Avocado: Eco-friendly ways to manage and repurpose waste

Avocados are a delicious and nutritious fruit, but they can also generate a lot of waste. The skin and pit account for about half of an avocado’s weight, and both of them are often thrown away. However, there are many ways to reduce waste and use all parts of an avocado sustainably.

Here are a few ideas:

1. Composting: Avocado skins and pits are both biodegradable. Composting them can help you reduce kitchen waste while enriching your garden soil with nutrients.
2. Sustainable Snacks: Thinly slice avocado skin and roast it in the oven for a crispy snack. You can also add it to smoothies, soups, and stews.
3. Grow your own Avocado tree: If you have the patience, you can grow your own avocado tree from the pit. Simply place the pit in a glass of water with the pointed end up. Keep the pit in a warm, sunny spot and change the water every few days. In a few weeks, you should see a root sprout from the pit. Once the root sprout is a few inches long, you can plant it in a pot with potting soil.
4. Prevent browning: Avocado browning can be prevented by various simple methods. Try lemon juice to keep it fresh, or coat the cut surface with olive oil. Leaving the pit in the leftover side or wrapping it in airtight foil can also help. Additionally, storing avocados in water or using beeswax wraps can extend their freshness.
5. Innovative tools: Consider using specialised tools like avocado huggers or silicone covers, which are designed to keep avocados fresh for longer periods. These handy accessories can be a game-changer for avocado enthusiasts. Here is a link for the Avocado huggers: https://wayofbeing.co/collections/kitchen/products/avocado-huggers?fbclid=IwAR0WPXNmnQxiWrHcwGh98X6Ni56emfeKGZGAcZCHQllJTb0tk9Wuc6RyYNc
6. Half-Skin Cover: If you’re saving half an avocado for later, use the skin from the half that’s been eaten to cover the uneaten portion. It acts as a natural protective layer.
7. Share with Squirrels: Instead of throwing away the pit and the skin, place them in a squirrel feeder. Squirrels love scraping out any leftover avocado, and it’s a delightful way to make use of waste while supporting local wildlife.
8. Mason Jar Magic: Store cut avocados in a mason jar in the fridge to keep them fresh for several days. This method works well to preserve avocados without plastic waste.
9. Creative Upcycling: Get crafty with avocado pits and skins. Use avocado stones for holiday decorations, such as Easter and Christmas ornaments, or explore DIY projects to repurpose these natural materials.
10. Tea: avocados are rich in antioxidants and soluble fibre (helps soothe bowel inflammation and upset tummy)
    1. Cut avocado seeds into small chunks, place them in a tea strainer and place them in freshly boiled water. Add some honey to cover the bitter taste if required. Enjoy the tea.
    2. Dehydrate the seeds to store for future use (see section on dehydrating avocado seeds below).
11. Mug cake: https://experthometips.com/16-incredible-uses-for-gone-off-avocados
12. Massage: Place avocado seeds in a shallow bowl and roll your feet over them
13. Natural pink dye for clothes : https://experthometips.com/16-incredible-uses-for-gone-off-avocados
14. Jewellery: Make a hand carved pendant https://www.artstarphilly.com/make-this-avocado-seed-pendant/

Dehydrating avocado seeds

3. Place the seeds in an oven at 120 celsius for 2 hours until the outer skin has completely dried off.
4. Cool the seeds, remove the dry outer skin and chop the seeds into smaller chunks.
5. Store in a airtight container

Enjoy avocados guilt-free with sustainable practices. Compost, grow avocado trees, prevent browning, use innovative tools, and minimise waste. Embrace eco-friendliness and creativity with avocados beyond the flesh.