Plastic Free Alternatives - Nikki Beckinsale

This month we celebrate Plastic Free July, an important initiative that Rebecca Prince-Ruiz (the founder of the Plastic Free Foundation) started in Australia with the help of a small local government team in 2011. In this episode, I speak with Nikki Beckinsale about her business Plastic Free Alternatives, which promotes the idea that if we all take small sustainable steps, collectively, we can make a big positive impact. Plastic Free Alternatives offers a range of products that 'do not harm the planet or our bodies'.

During the interview Nikki and I chat about her personal journey towards plastic reduction and how:

• the film A Plastic Ocean, along with the amount of waste her family of five was generating, inspired her to make personal changes around their waste management and eventually led to offering more sustainable alternatives to the public through Plastic Free Alternatives, a business she started with her Mum
• her and her Mum trialled every product they sell on their site so customers can be assured they work
• we can start with changing one behaviour in Plastic Free July, such as having a plastic-free kids party
• micro plastics are appearing in our soils and our foods 
• she regularly shares recipes on her blog for DIY cleaning products that are really effective in cleaning toilets, washing clothes and cleaning surfaces
• returning to some of the things our grandparents used, like soap savers, can better support the planet
• part of the problem is seeing ourselves as separate from nature
• it can sometimes take a while to transition to some sustainable products, like shampoo bars, but that it's worth persisting when you think about the amount of plastic saved.

SPECIAL OFFER FOR JULY
We are running a competition for Plastic Free July - go to Beaming Green for the details 

In honour of Plastic Free July here are some little known facts about plastic:

• Since the 1950s, around 8.3 billion tons of plastic have been produced worldwide.
• In some parts of the world, using plastic is already illegal.
• 73% of beach litter worldwide is plastic.
• A million plastic bottles are bought around the world every minute.
• Worldwide, about 2 million plastic bags are used every minute.
• 90% of plastic polluting our oceans is carried by just 10 rivers.
• Plastic is killing more than 1.1 million seabirds and. animals every year.
• The average person eats 70,000 microplastics annually
• The average time that a plastic bag is used for is … 12 minutes.
• Over the past 50 years, world plastic production has doubled.

I really enjoyed this very important discussion with Nikki and believe we all can do something to make a difference in our purchasing decisions and behaviours to help reduce our consumption of plastic.  Remembering that there is no AWAY when it comes to plastic.

Transcript

Jeremy Melder  00:00

Hello, my name is Jeremy Melder, and I'm the presenter from Beaming Green. Before we start, I would like to acknowledge that this podcast is being held on the traditional lands of the Bunjalung people and paying our respects to elders both past, present and emerging. The Beaming Green podcast is a podcast that will help you take out some of the stress and confusion about how to live your life more sustainably. We do this by introducing you to inspiring people with first-hand experience and expertise who covered aspects of sustainability, from human interest to environmental perspectives, helping you to thrive and enhance your life and the lives of your friends and family. Welcome to this episode of beaming green and today I have Nikki Beckinsale who runs a business called plastic free alternatives, and it's managed in partnership with her mum Sue. It's not just business but an opportunity to guide people on how to replace the most commonly used items in their kitchen’s bathrooms and laundries but could quality compostable chemical free and plastic free alternatives. She believes it is possible for every single person to take small positive steps to reduce their dependence on plastic. Because together, we can have a big impact on healing our oceans, and ultimately, our planets from this dangerous pollutant. As it is plastic free July, I thought it was apt to have Nikki Beckinsale talk about what she does in her business. Plastic Free Alternatives. Please join me in welcoming her to beaming green. Nikki, welcome to Beaming Green now, we've been trying to catch up with each other for quite a while now. But I think it's an opportune time, isn't it? being Plastic Free July is here. And you know, we're going to be talking about what we can do in terms of plastic free alternatives for people. And I'd just love it if he could just share a little bit of your journey, because you've started up a business with your mum. And it's called Plastic Free Alternatives. How did you get started?

Nikki Beckinsale  02:26

Well, I was at home, with my three boys, I had a few years off work. And I was looking at all of the waste that was going into my bin every week, horrified that I could fill up a recycling bin and a big red, you know, waste bin every week. And I thought if a family of five can generate that much waste every week. What does that mean? When you start to extrapolate that out? You know, if every family's doing that, or more.  I was like, wow, oh my goodness. So, then I was like, Alright, let's compost. You know, let's like get, take that, you know, food waste out of our red bin and put it in the compost bin. And let's get really good at separating our recycling, making sure that the soft plastics went to red cycle at the local supermarket. And suddenly, we went from a big red waste bin to the smallest one our council offers, and we were and then we weren't even filling it. Like, not even a third full and I'm like yes. But then I was looking, and I was like, look at that recycling being it's groaning with stuff like and it's still like, it's great. Recycling is fantastic. But like, you know, if you look at that waste hierarchy, the best is to avoid first and then reuse and then recycle and I was like, well, how can I avoid putting stuff into the recycling bin because like keeps great that we can recycle plastic. But a lot of people don't realize that once you've recycled plastic once you can't recycle it again. It's called they call it down cycling in fact so once it's a recycled plastic bottle or a recycled you know decking or bollard or any of those things now that we're seeing around that is a recycled plastic. Like that is with the technology we have right now the end of its use, like It's life. And I was like, okay, so, yeah, so that, like started to make me question things and then you then you watch the movie, you know, Plastic Oceans and you're like, oh my god, that is horrifying, it really is terrifying. Um, yeah. And like, you know, my health is really important to me, the health of the planet is really important to me, I've got three boys, and I want them to have a really positive future, I want their children and their children's children, always future generations to have a planet that is livable, you know, and not just to eke out a living but to be healthy and flourishing. And that's how it got started. And then, along came Plastic Free Alternatives. Because I was looking for plastic free alternatives. And, and I, you know, wanted to help others find those alternatives. And there really is now after, like, a few years, it's really literally an alternative for nearly everything, apart from plastic that we find in food, wrapping, you know, packaging, those sorts of things where I think we're, we're sort of still struggling to adapt as a society. But there are alternatives. So, loads of stuff. Yeah.

Jeremy Melder  06:39

So how long was that? 

Nikki Beckinsale  06:43

Going back. I'm about four years. Yeah. But like, provided that it was a growing consciousness. The business started about four years ago. But prior to that it was growing consciousness. Yeah. realization that even though I, every week, the bean gets collected. It's in, it's gone. And I can't see it anymore. It hasn't actually gone.

Jeremy Melder  07:10

Like, it's not there's no way is there.

Nikki Beckinsale  07:13

There isn't any way. It might not mean my problem in my house, in my yard in my everyday life, but it's still my problem. It really still is my problem. I just can't see it anymore. So yeah,

Jeremy Melder  07:27

yeah. Yeah, I'm as  alarmed as you are. And look, I've got to say, we've we also took on those practices in our home, you know, and we were realizing like, even this week, you know, again, we don't really need to put the bins out. You know, it's like, it's great. It's a great feeling of empowerment, isn't it? So, you know, you just go, wow, we can do this. And, you know, look, I don't think I'm the best recycler in the world. And, you know, I think there's a lot of us that aren't, you know, it's a learning process. And we don't want to put pressure on everyone to do that. Because it's a, it's an evolution that we've got, we've got to evolve with the time and learn our own way of doing it. So, this is not a conversion. This is not a conversion.  Basically, it's what we want to do is just say, this is our all our journeys. Yeah, Nikki, you've been talking about your journey. And you know, I've gone on a journey as well, and still about improving that, isn't it?

Nikki Beckinsale  08:22

It is absolutely, everyone's journey is their own. And they get to it in their own time in their own way. And it really is, it's an, it's an awakening, I think, over time, you like you put two and two together and you like you're turning your look at that thing that you've always used, that you've never questioned. And suddenly you see it differently, you know, but that journey is different for everyone. And it starts in a different way. And it progresses differently for each person. And it's one of the things that I love about my business. And what I'm doing, it's the best part of it is like talking to people on their journey wherever they are on it. And you know, like giving them that pat on the back and cheering them on the side because no matter what they're doing, they're doing something. And something is better than sitting doing nothing at all. And I really do believe that we have, everyone has the capacity to do something. And that's really what plastic free July is all about. I mean, it can be a bit daunting when you say oh, we're plastic free July, no plastic in July, but really, it's if we bring it back. It's just about finding it's challenging yourself this month, whether it's for one day, one week, or the entire month. Yeah, I'm in. It's a challenge to do. You know, just one thing. Yeah. Um, you know, whether It's, you know, the It's simple, I've been talking to a lot of people. And it's simple things like someone said to me, I'm having a birthday party, and I've decided I'm not going to fall into the, into the usual route of, you know, balloons and, and plastic cheap party, you know, favors and plastic plates and all of those things that's I'm going to do that this month, that's my one thing. Or I'm not going to someone else was telling me they're not going to use the tetra packs, milk and things like that which can't be recycled. So that's their one thing they got to do this month. Um, yeah, so I just think it's achievable for everyone. If we stop trying to be perfect about it,

Jeremy Melder  10:55

yeah, I agree with you. And, you know, they say that if you start a habit, it takes 30 days, you know, to reinforce that habit. So, it's probably a good thing, if you can start now in saying I want to give up a certain product or an item that you usually use that you make that effort, but it's, as I say, this is completely up to you. You're a human on your own.

Nikki Beckinsale  11:20

Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. And I cheer on everyone. Like even those who are just, like, even if this July, they're just contemplating, you know, what they can do, even if that's all that happens this July for, you know, one person out there, you know, they just, it's theirs, their interest is prepped to think about it. And you know, and in look further, you know, as time goes on, so whatever you're doing out there, whatever you're doing, you are fabulous, wonderful people. Yeah, being conscious of the footprint that you're leaving.

Jeremy Melder  12:00

Yeah, sure. If I just thought this, I'm just sitting this on my desk, but I haven't opened this. But basically, my wife made me this, which is basically you know, a spoon and a fork and a straw and a napkin. And I could take, you know, if I was having, you know, if I was working outside, and I had to have some takeaway food that I could use that is I find that you know, there's still there. There is still a lot of plastic forks and knives and things like that, that are still being sent out even though we're aware that they aren't suitable. So, the alternatives I think there's bamboo is and then there's also obviously taking your own take away kit, isn't there?

Nikki Beckinsale  12:44

Absolutely. Um, I know Boomerang bags are local Boomerang bags, do a little cutlery roll. And they've gone to ops shops, and collected you know, cutlery that's no longer wanted. Yeah. So, and put them into the role. So, they're recycling the fabric. So that's fabric being made into something that would otherwise be tossed out there finding unwanted cutlery that no longer no longer has a purpose. But they're repurposing it, which is fantastic. So, this, it doesn't even have to cost you anything like your wives done. She's made you a little bag. And found some cutlery. You don't even have to go and buy something that is, you know, sustainable and zero waste specific. Really? Yeah, right in your backyard. It's fantastic, isn't it? And so many things like I've got here, I've got a collection of little things here. Some of my favorite things. And I'm looking at my bamboo toothbrush. Yeah, yeah.   I'm finding these in lots of places now really easily available to buy and an easy switch to make. It's really no different to brushing with a plastic toothbrush. Yeah.

Jeremy Melder  14:16

Yeah, I've got one of those as well. The charcoal ones have to face Brett and like, gray as you but I've also got a friend that does Tooth Tonic. I use the Tooth Tonic oil and, and the hybrid as well. Yeah, yeah. It's an alternative to you know, toothpaste. But yeah,

Nikki Beckinsale  14:43

yeah. Well, interesting. You should say that Jeremy, because I've been looking at toothpaste sets on my list of things because I'm not perfect. You know, I, you know, these are all spots in my world that I'm refining it on. been looking at to paste in making your own toothpaste in the little tablets and other ways around brushing? So yeah, it's interesting that you're doing that and finding it working for you.

Jeremy Melder  15:12

I'd be interested in you sharing  some of your recipes that you talk about in your blog. Yeah, just some of those ideas for people. You know, just off the cuff, you know, some of the things that use for detergents and so on, and then go into some of the products that are plastic free alternatives. That'd be great. 

Nikki Beckinsale  15:34

Yeah sure. Actually, right. He is in this is my job. For my children, it's even got notes in a sharpie, on how to use these, this is a toilet bomb. Really easy to make. And you're right, I have a little video on my Instagram account, Plastic Free Alternatives. And it shows you how to make a toilet bomb. It's just bicarb and citric acid and some essential oils and a tiny little bit of water and is mash it all up and put it you can use a silicon mold, which is what I've done here. Or you can even just like make it into a ball and let it dry. And gee wiz. It does an amazing job of cleaning a toilet. And, and then the trick I've just discovered recently, because I was finding I was getting some limescale staining on the bottom of the toilet, um, and my husband was saying, like, I have to get the toilet clean, you got to go and buy the commercial toilet cleaner. And I was like, I don't think we do need to do that. Like, I really think it's going to be another way. And so, I you know, lots to lots of sort of perseverance and trial and error. And here I'm going to reveal to you the solution to cleaning to do a drum roll or what's the solution to cleaning hard to remove stains from your toilet without having to rely on nasty chemicals, or things that come in plastic bottles? Is citric acid. Wow. So, this is a tip for all the listeners out there. Were

Jeremy Melder  17:38

do you get that from generally ?

Nikki Beckinsale  17:40

it genuinely from the supermarket from hardware store. I personally like to support small business, so I bought mine online, from www.blants.com.au when it's online, based on loads of bulk products, including like you can get citric acid in you know, a small container all the way through to 10 kilos. Yeah. Or you know, and everything. Anything that you need to make, you know, toilet bombs, laundry powder, dishwasher powder, all of those things you can get from these guys. So, one cup of citric acid in your toilet bowl with boiling water. So that like enough boiling water that you've made the water in the bowl warm, and you sit that for a few hours. I like to leave it sort of for half a day. You go in scrub it in sparkling clean. It's incredible. Okay,

Jeremy Melder  18:50

I'm going to try that.

Nikki Beckinsale  18:52

Try it and let me know. Is that nasty? CLR clean, which is what you use for removing calcium and limes. And rust. Yeah, this citric acid but it's the hot water. That's the trick.

Jeremy Melder  19:06

Yeah, this is all free advice, isn't it? This is this is they just have to pay for the citric acid, but the advice is free on Beaming Green, and courtesy of Plastic Free Alternatives.

Nikki Beckinsale  19:17

Yep, I like to put things up I like you know, that's what my Instagram account is. It is all about. It's sharing my journey and my discoveries. So that's your toilet, bombs and then laundry powder. I make my own laundry powder. It's super easy. And I swear it cleans my clothes better than any laundry powder I've ever used commercial laundry powder.

Jeremy Melder  19:43

And you've got recipes for this haven't you all online.

Nikki Beckinsale  19:46

Yes, all online, website, PlasticFreeAlternatives.com you can go on they're all free. I'm not charging you anything for this. Like, there's videos so you can watch I'll show you how to do it. If you've got questions, email me and ask me, um, my mission is to support people and guide people on their journey in you know, so wherever they're at on the journey like you know, ask a question I'm here to help. So, I make my own toilet bombs are really easy, I make my own laundry powder. I have an all-purpose cleaner that I use, which the recipe for that will be going up online shortly. And I'm just about to put a blog on our website and it'll go on to Instagram as well about soap nuts Have you ever use soap notes? Jeremy never.

Jeremy Melder  20:44

I don't even know what soap nuts are. So, you'll have to tell me about that

Nikki Beckinsale  20:48

right? That's why I'm going to get something out so everyone can see them have a look at that. They are a nut or berry that comes off a tree grown in Nepal and India specifically in those regions. And they have a slightly vinegary smell. And they're a bit sticky they have a sapochnik nature to them so that they a great for making your own laundry wash. So, this is this is like the simplest way to eco wash in that you just put four or five of those snaps into a bag, throw it in your washing machine and it washes job done.

Jeremy Melder  21:36

Well, you have to give me a photo of that and send that to me because I put that on the on the website so people can have a look at that. Because obviously you're not doing this on the video, but it will be great. And also, we can you get them from

Nikki Beckinsale  21:49

So, soap nuts just jump online. I've got them great. There are loads of other people out there selling soap nuts go to your local market. Yeah, they'll be these days. There's lots of markets now with eco stall, you know, someone there selling these sorts of products like toothbrushes and straws, and you know, those sorts of things. So, look, I say support local look local you know, your local health food shop, those sorts of places, other you know, good places to go. That you you'll find these sorts of things. So

Jeremy Melder  22:30

fantastic. Now back to the I guess we should go more on alternatives to plastic free July. What sort of things do you offer on your website for people to look at?

Nikki Beckinsale  22:42

The things I offer on my website are things that mom and I both trialed, so we don't have

Jeremy Melder  22:48

tried and tested, are they?

Nikki Beckinsale  22:49

and tested. We don't offer anything that we don't think it's works because people are going to share like part with their hard-earned money, then, you know, we want to know that what they're getting is the best possible option. So, Jeremy, when I on my journey on my plastic free journey, the first thing I started to avoid was cling wrap. And mum had some beeswax wraps that a friend had given her they'd sent in her drawer for about six months, because she wasn't really sure what to do with them. I'm pretty sure that there's loads of people out there today listening, going. I've got these things, and they're a little bit weird, and they're a little bit sticky, and I don't really know what to do with them. So, we started with these bee’s wax wraps.  And I looked at mums and I was like, oh, I reckon I could make some of those fabric in my cupboard. I've got a local apiarist, I can get some beeswax from, um, turned out that it was quite a bit of trial and error to get the formula just right so that they're nice and sticky. Yeah, yeah.

Jeremy Melder  23:55

Oh, you've got yours very sticky. I can see that from the video. So, for our listeners who can't see it is very sticky looking. So yeah,

Nikki Beckinsale  24:02

yeah. So it is. It's sticky, because we don't want them to crack. We got a lot of people we get a lot of people coming to talk to us at markets, saying, oh, our bees wax wraps have cracked, it's really disappointing. So, over those years, I've refined that recipe now and its sort of it's just sticky enough without being too sticky. doesn't crack and it's great and it keeps food fresh for longer. And that's on our website you'll find B tastic wraps and that's actually our little side. Your brand-new sister brand. Yeah. And we guarantee our wraps for a minimum of 12 months you'll get way longer out of them. So, we Yeah, in all sorts of sizes. We sell beeswax wraps. What is most popular at the moment are our stainless-steel pegs Have you got stainless steel pegs here Jeremy No, you

Jeremy Melder  24:58

probably know that I just posted today that I'm going to get some

Nikki Beckinsale  25:03

Well, these babies are super popular.  This is a tip for everyone. Don't go for anything that is not 316 marine grade stainless steel.

Jeremy Melder  25:22

Well, that's a good point. Tell us what that means.

Nikki Beckinsale  25:25

That means that they that is the best quality stainless steel you can get in terms of rust. So, these pegs here, if you buy 316, marine grade stainless steel pegs, they're not going to rust. If that's guaranteed for a lifetime, you'll be handing them down to your children in the wheel, that wheel fighting over these pegs. They weren't rust. So don't be fooled, because there are cheaper ones out there you and that's the different grade of stainless steel that they've used. So, I really recommend biting the bullet basically and getting the 316 Marine grade

Jeremy Melder  26:06

worth you're paying a little bit more to get something that lasts a long time for generations to come.

Nikki Beckinsale  26:13

That’s Right. Some of them like you know be digging these up out of them. A mound of soil one day, and they should still be able to use them.

Jeremy Melder  26:30

unlike those plastic ones that just break in your hand. Right? All those wooden ones that just fall apart.

Nikki Beckinsale  26:36

They don't make them like they used to the to the ones that used to be fantastic when we were kids. like five minutes later, and it's falling apart when you're trying to put that peg together. So no. Um, so yeah, stainless steel pegs. The other thing we've got is shampoo bars. Have you made the switch? The it's it’s an interesting one. This one here is all Australian soap company, and I love it. And it's in great all natural one. Yep.  These guys are an Australian small business. They do a range of soap products. And they're fantastic. But

Jeremy Melder  27:21

and do you sell them?

Nikki Beckinsale  27:24

We do absolutely sell them. Um, my advice to people is don't give up on the first soap bar. Sometimes you have to try different brands and different soap bars. 

Jeremy Melder  27:37

you're talking about different combinations for different types of hair.

Nikki Beckinsale  27:40

Yes, yeah. But also, every soap bar, like every company makes this soap bar differently. And I've found that sometimes you have it's a bit of trial and error to find the right one for you. I worked with a lady. And she went through about five different types of bars from different companies till she found the one that worked for her. So, my advice is don't give up on the first one. If the first one leaves your hair feeling greasy and not clean.  Try a different brand. You'll get it eventually. And in fact, I've even found over because I've been using soap bars for a couple of years now that I've had to change brands. Occasionally, it's sort of it's a little bit different to a shampoo bottle in that respect. So

Jeremy Melder  28:35

that's an alternative, isn't it? Because you're not using a bottle, right?

Nikki Beckinsale  28:38

Yes, yeah, it's trial and error, and then you don't have a bottle. Because a family of five, we will actually my kids were going through us like a massive litre bottle of shampoo every school term, that's 10 weeks. And we would be like, so when you add that up over the year, and then john, my husband and I would have a shampoo bottle as well. So, this little shampoo bar that I have, which is just the sort of the size of a normal bar of soap, that does my three children for a whole term. Now. It's equivalent to a bottle of shampoo, a big liter bottle of shampoo. So, it might seem like you know, a little bit expensive when you go on this bar, you know, is quite small, but it really lasts you a long time. So, it's it’s a, it's a good switch to make.

Jeremy Melder  29:32

But if you think about it this way, right? You're buying a plastic bottle, right? And say you're buying three to four of those a year. That's one family, right? And you multiply that that's all going that plastic is going to waste that cost money. It's costing our planet to make this through the oils and so on that are that are going through that's coming out of the ground. So, there's a cost. So, by doing this, you're reducing that cost, which you can't see. Yes, right. is what we've got to say is that we're not seeing some of these costs. So, we don't know what you don't see. Doesn't mean it doesn't happen. It is actually happening. So, this is why we're, you know, that's why we're bringing this up.

Nikki Beckinsale  30:14

It's a cost to the planet. Yeah. So, I'll fairly, who gives a crap toilet paper.

Jeremy Melder  30:25

I love them. You know, we buy it, you know, cartons of it. And I tell you what, that's the most popular item at the moment. Because of COVID-19. I just don't understand that. Can you get it? You know, it's like, what are we doing? Are we going to the toilet more? Or what's going on?

Nikki Beckinsale  30:41

The panic over toilet paper blew my mind. Yeah, so like, not wrapped in plastic. Yeah. We don't sell it, but you go to who gives a crap? Yeah, they'll send you know, they ship you out a box. Yeah, there's my shipping fee or anything. It's comparable to what you pay in the supermarket. Do you find it lasts? A Roll lasts a lot longer than what I from a roll.

Jeremy Melder  31:09

Yes, absolutely. So, we haven't you know, for years, we've been buying those and find it last, you know, buy and buy the carton? And that's great. You know, last? Yeah, no problem. Yeah, I think it's a great product. And you know, I think we should support local as well.

Nikki Beckinsale  31:24

Absolutely. And I've even started buying their tissues. 

Jeremy Melder  31:27

Yeah, we have got them as well. And the paper towels and all that kind of stuff. Yeah.

Nikki Beckinsale  31:31

Yeah, everything got Yeah, I'm all good for them, too. So, things are those

Jeremy Melder  31:36

are great, too. So, these are the brushes. Sorry. Yeah, these are the brushes.

Nikki Beckinsale  31:42

Look at you so excited......ecomax, the brushes that we stock. Because we tried all of the different brands. And these are the ones we've gone back to them as our favorites. So, they're fantastic. And if their fair trade, that's what I love about these guys. They're a local business. They get it. The brushes are made overseas, but it's all fair trade. These ladies who work making these brushes are really paid a fair wage. So, it is really important. This is like it is like looking after the planet. And looking after our health encompasses making sure that how things are made and who makes them looked after as well. Yeah. Yeah, so these ladies, they're really well looked after they've got great working conditions. They've got a school and childcare center for their kids. So, the kids are well looked after every day when they go to work. Yep. And they can put good food on the table. And they make a fantastic brush in the whole range. Like you've got the toilet brush, you've got brushes for your kitchen. Bottle brushes. I don't know about you, but it's pretty hard to get a bottle brush. Yes, these guys make two different bottle brushes. And we've we stock a huge range of their brushes on our website. 

Jeremy Melder  33:17

They last a while too doesn’t, they?

Nikki Beckinsale  33:19

Yes, I say 12 months. Yeah. And we go through as like we're like, really? we test them out in our  house with our big family. After 12 months, even if they've got still got bristles on them. I do tend to ditch them. Yeah,

Jeremy Melder  33:37

but they're biodegradable? 

Nikki Beckinsale  33:39

They are and I put them in like compost bin, 

Jeremy Melder  33:41

not like plastic ones, they just go into landfill, right?

Nikki Beckinsale  33:44

No, that's right, because all it is coconut fiber, or systole depending on which ones you're buying and a bit of galvanized wire and maybe a timber handle if you're lucky, but it all composts down, so it's no microplastics I feel great. Every time I'm washing out, I know that that brush isn't, you know, dropping microplastics into the water. It's going into down the drain that's going into our water treatment plants, which are not designed to stop microplastics from going out into the ocean. And now we've got microplastics

Jeremy Melder  34:21

In our food....Yeah. And you were saying before credit card size, and you know there's a forecast that by 2050 there's going to be more plastic in the ocean than fish. So yep. might be something to think about if you value your health.

Nikki Beckinsale  34:38

Yeah, absolutely. And they have been found microplastics I believe in fruit, vegetables like carrots, pears, apples, all sorts of like not just in our fish. Wow. I didn't know that.

Jeremy Melder  34:51

I learned something today on Beaming Green

Nikki Beckinsale  34:55

There you go... it's even in our soil Wow. I mean more studies have to be done. And the World Wildlife Fund called for more studies after they released theirs in 2019. To really understand just how insidious that the microplastics are in, you know, in and how they affect our health. Yeah, I don't think we understand that. So, yeah. And on. Let's move on, because let's focus on the positives. Yes. Have you? Do you remember, did your grandmother have one of these?

Jeremy Melder  35:35

Are you serious!

Nikki Beckinsale  35:39

A soap saver? Yeah. I remember using this is what I use growing up to do the washing up my sunlight soap in there and swish it around. Get it all loving it. And off we go. So now I'm about bottles of plastic 

Jeremy Melder  35:54

So, these are all just to just to let our listeners know, because I can't see that these are all on your website, right? Now. So, soap savers .  

Nikki Beckinsale  36:01

Yahya. So, like, just think back? It's really, a lot of what we're looking at here today is the things that our grandparents did. Yeah. It's how they lived. 

Jeremy Melder  36:18

We moved past that, didn't we, we thought we were better. 

Nikki Beckinsale  36:25

Our ability to create in the end, like and, and do things and expand our world went beyond what was good for the planet. For our health. And now we're like, oh, let's just bring it back a bit. Maybe they had it right. So, soap savers fantastic. Love them. And then we've got, you know, water bottles and metals, like stainless steel water bottles instead of your plastic bottle. You know, instead of going down and buying, you know, water from Yeah, you know, when you need it.

Jeremy Melder  37:05

So, I worked in in the, you know, the waste industry for a couple of years. Right? So, with the, you know, with the exchange for change, and all those water bottle recyclers, it's great thing that people are recycling the water bottles, but really, you should just have your own container and fill it up with normal water. There's nothing wrong with the water that comes out of a tap, you can still filter it and all those things. Yeah, yeah, it's getting recycled, but why let it be produced? And it's a cost, you know, it's like you're paying more for that to be produced then buying a water bottle, which we can have forever, then it's not costing the planet because you got to think about as we were talking before, about the end the cost to produce it. Yeah, you know, and it's not just the cost the hip pocket. Yeah, it's a cost on the planet, you know, the resources that it takes, and it's not really, is it worth it? Have you got kids we have and, you know, you got to think about what are we bringing our kids into this world for? What are they you know, what are they going to look forward to? And, you know, if we don't start doing something about it now. Yeah. Yeah, I don't know where we're going to end up. Yeah. Yeah.

Nikki Beckinsale  37:49

Yeah, you know, and it's not just the cost the hip pocket. Yeah, it's

Jeremy Melder  37:53

a cost on the planet, you know, the resources that it takes. And it's not really, is it worth it? Have you got kids we have and, you know, you got to think about what are we bringing our kids into this world for? What are they you know, what are they going to look forward to? And, you know, if we don't start doing something about it now. Yeah. Yeah, I don't know where we're going to end up. Yeah. Yeah.

Nikki Beckinsale  38:21

It's my concern to the health of the planet is a reflection of our own health. Yeah, like our bodies healthy. We are like, sometimes we disconnect, or we have disconnected with nature. And, and, and we see ourselves as separate nature. But we're not we're actually one with nature, we are part of nature. And what's good for nature is good for us. And what's not good for nature is not good for us. You know, so when you trash the environment, you're actually, you know, trashing your own health ultimately, you might, you don't necessarily see it for yourself, in your lifetime, but we're certainly going to see the impact in our children's lifetime, if we don't do something and that is why we're doing

Jeremy Melder  39:23

what we're doing. Yeah. You and me

Nikki Beckinsale  39:26

here today, encouraging people to just to pause for a moment in their busy lives. And just think about one little thing they can do differently.

Jeremy Melder  39:44

Yeah, with plastic, how can they get rid of you know, things but you know, there's other elements obviously, that we can all impact on in terms of you know, the environment, but today we're focusing on plastic free July. Right and, you know, we just want to encourage you to do something, just one thing, if you can do one thing, even if it's just for 30 days, and we were talking earlier about offering people a little prize. Now we are going to put a post-up, then we'd like you to go to Beaming, green.com and also to plastic free alternatives.com register your name and go into the drawer to win, what are they going to win? Well,

Nikki Beckinsale  40:33

they're going to win a pack of things that will keep them going or start them on their plastic free journey. Bamboo, a bamboo toothbrush. Yeah, some stainless-steel pegs. Yeah, it'll get you started 10 pegs, I had a lady come in, she counted all her pegs once. She said I need 100 pegs that like that's how many pegs she had to replace. But 10 will get you started. And a beeswax wrap, and a shampoo bar and a kitchen scrubber. So, the things and some toilet bombs, so some of the toilet bombs that I make, and you'll get the recipe as well. So, you can make some more yourself, once you see how fantastic they are. So that's a little kit of things that's going to get you started, it's about $60 in value.

Jeremy Melder  41:29

So yeah, it's for people in Australia only because we want to keep it as local as possible. Unfortunately, for our international listeners, we can't offer you that is we really also conscious about you know, the miles off of you know, the cost to send something out. So, we really want to just try to reduce that. And to be conscious of that this time. The other thing is you need to sign up to both beaming green and to plastic free alternatives dot com to be eligible for that. And another thing I'm going to ask and we'll on both is what you are doing in plastic free July, if you can share that on your Instagram or on your Facebook pages, for both of our sites, beaming green and also for plastic free, it'd be great to share some of those ideas of what you're what you're giving up or what you're taking up. As an idea. What do you think about that?

Nikki Beckinsale  42:26

I think that's fantastic. So, tag us, beaming green and plastic free alternatives when you put your post up so we can see what you're doing. Because we love to champion your one small step this plastic free July. Great.

Jeremy Melder  42:47

Well, Nikki, I want to thank you so much for your time today and some of the great ideas that you shared with our listeners today. And sorry, oh, sorry,

Nikki Beckinsale  42:58

I was going to say if they can find more advice, great ideas, and those practical everyday tips on my Instagram page plastic free alternatives. And also, on there. On my website. Yeah, we'll

Jeremy Melder  43:11

 I was just about to say we're going to be putting you know, the connection in terms of the show notes to your Instagram page, also your website so that if they want to order some products that you are offering that they can have a look and see and make a decision there. But please don't forget to sign up to both pages to go in to be eligible for the draw. And we would love to hear what you are doing as well. Because really, it's about the planet. It's about our lives and the future. So, thank you. Thank you, Nikki.

Nikki Beckinsale  43:43

You're welcome, Jeremy. It's lovely to be here today.

Jeremy Melder  43:47

Good on you. Bye. Bye. Thank you for listening to this episode of Beaming Green. Now if you got something out of this episode, we'd love to hear what your biggest takeaway was. There are a number of ways you can do this; you can leave a review on Apple podcast. Or if you have a Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn social media page, you can leave a review there. But don't forget to tag us so we can thank you personally. Lastly, go to beaming green.com and subscribe to our newsletter and receive a free how to be green guide. At Beaming Green, we are committed to providing you with a thought provoking and insightful program that inspires you to live your life in accordance with your true nature and purpose. We do this by sharing stories from people that are walking their talk and are committed to living their lives sustainably with their mind, body and soul. So, you can share this with your friends and family and leave the planet. The music for this podcast was created by Dave Weir