Magda M. Olchawska's Blog, page 2

June 8, 2024

Cost of Buying Beauty Products in a Zero Waste Shop

I’ve been thinking about writing this post for a while now, as it came as a shock to me (I started shopping in zero-waste shops three years ago) that beauty products are much less expensive than I initially anticipated. For years, I only explored the food section of my local zero-waste shops, too fearful to look at the beauty products. However, the amount of packaging from the beauty products I produced a year forced me to look to the other side of the zero waste shops. At this stage of my long-term sustainability journey, I’m very concerned with packaging and intentionally seeking products without packaging. Buying packaging-free beauty products has helped me cut down on packaging and has also saved me money in the process. The downside is having fewer choices than traditional packaged beauty producers offer. Below, I’m comparing prices between high street brands and the zero waste shop. I used two British brands, The Body Shop and Neal’s Yard. Both brands operate in the less toxic cosmetics production sphere. I checked their prices on their websites on the 6th of June 2024; please do remember the prices will fluctuate with time.

In a zero-waste shop, I paid £8.18 for 207 g (I used a 200 ml bottle) of hydrating toner. For 150 ml, The Body Shop sells tonic waters, which come in a plastic bottle, for £22.00. Neal’s Yard 200 ml glass bottle of toner charges £19 or £22, depending on your choice.For 14 g of eye cream at a zero-waste shop, I paid £14.70. Neal’s Yard’s cheapest 15 g eye cream costs £26, packaged in a glass container. The Body Shop sells their cheapest eye cream for £14 for 15 ml, which comes in a plastic tube. The Body Shop’s cream is only slightly cheaper than the package-free product.33 g of night cream set me back £9.57 in the zero-waste shop. The cheapest night cream at Neal’s Yard costs £28 (glass container) for 50 g, and the Body Shop (plastic container) charges £18 for 50 g.The moisturizer cost me £10.92 for 42 g in the zero-waste shop. The cheapest Body Shop’s day cream was £18 (some Body Shop products come in glass containers), and Neal’s Yard (glass container) sold the cheapest day cream for £32 for 50 g.

Most likely, consumers will have easier access to Body Shop and Neal’s Yard products than zero-waste shops. However, if you have the option to try zero-waste products, it’s worth considering. Most zero-waste shops I’ve been to have either containers to buy or use the ones donated by other customers (I always donate a ton of glass containers yearly). Also, in some countries, it’s possible to send empty containers to companies to fill them with their products. In my opinion, every single beauty retailer should offer this option.

Of course, we all have different beauty routines, budgets, and needs. I’m not saying that the products from the zero-waste shop are the highest quality products I ever used because they are not. However, they are not the worst I’ve ever used; they come packaging-free, meaning they will cost less, and their environmental impact will be less destructive. Not all of the products I use are packaging-free. However, I buy as much as possible in zero-waste shops. When I started my journey to eliminate excessive waste from my life, the prices were much higher than supermarket prices. Nevertheless, times have changed since my journey began a short three years ago. Even though the prices in zero waste shops have gone up, the supermarkets and products’ prices have gone through the roof. The difference in pricing between package-free products and products in packaging has shifted, making buying products in zero-waste shops much more affordable.

If you can afford products that come in glass packaging, buying those is better than plastic packaging. Even if it says recycled plastic, I try to avoid it as much as possible, as plastic recycling is emission-intensive and time-consuming. The process uses lots of electricity and natural gases to heat the plastic to spark chemical reactions.

Since I live in London, UK, I’m writing from the perspective of a person who lives in a big city and has access to two stocked zero-waste shops. However, not everyone is in such a location. But if you can buy products in zero-waste shops, please try. Even if you replace one product, that action already makes a difference and signals to producers that customers want package-free choices. I can say that buying packaging free is addictive, and the moment I started, I knew I wanted to do more, and each year, I go further. One day, we will live in a world where packaging will only be minimal and not excessive like it is now. Companies are changing and adapting, forced by incoming new regulations, but in my opinion, the change isn’t as fast as it should be. So, as consumers, we have the power to vote with our money.

Do let me know about your own zero-waste shopping experience where you live.

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Published on June 08, 2024 02:27

February 18, 2024

The Books I’ve Read, I’m Reading or Planning to Read on Sustainability and Environment

Many books, blogs, articles, and videos extensively cover environmental and sustainability subjects – so deciding what to commit your time to might be rather tricky at times. I usually allow the books I’m reading to lead my reading choices as I know that one title will reveal the next. Since most of us are stretched for time, I put together a short list of my reads. The sustainability and environmental topics are fast changing, and sometimes what was accurate a year ago might be somewhat outdated a year after, when new data, research, and possibly positive implementation of required changes start producing results. However, I believe that some classics are worth reading regardless of the fast evolution of the subject.

The books I’ve read since 2022:

“The Story of Stuff” by Annie Leonard, who in 2014 became the executive director of Greenpeace US. The book was an exciting read. It is one of the classics a person interested in environment and sustainability should read. However, it needs updating in some parts as some big changes have occurred since its publication in 2010. I also think it would be more inclusive to expand the book beyond the US-centric focus as the whole world is struggling with the climate breakdown. National borders won’t stop the environmental devastation and degradation.

“Being the Change” by Peter Kalmus – this book is worth reading if you are in search of a deeper dive into environmental subjects with some practical advice in place. However, some of his proposed solutions are not quite feasible for ordinary people.

“Gaia: A New Look at Life on Earth” by James Lovelock. I like the concept behind the book and the idea of Gaia. I instantly felt a strong connection to this book. I can confidently say this has been one of my favourite reads so far. But I would recommend re-reading it at least twice.

“The One-Straw Revolution” by Masanobu Fukuoka and Larry Korn reads like a meditation; it spoke to the part of me that strongly longs for a simpler life. I don’t think I was the core target audience for this title, but I did enjoy it immensely. It should be your must-read if you have a garden or a farm. It is a slow read, just like a meditation practice.

“Silent Spring” by Rachel Carson this book is a must-read and is a testament to one woman’s determination to change the world despite all the power trying to stop her. This book shows hope that we can still change our ways, but we must take decisive actions.  

“The Mushroom at the End of the World” by Anna Lowenhaupt Tsing is another of my favourite reads so far; the book is as much about mushrooms as it is about community, the “old ways”, living in harmony with nature, reconnecting to nature and ourselves.

“The Day the World Stops Shopping” by J.B. MacKinnon wasn’t really my cup of tea, maybe because I was developing a very different project. But I will put it on my list of books to re-read as it might speak to me more now.

Books I’m reading currently:

“Sustainability in Interior Design” by Sian Moxon, I actually work with Sian on another of her projects, Rewild My Street. She is the go-to person for re-designing urban environments with long-term sustainability in mind.

“Hollywood’s Dirtiest Secrets: The Hidden Environmental Costs of the Movies” by Hunter Vaughan – I have just started reading the book despite buying it in the summer. The title is self-explanatory. But I feel that once I’m done with it, I’ll never look at films the same way despite having worked as a filmmaker since 2004.

“Go Gently” by Bonnie Wright – I got the book as I liked her YouTube videos. It is a very much coffee table book and a good start for beginners in the environmental and sustainability sphere. One can easily dive in and out of it, which is a nice feature.

Planning to Read (already have either audiobooks or physical copies):

“Water in Plain Sight” by Judith D. Schwartz

“The Book of Hope” by Jane Goodall, Douglas Abrams

“A Bigger Picture” by Vanessa Nakate – this book was recommended by one of the panellists of a talk I attended last year. He recommended the read as a fresh voice of the African climate movement.

“Voluntary Simplicity” by Duane Elgin

“Zero Waste Home” by Bea Johnson. I read some bits a couple of years ago when working on the “Another Way…” documentary. My intention is not to become a zero-waste household, as I’m not sure how feasible that would be living in the UK with two kids, but I would definitely like to move my life toward as little waste as possible.

“The Zero Waste Solution” by Paul Connett

Books for Kids:

“Mikolay & Julia Meet the Fairies” by Magda Olchawska. Of course, I need to include my book (a little bit of self-promotion never hurts 😊). I published this book in 2012 before sustainability and environment were such hugely trending words.

Logline: One day, Mikolay and Julia discover a hidden wardrobe in Mikolay’s mummy’s secret office. A fantastic wonder occurs: the wardrobe is full of magical, gentle creatures with wonderful singing voices. Unfortunately, they desperately need Mikolay’s and Julia’s magic skills to help them fight the monster that took over their forest.

“The Lost Words” by Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris – the drawings, lost words, and short poems are like one extended meditation. I got the book for my daughter, who loves leafing through the pages, and so do I.

I hope the list is helpful and will help you make informative decisions. Don’t forget to check if any titles are available in your local library. You can also borrow them from friends or get them as audiobook/s.

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Published on February 18, 2024 11:24

December 18, 2023

Environmentally Sustainable and Wallet-friendly Christmas Ideas

When I was growing up, Christmas was an essential part of my life for two reasons:

The whole family got together at my grandparents’ flat on the 24th of December (in the Polish tradition, this is the most important day of the Christmas celebration),The Polish TV – back in the 1980s, a communist propaganda TV aired Disney animations, which was a real treat.

I sat glued to the TV screen while grandpa made me potato fries (not like french fries, but thinly chopped-up potatoes fried on the old-fashioned wood stove).

No one had much money to give each other gifts, and even if they would, the shops had very little in stock for daily necessities, not to mention gifts. I didn’t care about all the Christmas hoopla; I was just happy that Micky Mouse was on telly and all the people I knew were getting together.

Luckily, times have changed, and so have I. I love giving Christmas gifts. I usually start thinking about the Christmas gifts in September with a mental list of what I would buy and for whom. I’ve always believed in practical gifts, which I prefer over those without use. Since embarking on my mindful and conscious consumer path, I have been reshaping different aspects of my life to reflect my new values and shopping habits.

Below, you will find a recap of my practices and tips on not making Christmas Holidays all about wastefulness and spending small fortunes on gifts, preparation and food.  

For Christmas gifts, I opt for:

Practical,Gift cards,Second-hand goods,Food and drinks,Books,Hand-made, and that includes baking,Re-gifting gifts, which is a lovely practice,Supporting small local businesses if possible.

For wrapping Christmas gifts:

I rescue paper and gift bags from gifts I received or paper bags I got while shopping. It doesn’t really matter if it’s Christmassy or not,I use tote bags that I already have, especially if gifts are heavy,If I have to buy wrapping paper, I buy plain brown if available or brown paper with some Christmas prints that aren’t sparkly. The paper must be recyclable, and I never choose one that is already pre-wrapped in plastic. It costs more than the non-recyclable wrapping paper, but its price reflects more than the actual price the wrapping paper should cost. (If something is too cheap, I ask myself why and who is paying for it because someone along the supply chain is definitely paying for that £1 wrapping paper.)I buy smaller gifts, but of better quality, so in practice, I end up using less paper to wrap it up.

Baking for Christmas:

I usually bake vegan and gluten-free, so we don’t buy many cakes (cakes and cookies are big in the Polish Christmas tradition),Baking vegan is so much cheaper. Eggs and butter have become incredibly pricy, and often, there is a shortage of organic or range-free eggs in the UK. Many of the non-vegan recipes call for silly amounts of eggs or butter.I make oat flour from rolled oats, which I blend in my small blender. I often mix the oat flour with gluten-free or gluten flour, depending on whom I’m baking for.

Cooking for Christmas:

If we stay home and don’t travel to my parents, we don’t really buy anything out of the ordinary for Christmas, not to waste any food,If we go on holiday during Christmas, we cook even less fancy than at home and usually either eat in the local restaurant or have the leftovers from the previous day,Traditionally the Polish Christmas Eve dinner doesn’t include meat, only fish; since neither I nor Baby M. eat fish, we only buy up to two pieces, just for the boys. The majority of the Christmas Eve dinner dishes are (or can easily be) vegan (pierogi, krokiety, beetroot soup, etc.),We buy as few wrapped in plastic foods as possible, which sometimes is difficult in the UK, but more and more shops offer plastic-free fruits and veggies (still cucumbers, if not bought at the farmers market, come fully covered in plastic for some unknown to me reason),We hardly ever buy takeaway (we have been using the Too Good To Go app recently, which once again is great for the pocket and for saving food from waste), instead, as a family we cook from scratch, which: saves money, is healthier and is environmentally sustainable as a lot of packaging is non-recyclable. We use Lomi device to compost organic waste. The compost is used for my garden, community planters, my friends’ and my sister’s garden. In my opinion, Lomi could be better, so if you can compost outdoors, I wouldn’t recommend using it. That cooking/shopping routine doesn’t blow up out of proportion during Christmas.

In conclusion, if anyone is planning to introduce environmental mindfulness this Christmas, I recommend:

Make a Christmas tree or buy it in the pot so you could replant it in your local park or keep it on your balcony for next Christmas, as we have been doing. Think about the costs and resources that went into making the product you want to buy. If it is too cheap, it was made unethically, compromising natural resources and local communities in the process.Reuse and recycle what you already have; there is no point in buying more. Re-gifting is fantastic as it gives items a new home and saves money.Charity shops are your friends, especially when shopping for kids.Quality over quantity. It’s better to buy one t-shirt that was ethically made and with environmental sustainability in mind than buy five, which will end up in the bin by the summer.Don’t cook too much food, unless you can freeze it. Think about labour, water, land, and fossil fuels (used for transportation) all those resources go into food production.Baking yourself is not only fun but is more environmentally sustainable as many cakes bought from supermarkets still come in plastic packaging. If you can, bake vegan.Most importantly, be kind to yourself and your wallet. Don’t buy anything you can’t afford. We are all trying to adjust to a quickly changing reality and have conflicting messages thrown at us from every direction.

Enjoy your Christmas time, and don’t let the corporations and advertisers make you believe that you need more staff they produce. What we all need more of is: clean air, water, food, and happiness.

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Published on December 18, 2023 09:13

Eco-friendly Christmas Ideas

When I was growing up, Christmas was an essential part of my life for two reasons:

The whole family got together at my grandparents’ flat on the 24th of December (in the Polish tradition, this is the most important day of the Christmas celebration),The Polish TV – back in the 1980s, a communist propaganda TV aired Disney animations, which was a real treat.

I sat glued to the TV screen while grandpa made me potato fries (not like french fries, but thinly chopped-up potatoes fried on the old-fashioned wood stove).

No one had much money to give each other gifts, and even if they would, the shops had very little in stock for daily necessities, not to mention gifts. I didn’t care about all the Christmas hoopla; I was just happy that Micky Mouse was on telly and all the people I knew were getting together.

Luckily, times have changed, and so have I. I love giving Christmas gifts. I usually start thinking about the Christmas gifts in September with a mental list of what I would buy and for whom. I’ve always believed in practical gifts, which I prefer over those without use. Since embarking on my mindful and conscious consumer path, I have been reshaping different aspects of my life to reflect my new values and shopping habits.

Below, you will find a recap of my practices and tips on not making Christmas Holidays all about wastefulness and spending small fortunes on gifts, preparation and food.  

For Christmas gifts, I opt for:

Practical,Gift cards,Second-hand goods,Food and drinks,Books,Hand-made, and that includes baking,Re-gifting gifts, which is a lovely practice,Supporting small local businesses if possible.

For wrapping Christmas gifts:

I rescue paper and gift bags from gifts I received or paper bags I got while shopping. It doesn’t really matter if it’s Christmassy or not,I use tote bags that I already have, especially if gifts are heavy,If I have to buy wrapping paper, I buy plain brown if available or brown paper with some Christmas prints that aren’t sparkly. The paper must be recyclable, and I never choose one that is already pre-wrapped in plastic. It costs more than the non-recyclable wrapping paper, but its price reflects more than the actual price the wrapping paper should cost. (If something is too cheap, I ask myself why and who is paying for it because someone along the supply chain is definitely paying for that £1 wrapping paper.)I buy smaller gifts, but of better quality, so in practice, I end up using less paper to wrap it up.

Baking for Christmas:

I usually bake vegan and gluten-free, so we don’t buy many cakes (cakes and cookies are big in the Polish Christmas tradition),Baking vegan is so much cheaper. Eggs and butter have become incredibly pricy, and often, there is a shortage of organic or range-free eggs in the UK. Many of the non-vegan recipes call for silly amounts of eggs or butter.I make oat flour from rolled oats, which I blend in my small blender. I often mix the oat flour with gluten-free or gluten flour, depending on whom I’m baking for.

Cooking for Christmas:

If we stay home and don’t travel to my parents, we don’t really buy anything out of the ordinary for Christmas, not to waste any food,If we go on holiday during Christmas, we cook even less fancy than at home and usually either eat in the local restaurant or have the leftovers from the previous day,Traditionally the Polish Christmas Eve dinner doesn’t include meat, only fish; since neither I nor Baby M. eat fish, we only buy up to two pieces, just for the boys. The majority of the Christmas Eve dinner dishes are (or can easily be) vegan (pierogi, krokiety, beetroot soup, etc.),We buy as few wrapped in plastic foods as possible, which sometimes is difficult in the UK, but more and more shops offer plastic-free fruits and veggies (still cucumbers, if not bought at the farmers market, come fully covered in plastic for some unknown to me reason),We hardly ever buy takeaway (we have been using the Too Good To Go app recently, which once again is great for the pocket and for saving food from waste), instead, as a family we cook from scratch, which: saves money, is healthier and is environmentally sustainable as a lot of packaging is non-recyclable. We use Lomi device to compost organic waste. The compost is used for my garden, community planters, my friends’ and my sister’s garden. In my opinion, Lomi could be better, so if you can compost outdoors, I wouldn’t recommend using it. That cooking/shopping routine doesn’t blow up out of proportion during Christmas.

In conclusion, if anyone is planning to introduce environmental mindfulness this Christmas, I recommend:

Make a Christmas tree or buy it in the pot so you could replant it in your local park or keep it on your balcony for next Christmas, as we have been doing. Think about the costs and resources that went into making the product you want to buy. If it is too cheap, it was made unethically, compromising natural resources and local communities in the process.Reuse and recycle what you already have; there is no point in buying more. Re-gifting is fantastic as it gives items a new home and saves money.Charity shops are your friends, especially when shopping for kids.Quality over quantity. It’s better to buy one t-shirt that was ethically made and with environmental sustainability in mind than buy five, which will end up in the bin by the summer.Don’t cook too much food, unless you can freeze it. Think about labour, water, land, and fossil fuels (used for transportation) all those resources go into food production.Baking yourself is not only fun but is more environmentally sustainable as many cakes bought from supermarkets still come in plastic packaging. If you can, bake vegan.Most importantly, be kind to yourself and your wallet. Don’t buy anything you can’t afford. We are all trying to adjust to a quickly changing reality and have conflicting messages thrown at us from every direction.

Enjoy your Christmas time, and don’t let the corporations and advertisers make you believe that you need more staff they produce. What we all need more of is: clean air, water, food, and happiness.

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Published on December 18, 2023 09:13

October 21, 2022

Is the State of My Garden Reflecting My Mental Health?

The summer of 2022 was unprecedently busy for me. Unfortunately, the busyness wasn’t driven by my artistic practice or family commitments. The business was shaped by the job I agreed to do over the summer, which pushed my anxiety and stress levels out of the charts and made me feel emotionally fragmented and overwhelmed. Physically and emotionally, I was exhausted and unable to switch off.

Sadly, I brought that anxiety back to London with me. Within a few days after settling back into my urban routine, I instantly knew my garden reflected my inner state of being.

When I was away, three of my friends looked after my plants. I’m so very grateful to them for tending to my precious plants, which wasn’t an easy task thru such a sizzling summer.

Being away from my garden increased my anxiety, stress levels and general unhappiness. The busyness of life made me feel out of control, as if I merely existed in some space between worlds where work overtook daily reality. I’m absolutely positive that my beloved plants picked up on that in-between state of existence.

Since I got back to London in September, my plants took on my anxiety and stress, which was reflected right away in the way they started looking:

Mint – despite my best efforts, it needed to be pulled out as small flies stuck to its leaves, making them brown and sick looking. Luckily, making room for new growth has proven to be successful.Rosemary – unfortunately, experienced the same faith as the mint. It will take much longer for the rosemary to grow back. I moved the pot from the balcony to the greenhouse, hoping that the time and relative warmth of the greenhouse would kick start the healing journey. However, so far, rosemary has made no improvements.Oregano – when I picked it up from my friend, the plant was thriving. Unfortunately, within a week of sitting on my window, the caterpillars got to it. I don’t even know how and when that happened. Once again, I pulled all the leaves out and put them inside the greenhouse. I’m happy to report that the Oregano is doing well again.The leaves of one of the pumpkins, which I grew from a Halloween pumpkin seed, dried out. The second pumpkin was doing well until it started to rain. I doubt I will be able to harvest any pumpkins this year.The bay leaf tree has been in limbo and hasn’t grown as much as I hoped it would. I did have ants problem at the start of September, but after using the clove oil, the ants deserted the tree. I’m observing the little guy closely as he might require a new pot to expand.The camomile has unfortunately died. It’s not even the heat that killed it, but the ants that I believe built a nest somewhere in its roots. I changed the soil, but all in vain; I could not save the camomile. The clove oil didn’t do its magic as it did for the bay leaf tree.The red peppers that were supposed to be plentiful didn’t have that many fruits. Only a couple that my friend picked up when we were away.The “Alicante” tomato had quite a bit of fruit. I wouldn’t say it was plentiful, but enough for baby M. to pick whenever she saw a little red on it. I planned to collect the seeds for next year, but the kids got to the last two tomatoes before me. The other tomato we had, “Roma”, wasn’t as delightfully delicious as “Alicante” and didn’t have as many fruits. I will research and look for different types of tomatoes for next year.As of this writing, only two chilli peppers turned red, which my hubby used to make chilli olive oil. We are waiting for the rest to turn red. I have to say, I’m slightly concerned with that tree as the leaves seemed to be uncomfortable with their prime window position. I put the pot on the ground, and the chilli pepper appeared slightly happier. I have also started watering it differently to make sure the water gets to its roots.The wild strawberry has grown a lot over the summer, providing us with many fruits; Baby M. always gets so excited when she finds one. Seeing her so happy is priceless and worth having a tiny balcony garden.The dill has grown tall over the summer but not as plentiful as it was during the spring. Currently, I’m seeking an experienced gardener, aka Sarah’s advice on what to do with it.The majority of the seasonal flowers died over the summer. However, a few blossomed in the past few weeks, which really made me happy as it has kept the balcony more colourful.The scorching weather allowed the succulents we got in Cornwall in April 2022 to spring. Soon I’ll be able to pass the offspring to my friends.The small Christmas tree, which I had for years, thrived over the dry summer months.In September, I planted garlic, which won’t be ready until the spring. The onions, leeks and ginger have all been planted. I’ll be observing curiously, especially the ginger. The leeks have started growing as well as the spring onions. The ginger, however, has not shown any signs of growth yet.

I’m trying to change my approach towards my garden, and I’m consciously looking for plants and herbs to grow that I can purposefully use in my daily cooking. Since the season has changed, picking and choosing the right veggies may be slightly more problematic. But that type of laser focus will help me stay on track with my garden.

As always, I will keep you updated on my urban gardening journey, which might as well become part of my MA projects (I’m doing an MA at London Metropolitan University in Public Art and Performance).

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Published on October 21, 2022 07:11

June 30, 2022

Update on My Urban Garden (June 2022)

It has been quite a while since I updated you on how my lovely garden has been. In short, it is happily thriving. As for me, even a few short minutes a day spent among my plants gives me joy and helps me stay grounded. 

Unfortunately, my limited space doesn’t allow for expansion. Before I make any new additions to my garden, I need to be pretty sure that whatever plant I’m going to introduce, I will be able to eat its fruits. I need to be very mindful of what I want to grow. My ultimate gardening dream is to produce enough veggies to substitute for my weekly shopping, or at least the majority of it. Unfortunately, currently, it’s not feasible. Still, I’m grateful that I can grow herbs, tomatoes, peppers and pumpkins. The feeling that you can produce something that can feed you or your family is priceless. 

Magda’s garden in South East London

The thought of growing any plant just last year was way too overwhelming for me. This year I can’t get enough of YouTube gardening videos. Life can pivot in funny ways. 

I have to admit that I have a bigger agenda behind my desire to grow food. I’m trying to learn (I’ll be sharing this process so stay tuned) how to devise creative ways and solutions to ascertain my family’s food security. That would also allow me to work less in jobs that I only do for money. 

Physically my garden hasn’t expanded much in the past few weeks; I still have two types of tomatoes: Alicante & Roma, and I’m happy to report that both have fruits. 

They aren’t ready to eat yet, but we will have a small harvest once they are. My sweet pepper, as well as chilli pepper trees, have fruits growing as well. Not much was happening with those trees for a long time, but they picked up in June, as the label said they would. So far, I have grown six pumpkins from the pumpkin seeds I collected from our Halloween pumpkin. To my surprise, they grow really fast and reasonably soon; I’ll need to find a bigger place for them to spread their wings. Baby M. and I planted a lot of flower seeds in May; we are still waiting for those to bloom. Between you and I, I think baby M. might have been overwatering them. 

The kids have been eating the few wild strawberries we have had so far. It’s adorable that for baby M. eating strawberries from her garden isn’t anything out of the ordinary but just something that is part of her daily routine. 

The herbs are pretty happy rising to the sun. Without much warning, they have already outgrown my tiny greenhouse. As a result, I have been thinking about a creative solution for my plants for the past few weeks. So far, I haven’t been able to find anything that I could quickly and cheaply implement. However, I’ll surely need to re-think my gardening set-up for the winter season. 

I still try to re-use as many plastic containers as I can. Baby M. & I had planted a lot of flower seeds in those. Another way I use plastic containers is to collect water from underneath the small plant pots. I always planned to find alternative life for plastic before it was disposed of in the recycling cycle when I decided to set up my garden. Hence, I’m happy I could keep up with that practice.

Recently, I have thought about whether I should buy small fruit trees, which I could nurture until they are large and independent enough to be replanted elsewhere. Maybe by the time they are ready, I’ll have my garden with raised beds 🙂 I will surely keep you updated on the tree idea.

Magda’s garden in South East London

Another reason I have been a bit reluctant to extend my garden besides the limited space is the problem with pigeons we have been struggling with forever. These winged rats build nests above our balcony, and it’s nearly impossible to get rid of them; our housing association isn’t that keen on helping. My plants also absorb all the fumes from cars that go in and out of our parking lot. I would instead try to avoid that type of pollution in my garden. So, space and the surroundings around my balcony’s gardening space have become an issue, which is totally out of my control at this point. 

For now, I’m looking forward to the day I can finally try my tomatoes and peppers because so far, the herbs have been so deliciously delicious 🙂

PS. My newest artistic documentary, “Another Way…”  is up on YouTube, which shows how I began my gardening journey.  

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Published on June 30, 2022 11:51

May 5, 2022

How Is My Urban Garden Growing?

My garden is growing, changing, and sharing its fruits generously daily, which is all so exciting. Since my last post in March, I’ve made a few new additions to my garden, including the compact greenhouse, proudly set up on the balcony to protect my lovely plants from the fumes (my balcony faces the parking lot for our buildings), the pigeons, which often sit above our balcony, and recently also against neighbour’s careless balcony cleaning rituals.

I have invested in two different kinds of tomatoes (Alicante & Roma), one pepper, chilli pepper and the bay leaf tree. We often use the bay leaves for cooking and buy tomatoes and peppers on a weekly basis.

My daughter was very keen on buying the strawberry and I’m happy to say that we did, and it already has a few tiny green fruits growing. Only a week or so ago, I planted flowers that are recommended as bee-friendly, but baby M. has been drowning them in water. She still hasn’t figured out the watering business but definitely displays gardeners’ qualities in her approach to our plants.

At home, my spring onions are doing very well, and I’m happy to report that we don’t have to buy them from the shops any longer. Rockets and basil, which I grew from seeds, started emerging from the darkness of the soil. However, even though the seeds took roots, the spinach and radishes didn’t grow to their full glory. I used the leaves in my salad and planted new seeds in different soil, so we’ll see how that will go.

The mint had struggled for a few weeks, but it has picked up recently. I was slightly worried about the mint’s well-being, but luckily it is on the mend and generous and plentiful again.

Thyme has also been slowly picking up after my husband literally butchered it off for his cooking. Leaving it outside the flat has proven to be healing for my thyme. Unfortunately, I have a feeling that my marjoram isn’t going to survive. I re-planted it, but I’m not too sure if it’s not too late already.

It looks to me that the large tomato cans, which I adapted into pots, aren’t great at helping plants thrive. The plants I planted in those (thyme, marjoram) haven’t made much progress and, in both cases, declined. The beetroot and garlic that grow in smaller cans have been growing nicely.

Since I love watching the plants grow and I do want to know where I make mistakes (this is the best way for me to learn), I decided to replant carrots and broccoli. Both grew some leaves but apart from that, nothing else happened.

One of my tomatoes, Roma, is also growing in the can, but I don’t think it was enjoying that at all. So, I got my Roma another pot; hopefully, that will help its growth.  

In the spirit of re-using, I’m not going to dispose of the cans. Instead, I’ll use them for growing bees’ friendly flowers. Baby M. has already planted one pack in two cans. I’ll have to keep her away from her over eager watering.

Since the gardening, growing, and planting season is in full swing, I have to sheepishly admit that each time I pop over to the garden centre, I come back with yet another plant. I think I developed an addiction to buying plants, which was not something I anticipated. Alas, what can I do… it is so hard to resist! 😊

I used to be one of those people who didn’t think much of gardening and considered the activity “silly” at best. How do things change, right?

When I started my garden project, I wanted to see if I could grow enough food to replace some of the foods that I buy in supermarkets. In the process and during my research, I got really interested in permaculture and growing food forests, which use permaculture practice to cultivate crops.

As my life and interests are drastically changing and moving in a completely unknown direction, learning about growing permaculture gardens and forests will be the next step on my journey. I would like to see how those practices can help families thrive and not depend on the traditional/conventional way of living and earning income. Food accessibility and stability have been on my mind for some time now and creating financial freedom through living minimalistically, while growing personal gardens have become part of my own personal quest.

If you would like to read my newest article about early retirement, which mainly focuses on self-sufficiency through food and housing, check out this article.

And now … I’m very excited to share with you a trailer of my new artistic documentary, “Another Way…” Enjoy 🙂

The documentary will be available to watch on YouTube in June/July.

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Published on May 05, 2022 11:04

March 18, 2022

How Have I Started an Urban Garden in My Tiny London Flat?

My first reason to start an urban garden in a small London apartment was my desire to keep on progressing on my eco-minimalistic, sustainable lifestyle path. The second reason was the new documentary I have been developing since October 2021, which required me to set up a garden.

My personal garden.

I spent a lot of time in the research and development phase of the project. And true to my nature, I over-researched by reading way too many articles and watching way too many videos without taking concrete actions. During my research, I made elaborate plans and lists. Unfortunately, that still didn’t get me anywhere near a gardening centre.

I was scared to take the real steps towards building my garden. The fear of failure motivated my inaction. To stop my delay, I needed an experienced gardener by my side to kick my overanalysing butt to the gardening centre to start getting the supplies I needed.

My first serious commitment to the future garden was ordering a 2,5 kg pack of soil online. Since I’m from a generation of spoiled Amazon customers, waiting for the soil to arrive for about a week felt like an eternity. Fortunately, the soil was well worth waiting for. Even a rookie like me could feel how unique this soil was.

My mum was visiting at the time and explained the way only a parent can explain things to kids who don’t seem to grasp the reality, duh…, that if I wanted to grow my garden indoors, I needed plants that didn’t need bees for pollination. It didn’t occur to me before that I might need bees. This is how much I knew about gardening. We ended up buying some herbs (the only ones that were available in the middle of February) and a few packs of seeds.

My personal garden

Beforehand my mum had already put garlic, beetroot, and parsley in jars of water, allowing them to grow roots, which I’m happy to report I replanted, and all of them but one, are doing really well.

Once the plants began growing, I felt immensely proud of my small urban garden. Every morning I check on them, and the joy of seeing my plants grow is indescribable. Growing even small amounts of food my family can eat is pretty empowering.  

Of course, I won’t be able to substitute my family’s veggie needs with my tiny garden alone. But if I can stop buying some of the foods, such as spring onions, and grow mint, fennel, and camomile for tea, that will reduce some of the items I purchase and all the packaging they come in.

Since I began developing this project, my understanding of the importance of food growing abilities and knowledge has shifted profoundly. Especially now, when the Garden of Europe is burning in pain, the food insecurities will only increase.

Ireland has already started planning for that scenario, and the government “might ask farmers to plant crops this year (2022) regardless of their agricultural sector” (1). 

That same policy was implemented during WWII or, as the Irish call it – “The Emergency”. The environmental crisis is also fuelling our individual need to learn how to grow food. As we have seen in the past couple of years, life has become pretty unpredictable in every corner of the planet. From where I’m standing, being as self-sufficient as possible is the best security we can have in the current world gone more than slightly crazy.

Second of all, I feel that showing my kids that we can grow our food is essential. I’m determined to teach them as many life skills as possible. My daughter is already pretty excited about carrots and warns everyone to be careful when they come near our garden. She got herself strawberries during our recent trip to the gardening centre and can’t wait to eat them all – she doesn’t like sharing 😉.

Growing up in the 1980’s communist Poland, food rations were a daily reality for me. The country didn’t have enough food to go around. Luckily, my granny, an urban gardener, grew enough fruits and veggies on her small allotment to turn them into preserves during the summer. Those preserves carried us over the long, dark winter months.

Even today, many families around the planet survive thanks to small plots of land that grow wonderful fruits and veggies. Plenty of women in developing countries make money through growing fruits and veggies and can send their children to school and build some stability for themselves.

I feel that local governments will soon need to step up and accommodate the need for urban gardening. Teaching people of all ages how to be more self-sufficient and grow local foods is a beautiful way of creating community spirit, building communities, and including people from all walks of life and ages to be part of their small, local community.

My urban garden is changing every day. Not all of the seeds have sprung up, and I’m not sure how much time I ought to give them before replanting.

So far, I have eaten primarily herbs and garlic and beetroot leaves that I have grown. Every time I use any herbs, I’m amazed at how quickly they grow back. If we all learn to use nature’s gifts responsibly, everything will grow back.

Unfortunately, having even a tiny garden like mine doesn’t come cheap. I think I have already spent about £100. I didn’t save £100 on my food shopping since I started my garden. However, I have started eating more herbs and have been using herbs more often in my tea. And it’s a long term investment, so the savings will definitely happen at some point.

When it comes to my documentary, I’m gathering footage weekly, so hopefully, soon I’ll be able to show you a teaser for “Another Way of Looking at It.”

Have you grown your garden? What has been your experience? Do you have any tips for me? Let me know in the comments below.

References

“History crops up again ahead of tillage farming request” / 07.March.2022 / RTE News 

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Published on March 18, 2022 11:05

February 11, 2022

What Am I Up in 2022 on My Eco-Minimalistic Sustainable Journey?

For me, 2021 was all about taking the beginner’s steps on my new eco-minimalistic journey.

To make my weekly sustainable swaps I moved my disposable income towards that goal. If the swap was too pricey, I waited until I had enough money to make the change. Pretty soon, I got into the grove of swapping, and once the initial changes took root in my everyday life, I started to dream of larger changes in my life.

Photo by Matt Reed on Unsplash

Some changes I’m planning for 2022 are huge and scary, but I feel they are vital on my journey to better my life and be a part of the solution to the environmental crisis instead of adding to the problem.

So, in 2022, I’m planning to:

Build a composting bin. I’ll start with the worm bin and see if that works for our family and our current leaving situation.I’m in the process of designing a small garden, which I could either grow on my balcony or/and partially in the flat. I’m hoping that in the process, we will reduce our need to buy some foods that come wrapped up in plastic or have bits of plastic packaging in/on/around them.Keep building on my new habit of not buying fruits and veggies that have to travel from the other side of the world. I only purchase them if they come as add-ons in my Oddbox or if they come as weekly items in my Oddbox, which already rescues foods that would otherwise go to waste.I’m going to move. I’ve said it. I think as a family we found a place that we like, which is walkable and small enough to get around without having to use a car.Recently, I’ve become very conscious of what I have in my wardrobe and on my shelves. I’m trying to figure out if there is something in my space I don’t need, and someone else would rather have better use of that. I’m not obsessively decluttering, but if something is gathering dust, I’ll try to find a new home for it.I would love to invest in tools such as: sewing stainless scissors and small gardening tools. I’ll be able to pass those timeless items on to my kids.I would like to buy more sustainable cooking pots and pans than the ones we have. Our family’s cooking pots are a random collection of what was on sale at TK Maxx. Some of them aren’t really that good, and I had to replace way too many of them over the years. In the long run, it was a mistake not to research and invest in quality but choose convenience instead. Besides moneywise, it’s never a good idea to buy something to only have it replaced in a year or two.I still need some bits that need replacing in the kitchen, and hopefully, I’ll get around ordering those pretty soon.I would love to do wood and clay workshops. Those skills are priceless.I would love to stay in a tiny house for a few days just to see if that would agree with my personality. I’m absolutely crazy about the idea of being able to move the tiny house anywhere you want to go, instead of being tied down to one location for life. Some of the tiny houses are built off-grid and have small veggie gardens attached to them. This is what I call independence and self-sufficiency. I also love the designs of the tiny houses and that every inch of the space has a use and is used. Another thing I love about them is that they can work almost like Lego blocks, and different elements can be added when your life circumstances change. In traditional housing, if you have a two-bedroom apartment, you have a two-bedroom apartment; you cannot magically magic a third bedroom out of it (you can turn your living room into a third bedroom, but then you lose the living room. If you turn your storage into a bedroom, you lose the storage space. So never a win-win situation).My son and husband have decided to introduce more vegan foods to their diets. I’m not too fond of some of the things they eat because those foods have meat consistency. But kudos to them for trying. I hope those two will become less reliant on meat this year.I want to become very mindful of what I’m bringing into my life. How long will that something new stay with me, and what effect it will have on my life experience? (this includes physical items and people, situations, places)Buy a microfilter for my washing machine that works and isn’t massively expensive. I’ve been meaning to do that for a year now, and I’m finally getting around to doing my research. (research is the key 🙂 )

The main things for 2022 are:

growing my garden,setting up the composting bin,moving to a less crowded, easier to navigate, and more affordable place.

If I can do any of the other things on my list, that would be a cherry on the top of my cake.

Do you have any sustainability plans for 2022? Would you care to share?

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Published on February 11, 2022 09:36

January 7, 2022

My Sustainable Accomplishments of 2021

How to Be a Conscious Consumer? was the article that started me off on my journey towards more conscious and eco-minimalist living. I’m happy to report that 2021 has been a very productive year for making eco-minimalist choices and taking actions (not everyone thinks and feels that individual choices matter, but I do believe that taking action is better than waiting for the end with my arms crossed).

I started small, and throughout the year my steps snowballed. With each eco-minimalistic choice and sustainable swap, I felt empowered and my commitment grew. Feeling successful especially at the start of my journey made me believe that I was capable of effectively expanding my sustainability goals.

So here is my 2021 journey in a nutshell:

Plastic waste – my bathroom plastic reduction has been pretty impressive. I have replaced all the products that came in plastic bottles or tubes, but a toothpaste for baby M.(I cannot find an alternative for small kids if you know of any please let me know), with sustainable choices. The products I use mostly come in glass containers or are package free such as soap.

Since I couldn’t settle on an ideal/perfect shampoo, I settled for the next best thing, refillable shampoo from my local zero waste shop.  

However, in 2022 I’ll try to give the bar shampoo another chance. I know that in the past I wasn’t happy with it, but I feel that the market has changed rapidly in recent years and a lot of new products have entered the scene.

When it comes to toothpaste, I use pastilles in the evening and toothpaste in the recyclable tube in the morning (this one is pretty expensive so I try to buy a lot when on sale). Neither my son nor my hubby like the pastilles, but I’m ok with them.

All my beauty products come either in glass containers, or I get them from a zero-waste shop. My sister also gives me the products that she isn’t going to use. Even if those products come in plastic or aluminium packaging, I’m more than happy to use them because they are already on the market and, in circulation. If I weren’t going to use them, she would have thrown them out, contributing to creating double waste.

When I have a choice to buy a cheaper beauty product in plastic packaging, or a more expensive substitute in a glass container, I rather save up a little longer and get the more sustainable option.

I also stopped using make-up removal cotton pads, period products, and cotton buds. Honestly, I don’t know why I waited so long to switch to period underwear. This isn’t only comfortable but also offers a lot of freedom of movement. I love it.

The plastic waste from our kitchen is mainly gone (that doesn’t include food packaging, because even though the UK talks a lot about plastic pollution, the supermarkets still love putting every single product in as much plastic as they can). I replaced sponges, washing up liquid and table wipes. My husband got some cleaning products that I wasn’t too happy about, but he is still a bit shy about zero waste shopping and products that don’t come in containers.

Whenever I can, I buy dissolvable concentrate, which after dropping in the water, turns into a cleaning product, which I use for cleaning our kitchen table and furniture.

We have subscribed to OddBox, a B-certified company based in the UK that distributes food that otherwise would have been thrown out. The fruits and veggies usually come package free in a paper box. I simply love them!!! Because of that and our conscious shopping choices, we buy all the food that we can without packaging. That shift has helped us reduce our recycling significantly and pushed our cooking boundaries.

If I buy something in plastic, I try to opt for a recycled one. Many companies are turning their attention towards recycled plastic, which is good for us consumers and the environment, of course. I know that recycled plastic cannot be recycled forever, but it’s still better to use recycled plastic than increase the plastic demand.  

If something I buy, especially online, comes in plastic packaging, I save those bags and reuse them. I also started reusing some plastic packaging, such as plastic boxes, to pack up foods for friends and family. Reusing is my mantra for 2022.

I also feel much more comfortable giving people gifts in non-gift specific packaging. I save all the bags and wrapping I think I can reuse for packing gifts sometime in the future. I have to admit that it gives me a lot of geeky pleasure.

The other day, I was at M&S, and they had a massive 75% sale on all the Christmas packaging, ribbons etc. Everything was plastic-free. However, as tempting as the offer was, I remembered that I still have the Christmas paper I got last year; so, I couldn’t be bothered to buy anything. I found the whole process of deciding, choosing, and going to the cashier too much hard work. I love that during last year I have become a lazy ass shopper who can’t be bothered to buy 🙂

On our recent travel to Spain, I bought a sandwich wrapping cloth that I hope my son will use for his school lunches. He didn’t like the wax paper and found his sandwiches soggy after a while. However, in all honesty, I didn’t do much research into the wax paper brand I purchased. Knowing what brand you are buying from while making sustainable swaps, is mega important. 

As for my sandwiches, I use my recycled, reused, and re-purposed sari wrapping for sandwiches, which I got from the zero-waste shop; or paper bags if carrying containers is too much of a hassle on the day. I save all the paper bags from the products I buy.

Fix it – in 2021, I wasn’t as strict with myself about buying clothes as in 2020, and I bought two pairs of sandals, one sweater, one pair of trousers, and one sweatshirt, all on top of the period underwear.

I tried to fix as many things as I could, and I even bought a sewing machine, which I had to leave at my mum’s house until I have enough space to have my office/studio.

I fixed my socks at the beginning of the year, but unfortunately, they need re-fixing again. This was a 2020 Christmas gift, and John Lewis should be ashamed of the quality of products they offer (Note to self: over-priced shop with sliding quality of products).

But I’m happy to let you know that I fixed my favourite cardigan and, by doing so, inspired another woman to fix hers, instead of throwing them away. It’s not perfect, but it’s my work, and I’m super proud of it. It looks very original and unique.

Instead of donating clothes to charities, I started giving our clothes and shoes away to the local Refugee Hub. The refugees will have better use of them than the charity shops. Donating my daughters’ clothes made me pretty content because usually, kids get so many clothes from different people. Unfortunately, many children’s clothing is incredibly cheap, which means that even charities have a hard time re-selling the clothing.

I still have two pairs of jeans that I’ll need to take to the proper repair place and see if they help me. I’m determined to save those jeans, so I will see what 2022 brings in that respect. If not, I will reuse them to make something else out of them. I’m sure I’ll be able to find plenty of inspiration online.

Minimalistic life choices – my conscious and minimalistic lifestyle choices allowed me to not only help to save Earth’s resources, but in the process, I saved money and switched my consumer-driven thinking into a sustainability-driven mindset. Consciousness and smarter choices made me save a lot of money, which allowed me to stop being so anxious and itchy to spend all I had in my bank account. My constant ‘needs and wants’ cycle have definitely been broken.

I’ve started programming myself to look for second-hand items first before buying anything new. I’m also practising asking family and friends if they have what I need so I can borrow it before I purchase anything.

I reuse everything I can, and I save anything I can to reuse in the future. I definitely consider my options before throwing or giving things away.

I think long and hard before buying anything or returning the item. I move things around to use what I already have, instead of buying new products, which is a great way to use creative thinking and planning.

The path I embarked on at the start of 2021 isn’t difficult for me. I know that I might be spoiled for choice because I live in London, but that can be a disadvantage as well.

I love that by having less clutter, I have more physical and mental space. That, in turn, helps me to grow, become a better person and focus on what is essential for me in life, instead of worrying about keeping up with the newest trends; paying off my credit cards debts; counting every penny and praying that no emergency, with which I may not be able to deal with, will arrive; constantly wanting more; and finally, being unhappy because someone else appears to have more than I do. I don’t care about all that. I care about experiences and well-lived life.

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Published on January 07, 2022 09:40