Let’s keep this short and sweet.

Most people have the best intentions when it comes to recycling but the ‘rules’ can be confusing, especially when many councils differ in their standards. Recycling rules for foil seem to be quite general across the board and I’ll give you my suggestions in this blog post, but of course, if you’re in doubt please seek further clarification.

How do you recycle foil?

1. Collect little pieces of foil (think chocolate wrappers, yoghurt seals etc.) – we have a container in our pantry for this purpose.

2. Grab a larger piece of foil, pop all the small pieces on top (keep any large pieces of foil, flat and ‘un-scrunched’, they’ll come in handy for this purpose).

3. Scrunch it up into a ball roughly the size of a tennis ball, and throw it into your recycling bin.

See quite simple!

You’ll find useful tips like this one in my new book, THE LIFESTYLE EDIT – On Sale Now!

Naturally, it would be better if you could reduce/eliminate your foil use altogether, but I am a realist and acknowledge that this isn’t on everyone’s radar. So for now, at the very least, please recycle your foil properly. Thank you!

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This week there has been some big wins on the sustainability front with Western Australia leading the way with its plans to ban single-use plastic items. Bravo! If you’d like to see what your state has planned, check out this graph from the Australian Marine Conservation Society.

As for WA: “It will be done in two phases, with items such as plastic plates, bowls, cups, cutlery, stirrers, straws, thick plastic bags, polystyrene food containers and helium balloon releases banned from December 31 this year. Takeaway coffee cups that contain plastic, plastic produce bags, cotton buds with plastic shafts, polystyrene packaging, microbeads and oxo-degradable plastics will be banned from the end of next year.” (source)

As wonderful as this news is for WA (hopefully the other states jump on board quick-smart!), I would love to encourage you to take some action now, rather than wait for the government to enforce it ??

Here are a few of the easiest sustainable swaps you can make to reduce your waste

Coffee cups

There are so many options available. I prefer the glass ones (and love these Joco cups), although metal is more practical if you’re a little rough/clumsy with your belongings (also handy if you have small children). While the ‘bio’ type takeaway cups are better in that they’re typically plant-based, most need to land in an industrial compost facility – and I see them get thrown into regular waste bins all the time.

It’s easy to be caught out without a reusable cup so make a habit of always popping your washed cup in your car/handbag/by your front door so it’s not forgotten. And of course, if you’re out and about without one and you really want a coffee, just dine in (or deny yourself the caffeine hit – you’ll definitely remember your cup for next time, trust me!)

Cutlery 

There are cutlery kits available to buy that come with cute tins to keep them safe and clean. But there is no need to make an extra investment, you could just nab some from your kitchen drawer and throw them into an old sock or small Tupperware-style container. Easy.

Produce bags

If you don’t want to buy reusable ones (these are made from recycled plastic too, closing the loop which is the goal!), you could choose to either make your own from old t-shirts if you’re handy or just cut the lower leg from old stockings. Or… simply use none! I often chase my ?? around my trolley when I’ve forgotten mine. Not a big deal at all!

Napkins and straws

The straws are available to buy, almost everywhere, often for a gold coin donation. I’ve seen them at so many cafes, and even at pubs and restaurants etc. As for napkins, you could use a handkerchief (one you have or you could make one if you’re handy with a sewing machine), or just use an old face washer – why not!

It only takes a little conscious thought and effort, plus some habit-forming (which won’t take long) before it’ll feel wrong to tear off a plastic bag or accept a paper/plastic cup.

Who’s already made sustainable swaps? And who’s ready to commit to one (or all!) of these swaps?

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Dealing with the source of mould is the first step

What about commercial versus natural methods?

Cleaning Your Shower

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I love colour, so do my kids, but we’ve learned over time to appreciate the softer shades that natural colours give us. In our home when we DIY, we mostly avoid micas and artificial food colouring. This doesn’t mean that you can’t use brighter colours; depending on the recipe, it can be way more fun to have colours that pop, for sure. It’s up to you to decide which colourings meet your needs.

Despite our love of all things natural, and our appreciation for softer natural hues, in our house we adopt the 80/20 rule; basically, we try to do the absolute, very best we can 80% of the time, and we give ourselves 20% grace for those things we can’t control or that we choose to take shortcuts with. This makes a natural life much more doable, fun and relaxing! I encourage everyone else to adopt a similar approach – this means that you can relax if you only have regular, artificial food colouring in your cupboard, and you want to colour your Lip Balm or Stretchy Spotty Sticky Goop hot pink! Be proud and focus on the fact that you’re doing such a great job of making natural goodies. Also, with my recipes, you won’t be eating the final products, so you might not be as worried about the colouring you use.

Let me help you navigate your way through the world of natural DIY and colouring, with some helpful guidance and suggestions.

What are the main types of colouring?

Natural powder – typically come from spices, fruits and vegetables. Here are some examples:

? Yellow/orange – turmeric, paprika, pumpkin, ginger

? Red – tomato, paprika

? Green – green spirulina, kale, spinach

? Pink/purple – beetroot, pitaya (dragon fruit), hibiscus

☕ Black/brown – activated charcoal, cocoa, cinnamon, coffee

? Blue – blue spirulina

Natural Liquid – sometimes you need to use quite a lot to get a good punch of colour. There are many brands on the market selling natural liquid colours.

Artificial (liquid and powder) – typically used in cooking and cake-decorating, usually very bright, and you may not need very much to get a big result.

Cosmetic micas – minerals naturally formed from rocks and used to add shimmer and colour to recipes. Many are coated in bright, artificial colours. Always handle these with caution, never inhale them, and make sure you’re using cosmetic-grade micas that are designed to be used on the body.

Here is a useful colour comparison chart for you (I coloured some Fun Dough from my kids DIY recipe book, Make & Play):

Which colouring is best?

Depending on which recipe you’re making, you might need to use a powdered or liquid colouring. Sometimes, a specific colouring really is the better choice and, in these cases, I’ll point it out. Feel free to have a play around though; you are most welcome to experiment, in fact, I encourage it. Just keep in mind that some natural powdered colours and spices don’t mix perfectly well into oils and waxes, and in some recipes, liquids just aren’t a good choice.

If I haven’t suggested a quantity, that’s because it doesn’t matter and it is up to you how much colouring you use to get your desired outcome. It’s always advisable to add a little bit at a time – you can always add more, but it’s near impossible to take it away!

Can you make your own colouring?

Short answer: Yes.

Long answer: You can dehydrate (dry) and blitz, or boil down, many fruits and vegetables to get natural colourings. Although these types of colourings can work in natural DIY, from my experience, the liquids just don’t last very long, the powders are often too lumpy and gritty, and I think they are best left for colouring icing, cakes and other food-based recipes.

So there you have it. Lots of guidance on colouring your natural DIY goodies. Click this link for lots of suggestions on suppliers of natural ingredients, plus discount codes (many of them sell colouring too).

Happy colouring!