All about recycling

A few months back I was driving home when, out of the window of the car in front of me, came flying a cigarette box wrapper. I was incensed! I think littering has to be one of the most selfish, self-absorbed, thoughtless, arrogant, lazy, uncaring things a person can do. (does that get the message across;) I have been known to give people a hard time for spitting chewing gum out of car windows! That's just gross, and irresponsible.

It's so easy to find a bin. Seriously, if you are prepared to litter, I think it says a lot about you, the main thing being that you have a complete lack of respect for your country, your fellow citizens, animals and the environment. In short, if you can litter, it's not a big leap to something far worse. It says a lot about your character and lack of integrity. But I digress...

I saw this happen and I got MAD. I'm not a confrontational person. I tend to shy away from it. But I was mad enough to forget about that for the moment. I pulled up alongside him and opened my passenger window and asked him who he thought was going to pick up after him. He looked a bit shocked and, I think, a bit ashamed but he still said, "If "they" can do it, I can too!" I was curious about who "they" was until he made an entirely racist comment about everyone who was messing up "his" country so I said, "And do you think doing what "everyone else" apparently does makes you a better person?"He drove off swearing and waving his hands around. Very eloquent I thought;) This was a middle aged, middle class guy, who probably has a wife and kids and look at the example he is setting.

Guess he won't be recycling. We're lucky if he even knows what a bin looks like, and sadly, that applies to a lot of South Africans... But the majority of us DO know what a bin looks like;) And the majority of us also have a conscience. I think people WANT to make a difference, they just aren't sure how. Well, recycling is one way you can make a HUGE difference and it's really easy, actually.

Have you thought about where all your rubbish goes once you put your bin out for pick-it-up to collect?

Does this give you an idea?

That is where it goes; into a big landfill.  Pretty, isn't it? Most of that stuff you see ISN'T biodegradable. That means it's going to sit there for centuries to come, polluting our environment and just basically being ugly. Think about how much rubbish you put out once a week. Your bin is usually pretty full, isn't it? Food packaging alone takes up so much space that you can probably fill one bin bag in half a day, not to mention soft drink bottles and milk bottles. You probably go through about 2-3 bin bags every couple of days and 80% of that stuff is probably recyclable. And you're just one household out of millions. So why don't more South Africans recycle? Well, it comes to down to a bit of both ignorance and laziness I think. 

It's a great pity that the majority of South Africa hasn't yet cottoned on to picking up the recycling from your house for free like they do in Europe. I think it's only because we still have a fair amount of landspace here unlike Europe, which is literally running out of landspace. Unfortunately one day, when our government wakes up, it'll be too late and they'll have to take drastic measures. We could help avoid that by recycling now but most people either don't know how to, or think it is just too much effort. If you are not sure how to go about it, but would like to find out, good for you. If you are just being lazy and think you don't have the time for it, shame on you. NOT doing whatever you can for our environment is a little selfish, don't you think? If you truly have time constraints then ok, let's just look at it this way: you all make time to wash dishes don't you? You all have time to throw rubbish in a bin I assume? Well then, you have time to recycle.

We have been recycling in our house for years and it got even easier when we discovered Mama-She's. Thanks to them, we can load ALL our recyclables in ONE bin. That includes paper, plastic, cans and glass. (we wash them if needed, to avoid a smell) Mama-She's collected from our house once a week and we paid R25 a month for that. I know what you're thinking, "Why should I pay when I could just as easily throw that rubbish in a normal bin?" Well, you already know my thoughts on that!  You may not pay, but someone will and it'll probably be your grandkids. If you wanted to save that money, you COULD separate paper, cans, plastic and glass yourself and take it all to a pick-it-up site but then you're using petrol, time AND your own rubbish bags so is it really saving you anything? And it really does get a bit much after a while! I know because I used to do it and it was a mission. I can see why people would lose interest eventually. 

I'd far rather pay R25 a month for the convenience of having someone pick it all up from my house. Mama-She's even supply you with a roll of 20 rubbish bags every couple of weeks. Don't you pay at least R25 a month for 10 or 20 rubbish bin bags for your house? Well then, what are you losing really? Not much by the looks of things.

You may have noticed I said "paid"... Well, we're really lucky because Pick it up have joined forces with Mama She's in our area and now our recycling is collected for free:) All the same procedures, we just don't pay R25 a month anymore. I know they are starting to do this in many areas so enquire with your body corporate about it. Maybe start the initiative yourself.

As you can see, we have 2 bins in our kitchen. The left one is for normal rubbish and the right one is for recycling (the small one is for our compost heap but that's for another post!) If you don't have another bin, use a packet. If don't have space for 2 bins, keep a packet in the kitchen and empty it into a box in your garage/scullery/shed when it gets full.  If you have a house party, keep a bin outside for all the glass bottles, for your guests. All of our guests now know that we operate with 3 bins in our house and they don't even blink about it;) Once a week you put it out on your verge and off it goes. I also put out any cardboard boxes or large packaging I may have, with the recycling and they take those too. See what I mean? It's really so easy!

Unfortunately Mama She's only operates in Johannesburg but look at this link to find a recycling collector near you! I can't speak for all of the others, but I can vouch for Mama She's. You have nothing to lose by looking into the others.

We probably fill about 1 and a half recycling bags a week on average, which would usually go into most people's rubbish bins, and then into a landfill. We don't even fill one normal rubbish bag in a whole WEEK, with other kitchen rubbish, because there is none of the big stuff to take up space and, because we compost all of our fruit and veg cut offs, there is even less in our rubbish bin. When our big bin goes out on a Monday morning, it has ONE rather sad, empty looking bag in it which is about a quarter fill, IF it even has anything in it. The only reason we bother to take it out once a week is because it usually has old bones in it from making bone broth, or it may have some raw meat that our cats didn't finish (our cats are on a raw food diet but that's also another blog post!) So it has to go out to avoid it smelling. That's about all we throw in our actual rubbish bin.

You'd be amazed how much of the stuff you use in your kitchen is recyclable and compostable. I'd say easily 97% of it! I actually save and re-use a lot of containers. They become storage containers for various things. I store my bone broth in my old yogurt containers in my freezer and I keep all my glass honey bottles for storing food because it's healthier and I also use them to make bean sprouts and soak nuts and beans (another post!) My egg cartons are great for planting seeds in because, when you transfer them to the garden, you can actually leave the seedlings IN the egg carton and they'll biodegrade eventually. It makes transferring seedlings a whole lot easier. I also buy several litres of raw milk at a time so, when I get it, I decant it all into 1 litre milk bottles that I've saved, and then I can freeze them until I need them so they don't go off.

Those are just some ideas to get your started with your recycling. There are also loads of fun things you could do with your kids to involve them in your recycling ventures and it will teach them some very good habits for the future!

Tomorrow's post is going to give you some nice, easy ways to make a difference that I bet you didn't even think of so watch this space and keep on keeping it green!

I can live without my Loreal. Could you?

Have you ever thought about what happens to the body lotion you rub on your hands, or your face? I mean, REALLY wondered? I'm sure you know it gets absorbed by your skin, but then what? Well, it doesn't just disappear. Once it's been absorbed by your skin, it becomes part of the system. It goes into your blood stream and, eventually, finds its way to your organs and body tissues, the way everything else we ingest does, and your body either uses it, or loses it. You may be thinking, "Did she say ingest? We don't EAT the stuff, we just lather it on our skin." Well, that brings me back to my first question. Have you ever REALLY thought about what happens to it all?

Let's stop for a minute and take a look at a women's typical beauty routine and all the various products she uses in one session. I'm a woman myself. I KNOW it's a LOT;) The routine probably starts with a shower or bath so that will mean soap, shampoo, a possible hair mask or treatment followed by conditioner. If it's a bath, then it might very well be accompanied by bubble bath or bath salts or some kind of oil or milk soak to "soothe and soften" skin. Once she's out of the bath or shower, she will likely lather herself in body lotion from top to toe and then apply some underarm deodorant. She may also then lather herself with a sun protection cream of some sort. She will wash her face with a special face wash product, apply a toner (probably of the same brand because they always recommend it right?) and then, finally, a day or night cream depending on the time of day (more than likely ALSO the same brand) She'll probably brush her teeth and maybe use a mouthwash as well and then she will apply makeup to her face, possibly spray a hair straightening, heat protection spray, in her hair and then flat iron it, after which she will put a smoothing serum over her hair and THAT is just ONE beauty session. It'll start all over again in 8 hours or so and continue ad nauseum until she wakes up one day and decides she's over it and is giving in gracefully to the aging process. For some women, that day will NEVER come;)

Now let's discuss what happens to all that stuff she's used once she's walked away from the mirror. The outer layer of our skin, the epidermis, is the part of our skin we're most familar with. It prevents our bodies from permanently absorbing everything it comes into contact with. The layer just below it, the dermis, is where most of our blood vessels are found and it just LOVES water and water-based substances. You'd think, given the fact that your skin was designed to repel water, that it wouldn't absorb anything but actually, the longer your epidermis is exposed to water and water-based substances, the more absorbent it becomes. 

Think of what happens to your skin when you lie in the bath for a while, or swim in a pool, or the ocean. You begin to resemble a prune. That's because your skin has become more absorbent from over-exposure to water. And water makes it easier for oils and other substances, to travel through the epidermis, to the dermis below. In effect, your skin is actually like a big sponge. If anything sits on it for long enough and there is water to help the process along, it's going to be absorbed. Pretty much EVERYTHING you put on your skin, contains some water so we can presume that ALL the products listed in the beauty routine above, have disappeared into the epidermis and been absorbed into the water-loving dermis, beneath it. 

As I said before, your dermis contains most of your blood vessels. It stands to reason, then, that all the stuff that is absorbed through your skin, will enter your blood stream and be transported around the body to various organs and  tissues in much the same way as food or drink that we ingest. The only difference is that it doesn't pass through your stomach first, because you it didn't enter through your mouth. But the end result is the same as if you did. 

It's also important to remember that your skin works both ways. It is highly absorbent but it is also your body's largest organ for eliminating waste. If you use products that prevent it from working the way it should, and clog up your pores, your body will not thank you for it.

So why am I blogging about it? Well, do you have any idea what the standard ingedients are for body lotions, soaps, toothpastes, mouthwashes, toners etc, are? I bet you look at that list of ingredients and start zoning out before you've even read 3 of them. I know because I used to do that too! They're extremely difficult to even pronounce, not to mention that most of us don't have a clue what the names mean! We just assume that they're good for us because the adverts say so. You all know my view on that and, in case you've forgotten, you can read it in this blog post. I was talking about food there but it's all the same concept really.

"Pure and natural" are the latest buzz words of the beauty industry but don't be too taken in by them. The beauty industry is largely unregulated which means companies can slap the word "organic" on something that is loaded with chemicals, and bad for the environment and for YOU, without you even knowing it. They only SAY "pure and natural" because they know you'll be taken in by it. It's ok, I know you are, because I was too and I see so many of my friends falling victim to it too.

It's time to educate yourself so you can better protect you and your family, not to mention the environment. Here is what you need to look for, AND start avoiding:

• Benzoyl Peroxide: Possible tumour promoter, it produces DNA damage in human and other mammalian cells and it's also toxic by inhalation. It's an eye, skin and respiratory irritant. 

• DEA (Diethanolamine), MEA (Monoethanolamine) and TEA (Triethanolamine): Skin and eye irritant which causes contact dermatitis. They are hormone disrupting chemicals that have been restricted in Europe because continued absorption results in liver and kidney cancer. It's easily absorbed through skin to accumulate in body organs and the brain.

• DMDM Hydantion and Urea: Two out of many  different preservatives that often release formaldehyde (yes, the stuff used to preserve body parts in a lab!) which may cause joint pains, skin reactions, allergies, depression, headaches, chest pains, ear infections, chronic fatigue, dizziness and insomnia. It can also irritate the respiratory system, trigger heart palpitations or asthma and aggravate coughs and colds. Other possible side effects include weakening of the immune system and cancer.

• Dibutyl Phthalate: Used mainly in nail products as a solvent for dyes and as a plasticizer that prevents nail polishes from becoming brittle. Phthalates are also unlisted fragrance ingredients in many other cosmetics. Dibutyl phthalate is absorbed through the skin. It can enhance the capacity of other chemicals to cause genetic mutations, although it is not a mutagen itself. In laboratory experiments, it has been shown to interfere with hormone function (endocrine disruption) causing reproductive and developmental problems. Dibutyl phthalate is banned in cosmetics in the Europe.

• FD&C colour pigments: Look for p-phenylenediamine or colours identified as “C.I.” followed by a 5-digit number. They are synthetic colours made from coal tar, containing heavy metal salts that deposit toxins into the skin causing skin sensitivity and irritation. Absorption of certain colours can cause depletion of oxygen in the body and death. Animal studies have shown almost all of them to be carcinogenic. 

• Fragrances: This can indicate the presence of up to four thousand separate ingredients, many of them toxic or carcinogenic. Clinical observation proves that they can affect the central nervous system causing depression, hyperactivity, inability to cope and other behavourial changes. They also cause headaches, dizziness, violent coughing and vomiting, skin discoloration and irritation and allergic rashes.

• Mineral Oil or Petrolatum: A petroleum by-product that coats the skin like plastic, clogging the pores which interferes with the skin's ability to eliminate toxins causing acne and other skin disorders. Slows down cell development and skin function and results in premature aging. Used in many products such as baby oil which is 100% mineral oil!

• PEG (Polyethylene Glycol): Potentially carcinogenic petroleum ingredient that can alter and reduce the skin's natural moisture factor. This could increase the appearance of aging and leave you more vulnerable to bacteria. It's used in household cleaners to dissolve oil and grease and is found in everything from personal care to babycare products and sunscreen.

• Propylene Glycol and Butylene Glycol: They easily penetrate the skin and weaken protein and cellular structure. PG is strong enough to remove barnacles from boats! Anyone working with PG is required to wear protective gloves, goggles and clothing and must dispose of any PG solutions by burying them in the ground, because it penetrates the skin so easily. It can cause brain, liver and kidney abnormalities and yet there is NO warning label on stick deodorants where it can be found in VERY high concentration.

• Sodium Lauryl Sulphate and Sodium Laureth sulphate: This ingredient is used in car washes, engine degreasers and garage floor cleaners and yet its also found in 90% of personal care products that foam. Animals exposed to SLS experience eye damage, depression, laboured breathing, diarrhea, skin irritation and even death. Young eyes may not develop properly if exposed to SLS because proteins are dissolved. SLS may also damage the skin's immune system by causing layers to separate and inflame. When combined with other chemicals, SLS can be transformed into nitrosamines, a potent class of carcinogens. Your body may retain the SLS for up to five days, during which time it may enter and maintain residual levels in the heart, liver, the lungs, and the brain.

• Siloxanes: Look for cyclomethicone and ingredients ending in “siloxane” (e.g.cyclotetrasiloxane)
Cyclomethicone and siloxanes are used in cosmetics to soften, smooth, and moisten. These compounds can, however, irritate the skin, eyes, and lungs. They are also suspected of interfering with hormone function (endocrine disruption) and of liver toxicity. These chemicals are persistent. In other words, they don’t easily degrade and can remain in the environment long after they are rinsed down the shower drain. 

• Triclosan: a synthetic “antibacterial” ingredient – with a chemical structure similar to Agent Orange! Commonly found in antiperspirants, deodorants, cleansers and hand sanitisers, it is registered it as a pesticide, giving it high scores as a risk to both human health and the environment. It is classified as a chlorophenol, a class of chemicals suspected of causing cancer in humans. Its manufacturing process may produce dioxin, a powerful hormone-disrupting chemical with toxic effects measured in the parts per trillion; that is only one drop in 300 Olympic-size swimming pools! Hormone disruptors pose enormous long-term chronic health risks by interfering with the way hormones perform, such as changing genetic material, decreasing fertility and sexual function, and fostering birth defects. It can temporarily deactivate sensory nerve endings, so contact with it often causes little or no pain. Internally, it can lead to cold sweats, circulatory collapse, and convulsions. Stored in body fat, it can accumulate to toxic levels, damaging the liver, kidneys and lungs and can cause paralysis, suppression of immune function, brain hemorrhages, and heart problems. Its widespread use in popular antibacterial cleaners, toothpastes and household products may have nightmare implications for our future.

Scary isn't it? And yet we have all bought into the propaganda and think we absolutely cannot live without our Redken/Clarins/Loreal etc. If we are forced to live without them, we will all turn into aging hags, have dry, straw-like hair, saggy boobs, hairy skin, dirty teeth and smelly breath, not to mention BO!

Well, I for one KNOW I can do without all that stuff, because I do it on a daily basis! It wasn't something that happened overnight. Let's face it, those products cost a bomb. Who, in their right mind would throw out a half finished bottle of Kerastase?! So I finished everything I had and tried very hard to keep my mouth closed so I didn't swallow anything. I couldn't do much about the absorption issue but I just kept telling myself that it wouldn't be for much longer.

I am pretty chuffed with myself these days because there is not ONE product that I use that contains chemicals:) What's also REALLY nice about that is that I know I am not harming the environment in any way AND, even more importantly, nothing I buy, is tested on animals. And I'll tell you why I'm even more smug;) I pay far less for my beauty products than I used to! In the past, I could easily spend R1000 on my cleanser, toner and moisturiser in one shot, sometimes more if I was cornered by one of those persistent sales ladies (I know they are doing their job and I always felt bad walking away after they'd spent ages giving me their best sales pitch and that's why I used to always get taken in!) These days I spend under R150 and it's all working really well for me. I love how healthy my hair feels, I love how my skin feels and I can rest easy knowing that my body is not getting fed cancer-forming toxins on a daily basis.

Over the last year I have experimented with a lot of products in order to find the ones that work for me and, when I have struggled too much to find the right ones, I have made my own. I now make my own soap, lip-ice (yes, lip-ice also has all of those horrible ingredients in it!) and body creams. The only thing that is slightly costly, is the body moisturiser, but it is a price I am willing to pay because it covers my entire body and I am simply not willing to take a chance. Besides, I save so much more money on my other beauty products that I don't even notice the slight extra cost. I also have found that, since I have cut out all processed foods and started only eating real, organic foods, that my skin seems to shine from the inside out, without much need for a mountain of beauty products. It's always better to work from the inside out;)

Some of you are saying, "Really? How ridiculous are we going to get?! First we have to watch what we eat, now we can't use any beauty products?" Yes, of course you can. You can do anything you want. It's your body and your life. Just remember that every choice you make has a ripple effect. It's going on YOUR body, and going down YOUR drain, but once it's joined the system, it becomes part of something bigger and then it's no longer just YOUR problem. It eventually affects our rivers and oceans. You will say that your parents, and their parents used it all, but don't tell me that they're fine, and don't tell me that our environment is fine, because you would be just plain wrong. Again, you can read about it in this blog post.

At the end of the day, all of these products never existed for our grandparents, grandparents and they managed just fine. These days, we have learnt what we need to do to take care of ourselves and that is something positive we can take from the boom of civilisation. So we don't need to grow old and haggard looking before our time, but we can do it responsibly, thinking that, maybe, industry has gotten just a little out of hand in their quest to make money. Maybe we don't need as much as we thought we did. Maybe what we do affects more than just us. But if you've understood this blog post, then you KNOW it does affect YOU personally, and your family.

It's time to take your health into YOUR hands. Start reading ingredients on things before you buy them. You do it with food, because you don't want to gain weight, so why wouldn't you do it with your beauty products? Is weightloss more important than life? I don't think so and I know you don't. Take the power out of the hands of the big corporations, and put it back into yours.

Because you're worth it;)