Wanting to do well, but messing things up, it happens. More or less often, depending on how clumsy people are, but it happens. Remember when you tried to set Kevin and Leah up in middle school, but it ended up having the opposite effect? Well, that’s the typical example. In everyday life too, you probably make mistakes thinking you are doing the right thing. Fortunately, you are not alone. We’re here to get you back on the right track. In all humility, as always.
1. Crush your plastic bottles/cartons before throwing them away
OH NO, you don’t have to! I know that it takes up less space in the trash and that we think we are doing well when we crush our recyclable products before sorting them, but no: the object sent to the sorting center must be the least altered possible, just so you don’t confuse a sheet of paper with a can of water. At the limit, as far as bottles are concerned, you can crush them in the direction of the height, but hey… The best thing is still to stop drinking bottled water, and invest in a water bottle , what.
Note that, in the same way, it is useless to remove the plastic caps: they can be recycled too!
2. … Or reuse your plastic bottle
I know, your slightly green conscience (just a little, otherwise you would have bought your bottle in GLASS), pushes you to reuse your plastic container for a while, just to redeem yourself a little. OH BAH DON’T DO THAT! Over time, the plastic molecules detach from the bottle, mix with the water, and slowly return to your body. Yum.
3. Use coconut oil in all sauces
Some use it as hair oil, others use it to replace butter or rapeseed oil in their recipes: coconut oil, a vegan product often considered eco-responsible, is gaining popularity. The thing is, it’s not really green. The massive production of this oil is at the origin of various environmental problems, such as deforestation, or the ecological footprint of their transport to the metropolis. The best, when you can, is to choose a more local oil!
4. …Or buy only “100% cotton” clothes to preserve the planet
Contrary to what one might think, cotton is anything but green! In addition to consuming A LOT of water for its cultivation (29,000 liters for a kilo of cotton), it also requires a lot of fertilizers and pesticides (about 10% of the world’s pesticide production for the year 2018)! Summary: it’s bad for your health, it draws on the already badly damaged water reserves of the “blue” planet (but not thanks to cotton, that’s for sure), it harms the fertility of the soil and it destroys biodiversity. In short, stop showing off with your cotton gauze bedspread, actually. Band of bobo not at all organic, there.
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5. Rinse your cans before recycling them
It’s not very serious, but this cleaning operation is already carried out in sorting or recycling centers! To wash something that is going to be washed again is to use water for nothing. Leave your box of filthy ratatouille, and the planet says THANK YOU!
6. Do the dishes in cold water
In your head, cold water = better ecological impact. It’s not completely false, but the dishes are a bit of an exception that proves the rule. In cold water, greasy stains will be more difficult to remove, and therefore… You will leave the water running much longer. It negates all the benefits. Come on, wash it all off with hot water, and enjoy it. There’s no better feeling in winter than hot water flowing up to your forearms. I shiver with pleasure.
7. Make your bed in the morning
It starts with a good intention, for a tidy, clean and pleasant bedroom, but making your bed in the morning means deliberately locking up a whole bunch of dust mites and germs in your sheets. Honestly, who wants to lie in an ocean of miasma at night? Nobody. Fold your duvet over the end of your bed, and let it breathe.
8. Turn off the heating when leaving
It may sound completely crazy, but leaving your heating on during the day will consume much less energy than turning it off and then turning it back on! Indeed, if you lower it to a reasonable temperature, close to that of your home, there will be no great energy effort required. Conversely, if you let the temperature drop to 14°c, then ask your heating to quickly reach 19°c, it will over-consume to gain the lost 5°c!
9. Clean your toilet with bleach
Basically, we just want to disinfect this particularly filthy thing with a bullet (without going into detail). Problem: Mixed with urine, bleach releases a toxic gas called chlorine. It can irritate the skin as well as the eyes or the respiratory tract. If you have a habit of urinating in the shower, same sentence! We avoid, and prefer white vinegar, this miraculous product.
10. Apply moisturizer to dry skin
Then there, the dead skins fall to me. In fact, dermatologists and facialists (yes, it does exist) recommend applying it to damp skin, in order to amplify its penetration into the epidermis. I said DAMP, not wet, so you don’t empty your potty in the shower either! It’s all about balance.
11. Wash your jeans after wearing them once or twice
BAAAAH BUT TOO DISGUSTUUUU! According to specialists, systematically washing your jeans is clearly reducing their lifespan. (Yeah, it’s a form of crime, yeah.) Still according to them, the ideal is to put it in the washing machine after 4 to 6 days (not necessarily consecutive) worn. When you remove it, do not store it directly in the wardrobe, but let the fabric breathe in the open air, by putting it, for example, on a hanger. We save energy, water, detergent and we make our pants last over time, what else in fact?
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12. Check the nutri-score before buying
You don’t want to eat poo and so you spend a lot of time checking the nutri score of each product you buy, before going to the checkout. It’s full of good will, but in the end, it’s a bit useless. Among the things to know about the Nutri-score: some foods, categorized “A” are rotten for health, while something rated “C” is perhaps much better! How ? Well, because of a far from perfect system, which is based on the nutritional value of the food without taking into account the processing of the product or the presence of additives! In short, ultimately, it’s not much use, what.