« one small gesture for a man, but a huge gift for humanity ! »
Dear preservers,
We've reunited all the zerowaste tips we've sent you during the year in our newsletters !
Enjoy and do not hesitate to give us some feedbacks on our instagram or on our facebook page !
EPISODE 1 :
FLOWERS, BIRDS SINGING, FRESH FRUITS EVERYWHERE,
THIS PLANET IS BEAUTIFUL AND WE SHALL TAKE CARE OF IT!
This is our first episode of a zero-waste serie we hold dear to our heart. If like us, you sometimes get overwhelmed by the challenge that the zero-waste life represents, we’d like to give you some tips.
The easiest way to start is by asking yourself the right question when shopping!
Here are a few, and every time you answer yes, you know what you have to do next ☺
• Can I make it myself?
• Can I buy it in a farmer’s market? Bucher etc.?
• Can I buy it loose?
• Does it come in a recyclable packaging?
• Is this plastic recyclable?
EPISODE 2 :
JARS ARE YOUR NEW SHOPPING BAG!
We’re going to talk about shopping! Don’t freak out, it’s not about spending money - it would even be the opposite – it’s about getting rid of packaging! And to do so, there are 2 things you absolutely need: a jar and a reusable bag to carry it. Why a jar you ask? Well let’s have a closer look at it!
• Perfect for condiments: From the shop to your shelves all while skipping the unwrapping part! It’s a simple life, a bulk life. (But if there’s none of those around you, don’t be shy, most of the markets and shop’s employees will be supportive of your initiative)
• For meat and dairy, it’s not only more sustainable, it’s also tastier and it will last longer if you store it in glass! So next time you approach your butcher, fishmonger or dairyman, put a big smile on your face and a big jar in their hands!
• Beauty products: did you know that you could make almost every vanity essentials yourself? From tooth path to shampoo, to moisturizer, homemade natural recipes are blooming and a jar is the perfect fit to store them! By the way, the same goes with cleaning products! YAY
EPISODE 3 :
NO PLASTIC = SUMMER FUN!
Now, the third episode of our zero waste series. Today we'll talk about summer, and the little things we can do to reduce our waste!
We know holidays are a bit of a challenge when it comes to zero waste. We're travelling, visiting or having friends over, going to the beach or on picnics. Those things make it difficult to have a perfect control of the situation.
Take airports or train stations for example, most of the food and drinks services use plastic or cardboard packaging. Should you then forget about that coffee you've been wanting so bad? Of course not, you are on holiday and what matters is happiness.
It goes the same with picnics, or beach holidays! Yes it's tempting to pack food in light containers and use plastic tools, but A. it will change the taste, B. what do you prefer: having a heavy bag or a heavy impact on the planet?
There are little solutions, and they only involve jars, or glass containers and a tiny bit of courage: ask the employee / your friend / anyone really, to put your meal or drink in them, once you're down, rinse it, pack it back and feel wonderful!
EPISODE 4 :
BACK TO ZERO-WASTE
Welcome to the fourth episode of our zero waste series. Today we'll talk about back to school tricks and hacks to reduce our wastes!
Let's start with school and work lunch: you'd love to enjoy a fresh, seasonal and plastic free meal? Well, jars are perfect to store your homemade and delicious plate. Think salad jars, hot pasta, puree and soup. Name it, make it, can it and enjoy a zero-waste treat!
September is also the perfect time to take care of yourself. Treat your skin, your hair, and your bathroom with homemade and waste-free products. Did you know coconut oil and brown sugar make a perfect scrub? Coconut oil and baking soda make a powerful toothpaste, and olive oil plus honey are a dry hair’s dream!
There are so many solutions and DIY's to get rid of all the plastic in your bathroom, and you just need a few products, a few jars and a good web browser to realise them.
So let's take our good habits to work, and to ourselves!
EPISODE 5 :
BATCH COOKING IS YOUR GO TO FOR A ZEROWASTE KITCHEN
Going zero waste is not only good for the planet, it's also good for your health but sometimes it can be a bit time consuming! So we thought of dedicating our fifth episode to a little trick both good for the planet and for your well-being: batch-cooking!
The idea is simple, as its name indicates; it's all about cooking in larger quantities at a time. Imagine being able to come home every night and have dinner on the table in 5-10 minutes—sounds like a fantasy, right? Well it's totally doable and it's awesome to reduce waste (and energy).
With that method, you only have to block 2 to 3 hours on a day that works for you, like a leisury Saturday afternoon, a quiet Sunday morning, or a Monday night activity.
First step is to plan your meals in your head, then go shopping. The big advantages are:
• You'll only have to do one trip to the grocery store (that shall reduce your carbon impact my friend)
• You'll be able to buy just what you need! (No more sad uncooked rotten veggies on the counter).
• Plus the bigger quantities you buy, the less packaging you'll have!
Then, and this is where it gets serious, you cook: think big casseroles, tons of soups, compotes, and other goes to meals! Every week, fix yourself an objective, a recipe to try on (we have a lot on our website), and stick to your planning. Once you're done cooking, put everything in jars, label it, store it on your shelves / cupboards.
At the end of the month, you'll have delicious jars stored everywhere, and delicious food to feed your crowd every night of the week!
So you'll gain time to spend with your loved ones, you'll gain energy to do new activities, you'll gain money, and you'll be having a good impact on the planet. If this is not the start of a happy life, we don't know what is!
EPISODE 6 :
ZEROWASTE : CHRISTMAS 101
Going zero waste does not mean you should turn into the scrooge for Christmas! It might be a bit challenging, yes, but with a bit of elbow grease, imagination, and a few ingredients (jars are part of the equation) you can still decorate, have a marvellous dinner, and give wonderful gifts!
For the food part, we have tons of –French- approved ready meals recipes here!
For the gift part, here are a few #zerowaste ideas everyone would love to receive!
Look for– or even better – do some handcrafted gifts: candles, photo-hangers, jewel baskets and so on.
Buy treats in bulks and gift them in little jars (we hear that coffee beans are a big hit!) Or even better make baked goods in re-utilisable containers (clue n°1: jars, perfect, just sayin. Clue n°2: see above for recipes)
Fresh bouquet of flowers (so pretty in Le Parfait ;))
DIY beauty products (sugar scrubs, body butter, bath salts etc. you can make all of them in jars, with only a few ingredients!)
Have a wonderful “I’m saving time, money, and the planet” Christmas dear preservers :)
EPISODE 7 :
ZEROWASTE : LUNCH TIME!
Last year we focused on the small changes you can make at home or during resting time to live a more environment friendly life! This year, we’d like to challenge you to a little more, and take that zero waste challenge outside the house. First thing on the agenda: the work lunch.
This one may seems tricky but is actually quite simple: just forget about overly wrapped sandwiches to go, plastic forks and drinks and splurge on easy salad jars! The Marie Claire UK team tried it for a week last year with Le Parfait, and they discovered it was not only more sustainable, but tastier than most pre-made food! Have a look here.
And if you need inspiration, our friends at El Pot in Barcelona are kind of the queens of Salad jars! Check their gorgeous Instagram here.
That’s one small gesture for a man, but a huge gift for humanity !