Are you feeling guilty?
Did you just watch another video of turtles losing their battle against straws?
While there’s nothing we can say to make you feel better about the turtle, we’re glad you’re here! Because we don’t want you feeling guilty any longer. Nothing is too small when it comes to saving our planet. And, our journey towards a cleaner tomorrow can start.. RIGHT NOW!
Yes, it’s a very long road. But, it’s paved with small sustainable swaps which you can make immediately.
Are you ready to hop on?
What can you do to save the environment?
1) Part with plastic!
In addition to shunning those single-use plastic bags, bid goodbye to ziplock bags, cling film and plastic containers. Not only do they take foreverrrr—20 to 500 years— to decompose, they also leech out toxins into the food they store.
Yikes! Would you want a sandwich with a side of Styrene? *
What’s the alternative?
- Switch over to beeswax wraps. Made with cotton sheets, they’re coated with pine resin, food safe beeswax and jojoba oil. They can be used to wrap your sandwiches, fruits or cover your bowls. You can also make them on your own! **
- Invest in a steel straw. They don’t corrode or absorb the flavour of your drinks. This is a no-brainer. Do it for the turtles.
- Stock up on glass or steel dabbas. You can use them to carry lunch to work/ school or store your staples and left-overs in them.
2) Go green with your dishes
Your Teflon non-stick pans may help you flip that perfect omelette, but they also get damaged easily and need to be replaced often. Invest in sustainable cookware, which will last you longer, like stainless steel or cast iron pots and pans.
Similarly, opt for sturdy anti-bacterial bamboo ladles and spatulas, which don’t rot like cheap wood or melt like their plastic counterparts.
Don’t just stop there! Go the extra mile and switch over to plant based kitchen cleaners.
For example, choose Born Good’s Dishwash Gel over chemical dishwashing liquid. It’s the best dishwashing liquid in India. Especially, if you’re searching for an eco-friendly variant. Since it is a quick-rinsing gel, it consumes much less water to get your grease and grime off. Also, it’s not harsh on your skin. Nor does it wash toxins down the drain and into the ocean.
You can complement this switch by using plastic free sponges made with plant fibres like coconut coir.
3) Compost for the cause
Are you still throwing away your egg shells? Please don’t! Waste food for you, can be fertilizer for your plants.
Instead of trashing all your waste, choose to segregate them into wet food waste and dry paper/plastic waste, and start composting.
This will not only help you waste less, but also cut down your fertiliser expenses.
If you’re confused about the ‘what’, ‘why’ and ‘how’, we’ve got your back. Check out this link below to learn about composting basics. ***
4) Shop to save - your pennies & the planet
Being eco-friendly isn’t just a day job. It requires a shift in your long term buying behaviour. And, honestly you’re saving your planet, your pocket and your tummy, some major heavy lifting. You still have to haul your fair share of weights in the gym though.
How can you be an eco-friendly shopper?
- Ditch processed and frozen food. Those chicken nuggets, frozen pizzas, chips and salami are an absolute no! They not only add those inches to your belly, with their insane amounts of sugar, salt and saturated fat, but also harm the environment. How? Think of their excess packaging, the electricity required to thaw and reheat them, and PALM OIL! These products often use palm oil liberally, contributing to deforestation and destruction of natural habitats. Yes, those nuggets you carted last week? They cost an Orangutan its home!
- Buy farm fresh and seasonal ingredients. Support your local producers and reduce those food miles, i.e the distance from farm to table, to lower your carbon emissions.
- Caffeinate consciously. No, we’re not asking you to give up your chai- coffee!! But, you should consider investing in a French press or stainless steel coffee filter. This will eliminate the need for paper filters. Also, if you have the misfortune of living with an annoying flatmate (read husband) who has the habit of leaving tea-bags everywhere, switch to tea infusers. For the environment, you know? Since tea-bags aren’t biodegradable. They contain plastic or polythene.
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Okay, now stop feeling guilty. It’s time to put this knowledge to good use. If you’re confused about where to start, we recommend switching your dishwashing liquid. Click here to cart Born Good’s Dishwash Gel.
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*Toxins are leaching into your food