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What I realised from going even more Plastic Free this July is that single-use plastic is most often synonymous with convenience…

 

EPISODE 3 | Plastic Free Challenge

Rhian BerningRhian Berning, Stories from a Small Town, Plettenberg Bay, Garden Route

The Founder of Eco Atlas lives in a cottage next to the forest with her children aged 9 and  7, her husband and a menagerie of animals.

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Plastic Free Survival Kit for in the car

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Survival Kit for on the go

What I realised from going even more Plastic Free this July is that single-use plastic is most often synonymous with convenience and so to be plastic free takes a bit of forethought and preparation. I put together a basket in my car with all the goodies we would need so that when I’m picking kids up from school and there is that inevitable hunger attack we have our own containers for emergency food, like pancakes from the KwikSpar! My ‘Plastic Free Survival Kit’ contains reusable water bottles, glass tupperwares for take-aways and food per weight, reusable shopping bags, reusable coffee takeaway cups, some cutlery, Freshbags for fruit and veg by weight and reusable glass straws from StreamStraws. Obviously if you’re travelling by public transport or bicycle you will have to adapt your survival kit down to what is easy to carry in your bag.

 

Another realisation I had specific to living in a small town is that attempting to go plastic free also means supporting local farms and suppliers.

 

As it is I find myself going from place to place to get free range eggs here, local bread there, organic veg there. The convenience conundrum pops up again which is why supermarkets and malls are so achingly convenient because you get everything in one place. But for my area I am dreaming of a co-op where just ONE vehicle goes to the dairy to get

eco brick

The plastic our family collected this July squished into an eco brick.

milk in reusable bottles, pops past the mushroom farm to get mushrooms that AREN’T in polystyrene, gets lettuce from the lettuce farmer up the road and nuts from the Macadamian nut guy (you get the picture) and brings it to a central depot where we could all collect our plastic-free food and drop off our milk bottles and containers for the next run. We could also order our grains and staples in bulk and collect them in our own containers. It’s a dream I know, but working collectively seems to be the way to go and it’s utterly possible. There are already co-ops and food delivery systems running in cities across the country, so it’s also doable to go with existing ones and use consumer power to insist that your delivery is plastic free… there’s Ethical Co-Op in Cape Town, Organic Emporium in Joburg, Fresh Organics in Durban and FarmFresh Direct along the Garden Route.

What I learnt from Plastic Free July is that there is no point in feeling guilty about some of the inevitable plastic packaging that will enter your home, it’s overwhelming out there

and our family certainly didn’t succeed in being completely plastic free, even with my 7 year old taking on the role of the plastic police, the thing is that when we needed something we needed something! So rather we focussed on feeling excited about the solutions we discovered (like stuffing all that unwanted plastic in an eco brick that can be used for building benches and houses) and celebrating the new habits we nurtured to take beyond July and into the future.

Collective solutions from all our stories – from cities, small towns and the middle of the Karoo…every little thing we do adds up and it all counts…it’s not easy to change habits and plastic packaging is everywhere, but the more of us who say NO to single-use plastic the easier it becomes…living a healthy, plastic free life is really difficult and expensive, this needs to change and we CAN change it….and sharing our stories is powerful, we are not alone, we inspire each other and we can take back our power as consumers to create healthy communities and a healthy planet. Who’s in?

Follow our blog for all the episodes in this Plastic Free Challenge series. Other episodes here… Lisl Barry Episode 1, Gogo Mzimkhulu Episode 2

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[You can search for places that are recycling or using eco packaging on  Eco Atlas and here are some other plastic free wins you should definitely check out – GreenHome, StreamStraws, FreshBag, The Candylwood Store and more…]

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Wise words, questions, struggles and solutions to the plastic free challenge from the Eastern Cape.

Gogo Mzimkhulu, Stories from Kabega Park, Port Elizabeth

A company administrator and a traditional healer who lives in a working class suburb in the Eastern Cape and shops for herself as well as for all the regular visits from friends and family.

 

It’s been tough so far trying not to use plastic. First couple of days it was easy, I had my Spar bag all honky dory. Now the problem is when I have forgotten my bag at home. And you must know I don’t have a car. So I end up buying another reusable shopping bag, mind you they are like R42 at the Spar near me. I have ended up with three and still I forget it from time to time. It’s getting a wee bit expensive.

 

Episode 2_1But on the other hand…it’s made me more aware of other ways to help the environment. I am encouraging people to recycle and they are seeing the benefits. Collecting cans, bottles etc. In my area a lot of people are not using the dirt bins provided at the shopping centre and are throwing plastics on the ground. We have an open field right behind us. Now we have Indwe’s, Ravens, crows, Thekwana , Hadedas, Swallows and Sunbirds that are daily visitors and they are eating the plastics – now I have to run around like a mad woman either picking up the plastics or chasing the birds away from eating the plastic. Most upsetting and disturbing.

 

My area is a working class area (suburbia) you’d think people would know better. Even as a child visiting the rural areas the old Madalas planted it into us the dangers of plastics and animals (animals consuming plastic).

 

My issue is people throwing the plastic anywhere after use, because in general you can re-use most plastic. My thing is….why don’t people want a clean environment? Why is there no pride? Plastic on fences….dumped in rivers…..water is scarce. Why would people not want clean rivers?

 

Anyway the struggle continues.

 

 

Collective solutions from all our stories…every little thing we do adds up and it all counts…it’s not easy to change habits and plastic packaging is everywhere, but the more of us who say NO to single-use plastic the easier it becomes…living a healthy, plastic free life is really difficult and expensive, this needs to change and we CAN change it….and sharing our stories is powerful, we are not alone, we inspire each other and we can take back our power as consumers to create healthy communities and a healthy planet. Who’s in?

Follow our blog for all the episodes in this Plastic Free Challenge series.

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[You can search for places that are recycling or using eco packaging on  Eco Atlas and here are some other plastic free wins you should definitely check out – GreenHome, StreamStraws, FreshBag, The Candylwood Store and more…]


Lisl Barry, Stories from a Rural Home, Gamkaberg Reserve, Klein Karoo

A Fine Artist and author of “52 Ways To Grow Creative Children” Lisl lives on the CapeNature reserve which her husband manages with their two daughters aged 12 and 14. Their closest town is Oudtshoorn.

 

My quest to reduce my landfill waste came about when we moved to the reserve in 1993 (I was then 22 years old). Managing one’s waste by recycling, makes one acutely aware of how MUCH pointless trash one “produces” – recycleable or not. I’ve been trying various options over the years, not quite eliminating our waste all together but certainly amazed at how much one can reduce if mindful. It sometime takes a little extra effort but becomes a lifestyle habit. We generally have no tin waste, very little glass but plastic is trickier…

 

So let’s talk easy solutions for Plastic Free JulyI have 3 reusable, washable shopping bags which are designed to fold into themselves like a raincoat tucked into it’s hood and pulled tight. They fit snugly into my small handbag and are made of parachute material, which means they are really strong and durable (I’ve had mine for a number of years). Because they live in my handbag I never get to supermarket check-outs and realise I’ve left my shopping bags in the car boot! (Well – 98% of the time – then I’ll carry in my arms, my beanie (much to the horror of my teenage daughter!) or in the trolley.)

Keeping food making real, fresh and homemade…this eliminates plastic packaging like nothing else. It’s a healthier option for my family anyway as we avoid the preservatives, high sugared content and artificial additives too. I’ve not bought shop bread for years since we bake our own. No more plastic bread bags and white plastic sealing clips. Stoneground flour comes in paper bags. We make our own yoghurt, kimchi, popcorn, dips/spreads, ice-lollies and meals of course. Time consuming, sure (and I don’t always have it readily) but it becomes a way of life and worth the effort. Since we very rarely get take outs (and then try for the paper/card boxed contained options), we don’t generate non-recycleable polystyrene container waste either.

We have a selection of glass or BPA-free plastic bottles which have been a life saver many a summer’s day whether on a walk, sports event or on a hot drive home. Again, they last for years. No need to buy overpriced bottled water. We juice our own fresh/green juice. Our kids have grown up drinking water rather than juice or coldrinks, so it’s the norm – bought drinks are a rarity.

out in the karoo countryside2The joy of living in a rural area – I’ve found shops where I can take my own glass bottles to refill honey and olive oil, so I don’t have to buy new every time. Cheaper too! I don’t use cling wrap (which is non-recyclable). I bought a set of glass storage bowls of varying sizes which come with matching snap-on lids for fridge storage. Or use a pot lid to cover left-overs!

From household goods to wood glue, we buy in bulk. Buying in bulk helps reduce the amount of plastic packaging one has to purchase. I use mostly vinegar and bicarb for cleaning and microbial dishcloths – so it’s simple anyway. And I make my own wood polish.

Using the reusable menstrual cup has been a life changing, reducing-my-impact discovery! A way more comfortable one too. No monthly landfill waste.

The not so easy solutions….Avoiding the pre-packed veg (polystyrene punnets and cling wrap) and thin plastic veg bags… I choose to shop where one can select loose goods that source directly from the smaller farmers, and therefore fresh, and where one can choose to buy loose over bulk-packaged produce. Some veg are hard to get un-pre-packaged because they do this to retain freshness, like cucumbers, but I’ve found if you ask (even at Food Lover’s Market where they may have pre-packaged lettuce for example) they often have loose in the storeroom. One can’t be in a hurry however!

Buying dry produce from a wholesaler is the ideal to get around pre-packaged goods, however these are far and few between in a small dorpie. I find I have to forage around for shops that can oblige and I have to plan ahead and stock up. Not always easy and I don’t always get it right. Our local health shop will package the dry produce that they buy in bulk into paper bags for me – but then I need to buy bigger quantities and I need time while they do it. Recently I’ve discovered a new shop at the Sedgefield Market (open week days not just Saturday) called the Green Road. They sell loose (organic) lentils, rice, etc where you can take your own bottle or paper bags. But this is of course far from where we live and although we regularly go to the coast it’s not always convenient.

Sometimes I do wonder if all this effort is going to make an ounce of difference in a world consumed by pointless waste but then I believe we have to start somewhere. Why not with ourselves… and besides I live by the philosophy : Be the change you wish to see (with varying success!)

 

Subscribe to the blog to get the next Plastic Free Challenge episodes….

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Collective solutions from all our stories…every little thing we do adds up and it all counts…it’s not easy to change habits and plastic packaging is everywhere, but the more of us who say NO to single-use plastic the easier it becomes…living a healthy, plastic free life is really difficult and expensive, this needs to change and we CAN change it….and sharing our stories is powerful, we are not alone, we inspire each other and we can take back our power as consumers to create healthy communities and a healthy planet. Who’s in?

 

 [You can search for places that are recycling or using eco packaging on  Eco Atlas and here are some other plastic free wins you should definitely check out – GreenHome, StreamStraws, FreshBag, The Candylwood Store and more…]

plastic free header pic
Going Plastic Free in July has been an interesting and eye opening experience for many of us, so I thought it would be really valuable to have all our stories in one place so we can recognise the similarities in the difficulties we face when attempting a plastic free lifestyle and share solutions and ideas to overcome them.

What will follow is a series of six episodes, a collection of real stories from around the country to document the experiences of those who have risen to the challenge and what they have discovered as difficulties and solutions, specific to where they live, because our solutions vary quite a lot depending on whether we live rurally or in a big city. So we have episodes from rural living in the Klein Karoo, from inner city living in Cape Town, from a working class suburb in Port Elizabeth, from a small town on the Garden Route and then more from the suburbs of Cape Town.

The bottom line though and a common thread that runs through all our stories is that it hasn’t been easy! The onslaught of plastic at every turn seriously limits one’s choices and it’s going to take a lot of us using our consumer power to demand more plastic free options. But taking the month long challenge was also about nurturing new habits and new possibilities and it has been incredibly heartening to see the interest in Plastic Free July throughout South Africa, the time is so ripe for action and positive change, really and truly we can do this thing – we can collectively create a future we can all believe in, one where the well being of people and all life on the planet comes first.

Sharing our stories is powerful, we are not alone, we inspire each other and we can take back our power as consumers to create healthy communities and a healthy planet. Join us on this plastic free challenge storytelling journey… (subscribe to the blog to make sure you receive all the episodes over the next month)

 

[Did you know… you can specifically search for places that are recycling or using eco packaging on  Eco Atlas? And here are some other plastic free wins you should definitely check out – GreenHome, StreamStraws, FreshBag, The Candylwood Store and more…]

Celebrating the Change Makers…Eco Atlas Discounts for Going Plastic Free

Did your business take up the Plastic Free July challenge this year? Tell us how it went in the comments below and you could receive a 50% discount on your Eco Atlas company listing, which you could use for your own business or you could identify a small business that deserves the recognition for their eco and empowerment practices.

stikeez versus super animals eco atlasI have had so many queries as to whether I am in any way involved with the new Pick n Pay marketing campaign called Super Animals because of the open letter I wrote to them last year asking them to withdraw their plastic Stikeez. I’m not connected to their new campaign, but it appears they listened to my letter…In it I said that if they insisted on marketing through children (which I still don’t agree with) they should rather do something educational and inspirational that would not have a negative impact on the Earth (like all those little pieces of plastic that have become a forgotten craze and are diabolical for our ocean life and landfills),

“If you insist on giving away free stuff, what if, instead of Stikeez, you gave away educational collectable cards (printed locally on recycled paper!) with eco super hero characters who had the power to grow things, invent things, solve things, entrepreneur things? Children will gain the same joy of swopping, trading and collecting, but with learning and purpose behind it. We are in desperate need of inspired custodians.”

A friend of mine even found a Stikeez on TOP of a not much climbed mountain in the Cedarberg! Where else have they landed up?… The point here, though, is that we must not forget our power as consumers and if you have something to say, something you believe needs to change for the benefit of people and planet, then say it! You will be heard… write that letter, post on social media, ask questions at the businesses you support, raise your voice for those who can’t raise their’s. It works. And we need to keep asking ourselves throughout the day,

“Are the choices I’m making having a positive impact on people and planet?”

and if not we use our consumer power to make sure they are!

Remember to use Eco Atlas to find and recommend places that have sound empowerment and eco practices and vote with your wallet.


 

featured in FinWeekHere is the letter that was posted on Facebook on 25 August 2015 and shared hundreds of times, it was featured in Finweek and on 567 CapeTalk Radio.

Open Letter to Pick n Pay – Withdraw Your Stikeez

Together we were finalists for the respected Mail & Guardian ‘Greening The Future’ Awards last month and while we were not in the same category the ethos of innovation for a sustainable, viable and thriving future was something we all had in common. Or so I thought. Warning bells should have rung for me when during your video clip at the gala evening, which outlined your laudable project of educating the educators with practical teaching tools on rhino conservation, hundreds, if not thousands, of balloons were released into the air….

And so, I have a few questions for you Pick ‘n Pay. In terms of educating children on the workings of Earth’s closed loop systems (in which wildlife conservation is just one facet), how would you explain where all those balloons are going? And equally as important, where they come from? China perhaps? And where is most of the poached rhino horn going? China perhaps? Which brings me to the ease with which you release Stikeez on the children of SA. On one level it is a base marketing strategy which targets children’s obvious love of colourful new things and encourages parents to make sure they not only shop more at Pick ‘n Pay, but shop in increments of R150! Luckily my children are still oblivious to the craze and yet they have come into contact with Stikeez and my eight year old daughter can be quoted as saying “Mommy, I want to go to Pick ‘n Pay lots of times” and we don’t even shop at Pick ‘n Pay!

But clever and conniving marketing strategies aside, the real question here is whether we really need tiny bits of plastic made in China and individually wrapped in even more plastic, sprayed willy nilly, for free nogal, on the populace and landscape of SA. Where are all those bits of colorful plastic going to land up, in turtles tummies, over full landfills and on high tide marks? Because if this is Pick ‘n Pay’s best attempt at greening the future then I have grave concerns for the challenges and crises we face, we need creative solutions to climate change, job creation, energy needs, biodiversity conservation and cradle to cradle innovations which do away with the concept of waste.

If you insist on giving away free stuff, what if, instead of Stikeez, you gave away educational collectable cards (printed locally on recycled paper!) with eco super hero characters who had the power to grow things, invent things, solve things, entrepreneur things? Children will gain the same joy of swopping, trading and collecting, but with learning and purpose behind it. We are in desperate need of inspired custodians.

Ultimately, though, there is no such thing as free and our living systems will pay the full price for your Stikeez folly. Please Pick ‘n Pay, don’t insult us by dangling cute and colourful animated things in our faces to encourage us to pour more money into your centralised coffers, because we WILL rise to the bait, and you know it. Rather focus your energy on building a future beautiful. It’s your responsibility, it’s my responsibility, it’s our responsibility.

greengift

Here is some inspiration to think out of the box this year when it comes to gift giving….give something that is locally made with love, light on the planet, will keep giving back to you or will invest in the ongoing work of those making a difference on the ground.

Here is the Eco Atlas guide to green gifting 2015….

1. Gift a Tree

Skip the crowded malls, get back to basics, and celebrate your loved ones with the gift of trees! Greenpop will plant them on your behalf in Africa’s southernmost indigenous forest and you will immediately receive a personalised e-card which you can forward on to your gift recipient. Claim your tree here.

2. A Toy Made with Love

The Toy Project is an empowerment project which provides unemployed women with the skills and opportunity to make beautifully handmade toys from local fabrics. Find out where to get them.

3. Food Growing Inspiration

The brand new Moonbloom planting guide with give all those aspiring to grow their own food at home the inspiration and guidance they need to plant successfully according to scientific moon calendar. what to plant when for success. Find out where to get one here.

4. Local Luxurious Body Products

There are so many locally made, wonderful body products that are plant based, free of all the nasties and only tested on human bunnies, have a look at Sassui, Wema Bodycare and others featured on Eco Atlas.

5. Sandals with Soul

Sols Sandals are a uniquely Capetonian footwear product; hand crafted from re-used tyres, high-quality organic hemp and soft, springy cork – for comfort and style that leaves a smaller footprint than any other sandal. Look here.

6. A Wonderbag Slow Cooker

Great for load shedding, great for the planet and pretty too, these slow cookers will have your supper ready and hot when you get home from work. Get one here.

7. An Owl Box

What better gift to give than a home for an owl, and they will keep giving back to you by keeping your mice and rats in check, because using poisons is a no-no both for owls and the planet. Find out more here.

8. Ethical Home Linen

AnnMack Eco carefully researches all of her locally made products for the home from silk duvets that are kind to the silkworms to gorgeous Basotho blankets and she’ll deliver nationwide. Start shopping here.

9. Faithful to Nature Shopping

The Faithful to Nature online shop is unique because of the effort they go to to vet and research all their products, so it is conscience free shopping, knowing that the products are kind to you, your family, and the planet. And they have so much on offer! Shop here.

10. Cooking with the Sun

Cook your bread, make a stew, boil a kettle with the power of the sun, it’s quick, easy and cheaper than electricity! Have a look at Sunfire Solutions for some great cooking options.

11. The Candylwood Store

Mouth watering artisan chocolates, candles, essential oils and both new and second books, what more could you ask for for thoughtful gifts. They will be posted wherever you need them. Have a browse.

12. Make a Difference

Give a gift that will keep on giving and become a patron or supporter of one of these fantastic organisations that are building a better world for all of us. contact them directly to find out how.

 

Happy gifting, sharing the love and that look people get on their faces when they receive something meaningful and thoughtful. Remember there are also lots of creative ways to wrap your presents that don’t involve creating more waste. And the most heartfelt gift of all is one that you make yourself, we have inspiration for that too!

Listen to the live radio interview with Rhian Berning on Algoa FM, click here.

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Wonderbag-cooking

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Sols sandal

 

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Home baked ginger cookies

 

For mindful gifting this year why not make your own gifts with love and lessen the load on the planet….

This is such an exceptional time of year, whether you celebrate Christmas, the solstice or  just the pure joy of having the time to share food and fun times with your family and loved ones, quite simply it is the season of sharing.

And have you noticed how the spirit of human kindness reaches its highest peaks around this time of year, it seems to be the one time of the year where we all feel more for the people around us? This year, more than ever, we are being called on to tap into our common humanity. So, because it’s about the little things, the Eco Atlas team sat down and brainstormed some thoughtful ideas to #MakeYourOwn gifts, to deepen the meaning of gifting and also lighten our consumer footprint. After all, the greatest gift you can give anyone is your time.

Some tips for you to #MakeYourOwn gifts are to…. visit second-hand stores; you might find inspiration there in glass jars, pillow cases, old tops and books. Also, think of the person you are gifting, his/her likes and dislikes, interests.  #MakeYourOwn doesn’t only need the time investment in the actual making, but also the thoughtful process that goes into choosing the right idea, and that there is the love.

 

1.  Bake Off

Instead of buying commercial sweets (with huge amounts of sugar and palm oil), you can make your own.  Anything from home-made granola, chocolate or cereal bars, gingerbread or even doggy biscuits! You can store it in glass jars, which you could even decorate. The plus of gingerbread biscuits is that you can even use them as  decorations. (Always try to remember any dietary requirements.)

2.  Tea Leaves

If herbs are your thing and know how to mix them well, you could make a personalized tea mix, with dried fruit too. You could buy a tea strainer and gift a complete tea set. Rebeka, our friend from Hanoi gave us this idea and she adds home-made labels so you can write your own messages and attach them to the box with a string. If you’re in doubt, pop by Lady Bonin’s shop in Woodstock. The Lady knows tea, really.

3.  Shopping Bags

You can never have enough tote bags for shopping – sew it yourself or get a blank one. You can then use textile markers, acrylic or fabric paint or embroidery. If you choose to use acrylic paint a good way to make an even pattern is to make a potato stamp. Cut a potato in half, draw the pattern on it with a pencil and cut around the pattern. (The same kind of stamp can be used for making your own wrapping paper this season!) It’s a very practical, yet cute present and it’s environmentally friendly.

4.  Knit It or Crochet It

Use the person’s favourite colours to knit or crochet a mat, coasters, pot holders or oven mittens. These are tutti frutti inspired beauties, perfect for beginners. This idea works for children too, if you use their favourite superhero colours!

Crochet it

5.  Tops for Your Fitness Friends

You can use a plain T-shirt to make a fashionable top for workouts for your yoga or gym loving friends. You can keep the T-shirt as it is or cut it to make a different design. There are a lot of videos on how to transform a T-shirt into something new. Once you have the desired cut you can decorate the top, using markers or paint, or cut out pieces of fabric and apply them to the top with fabric glue. (If you don’t feel like decorating them yourselves, you can always look up a carbon-neutral printer, like Hot Ink in Cape Town, and ask them (nicely) to print your design.)

6.   Body Products

Make a luxurious body lotion for your friend and attach the recipe, so that they can learn and make it themselves. Another idea is to make a batch of natural toothpaste and add a few compostable toothbrushes, with a note that doesn’t comment on the person’s breath ;)

7.   Sourdough Combo

Make your own sourdough starter (look here for inspiration), put it in a jar and attach your favourite bread recipe. It takes 5 days to start your starter, so get ahead with the prep! If bread is your thing,  you could add a bread bag, made by transforming an old pillowcase or old sheet into a bag. You could even make two little ones that can be used as sandwich holders. This idea was inspired by a site called Life Without Plastic, check it out.

8. Personalised Journals

There are many ways to personalise notebooks and folders by covering them with some of your friends’ favourite images. You can use the same technique to cover notebooks or journals. You could even make recipe notebooks, following the same technique.

9.   Skill Vouchers

Maybe there is something you do that your friend or family member loves too. Anything from icing, decorating, social media tips, make-up tutorial, sewing. The gift is a voucher from you to help them with this skill/passion, ensuring that you will also spend some quality time together. You could give a voucher for anything, a home cooked meal, a massage, some time in their garden.

And now for some ideas especially for children….

10.   Advent Calendar

For those who celebrate Christmas there is nothing quite as exciting for children as the count down to that special day of gifting and family sharing. Why not make your own advent calendar for your child, or, even better, make it with them. Some ideas are to create a ladder from the stars and an angel or star could make its way down the ladder each day until it lands in a nest of soft cloud on the last day. Or make an angel or star from soft wool and she can move along stars that you have cut out and stuck on a large piece of card until the final day which could be a painted matchbox with a little thoughtful gift inside. (See the photos for visual descriptions) And if Christmas is not your thing you could use this idea to count down to any special day of significance in your culture, religion or family traditions.

advent calendars

11.   A Memory Book

Children love looking at photos and we live in a digital age where we hardly ever print out any photos for them to hold and pore over. A great tradition at this time of year is to choose 10 or 20 of the best photos from your child’s year and make a book of memories for them in a small photo album. (Admittedly there is a lighter footprint if you just look at photos digitally and don’t print them out, but a book of photo memories will have more meaning AND a lighter footprint than most of the imported gifts lining the store shelves!)

12.  Your Time

There are loads and loads of ideas for specific gifts you could make with love for your child, here are some great DIY ideas and have a look at these 101 ideas too, they will inspire some wonderful #MakeYourOwn gifts. Ultimately though, if we want to decrease the stuff coming into our homes and live with a lighter footprint then the best gift of all you could give your child this season (and every season) is your TIME. The time to cloud watch, play a card game, read a story, look at photo albums, build a sand castle, bake cookies, dance in the lounge and tell silly jokes til your belly aches. Ask your child what they need to feel loved. I did and the answer was “More hugs, more cuddles and more time with you mommy”. Well there you have it, in a nutshell. Give the gift of time.

Wishing one and all a meaningful season of togetherness, sharing, giving, gifting, fun, compassion and kindness.


This blog was collaboratively written by Rhian Berning, Clotilde Angelucci and we also drew inspiration from Rebeka, from Hanoi, Vietnam who sent us some of her awesome ideas. Thank you Rebeka!

make your own gift ideas

 

This body lotion was the first body product that I ever tried out at home. I had been researching for quite some time on how to be more resourceful and limit the waste I produced; at the same time, I was secretly sabotaging my good intention, by  not buying all the ingredients, procrastinating, or telling myself it would never be as good as the store-bought one.

Then, I came across a website called trash is for tossers, brainchild of Laura Singer, an american girl who lives a zero waste lifestyle.  The site is very inspiring and provides handy tips on how to lead a zero-waste life ; while browsing, I watched her tutorial on how to #makeyourown whipped body lotion and that was all I needed to break away from my can’t do attitude. My partner -in-crime Sara and I decided to try it out together, while sipping some Live a Little (Stellar Organics) wine.

The recipe is easy to follow and execute, and it feels awesome on your skin, especially because you know exactly what you’re putting on it! Since then, we have been making it all the time – it is a great idea for birthday and Christmas presents too.

The recipe, you might ask?

You need equal quantity of each ingredient, depending on how much you want to make.

Four ingredients for a home-made moisturizing body lotion©David Peter Harris

Four ingredients for a home-made moisturizing body lotion©David Peter Harris

For this batch, I used the following:

1/3 cup organic coconut oil (it is very moisturising);

1/3 cup organic shea butter (it stimulates the production of collagen against fine lines and wrinkles);

1/3 cup sweet almond oil (rich in vitamin A and E and helps repair sun damage);

1/3 cup cocoa butter (it is rich in antioxidants);

your favourite essential oil/combination of oils.

Tools: a spatula, a hand/stand mixer and a glass jar.

 

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl, place the bowl on a pot full of water (double boiler) on the stove; let all the ingredients melt (roughly 10 minutes) and remove the bowl.

Melt the ingredients on a double boiler ©David Peter Harris

Melt the ingredients on a double boiler ©David Peter Harris

 

Once it cools down, put it in the fridge until it becomes solid, about an hour.

A little patience is needed here. Let the bowl cool down before putting it int the fridge ©David Peter Harris

A little patience is needed here. Let the bowl cool down before putting it int the fridge ©David Peter Harris

Once the mixture is solid, remove it from the fridge and it is time to whip it! Laura says you can use either a stand or hand mixer – I used a stand one – whip it for 5 to 10 minutes, until it reaches the consistency of whipped cream.

Whip the lotion until it forms picks ©David Peter Harris

Whip the lotion until it forms picks ©David Peter Harris

At this stage smell the whipped cream; it is so delicious you might be tempted to eat it. If you don’t enjoy the cocoa butter smell, you can use less cocoa butter and more shea butter.

Now, add your favourite essential oil, or your favourite combination. I really love the lavender oil, it smells so relaxing – add 5 drops  or more, according to your personal taste.

Add some drops of your favourite essential oil ©David Peter Harris

Add some drops of your favourite essential oil ©David Peter Harris

Pour it in a mason jar and Voila, you have your own eco body product!

I store it in the fridge in summertime, and out of the fridge in winter – I usually put it on after showering, I find that it absorbs better.

Here is the link to Laura’s video on how she lives a waste free life.

If you’re not up for making your own body cream, or can’t find all the ingredients, but would still like to go the natural route then have a look at Faithful to Nature, they really research their products well and they’ll deliver to you! Just make sure to reuse the jars : )


 

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moonbloom planting guide

I’m so excited to introduce you all to the brand new Moonbloom gardening guide and calendar, it’s an absolute must-have for anyone who loves to grow their own food or feels inspired to do so in the new year. It’s practical, easy to use and is based on the ancient method of planting by the moon to increase plant strength, survival and yield. It’s the brain child of a dear friend of mine and I’m so proud of the contribution she is making to the food growing revolution in South Africa!

Moonbloom is a yearly, easy to read gardening guide to sowing and planting by the moon. Moon cycle gardening is based on the theory of the gravitational pull on the Earth’s water and how this affects plants and seedlings. Each month features vegetable and herb suggestions to suit all rainfall areas in South Africa and to maximise growing success.It’s a great asset for anyone growing their own food or herbs or for planning small tasks on your weekends, especially if you have a busy life, in this simple tear-off month-by-month notepad – make your notes… put on your fridge… pin it… or give it to your gardener. 

gaye_1_moonbloom Gaye Boshoff, Moonbloom creator, lives on a farm on the Garden Route where she not only grows her own vegetables, but harvests honey, raises free range chickens for eggs and lives entirely off rainwater, not to mention running her graphic design hub and racing her two children to their next surf contest! She had this to say about the inspiration behind Moonbloom, “Growing food in my vegetable garden is one of my little life pleasures. Through the years I have planted my seedlings in sync with the cycles of the moon, something I believe has contributed to my successful harvests. Thus I had the urge to create Moonbloom, a simple planting guide, just to remind me when to plant throughout each month. I would love it to reach everyone, especially the folk in the cities, to show them that it’s not that difficult to have your own little veggie patch and how easy it is to grow your own organic delicious food. Moon cycle planting can be looked at scientifically in terms of the role the force of gravity plays on water in the soil and although it plays a small part in a plant’s life – every element on earth is significant.”

 

To find out more about the Moonbloom guide visit their Eco Atlas page with details of which outlets stock them, how to order one online or who to get in touch with for wholesale orders. They are hot off the press for the first time and will make great Christmas presents!!

…and enter the competition to win one, just for luck 


WIN 1 OF 10 MOONBLOOM 2016 PLANTING CALENDARS

Get the inspiration going for growing your own vegetables and herbs next year, whether you’re a seasoned gardener or have a few pots on your kitchen windowsill.

 

HOW TO ENTER

1. Like the Eco Atlas Facebook Page and look for the Moonbloom post.

2. In the comments tag the person you would love to grow and share organic veggies with. Easy Pea-sy!

 

Optional – for extra entries and to increase your odds of winning you can….

1. Share a photo or selfie with some food you’re growing, whether it’s basil on your windowsill or a big delicious veggie garden, everything counts!

2. Give the Moonbloom page on Eco Atlas a LOVE. (Look for the Love This button)

3. Tweet us on @EcoAtlas if you love to #GrowYourOwn

 

Looking forward to all your delicious entries! Competition closes on Thursday 29 October 2015, winners will be announced via Facebook on Friday 30th October 2015.

 


 

faithful2nature competition