The War on Waste documentary has really sparked a fire in my soul.
I am obsessed with all things waste reduction and how I can minimise mine and my family's environmental footprint as much as possible.
I have recorded a podcast on it you will have to check out if you are interested in doing this in your house as well.
I am shocked each day by how much more I can do as I investigate my personal "War on Waste".
This has never been a huge topic of interest for me in the past. I have always done what I thought was enough; Recycling, buying degradable or compostable products and what have you, but I realise now that this is nowhere near enough if I want my daughter to enjoy what we have left of our amazing environment.
I also have found it fun and intriguing to find new ways of doing things and being conscious around the house.
It is important here I think to point out that just because we buy compostable and biodegradable products and packaging does not mean that this happens. Unfortunately, when these products are sent to the dump they do not have the necessary sunlight, oxygen and bugs to degrade due to the sheer amount of other rubbish and plastic around it. To truly allow these things to compost and degrade can only be done whilst they are in our own hands, at home.
I have always been a lover of gardening and farming as an herbalist at heart but living in an apartment in the city makes it difficult to enjoy this. I love going out to my parents place to play in the veg garden or compost things but it’s just not enough, and its annoying. By the time I have saved my scraps and get out there once a week it’s a pain in the butt and my house is stinking from a week worth of food rot.
So, I invested in an Urban Composter and am very excited to say this is working well. It is actually much more versatile than conventional composting, even though it is made for apartment living.
I am currently composting everything from food scraps to toilet paper rolls. Every time I put something in I smile at Sam and tell him what I’m composting (the excitement is thrilling for him I am sure!).
Using cane baskets and glass jars has taken me back to my childhood and shopping with my Nan. Wrapping food in tea towels and bees wax wraps carries a certain beauty to it that plastic food wrap has destroyed, and brown paper bags really do have a nostalgic effect on me.
Most of all, I am loving the lack of garbage in my house. Usually into my second big black garbage bag by Thursday I have filled 2 small brown paper bags so far this week and am loving the freedom from waste and plastic in my life.
Want to start somewhere? Focus on one thing this week that you can refuse-plastic bag at the shop for example, or reuse and not throw away (eg salsa or pasta sauce jar), and you are on your way.
Every choice we make matters.