Tag Archives: sustainable living

How to be an awesome human this winter

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One of my least favourite days of the month, is the day I (okay fine, hubby and I) get that bill from the City of Cape Town telling me how much we’ve spent on ‘living’. Oh rates and taxes, water, electricity and garbage disposal. You cost me a small fortune.

If you’re living in Cape Town (like I am), surely you’ve already whittled down your water useage. But now that we’re mid winter and it’s FREEZING, is it possible to save money on electricity as well? Well of course it is!

Obviously, it’s not all about saving money – it’s about considering our (often unknown and unintentional) abuse of our environment. Here are a couple ideas, to make your home more cost-efficient and eco-aware this winter.

Use existing insulation

As soon as the sun begins setting, close curtains and blinds to keep warmth inside your bedrooms and living spaces. It will mean your interior stays warmer for longer and you’ll only have to switch on heaters if it is essential. Or install a fireplace… (bucket list!)

Replace and switch off

Replace all light bulbs with LED. Turn off lights, plugs and especially electric blankets and heaters when not using them. Just these few things can reduce your home’s electricity consumption by 15%. Last night I woke up to my scale beeping (weird, I know) and saw hubby’s side of our electric blanket was still on. He got a scathing reprimand at midnight.

Fill it up

Run full loads in your washing machine or dishwasher. And use the eco/short cycles.

Off at the wall

What sits on standby? TV/Wifi/chargers etc. By turning off appliances or electronics which sit on standby for hours on end, you can save up to 6% of your electric bill.

Lose 1 degree

While going solar is the gold-star goal, turning your geyser down by 1 degree and switching it off during the middle of the day can really make a difference. This can provide estimated savings of around R100 a week. We recently bought a geyser blanket but are interested in installing a timer too.

Consider buying a Spindel

As a family of 5, we can’t live without our tumble dryer. I cringe every time we put it on, because I feel like it takes foreverrrrr to dry our clothes and the electricity it uses is nausea-worthy. My recommendation: only wash what is in desperate need of a wash, and investigate using a Spindel (esp if your washing machine is not a super fancy pants one – which ours is not).

If you’ve never heard of it before – a Spindel is an innovative dryer that uses spin power instead of heat to remove up to 80% of the leftover moisture from clothes. On average – one load in a spindel draws out around 1 cup of water from my washing (and it takes only 3 min to do so!). If I need to pop my clothes in the tumble drier, it takes a fraction of the time to dry completely, after being ‘spindeled’. A Spindel saves TONS of time and electricity.

Inspired? What else do you to save money, electricity and the environment? I’d love to know.

Happy end of winter all xxx

No more tampons – EVER

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Right, so ladies. This is about to get gory-ly honest.

Periods. We all have them. Often. Having said that over the past 4 years I’ve had about 3 of them. Between pregnant with #1, breastfeeding up a storm, body back into baby making mode, pregnant with #2, breastfeeding and then BHAM. Here we are.

So, thinking back I must have started turning a darker shade of (eco)green in Vancouver because I went out on a limb and bought myself a Diva Cup Menstrual Cup before I even got my period back after #2 and it sat, unopened, for more than a year. Then one fateful day, it happened. Aunt Flo came back.

Finally I got to try my new menstrual cup I’d heard so much about (both with positive and negative reviews). I must be honest, I was quite excited. I’m not sure how I personally got around the mental shift of moving from something you throw away to something you clean and reuse but I did. And I was keen to give it a go. (BTW, there are VERY funny blog posts about womens experiences with these things. Often crude, and with complete oversharing – but very funny nonetheless.)

The fact is, menstrual cups have been around for 80 years (and there are lots of them!!), but the truth about them has been lost in the frenzy of disposable tampons and pads. Like anything new, menstrual cups may take some getting used to as the experience of wearing them is a totally different mindset to the idea of using tampons. Even women who are used to wearing pads as their preferred method of period care (because they cannot wear tampons or are not comfortable with internal feminine hygiene products) are finding great success with menstrual cups (apparently – according to the Diva Cup people).

M power cup 1

LET’S START AT THE BEGINNING shall we?

What is it?

The menstrual cup is a cup (most often made from 100% medical grade silicone) and is inserted into the vagina during menses and collects, rather than absorbs, menstrual blood. At regular intervals, it is removed and the contents are disposed of. The cup is then washed or wiped clean and reinserted. The cup usually lasts for around 5 years. It is a cost-effective and environmentally friendly solution to pads and tampons.

Why? 

Why not? There is an overwhelming amount of information as to why the move from pads/tampons is not only important, but should be seriously considered. Here are but a few:

  • The cup can hold up to three times more fluid than the average tampon or pad.
  • It poses no risk of toxic shock syndrome or vaginal dryness (problems associated with tampons).
  • It is reusable, significantly reducing waste and therefore eco friendly.
  • Convenient, cost effective, reliable and comfortable.
  • Needs to be changed less frequently than even the highest absorbency tampons and can be worn overnight.
  • Odourless and entirely invisible with no strings.
  • Ideal for an active lifestyle and for active sports such as running, gym, yoga and swimming.
  • Antibacterial, entirely non-absorbent and is not associated with TSS or with other infections like cystitis (inflammation of the bladder, associated with sanitary pads) or candida (thrush).
  • Bio-compatible i.e. not harmful to living tissue.

If you want to know the VERY detailed step-by-step as to how it works (the “fold it like this, and insert it this way” type stuff) – take a peek here.

But what is it like… REALLY?

I asked three friends who I know use the cup, to give me their honest opinions on it. Here is what they had to say:

LIKES:

  • You can leave it in for 12 hours, don’t risk TSS and it’s safer for your body
  • Just like a tampon you can’t feel the menstrual cup at all if correctly inserted
  • Leak-proof. Even when using for 12 hours, no one had experienced a leak
  • Saves you money
  • You never have the mishap of running out of tampons
  • You get to know your body
  • ECO-FRIENDLY

DISLIKES:

  • It’s not for those who are screamish about blood
  • The cup can stain a little (which can be quite gross), but you can give it a good clean by scrubbing it with a toothbrush
  • After the majority of her period has passed, one friend said she felt a little sensitive after using it, so switched to tampons/pads for the remainder of her period
  • It takes a few goes to get used to putting it in correctly but once you get the hang of it, it’s easy.

One friend added: “Make sure you put it away when it’s not being used as it can be mistaken for other things, and you can find yourself in an awkward conversation”.

Another friend said: “I LOVE my menstrual cup!! I found out about them around a year ago! As someone who has always tried my best to care for this planet I cannot avoid the massive waste produced by sanitary products as a women goes through something like 9000 tampons (and R12 500) in a life time, as opposed to maybe 4 menstrual cups. So for me it’s really a no brainier”.

“For myself, the shift from tampons to the menstrual cup was super easy. I know that’s not always the case with other women. I know some women would be grossed out by it, but I haven’t found it gross or weird at all. It’s my body and my blood, no more icky than a cut in my arm”.

My opinion? I love it. No really. I do. Having had babies naturally and having trained as a birth doula, I’m very comfortable with ‘bodily fluids’. And so this doesn’t gross me out at all. Yes, it takes some time to get used to, and yes, I can fully appreciate that the collection and disposal of blood can seem gory and is not for everyone but it has revolutionized the way I see my body, my cycle and how to manage it the best way I can see possible. (That sounds heavy – ‘revolutionized’ – but, it kinda has).

Are you willing to give it a GO? Well, LUCKY YOU!

We’ve got one up for grabs, to the value of R325.

Mpower Cup 2

The Mpower Cup was established by Glenda Tutt in 2008 in Cape Town, South Africa. Not only did she start this business with a vision for a better life for herself and her son, but with the success of Mpower Cup, she has changed the lives of many around her. As her business grows, so do her dreams, and her biggest dream yet is to supply sustainable sanitary ware to impoverished women who do not have access to it or cannot afford it. This is a huge need in our country and Mpower Cup has identified this as a cause they cannot ignore, with the goal of supplying a sustainable solution to menstrual management each and every month to women all across South Africa. Read more about this inspiring Karabo Initiative on her website.

To win one of these Mpower Menstrual Cups for yourself – here is what you need to do:

Enter here:

EXTRA Entries:

  • Share this competition on Facebook for an extra entry.
  • Tag a friend for another entry
  • Use the line on social media platforms: Enter to win a Mpower Cup Menstrual Cup with @OurGreenishLife here http://wp.me/p6hdsr-nY 

Thanks for entering. Good Luck!

Contact Glenda Tutt at Mpower Cup
(t) 079 898 5188
(e) glenda@mpowercup.co.za
Web: www.mpowercup.co.za

Terms and Conditions

The competition runs from 21 December – Thursday, 31 December 2015.
This competition is open to Cape Town residents only.
The winner will be chosen randomly and contacted via email.
Winner will be announced on the Our Greenish Life website and social media channels on or around Thursday, 31 December 2015.

Featured picture credit: http://www.aliexpress.com/popular/menstrual-cup.html

This competition is closed, and was won by Kimberley O’Sullivan.

GROWbag – Upcycled Billboard Gardening

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I presume, if you’re reading this, that you love things that have been carefully thought through, that are creative, unique, sustainable, and involve something green. Well then great. Prepare to fall in love with my favourite new ‘green’ product – the GROWbag.

The GROWbag is a homegrown idea that came from European-born now-living-in-South Africa founder, Manuela, after her extensive research into sustainable products. The opportunity arose from having access to old billboard advertising vinyl and meeting skilled people who could recreate this material into products, those being planters. Being European and having lived in an urban environment all her life (with limited space for growing plants) her desire is to make the creation of urban gardens easy for everyone. She has essentially, miraculously combined the worlds of recycling, teaching sustainable living, job-creating, plant-growing, NPO-supporting and creativity in one simple product – the GROWbag. You’re in love already aren’t you?

What is a GROWbag?

A GROWbag is a unique outdoor planter that serves only one purpose: to fit into ones life and any living space. Old billboard vinyl material that would normally be thrown away is converted into an unique range of planters – using old and seemingly worthless material to create new life by growing plants in it. Yay. This vinyl is highly durable and incredibly long lasting – which makes it the perfect material for GROWbags. Each GROWbag is handmade in Cape Town by skilled creators who pride themselves with quality work and ethics.

The GROWbag planters are 100% recycled and made using only two materials: old billboard vinyl/PVC and special wax coated polyester thread. Each planter is one of a kind in colour – the vinyl print on the outside of the bag is carefully selected, so that it creates an interesting story. You’ll never know if your planter was once a MTN, Levi’s, DA or Converse billboard advert flying high over a South African highway. Particular parts of the bag have been reinforced to ensure top quality. All bags have been rigorously tested in order to make these outdoor planters durable in all weather conditions as well as to ensure that the perfect growing condition is created for any plant.

Currently there are 5 sizes of GROWbag available (the small and medium planters can hang, and the large and extra large sit on the ground), and there are also wall pockets which can be used to create a vertical garden. GROWbag has also partnered with Cape Town based NPO, Soil for Life who envisage a green city where all people have access to sufficient, safe, nutritious food all year round.

Growbag-Planters-81 NEW

GROWbag-BrownPlanters NEW GROWbag-GreenRange-HR-22 NEW growbag-navybluewhiterange3 NEW GROWbag-PinkRange-LR NEW growbag-snowwhiterange1 NEW Growbag-Wall-Pockets-2 NEW

Together, GROWbag and Soil for Life have created a planter that makes growing one’s own food a simple and effective solution for all the participants of the Soil for Life programme. With every GROWbag that is purchased, you help fund a GROWbag for a family in the communities in which Soil For Life is active. How RAD!

What I love most about these GROWbags is that they are rustic, a little scuffed and quite retro. They are one of a kind products, created carefully and intentionally. And when you peer past the bag itself, you’ll see a material revived, the unemployed employed, and community learning to grow their own food, live sustainably, and feed their families.

The Wonderbag Review

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It all began back in 2008 during the regular power outages. Sarah had the idea of creating the Wonderbag to ‘ease the impact of health, socioeconomic and environmental problems facing Africa and developing countries’. Growing up in rural Africa, she was passionate about empowering women living below the poverty line.

The Wonderbag has a powerful story. We love these kinds of stories.

So, I’d been staring at the Wonderbag innocently sitting in the office for weeks – it had been flirting with me for a while – and in a moment of pure impulsiveness (these happen rather frequently), I bought it and took it home with recipes running through my head. Firstly, yoghurt. We loved making our own yoghurt in Vancouver with an electric yoghurt maker (which was on for 15hrs at a time), but now with Eskom pushing us off the grid, we’ve gotta get smart about these things.

I ripped open the box, smiled adoringly at my new purchase, and then headed into the kitchen to get going on the yoghurt. Following the recipe exactly (with my hardcore candy thermometer nogal), I placed my pot of yoghurt goodness – at exactly 110 degrees Fahrenheit – carefully into my Wonderbag. I showed hubby ever so proudly when he got home from work and we went to sleep, eager to get up in the morning and see the result.


The next morning I called the family together (no, really, I thought it a teachable moment) and I presented my first attempt at power-free cooking (you can picture the superwoman emblem beaming under my jarmies), and…  it was a watery curdled mess. No no, this was not okay.

Here’s what I learned:

– Read the instructions before use, (duuuuuuuuuuh, every superwoman should know this)
– Don’t use a pot with a long handle that sticks out the bag. A cast iron pot like this is ideal:

– The Wonderbag does not produce heat – it retains heat (this had nothing to do with my failed yoghurt attempt, but is a good reminder).

As it turns out, I’d missed a vital part of how to get started. You need to open your (previously vacuum-packed) bag completely, give it a good shake to get all the chips moving and happy, to then close it tight, allow it to regain its shape and then get cooking. Errr. Oops.

So you could call it a rough introduction to my new purchase, but one that I’m happy to report has been beautifully redeemed.

I have since made a PERFECT batch of yoghurt, and mouth-wateringly delicious curry with the most tender chicken I might have ever tasted. I most recently made chicken stock which I’m thrilled I can make in the Wonderbag since we ALWAYS forget it on the stove and I way prefer it to store bought stock. After resting in the Wonderbag overnight, my stock measured in at an impressive 140 degrees F. That’s hot!

I find myself wanting to use it for everything I cook now. ‘Let’s make a soup, or another curry, steel cut oats, or risotto? Huh huh huh?’ The recipe booklet it comes with is another WIN. You’d be surprised what you can do with this seemingly simple bag.

My conclusion: You feel like you need a goodie badge for owning this little gem. It cooks food tenderly, is Eskom-free and a very, very practical accessory (errmm, dare I say essential?) for your kitchen. But for me, knowing it began as a community initiative supporting underprivileged women in rural townships in Africa; that makes my heart sing.

You can buy your very own Wonderbag online here. Do it!

Why we cloth diaper our kids

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Oh heeeeyyyy nooooo – did you just say cloth diaper? Errmmm, well, yes I did.

A friend asked me the other day where all this green-stuff came from and specifically about what I did when the boys were small regarding natural products.

As a pseudo hippie living in Vancouver, I was encouraged by the West Coast air in my lungs, along with the doula, midwifery and placenta ‘encapsulator’ world around me to go the cloth diaper route. Being frugal students (and by the look of the bank balance, the consideration of the environment and the super-cute-and-trendy style of MANY of the cloth diaper products available on 4th Ave – I’m a marketers dream) it was a bit of a no brainer. I gave it some thought, and I liked the idea – not realizing just how important it would be once Clayden (my oldest) was born.

Back to where it all began…

I find myself at home after an incredible doula supported birth (…that’s a WHOLE different post). I’m in my cosy little Vancouver apartment, staring out my window at the beautiful spring-going-summer weather, sipping on a cup of tea, cradling my perfect 6 week old little human… with a bum rash SO BAD it is raw, blistering and bleeding. Not your typical ‘grab the Bennett’s Bum Cream’ rash – this was BAD. Break your heart bad.

I sought all the help I could. We tried a plethora of creams, oils, ointments, powders, both medicated and not. I had to eliminate all wet wipes (definitely no disposable nappies, and at times any form of nappy) and had to sit with him in our 1m by 1m back garden with his bum facing the sun. I did a LOT of laundry.

Eventually, a new product arrived at my midwives clinic called Clay Powder (ironic, I know) so I grabbed it, and used it in conjunction with a calendula based cream that was also new. With astonishment, after a day, Clay’s bum began to heal. And it inspired me to get on the Googles. As it turns out, what one thinks is just the norm in terms of baby buys, isn’t. Let us start rethinking this shall we?

What was with clay powder and calendula? I landed on a blog called Wellness Mama, and it changed my life. The word calendula popped up everywhere, as well as the dark side of disposable nappies, chemical ridden wipes and other fairly harmful baby products and, thanks to the Canadian system of a year’s maternity leave, I had time to read, research, rethink, play, and create.

I jumped online I bought $100 worth of natural goodies and I started from scratch. I made my own (natural, organic, chemical-free, toxic-free, perfume and scent-free) baby wipes, cloth diaper cream, baby powder and oils, moisturizers and safe eucalyptus rub. I had organic coconut oil, shea butter, arrowroot powder, bees wax, calendula and chamomile flowers. Together, armed with my essential oils, vitamin e and mason jars by the dozen, I created my own mini factory of natural goodness. Cloth diapering was a huge part of this healthy lifestyle and both my boys have thrived in cloth.

This is just our story, and as a disclaimer – I haven’t done my own personal research into all the evils of many of what are presumed to be perfectly acceptable baby-related purchases, and as always, I’m certainly not getting this 100% right (at all). I’m also not judgmental of people who use only disposables and off the shelf baby products – not at all. Our decision was very much weighted by health, a big concern regarding creation care and having seen the hardship Clay’s poor buttocks experienced.

But I would encourage you to read more of the scientific/hard core/fact based info here from my everything-natural inspiration, Wellness Mama. Small changes have a big impact.

And also, cloth diapers are really not that gross. Really. They’re stinking cute.

Also, have you seen pictures of landfills lately?