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Showing posts with label home. Show all posts
Showing posts with label home. Show all posts

09 February 2018

How to create a plastic free pantry








Creating a plastic free pantry is an easy way to reduce your contribution to landfill and exposure to chemicals from plastic.

Plastic free products are alternatives made from glass, stainless steel, organic cotton, hemp, jute, bamboo and wood, and have no plastic packaging. The benefit of glass is it is nontoxic, nonporous, stain resistant and infinitely recyclable whereas plastic is quite the opposite and made from a concoction of synthetic chemicals, some known carcinogens and hormone disruptors. Creating a plastic free pantry is easy and can be very affordable. Follow the steps below to create and maintain a plastic free pantry in your home.

1. Start by collecting and purchasing glass jars:
You can build up a collection on mismatched glass jars by collecting them as you use them from premade sauces and spreads. Alternatively, you can purchase a collection of matching glass jars specifically designed for storing a variety of foods. Kilner products are great for creating a plastic free pantry with its large range of glass jars available in various shapes and sizes. Kilner’s iconic clip top jars are perfect for storing pantry staples such as flour, sugar, pasta and rice whereas the preserving jars can be used for pickling foods or homemade jam.

2. Use reusable bags:
Maintaining a plastic free pantry is the most important aspect. It’s important to remember you are trying to eliminate all types of plastic from your pantry, including single use plastic from food packaging, grocery bags and produce bags. When preparing for your grocery shop, pack in your reusable shopping bags, bread bags, and produce bags. This will stop you from bring home additional single use plastic packaging.

3. Avoid purchasing anything in plastic:
When shopping, avoid purchasing anything in plastic packaging opt for foods in cardboard boxes, aluminium BPA free cans, and glass jars. Once used, the packaging can either be reused, recycled or composted.

4. Shop at local farmers markets and bulk food suppliers:
Instead of shopping at grocery stores where the aisles are filled with plastic packaging and premade foods, shop at farmers markets and bulk food suppliers where you can purchase wholefoods in bulk using your glass jars. Not only will you be supporting local producers and eliminating packaging, but you will also be reducing your food miles.

5. Bake and cook as much food from scratch:
A lot of premade foods are packaged in plastic. Instead of choosing the convenient option, use the wholefoods you bought in bulk to make your own foods from scratch. Not only does homemade cooking taste better, it does not contain artificial or synthetic preservatives, colours or ingredients.

Related: Shave waste free and save the environment; The environmental problem with palm oil; Hemp food approved for consumption

31 May 2017

How to detox your home



Most of us are focused on living a healthy life whether it be exercising regularly, eating healthy foods or reducing internal toxins, however detoxing the home is an area that is commonly overlooked but can benefit your health and wellbeing greatly.

The average home contains between 500 to 1000 chemicals. From the cleaning products used weekly, to the physical walls and floors of the home, there are many toxic chemicals lurking in our possessions that surround us every day. Detoxing your home can seem overwhelming at first but if you start by making small changes, you are more likely to continue to reduce your chemical exposure over time. Changes can be as simple as swapping to natural alternatives or opening your windows more regularly to let in fresh air.

Chemical free cleaning
Cleaning is a daily household task that can significantly increase your exposure to chemicals. Most commercial cleaning products contain a concoction of harmful chemicals that are known carcinogens, skin irritants and hormone disruptors. To reduce your daily exposure to these chemicals, swap your chemical produced cleaning products to plant-based and palm oil free alternatives, or make your own.

Reducing plastic
Plastic kitchen products contain numerous toxic chemicals and when used, especially heated, can emit toxins and leach chemicals into the food or liquid contained inside. Reduce your use of plastic products in your kitchen, especially ones that contain Bisphenol A (BPA). Instead, use glass or stainless steel containers, and bamboo or wooden cooking and cleaning utensils.

Freshening the air
Reducing odours in your home is usually a top priority for every houseproud person, however commercial home fragrance products are commonly produced using a toxic concoction of synthetic fragrances. The self-regulated fragrance industry selects from over 4000 chemicals to produce their products and due to proprietary knowledge regulations, companies are not legally required to disclose the ingredients used in each product. Most of the chemicals used in this industry have previously never been tested and the ones that have been tested, are assigned a ‘safe dose’ that permits use in low quantities. This ‘safe dose’ is taken in isolation and does not account for a person’s daily exposure to other harmful chemicals. Instead of using synthetic home fragrance products, opt for 100% pure essential oils. They contain no harmful chemicals and will make your home smell fresh and inviting to any unexpected visitors. Another alternative is to regularly open your windows to refresh the air inside your home.

Creating ambiance 
Although they enhance the home’s atmosphere, most commercial scented candles contribute greatly to indoor air pollution. Most chemical produced candles are made from paraffin wax which is derived from petroleum. During the manufacturing process, the petroleum is chemically bleached and deodorised to turn it into wax. When candles containing paraffin wax are lit, they emit hazardous toxins including benzene and toluene which are both known carcinogens and comparative to the toxins in second-hand smoke. If you love the ambiance candles create, try to avoid purchasing candles that are made from chemicals and buy natural bees wax candles instead.

Detoxing your home can greatly benefit your health, the environment and save you money in the long term.

Related: Zero waste toxin free washing; Plastic free livingThe health impacts of synthetic fragrance

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