In this post I try to make clear that there is something basically wrong with the way humans use energy, and with energy itself, even renewable energy. Too many people believe that renewable energy is clean, is green, environmentally okay, but: renewable energy pollutes as well, however. Hydro-power-stations contribute to electrosmog, but not only that: they start to create noise pollution (see my earlier posts), in the middle of pure nature and wilderness, because the need for more electricity is increasing rapidly, while the electricity providers have replaced old turbines for economical cheaper ones, who are obviously of a lesser quality.
This need for more and more electricity leads to more and more noise pollution, and this has to be stopped. It cannot be right that people and animals have to suffer on one place, for some people’s wellness elsewhere.
As always we can only change something really when we find the cause, and start to change there. The cause in this case is the increased demand for electricity, and this demand has several sources: one of these sources is the so called “need”: in fact it is for a huge part just waste. Waste of electricity, waste of energy, waste of money, waste of work, loss of peaceful environments where the electricity is produced. I have a solution: become aware of it, start to turn down the thermostat, to switch off light, electrical heating, all what is not needed, and wear wool.
The cult of the modern fashion industry is related with the heating waste culture
The cult of the fashion industry makes people wear wrong textiles, wrong designs, all based on showing much naked skin, to try to be attractive, to hide doubt, and exposing that one is eagerly willing to please the other, in rooms that need to be very warm to avoid shivering because of the wrong textiles, because of too much parts uncovered skin.
When I moved to Norway, to a so much colder country than the Netherlands, being in Norwegian winters of also minus thirty, and switching on some moments to Netherlands, for visits, I became aware of the heating–waste-culture in Netherlands. I am sure this is the case in many countries. All houses, hotels, offices, trains, buses, shops, restaurants, are heated far too much, and force people to put of some clothes, to dress as if it is summer. So much waste of energy.
This is also unhealthy and expensive, because of the created need for expensive heating costs, because of clothes that do not fit with lower temperatures, and therefore perfect to live comfortable in a space of 23 degrees Celsius. We sit too much, and a passive body does not create warmth, this inbuilt warmth provider is deactivated, in hibernation, completely passive. This deactivated inbuilt warmth provider is a part of our weakened natural resistance, and reason for being easily affected by cold and flu.
Underwear
The right clothing starts with the right underwear. My mother was even knitting woolen underwear, woolen undershirts and woolen underpants, to wear in winter, over the cotton underwear. We were never freezing, shivering, and we were hardly ill.
A photo from a magazine of “Vesdre Wol“, a wool factory in Leiden, the Netherlands, which also produced woolen underwear. The factory started in 1934 and in 1981 it was bankrupted.
Woolen underwear is a must but it seems only available in cold(er) countries. Besides that: woolen underwear is not advertised for the young and sexy ones, we only see older people wearing it. In the underwear advertising and wearing we see the mentioned cult in its most extreme: is not serving anybody else than the, on only sex oriented, fashion industry. It is not serving you, your body, only your wish to look attractive, and you believe what the industry tries to make you believe. Mostly you, women, look just ridiculous. That hardly covering underwear does not serve you, and you pay at least ten times more than what it is worth really. Do not want to play the silly doll for that man, who gets “excited” about this kind of clothing. This excitement is a short term entertainment, and not any guarantee for a long term relationship and sex life, and results in only losses: of time, of expensive investments, and unreal dreams.
Norwegians do it different: they wear highly “cool” underwear, not itching woolen underwear, over the cotton or bamboo underwear. As we, in Netherlands for instance, used to do it in earlier times, before the sixties, before the flower power sex era started. This woolen underwear is for hundred percent comfortable, warm, and contributes to health (avoids cold, flu) and wellness. It contributes to a good feeling, which is needed to shine, so: to inner beauty.
Little Scandinavian underwear for children
There are many designs available for woolen underwear shirts with long or short sleeves, without sleeves, and underwear trousers with long legs, for woolen socks, woolen sweaters, cardigans, coats, caps, shawls, etc. in all kinds of colors and color combinations. Several links are added in “Additional information”.
Photo: à la Karoline, Norway
All this contributes to an economical healthy lifestyle. Wearing wool helps to decrease heating costs, avoids shivering, “freezing”, and avoids even sweat and odour. It is therefore also used in sportswear. Wool is an environmental friendly product. It is an expensive economical investment to start with, but, you can do it as many others: each year something new. And…. when treated well, they can be used for many, many years, without discoloring, without losing strength, elasticity, seize, or structure. The energy costs will go down, you will see it with your own eyes on the energy bill. With other words: you earn your wool-investments back. Some useful tips to treat woolen products: website Devold.
Let it all be wool
1. Which wool, for what?
Wool is a wonderful natural product, and is produced by sheep. Norway has many sheep farms, but the wool is for almost hundred percent exported, to be use abroad in making woolen carpets, or woolen coats. The wool the Norwegian brands use for underwear and sweaters, and knitting yarn is mostly imported. Alpaca yarn from Bolivia and Peru, for instance, and Merino from Australia and New Zealand. To make it more strong and machine washable till 40 degrees, (no use of fabric softener though), the yarn is mixed with a percentage of polyamide (kind of nylon).
2. Plusses for wool
- natural
- light
- soft
- comfortable
- curly and elastic
- durable and long lasting textiles
- hydrophobic (water resistant)
- within the capsule the fiber is hydrophillic
- great absorption capacity
- at the same time it is water repellent
- naturally absorbs and releases moisture to cool or heat up your body
- protects against cold
- protects against heat, the hot sun
- you warm up quickly
- you will not be overheated because of the
- breathing material
- even when wet it creates warmth
- avoids sweat
- odour retention
- highly flame retardant
- environmental friendly
- renewable material
3. Some “wool” brands for ready made products
Dale is a Norwegian brand for exclusive woolen sweaters, cardigans, coats, caps, shawls, socks, gloves, etc. etc. For a sweater one pays a price of some hundreds of euros, but the sweater is timeless, unique in design, supporting femininity or masculinity, is utterly attractive, colorful, and warm. The Dale products are looking still as new after ten years of wearing. The right treatment is needed, of course. The header photo is from the Dale Norway website.
Devold is another Norwegian brand for woolen sweaters, I wear their woolen underwear. It is absolutely wonderful. Wool is not dull. Norway makes it powerful, exciting. Wool is “cool”!
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4. Crafts: knitting your own woolen sweaters
Home crafts is the word google offered me for translating “husfliden”. The Dutch word “huisvlijt” fits very well and almost sounds the same. Norwegian women in all ages are knitting, everywhere. Once I witnessed a very young looking like a fashion model young lady in an airplane, and taking her knitting yarn and needles out of her handbag. I was very surprised! I see them also in trains, on the long distances of travelling. Each single minute is used to knit. And….if you would have seen how their product looks like, you would be even more surprised, so beautiful!! Yes they wear it, also their children, so nice to see, so colorful, and unique. Modern. Yes, knitting is modern, wool is a modern product, natural, ecological (if you have the right brand), and supporting the stop of the climate change, and your wallet. Knitting is not only practiced by women. Also men can learn it. A channel on YouTube with knitting lessons: here
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5. Woolen indoor shoes
Also your feet need warmth, and warm feet create a feeling of comfort, of balance, and avoid illnesses. The shoes one wears during daytime, in the office, during the work, the job, being on a travel, should be changed when entering the house, to get some fresh air, to dry, to breathe. Socks can be changed by dry ones, and the it could be time for the Glerups, the woolen felt shoes, or Haflinger, for in the house. Warm feet contribute to a feeling of total body warmth, and also this is part of keeping the thermostat as low as possible, also your energy bill, also the noise pollution in Norway. For instance.
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6. Woolen blankets
Woolen blankets are very helpful to feel comfortable, warm, well, to create a cozy atmosphere. Woolen blankets should be present in each corner of each house, to cover oneself or the children when reading, watching TV, when listening to music, when meditating, or when taking a nap. Woolen blankets are available in all kinds of designs and colors, and it is really easy to find one that is fitting with your interior colors, and style.
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7. Woolen curtains
Curtains, and particularly woolen curtains, keep the cold of the windows outside. Closing the curtains when it is becoming dark is a huge contribution to avoidwaste of energy. It creates privacy, wellness, warmth, coziness.
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8. Woolen buffs and other woolen sportswear
Something for everybody is the woolen buff, a shawl, but not a shawl, a headscarf but also a shawl, a cap but not a real cap, a lot of possibilities can be created with the buff. Watch it here.
This “buff” is an easy and light, thin, woolen, stretchy product, easily to be stored in a pocket or bag. The model is utterly simple: it looks like the underpart (from knees to ankles) of a wide trouser leg. It is seamless. The opening is just wide enough to take it over the head. It is stretchy so it is not creating any problem for not any seize of head. It can be taken always with you for “outdoor” activities, to protect as much parts as needed: head, front head, ears, mouth, nose and/or neck, against the hot sun, the cold, the wind and/or insects. Also for “indoor” tasks, or jobs, a buff creates opportunities: chefs can use it for instance in the professional cooking spot as a modern chef cap, for the right hygiene, also for keeping the head cool. Temperatures in professional kitchens go often up to over forty degrees Celsius.
The buff can also be used as a neck warmer, in case you wear a sweater, shirt, dress or blouse without a collar or turtleneck. There are thousands of designs. Buffs are very easy to knit, by yourself, for yourself, your children, partner and family. You can chose your own colors and stitches.
Interesting website is “Buff” for more woolen sportswear.
9. Alpaca wool
The alpaca wool is from Peru, and when you buy Alpaca wool you support Peru and its citizens. The sport brand Ayacucho is more than a brand. It is a project that helps a poor region in Peru, to build up a promising and sustainable future.
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In conclusion
I hope I made you enthusiastic for wool, its contribution to a more healthy lifestyle and a healthy personal economy. You can help to stop the increasing need for more energy, by stopping to waste energy, and by re-activating our own human, natural in-built, body warmth circulation and regulation. I hope I could convince you that wool belongs on the top of everybody’s “to buy”-list. Thank you.
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Additional information:
- Website: Norwegian Wool
- Website: Dale of Norway
- Website: Devold
- Website: Sandnes Garn
- Website: Glerups shoes
- Website: Oleana Blankets
- Website: Roros Tweed Plaids
- Website: Woolen Curtains
- Website: Buff Lifestyle
- Website: Ayacucho
- My blogpost: Husfliden
- My blogpost: Mijn eigen breiwerkje
- My blogpost: E-CO energi and noise pollution (støy)
- My blogpost: Electrosmog
- My blogpost: WiFi and health
- My blogpost: Footcare
