Zero Waste 3 Ways: Dental Hygiene

Oh yay, we're on to the fourth instalment in this Zero Waste 3 Ways series! Woohoo! I'm always so excited to come up with something new to share with you in this regard. So far, you can already see 3 ways you can do straws, deodorant and menstrual products. Now, let's go ahead with dental hygiene! It is actually one of the earliest zero-waste item I've ever known—along with deodorant. At first, my concern was that I had to make my own toothpaste all the time. It is—as I'm sure you will also agree—can be quite tedious and, personally, I cannot see myself DIY-ing my toothpaste every few months. Also, you can always run the risk of making something that is either too strong or in any way unsuitable for your teeth and gums. Again, it's another one of those items where you need to have a bit of trial and error, but who's got time for that? Well, thankfully, with the rise of popularity in leading a more conscious lifestyle these days, we no longer need to make our own zero-waste dental hygiene products. In fact, the products I will touch on in this post are all available for purchase from a variety of brands and stores. On top of that, you can judge from my experience what will most likely suit you.

Chip of the Old Bloc

Zero Waste 3 Ways: Menstrual Products

 

When it comes to the zero waste lifestyle, I think a lot of people have their reservations, particularly women with their menstrual periods. If I have a nickel for every time someone asks me about the menstrual cup—which, by the way, I had actually gone into full detail here. The thing is, it's a deeply personal process, in which there shouldn't be any right or wrong, just personal preference. The good news is, however, there are a few other options to go for, when it comes to menstrual products. If one isn't to your liking, you can always pick a different method—anything that would keep as much trash out of the landfills would be nice. Unlike something extra like straws or deodorant, menstrual products are practically essential to women's lives—so trial and error may be more frustrating than you think. Lucky for you, I've got your back 😉 I've tried three zero-waste menstrual products, so you don't have to. Let me walk you through my review of them so far.

3 WAYS: Sapodilla Soy Dessert Jar

If you don't know, sapodilla (Manilkara zapota) is a fruit native to Mexico, Central America and the Caribbeans. It got introduced to the Philippines during the Spanish colonisation and has since spread all across South and Southeast Asia. In Indonesia, specifically, you might know it better as sawo. It is best known in the phrase 'sawo matang' that compares the fruit's colour to the deeply-tanned skin colour of typical Indonesian. It shapes like a kiwi—minus the hairy peel—and the flesh is similar to that of figs. And—guess what?—it tastes like chocolate! No, not cocoa, but actual fully processed chocolate. Not going to lie: this recipe didn't actually pan out the way I wanted it to—it was supposed to be a mousse. However, the taste—in my opinion—is still pretty good and I don't see why I should scrape this recipe. Also, mousse is a European dessert, which is no way to treat a tropical fruit. So dessert jar it is! Here are 3 ways how you may customise it to your own taste.

Our Mothership Earth

Low-Impact Living in Times of Crisis

As you know, if you've been here a while, I've been advocating for zero-waste or low-impact lifestyle for a few years now. From the start, I know it wouldn't be easy. Often I stumble and find myself creating waste time and time again, but I persevere and am determined to do better next time. For the most part, I would say I'm doing rather well to keep with my determination—I choose reusable more, I sort my waste accordingly and I cut down on my plastic usage as much as I can. Not going to lie, it can sometimes feel like hard work, which is probably why most people are hesitant to try it. However, for me, it all pays off when I realise just how much waste I help reduce in the world.

Of course, here's what I never realised—and I think this is a pretty common mindset among people in general: this is all pretty fine and dandy when I'm healthy and safe. But what happens when crisis hits?

Zero Waste 3 Ways: Natural Deodorants

As you know, I have adapted a zero-waste/low-impact lifestyle for almost 3 years now and I'm very happy about it. However, I notice that a lot of people haven't done the same, despite wanting to start. A lot of people would come up to me and say that they are confused and unsure on how to make the same change. Personally, I think this lifestyle requires some trial-runs to find out what the best method and tools for you will be. I'd like to help you figure out exactly what you want, one step at a time. Last year I posted 3 types of reusable straws to choose from. It has been one of the most frequently asked question in regards to zero-waste living. Today I'd like to walk you through some natural deodorants you can try, as it is what I often find confusing during the transition.

Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Sorghum Cookies

Remember this post where I talked about eating locally-grown food? Well, it's actually been a while since I got incredibly intrigued by sorghum, in particular. When I spotted one in a local bulk grocery store—both in flour and grain form—I felt challenged to use it in a recipe. It wasn't instant, of course, as I scoured the nooks and crannies of Pinterest for months before I actually picked up the whisk and created this magic. I've been excited to try sorghum the whole time, however. You know, sorghum has so many amazing benefits: it's gluten-free, low in sugar level (which makes it diabetes-friendly) and requires very little water to grow—perhaps even cook? I'll have to test this, though. Not only that, sorghum can also be processed in numerous ways, including cooked (like rice), baked (like wheat) and even boiled (like porridge). I love that it can be baked without eggs, yet still come out either really nice and moist, or sturdy and crunchy. This recipe, in particular, is incredibly easy to make and I definitely see myself making it more regularly. It's also highly customisable to suit your individual tastes. Without further ado, enjoy!

Learning to Truly Eat Local

A few months ago, I stumbled upon this book online—on sale; it's about sorghum. Having seen sorghum in a local bulk store in the past, I was instantly intrigued. At the time, I didn't know what sorghum was and what role it plays in the food distribution in this country. Needless to say, I purchased the book. Thus began my journey down the rabbit hole that is food crisis. Did you know that we have a global food crisis and it is not caused by the shortage of food being produced? Yes, major food wastage also plays a role, but that's not the only one. The number one cause is, actually, food uniformity. We humans used to rely on 30,000 species of plants for food and medicine—now we only largely rely on 30. Sixty percent of our diet, in fact, is made up of only 3 annual crops—rice, wheat and corn (Source: Green Dreamer). It may not seem like much, but before you know it, children are suffering from malnutritions and farmers are planting the wrong kind of crops. This is something that I'm starting to learn recently—and what that looks like in Indonesia. Feel free to read more if you're as intrigued as I am.

Zero-Waste 3 Ways: Reusable Straws

It has been 2 years since I decided to adapt the zero-waste lifestyle—or, as I prefer to call it, low impact. And I still remember how big the concept seemed. As I have mentioned in this post before, it is important to do our research beforehand. For me, it is essential to be equipped with the right tools—in this case: reusable items. However, there are so many to choose from and everyone seems to have an opinion about each one. What is the right move here? Personally, I think there is no right way to go zero waste (or low impact). All you need to do is find a way that suits you best. Which is why I thought I'd try a few zero-waste equipments and tell you what I think, so you wouldn't have to purchase them all. Let's start with something simple and easy, shall we: reusable straws.

My Favourite Swapped Clothes

This post is written as part of the #MulaiDariLemari campaign from Tukar Baju

Lately, with the raised awareness of problems within the fashion industry, the popularity and demand for less-polluting secondhand clothing has also risen. Activities like thrifting and swapping have become all the rage. While thrifting has become more common amongst fashion enthusiasts, swapping has been met still with a shred of doubt. How do we do it? Will we get great items through this method? Is it safe? Personally, I have joined a few swap parties myself and, frankly, would do it again in a heartbeat. Not only does it cost you nothing, swapping also allows you to declutter unused items in your wardrobe at the same time. It's a win-win solution for everyone involved, and may spark social interactions among the participants. Today I thought I'd share a few swapped items of mine that I absolutely love to this day.

Plant-Based: Tiasa

How to Successfully Keep Yourself from Shopping

This post is written as part of the #MulaiDariLemari campaign from Tukar Baju

Back in April 2017, I suddenly realised that I had stopped buying clothes for a whole year—without meaning to. For a girl who spent the years previously purchasing an average of 2 items of clothing a month, it was quite a revelation and groundbreaking revolution. I was surprised to find how easy it was to stop buying clothes completely and how little need I had for new items of clothing—and I guarantee, you will also feel the same. For the most part, it felt really effortless, because I wasn't planning on going on a long streak without shopping at all, but it might not feel the same for you, if you're interested in deliberately trying to do so. I believe, however, that there are a few things you can try to make it easier on yourself and successfully keep yourself from shopping. Here are a few tips I thought would be helpful, if this is your first time—or if you haven't been able to stick with it this whole time.

How I Feel When I Open My Wardrobe

This post is written as part of the #MulaiDariLemari campaign from Tukar Baju

My wardrobe isn't perfect; it is always a work in progress. One minute it can look all neat and everything's in place, the next it could be a complete chaos. But, when I open my wardrobe, I see something more than clothes. I see the history of how I built its contents into what it is now. I see the potential of what this wardrobe could eventually become. Most importantly, I see how it embodies me—how I present myself to the world, how I bare it all in private and how many memories each item tends to hold.

Zero-Waste Grocery: Naked Inc.

Before the pandemic hit and the quarantine started, Agung and I visited The Bulkstore & Co. at Kemang Village. It seems only fitting to hit up another packaging-free grocery store in the area, particularly in Kemang, called Naked Inc.—this one is located inside of Como Park. Out of all the bulk stores I've visited before, including Saruga in Bintaro, I think this one is the most diverse in the types of products it stocks. At the time, I came here in the height of my curiosity to explore gastronomically, especially locally grown ones, and be more conscious of the food that I put into my mouth. Food is one of the way we can contribute to fighting climate change and be more eco-friendly in our lifestyle—and it can be both easy and hard, depending on how you look at it. So here's the start of my attempts.

When Will We Start Believing the Scientists?

Recently, I've been reading a couple books about the environment. Ironically, as someone who aspires to do right by nature, I haven't actually read a lot of books on the matter. Don't get me wrong—I've read numerous articles and watched countless videos as well as a few documentaries, but, for some reason, not many books. There have been a few environmental fiction—or cli-fi (climate fiction) as some people choose to describe it. However, somehow I found myself with some new books on the environment and it's the kind that gets deep and rough with all the excruciatingly detailed data. As a girl who believes in numbers, these data excite me. Finally, I could start learning about the truth behind environmental sciences—but, boy, was I not ready for reality.

Zero-Waste Grocery: The Bulkstore & Co.

Lately, I've been finding more and more bulk store appear in Jakarta. Earlier this week Agung and I paid a visit to a packaging-free, bulk grocery store at Kemang Village called The Bulkstore & Co. Just like Saruga, this bulk store provides household needs pretty much without packaging. Agung and I had been here beforehand and we loved the selection of items they have in store, so we decided to go back and restock on some supplies. With this pandemic panic of COVID-19, people have been opting for the disposable more often and the demand for unsustainable items have risen significantly. Truthfully, this breaks my heart. Personally, I still believe there's a place for a low-impact lifestyle in this chaotic situation, but we have to be more proactive and conscious about our decisions. And this is how we are doing that.

5 Zero-Waste Essentials for the Office

As you might have read, my office recently moved to a new venue—which means it was time to start afresh. While I was sad to let go of our old space, I've come to love our current location so much. In this one, I finally received a designated desk and was encouraged to decorate the area. To put it simply, I should make myself feel more at home at the office. One of the biggest things for me—in doing so—is to have as many zero waste tools as possible here. It makes me feel really comfortable to know that, even away from home, I am able to keep up with my commitment. Before, I felt a bit too suffocated by the limited space to want to bring anything permanent to the office. Now, I feel much more like I belong. A little disclaimer, though: these aren't necessarily tools that will make your jobs easier, but they will hopefully bring much comfort to you on your daily grind.

Tumblers

Sometimes when we work, we need a little more boost than just a glass of water. For me, it's often a specific type of drinks that I have to purchase at a nearby café or so. Unfortunately, the takeaway container those places provide are often made out of plastic. Having tumblers ready at the office really gives me the freedom to buy whatever beverage I want, without having to resort to using plastic. I've got myself two types of tumblers at the office: a water bottle and a large cup with straw—both made out of stainless steel. The bottle was bought from Ekko Store, although Cleanomic also sells them. The cup was bought from Janji Jiwa—who will give you Rp 2.000,- off your order every time you use it.

Cloth Napkins

For a while, I've been meaning to cut back on tissue paper big time. Handkerchief seems like the best option I've got. However, I'm not entirely sure where to get one—do stores still sell them? Plus, if they do, chances are they will not be sold in sets. A while back, when I found this beautiful set by Sudi Organic, I was completely hooked. It wasn't until I set out on a company outing to Yogyakarta did I finally get my hands on this beauty. I love their concept of it being a reusable tissue—because I swear that's what it practically is! It was really helpful when I had a persistent cold and for wiping off my whiteboard.

Beeswax Wraps

There are a lot of reasons why beeswax wraps have been on my wishlist for such a long time; one of them is the fact that they're great for buying fried snacks. You know the kind—they're sold in stalls by the side of the streets, with no sophisticated packaging whatsoever. While bringing your lunchbox can be a great option, you know they can be a bit of a hassle to carry around sometimes. At times like that, a beeswax wrap can come in really handy. Not only that, they can also be used to substitute for cling wrap and aluminium foil—both of which are super helpful for everyday needs. This one I also got from Lasati in Yogyakarta, but the ones from Boenkus and Demi Bumi are also great.

Metal Tea Strainer

Okay, if you're a coffee person, I might never know how to relate—because I'm an avid tea person. One of the biggest hurdle for me as a tea drinker is having to resort to teabags, unless I have myself on of these beautiful strainers. We all know those teabags tend to also contain plastic, which is a huge bummer. Having my own tea strainer can give me the freedom to choose loose leaf to brew instead. Also, did you know? Tea leaves that make it to the teabag are of less quality than ones that are loose. Isn't that just a better option to choose? This one my sister bought from IKEA, but you can pretty much get one anywhere, really.

Tote Bags

I don't know about you, but I often like to roam about when I'm at the office. Going to the nearest mini market or stealing time to buy coffee are among some of my favourites activities at work. Whenever that happens, however, I will find my hands a bit full if I don't carry one of these babies about. Trust me, I've been there more times than I care to count. That's why, although tote bags are pretty much useful anywhere, I'm counting it as one of my office essentials. As it's become a trend to have one, you can find this pretty much anywhere—clothing stores, supermarkets, even universities.

When we work, often we would be so focused on the task at hand that we just want things to be so goddamn convenient. Don't get me wrong—convenience is great—but to have it at the cost of our planet is just a tad selfish, don't you think? For me, at least, I don't want to have to choose between the two—if I can have both, why should I? With a few extra steps and/or a few extra tools, we can have our cake and eat it too. Of course, these are just a few items that are specific to the office. You should also check out the items to have when you're out and about—you know, for those after-hours fun.

Let me know how you've been reducing plastic waste at the office!

5 Self-Care Zero Waste Essentials

How has your Plastic-Free July been so far? If this is your first try, it might not be so easy. But, as they tell us over and over again, there is no such thing as a failure in this movement. The goal isn't to do it perfectly, but to get as many people as possible to make an effort to cut down on plastic. In other words, if you're joining this challenge at all, you're already winning in life. Now, if you missed it, last week I shared some zero-waste essentials for when you're out and about. I believe it is when we're constantly on-the-go, that we use the most plastic. That being said, sometimes our enemy lurks within our home too. So, today let's talk about switching our self-care items for plastic-free, eco-friendlier options. Here are my personal essentials and where you, too, can find them.

Bamboo Toothbrush

This is probably the first zero waste item I've ever bought. The thing about toothbrushes is that you need to exchange it for a new one every few months or so. Unfortunately, if it's made out of plastic, all those old toothbrushes will either pile up in your house or wash up on a beach somewhere. I think switching to a compostable bamboo toothbrush is one of the biggest favours you could do for mother earth. The bristles can be made out of various materials too—I've tried the charcoal and wheat ones—although some cannot be composted. Because it's made out of natural material, it can change colour over time. You can buy one for yourself from Cleanomic, Zero Waste Indonesia, Warung 1000 Kebun, Green Mommy Shop and Ekko Store.

Bar Soap (+ Shampoo)

Even before I started switching to a zero waste lifestyle, I've switched to a bar soap for years. The initial reason, for me, was financial. You see, I believe bar soap is so much friendlier to my wallet, as it lasts longer than liquid ones. Environmentally speaking, it has a smaller carbon footprint as it usually comes with paper packaging—or none at all. It wasn't until I looked into the zero waste lifestyle did I realise that there's a bar that works as both soap and shampoo. Although I have bought one of those 2-in-1 bars before, I've never actually used them as shampoo. I've heard great reviews from those who have, though. You can get one of those from Cleanomic, Zero Waste Indonesia, Warung 1000 Kebun and Green Mommy Shop.

Bamboo Cotton Buds

One of the things I keep reading on zero waste support groups is that cotton buds are basically the devil's work. Unfortunately, I'm one of those people on earth who uses them frequently. Not to get too TMI, but my earwax is of the more liquid kind, which requires cotton buds. When my ears get itchy, I find comfort in sticking one of those buds in there. It's a controversial practice and I honestly don't give a damn. All I know is that I need cotton buds in my life. Luckily, I have found a compostable alternative made out of bamboo. One of my friends reckon I could even DIY them, but, personally, I just don't have the time. Feel free to get them for yourself from Ekko Store, Cleanomic, Warung 1000 Kebun and Green Mommy Shop.

Menstrual Cup

A controversial purchase, perhaps, but hear me out. Switching from disposable menstrual pads to one menstrual cup has been incredibly life-changing for me. Do you know that menstrual pads—as well as tampons—are almost impossible to recycle? They're made out of various synthetic materials and laden with numerous bacteria, that it's near impossible to recycle them. Menstrual cups, for me, are so practical and it helps me calm down about my period. You can read all about my experience and thoughts here. But, if you're still not convinced, there are also such things as reusable menstrual pads. You can get them both from Ekko Store and Zero Waste Indonesia, and menstrual pads from Green Mommy Shop.

Organic Deodorant

Okay, time for a confession: for years I've never used deodorant until December 2018. That was around the time I started my internship at my current office. It was pointed out to me, kindly, that I might have been emanating a less-than-pleasant odour. Just like that, I realised that I need to buy zero waste deodorant. I've seen a recipe on how to DIY my own deodorant, but since the materials felt either quite expensive or hard to place, I've never gotten around to actually making it. In need of a hasty solution, I decided to just buy one. Mine is more of a paste, but there are the solid and liquid variety too. You can buy one from Cleanomic, Green Mommy Shop and Dimanja Bumi.

Sometimes we are so fixated on taking care of ourselves that we would do so at a cost to the environment. But, you know what, you can do both at the same time too! These are, obviously, only a small portion to all the changes and alternatives you can use that are free of plastics. You can take a look at all the products and tools that you tend to use around the house, and perhaps come up with a plastic-free solution yourself. God knows I still need to work on that. Again, feel free to check out my Instagram story highlight to find out more stores where you can get zero waste products.

Let me know how you've been taking care of yourselves without plastics!

5 On-the-Go Zero Waste Essentials

It's Plastic-Free July, guys! If you're not familiar with what it is, Plastic-Free July is basically an international movement garnered by the consciousness of our ever-growing waste problem. In July every year people make it a mission to refuse single-use plastic and reduce their waste emission. This movement is what inspired me to start a zero-waste (or low-impact) lifestyle last year. Are you guys joining in on the movement? This month I thought I'd share some tips and tricks on how to cut down on plastic (or eliminate them completely from your life). If you follow me on Instagram, you might have seen my daily stories, in which I suggest switching out an otherwise-plastic object in your life for a reusable, eco-friendly alternative. Whenever I post this kind of post, I get asked where I get an item or two, so today I'll be sharing what my essentials are and where you, too, can get them.

Tiffin Box

Everyone at my office always notices this about me—if for nothing else: I'm the girl who brings her own lunch in a little tiffin box. I've always brought my own lunch since my school days. But, if before I would use a tupperware or essentially-plastic lunch boxes, these days I've switched for a tiffin box. The one I have is small enough to fit into my bag, pretty air-tight, so much easier to wash and doesn't really affect the taste of the food contained inside. To be honest, I'm not sure where this box came from—I found it somewhere at home and quickly claimed it. If you want a stainless steel lunch box, however, you can get one for yourself at Zero Waste Indonesia or Green Mommy Shop. 

Pouches

One of the things I always make sure to never go without when grocery shopping is pouches. They're really handy, easy-to-use and can be really cute. When it comes to buying fruit, vegetable and eggs, my sister and I use these babies to get them weighed and bring them home. Aside from produce bags, I also have pouches for my other zero-waste needs, i.e. straw pouch and cutlery pouch. There's also the menstrual cup pouch that comes with the cup. For all my pouch needs, I've always gone to Kaavya. They have the cutest and most unique selections of fabric, with a great quality of seams to boot. Otherwise, I also adore ssewn, Zero Waste Indonesia, Warung 1000 Kebun and Cleanomic.

Reusable Straws

Although not as often used, this is an item I tend to bring everywhere—you just never know! There are at least three kinds of reusable straws that I know of: stainless steel, bamboo and glass. While I'm sure they all have their own benefits and drawbacks, I've never had anything other than stainless steel straws, so I can't really tell you about the other ones. Technically, I only have one straw for boba, while borrowing my sister's rose-gold regular one all the time. I used to have a different regular straw, but left it at a restaurant and it was forever lost. My sister got these straws—and the brush—from No Space Canteen, but you can easily find other such straws at Kaavya, Warung 1000 Kebun, kembali.jkt and Ekko Store.

Cutlery

Yet another item that I didn't actually purchase myself. When I started switching to a low-impact lifestyle, I wanted to bring my own cutlery but didn't feel like I should buy new ones, because we have a house full of them. Fortunately, I managed to find a whole set of stainless steel cutlery—spoon, fork and chopsticks, complete with the pouch—at home. Unfortunately, I can't tell you where to buy them, because it seems to have been a wedding souvenir—and a splendid idea at that. You can, however, simply use your own cutlery at home or, if you don't already have one, purchase compact, reusable cutlery at Cleanomic, Zero Waste Indonesia,  Warung 1000 Kebun or Ekko Store.

Glass Jar

Last, but certainly not least—in fact, this is the most asked about item on this list—is my favourite go-to container for all sorts of beverages. I've always been into mason jars and wanted to own one for so long. I didn't know they were available for quite cheap—and in various sizes too!—here in Indonesia. When I first saw one on someone else's IG story, it was being used to contain boba drinks and I quickly asked where the person got it from. It turns out she got it from ACE Hardware—which is where I got mine too, fyi. Mine can contain up to 500ml of liquid—perhaps more, but the indicator only goes as far. I love using it to buy boba or any other cold beverages. Yum!

The truth is often the single-use plastic we resort to are easily substituted. It only takes very little preparation for us to actually avoid having to use plastic at all. These are are just a few of the things you can substitute plastic with, of course. I'm also not perfect—I haven't got all the kinks figured out. There are still some tools I could definitely start adding to my collection. If you're thinking of the same thing, feel free to check out my Instagram story highlight for a complete list of stores to buy them from.

I'd love to hear about the plastic alternatives you've been using in your life!