Zero waste in Kingsbridge and Totnes

This is Dartmouth, but still 😛 (Credit to my sister, Naomi. Thanks!)

I got back from a family holiday to Kingsbridge in Devon last week. We stayed in some friends’ place which I’ve been to several summers in a row, but this time I have some things to say with my zero waste lenses to look from! Here are a few of my observations…

Charity shops here are on another level of awesome! Kingsbridge is a small village with a small high street. And yet there were at least 6 charity shops to choose from. And Totnes (where we made a visit on one of the days of our trip) had an even longer high street choc-full of charity shops- like 15+! It’s my new favourite street on the planet. Not only was there frequency, but in general the quality and range of items that were stocked were extraordinary. I saw large sections of baby furniture and clothing, cookware and toys (and all the normal stuff) at amazing prices and in unbelievable condition. In this neck of the woods, charity shops can be relied upon to find consistent quality and range, unlike my usual London scavenges which often end in disappointment, or having to really rummage for a gem amongst the rubbish. Although I didn’t buy anything I did marvel at all the opportunities. It seems that buying from and donating to charity shops is much more of a common practice.

KINGSBRIDGE

Nicholson’s Emporium– this little shop in the middle of Fore St. (the high street) specialises in eco products among its homeware and gifts. I stepped into the back room to find Ecover products in large kegs that you could refill, as well as glass jars of spices behind the counter for bulk buying.

TOTNES

Green Fibres– At the top of Fore St. in Totnes (confusingly their high streets are named the same!) is this little shop that sells organic socks and underwear as well as a heap of staples for zero waste living. I personally picked up an aluminium tin to keep soap in, an organic cotton grocery bag, and two replacement heads for my Redecker washing up brush (I was about to give up hope of finding these in person and turn to the internet), but they had handkerchiefs, natural soaps, wooden toothbrushes and all sorts too!

If you’re ever in the area, check these out. Apologies for not taking pictures of these places, I’m terrible at remembering these things!

5 things this Monday…

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I fell out of sync a little with posting these last few weeks, but I am back on the wagon as of now, I promise! Here are 5 things I read this week:

1. 5 myths about sustainable fashion debunked. It’s really hard not to get the impression shopping sustainably means compromising on style or shelling out more than you usually would when the high street is presented as our only option.
2. Laura Miller of Raw. Vegan. Not Gross’s video on healthy vegan-friendly camping recipes has got the inspiration going! This is often a scenario where the meat/animal products are everywhere you turn, but I’m now pretty excited to invent some alternatives (and steal hers, obviously).
3. A nice introduction to the concept of eating seasonally. It’s pretty self-explanatory, but if you’re in any doubt as to what it entails, or are in need of a few pointers this is a good read. I definitely need to work on this some more..
4. I’ve never been a massive gravy person (apart from that awesome Swedish one they serve in IKEA haha) but some of these vegetarian (and some vegan) recipes are making me salivate.
5. This article from the Huffington Post explains that child Syrian refugees have been found to be working in textile factories that supply H&M and Next among other UK clothing stores. These are the only two that owned up according to their official inspections, however a number of stores refused to comment which says a lot about what they’re hiding.

Food shopping part 2.

My local bulk shop (Source)

Everything I don’t or can’t buy from the market on a Saturday, I get from my local bulk shop. In Rennes that means heading down to Scarabée Biocoop, which sells organic fruit and veg, a selection of jarred items, as well as dried goods in bulk. This is where I stock up on pasta, raisins, rice, oats, flour and nuts amongst other things.

Again, the process begins with preparation. I already have my list (with the market items crossed off, I am left with items to buy from this place), so I get together my tote. I’ve owned this shopper for years and years and I like it because it’s strong and just big enough. Inside it I place my handmade canvas bags, mostly sacks with a few smaller drawstring pouches. I also like to bring another tote bag just in case I buy too much to carry in the one.

How this particular shop works is that they provide paper bags which you fill up to your desired amount from the bulk bins. You then weigh the bag on the scales and it prints a price sticker which you attach to the bag. At the till the cashier scans the sticker and you’re done! The only difference I make is using my own canvas bags instead of the paper ones. I made sure to pick lightweight canvas and to sew them as light as possible, as obviously I am adding weight to the food I buy which would increase the price. My canvas sacks are brilliant at withstanding weight and the stickers stick well, but peel off really easily too which is great for when I get home. Obviously the stickers are disposable and non-recyclable which is really annoying, but this is as close as I an get to zero waste shopping where I am.

At home I empty my grains into my glass bottles and jars, collected from previous market and supermarket trips, then put the canvas sacks back into the tote ready for the next week. I wash these bags as and when I feel like they need it (the same goes for the mesh grocery bags for the market).

Food shopping part 1.

Last week I bought this beautiful wicker basket which makes me feel like Little Red Riding Hood! After weeks and weeks of envying the trolleys and baskets paraded by my french neighbours, I went on a mission to a second-hand furniture warehouse thingy with the sole purpose of finding myself one of those babies. Apart from the obvious aesthetic reasons, I can vouch for the fact that my basket has made market shopping WAY better. I used to carry a couple of totes, meaning I would be constantly unhooking the straps off my shoulders and trying to organise the produce so none of it would be squashed by anything heavier. It was doable but complicated, and I could never find all my produce bags! I now feel like I have my system sorted, so without further ado… Here’s how I shop zero waste at the weekly farmers’ market in Rennes, France!

Firstly, it’s all about preparation. On Fridays, the day before market day, I plan all the meals I want to make for the week. From that list I make another list (I like lists, guys) of things I need to buy for those meals. The second part of the preparation involves lining my basket with a tea towel and filling it with mesh bags for produce, and any other containers needed. The above image shows what I took yesterday; aside from the mesh bags, I took a paper bag for dates (they’re so sticky!) and a jar for olives.

When I get to the market, I work my way through my shopping list being sure to specify ‘no bag please’ (‘sans sac s’il vous plait’) as many vendors provide paper or plastic bags and automatically fill them when you order. It took me a while to have the courage and foresight to master this, but I’m a pro now! If you ever do end up receiving something in a bag you didn’t want (happens to the best of us), just immediately empty the contents into your bag/basket and give it back to the vendor, they’re fine with it. Larger fruit and veg like broccoli, sweet potatoes and bananas I generally tend to put straight in my bag/basket loose, whereas I use my mesh bags for tomatoes, green beans, mushrooms etc. to keep them together and protected a bit. The people at the olive stand are more than happy to weigh my jar and subtract it from the end price, but before this I used to bring back the plastic container they provided me with the first time to reuse.

Clockwise from top let: green beans (in bag), potatoes (in bag), tomatoes (in bag), carrots, kale, lettuce, broccoli

Contrary to my fears when I began to shop package-free, I’ve found market vendors to react positively to my bags (or at least indifferent, which is also fine by me!), in fact I’ve received more compliments from them than anyone else! Also, getting home and storing my purchases before returning the bags back to their place and not being left with a load of plastic is a sweet satisfaction. This week I treated myself to fresh apple juice which comes in a glass bottle that I reuse to store my rice, pasta, grains etc.

my rather adorable bounty

As for non fruit and veg groceries, I do a second small shop on Mondays at a package-free supermarket which I will explain next week. Until then folks!

5 things this Monday…

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1. Have you ever seen an okay top in a shop going cheap and decided to buy it only to almost never wear it? I have. Many times. Here’s why it might not be hurting you, but it has more of an impact than you think.
2. This short video By TED-Ed looks at the ways some creatures have adapted to climate change. It’s such a relief to know that they can adapt in order to survive (though many are in trouble). It means we have a bit more time to sort the world out for them before they become extinct forever! There’s the challenge…
3. Bea Johnson of Zero Waste Home recently went to Japan and took these amazing pictures of the package-free food she saw there. Like she says: “Once you gain a selective vision for package-free items, you see them everywhere!” It’s just a matter of practice…
4. Polar bears must be the most cited victims of climate change. I’ve seen a billion and one depressing pictures of emaciated bears struggling on tiny patches of ice and whatnot, but this image of a polar bear rooting around in trash is one I never expected to see. It reminds us why we need to stop creating so much junk in the first place. The same goes for the lion picture at the top of this post- you just can’t get your head around it…
5. A great way to start to make a difference to the fate of the planet is by cutting out plastic from your life, which can be done by making a few changes to how you shop. Plastic Free Tuesday shows us a few tips for supermarket shopping plastic-free.

Purple soup.

I popped into a supermarket on my way through Paris last week, spotted these purple carrots (‘carottes noires’ in France) and knew I needed them in my life! When I got home I found a recipe online combining 3 purple vegetables (purple carrots, red cabbage, red onion) and not only did it taste beautiful, but the deep, strong colour was amazing. I did my best to capture it but on my phone, but it wasn’t the same…

 

Is it more expensive to be a vegan?

A recent market haul

I am often told as I whip some nuts/dried fruit/a smoothie out of my bag to eat, “wow! How do you afford to eat like that all the time?” At first I thought wait a minute, how AM I doing this? Before becoming vegan or trying to buy food package free, I didn’t buy a fraction of the whole foods I now consume. I too would have looked at someone eating certain things and assumed they were rich (ha)! Here are a few observations on how I eat like I do on a student budget.

Freeing up money

Being vegan and buying food loose means that, although I don’t consider myself to be missing out (on the contrary!), there are a lot of things I used to eat that I no longer do. Meat used to be the hardest thing for me to buy- it took up so much of my weekly budget, but I would only go about 2 days a week without having it for dinner. It was a must. Now that I don’t eat it, I can use all that money to buy other things. The same goes for sweets and takeaways. I kind of had a health revelation at the same time as going vegan and realised that little by little, the packet of Haribo here and the burger there were actually making a dent in my wallet (as well as obviously making me unhealthy). Every time I crave some sweets or chocolate now, I try and get my hands on some fruit. You can get so much more for your money!

One in one out

It is completely possible to spend the same amount of money or even less than before by trading in the things you’re indifferent to/don’t like/are unhealthy. It’s a question of deciding that you are going to make it work. I was a crisp-fiend before I discovered Zero Waste, but since I found bulk dried mango, raisins and nuts in my local shop, I haven’t looked back (much)! I swapped crisps and cheese at lunch for a smoothie and some dried fruit and nuts, I swapped chocolate cereal at breakfast for oats and fruit with nut milk. It all works out about the same because for every item I’ve introduced to my diet, something else has gone.

Myths

People seem to think being healthy is much more expensive than not. Whilst in certain ways I can understand their view-point, for me it was more that I didn’t know where to look. Fruit and vegetables can be very cheap; some of my favourite go-to meals include spiralized courgettes in place of pasta, and red pepper (one pepper per person). That rivals a £5 McDonald’s meal any day! Also, natural whole grain food registers in the body to let the brain know that the stomach is full. The more processed a food is, the less the body will be able to detect whether you have eaten enough and the less you will absorb any nutrients. A burger may well be cheaper than a vegetable stew, but when you consider that the former option will be followed up with more cravings for snacks (hence more money spent), it is overall cheaper to just fill yourself up properly in the first place.

Priorities

I have been having so much fun experimenting with vegan meals over the last few months that I have noticed my spending increase. But I’ve also come to a new decision: not to police myself on the money I spend on good food. When I go shopping, I buy what I need for the week, but I don’t allocate a budget. It works out the same-ish usually anyway. I don’t want to deny myself the opportunity to go out later in the week for a few extras for a smoothie or some snacks. Now that I am reaping the benefits of being healthy, and having struggled with eating problems in the past, I am finally ready to give food the positive place it deserves in my mind and my wallet. Before food was just another thing I had to budget for, whereas now it comes before clothes and items. It’s what keeps me alive- I need to make sure it’s good and that I can have as much as I want!

Getting creative and changing my perspective have been key to making a success of this new way of eating, and have brought excitement and positivity back to food for me.

When Zero Waste is beautiful.

Saturday farmers’ market

For a lot of people, when I tell them about my zero waste goals, their first reaction is to say ‘that must be difficult! I don’t think I could do that’. To be honest, I didn’t know it was possible either until I saw it done by others. But what you learn once you begin to change the way you live, is that there are unique rewards to living waste-free (or as close to that as you can manage).

Initially, the excitement of seeing your bin gradually become less and less full as you find waste-less alternatives is enough to keep you going, but eventually as you settle into it and there is not a lot left to modify, there has to be something else to motivate you. If it meant nothing more than choosing a (sometimes) harder and certainly non-conventional route, the Zero Waste movement would not have caught on like it has. The reason I have remained committed to it is because my life is simpler now, and although certain things require more effort, most aspects of my life are easier and more natural now. One of the great things about Zero Waste for me is that it is beautiful.

Shopping in bulk is exciting for me, because unlike 6 months ago when I shopped at the supermarket for everything, I now frequent the local farmers’ market and a local organic cooperative shop for my groceries. I am so much healthier and I have developed an interest in experimenting with new foods and learning about the properties of fruit and veg. Today I passed a bulk container of quinoa and some purple potatoes in the shop, and I can’t wait to find a way to introduce them into my diet! My dinner plates are colourful and fresh and I bombard my family with pictures of them almost daily, (poor things!) because I can’t keep to myself how nice they look!

3 apples in a homemade mesh bag

I store all my dried foods in glass jars and bottles rather than the plastic and tins I used to buy from the supermarket. It’s such a nice feeling to empty my bulk bags into the jars and display them in my kitchen. Also, two cashiers complimented me on my home-made mesh produce bags today, and one of them said I’d inspired her to make some of her own- this is what it’s all about!

Homemade hummus in a jar

Good quality items that serve a purpose mixed with fresh, healthy food. No plastic packaging or brands to spoil the view. It is a simple pleasure, and one that I wouldn’t have appreciated a year ago. But I can safely say it brings me enough satisfaction to want to continue to live this way wherever I go.

 

Zero waste for beginners.

A few of my zero waste bathroom tools

So you’re in, you’ve decided this lark might be for you. What next? It can be good to drum up a bank of inspiration, a collection of videos and articles to remind you why you’re doing this in the first place; that way when you’re finding it hard, you’ll remember that you’re not alone and that you’re part of something good, and possible. Also, sometimes the answers don’t come to you, but thankfully there are people who have already found them (win!) Here are a few places to start on your zero waste adventure:

Videos:

Lauren Singer is a New York based zero waster who runs a blog called Trash is for Tossers. This video is a short explanation of what she does and how she does it.

Blogger Béa Johnson shows us here how simple it can be to shop at the supermarket without disposables

Books:

Plastic Free by Beth Terry was a massive eye-opener, and she writes in such a friendly style. She’s all about not beating yourself up and having fun on this journey, it really leaves you inspired!

Zero Waste Home by Béa Johnson, is more of a practical guide as to how to navigate pretty much any situation waste-free!

Blogs:

ECO BOOST is a great blog following fellow Londoner Kate, who posts tips on ethical clothing, as well as zero waste restaurants and products.

Paris to go written by Ariana has a unique take on Zero Waste. It’s nice to have a variety of different influences because there is more than one way to make this lifestyle work. It’s also intriguing to see how it might be done in France.

Andrea writes Near-O-Waste, from the US with a family of two. Another great example of how this lifestyle can be done in different places and circumstances

Youtube Channels:

Detrashed makes short videos on products (previous subjects include water bottles, toothpaste and cling-film) showing you how you can swap bad practices for zero waste ones. It is funny and cheerful and just what you need to start small and work your way up.

Trash is for Tossers, as mentioned above, belongs to Lauren Singer. There aren’t many videos on this channel but the homemade alternatives she demonstrates are so simple and lovely that it’s good inspiration at least.

Be sure to see my other Zero Waste links here for even more resources.