PLASTIC FREE JULY: DAY 14

Day Fourteen:

Do you keep a re-usable bag handy for those impromptu shops?

If you aren't in this habit already then you could try start today!

I love the eco-bags that you can get at Foodland, each with a different environmental message along with artwork. These are long-lasting and easy on the eye. I keep two in my car to use for shopping and if they come into the house after a shop they are emptied and left waiting at the front door for me until I next leave the house to put them back in the car.

If I go window shopping I take one with me, just in case I make a purchase. Don't be that person who goes into 5 different shops to buy 5 different T-shirts and gets home with 5 different plastic bags. It's just not sustainable...

The more we stop accepting the plastic bags at all shops, not just the supermarkets, the less plastic there will be in the world.

Say NO to plastic!
Re-think your thinking..

PLASTIC FREE JULY: DAY 13

Day Thirteen:

Are you a supermarket shopper?...

When shopping at the supermarket it is extremely hard to avoid all the many layers of packaging on just about every item in there.

Buying in bulk is the only answer, that way you can take your own jars/bags with you and replenish them as needed. Saving you money by only buying the amount you need until your next shop (and buying from bulk is cheaper) as well as largely reducing the amount of packaging waste created from purchasing items at the supermarket.

We have slowly been converting our kitchen cupboard groceries into glass jars and although I was buying several items in bulk already, I realised that almost everything I need in the kitchen can be bought from bulk out of the Adelaide Central Markets. Including items such as olive oil; vinegar; nut butters; oats; flour; spices; herbs...the list goes on.

My top 4 stores for bulk are: 1. Goodies & Grains. 2. House of Health. 3. The Honey Shoppe. 4. Go Vita Health Food Store.

Re-think your thinking...

PLASTIC FREE JULY: DAY 12

Day Twelve:

If you are already pretty good at recycling you will know that you have to remove lids from bottles before placing them in the recycle bin...

BUT...

...DID YOU KNOW...

YOU CAN NOW RECYCLE THE LIDS TOO! :-)

It is now recommended to place all plastic lids in a large plastic bottle (i.e. fabric softener or 2L milk bottle) and once the bottle is full you can place it in the recycle bin. This way the small lids don't get stuck in the sorting conveyer belts as they would if loose. And can now be recycled too with same plastics.

You can do this for steel and aluminium lids as well. Steel lids will be magnetic (you can test them using a magnet) and can be placed in steel tins (also magnetic), once the tin is nearly full you can clamp it shut and place in recycle bin. Aluminium lids are not magnetic and should be placed in aluminium cans. Just make sure that all the steel lids as well as the tin are magnetic and all the aluminium lids as well as the can are not magnetic so as not to mix steel with aluminium. 

I have two empty glass jars at the kitchen window-sill, one labelled magnetic and one labelled non-magnetic. Each time I take a lid off a bottle I test it and place it in the right jar. Once the jar is full I put the lids in the correct can that I have saved and rinsed for this purpose. When the can is full enough, I clamp it shut and put it in the recycle bin. Easy!

Re-think your thinking...

PLASTIC FREE JULY: DAY 11

Day Eleven:

There's probably a 50% chance you are a human who brushes their hair. Have you thought about what your brush is made of? Probably plastic.

And guess what?...

There are brushes out there made out of BAMBOO, crying out to be used! They are 100% biodegradable, naturally anti-static & anti-bacterial. Not to mention how amazingly well they massage your scalp when brushing. I didn't want to stop!

Once again, if you want to know why bamboo is more environmentally friendly then read our previous bamboo related posts. There are many positive reasons to go Bamboo!

Re-think your thinking...

PLASTIC FREE JULY: DAY 10

Day Ten:

Are you a frequent Cling Film user?...time to re-think your thinking...

Someone's been a Bizzy Bee this month, finding out and putting into practise all sorts of weird and wonderful ways to reduce the amount of waste we create in our household.

One of my favourite finds so far has to bee these awesome Beeswax Wraps, the perfect answer to cling film!

These gorgeous looking wraps (they can be found in all sorts of different patterns and colours, depending where you buy them from) are made from 100% organic cotton; organic beeswax; tree resin & jojoba oil. It sticks amazingly to itself and can be wrapped around the top of a bowl; around a sandwich; around a block of cheese; around vegetables for storage or made into a little bag to put snacks in...the opportunities are endless. The wrap itself does not feel at all sticky, it's genius!

Read more about them here or just google them and there are a few places that make different ones.

If you are interested in learning how to make these yourself then there is an event happening in Adelaide on 23rd July where you will learn how to make a beeswax wrap; a cotton fruit and veg bag and a jute scrubber all to take home with you and the workshop only costs $10 to attend.
Click here for details.

"You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself any direction you choose." ~ Dr Seuss

Re-think your thinking...

PLASTIC FREE JULY: DAY 9

Day Nine:

Fan of liquid soap over hard soap?

Think about all those plastic bottles that land up being produced and used up and possibly landing up in landfill or the ocean.

I have been turned to hard soap recently and found some beautiful, locally made, natural soap that I have to say makes my face feel as soft as a baby's bottom! It's all I use on my face followed by some organic face cream. No scrubs/cleansers or whatever else those marketeers like to try and convince you you need. It's all just more plastic and chemicals! We don't need or want that!

If you REALLY have to have liquid soap (I do have some in my studio) then make sure you keep re-using the same pump bottle and go to a bulk food store to top it up. The Honey Shop in Central Markets are the best for all household products in bulk. I am sure there are other places too.

Re-think your thinking...

PLASTIC FREE JULY: DAY 8

Day Eight:

Knock Knock!...
Who's there?
Bam.
Bam who?
Bamboo!

Yip, can't get enough of the stuff!
Did you know you can get bamboo Cotton Buds? 100% biodegradable product. Waaaay better than plastic cotton buds. And yes, they are a little bit more pricey but considering you may be using 1-3 per day, a box should last you between 70 & 200 days and costs around $7. I'd say that was a rather substantially low price to pay for improving our environment. Here is a great online site that sells them amongst many other lovely eco-friendly products.

WHY IS BAMBOO BETTER?
For the same reasons mentioned in the previous post.

GO BAMBOO!

PLASTIC FREE JULY: DAY 7

Day Seven:

What is your toothbrush made of?

Most likely plastic. 
Did you know you can get bamboo toothbrushes from most health food shops or online?

WHY IS BAMBOO BETTER?
Well, there'll be no need for bamboozling as it's a no-brainer! ;-p

In Australia, over 30 million toothbrushes are used and disposed of by Australians each year, amounting to approximately 1000 tonnes of landfill each year. The plastic they’re made of won’t break down in our lifetime. Nor within the lifetime of our children.

Bamboo on the other hand is an extremely fast growing plant, it is naturally pest resistant, which means it doesn’t need fertilisers to boost its growth. When it has been harvested, it grows back within a year and often grows 120cm a day! It needs no chemicals and very little water to grow.

The Bamboo toothbrush was invented by a Brisbane dentist. The handles are biodegradable, environmentally sustainable, and do not pollute the environment. The amazing growth and self-renewing ability of bamboo means that deforestation is not necessary either. Even the packaging is bio-degradable.

Bamboo toothbrushes are BPA FREE and FAIR TRADED as well as VEGAN FREINDLY.

GO BAMBOO!

PLASTIC FREE JULY: DAY 6

Day Six:

Ever thought about whether you really need those many plastic bags to put your fruit and veg in when shopping?

Here are a few alternatives:
1. Why not leave the plastic bags altogether and just put the fruit and veg in your basket.
2. Purchase re-usable cotton bags here (or at many other online stores or eco-stores), you can keep these stored in your shopping bag in the car, ready for use.
3. Use the brown paper bags that are available for mushrooms for all your fruit and veg instead.

The less plastic we consume, the less demand there is for it and hopefully the less plastic there will be in the world

PLASTIC FREE JULY: DAY 5

Day Five:

Did you know you can make your own cleaning product in a re-usable spray bottle by just using water and white vinegar?

It is that simple!

One part vinegar to three parts water, you can even add some essential oils such as lemon or lavender for scent.
I have been using vinegar as a cleaning product for years now and it cleans better than anything I've used in the past. It's super cheap and means you don't have to go through so many plastic bottles. Or use horrible cleaning products that are possibly full of chemicals that aren't so great for the environment. You can even find some places that sell white vinegar in bulk so you can keep re-using the same vinegar bottle ;-). Goodies & Grains in Adelaide Central Market sell bulk vinegar as well as just about every food item you can think of in bulk.