing makes you look younger more than FEELING younger!
Julie

I love your definition! My recent crunchiness (e.g., I keep swiping stuff from the kitchen and moving it into the bathroom!) has inspired a little teasing from my husband (“When did you turn into a hippie?”), but he totally supports it and seems to be trending that way himself, which is saying a LOT. That would not be the case if I stopped shaving and wearing a bra, and I think your definition hits on that, in not so many words.

One thing that would help me: a few pages on your site that help summarize and contextualize all the great information. For instance, you have blog entries discussing OCM, and blog entries discussing washing with honey, and blog entries discussing acne treatment. How about a page on “Skin Care” that brings it all together? It could include links to the in-depth discussions, but give a broader discussion to help us determine which experiments might be best for us. In other words, if you were to write a book that included chapters on skin care, hair care, cleaning, etc., what would those chapters look like?

Alternatively, you could write a book…;-)
- Crunchy Betty
  
  Well, there are the category pages, which I *try* to keep well organized, but I know that’s not always the case (and sometimes you have to wade through a lot of posts to get to the one you’re looking for). I’ve known for some time that this was going to be an issue – I just don’t know how to solve it yet. However! Your prodding gives me the impetus to start looking into just how to do that.
  
  Secondly, your comment about your husband is point in case that SOMEONE has to go first in all of this – we are those someones. And as we “show” our loved ones, so to do they start shifting over. And as they do, then so do friends, and neighbors … and the world! (Or at least the friends and neighbors part.)
  
  Stay crunchy, my friend. Stay crunchy.
  
  Mwah!
Terran

I think we can do better than this: Choosing first to try to heal, beautify, and clean using natural sources.
And be broader: Choosing first natural sources. Everything. Anything we put in or on our bodies (or our family’s bodies) does come first, but what about what occurs around us in our environment? First our house, cause we can control that, then our neighborhood, where we buy from, and eventually our world. (yeah Im an over achiever!)

I was thinking just the other day I needed a natural way to keep ants away from my Cat’s food. And the first thing I thought of was “Hey, I wonder if Crunchy Betty has anything that can help!”
(and a search feature for key words in the blog would totally rock!) *hint hint*

So, this may be to broad, but why not think big and start small?
- Crunchy Betty
  
  There’s that little search bar over on the right hand side, but I KNOW it just feeds back any posts with that word in it. So if you’re searching for “moisturizer” you could get a post about toenail clipping in which I said “after you use moisturizer, clip your toenails” and that doesn’t help much, now, does it?
  
  Checking into better search functions. On the top of my list now.
  
  ALSO, I LOVE THAT YOU ARE AN OVERACHIEVER. Big dreams beget big results. (Although, when I’m too much of an overachiever, I get all freaked out and sit on my couch for a week … overload.) But you’re right. Start with one thing, move to the next when you’re ready, and don’t stop moving until you look at your life one day and go “LOOK AT THE CHANGE! And it didn’t even hurt.”
  - Terran
    
    O M COW (yeah I mixed both of those)
    
    I didn’t see the search until you pointed it out (and I still had to look hard cause I couldn’t believe I missed it.) Think I was expecting it to be in a different spot. ANY search is better than none!! but yeah, maybe an advanced option, something like in a message board (dont think that would be to hard to fit in)
    
    My apologies for not seeing it and asking for something already provided! lol teaches me to look harder! Or get new contacts… or maybe both /sigh I shouldn’t need bifocals at 35 *kicks and screams*
- alicia
  
  I spray “orange water” where I don’t want ants. My “recipe” is: grate several oranges for the peels (This can be done as you eat them and kept in the frig until you get enough). Simmer in 4 cups of water for about 10 minutes. Cool. Place in a glass jar, covered, and let sit for 24 hours. Shaking a few times. Strain the peels out and place in a spray bottle. Spray wherever needed. It wont harm pets and smells nice too. Hope this helps.
  - Terran
    
    Alicia,
    
    This sounds AMAZING! I cant wait to try it!! I bet it smells AWESOME!
    I HATE bugs, and ants, and anything crawly (except baby animals and small children, those I can stand! lol)
    
    Im glad its pet and child friendly. I always worry about what my 5 yr old touches. I have had our bug guy out, but he tells me, with the rain we’ve had (and not much here in the desert) it’s just run them inside and I have to wait it out. But I CANT STAND IT. Makes me feel like my house is dirty /sob Im not a clean nut, or a neat freak, but man, Im sure you guys know what I mean, you see a bug, you think there’s some reason they are there.
    Hebe Jebees (sp?) to the max!
    - Karlita
      
      Ok I wonder if that orange water would work on other bugs.
      
      I won’t get too graphic, but I live in Florida and WOW sometimes the bug is so big, it’s like a small bird. Freaking scary as hell. And I just haven’t been able to bring myself to throw out the Raid can yet. I know, I know it’s poison.
      
      Well I shall make this and spray it around and hope it helps repel invaders!
      
      Thanks crunchy friend ;)
      - Chantel
        
        Beekeeping friends suggest sprinkling ground cinnamon to keep ants from crawling into a beehive … wonder if it would work for your cat food dish.
http://laffytaffydaphne.blogspot.com/ Rebekah

To me, being crunchy means 1) living simply and 2) THINKING about what I do, eat, and use– rather than falling into a marketing-driven rut.

I guess it’s just living smart.

When making decisions, I factor in a lot of things. Health, effectiveness, money, ease, and FUN. :) Sometimes it’s smart for me to be a hippie: blend up some coconut milk, slap clay on my face, use cotton rags instead of paper towels. And sometimes it’s smart for me to buy a product off the shelf: hairspray and ketchup fall into that category right now. But at least I know that I THINK about my decisions.
- Crunchy Betty
  
  Yep. See. You nailed it.
  
  You just solidified another thought about being crunchy. It doesn’t mean you absolutely have to do everything by hand, from scratch. You buy products; you love them. Just knowing the difference between sustainably produced/healthy products and mass manufactured/synthetic products is the important part.
  
  I think we’re at this gorgeous crux in humanity where we get to start choosing to reconnect with “real” things, while still enjoying the comforts of “modern” manufacturing.
  
  You don’t have to throw the baby out with the bathwater. You just HAVE to make sure the baby is healthy, causes no harm, and promotes sustainability.
  
  It’s just time to get rid of a WHOLE LOT of bathwater in our lives. That’s all.
Lynne Miller

Love “Cruncy Betty” and I”m wondering if anyone has a solution to the musty smell of front loading washing machines. the commercial brand cleaners are very toxic and expensive. I”ve been adding vinegar to the rinse cycles but could still use something else. Any ideas??
- http://upyourimpactfactor.com/ Jenny
  
  Hot water, vinegar and baking soda. Plenty of all three, I’m not sure the exact amounts I used…maybe a quart of white vinegar and a cup or two of baking soda. Let it swish around, then let it sit awhile. Finish the cycle and it should remove the odor. If that doesn’t work, a clothespin on the nose is my only other tip. Good luck!
- kylieonwheels
  
  Hi Lynne, I haven’t noticed a musty smell with my front loader, but I am pedantic about leaving the door open when not in use. I think they may get a bit damp if they’re left shut up, since they have a tight seal on the door. Maybe try leaving yours ajar?
  - Melissa
    
    We were having the same problem and were even getting a grody black mildew forming around the seal – yuck! Like kylieonwheels said, we also found that leaving the door open to dry the washer out after use has helped so much!
http://meremonti.wordpress.com/ Meredith

To me, being crunchy means embracing your body’s natural ability to be beautiful. My hair doesn’t need shampoo to shine and my face doesn’t need commercial products to be smooth and even. Give me some baking soda, apple cider vinegar, and honey and I can conquer the world!

Or at least greasy hair and spotty skin.

Recently, I’ve also found that being crunchy means spreading the crunch. Coconut oil removes my makeup and leaves the delicate skin around my eyes moisturized!? This is a discovery worth cluing all my friends in on.

I agree with what others have said about a search feature. I’d love to be able to type “lip balms” into a the search bar and get all lip balm-related posts in one place!

Crunch on!
- Crunchy Betty
  
  Oooh ooh. I love this. “Embracing your body’s natural ability to be beautiful.”
  
  So, so empowering, that is. You know, with a healthy dose of perspective, you can see a little good in the fog of materialism (and unnatural beauty) has been for us. Without it, would we have been able to both rediscover and CELEBRATE our natural beauty? Or would we still be taking it for granted.
  
  I know we still have a way to go. But, holy moly if the internet isn’t bringing all of us together in such empowering ways.
  
  Long live the internet; and long live US, being thoughtful and caring and gentle towards ourselves and one another.
  
  Sigh.
  
  (Oh. PS. There is a search bar up there – it’s just kinda hard to see. I know sometimes it gives an excess of results, but that should help a little until I figure out a more precise search situation.)
  - http://meremonti.wordpress.com/ Meredith
    
    So, so, so true about finding the good in the “fog of materialism.” I’m so happy I’ve thrown myself into all that crunchy is!
    
    Thanks for the tip about the search bar…how did I miss that!?
http://upyourimpactfactor.com/ Jenny

I loved your definition and don’t think I could do any better.

For me, when I first saw the URL, the name of this site made me smile and instantly I HAD to know what it was about. I think part of that initial appeal was because when I was in my 20s, my friends and I all considered ourselves “earthy crunchy.” It was just a replacement for “hippies” because those were our parents.

Now that I shave my armpits and wear a bra when I go out, it’s nice to know I can still qualify as ‘crunchy’ in your tribe.

Plus, crunchy’s just good. Crunchy nuts, crunchy cookies, crunchy cereal…crap now I’m hungry.
- Crunchy Betty
  
  Y’know, I live in a town that’s full of hippies. FULL. Old hippies, new hippies, rainbow kids, and what all the hippies refer to as “wannabes.”
  
  The funny thing is, I wouldn’t fit in with a SINGLE ONE of these groups. Not a single.
  
  Taking on the task of redefining the word “crunchy” to mean something other than “stinky hippie” is something that was unexpected. But SO much fun.
  
  So, yeah. You won’t see me not shaving any time soon. And if I don’t shave, then no one else has to stop either. Unless you want to. And even then, I might not want to know about it.
  
  Also, I feel like you had a place in the tribe before you even came into my life. Weird. But true.
  
  Mwah!
Brittney

Being Crunchy in my opinion is making sure my beautiful 6 month old daughter is in a safe, happy and healthy home. I was completely unaware of the dangers of household chemicals until I got pregnant. That’s when I started reading labels and wrapping my head around all of the dangerous toxins that are in almost every cleaning and beauty product in the stores. I want my baby girl to be safe and I knew I had to take serous action.

I am now known as the KooK in the family with all the honey and cocoa powder dripping off of my face, running around the house spraying vinegar everywhere with Livie (my daughter) glued to my hip who is trying so desperately to get a good lick off of my nose.

I absolutely LOVE your blog and I am proud to be a member of this tribe!
- Crunchy Betty
  
  It’s incredible the ways little ones can open our eyes to something we never saw (or at least never thought was important) before.
  
  As moms, we do the best we can with what we have where we are, all the time. I’ve had more than a few conversations with my mother over her feeling guilty about the things she fed us/cleaned with around us, etc. But the thing is, back then, she just didn’t know. Just like I’m sure there will be things our kids will know that we didn’t.
  
  Making those decisions, though, based on the available information – and using our brains to think through it all? That’s what’s going to help the generation we’re rearing make the world a better place.
  
  You’re such a good mom. Hope you’re taking pictures of all this!
http://wifelife2011.blogspot.com Grace

Love this post! It is inspirational. I have always summed up my “crunchy” lifestyle as natural, healthy, and eco-friendly. Those are my priorities.
- Crunchy Betty
  
  Yay for inspirational! And I like your definition. Quick, not confusing at all, and to the point. An easy concept to share.
  
  Awesomeness.
http://franticallysimple.com simply heidi

I love your definition! This post made me smile because just this weekend, my husband was complaining about some interaction he’s had with a rude “non-bra wearing crunchy granola”. I smiled at him as asked, “What’s a crunchy granola? Someone who makes her own deodorant? Washes her face with honey? Doesn’t use shampoo?” Since all of those things define me – he got all squirmy and mumbled something about birkenstocks (which I don’t wear). Crunchy is as crunchy does, I think.
By the way, what’s the opposite of crunchy? Chewy?
- Crunchy Betty
  
  Hahaha. I had to tell this story to Skip, because not only do we live in a town full of bona-fide hippies, but he works in a restaurant/brewery with a bunch of ‘em too.
  
  I was just saying in a comment above, I’d never in a million years truly fit in with “bona-fide hippies.” And I guess THAT is the purpose of this post – figuring out how to embrace what we love and believe while shedding a few of the icky stereotypes that the word crunchy has.
  
  The opposite of crunchy, I think, is soggy. Yes. Soggy. Henceforth, we will refer to fashion magazines and synthetic cosmetics as “soggy.”
  
  LOVE it.
  - http://franticallysimple.com simply heidi
    
    Soggy it is!
    That was exactly the point of the conversation my husband and I were having too – crunchy, not uh… dirty.
    I have promised him that no matter how many personal care/grooming items I make in my own kitchen, I will always continue to wash, shave, wear bras, and avoid patchouli like the black death.
    To those who choose otherwise – go ahead and dance to the beat of your own hippie tambourine. Variety is the spice of life. That’s just not the life for me.
http://cybermathwitch.blogspot.com CyberMathWitch

Thank you so much for this post. See what you’ve written here about tribes has really crystalized some things for me that have been floating around in my head for awhile now. Plus, I think it was good for me to stop and really think about what “Crunchy” means.

1. Crunchy means going for whatever natural (honestly natural, not just labeled that way) solutions I can find first, before trying synthetic ones. This could be anything from what I eat to what I put on my face, in my hair, or even use to clean with. This is the outward crux of the issue – going against the grain of the “popular” mentality if required to make what I consider to be the healthier choices.

2. Crunchy means that I’m attempting to make decisions with the best interests of my health, my family’s health, my community’s health, and the earth’s health in mind.

3. Crunchy means trying to find a rhythm that is older than I am, and make connections to generations of humans from cultures all over the world and the natural world all around me.

4. Crunchy means finding where I fit into that rhythm and then relaxing into my part.

I would love to see a bit more on make-up (either homemade recipes or an exploration of Crunchy make up producers and their products) – I hardly ever wore it before I switched from mainstream cosmetics and body care products, but I keep wishing I knew of some fun make-up that I could feel good about using. Plus, Halloween is coming up in a few months, so something on “fun” ideas like some kind of safe body glitter or something like that could be cool, as well.
- Crunchy Betty
  
  First of all, your points are so fantastic and well thought out. I especially think numbers 3 & 4 (which are unique to all the other thoughts I gave, and have been given here) deserve a huge round of applause. That rhythm is a perfect way to describe the looking behind in order to move ahead concept we focus on so often here.
  
  Thank you so much for the reminder of that.
  
  While I think it’s imperative that we act locally as much as possible, our ability to LEARN globally is what’s bringing us so many new/old concepts and opening our hearts and minds to old ways (which maybe we’ve been told are “bad” by people who are looking to profit off of our beliefs in their marketing dollars).
  
  It’s like we’re learning how to slide back into “real” life in order to live within nature instead of fighting to live beyond it (and/or make it submissive to our whims).
  
  You know, lady. I’ve been wanting to do stuff on crunchy cosmetic companies for SO long, but for some reason (probably because I don’t focus on cosmetics very much), these companies are not coming to me. Not like personal care products and cleaner companies tend to do.
  
  Suffice it to say, I am openly and wholeheartedly searching for companies who want reviews or want to introduce us all to their stuff – I just haven’t found them yet. So know that it’s on my radar, whenever the companies are ready to engage with us.
Annette

To me “crunchy” is a state of mind, an awareness… you’ve heard the expression, “crunching numbers” – it means analyzing data, moving this from here to there, reorganizing to get the best outcome. I’d like to think that “crunchy-ness” is something that we are, as opposed to something that we do… an inner crunchy soul from which evolves our most enlightened thinking. We don’t believe everything we’re told about products or life, we “crunch” the information and arrive at conclusions that suit us and those we love.

We embody a new awareness, a new movement, separation from the herd, a confidence that overflows to all aspects of our lives.

How’s that? Crunchy enough?! Only brave and intuitive people can be crunchy people!
- Crunchy Betty
  
  I. Love. This.
  
  Never in a million years would I have put together those double meanings. Genius, that is. We are, in fact, “crunching” the information we have available to us and making rational, enlightened decisions from them.
  
  Man. Thank you for sharing. A whole new concept just opened up here.
  
  Mwah!
- Karlita
  
  What a beautiful way to put this. Thank you!!!
http://www.woodwifesjournal.com Sharon

I love how you describe crunchy and all the other takes on what it means to fellow tribe members. I guess that’s the beauty of a tribe…we’re all working toward the same goals of natural, healthy, free of synthetic chemicals, sustainable means of caring for ourselves and our families but we’re all kinda doing it in our own way. That’s what’s making us strong! Not pushing against different ideas but embracing them and sharing the good and the bad.
When I had my first child, a friend told me that I’d get a lot of advice from wellmeaning women…some who spoke from experience and some who didn’t. She told me to listen to all of them, smile and thank each one for their ideas. Then keep the ones that were right for my family and discard the rest! I think that can apply to crunchiness, too. It’s a growing process. We may not have time to do all the awesome crunchy ideas or do them as often as we’d like but we’re working on it! What works for one may not work for another but that’s okay. It’s as much about attitude and willingness to learn as it is practice.
I used to think crunchy meant inconvenient, weird stuff that people concocted because they were trying to go against society. Now I’m okay with that! That’s the hippie part of me, but there are things I’m not going to give up…like shaving.
I love what you’re doing here and I’m excited to add your ideas to mine! And I’m bringing my crunchy college daughter and a bunch of friends with me. Still trying to convert my 15yo! I’ve had local women who read my blog come up to me at the farmer’s market and say, “Honey, huh? You’re really washing your face with honey? Tell me more!” And another friend who calls to say that she’s read something new here and what do I think about it? Have I tried it? Do I have some of the ingredients she needs?
Networking…socializing…strengthening bonds and saving the earth, one crunchy step at a time! Lead on!
Pixie

This post was exactly what I needed as a reminder to keep it crunchy and not be lazy.

One of the themes I picked up in the post and the comments was that questioning and experimenting is an element in crunchiness. Like questioning if a commercial product is the best one to use and then experimenting with crunchy alternatives.

I also think its important to question the methods used in beauty advertising not just the products. While the models are gentically blessed, their apperance is aided by professional make up artists and hairdressers as well as good lighting and photoshop. Sometimes not even the model looks as good as in reality as that photo of her does.
- Crunchy Betty
  
  I’d bet nearly 100% of the time, the model doesn’t look as good in reality as she does in photos. I wish, wish, wish I could remember the link to this article I read about the use of false eyelashes in mascara ads, but it was SO eye opening.
  
  I mean, we don’t honestly believe our eyelashes are going to look like the ads, but still. Still, the image is there and on some subconscious level we’re attaching our beliefs to those pictures.
  
  Even when – and this was the best part – the pictures of eyelashes very obviously showed the line of fakes ones, as well.
  
  Yeah. So I think maybe what you just taught me is that part of being crunchy is also redefining your own standard of beauty. The more we all do that, the more the standard of beauty becomes ALL INCLUSIVE rather than based on an unattainable (and unreal) standard.
  
  Good thoughts, lady!
  - Pixie
    
    L’Oreal ads were recently pulled in the UK because they went overboard with airbrushing skin imperfections whilst advertising foundation and a eye bag reducer. The politician who made it happen said something along the lines of the excessive use of photoshop meant the ads didn’t reflect what the product could actually do.
    
    I also think that because of these ads and our capitalistic additudes, we suffer under the disullision that we can beauty so therefore it’s our fault if we aren’t slim and glamourous like celebrities. But blaming the media for insecurities is evading responsibility to an extent because we can choose to believe ads or become more analytical about we engage with the media.
    
    I’m trying to redefine my idea of beauty. But my friend made me start thinking about it because she never wears makeup, doesn’t shave or wax and is one of the best looking people I know.
    
    Anyway is this a bit of a rant! But I found your post about defining crunchiness interesting and then it made me think about the idea of beauty and it’s impliciations.
    
    And I guess the main thing to remember is beauty will fade and then who we are is what we have. So feeling beautiful is nice and rubbing honey on my face is fun but being pretty shouldn’t by my main purpose and it hopefully won’t be my greatest achievement.
    
    Rant over :-)
kylieonwheels

There are so many awesome points here from everyone – isn’t it amazing how we all have a different take on the same thing? It’s beeewwwdiful :D

I’ve found when I try and describe my philosophy to ‘non-crunchies’ (not quite soggies), I’m often met with “but jojoba oil is man made too, and so is bicarb soda, and blah blah blah”. I’ve realised that what I’m trying to achieve is not necessarily avoidance of all things man-made, but rather to get as close to the earth, with as little interference as possible. It’s all about the interference – how close something is to the way it just naturally existed before.

That rhythm description given above is really good – I feel that the less something is interfered with, the closer it is to the rhythm of the earth. Once upon a time we were all in harmony with the earth and now we have too much noise, too many rhythms, too much interference.

I strongly believe that the best thing we can do is to become aware. As most people have mentioned above, it’s not about the number of environmentally correct moves you make, it’s about being aware, and having good, pure intentions.

And one last point (I promise!), on the beauty industry. I think I’m ever-so-slowly in the process of understanding that the picture in the magazine is not ‘unachievable beauty’, it’s just not beautiful. We are being told what beautiful is, and we’ve lost our own definitions. I want MY definition of beauty back!!

love!
- http://lisepunch.blogspot.com/ LisaLIse
  
  Love your comment!
- Margie
  
  “I think I’m ever-so-slowly in the process of understanding that the picture in the magazine is not ‘unachievable beauty’, it’s just not beautiful. We are being told what beautiful is, and we’ve lost our own definitions. I want MY definition of beauty back!!”
  I’m quoting you on my facebook. Just thought you should know. :-)
- Crunchy Betty
  
  Haha! Love this.
  
  And I’m quoting that last paragraph on Crunchy Betty’s facebook page, too.
  
  ROCK. ON.
  - kylieonwheels
    
    Awww, you guys :) I’m not on facebook but if my words reach out to just one more person to think twice about what they are told, then it’s mission accomplished for me.
nancy

Consciousness! Consiousness to better ourselves, to counsel others with our workable discoveries (honey facewash anyone?:) and consciouness to distance ourselves from the daily massacre of marketing tools dictating on what we should use, on what we should buy and ultimately on the way we must look to fit..no way, we are crunchier than that!
- Crunchy Betty
  
  Yes. YES! Consciousness is the key word.
  
  And I think the thing we need to keep in mind, while becoming conscious of our own “paths” is that other people becoming conscious may choose different ways. But if we’re all conscientious of each other’s consciousness, we get peace. And all other sorts of good things.
Joanie

Well, hi there! Having just found your blog recently, I guess I’m a newbie in the tribe, and I really enjoy all the tips, insight, and stories of “crunchiness.” It’s nice to be able to check in with a blog that espouses a similar philosophy that I’ve been trying to incorporate more and more in my family’s life (My husband calls me an undercover “Earth Mama”).

For me, your definition of crunchiness is spot-on, with the addition of what CrunchMathWitch eloquently stated as the “rhythm” of the natural world and past generations and the individual’s part in it. That’s exactly the reason I’ve tried to become more “crunchy” — because I kept thinking, “Without this latest [chemical-laden product's name here], how did other mamas years ago clean their skin? Wash their hair? Keep ants out of the kitchen? What am I missing?”

Mixing up a batch of homemade cleaner makes me feel strangely empowered. It’s like (and I’m dating myself here) being MacGyver. Sure, you could buy some cleaner off the shelf that has Lord-knows-what in it and gives you headaches when you use it, OR you could take a lemon, some vinegar, a bit of liquid castille soap and hot water and, PRESTO! You’ve got a cleaner that shines things up BETTER and smells fantastic.

Is it wrong to say that crunchiness makes a person feel more clever? :)
- Crunchy Betty
  
  Heh. It DOES make you feel more clever. But that cleverness ALSO makes you feel so much more empowered! Being able to solve your own problems without having to hop in a car, drive to the store, dig through coupons, and still feel robbed is SO empowering.
  
  I think you touched on something else, too, which is the concept of “progress.”
  
  For a long time (and I think this is still happening), our society has defined progress as inventing newer and newer things … as imagining problems, creating solutions that come with more problems, and then creating solutions for those problems (which comes with more problems usually, too).
  
  It’s been this cycle that just gets bigger and bigger and more complicated and more full of problem-creating solutions. And somehow we call that progress.
  
  When, in effect, true progress is understanding that the problems are usually only as big as you make them. If we were to be peaceful with, say, doing laundry just the way we do it right now, then maybe there would be room for progress in areas like peace, creativity, and compassion rather than trying to solve a problem that really isn’t that big of a deal in the first place.
  
  (And that brings me back to money, which is the driving factor behind creating solutions-that-create-problems.) It always comes back to that. Sigh.
http://agoddessinprogress.blogspot.com heather

I like your definition of crunchy. I try to live and eat cleanly. I try for wholesomeness in thought and action. I try to center myself in love -and I try to share that love with others.
Melissa

My definition of crunchy is not believing everything you’re told and doing your own research on it. We are marketed to every day of our lives and people have been conditioned to just except it for fact – you MUST apply sunscreen every half an hour you’re outside, SPF 30 or higher – you MUST drink cow’s milk or you won’t get calcium – you MUST get the flu shot or you’re being a bad person and risking infecting everyone – blah blah blah blah. How have we survived for thousands of years without all this stuff, and suddenly we’re being told it’s essential?!
When I got pregnant, I think my crunchiness reached an all-time high and I started researching everything! I laugh now and realize I’m more and more like my grandmother and great-grandmother, doing things the way they did (line-drying the clothes, cloth-diapering the baby, making my own baby food, etc.). Crunchiness is getting back to our roots and doing things the old-fashioned way, while still maintaining some modern conveniences – I’d never wash my clothes by hand (even the ones that say hand wash!), and I’m not about to “go off the grid” and use absolutely no technology or power. I just make sure that anything I do use, I can use it in good conscience.
- Crunchy Betty
  
  Okay, you brought up something I’ve been trying to work out in my own head for a few weeks.
  
  And that is, when you do the “old-fashioned” things, the ones that get you very personal with the task at hand, you have this ultimate sense of accomplishment. Of connection to your “things” and to the world you encompass at that moment.
  
  Doing things (what we’ve been told is) the hard way really leads to more happiness in the end, because WE ARE CONNECTING OURSELVES to what we’re doing.
  
  Almost everything in the store right now serves to disconnect us from that. To make things faster, make things further from our mind. It’s all so we don’t have to think about where we fit into our lives and the world that our lives encompass.
  
  So you trade convenience for a feeling of emptiness and disconnect.
  
  And, in the end, you come back to one thing: No matter what you’re doing, be conscious of it, and you will find your own personal reward in it. Attitude is everything.
  - Beth
    
    I read an article in a small local publication that I wish I had saved. I can’t remember much of it but one of the points was something to the effect of producing something (a tangible item… writing poetry, growing a garden, knitting) is necessary for our well being and happiness. This same concept applying even towards treating things like depression. We’re hard wired to use and need our hands. Living always without producing a “product” provides little true satisfaction in ourselves. Your comment about creating solutions to solve problems that ultimately create more problems made me think of this.
    
    Like so many others have expressed – getting back to simplicity, caring for ourselves, others, and environment thoughtfully by using the ideas and items around us makes us “crunchy”… as well as frugal, healthy, and hand product producers. We are capable and do not need something or someone else to do it for us.
  - Melissa
    
    Oooo! That’s exactly it!!! It’s like I knew what I wanted to say, but couldn’t figure out how to say it, and you hit the nail on the head! And same with what Beth said as well! Sometimes I feel like I was born in the wrong time period! While I enjoy certain modern conviences like surfing the web and indoor plumbing, I feel so disconnected sometimes. Like I wish we could go back to a simpler time where people used to sit out on their front porch sipping lemonade in the evenings and get together with all the neighbors instead of sitting inside watching TV and playing video games. Or how people used to be so connected with nature – spring was planting and prepping time, summer was taking care of the plants and house, fall was harvesting, canning and preparing, winter was a little more restful. Now there seems to be no change at all with the seasons – it makes me sad. Ok, I’ll get off my soapbox now – I guess I just needed to rant and you girls gave voice to exactly what I was feeling!
    - http://makeitbakeitbuyitfakeit.blogspot.com Stephanie
      
      I thought you said it perfectly! As did everyone else. It’s exactly the way I feel. I love making and doing as opposed to sitting, staring and typing. I love having things to show for my time and effort. While I wouldn’t necessarily want to go back to pre-plumbing/pre-industrialized days, I do think we need to slow down in some ways and re-connect in every sense of that word… with our food, our choices, ourselves, each other, everything. As I’m typing this I remembered a line from one of my favorite authors, E. M. Forster:
      
      “Only connect! That was the whole of her sermon.” -from Howard’s End, 1910
      
      …sure, it’s a bit out of context, but nevertheless, it sums up the whole book: loss of connectedness with each other, with nature, and within ourselves. That was a hundred years ago. So much has changed since then, and also so little.
  - Equestrienness
    
    I agree. One of my “older” friends who grew up in WWII France has a favorite saying: “Do what you are doing.” Maybe that’s overly simple, but truly if we focus and connect with any task or project, as you said, we will be much happier than frantically trying to “multitask”.
http://lisepunch.blogspot.com/ LisaLise

Wow, I’ve never belonged to a tribe. I feel so.. so.. included! I’m impressed at all of the definitions of crunchy here, and can only say –

part of a tribe ?

wow!

:)
- Margie
  
  I totally love being tribal. As long as we aren’t stripping naked and painting each other blue. That is a whole ‘nother kind of tribal.
  :-)
  But seriously, this whole tribe concept is exactly what I’ve been wrestling with lately. We just moved to a new town six months ago so starting up new friendships is kind of stressful and slow going. I am just anxious to get back into the “tribe” mentality here, where you have the kind of friend who doesn’t knock when they come over, and you don’t ask for something to drink, you just know exactly what to find and where to find it in their fridge, and dive in. Potluck BBQs and chats over tea and cinnamon rolls and not having to censor yourself or really complete an entire thought, because your friend knows what you’re going to say. Your kids call her “Auntie _____” and their artwork is on her fridge.
  Ok, that was a bit of a rant, but I miss my tribe. I’m glad for this one, and all you gals (and occasional guys) who inhabit the CB tribe.
  - http://www.lisepunch.blogspot.com LisaLise
    
    what a lovely description. thank you. :)
  - http://makeitbakeitbuyitfakeit.blogspot.com Stephanie
    
    Margie, Wow! You just described my childhood and yeah, I miss that kind of environment too. We moved three years ago to a nice (meaning safe and hospitable) neighborhood and while everyone’s super friendly, it’s limited to chatting at the mailbox and waving from cars. I often wondered if it’s because so many people move so often, nobody wants to invest time in building relationships. There was very little “turn-over” in the houses on my street as a child. Maybe it’s also due to our super-frantic lifestyles now… we’re constantly moving in another sense.
    
    Thanks for your “rant”, it brought me some warm fuzzy memories!
http://www.metamorphosisjess.blogspot.com Jess

For me it’s all about simplicity. It means being mindful of what I’m putting in and on my body and the environment I live in. That environment can mean my house but also the world. My kids world.
Margie

I think being crunchy means that you find a healthy way of living for mind, body and spirit. As a Christian, I take very seriously that I am to take care of my body, which is the temple of the Holy Spirit; be a faithful steward of the earth, which is God’s creation and gift to mankind to sustain us; my thoughts, which can easily be led astray from God’s goodness toward lies from the world (like all those ads that tell us daily that we need to spend money to be “good enough” and “accepted”); and my spirit, which was made in God’s image, and is therefore beautiful.
If I don’t feed my mind, my body and my spirit with nourishing food, they will become unhealthy unfit and incapable of doing good.
And one of the best ways to accomplish this healthy way of living is to surround yourself with like-minded people who are striving for the same goals.
I’m so thankful for this crunchy tribe that helps me to better my body and my stewardship of the earth, and also for my church tribe, who encourage me toward a healthy mind and spirit.
Good post, CB. Had to mentally chew on this one before I typed out an answer. :-) And I love the title “soggy” for the non-hippie corporate types. haha
Karlita

I just want to say that I am happy to be a part of this tribe and you are our tribal leader!
Trisarahtops7

I don’t have a definition so much as a synonym that, I believe, sums up the whole meaning of Crunchy, inside and out:

Respect.

Respecting your body through the usage of products that are purely beneficial as opposed to harmful.

Respecting your natural, individual, inner AND outer beauty by taking 100% control over what you’re buying and how you’re using it, as opposed to relying on corporate portrayals.

Respecting your wallet by refraining from purchasing expensive, commercial products that contain immense amounts of toxic, mysterious ingredients.

Respecting the planet and its present and future inhabitants by making as much use out of our possessions as possible, and then recycling them.
- kylieonwheels
  
  Respect! :) Agree completely.
  
  And, respect for your friends by not forcing crunchiness on them, but sharing with them your success, and inviting them with open arms when they take a crunchy step. Remember how we all felt when we took that one small step away from the commercial stuff we’d grown up on? They are just before that point, and they are as scared as we were :)
Margie

Now to figure out how to tell friends who are selling corporate products that you are not interested without insulting them or the company they believe in enough to sell for. I’ve had two sales pitches within the last month and I’m kind of at a loss, and to be honest, a little irked that the only reason they contacted me out of the blue was to try and sell me something “soggy.”
http://litasworld.com Jen @ Lita’s world

LOVE THIS!! Wow, crunchiness for me is bringing a consciousness to my life. Actually giving thought to all I purchase and bring into my home. Honestly, I have non-crunchy moments and sometimes I dwell on them and they bring me down because a part of me would love to live on an absolutely self-sufficient homestead…but alas, I don’t see that happening just yet. AND, I do get caught up in this Silicon Valley society where I reside, but I try. I try to stay conscious and it’s this site and all these other “tribespeople” that help and inspire me – including your great self. You are chief crunchy of this tribe and I’m so happy to even think I can be a part of the amazingness of it all!
MamaLovey

Oooh. We just found some non-toxic nailpolish from amazon called Acquarella.
Caro

Hi my darling CB, I have net stalking you for a few months now and it’s time for me to say hello. Hello.

Bear with me: my mother grew up in a small town on the shores of a lake that had been created by a volcanic eruption about 2,000 years ago. Igneous rocks are everywhere in that area, particularly the porous, light, wonderfully foot-exfoliating pumice stone. People have pumice sculptures in their gardens and rather questionable pumice ornaments in their homes. The beaches are literally made of pumice stones the way normal beaches are made of sand.
My mother tells me that tourists would ask the local children “say, where do I buy some of those pumice stones for buffing my feet?”
The locals would reply “you don’t need to buy it mister, it’s lying around like dirt, just take some.”
The tourists would say “no, no, no, I need the special pumice for feet, not this natural stuff that’s lying around. Where do I buy it?”
You can see where this is going. The local chemist (I guess you’d say drugstore in the U.S.) started stocking a little basket of pumice on the counter and selling it for 20 cents a piece. When they got low in stock they would wander outside, pick some more up off the ground, fill the basket and sell that. The tourists were more comfortable buying something than getting it free, because buying it lent it an air of authenticity.

To me this is what being crunchy is about. It is challenging that idea that something needs to be packaged and sold before it is good and right. It is also about giving a huge two-fingered send-off to anyone telling me that I need to buy more and more products to be OK. I saw an ad for Simple – a brand I used to trust – flogging their new “gentle eye makeup corrector pen”. Really? Is this an actual problem? One that needs a cure more advanced than licking your finger and wiping the gunk off? Or another ad for a nourishing deodorant so I don’t get ugly armpits. Come on. I don’t think these are problems, and I don’t want to start thinking these are problems. Being crunchy allows me to disengage from the ads before they can brainwash me. I started using Femme Cup a couple of years ago and one of my favourite things about it is that every time there’s an ad for feminine hygiene products I get to chuckle and shake my head and sigh, content in my wisdom, and pitying those women who haven’t discovered it yet.

I feel delicious in my crunchiness, beautiful and super sexy, like a sweet summer dessert. Thanks CB, don’t stop.
- http://waistline32.wordpress.com Fidelle
  
  love this comment!
http://granolacatholic.blogspot.com/2011/07/cleaning-your-face-with-honey-im-game.html Lisa @Granola Catholic

Hmm, being crunchy means keeping toxic chemicals out of the house and engaging in other healthy habits. I never considered myself crunchy, but my husband pointed out that we have many crunchy habits, and that is when I embraced my crunchiness.
http://waistline32.wordpress.com Fidelle

A Day in the Life of Delle, the Sneaky Crunchy

Slick Office Friends: Wow! Delle your face is glowing! And your skin is so smooth.

Me: *trying to be cool and non-chalant* Try washing with honey and calamansi (a local lemon) Soap is so… plebian. My mestiza *ick!* sensitive skin can’t stand that harshness like you common-folk can.

Slick Office Friends: Isn’t that sticky? Won’t ants eat you alive?

Me: You rinse, silly little dahlings! Then use rice powder on your face. And I use VCO on my body, not lotion.

Slick Office Friends: *gasp* You mean… No J*****n and J*****n? No M*******ne?

Me: What do you think? That’s like soooo yesterday. It’s all organic, baby. *puts on rose and beeswax lippie*

Slick Office Friends: Ooohhh… I wanna try that.

Me: *whispering to self* Come to my crunchy clutches, little ones! You’ll soon be helping the local farmers and the environment before you know it. *evil grin*

I wear sharp blazers but my dad taught me from Day 1 to use eco-friendly cotton. Its not like I can grow out of that Crunchy upbringing. I am Shnobby, Corporate and Fancy but look deeper and you’ll see a Crunchy Happy Midwife… all the way here in Manila, Philippines!
http://makeitbakeitbuyitfakeit.blogspot.com Stephanie

The meaning of Crunchy for me has changed dramatically over the last couple of years. From something I’m not to something I am. My definition in action (my crunchy-journey, if you will) is different than some, and similar to others. But when I came here I didn’t think I “belonged” to the crunchy-set, didn’t think I was crunchy at all. Now I know I do, and I am. There are many shades of crunch.

Bottom-line for me is it’s about making choices with eyes open. Mindfulness. Someone said respect, I like that definition too.