034: Top Tip Thursday, Crazy Bird Questions with Mariska Nell

In this episode, I am answering some of the questions that I have been getting from all the crazy birds. I will be sharing with you some tips on how I have reduced our bin size, sending a lot less waste to landfill. How you can compost even if you live in an apartment. I also share with you my thoughts on clothing made from recycled plastic bottles and why I am not a fan. I will also provide you with some tips on how you can shop package free in your regular supermarket. 

Episode Highlights

[01:18] How do I manage only to have 1-litre bin of waste every 6-8 weeks?

[02:58] We live in an apartment and composting can be hard at times not to talk about the smelliness if you had to do it indoors, therefore I invested in a Smart Cara and had to say she has been a valuable assist in our kitchen.

[04:35] What is your take on clothing or products made from recycled plastic?

[05:19] Every time that you place the item for example in the washing machine it will release microplastics, those microplastics will then go in your drain and then in the water supply.

[08:03] What would you tell people while shopping package-free in a store that is not package free?

Key Take Away

“Every time that you place the item for example in the washing machine it will release microplastics, those microplastics will then go in your drain and then in the water supply.”

Microplastics are a hot topic at the moment and with the number of companies entering the sustainable market on the rise and with that comes a lot of greenwashing. Companies telling you that their products are good for the environment and the moment you dig a little deeper you find that they are no different other than promoting more people to use it. This can often lead to confusion and also frustration as you might be purchasing products that you were told are good for the environment but then in fact was not. Therefore do take everything that the salesperson tells you with a pinch of salt. Go and do your own research and find out more about the items before investing in the product.

About the author, Mariska

Hi and welcome! My name is Mariska. I am originally from South Africa, but now call the world my home. I am an artist, designer, environmentalist, podcast host and speaker.

I started the Mama Earth Talk podcast in 2018 to share some of the things that I learned about just how easy it can be to reduce your impact on the environment. This then quickly grew into a forum that showcases the amazing things that many people are doing to make the planet better, and further into a source of hope and inspiration for many. A few of the amazing guests include Zero Waste Queen, Bea Johnson, Claude Silver, Kathryn Kellogg and zero waste chef Max La Manna.

If you do not already I urge you to follow me and my journey on social media (@designbymariska), and to refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle and rot your own waste using the handy tips I post!

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