Fruits, vegetables, and nuts replaced snacks like biscuits, chocolates, and chips that are heavy on sugar and preservatives and low on nutrients thus ensuring healthier eating habits among the children who are teenagers today. "See, I am not saying that these snacks are completely forbidden. That's impossible and wrong to do. My children go to school like other kids, attend birthday parties and hang out with their friends. So obviously, they have packaged snacks once in a while. And that's fine. We have just not made those snacks a habit on our home. Once in three months or so they crave for chips or biscuits and then we buy them. But we make sure that we dispose of the plastic a recycling bin," Kalpana tells TBI.
Reducing plastic usage led the family to cut down their shopping from supermarkets and encouraged them to buy local produce. And soon enough, Kalpana shifted to homegrown fruits and vegetables in her organic farm, Kalpavriksha Farms where she grows more than 50 varieties of fruits and vegetables.
I like knowing that our small efforts are in some way contributing to the well-being of our environment. By making small changes, we are helping our environment, and that makes me feel happy and proud," 14-year-old Pranav tells The New Indian Express.
While the farm took care of most of their food needs, spices and grains started coming home either from farmer markets or in bulk from supermarkets. "I don't buy the masala /ready mix packets from outside which reduces the amount of single-use plastic in our trash. We buy our food in bulk, and often, rice and pulses come from my in-laws' agricultural field. My mother buys wheat, grinds and gives it to me. So, we don't buy the one-kilo rice and maida packets regularly. It makes a huge difference," Kalpana said.
"This is where I face a lot of challenges with my kids," she says jovially, adding, "They are so used to the lather in toothpaste and shampoos that my alternatives fall inadequate for them. 'We cannot give this up,' they tell me, and I am okay with it. They are kids, after all, and perhaps in due time, I will be able to pull them toward my side. The soap and the body butter were an instant hit with my family and friends who now purchase from me quite often. I see the products going commercial too, but in due time."
Whether toys, food or cosmetics, the Chennai family is consciously replacing most of the daily-use commodities with environmentally friendly alternatives. Through years of dedicated efforts, they have successfully built a zero-waste lifestyle. Perhaps we too can use their ideas to lead us to come closer to nature!
If you are looking for inspiration to live a minimalistic lifestyle, why not take the example of this Chennai family that has replaced all their wasteful habits with those that are wholesome, eco-conscious and nearly zero waste.
Source and Credit : https://www.thebetterindia.com/175539/chennai-family-zero-waste-organic-vegetables-india/.