6/ Exotic organic products
Big supermarkets are not the only targets. Grocery stores and organic supermarkets can also sell organic fruit from China, Mexico or Paraguay. It sets a bad example for supermarkets that call themselves ecological. You know full well that these fruit have had to travel thousands of miles on a plane or cargo to get onto your plate. A banana as a snack or an avocado as a starter from time to time is okay but not if it is a regular occurrence. Instead you should try and choose vegetables that come from your local region or at least from not far away.
7/ White vinegar and bicarbonate of soda to clean
Every person who tries to use less chemicals when they clean knows that when you pour white vinegar on baking soda a sparkling foam is created by this clever chemical reaction! However when used together they actually neutralize the acids (ask your former chemistry teacher). This basically means that the properties of both ingredients are canceled out, and that you have wasted your energy, in addition to a good amount of product… Instead you should try and use these items separately.
8/ Coconut oil to replace everything
Coconut oil can be used for lots of DIY products from body creams, vegan cakes, toothpaste and candles. It has been very popular with people who support ecological values. Unfortunately as with the majority of exotic products it comes from far away and contributes to deforestation for it’s mass production. Try and reduce how much you use!
9/ PET plastic Polyethylene terephthalate
To get things straight there are no plastics that are really good for the environment.
10/ Buying local but not organic
The best solution is to try and do both but this is not always as easy to do. You are right to think that you are better to choose local products that those that come from miles away. However if your local tomatoes have been grown using lots of pesticides then there is a problem. As well as killing and depriving the soils of nutrients you also release a layer of chemicals when you wash your vegetables in the sink. Think, this doesn’t just go anywhere… Try and choose organic products that are local if you can!
Environmental actions are not always what we think!
