saynotoplastic – Eco Couple

I am sure by now you have heard the term ¨Zero Waste¨ and we know it can sound daunting and overwhelming. Firstly I would like to explain the concept: it is based on a set of principles focused on waste prevention. Ultimately when waste ends up in landfills, incinerators and the ocean, it emits toxic gases that are detrimental to our environment. So the zero waste concept encourages the redesign of resource lifecycles so that products can be reused, repurposed and kept out of landfills. To give you an idea, plastics instead of being thrown away can be repurposed to build furniture, bricks and things that are more durable and long lasting.

I would like to remind you that the main goal is to simply take baby steps. It is not about perfection but about taking initiatives towards a better future. Here are 5 steps in the right direction that make a very big difference in the amount of waste that we produce.

^{Eco Couple uses affiliate links. We promote products we have tried ourselves and truly believe in. If you make a purchase using a link we may receive a commission. Such revenue helps keep this website running}.^{Allows us to keep the content free for readers.This motivates us to stay on our mission of inspiring conscious consumerism}

1-Water Filtration Systems

Investing in some type of water filtration system is essential. You can avoid thousand of plastic bottles ending up in the oceans and landfills. Ultimately it also saves you a great deal of money as you will never have to buy another bottle again.

Hydro Pristine

After lengthy research on under the counter filters, this is the most affordable and efficient one we found. You can spend thousands of dollars on other options but this one delivers perfect water to your home and has proven the test of time. Use code: ECOCOUPLE for your 10% discount

Berkey Portable Water Filter

This is by far one of our most loved systems because you can catch water at the source and filter it or even catch rain water in case of an emergency. The Travel Berkey is super convenient and we are really happy with ours.

2- Water Bottles

We have used quite a few over the years and have our preferences for several different occasions. Some are easier to clean than others, while others the water simply tastes better. So we have included our selection of top 3 water bottle brands.

1- Blue Bottle Love– We always have one in our fridge as well as the gallon one for back up water at home. This bottle makes the water taste the best and is by far my top choice.

2- Yeti – Since having a toddler glass bottles can get a little dangerous so sometimes it is better to have something a little sturdier and being out all day it can be nice and refreshing to have something stay cold for hours.

3- Hydroflask– same same, a really good option a bit cheaper and just as good. I personally love having my cold water when I exit the ocean after a windsurfing session, and the same bottle can be used to keep the water warm so that you can prepare some tea for when it gets cold. Amazing!!

We wrote a useful article on other items in the kitchen that can help you reduce waste on a daily basis Living More Sustainably by Greening your Home

3- Spend Less

This is a very simple concept, do we really need all the things we buy? Stop and think for a moment, is this essential? What will happen to this item down the line? Do I need it or could I maybe borrow it from a friend? Try to stop using single use items, obviously in emergencies we sometimes have to buy things we don’t align with but if you think about it most of the time we really do have a choice and we really need much less than we realise. when it comes to fashion it is nice to have something new sometimes, but it does not have to be ¨New¨ it can be new to you. Swap clothes with friends every once in a while.

4- Bring Your Own Bag

In most stores you can either bring your own bag or ask for boxes at the counter that you can then recycle. We definitely can refuse plastic bags. Also bringing your own tupperware and cutlery set is simple and really effective. There are such nice sets out there you may as well have one in your bag and an extra set in the car. I guarantee you will be saving hundreds if not thousands of plastic spoons, knives and forks ending up in a landfill.

5- Compost

composting is one of the bestways to be zero waste

This can sometimes feel the most difficult. It is true that I personally wanted to compost for years in my head before I actually went ahead and did it. I kept thinking I needed to live on a big piece of land. In actual fact you can compost anywhere and really do nature a favour by doing so. I wish I had started sooner now that I realised how simple it actually is and how much waste I reduce from that simple act. We absolutely found the system that was right for us. The Bokashi saves you from needing to turn and churn and have worms in your compost. This is clean and efficient and can be done form anywhere. For more info read our post ¨Eco friendly Sustainable Gardening Tips¨ or you can head over to our instagram and check ¨Our Garden¨ and watch how we did it.

Thanks for reading and please do pass these tips along to encourage others to be more ¨Zero Waste¨!

Sustainably yours,

Eco Couple

The Berkey Water Filter

We are extremely connected to all bodies of water, as are many of us. Be it in the ocean, a lake, a stream or river. I always feel calmer when close to water. I have always questioned the importance of water and which water we drink and how that affects us considering we are made up of such a large percentage of water.

Where is my water coming from? Is it alive? Has it been sitting in plastic bottles under the sun for months? How clean is it? I was curious about these things and tried to get the best water I could find.

Over the years I have tried many different water filters, from complicated filtration systems under the sink to countertop filters, to Kangen water, and honestly what sits right with me personally is: can I get water that is closest to the source of how nature intended us to drink it! I don’t even know if that sentence made any sense but what I mean is…. Is there a filter that would work if I found a natural water source, it can of course be tap water but I am thinking more like a natural waterfall. I eventually stumbled upon the Berkey on one of our trips, the house we rented had the filter. I was intrigued but not 100% convinced until, I went and collected fresh water from Iao Valley and brought it home to filter through my Berkey. So yes I admit I found my perfect water! I am not going to lie we do not always have the time to collect that precious water, so we sometimes use our fawcett and that tastes great too. We try to make it a weekly ritual with the family to drive an hour into the valley and collect water from its source, and it is always a great excuse to connect with nature and swim in the cold fresh water.

The travel Berkey is the one we ended up getting and I really like the size for a family of 3 and it is easy to travel with, also in case of an emergency we can even filter rain water through it. So we are super happy with it.

Photo by Jonathan Meyer on Pexels.com

On the other side, imagine never having to buy a plastic bottle ever again!! (Well almost never) When you have your own filter at your house you never run out of water, you fill up your reusable bottle, my preferred bottle when we are out and about is The Yeti (Keeps things cold for a long time) and an absolute must have for home is my Blue Bottle, which I can lay under the full moon or energise with the sun…. water does not get better than this!

So whatever you choose to go with just be a part of the plastic pollution solution and drink your choice of filtered water wherever you are in the world.