There are some very simple steps that every household can take to reduce their waste. I am not talking about recycling plastics and paper, but avoiding them altogether.
So lets start with the first problem; Kitchen hygiene (and also bathroom hygiene). Many of us use dishwasher tablets or powder for cleaning our dishes or washing our hands after using the toilet. This is very convenient and saves a lot of time and effort, but it comes at a price: Environmentally costly chemicals. 3 in particular stand out:
– Sodium Laureth Sulphate (SLS) – Derived from coconut/palm oil, this chemical foaming agent is used in almost all shampoos and toothpastes. It is very cheap, breaks large oil molecules into small ones (this emulsifies the dirt and oil – allowing it to be easily washed away), but also absorbs through the skin and reacts with other chemicals in water to form carcinogenic nitrates.
– Oxybenzone – A benzophenone family chemical often found in sun-creams, this chemical is also absorbed through the skin and has adverse effects on human health.
– Triclosan – Another antibacterial agent often found in hand-soap, disinfectants and toothpastes. This chemical is another one that reacts with other chemicals in water sources to form carcinogenic nitrates.
about 6 years ago, I started making my own soaps. I found it to be an easy process and the result was of high quality.
1 part Coconut Oil (50% MCT) – 50 parts Olive Oil – 5 parts Lye (Sodium Hydroxide). 10 drops essential oil of your choice per 500ml soap.
I then use this soap to wash dishes by hand. You can just use it as a normal scouring agent, whilst the lye removes the oil from your skin. If you have sensitive skin, then just add a little more olive oil and less coconut oil in order to balance out the fatty acid composition of these oils (which is different depending on where the olives/coconuts are grown).
melt the coconut oil and olive oil together, mix in the lye solution (with gloves on!) and stir it over an electric fan heater. The heat will cause the lye to react with the fatty acids in both oils to create soap molecules. Stir for about 10 minutes then pour into moulds. That’s all there is to it!
Additionally, I have stopped taking shower gels and shampoo. The reason being that they are full of chemicals, which can cause skin irritation. The same goes for toothpaste – just use soap instead. If you are worried about smell, then add some essential oils to the mix or ingest/lick a few drops of lemon juice.
Fungi and bacteria also feed on the soaps we use to wash our hands and dishes, which can form biofilms in drains and septic tanks – causing drainage systems to fail. It is much better to just let the dirt stay where it is rather than washing it away with harmful chemicals.
If you feel the need to use shower gels and soaps, then I recommend you try these DIY recipes instead:
– 500g Coconut Oil – 500ml Lye (Sodium Hydroxide) – 500ml Rubbing Alcohol. 10 drops essential oil of your choice per 500ml soap.
– Make a water/alcohol solution by mixing the rubbing alcohol with water in a 4:1 ratio. Add the lye to this mixture whilst stirring continuously until fully dissolved, then add coconut oil and stir for about 10 minutes. Finally, pour into moulds.
– 8 parts distilled or filtered water – 3 parts organic cider/white vinegar – 2 parts soap flakes (grated up).
– Fill a container 3/4 full with water and add vinegar. Add the soap flakes and mix thoroughly to dissolve it. Finally, fill the remainder of the container with water and stir thoroughly. Use as a scouring agent just like normal washing liquid, but rinse afterwards because you don’t want this in your drains either!
– Bioliquids (also called lignin liquids) is a made from fermented plant material and is very effective at breaking down biofilms and other organic materials. It can be difficult to find in most countries, but you can make it yourself by filling a large container with hot water, adding your favorite soap flakes and stirring occasionally for about 4-5 weeks. Once it has turned a dark color, you can use this liquid to clean surfaces and dishes just like normal washing liquid.
Just rinse thoroughly afterwards because you don’t want this in your drains either!
I also recommend that we stop using chlorine bleach and other household cleaners. Chlorine bleach reacts with organic materials to form chloroform, which is a carcinogenic substance. Dioxin (a by-product of the paper industry and landfill waste) is another such substance that is highly carcinogenic. Using household cleaners just moves this stuff around your house and into the environment, so it’s much better to not use these chemicals in the first place.
– Instead of chlorine bleach, we can use hydrogen peroxide. Just add 3% by weight to water and you have a natural bleaching agent!
– For windows and mirrors, just add vinegar.
– For ovens and other greasy surfaces, I use a mixture of about 60% water and 40% vinegar because it cuts grease very well. Just spray onto the surface, leave for 10 minutes then wipe off with a paper towel to reveal an almost brand new looking surface!
– Use of soaps in household cleaning is harmful to the environment and human health because they contain chemicals that cause cancer and carcinogenic nitrates. Make your own soap instead of buying it, or just use water to wash dishes, hands etc. If you feel the need to use soap at all then I recommend either of these DIY recipes instead: – 500g Coconut Oil – 500ml Lye (Sodium Hydroxide) – 500ml Rubbing Alcohol. 10 drops essential oil of your choice per 500ml soap. – Make a water/alcohol solution by mixing the rubbing alcohol with water in a 4:1 ratio. Add the lye to this mixture whilst stirring continuously until fully dissolved, then add coconut oil and stir for about 10 minutes. Finally, pour into moulds. – 8 parts distilled or filtered water – 3 parts organic cider/white vinegar – 2 parts soap flakes (grated up). – Fill a container 3/4 full with water and add vinegar. Add the soap flakes and mix thoroughly to dissolve it. Finally, fill the remainder of the container with water and stir thoroughly. Use as a scouring agent just like normal washing liquid, but rinse afterwards because you don’t want this in your drains either! – Bioliquids (also called lignin liquids) is a made from fermented plant material and is very effective at breaking down biofilms and other organic materials. It can be difficult to find in most countries, but you can make it yourself by filling a large container with hot water, adding your favorite soap flakes and stirring occasionally for about 4-5 weeks. Once it has turned a dark color, you can use this liquid to clean surfaces and dishes just like normal washing liquid.
