LIVING LIGHT

Welcome! You have found the site of the CreationKeepers team (Christ Church's Eco Church Committee), which shares ideas and experiences about how we can all lighten our environmental footprint. We do this because we see our planet and its resources at a breaking point and believe in the power of personal examples. Most weeks, we will reflect on some aspect of living, working, shopping, consuming, reading, learning, etc. These are all local experiences and can easily be adopted by others in our community. Our authors (Rosie and Monika) look forward to any comments or ideas that you may also have and want to share. Send us your ideas at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Blog #107: Let’s prepare for Plastic Fasting - When shopping for Hygiene & Beauty!

February 16, 2023
Monika Weber-Fahr

This Blog is for those of you who are considering or have already decided to join me as of next week for the 40 days (or some portion of them) of this year’s lenten period - in committing to Plastic Fasting as a lenten practice. The Blog is also dedicated to those who really have no intention to do this but are just kind of curious … to hear how disruptive, or even rewarding, it would be when avoiding - as much as possible - the use of single-use plastics that our fast food and instant gratification world has made such a big and yet environmentally damaging part of our lives. Today’s Blog looks at whether - and how - it’s even possible to commit to Plastic Fasting when shopping for hygiene and beauty products. Spoiler alert: It’s kind of tough - but you’ll learn about a whole new world of alternative (or old) ways of keeping clean and pretty. What is clear: Most of the products you normally use will be off-limits for the next 40 days. And, of course, that’s exactly what fasting is all about - about abstinence and abstention ;-)

So what’s off-limits? The list is long: In the bathroom, you will have to abstain from your regular toothpaste, your showergel, your shampoo, your hand sanitizer, if you have one, and surely your liquid soap. In the kitchen the list continues: Most dishwasher soap comes in plastic-wrapped tabs, and most washing-up liquid will be in a plastic bottle. Cleaning products for the household offer the same if not more challenges. And by the time you get to look at your washing machine, you will discover that not only do all washing liquids come in plastic bottles - but also when you use powders that come in paper boxes, you are not safe from plastics, simply because of the micro-plastics being released when washing your clothes. Because yes: Clothes made with acrylic or polyester fabric will release micrplastics every time you wash them. Bummer. It seems obvious - but I had never thought about it.

Foto:Just doing your laundry, you are contributing to the world’s micro-plastic problems: This graph illustrates the average number of filber released when washing a regular 6kg load, depending on the material of the clothes you you wash. Source: HausVonEden.de

Yes, my off-limits list is long. What makes this complicated, on my end, is that I share the household with a few others, none of whom are committed to Plastic Fasting, so I will have to be pragmatic. In the bathroom, it’s easy. I already figured out alternatives to tooth paste (there are nice powders that come in glasses and you can buy them at every DM), there are soap bars that work beautifully under the shower as well as shampoo bars. I have found further hair products that come in metal boxes, and instead of moisturizer I am using oils that come in glasses (I will have to ignore their plastic tops, thoughl; I simply could not find easily accessible oils that come differently). In the cleaning product department, there are a lot of options - for me my taste, though, too many to choose from. For washing powder, the most simple solution is to go for Frosch products. They don’t test just as well as some of the other alternatives, but Frosch does offer a washing powder (instead of liquid) that is guaranteed free of microplastics, as well as tabs for the dishwasher that are also microplastic free. For the rest, I will walk into my local Unverpackt store and simply buy some of the liquid soaps and solutions they have - filling them into old honey glasses. Let’s see how that will work out.

Is that it? Well, reading up on the micro-plastics that are emitted when washing my clothes has given me pause. Even with the best ot intentions, there is little one can do to completely stop this - short of switching completely to clothes made from natural fibres only. Even switching is tough if only because it seems that not everything that says 100% cotton also is 100% cotton. There is some talk about filters in washing machines, but they seem to not have fully figured them out. The only reasonable pathway here seems to be to simply wash less: If there is a stain on your fleece pullover, don’t throw it immediately in the wash but rather fix the stain.

You read this Blog until here? Well, then here is my question to you: Are you in or are you out? Will you join me for my Plastic Fasting adventure as of next week Wednesday? It does not have to be perfect - you don’t have to go all the way - but maybe you want to try just for parts of it? You may have seen in earlier blogs: Christians around the world are practicing Plastic Fasting, here and there, and the Anglican Communion as well as the Anglican Church have formally embraced such initiatives various times and in various places. In fact, the GreenAnglicans offer a day-by-day schedule on what to do and how when committing to Plastic Fasting. So, please do feel invited to join me (and many others) on this special lenten journey!

Feeling inspired? Want to contribute? Remark on or question something? Please send thoughts about or suggestions for the Living Light Blog to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Blog #106: Let’s prepare for Plastic Fasting - When making a Meal!

February 9, 2023
Monika Weber-Fahr

This Blog is for those of you who are considering or have already decided to join me - for the 40 days (or some portion of them) of this year’s lenten period - in committing to Plastic Fasting as a lenten practice. The Blog is also dedicated to those who really have no intention to do this but are just kind of curious … to hear how disruptive, or even rewarding, it would be when avoiding - as much as possible - the use of single-use plastics that our fast food and instant gratification world has made such a big and yet environmentally damaging part of our lives.

Today’s Blog looks at whether - and how - it’s even possible to commit to Plastic Fasting when making a meal and thus shopping for food. Spoiler alert: It’s not easy but it’s possible. And: Some of your favorite food may be out of reach while plastic fasting. But then, isn’t that what fasting is all about? About abstinence or abstention? .

So this week I went to my local Spar and Hofer to check out what food I can and cannot buy when committing to Plastic Fasting. I was looking for things that are not packed fully or partially in a plastic wrap, box or glas-with-a-plastic lid. And it turns out that, indeed, committing to Plastic Fasting will require me to abstain from quite a long list of things: Most Yogurts (with the exception from a few that come in glass containers), all cottage cheese, all the cheese and cold cuts that come ready-packed, néscafe, most teabags, practically all sweets, all my favorite chewing gums, and quite a lot - even though not all - of the vegetables. Thankfully, some oil and vinegar come in bottles, often but not always with tops not made from plastic - what a relief! Salt, pepper, and other seasonings? That may get interesting! Will I spend the 40 days of lent with a vegetable-only diet? Potatoes, tomatoes, kohlrabi, cabbage, lettuce, and so on are all great - but what about a little bit of protein, what about some spices?

Foto: It's all there - at your local Zero-Waste store (Unverpacktladen) in Vienna - Pasta, rice, lentils, all sorts of things, all without the plastic wrapping, bag or box. But don't forget bringing your own containers - they have some you can purchase, but in the long run, having your own helps!.

Unverpacktläden (elsewhere they are called Zero Waste Stores or Minimal Waste Grocery) are the solution, and YES!, Vienna has quite a few, and you can even find one near you by using an online map. So off I went - looking to figure out how this works; the shop I chose is Lunzers Mass Greiserei, off Praterstern in the 2nd district, easily reachable via metro and S Bahn. Important: Luckily I remembered ahead of time that one should bring one’s own containers - they have a great variety that they can sell you, but you’d be better off to come with whatever little boxes you have to be filled right then and there. To my relief: They had practically all things I was looking for - pasta, seasonings, beans, lentils, tea, and so on, and I could pack it in my own containers. And yes, these places seem to be super well stocked. Not a whole lot of variety, perhaps, maybe not all of it from my favorite brands, and yes, more expensive, but the food itself is there. And who knows, I may end up shopping and eating more carefully and thus have less food waste in my fridge? The world’s best husband was initially rather skeptical but then got quite excited when he found out that they have some kind of a machine that allows you to create your own Nutella-type mix, basically determining how much chocolate, nuts, sweets etc you want to have in your chocolate spread… finally, he may have a reason for going with me to the Unverpacktladen, too.

A final thought on shopping for food Plastic Free: How to store the food - in particular the left-overs - is a non-banale question, and it is worth a good after-thought. Usually, one would use cling film or plastic film - once thought to be an essential need in our kitchens. Well, I will not be using any of this during Plastic Fasting, but in fact I had begun eliminating cling film from our kitchen for some time. How to pack cheese or cold cuts or other things that one would normally use cling film for? Well, there are two great options: Firstly, you can (re-)use jam or honey glasses - that’s where most of our cheeses go in. Secondly, you can get wax cloth - apparently something that was used much between the 1920 and the 1950s and then got somewhat forgotten (when cling film started appearing in the shelves of our supermarkets I presume). Wax cloth is made from simple cotton cloths that have been treated with bee wax - ideally from organically managed bee hives. You can find them in many stores - ask for Wachstücher - or you can order them: I found a fabulous son-and-mother team that have set up their own little Wachstuch production sourcing their wax from their own bees. Not cheap, but reusable many many times.

Foto: Check out wax cloths as an alternative to plastic film - it keeps your food fresh, in the fridge and outside, for a long time, and you can clean it and reuse it many many times. The picture here is from the website of a small store that specializes in wax cloths - based on wax from their own honey bees here in Austria.

So, yes, Plastic Fasting when shopping for food - and when storing food - requires you to plan ahead. Find out where your next Market or Unverpacktladen are, take your containers and go shopping there, shop the unwrapped or paper-wrapped food in your local supermarket or bakery, and make sure to not deploy single-use plastics when storing your food. And yes, there may be a few things you simply cannot have - during Plastic Fasting - because they are only available in plastic containers. But isn’t that what fasting is about? Re-considering our lives of convenience and instant gratification and instead getting our eyes off ourselves and off what serves and pleases us - so that we can get them back onto the Lord and our life of faith. Christians around the world are practicing Plastic Fasting, here and there, and the Anglican Communion as well as the Anglican Church have formally embraced such initiatives various times and in various places. In fact, the GreenAnglicans offer day-by-day schedule on what to do and how when committing to Plastic Fasting. So, please do feel invited to join me (and many others) on this special lenten journey.

Stay tuned - next week’s Tips and Tricks for Plastic Fasting will take a look at what to do about hygiene products when looking to avoid plastic containers and boxes.

Blog #105: Let’s prepare for Plastic Fasting - When on the Move!

February 2, 2023
Monika Weber-Fahr

Today’s Blog looks at how to avoid single-use plastics when on the move: When we are out and about, on a train ride, a hike, a plane, at a museum, at work, or otherwise away from home. When on the move, we often see the nicely stocked stores in train stations, along the road, in cafeterias or other places that offer all sorts of drinks as well as a quick bite or a snack, and we will quickly see that most of what we’d like to purchase comes in a plastic bottle, is wrapped in some sort of plastic film or kept in a plastic container. Even many of the salad bars that have begun using paper-based containers will still offer plastic covers for these containers. What to do? Well, there are two answers: Bring your own drink or food - or bring your own bottle or box empty and get it filled right then and there.

Foto: My three essentials for Plastic Fasting on the move: A flask (for water), a mug (for the occasional fresh coffee), and a box (for sandwiches, carrots, nuts etc). I may have to re-consider the box since its not great for packing salads, let's see how the journey goes...

Purchasing your drink and asking for it to be served in your own mug, cup or bottle is a somewhat exciting endeavor - at least for an introvert - since it requires a conversation and sometimes some kind of a compromise with the staff in the coffee shop or Kiosk that you are asking for help. By now, I have done it many times - the coffee shops in Vienna that I tried seem to be totally fine with a process that involves me handing over my mug and them filling it with coffee (or hot water for a cup of tea or just tap water). Not so easy when giving them my flask - because they are unsure how to charge me, and getting the tea bag into the flask also sometimes is a challenge. Oddly enough, when in Germany I got a somewhat fearful reaction a few times - food inspectors seem to be persistent in some places, not allowing staff in coffee shops to just fill someone’s personal cup that may or may not be hygienic. In some cases, I had staff simply refuse my request, in other cases they actually took the time to clean my mug, and once or twice or so the person on the other side would whisper “Well, there is no one here right now, so I’ll just do it”. In most cases, a lovely conversation would ensue, creating space for the staff to express their appreciation of what you are doing. After all: They see how plastic (and paper) cups and mugs are mounting up and don’t like it either.

Flasks, mugs, and containers are easy to find - you probably have them in your kitchen anyways. For a flask I use one of the stainless steel ones that have recently become very attainable. The fancy hiking stores sell them, but also Spar had a cheap version on offer some time ago that is just as functional. Some people may prefer a proper thermos - but I find those heavy to carry around. Also, the flasks also take carbonized drinks and keep them (mostly) fresh, so you may find that attractive. For a mug, I use something with a lid that one can close - just to avoid accidents. And for a container, I often use a simple sandwich box. Some people may prefer something with a better lid - particularly for salads that is useful; I am still learning.

You might ask yourself how hard I find it to always have a bottle or a mug with me? Really, not so much. Yes, I’ll do it on a hike - but when I am in the city, I can’t be bothered to always carry that flask with me, was the reaction of someone I talked with. Well, you may think that, of course - but quite frankly, what I am doing here is precisely what any Mum will do that leaves the house with small children: We always have drinks and food packed, and some of us have gotten so good in the logistics of packing (empty the flask when you get home; fill it up in the morning and put it in the bag right by the door) that you end up not even thinking about it. So if every Mum can do it - so can you! In terms of logistics, all you will need is a slightly larger shoulder bag or a small backpack to carry the mug around - and yes, I have taken one such mug in my little backpack even into the Wiener Staatsoper (somewhat uselessly because I found out that they serve drinks in porcelain cups or glass bottles anyways! - praise the Opera’s caterers).

But what about snacks and food? Here life gets to be a bit more restrictive. If you are already on the move but do not want to buy snacks that come in a plastic box or with plastic wrapping you will often restrict yourself to bakery products - because they mostly come in a paper bag. That’s perhaps attractive for some of us but definitely not always everyone’s go-to health-food. Avoiding plastic also means that I get to have a lent pretty much devoid of snack bars - so I will say good-bye to Mars, Bounty, Snickers, and their friends. I can prepare things ahead of time, of course, whether baking a cookie or making a salad, and take them with me. This does not have to be complicated. Myself, I am a big fan of white-beans-with-tomatoe salad or rustic bean salda with pumpkin seed oil - quick to make, easy to pack, and it will survive the day even in warmer temperatures. If you are pressed for time: Get those tomatoes, a cucumber or carrots on the market or in the package-free stores that you may have found out about by now. As always, the trick will be to have a good container or box. Which reminds me: You can of course also take your container to the fast food place you have in mind - you favorite Döner, the Buddha Bowls, or just your local cantina - and have them fit your order in your box (rather than in a plastic wrap or container with a plastic lid). That really works - been there, done that - just try!

So, yes, Plastic Fasting when on the move requires you to plan ahead. Pack your flask, mug, or container. Maybe prepare a snack and pack that, too. It may involve replacing your favorite but plastic-wrapped snacks with something else that you perhaps brought from home. But isn’t that what fasting is about? Re-considering our lives of convenience and instant gratification and instead getting our eyes off ourselves and off what serves and pleases us - so that we can get them back onto the Lord and our life of faith. Christians around the world are practicing Plastic Fasting, here and there, and the Anglican Communion as well as the Anglican Church have formally embraced such initiatives various times and in various places. In fact, the GreenAnglicans offer day-by-day schedule on what to do and how when committing to Plastic Fasting. So, please do feel invited to join me (and many others) on this special lenten journey.

Stay tuned - next week’s Tips and Tricks for Plastic Fasting will take a look at what to shop for regular food, how and where!

Blog #104: Will you join me - in a few weeks - for Plastic Fasting?

January 26, 2023
Monika Weber-Fahr

It’s still January, just about, and Lent is right around the corner. In just under four weeks, Ash Wednesday will remind us of our mortality and mark the beginning of Lent. Our church invites us once again to prepare our hearts for Easter - through acts of penance, prayer and works of mercy. And yes, fasting is one such act of penance. This year, would it be a good idea to abstain not so much from our (favorite) food - but rather from purchasing or using items that come packaged in disposable plastic, as a way to reduce our own harmful impact on creation? Do you want to join me - this year - in committing to Plastic Fasting for all or some of the 40 days of the lenten period?

Plastic Fasting can be a great lenten excercise, for those of us caring for God’s Creation as much as for anyone else: After all, our society’s dependence on - and obsession with - anything and everything made from plastic greatly and negatively impacts all living beings. This includes the fish that feed on plastic parts that someone has carelessly deposited in a river or sea, the birds that eat the fish or are attracted by sparkling little plastic things themselves, and the plants that cannot live in plastic polluted environments. While plastics as a material have their place in our society - when carefully used and mindfully recycled or disposed of - the biggest problem for nature is the (over)use of disposable and single-use plastics. Mostly, this is driven by some form of packaging - and as consumers we can directly influence the choices that large firms make when they decide how to market and deliver their goods to us. But even where our choices have little influence: Taking a period of our time to consciously renounce everything that comes packed in plastic will create in us awareness of our responsibility for God’s Creation and opportunity for prayer and action. In fact, studies have shown that those of us using lent as a moment to change our habits - avoiding products packed in plastic - have often also after lent continued their new habits.

Foto: Let's abstain from Single Use Plastics during Lent! It will not be an easy journey - but others are doing it, too, and so we won't be alone. I spoke to others who have done Plastic Fasting during lent - they all found it a great way to focus our minds and hearts on what we need and can do for God's Creation.

So are you in? Will you join me? One thing is sure: As a penance, Plastic Fasting is great - simply because it will not come easy. In some cases it may not even be possible to avoid purchasing and using anything that comes in plastic wrapping - certainly when you consider the period (for 40 days) and the scope (everything and anything that we purchase on an everyday basis). Successful Plastic Fasting will require some thought and perhaps even more preparation. In fact, in reflecting on what I would need to plan for, I realized that there are four quite different challenges: Firstly, there is the food I buy - most of it comes in plastic wrapping, certainly when I purchase it from the regular stores, Hofer, Billa, Spar, and so on. Secondly, there are personal hygiene products, from tooth paste through to shampoo - also here no shortage of plastics, at least when considering the containers. Thirdly, what about household hygiene - the tabs for my dish washer, the flasks for the detergent? And fourthly, there is what I consume on the go, when on a train or when ordering in. Can I really avoid all plastics here? The good news is: We live in Vienna - which means we are not alone in wanting to avoid plastics, and this means there are more solutions available than we might think. The bad news is: I will very likely have to say goodbye to my favorite yoghurts and even to tofu, tempeh and other goodies that I simply cannot not find in the package free stores or markets that I have checked. But on the other hand, abstaining is the point of fasting, is it not?

To make things a wee bit easier for anyone contemplating to join me on my journey towards 40 Days of Plastic Fasting, I will use the next three blogs to help you out with some tips and tricks - for shopping for food and for household management choices, and for consuming food on the go. Importantly, if there is anyone reading these lines who has some practical ideas or references and resources on how to make Plastic Fasting more feasible and easier: Please do share those via email (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) so that I can make them available more broadly.

Ours is a culture of fast food and fast living - and we often value personal convenience and instant gratification higher than common goods. Fasting can help us in getting our eyes off ourselves and off what serves and pleases us - so that we can get them back onto the Lord and our life of faith. Christians around the world are practicing Plastic Fasting, in different locations and contexts, and the Anglican Communion as well as the Anglican Church have formally embraced such initiatives various times and in various places. In fact, the GreenAnglicans offer a day-by-day schedule on what to do and how when committing to Plastic Fasting. So, please do feel invited to join me (and many others) in this endeavour. I can promise one thing: It will be an unusual journey, full of surprises and learnings, with opportunities for spiritual growth and reflection on each and every day of the forty days of lent!

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