Thoughtful End-of-year Teachers Gifts

If you are reading this, thank a teacher :)

Indeed we have many reasons to be grateful for teachers. They show support, kindness, great dedication, and the ability to deal with children of every age on an almost daily basis. 

A teacher wears many hats; oftentimes they are a coach, a nurse, and a big sister/brother. Most teachers go beyond their job description, for this challenging but also very rewarding profession. 

Have you thanked your teachers yet? Here are some thoughtful gifts that will show your gratitude. 

Click on the images to learn more and go to the Eco Market store for easy online purchase.

Ceramic Roses made with recycled material - €8

Round Earrings made with dried cactus leaves - €36

Truffle Vegan Assortment Box - €18

Silver pendant with Swarovski crystal necklace - €25

Pistachio & Raspberry Semi-Freddo (pack of 3) - €15

Say it with a Candle - Thank you Teacher - €20

Olive wood heart Keyring - €12

Zero Waste Starter Kit - €36.99

Beeswax Food Wraps - Mumbai Magic Collection - €15

Aloe Vera Plant - €7

Inspiring mindful and sustainable living - A blog with a purpose

The term eco-anxiety or eco grief are some of the terms that are becoming more common. Many people are not only becoming more worried about the state of our planet, but are also aware that climate change can affect our physical well-being through pollution, the spread of disease, and food quality. Louisa Tonna, mom of two young boys, acknowledges that this type of worry has been with her for as long as she can remember until she decided to do something about it. 

Louisa founded 'Tears of Green', a blog to inspire mindful and sustainable living, to help her cope with her concerns by focusing on positive news, and at the same time spread awareness. 

Guest blog by Louisa Tonna

Watching David Attenborough's documentary in 2020, 'A Life on Our Planet', was a wake-up call for me to really increase my efforts towards living more sustainably. It opened my eyes to what's to come, a reality which we are already seeing unfold, but perhaps are unconsciously (or consciously) choosing not to see.

I believe that each and every one of us can make a difference, and the more we work together, the better the results will be. Education is key and by learning and increasing our understanding of the risks being posed, the better informed we'll be and can take the right action. We can't just sit still and wait for governments and policymakers to make a change; it has to be a collective effort.

I know that we are running out of time and that much of the damage we've caused is irreparable, but I still have hope that we can slow down climate change and reduce the damage going forward. This is why I created Tears of Green. I use my time to learn as much as I can and communicate these findings to my readers, making changes in my own life as I go along. I am also getting to know some amazing people in the sustainable community and collaborating with them on little projects for change.

Mindfulness forms the core of my principles. Tears of Green explores living mindfully and the way in which it leads to living sustainably. Mindfulness is mainly about being in the present moment, self-care, enhancing our connection with nature, taking in our surroundings, and appreciating what we already have; the world around us, our loved ones, and even our materialistic belongings. It is about living a slower, more conscious life. These things, among others, for the basis of leading a sustainable life. This is why I believe that mindfulness and sustainability go hand in hand. One intrinsically leads to the other. 

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Eco-friendly food packaging

Guest post by Bella Roy from Pedigree

Did you know that consumer packaging is a top culprit of street littering and causes the most amount of waste in landfills?

Eco-friendly packaging is known to others as sustainable packaging, green packaging or environmentally-friendly packaging. It is the use of earth-friendly materials to package a product. A company that uses eco-friendly packaging materials can communicate its values on environment conservation to its customers and use this to leverage its brand image and reputation. 

Environmentally friendly packaging is a form of packaging, usually made of recycled or renewable materials. This is safe and sustainable for both the individual and the environment. The main features of sustainable packaging are that they produce little to no environmental waste, are safe for people and the environment, and are made of reusable or biodegradable materials.

PET Plastic

This type of packaging uses plastic materials that are safe, non-toxic, strong, flexible, and recyclable. It is one of the most popular transparent packaging materials often preferred over glass packaging due to the safety it provides. It is very light, comes in different shapes, sizes, and designs, and available in different colours. Another advantage of using PET plastic packaging is that it offers an excellent barrier; hence, the integrity of a product is maintained. 

Glass 

Glass is a trusted eco-friendly material. A consumer may choose glass over others due to its ability to preserve a product's taste and integrity. Its main advantage is the fact that it can be used over and over without losing its quality or purity. Glass is moisture-proof and heat-resistant. It is a good material for the long-term preservation of food and is can be transparent which is an important feature for food packaging. The commonly used glass containers in food packaging are bottles with narrow necks and jars or pots that have wide openings. Glass is widely recycled and is considered a sustainable material. The downside is that it can break or damage and is bulky and heavy to transport.

Metal

Metal packaging is usually made from Stainless steel, Aluminum, or Tinplate. The properties of food-safe metal make the packaging are that it is heat resistant, durable, and is often widely recycled. This type of packaging has been used since the 1990s primarily in the packaging of carbonated and non-carbonated drinks. 80% of all metal bottles ever produced are still in use to date. Metal packaging can be recycled to infinity making it the most eco-friendly packaging method, however, it requires regular integrity testing to ensure everything is safely contained and secure.

Kraft Paper

These types of eco-friendly food packaging are used internationally in the industry. Also known as butcher paper or brown paper, it derives its name from the German word Kraft - which means resistance, strength, and effectiveness. Kraft paper is made of wood pulp. It's coarse and brown in colour. Since the materials used to make these bags are mostly plant-based, they are very friendly to the environment. They are also recyclable and compostable.

Cardboard and Paper

Cardboard and Paper are organic and environmentally friendly materials. It is lightweight, has a low cost compared to metal and glass, and is widely recyclable and compostable. However, when cardboard packaging comes in contact with moisture and humidity, its barrier integrity will be compromised, making it easier to tear or damage. The downside of recycled paper and cardboard is that they contain harmful mineral oils and other substances that may contaminate the food beyond the safe-for-consumption level. 

Sugarcane

Sugarcane is a plant-based, tree-free renewable material made from sugarcane plant waste left over after sugar extraction. This fibrous paste-like material makes durable containers that are attractive to environmentally conscious consumers and require much less energy to produce than plastic products. It is suitable for cold and hot applications, sturdy, durable, can handle greasy food, and 100% biodegradable/compostable, It is also microwave and refrigerator safe and does not contain any toxic dyes, even in the unbleached design. 

Cornstarch

The materials used to make these types of eco-friendly food packaging are derived from corn and maize plants. This means they are biodegradable, which is critical when it comes to environmental conservation. it is imperative that the packaging is disposed of properly to ensure it does not take too long to decompose. When properly disposed of, the materials will break down into carbon dioxide and water, which cause no harm to the environment. The materials are cheap, sustainable, and easy to produce, hence, they are ideal for companies with a wide variety of foods to package. 

Eco-Friendly Packaging can be a great move for your business!

With more and more companies looking for ways to reduce their ecological footprint, switching to eco-friendly packaging makes sense. Most businesses are looking to go green with their packaging and doing so does more than just help the environment. It can also help the business save money while making your company more appealing to customers. 

Consumers take a lot of factors into consideration when choosing which companies to support. They are increasingly seeking companies that do their part to reduce their negative impact on the environment. A large % of customers feel better about purchasing products with packaging that is made from recycled materials, for instance. By committing to using eco-friendly packaging in your business, a company can improve its brand image and appeal to more customers. 

A sustainable design studio in Gozo

Guest post by Aprille Zammit

I spent summer leaving vanishing footprints in the sand as I scanned the beach for washed-up sea glass. I was on a mission to do my bit to help the environment, utilizing my creativity as my device to do so. When the time came to present my idea to Dr. Jane Goodal at a Roots and Shoots camp in Switzerland that fall, I was extremely nervous. I explained to her, full of youthful enthusiasm, that I was determined to create hundreds of these sea glass ornaments to sell and donate the profit to her cause. Sixteen years later, I still strive to use my creativity for positive change. 

In the current climate, I need to constantly remind myself that every little bit helps in establishing positive change. After spending a couple of years working as a graphic designer in the consumer industry I became complacent and decided it was time for me to branch off and work with clients who share similar motives and the belief that we can all have a positive impact on this world. 

I founded my multidisciplinary studio, Swell Studio. At Swell Studio we take an idea out into the middle of the ocean. We spend time with it. Exist with it. Allow it to grow and form. Have fun riding it before letting it wash onto shore smoothly presenting itself, intentionally created in a unique way, and leaving an impression on whoever's shore it arrives. We believe every person has the power to take ownership of their actions to benefit others and the world as a whole. We strive to use eco-friendly material and produce work consciously. No two waves are the same. We believe making an impression is a must no matter how small the project may be. 

We have created an array of work including logo designs & branding, packaging designs, commissioned artwork, invitation designs, and a variety of printed matter. We also offer photography and screen printing services. We can screen print your design on shirts, different fabric, wood, and paper materials. We take a client's desires from ideation through to fabrication. We strive to work with clients who consider their impact on the environment and the people around them. 

Screen printing is a process I love practicing to output my work and clients' designs. I fell in love with screen printing back when I was attending Virginia Commonwealth University. The ability to physically output my designs and creations by hand felt very satisfying and refreshing in the increasingly digital world. I loved the slight unpredictability the medium presented and getting my hands messy with inks. It was a process I could get lost in for hours, mixing colours and pulling editions, the flow state of creating. The inks I work with are all water-based inks and eco-friendly. I create commissioned artwork using this process as well as editioned pieces. I'm happy to announce that from summer 2021, I will be holding screen printing workshops to share my knowledge and passion about this tactile process of creating. 

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