If you guys live in Switzerland, you’re most likely adapted to the sustainable lifestyle here. Meaning that you recycle, segregate your paper, are conscious about using water and electricity and so on. I am sharing some more tips on how to make your life and home more sustainable in collaboration with BLKB – the bank that cares about the future and supports sustainable solutions in the region.
1. BUY SECOND-HAND
Shopping vintage furniture and second-hand books will not only make your interiors super unique, but is waaaay better for the planet – you give the items a second life (and it’s also better for your wallet – you usually pay less than you would pay at the store). My husband is super good with finding unique vintage pieces – he found a Knoll Barcelona Chair, Vitra Eames Office chair, Iitala vintage glasses and many other cool items that I really really love. Coolest spots to shop:
- of course Brocki – the biggest Heilsarmee brocki.ch in Pratteln or the other ones in the city (you can just google Brocki Basel and you’ll have a map with spots to shop)
- Facebook Marketplace – you can find literally everything based on your location
- Buecher Brocki in Gundeli – for vintage books – I got a few beautiful and unique coffee-table books there – they have a huge selection in German, but also in English, French and other languages
- if you’re not so good with browsing second-hand stores, there is a cool insta-account, where you can find a curated selection of vintage home-deco and furniture. It’s called PENDL.
- each neighbourhood in Basel hosts a “Quartierflohmi” once a year – a neighbourhood flea market where people sell the items they don’t need anymore. You can find more info HERE.
2. SHOP LOCAL
Shopping local products is sustainable for many reasons – they are grown near Basel – reducing the distance that food travels translates into environmental benefits + the fresh veggies and fruit are not packed in foil or plastic – so as good as it gets 🙂 to carry your farmer market finds, get yourself a cotton tote from THEBASILISKCAT with a cool Basler print. Sharing the list of Basler farmer markets below:
- Matthäusmarkt at the Matthäusplatz in Kleinbasel – Every Saturday from 8:oo to 13:00
- Marktplatz Wochenmarkt – favourite for fresh local flowers and has the best cheese stand – everyday from 6:00
- Wettsteinmarkt – my go-to for fresh veggies and fruit – at the Wettsteinplatz, every Wednesday from 15:00 to 19:00
- Breitemarkt – at Breitematte, on Saturdays from 9:00 to 13:00
- Märt am Tellplatz – every Saturday from 8:00 to 13:00
- St. Johannsmarkt – at Vogesenplatz, every Saturday from 9:00 to 14:00)
- Dienstagsmarkt Ruetimeyerplatz, on Tuesdays from 8:30 to 11:30
3. GET YOUR FOOD WASTE-FREE
In Basel, you’ll find a few “Unverpackt” stores, that offer the possibility to purchase organic and preferably regional products package-free. You can bring your own container you’d like to refill and buy pasta/ flour and other goods completely waste-free. A few locations:
- Basel Unverpackt at Erasmusplatz
- NatĂĽrlich Unverpackt Basel at St. Jakobs-Strasse
- AbfĂĽllerei Basel at GĂĽterstrasse
- Foodyblutt- Basel unverpackt at  Mittlere Strasse
4. GROW A GARDEN
Whether you have a house and can have flowers and plants outdoor or live in an apartment, by getting plants you can make your home more sustainable. Firstly, you can plant bee-friendly and beautiful flowers. For example, bellflower, fan flower, verbena, vanilla flower and others will help bees and other beneficial insects that provide a natural control of plant pests. Secondly, getting your own herbs in pots (like chives, thyme or basil) will make your life more sustainable as you won’t have to shop for herbs at the supermarket, which often traveled a long way to get to the supermarket and are usually wrapped in plastic.
5. GET A SUSTAINABLE CHRISTMAS TREE
One last tip right in time for the upcoming Christmas. You can decorate your home with a beautiful christmas tree, that after the holidays can be replanted. So much better than the plastic trees or the cut ones – these replanteable trees will go back to the forest and help reduce CO2 levels in the air. Here are two spots I am aware of, where you can order your own fluffy tree:
- Ecosapin – they deliver all over Switzerland and they pick it up after the holidays, on the day of your choice.
- LBB – a more local solution – you rent them for the Christmas period and afterwards they go back in the ground of the LBB (Lehrbetriebe Beider Basel – a foundation helping young people with challenges on the market).
I hope you guys find those tips useful. To learn more about sustainable solutions for Basel and Basel-Land, head to the website of the BLKB. You’ll find more info HERE.
*This post was written in paid partnership with BLKB.
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