Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Eco things

Here's a tip for you.  If you want to avoid taking single-use bags but want to utilitize plastic bags that junk mail has come in, why not carefully open the clear plastic covers that mail comes and keep them in your bag to use for putting loose veg or other items.  I saw the new secretary at school wading through the huge heap of catalogues and mail that had come in the holiday during the first week and I offered to take them home to recycle. I carefully opened the catalogues and kept the A4 sized bags and then used them in the greengrocers today to seperate my fruit and veg.  Bravo to the Sticker company whose mail shots came in compostable ones.

Two trips to aforementioned greengrocers on consecutive Saturdays. Very satisfying to have no plastic except for the pak choi bag (which can be recycled or used as above).

I've taken to picking up at least one item of rubbish to put in the recycling most days. This was an idea from Lisa who used to blog at Jumble and Jelly but can now mainly be found as @conkersandcherries on Instagram.

I have eaten the leftovers from my colleagues lunch for 2 days now. I am a veritable human dustbin.

Fished 2 bags of carrots out of the bin at work.  Eating them for lunch each day.  Nothing that a vegetable peeler can get rid of.

My sweet work colleague mentioned that she had a glut of tomatoes in her garden and is sick of them so I volunteered my dustbin services to receive some.  She bought them in a reusable plastic tub and told me that she was going to use a plastic bag but then thought that then I would be stuck with a plastic bag to dispose of so she gave me a container to use so I wouldn't be put in that situation.

CBC was desperate for some Chinese tonight when he picked me up from the station so I found him two plastic tubs in the car and my bag (which I stowed away) so he was able to get it in those.  We also asked just to be handed the tub so we didn't get a carrier bag.  CBC is now used to this slightly embarrassing version of me.

Was able to talk to a table of colleagues about the Climate Crisis and why it is important we reduce our meat intake because of the impact on land and forests being cut down.  It may not have any impact but at least they sat there and listened and looked horrified when they heard of the 11 year deadline we have.

Here are some things I saw in the Waste reduction area on Instagram and the web in general:


https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/623912671/i-say-no-to-plastic-hard-enamel-pin?ref=shop_home_active_1
Say no to plastic pin badges


The Milk and More website has started to stock those biodegradable cloths which come in biodegradable packaging:
https://www.milkandmore.co.uk/Coming-Soon/If-You-Care-Reusable-Sponge-Cloths%2C-5-pack/p/77020?utm_source=WeeklyEmail&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=08092019_Buyerspick%20(1)&utm_content=Hyperlink_20190906_130455598&spMailingID=22064089&spUserID=NTYxODMzNjYxMjAxS0&spJobID=1580363117&spReportId=MTU4MDM2MzExNwS2

OOoh, Cactuses could replace some plastic packaging.


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In a university lab near Guadalajara, Mexico, researchers trim cactus leaves and feed them into a juicer, creating a bright green liquid. When it’s mixed with other natural materials and processed, it undergoes an impressive transformation: The cactus juice becomes a biodegradable plastic⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ It’s one experiment to help tackle the world’s plastic problem. Around nineteen billion pounds of plastic ends up in the ocean each year, and as plastic breaks down there and in landfills, it makes its way into the food system; people now eat an annual diet of more than 50,000 pieces of microplastic. Plastic made from cactus wouldn’t necessarily help stop the flow of trash into waterways. But the researchers say that the material biodegrades quickly and is nontoxic if it’s eaten. And unlike plastic made from fossil fuels, the cactus-based plastic is carbon neutral as it breaks down–the carbon dioxide it emits equals the carbon dioxide it took in as a plant as it grew.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ The prickly pear cactus used in the experiment, which grows locally, is well suited to become plastic. “The cactus of this species contains a large amount of sugars and gums that favor the formation of the biopolymer,” says Sandra Pascoe Ortiz, a chemical engineering professor who is leading the research.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Cactus also has another advantage over Corn, for example, which is often used to make compostable forks or cups, still has an environmental footprint from the fertilizer and other resources used to grow it. It’s also using land that could be used to grow food. Cactus, which survives in harsh environments with little or no intervention, can grow on land that doesn’t make sense for farming. “It does not require much care for its cultivation and production,” says Pascoe Ortiz.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #biodegradableplastic #zerowaste #zerowastegoals #zerowastelife #zerowasteliving #slowsustainablehome #singleusesucks #zerowastetips #sustainbaleliving #smallsustainablesteps
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What can you think of below?



A worrying project in Climate collapse.


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FACTS💥 Climate Change Apocalypse Could Start by 2050 If We Don't Act, Report Warns. ⠀⠀⠀ The paper was written by an independent think tank in Australia called Breakthrough National Centre for Climate Restoration. It offers a scenario for 2050 in a world where humans didn't lower carbon emissions enough to keep the global temperature from rising. In this scenario, damage has been done and warming reaches 3 degrees Celsius: ⠀⠀⠀ 👉🏼 Sea levels have risen 1.6 feet and are projected to increase by as much as 10 feet by 2100. ⠀⠀⠀ 👉🏼 Globally, 55% of the population lives in areas subject to more than 20 days of lethal heat a year, beyond the human threshold of survivability. ⠀⠀⠀ 👉🏼 North America suffers from devastating weather extremes, including wildfires, heatwaves, droughts and flooding. China's summer monsoons fail and water in Asia's great rivers are severely reduced from the loss of more than one-third of the Himalayan ice sheet. ⠀⠀⠀ 👉🏼 Ecosystems in coral reefs and the Amazon rainforest collapse, affecting fishing yields and rainfalls. ⠀⠀⠀ 👉🏼 Deadly heat conditions turn many areas unlivable, resulting in more than a billion people being displaced in West Africa, tropical South America, the Middle East and South-East Asia. ⠀⠀⠀ 👉🏼 2 billion people globally are affected by lack of water. Food production falls by one-fifth as droughts, heat waves, flooding and storms affect crops. ⠀⠀⠀ 👉🏼 Rising ocean levels make some of the world's most populous cities uninhabitable, including Mumbai, Jakarta, Canton, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Lagos, Bangkok and Manila. Billions of people must be relocated. ⠀⠀⠀ 👉🏼 This leads to fights over land, resources and water and potentially to war and occupations. ⠀⠀⠀ The scenarios given in the paper are all too likely, experts say 😓 @gogreen.activist ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #climatejustice #socialjustice #ecoliving #makeadifference #sustainableliving #saynotoplastic #ecoquotes #climatchange #environment #savetheplanet #saveourplanet #climateprotest
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More good ethical shopping ideas:


It makes me thankful when stars with an influence use it for good environmental purposes:

I knew this anyway because I wrote to my local Council back in 2005 asking about the types of plastic that could and couldn't be recycled but most people are muddled by the recyclability of plastics.


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If you’re anything like us then you’ll probably be a bit unsure about which plastic packaging can and can’t be recycled - either kerbside or at all.... It’s all down to the number inside the ♻️ sign. Take a look at this chart - numbers 1 and 5 (PET and Polypropylene) are generally well looked after, the rest you’ll be lucky! This isn’t common knowledge yet and along with the fact that each council has its own recycling initiative, means the Government needs to put together a standardised recycling policy and implement nationally ASAP. For now this is a great guide. #recycleweek #greenliving #recycleplastic #zerowastelife #sustainableliving #ecofriendly #vscouk #vscogirl #reusablestraw #recyclingscheme #zerowastelife #zerowasteliving #buyoncebuywell #singleusesucks #plasticfree
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More help on this subject:


Zerowaste Bingo!!! I did quite well at this! Hurrah!


More on those biodegradable cloths. Of course, having cotton ones you throw in the washing machine and reuse multiple times are even better.


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Did you know supermarket sponge cloths are made of plastic and emit micro-plastic pollution? ⁣ ⁣ This set of 4 compostable sponge cloths and made of plants and are fully biodegradable. They are made in the UK and designed in the UK by ecoLiving.⁣ ⁣ These sponge cloths are particularly absorbent, durable, resistant to tear and abrasion. They absorb liquid quickly and retain up to 10 times its dry weight in water.⁣ ⁣ Hygienic, durable, environmentally friendly, reusable & fully biodegradable.⁣ ⁣ 🌱100% plastic free and made from plants.⁣ ⁣ 🌱A set of 4 fully biodegradable sponge cleaning cloths.⁣ ⁣ 🌱Perfect for the kitchen, bathroom and all around the house. ⁣ ⁣ 🌱Very absorbent⁣ ⁣ 🌱 Reusable over and over again, then compostable at home.⁣ ⁣ 🌱 Renewable and sustainable.⁣ ⁣ 🌱Lint-free and pleasantly soft.⁣ ⁣ -🌱Minimal low impact packaging, plastic-free.⁣ ⁣ 🌍 Made in the UK⁣ ⁣ 👉Check them out here: https://www.boobalou.co.uk/compostable-sponge-cloths.html⁣ ⁣ ⁣ #zerowaste #zerowastetips #zerowastelife #zerowastehome #zerowastevegan #zerowasteuk #zerowasteshopping #zerowastegoals #zerowasteliving #zerowastejourney #boobalou #MyEcoJourney #ecojourney #ecoliving #greenliving #bethechange #simpleliving #ecolifestyle #lesswaste #smallsustainablesteps #lowimpact #lowimpactliving #rethink #sustainablelifestyle #sustainableliving #sustainablehome #slowliving #sustainable #habitandhome #ecofriendly
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For a long time, CBC and I have just used our Compost caddy without anything in it. I don't really like using those bags but in recent times, I have used any paper or packing which has had food on it or free newspapers to put at the bottom of our compost bin. It's been much cleaner, is adding to our brown waste and isn't using any NEW bags, just things that were going to be thrown away anyway.  Ours has housed bakery brown paper bags, chip papers and all sorts:


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Composting! This is such a fantastic idea for your compost bin from @wandering_wild_home Repost: Recently I talked about composting and what a great way it is to reduce your environmental impact! 🌱 We use a small compost bin in our kitchen which we empty into a big container outside. However, where we live, the composted material needs to be placed into a bag. That’s why we decided to go back to an old-fashioned solution and make green-bin liners out of newspapers. These would be thrown out otherwise, and were collected from places like work. This is such an easy and fun activity too! ✨ Have you ever made these kinds of green-bin liners? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ P.S. Don’t worry about any toxins from the newspaper, since most newspapers are printed with Soy ink and don’t contain any toxins!
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Is there anything new in your life that is green?

Anything here that inspired you?

xx
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6 comments:

  1. Julia12:58 am

    It's been a very busy day today. I'm sorry for not reading the whole post because it was so long but I did skim through it and really was glad that you posted the recycling symbols and what the mean.

    I've enjoyed sewing my own sturdy cloth bags and they can be used over and over. I'm doing my little part to not using plastic bags.
    Hugs, Julia

    ReplyDelete
  2. Confuzzled Bev8:55 am

    I've been translating something for work about Germany's climate change/energy transition goals and apparently in Germany the worst contributor to carbon dioxide emissions (worse than meat production, cars, etc.) is the electricity sector. According to one article, renewable energies were doing relatively well in the 90s/early 2000s, but the fossil-fuels industry lobbied the government so successfully that they made it basically impossible for any new wind farms or photovoltaic plants to get off the ground!

    I've seen impossible burgers in the supermarket near us, but it says on the packaging that people who are allergic to peanuts should be careful with them. I really want to try them, but Jan has a peanut allergy, so I'll have to wait and see if I can find a restaurant serving them instead of buying them to cook at home.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Fil11:33 pm

    Great information Kezzie - thank you ... I've been using kitchen towels in my compost, but hadn't thought about making green bags from newspapers...

    ReplyDelete
  4. HazelxJoy11:50 am

    It's sop very encouraging to read about the cactus plastic. I'm sure that as soon as there is an easy affordable alternative to plastic the world will start to use it. Sadly, until that happens there are some companies and individuals that simply won't stop because it's not convenient to do so. But, those of us who do care can make a difference.
    Your efforts are remarkable Kezzie, I always find a new idea in these posts. Thank you.
    xx

    ReplyDelete
  5. Ivana Split10:56 pm

    You always inspire me to be more ecological!

    ReplyDelete
  6. GretchenJoanna7:31 pm

    I really like your tip for using the junk mail bags!

    ReplyDelete

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