ESTONIAN (English version can be found below): Terve nädal keerles kogu aeg pideva planeerimise ümber, kuidas see eksperiment kõige edukamalt korda saata. Oli üllatusi ja komistusi, kuid kõige parem on see, et õppisin uusi asju, mida tahaksin enda ellu rohkem rakendada. Pakendivabalt ostlemine on minu jaoks arvatust tegelikult kergem. Natukene aega, planeerimist ja võib-olla viltuvaatajatele julget vastu astumist, rohkem muud polegi. Enamasti tegelikult paljud ise on kahe käega selle poolt, et jäätmeid tuleks vähendada, aga ei võta seda teemat millegi pärast nii isiklikult ja arvavad, et nende muutused ei ole mingisugused mõjutused. Terve nädala jooksul tegin endale alati süüa kaasa nii tööle kui kooli; mitme päeva vältel olin kodust ära rohkem kui 12 tundi, mis tähendab, et mu seljakotis oli umbes 3-4 toidukarpi pluss puuviljad ja jook. Seega kerge ei olnud see kuidagi, aga enamasti samasugust elu olen ma juba enne seda eksperimenti elanud. Eelnevalt pakendis ostetud asjad tarbisin küll ära, kuid ei lugenud neid selle nädala arvesse ja tegelikult isegi mõtlesin enda jaoks välja, kas ja kust saaks neid järgmisel korral pakendivabalt osta. Üks uus idee, mille peale ma veel tulin, on seoses toidupoest koju tellitava toiduga. Kuna me oleme emaga mõlemad toimetustega pidevalt rakkes ja vaba ajaga on nagu on, siis tellime toitu tihti koju. Sealt tuleb alati 2-6 suurt ja väikest soovimatut kilekotti juurde. Küll aga need kilekotid leiavad alati vähemalt teisekordse kasutuse kui mitte rohkem. Sellega seoses mõtlesin, et ilmselt oleks võimalik selle poega, kust me toitu tellime, asju läbi rääkida nii, et me annaks neile enda riidest kotid ja nad kasutaks neid meie ostude kohaletoimetamiseks. Ma ise arvan, et see on väga hea plaan ja kavatsen seda proovida. Samas senimaani on suured kilekotid läinud pürgikottidena taaskasutusse. All on pilt ühest nullkululisest hügieenitootest: šampoonist, ostetud Lushi poest, maksab ca 10 eurot ja kestab umbes 3-4 kuud. Olen šampoonid ja palsamid eelmisest aastast välja vahetanud ja väga rahul sellega. Vasakul on pilt konteinerist, mis on ka sealt pärit, kuhu sisse ma oma tahkeid hügieenitooteid ostmas käin. Kõige rohkem tekkis bio- ja paberjäädet. Võrreldes pakendite ja kiledega eelistan ma neid igal ajal. Nädala lõpuks olid enamik varasemalt ostetud toiduained otsa saanud, seega läksin Balti Jaama turule jahile sooviga teha pakendivabad toidukorrad terveks päevaks. Ostsin pakendivabalt umbes 3-4 toidukorraks asju kokku. Samuti avastasin enda jaoks kuivatatud mangod, mis said asenduseks šokolaadile ja jäätisele sel nädalal, mille suur fänn ma muidu olen. Seega see oli mu üks raskemaid ettevõtmisi: magusa- ja emotsiooniostudest lahti ütlemine, aga saan öelda, et sain hakkama ja mitu korda keelasin endal midagi sellist pakendatut osta. Küll aga ühe korra ostsin suure pakendatud šokolaadi, sest ma ei osanud midagi muud leida ja see oli viimase hetke otsus ka, kuna mu töökaaslane andis mulle kaks tasuta kinopiletit ja tahtsin talle midagi tänutäheks viia. Suurema ajavaru korral oleksin pigem Karu Taru poodi vanalinnas läinud ja sealt hoopis pakendivabalt šokolaadi ilmselt ostnud. Mõned korrad tulin tavalisest toidupoest ka täiesti tühjade kätega tagasi, sest minu planeeritud ostud, st üldisel juhul eriti just mõned juurviljad jms, olid pakendatud kilesse ja selline julgus mitte mugavusse langeda ja asju siiski osta tekitas pärast kodus olukorra, kus tuli justkui mitte-millestki süüa teha, mis lõppes siis erinevate juurikate pannile viskamisega ja tegelikult tuli kokkuvõtteks väga hea toit. Juhtus ka selliseid asju, mida ütleb Murphy seadus, et kui miski saab valesti minna, siis see läheb: olin väga uhke enda üle, et tööl enda termosega kohvi ostsin ja tahtsin sellest blogi jaoks pilti teha, kui ajasin kõik ümber ja kohvist sain äkki 3 lonksu. Igatahes kuna mul said mingi hetk külmutatud marjad otsa ja ma tahtsin täiesti nullukululist hommikusööki, siis ma läksin Biomarketisse ja ammutasin inspiratsiooni. Lõppkokkuvõtteks tekkis kikerherneomlett paprika, selleri, suvikõrvitsa ja porgandiga, kõrvale tomat ja avokaado. Superhea. Nädal aega hiljem ja ma käisin endale juba kikerhernejahu juurde ostmas ja teen ikka sarnast toitu, vahetan lihtsalt köögivilju, mis sinna sisse panen. Seega üleüldises mõttes olin ma kindlasti palju tervislikum kogu selle nädala jooksul. Ja üldse kogu kraam, mis sealt veel ostetud sai ja suurem kogus toitu, mida jagus mitmeks söögikorraks on välja toodud all piltidel. Paberkottides on mangolaastud, punane kinoa, kikerhernejahu ja mandlis šokolaadis. Need paberkotid on Biomarketist pärit ja juba leidnud mul vähemalt kolmekordset kasutust. Üritan neid hoida ja neid uuesti lahtiste asjade letist kasutada nii palju kui kannatab. Toidu sisse panin riisi-kinosegu, kapsast, ube, bataati, sellerit, porgandit, paprikat, herneid ja võib-olla midagi veel, ma ei mäletagi. Ühel päeval tegin brokolitest ja bataadist ja porgandist püreesuppi ka. Mulle meeldib, et on selline suur võimalus kuivaineid lahtiselt osta ja ma siiralt arvan, et kui vähegi võimalik, tuleks seda eelistada, sest minu meelest märkimisväärset hinnavahet pole. Küll on aga konservid ja klaaspurgid sellised asjad, millest eriti lahti öelda ei oska, nendega hangin erinevaid ube, (kiker)herneid, hapukurki, pähklivõid, kookospiima jm. Mõtlesin lõpetada ühe natukene võib-olla delikaatsema teemaga, mille puudutamisest sai juba mõne eksperimendikaaslasega räägitud, et kas ja kuidas seda üldse teha. Otsustasin, et kuna tegelikult on tegu väga olulise osaga paljude naiste elust, mis hõlmab meeletult suurt jäätmeteket, siis tuleks seda siiski veidi tutvustada. Mina olen üks neist, kes on välja vahetanud menstruatsiooniga seotud hügieenitooted palju säästlikuma, tervislikuma ja minu jaoks ka mugavama variandi vastu, mille eestikeelne nimetus peaks olema menstruaalanum; seda kutsutakse ka mooncup-iks või organicup-iks. Ja ma loodan, et lugeja ei pea seda teemat tabuks, vaid pigem oluliseks ja/või kasulikuks informatsiooniks. Seda saab osta ja pisikese võrdluse jäätmetekke kohta siit: www.viljakusmonitor.ee/toode/organicup-menstruaalanum/. Inglise keele mõistjatele natukene lugemist ja tutvumist, mis see on, kuidas see töötab, miks ja kuidas see on parem/kasulikum/odavam: www.bellybelly.com.au/health-lifestyle/menstrual-cup/ Lõpetan aga sellel noodil, et ma soovitan üldse inimestel olla avatum ja vastuvõtlikem uute asjade suhtes ja vahel tuleb mõelda rohkem suuremalt pildile kui ainult individuaalsele mugavusele. Usun, et asju ette planeerides tuleksid toidukorrad: tervislikumad, säästlikumad ka rahalises osas ja pakendivabamad! Me kõik komistame mingi hetk ja talitleme mugavuste põhiselt ning see on okei, aga kui juba 50% ajast püüaksime parandada oma pakendimajandust, siis see oleks juba suur võit! Alice, Interdistsiplinaarsete Humanitaarteaduste - Artes Liberales tudeng ENGLISH (eestikeelne versioon on leitav ülevalt): The entire week as about constant planning how to be successful in this experiment. There were several surprises and low points, but I find it the most important that I did learn something new that I could practice and bind more into my everyday life. A bit of time, planning and maybe also being brave against people who think I am weird for doing it, but that is all it takes. Overall most people are for managing and reducing waste, but some don’t take it as personally and think that their changes or decisions don’t affect anything in the long run. During the week I always prepared food to take it with me to work and to school; and during several days I was away from home more than 12 hours, which meant that I usually had 3-4 lunchboxes plus fruits and a drink in my backpack. Thus, it wasn’t easy in any way, but I have been living like that even before the beginning of this experiment. I did use the products that I had prior to this week bought in packages, but I didn’t count them into this experiment week and I even thought where I could purchase these items or products without a package the next time. I also got a new idea, which is about ordering food from supermarkets. My mom and I are rather busy and don’t spend a lot of time at home, which makes it harder for us to go grocery shopping, then oftentimes we order food home. This means that we always get 2-6 small and big unwanted plastic bags. Yes, we do reuse those bags, for example as trash bags. But about that I figured that it probably would be possible to talk through with the shop managers that we could give them our reusable bags to put our food into to avoid new plastic bags. I think that it’s actually a great plan and I will be trying this out. Below you can see a picture about a zero-waste hygiene product: a solid shampoo, which I bought from Lush store, it costs about 10 euros and lasts about 3-4 months. Starting from the last year I have switched packaged shampoos and conditioners into solid and package-free ones, and I am very happy about it. On the left you can see a container, which is also from Lush. I use it to buy my package-free hygiene products. Most of my waste was paper and biodegradable waste. Comparing with packages and plastics I always prefer these two. More towards the end of the week I had consumed all my previously bought food products, so I went to Balti Jaama market with a wish to make myself a day worth of meals with products that are bought free of packages. I bought food that was enough for about 3-4 meals. Besides, I discovered dried mangos, which were a great replacement during this week for my all-time favorite sweets chocolate and ice cream. One of the most difficult tasks for me was to avoid emotional decisions during grocery shopping because most of the time I used to end up buying sweets and snacks. But I can say that I managed to control my urges this week and avoided emotional purchases for packaged products. Although, I would have to admit that I bought a big packaged chocolate once, because my co-worker gave me two cinema tickets for free and I didn’t know what else to get her and it was a last-minute decision to buy it. If I would have had more time, I would have probably gone to Karu Talu chocolate shop in the Old Town and bought package-free chocolate from there. There were a few occasions when I left the stores empty-handed because the things that I had planned to buy were sold only in packages, some really usual things like vegetables. And my stubbornness not no buy these products resulted in me trying to make food out of nothing and using up everything that I had at home. Luckily, I can admit that thanks to my creativity I managed to make a delicious dish. On another tone, there were situations that were supported by Muprhy’s law: anything that can go wrong, will go wrong. During a day that I was working I took my thermos with me and bought coffee into it. I wanted to take a picture of it for this blog when suddenly I managed to knock the thermos over and spilled everything on the floor. I think I got just about three sips from that coffee before spilling it. Anyway, now more about my breakfast. I am a huge oatmeal fan and I usually eat it with frozen berries that are sold in plastic packaging. Once I finished my berries, I wanted to make myself a waste free breakfast, so I went to Biomarket and got inspired. As a result, I made an omelette from chickpea flour with bell pepper, celery, zucchini, and carrots. I had tomatoes and avocado as a side. It was really tasty. A week later I went to buy more chickpea flour to keep making this dish as a breakfast. I can become creative with it and change the veggies inside and adjust it to my appetite accordingly. Therefore, I can say that I was definitely healthier during this week. You can see all the stuff that I bought from Biomarket on the pictures below. I made a dish that was enough for several mealtimes. In the paper bags there are dried mangoes, red quinoa, chickpea flour and almonds covered with chocolate. These paper bags are from Biomarket and I have already reused them at least three times. I will try to reuse them as much as possible. Inside my dish I put rice and quinoa, cabbage, beans, sweet potatoes, celery, carrots, bell peppers, peas, and maybe something else, but I cannot recall right now. Some days later I made broccoli-sweet potato-carrot puree soup. I like that we have this possibility to buy so many things free of packaging and I think that whenever possible, it should be preferred because I haven’t noticed a remarkable difference in the prices. Although there are some canned food and products on glass jars that I don’t know what to replace with yet. For example: beans, (chick)peas, pickles, peanut butter, coconut milk, etc. I thought I would finish with a topic that should be discussed a bit more delicately. We have discussed with our group mates whether or not, and if, then how, to approach this subject. I have decided that it is rather an important topic and is a big part in many women’s lives that is about a huge amount of waste and therefore should be addressed. I am one of those people that has switched some hygiene products for menstruation for something a lot cheaper, economical, healthier, and for me a more convenient product; this is called a moon-cup or a menstrual cup. I really hope that my readers won’t find this subject to be a taboo thing, but rather an important and/or useful piece of information. You can buy it and find information about it in Estonian here: www.viljakusmonitor.ee/toode/organicup-menstruaalanum/. And for English speakers there is a good website that covers what it is, how does it work and why/in which ways it is a better option: www.bellybelly.com.au/health-lifestyle/menstrual-cup/.
But overall, I am suggesting people to be more open-minded and receptive about new things. Sometimes you have to think about the bigger picture rather than just about individual convenience. I believe that when planned through in advance, most of the meals could be healthier, cheaper, economical and more packaging free! We all fall sometimes, and humans do function accordingly to their convenience in many occasions and that is okay, but if we would try to apply better options and package-free purchases consciously into our everyday lives even 50% of the time, we would be doing so much better! Alice, Liberal Arts in Humanities – Artes Liberales student
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ESTONIAN (English version can be found below): Meie esimese eksperimendi nädala ülesandeks on jälgida, mis on meie peamised prügiallikad. Mina on sellel nädalal väga tähele pannud, mis on minu suurimaks paheks - emotsiooniostud just toiduosakonnas. Tahaks šokolaadi või kohukest ja tahaks pähkleid, siis saia ja muudki, mida tegelikult vaja ei ole. Lihtsalt tahaks kogu aeg. Näksimise harjumus on ikka üks kole harjumus, kui saad aru, et asi pole ainult mitte sinu tervises vaid ka keskkonna tervises su ümber, kui sa hakkad tajuma, kuhu prügi läheb ja palju seda tuleb. Vahel tekib tunne küll, et individuaalne muutus ei muuda suures pildis midagi, aga mina sellega nõus pole ja kõik algabki endast ja kasvõi sellest, et ise oled rahul ja tead, et teed midagi õigesti. Minu kaks suurimat prügiallikat on külmutatud toidud(juurviljad toidu sisse, marjad pudrule), mida söön igapäevaselt, ja siis kõiksugu snäkid ja magustoidud, mille ostud toimuvad suuresti hetkeajendil. Üks asi, millega ma ennast lohutan veidi, on see, et ma olen tänaseks juba kaks aastat olnud täistaimetoitlane ehk vegan. Seega ma tean, et selle arvelt olen mitte säästnud paljude loomade elusid, vaid ka keskkonda, sest taimede tootmine toiduks on üldiselt igati säästlikum kui loomade. Peale selle väldin uusi kilekotti nii palju kui võimalik: käin poes enda selja/õla/riidekotiga või taaskasutan kilekotte, mis mul juba kodus olemas on. Ka värskeid vilju poest ostes ma neid kilekotti ei pane, isegi kui need kahte kätte ära ei mahu, ja näiteks riidepoestki midagi ostes palun neil mitte kilekotti asju panna. Suure osa enda ajast kasutan igal pool enda termost, joogipudelit ja toidunõud. Üldiselt kannan koolis või tööl kaasas oma toitu juba seepärast, et taimetoidu valik on äärmiselt väike ja üksluine. Küll aga vahel unustan või ei jõua enda toimetusi nii hästi planeerida, et ostan koolist või töölt süüa, kus tekib jälle paratamatult prügi. Samas käin julgelt tööl kohvi ostmas oma termosesse ja hea on tõdeda, et keegi selle peale kulmu ei krimpsuta. Kaks muutust, mis olen veel enda ellu rakendanud, on seotud hügieeniga. Šampooni ja palsami olen välja vahetanud tahkete ja pakendivabade toodete vastu, mida saab Lushi poest. Olen nendega super rahul; näiteks 10 euro eest ostetud üks keskmine seebi suurune tahke šampoon kestab umbes 3-4 kuud, olenevalt siis juustest ja pesemise tihedusest. Seega ma väidaks, et see ilmselt säästab ka raha. Ülemisel pildil asuvad need karbis, šampoon on juba isepisikeseks jäänud ja peangi varsti uut hankima minema. Teine asi on bambusest hambahari. Selle vars on biolagunev, kuid harjased kahjuks pole. Samas ma arvan, et parem, kui mitte midagi! Üleval on pilt mu enda tavalisest koolipäevast: kust hoian prügi kokku ja kust prügi tekib. Seda kilekotti kasutasin nii kaua, kuni see kuskil kogemata katki läks. Paraku pudingutops on ühekordne. Kokkuvõtteks saan öelda, et üheks katsumuseks järgmisel nädalal saab kindlasti emotsiooniostude vältimine ja teiseks siis pakendatud toidu välja vahetamine pakendivaba vastu - kas ja kui palju seda on võimalik teha? Kas ja kui palju see rahakotti mõjutab? Ja kõige lõpetuseks natukene inspiratsiooni ja ehedat näidet mu sõbranna kodus toimuvast pakendivabast elust. Alice, Interdistsiplinaarsete humanitaarteaduste - Artes Liberales tudeng ENGLISH (eestikeelne versioon on leitav ülevalt): Our first task during this experimental week is to observe what are our main sources for our garbage. I have really noticed what is my biggest vice - emotional shopping, and that especially for groceries. There is this non-stop graving for chocolate, nuts, sometimes bread or something else, which I really actually don't need. Just the feeling of graving exists for no reason. Snacking is a bad habit, especially if you understand how it affects not only your health, but also the environment around you, if you manage to realize where does your garbage go to and how much you produce it. Sometimes I get the feeling that my individual change doesn't change enough in the wider spectrum, but I don't actually agree with this. Everything starts on a personal-individual level anyway and it is important to be content with yourself by knowing that what you do is right and good. My two main sources of trash come from frozen foods(vegetables that I put into my dishes and berries onto my oatmeal in the mornings), which I eat every day, and then from all the wrappers and packages from snacks and desserts, which I mostly buy on the go on an emotional drive. There is one thing I comfort myself with - the fact that I have been a vegan for the past two years by now. Thus, I know how many animal's lives I have saved with this. And not only that, I have saved the environment as well, because it is mostly much ecological to produce plant-based foods than animal-based. Besides that I avoid plastic bags as much as I can: I take my own backpack/tote bag or use the plastic bags that I have at home when I go shopping. If I buy fresh fruits and vegetables, I don't put them into the small plastic bags either, even if I don't have enough hands to hold them. The same goes for shopping for clothes, I ask them not to give me plastic bags. For the most of the time I use my own thermos, water bottle, and tupperware. Usually I take my own food with me already because the option for vegan food isn't that good. Although, I am also a human and I sometimes forget to prepare/take my food with me or I fail at planning to prepare it, therefore I end up buying food from somewhere else, which already inevitably creates garbage. On the good side, I buy coffee into my own thermos at work and it makes me glad to see that no one looks badly at it. Two other changes I have also implemented into my life are about hygiene products. I have swapped packaged shampoos and conditioners with solid versions without packages what can be bought in Lush stores in Estonia. I am super satisfied with the products, because one soap-alike bar of shampoo costs 10 euros, which lasts up to 3-4 months, depending on your hair thickness and how regularly you wash your hair. So I could claim that it probably helps to save some money as well. On the picture above, there is a box in where you can see my shampoo and conditioner bars; shampoo is the tiny one, which reminds me that I should go get a new one pretty soon. Another thing is a toothbrush made of bamboo. The bamboo part is biodegredable, although he bristles are not. But I still think it is a better option than a toothbrush made of plastic. On the above you can see a picture of my regular schoolday: wheredo I spare the trash and where does it come from. I use these plastic bags as long as they last and until they accidentally break. Alas, the cup for the pudding is a single-use one. To conclude, I can say that the biggest challenge for next week will definitely be avoiding emotional shopping and swapping packaged grocieries for unpackaged ones - if and how much is that really possible to do? If so then how much does it affect my spendings? And finally, a little bit inspiration from my friend's home and how she manages her zero waste life.
Alice, Liberal Arts in Humanities - Artes Liberales student. |