Rubbish

So... Lets talk about sustainability.

It's a word that gets thrown around a lot. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. I'm sure most of you are rolling your eyes already! But we all know it's a fair point.  Does anyone really make changes in their own life to do anything about it?  We all know that we consume way too much, chuck out way to much, and generally don't think about what happens next.

One of the reasons I've been thinking about this is that a council near me is changing the way their bin system works.  They will be picking up the landfill, recycling, and green waste bins fortnightly, rather than weekly.  As you can imagine, there are a lot of people asking themselves how they are going to deal with this enforced change. Can they live with throwing away less rubbish or unwanted items? How can they, as a household, change their style of living to accommodate this situation.

Some people assume that public dumping will become a problem. Others think people will try to put rubbish in commercial dumpsters, such as the local supermarket.  I heard one person say that the bins are too small, and that if they are not emptied weekly, they will need bigger bins!

I think, as a society, we need to change the way we see rubbish.  Instead of automatically throwing something away, can we ask ourselves, "What could be another use for this item?"  Can we cheat the system in a way and buy things that come with less or no packaging? Then that packaging wont end up in our bins!

I don't have the big answers. I don't know what we can do with every single piece of plastic that gets thrown away. But I do know this ~ if each of us try to re-think our own choices, the problem would become smaller.

I thought it would be fun to share with you what I did today! I know it's only a simple thing, but I thought it was kind of inventive in a way...

I drank my coconut water, made pudding with the coconut meat, and turned the coconut into a pot plant!  I can use the mint that is growing in it for cooking, instead of buying mint packaged from the supermarket!

Fresh Coconut Water

Coconut Pudding
(Saved for my toddler)

Mint Planted in a Young Coconut

I know the young coconut will decay eventually, but isn't that the whole point?


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Thanks for reading!

Specifically about juicing

I always forget to juice, but when I do, I always feel 100x better. 

I’m not going to lie though, I think I’m just lazy and don’t want to clean up the mess.  But in saying that, if you make a few serves in one go and put some in the fridge or freezer, the benefits totally outweigh the hassle! 

Green Juice

Recipe:

·         Kale – about 5 branches.  I always cut the stems out though as I find it woody and bitter.

·         Baby Spinach – about 1 ½ handfuls - high in iron, fibre, and antioxidants, and increase liver function

·         Carrot – one whole, not pealed - high in Vitamins A, C, E, as well as the B group vitamins and potassium

·         Cucumber – 1 whole Lebanese cucumber - extreme hydrating effects, which boosts cell reproduction and growth

·         Ginger – 2-3 inches - has a positive effect on speeding up digestive juices, improving absorption, reducing flatulence, settling the stomach, and helps relieve joint pain

·         Kiwi – 1 whole, skin on - nutrient dense fruit, which aid in maintaining healthy skin, reduces blood pressure and heart disease

·         Pineapple – ¼ chopped and pealed - add flavour to the juice and are high in Vit C. They also contain anti-inflammatory properties, aid digestion, are a natural antioxidant, boost energy, and promote kidney health.

Method:

Juice everything in order of appearance in the recipe.  I tend to juice the most “juicy” ingredient last so that it cleans through the machine and any thicker juices get washed into my container, making the most of every ingredient. 

Serving Suggestion:

Serve straight away, with a handful of ice cubes.  It is very green so feel free to add some water or added pineapple juice to thin it down. Alternatively, if you are not that keen, just leave out the kale.

Or

Freeze for another day.  Do not leave it in freezer for too long, though – it can’t help you there!

Health Benefits:

(Note:  I am not a health care professional, but have done research in this area. If you have any individual concerns, speak to your health care provider.)

Collectively, this juice is amazing for anyone suffering from joint pain, such as arthritis, or in pregnancy.  This juice also claims to aid the function of your liver, kidney, skin, digestion, lower blood pressure, and boost energy.  

After drinking this juice, I felt so much healthier, more vibrant, and definitely had more energy – a certain reminder to myself to get juicing more often!!

I hope you have found this information helpful.  I would like to know how you got on, if you attempted to replicate this recipe. Did you feel any of the health benefits described?