Those thin clear plastic bags used to weigh your fruit/veggies at the shop

Where ever possible, use reusable shopping bags or shop with your own basket.  Plastic bags can be reused to shop with and as bin liners, etc.  As for those thin clear plastic bags you weigh your veggies in at the grocery store, try to do without where possible although often the grocery store insists you do use them.  I reuse these bags for freezing stuff in instead of using zip lock bags/cling wrap and also use it in place of cling wrap for covering bowls in the fridge, etc (as long as they are 'clean', i.e. dry with no traces of dairy/meat).  They can also be re-used for throwing your bones / dairy / meat & other non-compostable scraps in to freeze and dispose of later. [Note: reason for freezing meat/dairy scraps - once you start recycling it takes forever to fill your 'landfill' bin therefore it is more hygenic to freeze non-compostable scraps such as meat and dairy - especially in summer].  Remember when weighing your veggies in these bags at the grocery shop, don't tie the bags too tight!  This will enable you to open them at home without having to damage them by tearing them open.

Grow your own food (organically)

It's not necessarily as hard as you think and there are not enough words to describe just how rewarding it can be!  There is nothing like eating food that you have grown yourself, food that you know does not contain harmful pesticides and chemicals.  As an added bonus, you can save yourself some money and possibly even make yourself a little extra by selling excess to neighbours.  If others in your neighbourhood are also growing, it becomes fun to trade, compare and learn from one another! So, maybe you don't have a lot of space?  No excuse! You need very little space and if all else fails, use pots! [Here we used an old bathtub]

Buy local

In most cases, buying local has less of a negative impact on the environment than buying imports or items from afar.  This "Made in SA" blog features just some of the many 'Made in SA' products out there.  And remember, supporting local is also good for South Africa as a whole!

Eggshells

Don't throw these in the bin! Store them in a dry place and once they have dried out, crush them in a dry cloth or newspaper then throw them into a (recycled) container.  Once you have collected enough, use them in your garden in veggie or flower beds to help deter snails, grubs etc.  It is also apparently good for the soil! DID YOU KNOW? Egg shells are 95% calcium carbonate, a mineral that is very important for nutrition and agriculture. Note: When handling eggshells, remember to wash your hands (and cloth) afterwards and do not store eggshells in large batches for long periods of time.