Skip to main content

Why should one be an environmentalist?

Initially published on 25/04/2011

When you settle in a foreign country you realize you have to learn some things again; even environmentalists have to learn how to be green in a place they are not familiar with.
This blog is about my apprenticeship in my new hometown, Tromsø, Norway, and how I found difficult to find sodium bicarbonate, to figure out how to make my own cleaning products without my usual French ingredients or how to survive without French baguette (yes, this has something to see with ecology, i'll get to it) !
 I also decided, by creating this blog, to finally share the eco-tips - not that I was selfish before - I discovered and tried to apply along the years. Like all the French blogs that inspired me, I'll try to teach you some tips here.
 And why should you listen to me?, I am assuming you think.
 Reasons are many, as many as all the problems endangering life, health, but also the World's security, with the tensions created by the lack of resources, etc, etc.
 But enough with the boring/depressing/moralistic speeches (and I'll try to follow through this in my next articles ;)), now this is about me (and this too I might follow through!), daily life examples and you are free to pick what you need, and help me make my way in Norway!
 The actual question is why am I an environmentalist?
 -       What is good for the planet is also good for my health.
-        Finding clever and environmental-friendly solutions is a challenge and I like it.
-        It stimulates my creativity. Well, "my" is a way of speaking; but you can find fabulous creations made of packaging, waste and other "salvage materials" (thanks online dictionary).
-        It makes me save money, and good news! This is what most articles in this blog will be about!

And I feel good about it ;)

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Eco-take care of your skin, that's easy & cheap

Oil is your best friend! (see below) Are you sick of using creams you don't understand half of the ingredients (usually not a good sign), and which your skin does not seem to appreciate? Here are easy solutions to replace them. You can first decide to buy organic cosmetics, but since it's rather expensive I understand why many people give up. But at least you know that stuff you put on your skin are healthy.  You can also decide to make your own cosmetics yourself ; it is not that hard to find raw material but it doesn't mean it's easy to to make a high quality cream. That requires knowledge on your type of skin, on the ingredients you use, on chemistry (a cream is an emulsion) and on hygiene precautions. The great advantage is that you know exactly what's in it and choose the ingredients according to what you really need. On this blog I will only speak of easy stuff to make, like lip balm for example. But as regards skin care, I like simplicity, wh...

Why and how to make your own soap?

As I explained it in a previous article, I came to home-made soap because I wanted to control the ingredients (no palm oil) and their origin (as few kilometres as possible), so as to use the most ecological soap for my laundry liquid . But there are other valid reasons to make soap for yourself: some oils are naturally soft and good for the skin, others you will choose because they give extra lather and foam to the soap, or even because they just give a special colour you like. In a word: home-made soap is very good for the skin (also because it naturally contains glycerine, which is otherwise removed from industrial soaps) and it's even better because it's customized to your needs. Another good reason to make your own soap is the price. Finally, it's a very creative (and addictive!) activity, which may explain why soap makers make more soap than they can use. Soap making is a complex and very rich art. It’s a great hobby, and you probably won't offer anyth...

Peeling ingredients, all from the kitchen!

Here is the list of the different peeling ingredients I may or may not have mentioned on the blog. The great thing about it, you probably already have them in your kitchen. Face peeling - thin salt in a little bit of oil (olive for example) That's what I use, once a week :) - wheat bran. You can mix it with yoghurt but I guess it's just as fine in olive oil. I would especially recommend this for sensitive skins as it's extremely soft (a bit too soft for my taste though). I bought the wrong type of flour so that was a good way to use the bran after sifting the flour. - coffee grounds. Slightly more abrasive than thin salt but still ok Body peeling - sugar! and honey and olive oil --> See honey sugar scrub here . - coffee grounds Hair Yes, hair, or more precisely, scalp scrub. From what I read, it helps you get rid of dead skin cell and stimulates circulation and hair growth. You can choose any of the ingredients above depending on how sensiti...