#package free

Paula and Nairn started their zero waste journey 5 years ago after watching the 'Trashed' documentary. They immediately started reducing their waste by swapping items like plastic toothbrushes for bamboo ones. They admit that it can be challenging, especially with kids and pets, but they're determined to continue reducing their waste and making it easier for others to do the same. They started off by sharing resources online, progressed to selling zero waste items at local markets, and finally opened a brick-and-mortar zero waste store in Victoria, BC nearly 3 years ago.

Wanting to make zero waste options more accessible to people, Paula and Nairn price check their products to match the mainstream grocery store prices so that buying package-free food isn't more expensive. They also have a 'take a jar leave a jar' system that makes it easier for people to show up at the store unprepared and still get everything they need. To make it happen, they accept recycling from customers, clean and sanitize it, and then make these containers available for free to any customer who walks in the door.

We love that their work isn't only on the consumer side of things. They couple has spent a lot of time creating a circular economy with their local suppliers to reuse buckets, jugs, and other containers so that they're reducing waste all the way through the supply chain.

You can follow and find out more about the Zero Waste Emporium in Victoria BC here:

https://www.zerowasteemporium.com/

https://www.instagram.com/zerowasteem...

https://www.facebook.com/zerowasteemp...

Thanks for watching!

Lavender Shampoo Bar

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Lavender Conditioner Bar

ig: @RoslynnNikole

Monday night -> Friday morning

I was inspired by @gardencorekid’s post about sprouting lentils so I thought I would give it a try!

Low-Waste way of making Hummus

Buy dry chickpeas at package-free store

Put dry chickpeas into a bowl. Add water, so it covers the chickpeas a lot. Let it rest for 12 hours. Warning: dry chickpeas are growing very big when they take in the water. So make sure the bowl is big enough

Change water. Put chickpeas into a pot and add new water! Let it cook for 1 hour.

While the chickpeas are cooking, you disinfect your jars. Add 1 teaspoon baking soda to 1-liter hot water. Wash the jars with the mixture. Warning: Some Skins don’t tolerate soda. So maybe use gloves

Fill the cooked chickpeas into the jars + the hot water. Leave some space. Put them on a deep baking tray with water. And put it in the hot oven (200 degrees) for 2 hours.

Now you have package-free cooked chickpeas. Because it takes so long prepare them in larger quantities. Let's go on to making the hummus

Give 500g of cooked chickpeas with there water into a bowl. Add 1 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon of cumin, 3 tablespoon Tahini (sesame paste), 2 garlic clove and juice of half a lemon

Mix it all

Let it rest in the fridge for some hours, so the taste of the cumin gets stronger

DIY Flax seed meal 

I’m loving all the vegan baking I’ve been seeing. It does mean that flax seed meal is in high demand. Flax eggs for the win y’all. If you’re able to get your hands on some whole flax seeds it’s super easy to make your own meal at home! You can repurpose your coffee grinder or high powered blender temporarily to make DIY flax seed meal from scratch. (Make sure you wash out well to avoid a coffee taste :D ) Before the ‘rona, I’d buy a massive bag of flax seeds in bulk and make inexpensive, #packagefree flaxseed meal at home. Now, I’m sourcing bulk flax seeds and grinding ‘em up as needed. So simple!

You can whip this up in literally 2 minutes and make a great egg replacer if you’re running low. This is one of my fav baking hacks and comes in handy on a regular basis. I can’t be the only baking almost everyday, right?

1. Add 1/2 cup ish to grinder or blender and run for 1 - 2 minutes until a fine meal has formed. Store in the fridge in an airtight container. Lasts about 1 month. That’s it, you’re done.

Make as often as you need! Flax seed meal is a magical binder and I highly encourage y’all to test out making your own. Bob’s Red Mill seems to have whole seeds still in stock. Anywhere else y’all have found?