Welcome to Zero Waste Cape Town!!Ā Your online source of informationĀ about how to reduce your waste and how to become a consciousĀ consumer. We live in a plastic world and its time to put our foot down and reject single-use disposable plastic, as well as many wasteful habits that we all have learnt. Letās all unlearn these habits and re-educate ourselves.Ā
Hi there! So I am just starting to learn about the zero waste lifestyle. I am very overwhelmed by the amount of information I have acquired on the subject and do not know where to start. And also my family is not interested in being eco-friendly, making it even more difficult. Do you have any tips on where to start and how to deal with an uninterested family?
Hey there āØItās super easy to feel overwhelmed. Just take everything one step at a time. Learn as much as you can. An easy way to create less waste is to be prepared. š§If you eat out often, carry a set of cutlery from home. Perhaps even a Tupperware that you can keep left overs in. You can keep these in a tote bag which can double as a shopping bag (keep loads of these in the car for groceries)šæAlways keep your eyes open for green grocersš„¦š„ in your area. A place that has their veggies loose and not packaged. This is an easy way to not use plastic and you can support local businesses. (also always ask if the shop packages their items themselves because if they do you can ask them if you can bring your own container. They might help if they are nice) Always be prepared to say no thanksšāŖļøWhen at a restaurant always say no straw please, because they always seem to bring one already in your drink šāŖļøWhen you go shopping say no to a plastic bag and bring your own reusable one. My biggest tip is to use what you have. You donāt have to go and buy a new item because it conforms to an aesthetic because that can be costly. But if that inspires you and helps your process then itās okay. Invest in things that will last years so you donāt have to keep replacing. This can be done when your old item is broken. For the waste that you haveš¢go to your local dump or recycling place and ask them what they recycle and what their system is. Start sorting your own waste and take it to the recycling place ā»ļø Ohh before I forget there is ecobricks!! Look them up they are amazing for plastics and things that arenāt recycled š¤š¤These are all small changes that you can start making. Donāt feel pressured to do it all at once. No one is perfect and it is a journey that takes a long time to get right for your lifestyle. When living with people who arenāt on the same page, it can be really disheartening :( ive been there. You just have to deal with your stuff and try not to let other peopleās habits get you down. You can try and educate others but donāt worry if it doesnāt get through to them. A change needs to happen from with in themselves. ššI hope this helps and isnāt too long šššš
1. refuse - if you donāt need it, refuse it. say no to flyers, plastic bags, straws, plastic cutlery etc. invest in a reusable water bottle, slow down and eat in to avoid takeaway containers, make your daily tea or coffee at home and take bags with you when you go shopping
2. reduce - can you cut down on how much you are using? buy food in bulk, eat less meat, donāt buy clothes just because theyāre on sale. finding lots of little ways to reduce what you are consuming can have a big impact
3. reuse - can you reuse the product or parts of the product for another purpose? reuse empty glass jars to store food or turn old clothes into cleaning rags
4. repair - if itās broken try and fix it before you throw it away and buy a new one
5. rot - if you canāt reuse or repair something made of natural materials, compost it. donāt send it to landfill because it canāt decompose buried under other rubbish, the greenhouse gases will just collect
6. recycle - send materials like cardboard and glass off to be chemically repurposed into new products. this process is resource intensive so it is best to reduce your recycling as much as possible, but recycling is always better than sending things to landfill.
7. rethink - if you canāt do any of the above then itās time to rethink whether you actually need the product. find sustainable alternativesĀ
Hi! I am really trying to get into lowering my waste, & I feel like jars are a good place to start because theyāre reusable! But pickle jars smell even after you wash them 2946179246 times, so I was wondering if youāve ever used pickle jars & how you got the smell out cause Iām worried itāll soak into the food or whatever Iām putting in the jar. Thanks :)
Hey there! I love using pickle jars because they are such a nice size. I usually soak them in hot water and soap and then put them in the dish washer. And the smell eventually goes away.
So you get to the grocery store and see a huge box of softening carrots. Or youāve got some quickly blackening bananas at home and you donāt think youāll be able to eat them up before they turn to complete mush. What is one to do? Fear not - there are so many ways to prevent food from getting tossed! Here are some of my favorite.
Apples: Make applesauce. Or apple chips. Or apple chia jam. Recipe here.
Carrots, radishes, cauliflower, onions or cucumbers:Ā Pickle them! Recipes here and here.
Bananas: Peel, chop and place them in a container in the freezer for smoothies! Or make vegan banana bread, recipe here.
Greens:Ā Either cook and then freeze them into squares using an ice cube tray (perfect for adding to smoothies!) or make a pestoĀ with oil or avocado, nutritional yeast, lemon juice and nut/seed of choice. Maybe donāt use peanuts though XD
Tomatoes: Make some homemade tomato sauce, recipe here.
Avocado: For those rare beings who let avocados go badā¦ they can be frozen and added to smoothies for extra creaminess!
Zucchini: Freeze and add to smoothies for extra nutrition! Or make zucchini chips, recipe here.
Mushrooms: If your mushrooms have dried up in the fridge, leave them until dehydrated, then add to a food processor to create a mushroom powder. Add this as a flavoring to make a yummy broth/ramen base!
Bell peppers:Ā Roast them and eat as is or add to a processor with chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, garlic and salt for some delicious homemade hummus.
Herbs: Freeze them in an ice cube tray with some olive oil and throw it into a pan as a cooking base.
Honestly, freezing is always a great option, so if you really donāt know what to do throw your produce in the freezer! Did I miss anything? Let me know in the comments :)Ā
I hope this picture makes you think that today is the epitome of beautiful spring days // in reality it is raining and gray and cold outside BUT I did see these beauts and some lovely strawberries at my quick #farmersmarket run this morning!! Iāve put these asparagus stalks in a jar of water and will stick them straight in the fridge to keep fresh because #foodwasteisforchumps šš thank you to @mamaeatsplants for teaching me all about how to keep my #produce fresh for longer!!
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#zerowaste #lowimpactmovement #wastefree #trashfree #plasticfree #nowaste #notrash #noplastic #reduce #reuse #recycle #repurpose #ecofriendly #sustainable #gogreen #yayforearth #reducewhatyouproduce #ourplanetourhome #zerowastecollective #vegan #vegansofig #whatveganseat #plantbased #plantstrong #lowimpact30 #eattherainbow #spring #local #organic
I do my #bulk shopping every other week, so I always make sure to pick up enough of my staples like oats, rice, pasta and beans. And I found #vegan chocolate chips!! I was so excited to see them @bushwickfood because I havenāt had them in forever šš whatās your favorite bulk find?
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#lowimpactmovement #lowwaste #wastefree #trashfree #plasticfree #minimalwaste #zerowaste #nowaste #notrash #noplastic #reduce #reuse #recycle #repurpose #ecofriendly #sustainable #gogreen #vegansofig #plantbased #wfpb #bushwickfoodcoop
Ā¼ tsp bentonite clay (or another loose powder such as cornstarch)
Ā¼ tsp filtered water
3-4 drops of grapeseed oil (or coconut/ jojoba/ olive oil)
Take activated charcoal and mix well with bentonite clay
Add 3-4 drops of oil and mix a little
Add your water until smooth, making sure to scrape the sides of the bowl
After a few minutes, youāll get a smooth consistency which you can then pour into a small container.
Let the mixture sit for at least an hour before applying. The mascara will have a wet consistency, much like store bought mascara.
and a recipe for liquid foundation (found here: http://wellnessmama.com/27328/liquid-foundation-recipe/)
Either use a natural pre-made moisturiser and add colours and pigments until you get the desired colour and coverage or make it from scratch which allows for more customisation.
for the DIY version youāll need:
2 tsp of argan oil or jajoba oil
1 tsp of shea butter
Ā½ tsp vegetable based emulsifying wax
1 tbsp aloe gel
1 tsp witch hazel
OR 3 tbsp of natural pre-made lotion (in place of first 5 ingredients)
and for the base colour and coverage use either or some of these powders:
1-4 tsp zinc oxide (non-nano and uncoated) or white cosmetic clay
Ā¼-Ā½ tsp organic cocoa powder
Ā½-1 tsp mica powder in colour of choice
Ā½ tsp clay of choice (e.g. kaolin clay, Earth Clay or Bentonite Clay )
OR 2-3 tsp natural mineral powder in colour of choice
Melt the shea butter, argan oil and emulsifying wax in a double boiler until completely melted.
Add the aloe and witch hazel and whisk until completely incorporated and smooth.
Turn heat off.
Slowly, start adding colors. Start with zinc and clays until desired coverage is reached. It will still be too pale at this point.
Add mica powders and cocoa powder a tiny pinch at a time until desired colour is reached.
Let cool for a few seconds and test the colour and coverage on your forehead to make sure youāve achieved the right tone for your skin.
Spoon the mixture into the desired container and let cool.
My @bushwickfood haul includes lots of staples: pasta, oats, rice, chickpeas, peanuts (which I used to make PB!) and more. One thing I realized while I was shopping? That I am incredibly privileged, not only to have a #bulk store near me but to be able to haul it (about 40 lbs worth) the 10 minutes back to my apartment. If I was in a wheelchair, or if I was on crutches, or wasnāt 100% mobile and able-bodied, thereās no way I wouldāve been able to do this all on my own. Conclusion: this lifestyle isnāt possible for everyone, which is why we should put it on companies and corporations to take a systemic shift towards a #circulareconomy (check @bezerowastegirl for more on that š)
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#lowimpactmovement #lowwaste #minimalwaste #zerowaste #wastefree #trashfree #plasticfree #nowaste #notrash #noplastic #reduce #reuse #recycle #repurpose #local #shoplocal #bushwickfoodcoop #ecofriendly #sustainable #gogreen #vegan #vegansofig #whatveganseat #plantbased #plantstrong #eattherainbow #organic #fairtrade (at Bushwick Food Cooperative)
Repost. A very easy way to go green. Eliminate that straw from your life. Set an example - some people might be a little turned off by it, but if you explain, theyāll start to understand.
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