I use a mixture of natural products and those nasty toxic ones. For my drains, I regularly rinse them out with bicarbonate of soda and vinegar, with something a little more potent every once in a while to get rid of the deeply embedded gunk.
Continue reading Zero Waste Challenge #13: Make Your Own Cleaners
How ironic that today is the day I tackle this tip, because I listened to a podcast earlier that brought up this very topic, debunking the notion that eating locally does the planet a world of good.
Like some other zero waste tips, this one comes with a “sometimes” disclaimer: shop in bulk, sometimes. Bigger bottles and jars of items like oil, vinegar, shampoo, pet food, and rice will save money and minimise packaging. Perishables like fresh fruit and vegetables are not a good idea unless you know you’ll use the whole bag before it goes off.
The ugly fruit and veggie story is two-fold. More like manifold. Yes, there are farmers and retailers who reject perfectly edible fruit and veggies for aesthetic reasons. While it may seem silly to reject crooked carrots and curvy cucumbers, it’s not to say they always land up being wasted. Food waste in this instance, as food waste researcher Lisa Johnson says, is a misnomer. It’s actually food loss.
Continue reading Zero Waste Challenge #10: Buy the Ugly Fruits and Veggies
Meal planning cuts down on waste because a shopping list helps you buy only what you need and prevents impulse buys. Let’s be honest though, we’re still wont to throw in a bag of chips or slab of chocolate. The solution? For one thing, don’t shop hungry; for another: plan dessert into your week, so that you’ll have an excuse to throw in the goodies too.
Continue reading Zero Waste Challenge #9: Meal Plan Your Week
Scraps from fruit and vegetables can go into the compost but they also have other uses. Something I want to try is making my own stock, using scraps from carrots, onions, and celery, especially since onions can’t be composted.
Composting always reminds me of my grandmother. She had a bucket with a red lid in a corner of her kitchen and she’d throw her food scraps in there. Once it was full, she’d toss it into the big compost pile in her garden, keeping her kitchen waste to a minimum.
Pre-Covid I refuelled with coffee in my reusable cup practically every day. Now that I’m working from home, I drink less coffee and virtually never drink takeaway coffee. On the odd occasion I do, I’m sometimes not allowed to use my cup or, even more frustratingly, baristas will make the coffee in a takeaway cup before pouring it into my cup.
Continue reading Zero Waste Challenge #6: Find a To-Go Cup Alternative
This is one I’ve been doing for a long time. I have several reusable bags in the boot of my car and have been using them for years. However, it’s important to note that it requires more energy and creates more emissions to make reusable bags than it does plastic ones; so once you purchase reusable alternatives, use them for as long as you can. They’re generally durable and long-lasting, making them more eco-friendly provided you use them for years.
Continue reading Zero Waste Challenge #5: No More Plastic Grocery Bags
Plastic bags and wraps are practically unavoidable, but there are ways to cut down on them significantly. As much as possible, I buy loose fruit and vegetables. My mom made mesh bags for me that I use when I go shopping. It also means I can buy only what I need instead of buying too much and watching food go to waste.
Continue reading Zero Waste Challenge #4: Avoid Plastic Bags and Wraps
