Ready for a challenge? When I started changing my lifestyle from consumable to sustainable, there were a lot of things I wasn’t aware of and things that I only discovered as I went ‘down the rabbit hole’. Some of it was obvious and simple, and other changes took a bit more time. Here are five extremely simple hacks that made my life a whole lot less disposable – including some information on SodaStream and how it’s helped us in the kitchen!
1: Grow your own vegetables
This has been the best thing we’ve ever done in my home! I’ve got two amazing Healthy Patches filled with an abundance of vegetables and herbs that we can easily pick and eat as we go. There’s no waste, as we only use what we need. The benefits of eating more vegetables are obvious, and we’re also doing our bit for the local environment by helping to green the air.
2: Use a SodaStream!
My husband adores fizzy water, but it’s something we don’t buy as we choose to be as plastic free as possible. A brilliant idea for families who are in the same predicament is to use a SodaStream! We fill up the reusable bottles with filtered water, give it some gas, and then drink it plain or flavour it with mint, cucumber and lemon, or frozen berries and oranges. It makes such a wonderful alternative to buying soda water from the shops!
Did you know: Recycling 41 plastic bottles saves enough energy to run a fridge for 1 hour or a computer for 17 hours!*
The impact on the environment is lessened as well – and with Australians buying 118,000 tonnes of plastic drink bottles a year and with those plastic bottles sitting in landfill for up to 1000 years (it’s an unknown!) using a SodaStream with their solid reusable bottles is a brilliant way to reduce plastic in your life… and it makes it a lot easier than lugging home bags filled with soda from the supermarket!
Drink for thought: Tap water costs 1 cent per litre compared to bottled water which costs $2.53 per litre! Save money by filling up your own SodaStream bottles – we use a filter and it’s a hell of a lot cheaper than bottled!
Because the team at SodaStream are so passionate about reducing plastic waste (and have a wicked sense of humour too), they’ve made this brilliant video, featuring Mayim Bialik, all about it! Watch it below:
3: It doesn’t have to be brand new!
Where can you choose things second hand? Can you scour your local op-shop for things like plates and cutlery, mugs, chairs and even appliances? I bought my 1970’s Crock Cooker from an op-shop in pristine condition and even an electrical check. By buying used goods, you’re not only giving something purpose again, but also lessening the amount of goods in landfill.
4: Keep your glass jars for future use.
I rinse and dry all of my old glass jars and reuse them for other things, like storing bulk foods, homemade cleaning products, and homemade pickles and relish; a brilliant way to make the most of a bumper crop of vegies, and to enjoy them year round.
To find out more about Soda Streams, and how it can easily help you make a difference, visit them here .
5: Use simple homemade cleaning products
There’s nothing easier than making your own cleaning products – with just a few simple staples.
DIY Floor Wash and Cleaning Spray: I make my own floor wash and cleaning spray by keeping all of my orange and lemon peels and steeping them in a big bottle with vinegar. I then dilute ¼ cup of it with water in a spray bottle, or a bucket for floor cleaner. It smells incredible and contains no nasties (which is wonderful if you’ve got dogs or littlies around).
DIY Laundry Wash: Using ¼ cup of vinegar, 2 drops of lavender oil and 1 drop of tea tree oil to a full load of washing. I add it after the water has filled, so it disperses easily.
I’m a proud ambassador for SodaStream, and am happy to help them spread the word!
Adele x
References:
*https://www.coolaustralia.org/bottled-water-secondary/
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