Author: Marylene • ZeroWaste Switzerland

OuiCycle – Eco-concierge service

25 September 2020

Posted in: Member

OuiCycle is an eco-concierge service.

Its mission is to help its clients to achieve a more sustainable lifestyle and consumption. It does this by offering them various solutions, including the delivery (by bicycle!) of local, organic, seasonal, home-made, non-packaged and waste-free products and the disposal of their recyclable waste.

Website: www.ouicycle.ch

Who is “Oui”?

OuiCycle is the result of an encounter between two people from quite different backgrounds who have found each other (especially…) around this project and its values.

On the one hand, Erika…

Despite her Scandinavian appearance, Erika was born and raised in the United States, where she was raised by hippie parents and received a Quaker education (not theistic). She has been involved in numerous ecologically responsible projects and other struggles against consumerism and waste production since her early childhood.

After trying her hand at various jobs, especially in the “art industry”, she turned to the world of humanitarian work (with a special interest in the problems of access and waste of food). In 2018 she came to Switzerland to complete her Master’s degree in Humanitarian Aid. There she met Yves, and the idea of OuiCycle came not too long after.

And on the other hand, there’s Yves…

Born and raised in Switzerland by parents who are also well versed in ecological and social issues. A passionate outdoor sportsman, he pursues his activities all over the world and discovers the impact of a capitalist model of development (in which he also participates…) on ecosystems and societies. Through his work as a geography (and sports) teacher in Geneva, he is interested in sustainable development and can promote its values. He is aware, however, that although he is not perfect, he could do better. So, with Erika’s help, he moved from theory to practice.

OuiCycle was born out of the idea that we are lucky enough to live in one of the most developed countries in the world and that we have the privilege of being able to make choices. And on the other hand, from the observation that there are many solutions for a more sustainable way of life and consumption in Geneva, but that these often require a great deal of time and a certain logistical effort. In light of these facts, Erika and Yves decided to set up an eco-concierge service to help people who want to join them in this process.

Over here to get further: www.ouicycle.ch

DIY Beeswrap

5 May 2020

Posted in: Do-it-yourself Kitchen

Zero Waste Utility

In the kitchen, there are often leftovers that you usually cover with cellophane film, like a muffin you want to take for coffee at the office or a sandwich to take away at lunch. The used plastic film thus ends up in the trash after use…

The principle of the beeswrap is to be able to wrap our food without creating waste, while using what we already have: an old cloth, an iron and beeswax, easy to find in pharmacies if you don’t have candle leftovers. Less waste and a nice DIY to offer to your loved ones!

What you need

A clean, dry piece of cloth – this can be a scrap of fabric, an old shirt etc., which can be used for upcycling here.
Beeswax, broken into small pieces.
An iron
Baking paper, which you can keep to use next time

Method

Cut the fabric to the desired size.
Cut the beeswax into small granules (see photo), if it is bought in pharmacies it is normally ready to use. Beeswax has antibacterial properties, so it is important not to use just any candle wax!
Pre-heat the iron
Place a piece of baking paper (slightly larger than the cloth) on an ironing board, put the cloth on it and spread the beeswax granules evenly on it.
Place the 2nd piece of baking paper on top of your fabric, and gently iron; the wax will melt and integrate the fabric, making it waxy.
Turn your cloth over (leaving the baking paper on) and iron on the other side.
Add a little wax if necessary

Your beeswrap is ready!

Tricks

Wash your beeswrap in cold water with soap.
Avoid very hot foods as they can melt the wax.
If you need more wax, remelt it as described above.
For hygienic reasons, it is advisable not to use the same beeswrap over 1-2 years of age.

reCIRCLE – Swiss reusable system for take-aways

8 June 2018

Posted in: Member

The Swiss reusable containers system for take-aways

The reCIRCLE reusable system launched in Bern is the world’s first large-area, reusable system for take-aways. The reBOXes are washable containers with covers especially developed for waste prevention.

The vision of reCIRCLE

A Swiss reusable system for more enjoyment and less waste of resources and littering.

Thanks to the clever reBOXes produced in Switzerland and increasing network of partner take-aways, reCIRCLE is a logical and huge step in preventing unnecessary waste of resources. Numerous take-aways are already on: see the network on their website

You can make your own contribution and support the system

Become a member of the association reCIRCLE and/or help to find new takeaway partners and earn a remuneration.

Website: www.recircle.ch

Vinegar and what you need to know to use it differently yet correctly.

17 March 2017

Posted in: Cleaning Hygiene and care

« White vinegar, household vinegar, alcohol vinegar, flavored vinegar, table vinegar…. acid, corrosive, anti-scale… »

Feeling lost? Me too, so let’s get back to the basics:

Vinegar is a liquid that contains water, acetic acid and sugars. The acetic acid is the result of the degradation of an alcoholic solution by bacterias. It is the main « active » agent of vinegar (but we will get back to that later).
Wine vinegar, apple vinegar or honey vinegar, means that bacterial fermentation has been made out of a « natural » alcohol.
If we use pure industrial alcohol (like ethanol), we get white vinegar, which is colorless and also called household vinegar.

« But is it dangerous ? »

Vinegars that you will commonly find in supermarkets are not dangerous as their pourcentage of acetic acid is less than 10%. Table vinegar has usually between 4% to 8%. Let’s take an example from my kitchen: red wine vinegar, on the label we can read ” acid 4,5 % “.

But an acetic acid solution with a higher percentage can be dangerous. It is corrosive and can damage your skin or your eyes very fast. When using them, you need safety glasses, acid-resistant gloves and so on. All good chemist would tell you so!

Vinegar is a real danger when mixed with bleach: mixing them would result in the production of dichloride, a very toxic gas. Do not store bleach next to something acid.

« So how should I use it and what can I use it for? »

The acetic acid that vinegar contains is a weak acid, which means that you can use it at home without wearing a white blouse or gloves. But the acid in vinegar is great to dissolve limescale, for example.

You can use vinegar around the house:

In the laundry machine as a fabric softener;
To clean the sink, the toilets, the kettle or the iron;
To balance the pH of your hair after the shampoo (hair has a natural pH of 5, whereas water is around 7.5, therefore rinsing your hair with vinegar gives it back some acidity after washing it);
To clean the windows (because oil is not soluble in water but when you mix water with a bit of vinegar, it gets acid enough to dissolve small amounts of grease that can be found on your kitchen windows for example).

And you, are you using it for anything else?

Two more tips!

When you are done with a jar of pickles, filter the liquid with a strainer then pour the vinegar in your toilets. It is a great way to clean them.

If you are not a fan of the smell of vinegar, you can infuse orange or lemon peels in it for a couple of weeks. Take the peels out of the liquid before using it to clean. That will give a nice smell to your bathroom!

Author: Flavie, chimiste