1. Invest in sustainable workout clothing 

With sustainable clothing on the rise, gym gear is no exception. Popular materials, such as nylon and polyester, may look great but they are not as biodegradable or recyclable as cotton or organic hemp. They also require a great deal of energy to manufacture, lowering their eco-friendly status and carbon efficiency. A number of brands also design workout clothing and shoes made from repurposed ocean plastic, eucalyptus pulp, bamboo, corn, and even algae form. By researching conscious companies in your local area, you can not only look good but do good too. 

2. Switch to plant-based protein powder 

The plant-based protein powder market has surged in popularity in recent years. With more options to choose from than ever before, gym-goers are spoilt for choice. Some of the most common plant-based protein-based offerings include oats, nuts, beans, tofu, and butter.

One of the latest plant-based powders to take the industry by storm, however, is that of pea protein. Manufactured by extracting protein from peas, it is a hypoallergenic alternative to standard plant-based protein powders and can boost your protein as well as your iron levels when consumed on a regular basis. As well as enhancing your health and wellness, however, a number of popular brands, such as ioPea, have been designed with environmental sustainability in mind. 

3. Go plogging 

Emanating from Sweden, plogging is the latest fitness craze to take the world by storm. Derived from the Swedish words for pick up (plocka upp) and jog (jogga), it is the name given to the act of jogging whilst picking up litter. Although still a relatively modern concept, by incorporating bending, squatting, and stretching into your daily run, you can burn up to 50 more calories per hour plogging as opposed to regular jogging.

You can also make a difference to your local neighbourhood by ridding it of litter or debris with a bin bag or designated litter picker. This can ensure your surroundings are a happier, healthier place to live for you as well as those around you. 

4. Walk or cycle to the gym 

If you are within walking distance of your local gym or fitness center, you should consider walking or cycling as opposed to driving, or even using an electric skateboard. Not only is this a great extension of your existing exercise routine but can have a positive impact on the environment too. This can limit your contribution to air pollution and save you a considerable amount of money in the long run.

Commonly overlooked by fitness fanatics, walking is a great form of exercise that can be seamlessly incorporated into your daily routine. A 30-minute walk around the block during your lunch break or taking the stairs instead of the elevator is all it takes to boost your daily step count and elevate your mood. Commuting short distances on foot as opposed to by car can also protect biodiversity by limiting noise, air pollution, and emissions. 

5. Recycle old workout clothing and equipment 

Recycling is one of the quickest and easiest ways to go green. If you have outgrown your existing workout clothing or are just looking to update your wardrobe, you may be able to donate old items of clothing to local charities or organizations. Nike, for example, supposedly recycles running shoes that customers have donated and transforms them into playground materials.

Purchasing used workout clothing and equipment can be another great way to lower your carbon footprint and save a considerable amount of money in the long run. If your leggings have seen better days, however, drop them off at your local recycling point or clothing bank. You may believe they are destined for the bin, but an avid gym-goer might jump at the chance of owning the very pair you no longer need. 

6. Take up yoga

As well as improving your health and wellness, yoga can have a positive impact on the environment too. Yoga mats are one of the most commonly discarded fitness accessories. Those made from PVC plastic contain a number of harmful chemicals and toxins that can seep into the environment over time. By investing in a non-slip natural yoga mat, made from materials such as natural tree rubber or cork, you can relax knowing your favourite fitness accessory will gradually biodegrade over time and is unlikely to contribute towards the ever-increasing threat of global warming. Most natural yoga mats won’t break the bank either with the vast majority cheaper than plastic alternatives. 

7. Eat green 

When it comes to leading a fit and healthy lifestyle, exercise is only half of the equation. It may be tempting to refuel after a heavy gym session by indulging in simple carbs, fat, and sugar, but this is unlikely to do any good to your body or the environment. Sustainable options, including fruits and vegetables, will replenish your mind and body and provide you with the nutrients you need to enter recovery mode.

If you are looking to up your protein intake, a plant-based protein powder, such as pea or hemp protein, can be incorporated into a refreshing morning smoothie or nutrient-boosting post-workout drink. Also try to buy from plastic packaging free shops to reduce your waste even further.

When it comes to your fitness routine, getting a sweat on shouldn’t cost the planet. There are a number of steps you can take to workout whilst protecting the environment so you can look good and feel even better. If you don’t know where to start, try investing in sustainable workout clothing, switching to a plant-based protein powder, going plogging, walking or cycling to the gym, recycling old workout clothing and equipment, taking up yoga, and eating green. 

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For me, becoming more and more eco conscious and friendly, and reducing my waste allowed me to also become much more of a minimalist. I like the minimalist approach because it shows you how a lot of the stuff we have/want, is very unnecessary and not useful and we clearly do not need a lot of it.

One thing to note, if you are trying to follow a more eco friendly life or a more minimalist approach to life, it is not about stopping everything entirely, or making a massive change overnight, unless you really want to. All of these things were a gradual change for me and over time it all became more and more of a habit, and yes, ideally it is the plan to get to zero waste, but it is difficult in this day and age. So don’t get caught up with that, just focus on making a change as small as it may seem, it all adds up and over time does get bigger.

On that note, in this video I show 6 Simple Waste Free Tips that you can try on your quest for a more Zero Waste Lifestyle

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For me, becoming more and more eco conscious and eco friendly, and reducing my waste allowed me to also become much more of a minimalist. I like the minimalist approach because it shows you how a lot of the stuff we have/want, is very unnecessary and not useful and we clearly do not need a lot of it.

One thing to note, if you are trying to follow a more eco friendly life or a more minimalist approach to life, it is not about stopping everything entirely, or making a massive change overnight, unless you really want to. All these things were a gradual change for me and over time it all became more and more of a habit, and yes ideally it is the plan to get to zero waste, but it is difficult in this day and age. So don’t get caught up with that, just focus on making a change as small as it may seem, it all adds up and over time does get bigger.

On that note, in this video I show 5 Simple Waste Free Swaps that you can try on your quest for a more Zero Waste Lifestyle

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Does this sound like you or like a situation you may be in:

You have a spare room, or a garage, or even a cupboard (or cupboards) that you put stuff into that you don’t know what to do with. Or you keep putting things into there, thinking you may need them at some stage in life…

And then fast forward 5 years and you still have not used anything in that room or cupboard and each time you see it or think about it, you get overwhelmed at just the thought of going through it all!

So if that does sound like you, then please do get in touch with me I can help with:

• Going through all the stuff.
• Helping you decide what you need and what you should let go of.
• Helping you recycle or sell or donate excess things.
• Reorganizing and decluttering the spaces.
• If there is any sensitive things I am happy to sign a sort of NDA if needs be.

I try to live a more minimalistic lifestyle and really enjoy the process of ‘decluttering’ and cleaning up. I am am trustworthy and loyal and have many people you can chat to, to hear more about me. I have decluttered many a cupboard, garage and rooms, mostly for myself as well as for family members and thoroughly enjoy the process. 

It is always such a good feeling to get rid of excess things that I don’t need, kind of like a feeling of freedom, and through doing this regularly I feel like attachment to material things lessens more and more. Through this you learn to appreciate and value things that much more and it helps with buying only what you need, which will save you money!

Currently I am based in Gauteng, so feel free to drop me an email or contact me via social media channels and I would be happy to chat more if you have any questions on how I can help you

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One simple way to reduce your waste and become more environmentally friendly, is to switch to alternative products that do not use plastic packaging that end up being tossed into the bin once they’re used up, like a shampoo bar. Another simple way to reduce a lot of waste is to start composting.

I tried some of South African’s very own Zero shampoo bars before and was thoroughly impressed by them and have been using them for some time now. Recently they introduced a charcoal shampoo bar, which I managed to try out and I must say I think is my favourite one!

“Our Proudly South African, Zero Shampoo Bars are anything but average. Packed full of all the good stuff, and made using zero of the things that leave behind a mess. This shampoo bar will get you through 55 – 70 hair washes which will outlast most of your favourite bottled shampoo’s. Wash away knowing you are leaving behind zero waste!”

• Zero plastic packaging
• Zero palm oil in the ingredients
• Zero water in the ingredients

The Charcoal Bar

“I’m the lightweight cleanser. I deeply nourish and cleanse both your hair and scalp. I’m packed with activated charcoal to help wash away scalp build-up.”

“A scalp refresher you never knew you needed!”

Some of the Ingredients:

• Argan oil (hydrates and softens)
• Macadamia nut oil (shines and strengthens)
• Avocado oil (a deep penetrating moisturiser)
• Linseed oil (nutritious for hair follicles)
• Grapeseed oil (moisturises and conditions)
• Sunflower oil (nourishes and soothes the scalp)
• Coconut oil (stimulates hair growth)

Why switch to shampoo bars

1. Reduce plastic bottle waste. Think about all those shampoo and conditioner plastic bottles that get thrown away every few months when the shampoo is finished. You could avoid sending all that plastic into the environment by making the switch to a shampoo bar.
2. Less palm oil use. Palm oil production results in a lot of deforestation.
3. More natural. Most shampoo bars like this use more natural ingredients and ones that are biodegradable than most bottled shampoos.
4. Ease of use. Shampoo bars are easier to carry and travel with. They are nice and small and won’t spill and you can take them on the plane without that hassle of having to make sure you only have 100 mls of liquid.

The Review

Use:

When I received this charcoal shampoo bar to try, I was using another generic charcoal soap bar, which you can find at most plastic free shops. I naturally had to draw a comparison between the two and without a doubt the Zero bar charcoal shampoo bar is much better suited as a ‘shampoo bar’. As a soap bar the generic one is wonderful and can be used as a sort of exfoliating soap as well, but the Zero bar lathers and foams a lot more making it the ideal shampoo bar. I also feel my hair feels a lot better and less oily after a wash with the zero bar.

The other thing that makes this charcoal shampoo bar my favourite, is the fragrance. It has a lovely eucalyptus fragrance that is just incredible. That alone got me hooked as I really love the eucalyptus smell!

It is easy to use. Use it just like a soap bar, lather between your hands and apply to your hair (and body). You don’t need that much, just a bit and then rub your hands together to get it to foam up. Ladies with longer hair would probably need a bit more of a lather, or may need to put a hand through your hair a couple of times. 

For me, the bar worked well on my hair. I have oily hair that builds up after a few days, and after washing my hair with this bar all that oily build up was gone leaving it feeling refreshed (and smelt so nice :p ). I do not see myself ever going back to conventional shampoos or conditioners ever again thanks to these shampoo bars.

Cost

The bars can be purchased online from various places as well as from their website for +- R85. It may sound expensive, but when you compare them with conventional shampoos and how long the bars last you realize it really is not that bad. And you are reducing your waste without even trying Check their website for a full list of stockists.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Eco living in SA (@letsecolife)

The best thing to do is give one of these bars a try and see if you like it! It may take a bit of getting used to, using a ‘soap bar as a shampoo’ instead of liquid shampoo, but once you get a feel for it, you won’t look back. They are really magnificent and smell really great, and with many different fragrances you are bound to find your favourite. Do let me know your experiences with them or if you need any  more info!

For more Photos:

• @fitnish

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Check out a few pictures of them below  

“Our Proudly South African, Zero Shampoo Bars are anything but average. Packed full of all the good stuff, and made using zero of the things that leave behind a mess. This shampoo bar will get you through 55 – 70 hair washes which will outlast most of your favourite bottled shampoo’s. Wash away knowing you are leaving behind zero waste!”

• Zero plastic packaging
• Zero palm oil in the ingredients
• Zero water in the ingredients

Keep us Zero Bar SHAMPOO BARS and Zero Bar HAIR & BODY BARS protected and dry with this handy, re-usable gem of a tin. It’s also the perfect little house for us bars when you take us from place to place. Don’t leave a Bar Bro behind!

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Conditioner bar

I bought this conditioner bar from Shop zero. I have used shampoo bars and soap bars as shampoo bars and they all worked well, but I thought I would give this conditioner bar a try as it contains a whole range of ‘conditioning‘ oils as you can see from the ingredients.

Its ingredients consist of:

Conditioning Wax – Rape Seed, Shea Butter, Avocado Oil, Cocoa Butter, Mango Butter, Castor Oil, Grapeseed Oil, Essential Oils: Cinnamon Leaf & Benzoin.

In terms of conditioning, it does work well, and you can feel the difference in the texture, meaning that it does not feel like soap per se or is as foamy as soap, but you can feel the conditioning effects of the oils. If that makes any sense :p

Following on from that, I find it easiest when I use the bar under running water from the shower, straight onto my hair. That way it lathers and spreads a lot easier, with the constant water running over it. It will no doubt be less foamy than soap due to the various butters and oils in it.

The bar weighs 70 grams and costs 65 rand, and will last you quite a while so it is well worth it especially if you are not using it all the time. Also, these shampoo/conditioner bars can also be used as soap bars, something to remember.

Charcoal soap bar

I bought this charcoal soap bar from nudefoods. They have a whole range of different, natural and package free soap bars, shampoo/conditioner bars and a whole lot more.

The bar costs 50 Rand and it is quite large, I think between 80 – 120 grams. I quite like this soap bar, as it has a neutral fragrance and is slightly grainy, which gives the soap a slight scrub like feel.

Under arm deodorant bar

I also bought this underarm bar from Shop Zero. Most diy deodorant recipes use bicarb soda but some people may have a small reaction to bicarb and thus tend to prefer products without it. This under arm bar is such a bar, it contains no bicarb soda or corn starch.

Its ingredients consist of:

Cocoa Butter, Carnuaba Wax, Shea Butter, Coconut Oil, Grapeseed Oil, Arrow Root Powder, Diatomatious Earth, Bentonite Clay, Essential oil – Ylang Ylang and Patchouli (smell/flavour).

The bar is good and it does work well, but personally I prefer an under arm with bicarb soda in it (I make my own), as I feel it lasts much longer during the day for me. Also there is only one scent being Ylang Ylang and Patchouli, so I guess that depends on what you like :p

It weighs 30 grams and costs 35 rand, which is not too much if you just want to try it. It will also last quite long.

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Not sure what you can replace your usual cosmetic and toiletry products for, that will be more 0 waste, cruelty free and less 'chemically dense'? I put together a small list of stuff I have managed to replace with much more environmentally friendly and natural products. The full post is on qoo.co.za/blog . . #crueltyfree #zerowaste #minimalism #crueltyfree #plasticfree #shopzero #gogreen #bicarb #diy #reuse #capetown #thisorthat #naturalsoap #vegan #control #question #positive #happiness #attachment #temporary #mindful #truth #earth #environment

A post shared by Be motivated. Be fit. (@fitnish) on Feb 23, 2020 at 12:12am PST

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Always great to try new #soapbars. This one being the #activatedcharcoal bar . . #zerowaste #reduceplastic #nudefood #handmadesoap #nopackaging #natural #reduce #beconscious #minimalism #minimal #minimalist

A post shared by Eco living in SA (@letsecolife) on Jan 25, 2020 at 5:47am PST

I hope this basic review helps a little if you are thinking of trying any one of these. If you decide to go for it, please do let me know how they worked out for you You can also see a few waste free alternatives here, if you are not sure exactly what toiletries to change or substitute.

Hi res Photos used can be found here:

• Fitnish on Unsplash

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Check out some videos of it on this instagram post and for more details have a look at the full post on QOO.co.za

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#Pnp constantia testing out a #packagefree section is just awesome! Hope it extends to other shops #picknpay . #zerowasteshop #packagefreeshop #food #vegetarian #fruit #foodphotography #foodie #zerowaste #gogreen #compost #reduce #reuse #reducewaste #xiaomi #mi8 #takenbymi8 #shotbymi #photography #capetown #southafrica

A post shared by Eco living in SA (@letsecolife) on Feb 15, 2020 at 10:45pm PST

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In case you are thinking of starting to reduce your waste or even reducing your waste a bit more and maybe trying out a Menstrual Cup, Gittemary Johansen has 8 things to tell you that she wished someone had told her before she used one. Hopefully her tips can be quite useful and steer you in the right direction when trying a menstrual cup for the first time!

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My pantry consists of second hand jars and reused glass containers from the supermarket lol. These are all the items I’ve been able to take home from @loesmarket – the rest of my groceries I get from conventional grocery stores, I avoid plastic and opt for glass, tins and cardboard. Check out my channel for specific tips #zerowaste #zerowastefood #zerowastelife #lesswaste #plasticfree #noplastic #eco #gogreen #vegan #veganfood #plantbased #lowimpactmovement #lowimpact #gogreen #govegan #sustainability #sustainablefood #pantry #pantrygoals #packagefree #bulk #reuse

A post shared by GITTEMARY (@gittemary) on Oct 8, 2019 at 8:17am PDT

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Are you just as crazy about glass jars as I am? I get my jars second hand from thrift stores or by re-using the glass containers from the grocery store lol, no need to buy fancy jars, there are so many functional containers everywhere #zerowaste #zerowastefood #zerowastelife #lesswaste #plasticfree #noplastic #eco #gogreen #vegan #veganfood #plantbased #nobuy #nospend #lowimpactmovement #lowimpact #gogreen #govegan #sustainability #sustainablefood #reuse #zeropackaging

A post shared by GITTEMARY (@gittemary) on Oct 14, 2019 at 6:48am PDT

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I shall call this series “the ugly truth of sustainable travel” because boi do I look great when I drink cider from my reusable water bottle, but I don’t mind looking stupid for the planet lol #zerowaste #zerowastelife #zerowastehome #zerowastetravel #lesswaste #eco #noplastic #plasticfree #sustainable #sustainability #lowimpactmovement #lowimpact #kleankanteen #gogreen #govegan

A post shared by GITTEMARY (@gittemary) on Sep 10, 2019 at 8:41am PDT

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Sustainable while travelling is more than just possible, it’s becoming downright easy. I bring a few essentials with me, like my spork and a water bottle, otherwise I seek out places with reusable (or eatable lol) plates, vegan food and fresh tap water #zerowaste #zerowastefood #zerowastehome #lesswaste #plasticfree #noplastic #sustainabletravel #sustainability #lowimpactmovement #lowimpact #eco #vegan #govegan #gogreen #veganfood #vegans #compostable

A post shared by GITTEMARY (@gittemary) on Sep 6, 2019 at 6:27am PDT

Photo Credit:

• Good Soul Shop on Unsplash

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In this video Lauren Singer from Trash is for Tossers will teach you how she stores her compost in her Brooklyn apartment and then how she takes it to the farmers market to compost!

If you haven’t heard of composting before, it is essentially taking organic waste (food, yard trimmings, paper) and breaking it down into soil again using heat, time, and sometimes worms (also known as vermicomposting). After you watch this video you will be well prepared to compost in your apartment or home and whether you are bringing it to a market, drop-off location, or your backyard, you can be sure that you are composting waste free.

In this next video Lakshmi discusses what exactly composting is and how you can do it right in your apartment, no matter how small it is!

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