Doing My (Little) Part

When I was of single-digit age, I wanted to be a marine biologist. I loved reading books on animals, and could tell you what a remora or a hyrax is, and which sharks you should be afraid of and which ones that are more harmless than a fly.



I always had a passion for the environment, borrowing and re-reading a book titled Reduce, Reuse, Recycle again and again. That was when I learnt that reducing is the first choice - always, as recycling does take up its share of resources as well. That book was where I read about composting, about reusing tin cans and bottles.



I've been doing the simplest of things for as long as I can remember - use both sides of a sheet of paper,



Now I can't believe I work for an oil company, one of Big Oil. We print pamhlets to promote Earth Day, for goodness' sake. We guzzle mineral water during meetings, and then leave the half consumed water in the bottles to be tossed. And replace those bottles again for the next meeting. It's ridiculous. It's blatant disrespect.



But I digress. After all, one does what one can:-

1) I bring my own water, as often as I can. When I travel, or go off to a meeting in a hotel, I make sure I have my own supply of water. One bottle saved is still, well, one bottle saved.

2) I recycle as much as I can. Separate my papers and plastics and toss them into the recycling bin.

3) Started growing my own herbs - lemongrass, mint, curry leaves and basil.

4) I use organic, eco-friendly cosmetics. My day moisturiser is Origins Have A Nice Day (really brightens the complexion - totally recommend this), my night cream is the discontinued Olive Brightening Cream (something like this but for night), my foundation is by the Body Shop. Oh, and of course, my body cream (Shea Butter) and my perfume (Lemon Verbena - I have never believed that I could NOT live without a fragrance, but I've used this for 2 years and I don't wanna use anything else) are also L'occitance. I do use mascara from Lancome though - and not much else. I also bought the cherry blossom glitter lotion (for goodness knows what) and am looking forward to trying the Immortelle range next.

5) I set the timer on the airconditioner. Easy peasy.

6) I've sealed my room doors with insulating strips to prevent the loss of cool air. AK doesn't believe in doing this but he obliges me anyways.

7) This is something I've started doing only recently. Trying to anyway - when I peel my fruit, instead of tossing the peel i save it in a plastic bag to add to the soil of my plants. Less waste and a bit of nutrition for my poor suffering heliconia - worth a try anytime. I've also tried this with eggshells.


8) Reduce the use of plastic bags. I have about 8 various-sized canvas shopping bags. I am so diligent with using these that AK has to remind me NOT to bring them because we sometimes run out of bags to put garbage in :)



I want to try these next:
1) Make my own cleaning agents. I cleaned my sinks with squeezed out lemons before and was left with super shiny sinks after that. Here's what I gleaned from Oprah.com:
- For Countertops & windows -->
Combine a tablespoon of white vinegar and a quart of water in a spray bottle, squirt, and wipe dry. Vinegar is a mild acid that dissolves dirt, hard water deposits, and soap scum. (Be careful when using vinegar, which can irritate skin, eyes, and mucous membranes.)
- FOR FABRIC STAINS --> attack with white vinegar or lemon juice

- FOR FAUCETS & DIRTY OVENS --> Sprinkle baking soda over the area (only when it's cool) and scrub with steel wool and water. The gritty soda scours off dirt and raises the pH of water, which helps remove chalky white buildup around faucets. (Avoid this abrasive method on glass stovetops.)
- FOR A CLOGGED DRAIN (I've tried this before - it not only unclogs the drain, but removes any smelly odours as well) --> Pour in half a cup of dry baking soda, followed by half a cup of vinegar, then cover the drain. Wait 15 minutes, then flush with two cups of hot or boiling water.And keep in mind... If you don't want to give up commercial cleaners, cast a skeptical eye on products labeled "eco-friendly" or "organic." Look instead for specific claims (such as "solvent-free" or "phosphate-free") and for the "Design for the Environment" label: These products have been carefully screened for their environmental effects.
I've already bought my vinegar - so cheap at RM3 per half litre. Watch this space!