Zero Waste Premium:Cucumbers from the Future & a Silky-Smooth Body Butter Recipe
Welcome to The Green Tea by MindsetEco! A newsletter for people who are passionate (or just curious, it’s ok, you will get there…) about living their best natural, eco-friendly, zero-waste life.
The Green Tea is a subscription-only weekly newsletter. Every Tuesday we spill the tea on the waste crisis, sustainable and eco-friendly lifestyle tips, and ways to reduce your waste.
There is no one way to do this and it doesn’t have to be a huge hassle – we’re here to give you small steps, to make big changes!
Cucumbers from the Future & a Silky-Smooth Body Butter Recipe
State of Waste News of the Week
Facebook stepped up… and stepped in it! Within a week of launching the ‘Climate Science Information Center’, aimed at combating the spread of misinformation on matters of climate change and the waste crisis, Facebook has suspended numerous accounts belonging to legitimate entities such as Greenpeace USA. Some suspended accounts have since been reactivated, while others are still banned.
As Covid-19 spread around the world this year, so did single-use facemasks, made of plastics like polyethylene. Discarded facemasks have found their way into every environment, including the ocean, where they pose a significant risk to marine life and take centuries to decompose. The good news is that a French company has pioneered the production of a natural, compostable, alternative made from Hemp, and more than 1.5 million masks have been produced since March 2020.
While we’re all clawing our way through 2020, start-up Apeel is already living in 2030 and has just partnered with Walmart to supply us with ‘plastic-free cucumbers’! Their cucumbers will no longer be wrapped in single-use plastic. Inspired by the shelf life of Lemons and Oranges, Apeel has developed an invisible, edible, substance made from natural plant materials, cutting both plastic and food waste.
These are the kinds of innovations and commitments we want to see and they’re brought about in no small part by the values buying habits of consumers like you and me – every time we buy something, we’re voting with our coins or, not at all ironically, our plastic.
Zero-Waste Tip of the Week – Make Lists Not Waste
When it comes to the waste we generate, as individuals, there are many ways to reduce or even eliminate it. But… These noble endeavors are not always easy or obvious.
We all know we shouldn’t use a plastic bag from the grocery store and most of us diligently (or, erratically) take our own reusable bag. This is a small step that makes a big difference over time.
Cutting out single-use plastic bags is simple. It gets complicated when you’re trying to ‘refuse, reduce, recycle, rot and repair’, AND by-products that are organic / non-toxic / ethical / sustainable / locally made / natural materials / plastic packaging free… While also not buying anything because we’re re-using and repairing, remember?!
It gets complicated, quickly. To make it simple, make a three, short, lists. That’s right, lists. You don’t have to work at Buzzfeed to make lists, promise!
List # 1: List What Really Matters – To You
It all matters. And most of it probably matters to you. But not all causes are equal and by choosing a couple of things that matter to you, you can eliminate a huge amount of conflict and confusion from your buying choices.
List the things that are important to you, in order of importance.
For example, you might care more about your products being vegan and that matters more to you than them being locally made. Or you’re particularly concerned about plastic packaging and that matters more to you than if the product itself is non-toxic.
It gets complicated, right? So, make that list.
Our top three were:
1. Plastic Packaging Free
2. Non-toxic/organic
3. Locally Produced
Now you have your framework. Your values. The things you want to address through in your buying choices and habits. The things you want to vote for, with your unironic plastic.
List # 2: List What You Use
Start in your bathroom and then repeat for the kitchen and subsequent rooms. Make a list of items:
1. Used daily
2. Used weekly
3. Used monthly
4. Used less frequently
Take each list and make a note of which items do not support the values you listed in List # 1, such as plastic packaging that can’t be recycled, chemical-laden skin and cleaning products, etc.
Now you know what you use, how often you use it and how it measures up against your values. Now for the action.
List # 3: How to Fix It
Take your first two lists and ask yourself “what can I do instead?”. Then write it down.
This is where you identify the actions you can take, one by one, as they become relevant.
You don’t have to now get rid of every offending item and rush out to replace it. Just replace things as and when you need to, and make sure it's fun and easy.
Broad strokes. As long as you are moving in the right direction, it doesn’t matter how slowly you go or how many different things you try along the way.
Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash
Natural Living Tip of the Week – Silky Smooth DIY Shea Butter & Grapeseed Oil Body Butter
Our skin and hands are quite possibly the most underrated frustration of 2020! Nothing stings like 70% alcohol on chapped skin, 20 times a day. Nothing.
We adapted this lovely, easy, recipe from DIY Natural for a DIY body butter that soaks right in to nourish and soothe your skin, without the greasy residue. It keeps for up to a year, without any preservatives.
Image by Little DIY Page on Instagram
Ingredients:
120ml / 4 ounces of raw Shea Butter
120ml / 4 ounces of Grapeseed Oil
5 teaspoons of Arrowroot Powder (or Corn-starch in a pinch)
12 drops Essential Oils of your Choice
Lavender, Neroli, Rosemary, Peppermint or Vanilla work well. Just avoid any citrus ones, including Bergamot, as they can exacerbate sun damage to your skin.
Hardware:
Double Boiler (or a deep saucepan of water and a smaller pot or glass bowl to place inside, as long as it doesn’t touch the saucepan underneath)
Whisk or stick blender
Container/s to put your body butter into. Small, upcycled, glass jars work well – just remember to sterilize them with boiling water or steam first.
Method:
Melt the Shea butter in the double boiler / inside the pot or bowl that you have placed in the water inside the saucepan.
Add the Grapeseed Oil - blend it well with the whisk or stick blender.
Add the Arrowroot Powder, a little at a time, and keep whisking/blending (this will fluff the mixture by adding air, so leave it to cool in the warm double boiler and it will release the air and leave you with smooth butter.
Once everything is very well blended, add the essential oils.
Remove the double boiler from the heat and allow it to cool, give it a gentle stir now and then to prevent any separating.
The butter may be a creamy texture or quite stiff. If it’s too stiff, warm it again and add some more Grapeseed Oil. If it's too liquidy, add more Shea Butter. When you have the consistency you want, scoop it out into your jars (wide, shallow ones work best for ease of access).
Lastly, enjoy your all-natural, chemical, and preservative-free body butter! Your hands will too.
Right, that's all for this week. Thank you for reading The Green Tea by MindsetEco!
Take care,
~ Johanna and Liza
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