We are strong believers of the phrase Sustainability starts at home. In our experience the easiest place to make swaps is the kitchen.
When we as a family decided to go plastic free, we had a long discussion about what challenges we faced and how we could overcome them.
We realised that a little bit of planning in advance and continuing the same process each time we were able to change our old habits.
The best way of ensuring the same was planning on a weekly basis. By preparing a list of all things that we needed to consume for a week, we ensured that we avoided buying excess and reduced the bills as well.
By following this process of listing and planning for a few weeks, it slowly turned into a habit.
Here are a few examples of the various changes we have made as a family
1. Meal planning: This helps to ensure that we shop only for what is required to make the meals rather than random purchases which creates waste.
2. Plastic free grocery shopping: We carry our own cotton grocery bags, produce bags and containers when visiting the grocery store. Even in malls we carry our own bag.
3. Bio enzymes: We make our own chemical free floor and surface cleaner using the process of fermentation of orange peels.
4. Making your own food: This helps in reducing lots of food waste plus we all know the health benefits of doing the same
5. Composting: Our kitchen waste like peels,egg shells etc goes into our compost bin to produce soil which acts as a perfect fertilizer for our plants. This is one of the best SWITCH ever!
6. Reusable cotton towels: we ditched the kitchen tissue rolls for the humble cotton towels. Use, wash, reuse!!
7. Reusing old glass bottles: All glass coffee bottles, pasta sauce bottles are washed and reused for storing spices, pulses and some art work etc.
8. Eliminating use of foil and cling films: By using regular steel covers, beeswax wraps and silicon lids.
9. Growing your own: This may not be possible for all but a treat to watch and grow your own foods.
9. Supporting local farmers: By buying local you consume fresh foods as well as support small businesses and help the economy grow.
10. Using steel or cast iron cookware: there are many health benefits of substituting nonstick cookware to these options
11. Water filter: By using filtered water instead of bottled water you can reduce a great amount of plastic bottle waste.
The lesson I learned during this process was ‘being sustainable’ is a lifestyle change that takes time. It’s a journey. Everyone journey is different and takes it own course. By taking it one step at a time and being proud of your little achievements it will motivate you to do more. You don’t need to go out and buy all the zero waste products to be sustainable. Look around your home first, see what things you can upcycle and creatively use what you already have and start your journey from there!