Tag Archives: save time

Save time, Save money and be eco #3 – Oranges and Apples

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So being Eco-friendly and sustainable looks too expensive? Takes up too much time? Doesn’t do the same job?

It can be – organic food can be double the price and also hard to find, sending you to different shops and vendors. And some more earth friendly products just don’t do the same job as they promise.

But you can change this by making products of your own, that do not take more than a couple of minutes!

Orange spray for cleaning.

Why orange for cleaning? It adds a nice freshness to the cleaning and it acts as a solvent so help remove tough stains.

How to make?

  1. Eat at least 2 oranges.
  2. Keep the peels and place them into a wide jar.
  3. Cover the peels with plain white vinegar
  4. Leave on the bench for at least one week, temperature dependant you may want to leave for longer.
  5. Decant into a spray bottle and use on kitchen benches, stainless steel and ovens!

Apple Cider Vinegar

Why make? Apple Cider vinegar can retail at quite a high price and it is sooooo easy to make! It contains bacteria good for your gut and adds taste to different dishes – just check out some great recipes and you will see!

How to make?

  1. Eat at least 3 large apples or 6 small ones.
  2. Place into a clean wide jar.
  3. Cover apple cores and peels with filtered water and cover with a cloth and rubber band.
  4. Leave for 7 days (temp dependant – may need longer or shorter so keep an eye on it!)
  5. Remember to burp every day and check apples are still covered.
  6. Once there is a vinegar smell, remove the cores and peels and leave to brew and use as necessary!

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Save time, save money and be eco #2 – Veggies

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So you’ve been told to only eat organic, only buy from farmer’s markets and nothing wrapped in plastic – tricky? Yes!

After reading many years ago that the pesticides that are sprayed on our vegetables cause more harm than good to not only our bodies but also the environment, I was determined to eat better.

We tried organic for everything

First we tried organic. Eating certified organic food is one of the best possible ways you can avoid nasty pesticides but it is very expensive and often wrapped in unnecessary plastic to differentiate it from other vegetables.

So I found a list: https://www.onegreenplanet.org/news/dirty-dozen-fruits-and-vegetables/

And we tried to stick by this but as you are well aware time and money comes into play

So we found this – A local coop : Harvest Hub

Harvest hub has been a great find for us. It supplies Sydney suburbs with small scale farmed produce and many of it is spray free. This means they are not certified organic but still limit the amount and types of sprays they use. The fruit and vegetables are fresh – no sitting in freezers for month and we are supporting locally grown produce – no overseas food miles here.

We may spend a little bit more money but the produce lasts A LOT LONGER than supermarket food. I have had carrots fall to the bottom of the drawer and be found two weeks later still crispy and delicious! (that would never happen with the supermarket bought carrots)

So what do I recommend?

  1. Buy organic if you can but only if it is not wrapped in plastic. Local coops and farmers markets can offer affordable organic produce at times.
  2. Buy spray free if not organic. Google your local coops for this and seek farmers markets.
  3. If you cannot afford either, soak your vegetables in one tablespoon of baking soda to a bowl of water (https://foodrevolution.org/blog/how-to-wash-vegetables-fruits/) to remove pesticide residue.
  4. Buy local food and buy in season. You do not need mandarins from USA in summer if you can buy melons and berries grown in Australia.
  5. Buy fruit and vegetables that are not wrapped in plastic – does it really save you time? I highly doubt it.

What do you do to lessen your impact on the environment and your wallet when buying fruit and vegetables?

Save time, Save money and be eco….#1

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So you look at those bloggers and instagrammers and see how easy it is to live waste free, chemical free and gluten free.

And rather than being inspired, you feel guilt.

Am I right?

We need to remember that many of these infamous influencers are

  • Single or without kids
  • Have a steady income to support organic food
  • Do not work
  • Live close to cafes that cook good quality food.

You may not tick all of these boxes but you still can achieve a waste free, better eating and less of an impact lifestyle – – – – – and I am going to talk about how this can be done!

I’ve been on this eco-health journey for quite some time now and I’m still not perfect at it. I work part time and have two young children so being waste free and healthy all the time can be impossible.

BUT, I can get there most of the time and I am sure you can too.

Are there any things that you do now to make a better difference than last year?

Is there something that you wish you did years ago that would not only make less of an impact on the planet but also an impact on your wallet?

I’d love to know as I am going to share how we have built up to have less rubbish in our bin at the end of the week, better food in our bodies and more money in our pockets!

Join me!