Go clean, and be green

One of my many passion and beliefs is in the environment. keeping our earth healthy and doing our part in reducing waste, and protecting the environment. My friends would tell you that I do what I can and learn where I can improve. I have been wanting to make a post about this for a while and now it has been requested!! I hope you enjoy and maybe learn a little.

Working in a hospital it pains me how much waste is produced, and how much I myself produce while working. I mean its understandable why the hospitals create so much waste, everything has to be single use for obvious reasons. I know my unit has tried to recycle plastics and cardboard but it was misused and taken away. So because of where I work I do my best to be as good as I can in my home at reducing, reusing and just doing my part in general.

Why am I passionate about the earths environment? Well I have to say travel is what really made me rethink about the way I live. From traveling in the slums in Africa and being surrounded by trash everywhere you look. Kids often were playing with trash because it was all they had. Being along coastal lines and watching garbage wash up on shore and knowing that it is ruining our oceans. The ONLY ocean. The ONLY world. It is no longer a debate, global warming IS happening. The world is sick. Unfortunately we can't turn back time or repair the damages done completely but we can create a better future for the next generations to come. I want to see and experience the world as it was intended to be seen and I want the next generations to experience the same. I am not here to teach you about the science and teach you about global warming but below I will be providing some resources that I have learned from and continue to use.

It's time to rethink what we buy, reuse what we have, and recycle what we can.

REDUCE: (If we can't use it forever it is not sustainable)

lets start with my favourite products and what I use on a daily basis:

Reusable grocery bag- I have one real one and the rest are the large Lululemon bags. Yes, you can still use this during covid, you just have to pack your own groceries. If I don't have my bags, I go to Sobeys where they use paper bags.

Reusable produce bags- personally I think these just make sense.

Togo mug/water bottle- Why waste paper cups when they cant be recycled? These paper cups can not be recycled because of a thin plastic layer on the inside. This way I also save money in making my own coffee or tea! also STOP BUYING PLASTIC WATER BOTTLES. You literally can get tap water anywhere in Canada.

Metal straws- I use these because I care about the turtles, also I was once told that straws cause wrinkles on your face.

Bees wax wrap- this replaces plastic wrap, it keep your food fresher longer. It is super easy to clean. Once it has lived its purpose its biodegradable!

Reusable ziploc- I wash and reuse the plastic Ziploc until they are unusable. But I have a few silicone ones that are called "stasher" that I absolutely love. They are easy to clean.

Shampoo/conditioner/ soap bars- I have been using these bars for about two years and absolutely love them. They lather just like your liquid does, and leaves my hair smooth and shiny. This is also great for travelling because it doesn't count as a "liquid". If you bring it as a carry on they will ask you to pull it out.

Wool dryer balls- I made this switch about 1.5 years ago because it just hurt my soul how much waste dryer sheets are. These are amazing, dry fast and you can even add an essential oil to them for an extra scent!

You can find lots of these products at local stores The Better Good and Twisted goods. My shampoo bars are from Unwrapped Life, (https://www.congress.gov/116/bills/hres109/BILLS-116hres109ih.pdf)

Net Zero Waste is also a great place buy sustainable products (https://www.netzerocompany.com ) they also have tons of great products. The Refillery (Saskatoon) and Rocky Mountain Soap Co (Canmore) both offer sustainable and all natural products that you can even buy refills for!!

Another great local company in Saskatoon is, Ellesmere they make great ecofriendly products like reusable paper towel, find them at Joyne Market Place or on Instagram.

REUSE/ REFILL

These are just a few products that I own and use daily. Now, lets think about reusing:

*I don't use cotton pads to wipe off makeup, I have micro fibre cloths that I use, wash and reuse.

*I use my old tea towels to now use as cleaning cloths

*my old bedsheets and blankets cover my garden on cold over night to protect from frost.

*I go to refill stores to refill my laundry soap and dish soaps.

* I do my best to go to BulkBarn to get my bulk good and they have bring your own jar program, and I reuse my glass jars. (this is currently on hold with covid).

*One day I would love to have a rain bin and recycle rain water to water my flowers and garden

RECYCLE

The next important part. this can be tricky because every city is very different on what you can recycle. I like to refer to waste wizard https://www.saskatoon.ca/services-residents/waste-recycling/waste-wizard when I am unsure. this website allows you to type in what ever items and tells you where it can go

London Drugs recycles so much as well, pretty much anything with a cord. If you watch for deals I got 100$ off my dyson vacuum because I brought in my old one to be recycled.

Most companies now have recycle programs, you just have to look for them. MAC Cosmetics recycles empty . Milk Jar candle company, based out of Calgary, recycles and reuses the jars when candles are empty. You just need to make a quick google search.

Okay, this might sound extreme but when I am shopping I pick the option with the least amount of waste, or the options that is able to be recycled.

I compost what I can. Stop filling the landfill with waste that is compostable!! I have a pail of food scraps that I give to my friends pigs. They get fed and I put less in the land fill. If I had my own compost bin you can put so much in them: paper waste, kleneex, cardboard with grease on them (pizza boxes), even most cups you get at coffee shops. You could make so little landfill waste if you had this. I know you can buy great worm ones that arent messy and go in your house.

RETHINK

The top ten waste products found on beaches includes: cigarette butts, food wrappers, plastics bottles, bottle caps, plastic grocery bags, straws, plastic lids, and take out containers. Take this into consideration and change accordingly.

I think about what I buy so I don't buy fast fashion, I use oat milk (it uses less water during production). I use reef safe sunscreen, I use Sun Bum. Everything that I buy I think, research of there is a better option. I think it is our responsibility to look for companies that we believe in and stand for. Again, look at the companies and see what they are doing to make changes. once you have done a little work and research everything else comes easily, and becomes second nature.

Saskatoon has many local, refill places you can bring in your own containers to refill on laundry soap, hand soap, shampoo and so much more.

Bulk Basket

Uncle Mikes

The Better Good

The Refillery (new) https://www.therefilleryyxe.com

The Refinery is a great new option. They have the most perfect mix of modern sustainable products you now have no excuses to have these products in your home.

I am sure Saskatoon has more, please let me know if you know of other places.

On Instagram follow: do.more.good

Netflix watch: (All new and currently on Netflix)

Chasing Coral

Mission Blue

A Life on our Planet

Podcast: How to save the planet

read: https://www.oceancollectiv.co/resources#take-action

https://www.scientificamerican.com/sustainability/

I am far from perfect and still have lots of learning and growing to do, but I do what I can. That is the point if everyone can do a little bit we will make changes. Political policies need to be put into place and Europe had started to make great changes last year. It is called the Green New Deal. It is only 14 pages, read it here: https://www.congress.gov/116/bills/hres109/BILLS-116hres109ih.pdf

I hope you learned something or found this interesting. This is somethingI believe in and want to continue to makes changes and have a healthier world for generations to come! Now I'm off to search for some beach cleanups taking place in my future home!

Cheers

Nicole:)