From 2011 to 2016 I was pleased to be able to have done 365days where I did a kind deed every day(& 366days in the leap year)!
In 2017 I am doing it again...my aim is to inspire others into action by showing them how simple it is to do kind acts for others. I do this by doing a kind act a day. I do this by sharing my story and some ideas for living a kinder life. Kinder for others, kinder for ourselves, kinder for the planet. Welcome to 365days of kindness!
So today is all about riding the bus or walking for Sustainable September. I was offered the use of the car today but decided to take the bus instead. Getting from one place to another on the bus has been a huge help because it means I actually get to look out the window and see what we are going past instead of focusing on the road and other drivers.
I love the bus company "Action" in Canberra because they have these awesome slogans like "c
Conserve our fossil fuels. Be in... Action". Clever slogan.
It was awesome to ride the bus into the city because I got to see more.
lus it's a lot less stressful, seeing as I would be driving in a new city, on roads with some serious quirks, without any one telling me if I was doing the right thing. I mean the GPS would tell me where to go but they can't tell you you are in the wrong lane until it's too late. Hahaha.
Another plus is that I have been able to write my blog post from my phone whilst riding or waiting for the bus. Yay!
Today's idea is another simple one. I like the K.I.S.S principal "Keep It Simple Sweetheart". Yes I know it is often "stupid" instead of "sweetheart" but I like the kindness version better. I wonder why?!
Sustainable September Day Seven: use a handkerchief instead of tissues.
There was a point recently when I was really sick. And I mean. Really sick. Almost all of the rest of the family caught it too. There are 6 of us living in one house and if one of us gets a cough, cold or flu then the rest of us often get it too. This flu was no exception. I am still experiencing some after affects which sucks.
Me, four weeks ago.
Me, four weeks ago plus 5 minutes. After a coughing fit. I still had my sense of humour.
The two photos were during the height of my flu. At least my awkward sense of humour remained. I took these photos so my friends would know I was still alive.
Thankfully I am on holiday so I have had time to rest, heal and recuperate!
What all this has to do with today's Sustainable September environmental kindness idea is that we went through about 20 boxes of tissues in two weeks. That is a lot of paper being used and destroyed. Now most of these tissues were either thrown in the fire (burn bugs, burn!) or thrown in the compost. However we could have used our handkerchiefs more.
I personally have about 15 Hankys that I use fairly regularly. For cleaning my glasses, for blowing my nose, for when I got for a run (& get sweat in my eyes) and wiping my eyes when I am crying. Not to mention they also are excellent when you need a napkin! Mayonnaise on your face... Get out your hanky! Chocolate on your face... Wipe your face with the hanky, then lick the hanky! I'm kidding! Or am I?! Hahah.
Kindness idea: make a "Flu survival kit" for a friend, family member or coworker.
I have done this a few times. I like to include some lemon & ginger tea, a pack of sore throat soothing drops, a pack of hankies or box of Tissues, some home made soup, some paracetamol, a nice DVD (not something like 'contagion' Unless your friend has a sense of humour and is into scary movies) and maybe even a mug for hot tea and or soup! Maybe even some Vicks vapour rub and/or some lip balm.
You could do whatever you want really. Just do something to make them know you are thinking of them. You could drop it to their home (if they aren't at work or at family events or any other activities). Or you could do a RAK drop, knock/ring and run.
Front lines: Forest Man.
I struggled to think of anything along the lines of colds and flu. But instead I thought about paper and what it is made out of... trees. There are a lot of people doing amazing things when it comes to the planting and preservation of trees. But My favourite is the story of a guy in India who for the last several decades has been planting trees. They call him "Forrest Man".
Another day in sunny Canberra (yes I am as surprised as you are). I spent the morning taking advantage of the sunshine by sitting on the porch with my book and a cup of tea just relaxing, after all, this is my holiday.
I ate some lovely vegetarian frittata "left overs" for lunch and had fresh fruit for breakfast. Then we went out for dinner...
Being on hoiday is the best excuse to go out for dinner!
I had a roasted vegetable salad covered with pieces of Haloumi lightly dusted with crushed candied nuts on a bed of fancy lettuce. It was divine.
This was huge, delicious and filling. Not to mention vegetarian.
Not bad for a Meat Free Monday! 😍
Today's idea is simple:
Sustainable September Day 6: Catch Public Transport or Walk to Work/School/Uni/Shops.
I then went for a Walk to the local shopping centre here in Canberra, which was a 3.4km walk. And it really got me thinking, how much do we need cars? Sure they are handy but are they really worth all the hassle they give us too? I mean servicing, paying for insurances, licences for us and the car, parking fees, fuel, and the like. Sometimes it is much easier to just catch public transport. And if you are one of those lucky people who can read whilst riding public transport, you have more time to do that!!! Bonus!!!
I had a look at the Western Australian Public transport authority website. They said "Riding the bus, train and ferry is fun, fast and eco-friendly. Transperth passengers reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 232,000 tonnes a year and greenhouse gas emissions from public transport is the equivalent of one third of private cars." Perth Transit Authority 2016
Where I (usually) live in the Perth hills has been fairly limited when it comes to public transport. They run every hour but if you need to be somewhere sooner you often have to catch a super early bus just so everything connects. However, even using the car to take us a short way to the train station is better than driving the whole way to the shops/school/Uni/work/city.
It is amazing how much public transport helps things us get out and about. :)
So do some research if you are not regular public transport travellers so you know where to go and how to get there. It really is easy. I used to do this when I lived closer to the city and worked in the city. It was faster to catch the bus and train than it was to drive in because of peak hour traffic and crazy drivers. Did I forget to mention that when you don't drive you don't have to worry about crazy drivers as much from the back of a bus or on a train.
Today I walked to the shops but I caught the bus back, after all half the walk there had been downhill.
My tip for doing your shopping without a car is to take a backpack and to only buy what you can carry back with you. Which is not a bad thing to do at all!
Kindness idea: Pay for Another Persons Ticket for Public Transport.
You can do this in a Pay-It-Forward kind of way by leaving some money on a ticket machine. Alternatively you could just offer to give coins to someone who doesn't have any or give them the time left on your ticket. If you have an all day ticket and it still has time on it you could pass it someone who is getting on as you get off or someone who is waiting at a bus stop.
Front Lines: Environmentally friendly cars.
Car companies are now looking at how to make their cars more sustainable. The most popular environmentally friendly car currently available on the market is the electric car.
Tesla is currently the most popular Electric Car Company. The cars a pretty fantastic but they started by selling cars on the luxury market. So they are expensive and fancy. They are releasing cars in lower price brackets but there is currently a wait list for these cheaper cars. I must admit I love the Tesla S...
#Drool. I just need a spare $120,000. AUD to be able to buy one of these babies.
Gorgeous right? I thought you might like a bit more information about the car itself. Or maybe that is just me.
I live in hope that Electric cars will not just be things of the future but also the present. I hope they become more affordable, more common and even more sustainable. Then the human races obsession with cars might not be such a bad thing.
I hope you are enjoying Sustainable September so far. 😊
Sending love to you all,
Love Daena xx
Happy Fathers Day to all the dads out there. I know it is a different day in different countries, but in Australia... today is Fathers day. This is not the first one without my dad. But I still miss him like crazy. Happy Fathers day to all those who are celebrating. :)
How are you going with looking at where your food is coming from? Groceries are the easiest to track but if you ever had fast food it is nearly impossible, because they dont just give that kind of information over to you when you purchase it. So keep that in mind today as you look at what you eat.
Tomorrows idea is one that gives you licence to be a little creative.
Sustainable September Day Five: Participate in Meat Free Monday.
If you watched yesterdays videos, the Manchester YouTube video talked about how to make our food more sustainable and one of the major ideas was to reduce the amount of meat and dairy you eat. And if you eat them, make sure you know where they are coming from, which farm. And find out how they treat the animals in their care. Now this is not a in hope to converty you to vegetarianism or veganism, however if you do, good on you. This idea is to start you looking at how sustainable the food we eat is.
In Australia, we are considered the "Meat Eating Capital of the World". On average Australians eat 100kgs of meat per person per year. "According to the OECD, the meat industry has a detrimental effect on the environment and our health, despite the employment and revenue it generates" (according to Business Insider 2016).
"The environmental impact of halving your meat consumption is hard to calculate... it is possible to calculate the environmental impact derived from a dollar spent in any of the industry sectors analysed. Using the 'meat products' sector the environmental benefits of reducing an Average Australian Household's meat consumption by half (to the recommended levels) are as follows: Reduction in greenhouse gas emissions - 2,354 kg CO2, Reduction in water use - 70,145 litres, Reduction in land disturbance - 18,606 m2 or 1.86 hectares These figures suggest that current meat consumption accounts for more than a third of our ecological footprint. So eat well and help us move to a more sustainable and healthy diet." (Sustainable Living Guide 2016).
So why is it important to reduce meat and start doing Meat Free Mondays?
"Vegetable proteins, an alternative to meat, can be produced for a tenth of the land and water cost of meat. In Australia, the sharp hooves of cattle and sheep contribute to the loss or degradation of our soil, water and native habitats. Health experts also warn that Australians generally eat too much meat, so reducing our intake would be sensible for our environment, our health – and our hip pocket!" (Sustainable Living Guide 2016).
As for being creative, there are some awesome ideas for Meat Free Mondays on Pinterest. I have even started a Pinterest board myself which you can check out here. Pinterest is another little passion of mine so i will be updating this when i see recipes i like.
Kindness idea: Have your friends, family or collegues over for dinner and do Meat Free Monday together.
I like this idea because you could make the meal "bring and share" where everyone brings a plate full of vegetarian food. This idea is also important so that we can share hospitality. Hospitality is a one of the greatest acts of kindness anyone can display. Making people feel welcome.
Front Lines: here is a talk about the reason Meat Free Mondays are so important:
There are a few people who have spoken about the importance of Meat Free Mondays. THe most Notable is Paul McCartney. He even wrote a theme tune for Meat Free Mondays:
For those of you who have already embraced Meat Free Mondays, how about looking at the next step, becoming a Weekday Vegetarian:
How did you go today saying 'No' to receipts? I had a wonderful day out and about in Canberra. And we must have said no to about 15 receipts. It's was pretty cool. Think how much paper we don't have to get rid of now! How awesome?!
So we went out to an amazing Tea House and I got spoilt with Chai poached Pears with citrus sorbet, Chai Syrup and a caramel garnish. I got to taste test some amazing loose leaf teas too. So yummy and right up my alley!
Me at a Tea House in Canberra. Do KeepCups come in this size? I need a mug like this at home for my tea. Hehehe.
Today the Sustainable September is actually fairly simple.
Sustainable September Day Four: Look at where your food comes from.
Consider these questions: Where do you buy your food from? Where does the products and fresh produce actually come from? What is its country of origin? What is its state of origin? How many food miles does your food travel before it gets into your tummy? What is it packaged in? Is it organic? Is it from an environmentally sustainable company? Is it from a local farm? Is it from a farmers market?
The reason I want you to look at this is because if you can reduce the distance your food travels from food to table then you are significantly helping the environment.
To calculate food miles check out the Food Miles website. For more information about why this is important see below in the "Front Lines section".
Kindness: Buy a meal for another person.
You can do this in the style of Suspended Coffees at a restaurant. Or ask someone, a friend, family, stranger, a homeless person, if you can buy them a meal. Then do it. It could cost a lot or a little depending on what you are willing to spend.
Another option is buying a supermarket voucher. It depends on what you want to do.
You can take further inspiration form this Pizza shop in America:
Front Lines: Food Sustainability movements. There are a lot of people who want to talk about where our food comes from and what we can do to help the environment.
So here is an explaination about "What is sustainable food?"
Here is a TEDx talk done in the USA by the amazing 11 year old, Birke Baehr.
He is looking at the current food market and helping kids and adults alike know what is the best way to live a sustainable life. Not only for the people but for the animals and land that is being intensively farmed.
For those who have had a little more to do with this sort of thing then you may be interested in the idea of Food Justice which Alison Cayne talks about in her TEDx Talk on "What the Food movement can learn from history".
There are so many things about our food that we do not often think about. Do we know where our meat comes from? Was it prepared using pesticides? What are we really eating? I often struggle with this question. But my family and I are working to know, more and more, where our foods actually comes from. Althought knowing where your food is actually coming from is a huge start to looking to make changes at all.
Our family now mostly order in Bulk (with a bulk buying group) from an organic butcher who gets meat from a local organic farm. It is the closest thing we can get before buying from the farmer directly. We often get other organic food in bulk through the bulk buying group.
If you want to know more about sustainable practices and food you can check out one of the first programmes I ever saw on television about how to set up a Sustainable Farm "River Cottage". Now there is even a "River Cottage Australia". These are shows made for Television but i really enjoy them.
I hope this finds you all well.
With love and kindness,
Daena x
So I made it safely to Canberra and had a pretty good trip to get here. No big dramas or issues really. A bit of turbulance. I took my reusable water bottle and my KeepCup too. They were both lifesavers. I find that my KeepCup is so good for flights because I have a lid for it, unlike the ones the airlines actually supply, which makes turbulence a breeze. The water bottle I have with me is only 500ml but fits perfectly in my handbag. Here is is below just so you could see that this is me at the airport living the dream.
My waterbottle getting a trip on an Aeroplane
A view over Adelaide (I had to stop there before going on to Canberra).
Getting ready to fly on to Canberra from Adelaide. Should have photographed my KeepCup and WaterBottle in the pouch on the back of the chair.
It was really rough turbulence just before landing in Canberra and my KeepCup was literally a life saver. As turbulance hit 5minutes after the cabin crew had come around with cups of hot tea and coffee. So no spills or burns for me! YAY! Thankfully a lot of people had juice today or it could have been a lot worse.
Whilst I am in Canberra I am staying with an amazing friend here and we had a wonderful meal out tonigh before i got taken back to his house, where im staying this week, and we got to put the last of my bed together. He bought a bed for me so i could come stay with him! Talk about kindness!
I will have to keep it fairly quick tonight as I am already exhausted and want to get into the new time zone as quickly as I can. So here goes... lets look briefly at paper.
Sustainable September day 3: Say NO to Receipts.
Saying No to receipts is about reducing the wasteful consumption of wood and paper. If you don’t need a receipt say no when asked (preferably before they print it off). I understand many people need receipts for tax purposes. But if you don't need to keep receipts then don't. This way you can easily reduce your paper waste.
“Paper products are crucial to society, as they have enabled literacy and cultural development. However, without changing current paper production and consumption practices, growing demand for paper adds pressure on the Earth’s last remaining natural forests and endangered wildlife.
WWF advocates reducing wasteful consumption of wood and paper. But even with more frugal use and greater efficiencies, net demand is likely to grow with rising population and incomes in developing countries. So how can we produce more paper without destroying or degrading forests, in a world where competition for land and water is increasing ?
This challenge spans the whole supply chain, from where and how wood is grown and harvested to how wisely and efficiently it is processed, used and reused. It also involves changes to consumption patterns – such as eliminating excessive and wasteful use of paper in rich societies, while improving access for the poor to paper products that can improve education, hygiene and food safety.” (http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/deforestation/forest_sector_transformation/pulp_and_paper/)
Paper waste is a large issue because of the sheer amount of trees that are used to create the paper in the first place. Often the trees being cut down to make paper have come from naturally occurring forests and rainforrests. This destruction og the natural environment in not sustainable, whilst destroying natural habitats for animals and birds. This is not good for the environment.
I love paper as much as the next person. I really love books and notebooks. I am a bibliophile, so reducing the amount of paper in my house is hard. Like the statement says above, Paper is crucial to society and education. However, reducing the amount of useless paper waste is not that hard to do.
For the last few years I have been looking at the work by the Bea Johnson. She wrote the book “The Zero Waste Home” and has inspired me to reduce the amount of waste I, personally, put into the world. I know I have written about it a lot in the past so I will leave this light but she talks about simple ways to reduce waste. The first is to say NO to it. If you don’t need, it don’t take it. This includes freebies, samples, pamphlets and business cards. This can be very hard to do but I often end up chucking out so much stuff that I don’t need just because it didn’t cost me anything to aquire. Feel free to adopt the practice of saying no to all these ‘free things’ too. However, the easiest way to start is to say No to receipts. And build up these habits.
Kindness Idea: Learn how to make your own paper from your waste paper and turn it into a beautiful card or wrapping paper.
Often i will send off a card or letter to someone who just needs to know i am thinking of them, is having a hard time, or is away from home. This just makes a person feel special. Making things for another person is a complimentary way to show you care for someone. You also care for the environment by reusing a resource you already have lying around. You can use old news papers, wrapping paper, used printing paper, old study notes, and even the backs of cards (i like to keep the pretty fronts of cards and reuse them too).
On the front lines: The Zero Waste movement.
Here is a TED talk by the amazing Bea Johnson. I hope you like it.
or this one my Manuela Baron...
Hahaha.. so much for a short post. I do love to type. The hard thing sharing this stuff is knowing when to stop. Like I should have done a while back. hahha.
I hope this finds you all well.
Love to you all,
Daena xx
Hello lovely people,
So today was the first day that we did Sustainable September. And it was all about using reusable cups and cutting down on disposable ones. So today I did it.
I took my sister, who is recovering from eye surgery, out for the first time in a few days as she can go into the sunlight today. We had out coffees at the shop so didn't need to have them "take away".
I also used my Keep Cups today, but not to get coffee/chai take away. More to be able to give mum a cup of tea on her way to the doctors. So not only was it handy for mum to use a keep cup as she went out, it also saved money because she didnt need to buy a cup of tea whilst out. Money saving and environmentally friendly = WINNING!!!
Todays idea is along a similar theme.
Sustainable September Day 2: Use (or buy and Use) a Reusable Water bottle.
Plastic water bottles are rather popular here in Australia. I know these single use bottles are popular all around the world. But single use plastic water bottles account for one in ten piece of rubbish collected during "Clean Up Australia Day" (according to the website). Basically they account for an ENORMOUS amount of waste that ends up in our landfil, our environement and on our roadsides.
THe impact of plastic Water Bottles on our environment is huge. For example:
"In production: Most bottled water is packaged in PET (polyethylene terephthalate) plastic bottles which are derived from crude oil. It can take up to 3L of water to produce 1L of water. In transportation: Transportation of bottled water around the world requires burning of fossil fuels In landfill and the litter stream: Although plastic bottles are recyclable, many end up in landfill and take up to 1000 years to break down. When littered they often end up in the sea where they break up in small pieces, killing marine life that mistake them for food... ...By avoiding bottled water and refilling your own bottle you can help conserve virgin resources and protect our pristine nature. Another great side effect is saving money. One bottle of water can cost you around $2.50 versus only a few cents per litre for tap water. So start refilling your water bottle today." (Clean Up Australia Website http://www.cleanup.org.au/au/Whatelsewesupport/avoid-bottled-water.html).
If we can just reduce our need and use of single use plastic water bottles, or avoid them completely, we can make a HUGE difference to our environement.
Kindness idea: Purchase a reusable water bottle for someone in need. Or buy a water refill card for water stations so people can fill up their reusable water bottles.
In and around Perth, Western Australia, there are new water refilling stations that charge about AUD 50c per litre for oprdinary water or about AUD $1.00 per litre of sparkling water. I have used these myself and i think they are a pretty clever idea. Considering if i buy sparkling water it can cost about AUD$4.50 on average. Its a financial saving as well as an environmental saving. One of these prepaid cards could fill several water bottles for several days. For more information about the Perth based water refill stations check out http://www.proacquaaustralia.com.au/shop/
Front Lines: Here are a couple of TED talks to help you get a better idea of the affect plastic is having in our environment.
The first Video is by the discovere of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, Cpt. Charles Moore. It is quite a shocking and compelling piece.
This second video is what is being researched to fix the problem of plastic in our ocean. I just dont want you all to think being Sustainable is a hopeless venture.
Hopefully plastic being removed from our oceans can be a huge game changer. However, we need to be concious about NOT making the situation worse. So lets only use reusable water bottles from now on. Maybe even choose something like glass, or aluminium, which are longer lasting, reusable alternatives to plastic.
Let me know what is your favourite reusable water bottle is. I have two metal ones and a reusable plastic one.
I hope you have a wonderful day and I will post a new blog tomorrow.
I am catching a plane tomorrow to see my friend in Canberra, Australia. I will be there for 9 days, so i am hoping to check out what awesome environmental ideas the countries Capital has to offer. :)
Have you missed me? I have been terribly sick for the last several weeks and although i have recorded a couple of videos i havent had a chance to post them online yet. Having two differing systems of video processing doesnt help much either! :S when i get that sorted i will post the videos.
Anyway.... So it is that time of the year again where i get my bottom into gear and do a solid month of blogging. It may also help the Environment, which is another passion of mine, whilst sharing kindnesses.
I thought this year i would do it again.
I had to really think about what i wanted to do here. Things have been changing for me since last year and in someways i feel like i need to do more. In Australia, the government seems to be actively avoiding Climate Change conversations. It seems like the responsibility of caring for the earth, and all those that rely on it, falls on communities and individuals. If we want our kids to grow up in healthy environments we need to start paying attention to what it is that we are actually doing on a daily basis. are we doing anything that is harmful? Do we know what actions we are taking that are actually hurting the environment? Can our actions be changed to help the environment? I think every person has the capacity to change and live a more sustainable life.
What do i mean when i say Sustainable? Something is Sustainable when it is:
"* able to be used without being completely used up or destroyed
* involving methods that do not completely use up or destroy natural resources
* able to last or continue for a long time " (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sustainable, 2016).
The biggest problem we have is that we often dont know what natural resources are used to provide things that we use daily, or the impact we have when we are finished using these things. I know there are times in my life i have just not been aware of the problems that occur in our environment as a result. From using plastic bags, bottles and straws (which often end up in landfil and take thousands of years to disintergrate or end up in the tummies of animals), to paying attention to the types of food we are eating and knowing where it came from and how far away it came (the farther away something was grown from us, the more fuel that has to be burned to get it on our tables). The thing is there are lots of awesome simple things we can do to be kind to our environment.
You may wonder what any of this actually has to do with kindness. And the truth is... a lot more than you would think. Not only is caring for the environment and using sustainable practices a kindness to the environment, but also to generations of people who will be born on this earth after us. It also makes a huge difference to many people. If we care for our environment wisely we may be able to decrease the amount of toxins in the air, which will make asthmatics breathe easier. If we care for our waterways then the birds and animals that use it, and those who catch and eat those animals (or even use the water for sport) will be healthier and our animals wont die with plastic in their stomachs.
I know from doing 365days of kindness that one person can make a difference. And if a consequence of that difference means that someone has clean water to drink or clean air to breathe then I want to be part of that. There is so much we can do individually to make our lives more sustainable, to be kind to ourselves and the environment and to make a difference.
So i thought this year i would have a theme... everyone loves a good theme right?
"Live Simply, so others may simply live."
I was told this quote when i was about 13 years old. my youth leader at the time was very passionate about the environment (she still is too). She shared with us then the amazing things one person can do to make a difference. And she made a huge impact on me.
What does living simply look like? well, it will be different for everyone.
I have some amazing friends J &E who have retrofitted their house to be more sustainable. They grow their own vegetables, collect rainwater for the hotter months when water is in short supply, they have solar panels on their roof, they preserve their own food, they purchase second hand goods. E & J inspire me, because that is what i want in the future.
But not everyone has the ability to retrofit a house. Renters or apartment owners might struggle to do so much to their homes.
OR if you are starting off, all of that stuff might be too overwhelming. But dont be put off, it is all about taking small steps toward making the world a better place. A place where we can all live together, we can support nature and nature can support us.
One pit fall that i have fallen in to a few times myself, is feeling guilty. Even if, as we go through this month, you do just one thing and making one long term change you are still reducing the impact you have on the earth. And every little bit helps! :)
What i thought about adding this year was a little more that the last few years, i will give you a sustainable and environmental kindness, a kindness idea (probably loosely related), and then people who are working on the front lines to make lots of lives better (this will include charities, individuals, groups, TED Talks, videos and whatever else i can think about as i go along).
So i will give you tomorrows...
Sustainable September Day One: Use (or buy) a reusable cup or mug.
Why is this important? millions of Single use coffee cups, lids, spoons, etc end up in landfill everyday. When i was at work i used to get a chai latte most days, sometimes if i was lucky i would buy two. I alone would have easily consumed 365 cups of Chai per year. I have been drinking Chai for the last 6 years because I cant drink coffee anymore. And before that i started drinking hot coffee in my uni days. Some 4 years before that. Of course i wouldnt have a coffee/chai in a take away mug every single day, but other days i would have a couple of coffees/chai's in a day. So, in other words, the number of coffee cups really adds up. And before you all panic that this is what i actually did, then dont. It is mainly for demonstration purposes. Mind you, i am not completely innocent. For the last 3 years I have been using my Keep Cup to buy hpt beverages. Amazingly, i usually keep a Keep Cup in my handbag (i think i must have robbed Mary Poppins when i found my bag - its really so much bigger on the inside).
Kindness Idea: Buy a cup of coffee for someone behind you in a queue. Often when you buy coffees regularly you get membership cards or rewards cards. You can then redeem a free hot beverage when you have paid for a bunch of them. I often save up my free ones and give the card to someone who needs it. Or a friend who is having a rough week. It doesnt cost me anything but it makes a difference.
Front Lines: Suspended Coffee Movement. This one is an awesome front lines movement when it comes to kindness and to hot beverages (and also food). Starting a few years ago, this idea has blossomed. I follow the webpage and facebook page, but the most powerful thing i came across was a TEDx talk from the founder of Suspended Coffees.
Now i hope you can understand an Irish accent because their subtitles are off. comically bad but you should be able to make it out! :)
Okay, so i hope that helps kick it all off. Kindness is so important. Kindness for others, Kindness for ourselves and kindness for the earth.
Welcome to Sustainable September!
I will post again tomorrow.
Cheers,
Daena x
ps. If you have any sustainable september ideas that you want me to look into, comment below. :)
