Issuu

SEEDLING

What is crushing the tides of tourism in Iceland?

Vegan Recipes Veganism vs Vegetarianism

Ways to use coconut oil

How to break free from fast fashion

SJÁ LFB O ĐA L I ĐA R UM H V E R F I S L A N DIĐ

Who we are: SEEDS Iceland is an Icelandic non-governmental, non-profit volunteer organisation designed to promote intercultural understanding, environmental protection and awareness through work on environmental, social and cultural projects within Iceland. SEEDS main activities relate to the promotion of environmental protection and awareness, intercultural understanding and peace, through the work on social, cultural and environmental projects in Iceland.

SEEDS’ goals: SEEDS enables volunteers to get to know Iceland from a different perspective, to meet the locals and have an insight into Icelandic culture, learn new skills, gain international understanding, make new friends all over the world, and give something back to the environment; thus, the mutual rewards for the volunteers, communities and ecosystems are massive. We aim to empower, inform and expand the horizons of people of all ages, cultures, and backgrounds, to become aware of the world in which we live and to take an active role in its future development. SEEDS provides opportunities to live, learn, understand and experience, while sharing and cooperating with others from different cultures and backgrounds.

Our Website

Our Facebook

Our Instagram

Contents 1. What is crushing the tides of tourism in Iceland?

Where did all the fame come from? When local communities suffer

2.Vegetarianism vs Veganism

Vegetarian diet Vegan diet

3.Kitchen Cookbook

4.How to use coconut oil in your daily routine?

5 ways how to use it.

5. How to break free from fast fashion

Solutions on the consumer level: What can we do?

6.Playlist for people who want to have a good day

SEEDLING is the official SEEDS Magazine Editor/Layout/Design:

Proofreading:

Contributing Writers:

Rodrigo Rente

Cynthia Dressel Lennia Gallati

Matej Janiga Klára Bicáková Dominika Krawiec Lennia Gallati Maëlle Peinado 3

What is crushing the tides of tourism in Iceland? One of the most attractive countries of the Nordics is facing a slow downfall in tourism in recent years. While the COVID pandemic changed the whole shape of the traveling industry, Iceland may not be prepared for what is coming. What decisions led to the current state and why is it not certain that we will see another tourist boom in the future of this country?

Where did all the fame come from? One would wonder where such a distant island in the north of Europe got all the attention across the globe. It wasn’t a brilliant marketing strategy that brought millions of people to visit this spectacular and scenic country. In the end, it was nature itself. Dating back to April of 2010, one of the many active volcanoes in Iceland Eyjafjallajökull erupted and consequently created an enormous ash cloud. That caused the biggest air travel disruption since the second world war. Over 95’000 flights throughout Europe were canceled during that period. Afterward, the country appeared on a large number of foreign media channels, which led to a huge raise of interest. Iceland had put its name on a map for tourists eager to discover the unknown land of ice and fire.

With the great number of tourists comes great responsibility In the beginning, a vast amount of entrepreneurs and companies benefited from soaring international interest and visibility. One of them was the Icelandic low-cost airline WOW air, which ferried passengers from North America and Western Europe. At the same time as the initial boom started, multiple crucial issues came up. It was found that Iceland was simply not prepared to host large numbers of tourists, as the events that led to all the attention were purely unexpected. The biggest issue was and still is the infrastructure. The main cause might be that one of the central pillars of travel, the public railway system, is to this day still unavailable. Throughout history, there were several existing railway projects. Unfortunately, all of them failed and stayed unfinished. The main factors could be the size of the population, harsh environment, and car traffic competition. The unavailability of different forms of transformation caused numerous problems in the travel industry. WOW air was one of the most famous victims. The fact that in such a small country large numbers of competitors fight for the same customer in combination with growing fuel prices caused the extinction of one of the largest aviation companies. However, WOW air was not the only victim. After the number of visitors slowly started to fall down, several tourist-oriented businesses ended up in the same situation. A lot of them lost their customers in the fight with the competition. Some of the owners are now calling for mergers with the others to create a more sustainable way of offering services and goods to incoming customers from around the world.

What is crushing the tides of tourism in Iceland?

Initial boom period: During the beginning of the last decade, the country started to be flooded with tourists. From 2011 to 2019 internal visitation levels grew over 400%. However, spectacular nature phenomenons weren’t the only attractions that brought more people to visit each year. A financial crisis in 2008-2011, during which all three major commercial banks went bankrupt, weakened the Icelandic currency. On one hand that meant a huge decrease in terms of living standards for Icelanders, on the other, the country became more affordable for tourists. The travel industry transformed from a minor part of the economy to its biggest industry in under 10 years time span.

When local communities suffer While the tourist boom boosted the Icelandic economy and helped to establish numerous businesses around the country, it also carried a huge burden on the local communities. One of the main problems was housing in the capital city, Reykjavik. Local inhabitants were, during the past decade, simply outpriced by the growing AirBnB business. It went to such extreme situations when natives were not able to afford to live in some city neighborhoods and had to move out further away from the city center. Once this issue escalated, the government regulated AirBnB renters to a 90 day limit for accommodation. This dilemma also brought some unexpected moments. One of few was the issue of pollution of private property by tourists caused by the lack of availability of public restrooms across the country. A great number of owners filed complaints about unexpected visitors causing damage to their private property. Lack of respect from the side of visitors caused harm to Icelanders which led to the deterioration of the relationships between foreigners and natives.

Finding room to improve It seem s l i ke w ith ever y so lutio n to im prove trave l c onditions in I c e l a n d, more qu e s t i o n s a re co ming. No ne the le ss, it is im por t ant to re c ognize t h a t we, trave le rs, are the stepping sto n e in the industry. We can carry the c h a n ge on ou r s h o u ld e rs. In the end, sma ll de c isions can affe c t the l arge pic tu re of t h e w h o le i n d ustr y a nd cha nge its traje c tory for the future. The re are mu lt i ple ways to i m prove a nd explo re m ore sust ainably in re gards to nature a n d lo ca l in h ab i t an t s: 1. Re s p ect the culture a nd he rit age. Always think of giving bac k , n ot j ust t ak i n g fro m na tive residents. T his is e sse ntial for stre ngthe ning the con nec tion an d re l a tio nships. 2 . Be ar i n mind to pro tect natural site s while you are ex ploring t h e m . Lan d scap e s are here to a ma ze gene rations. The refore think before yo u do you r fi rs t s te p a nd t a ke yo ur fi rst photo. 3. P rov i de eco no mic relief to hosts. W hile e njoying vacation it i s i m po r t a n t to ap p recia te the ho stilit y. Through your c ontributions, local com mu n iti e s can g row, which presents a muc h l arge r input than we ex pe c t. To c o n clu d e, t he impo r t a nce of the individual in the trave l industry is mu ch more im p o r t an t tha n befo re. Actio ns can c re ate wave s and m ove m e nts, w h i ch s ha p e t h e fu tu re of travel. Icel a n d live d through turbule nt tim e s in pa s t yea rs. Howeve r, if the tide r ises o r falls, the m ain fac tor still st ands. I t i s us wh o d e ci d e w h a t will be the co ndit ions in whic h we will gathe r our m e mor i e s an d ex p e r i e n ce s in the f uture.

Matej Janiga 7

Vegetarianism vs Veganism In the past years, different diets have become more known thanks to people starting to be more conscious about their eating habits. The options are endless: veganism, vegetarianism, pescetarianism, flexitarianism, carnivorous or omnivorous diet, also known as non-restrictive diet, and many more. Today I decided to put two often debated diets to a test. Are they really the best choices you can have?

Advant ages and Disadvant ages for Veget arian Diet Advantages

Disadvantages

- l o we r e d r isk o f chr o nic dise ase s

- lac k of nutrie nts

- r e d u ce d j o int pa in - p o s i t i v e env ir o nmenta l an d e t hica l impa ct - r e d u ct i on o f gr o cer y co sts

Advant ages and Disadvant ages for Vegen Diet Advantages

Disadvantages

- p o s i t i v e hea lth ef f ects

- nutrie nt and vitam in de fici e n ci e s

- i n cr e as e in lif e expecta ncy - fe w e r an ima ls ha v e to die

- hard to im ple m e nt in you r daily life

- r e d u ct i on in use o f a ntibiotic s

- ve gan die t c an be e x pe ns i v e

- o v e r fi s hing ma y be pr ev en te d

- you m ay have to re frain from your favourite dishe s

- r e d u ct i on in so il po llutio n - r e d u ct i on o f gr o und-wa ter pollution 8

- not suitable for som e pe ople

Vegetarianism

A vegetarian diet excludes all types of meat. Vegetarianism has grown in popularity recently due to its health and environmental benefits, the shift being most visible in western countries. Contrary to popular belief, though, it’s not a new phenomenon, as societies across the world have practised forms of vegetarianism throughout history and experienced long life-expectancy and overall good health. Other pros include lowered risk of chronic diseases, predominantly cardio-vascular diseases and cancer, reducing joint pain caused by arthritis and generally making a positive environmental and ethical impact. One of the great perks that is not often talked about is the reduction of grocery costs, especially with the price of meat going up and its quality going down in many areas.

On the other hand, the cons include a lack of nutrients. Meat being very high in iron, vegetarians face a greater risk of iron-deficient anaemia. Adapting to a vegetarian diet may be especially challenging for veggie-haters. The daily food intake then relies on carbs and starchy foods, which can adversely affect the health. It's important to put emphasis on the plenty of vegetarian sources of protein, iron, vitamin B12, calcium and zinc otherwise found in meat - such as soy, quinoa, nuts, tofu, lentils and spinach, and optionally also some vitamins or supplements.

Veganism

From an environmental standpoint, going vegan helps reduce deforestation, soil degradation, and greenhouse gas emissions associated with meat production, helping to slow climate change and secure global food supply. Some people follow vegan or vegetarian diets for religious reasons, with Hinduism and Buddhism advocating for meat avoidance.

Veganism excludes all animal products, including meat, fish, dairy, honey and eggs. People choose to eat a vegan diet for various ethical, religious, health and environmental reasons. Both benefits and risks of this diet are very similar to the vegetarian diet, but slightly intensified. The turning points for most people to become vegan are the ethical and ecological factors. Ethical argument of veganism is to minimise the exploitation of and cruelty to animals. Taking into consideration the ability of animals to suffer, to have the capacity to experience physical and – many would argue – psychological pain, makes them worthy of our protection.

Last but certainly not least, there are the health reasons. Implementing a vegan diet helps to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases and improves blood sugar levels. It typically reduces the intake of poor quality processed foods overconsumed in typical Western diets and contributes to type 2 diabetes. All in all, if done correctly, veganism contributes to good health and increases life expectancy.

Veganism

While on a health note, we need to mention the downsides. A vegan diet may lack some of the critical nutrients required for the body, such as protein, vitamin B-12, omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, calcium and iron. Following a vegan diet requires having knowledge about the key foods that should be combined together and prioritised to sufficiently meet these nutrient intakes. This can be done by analysing your diet and supplementing if needed. This diet is therefore not suitable for people with certain health issues such as kidney failure, food allergies, anaemia or eating disorders and it is not advised for children, in which it can lead to problematic growth. And lastly, this diet may be hard to adapt to in daily life. Many restaurants and shops don’t offer vegan options, so it’s impractical when you’re on the go. In the places where you can find vegan alternatives, they are often overpriced and for many people out of their budget. This factor makes this diet very inaccessible for the less privileged.

To sum it up, there is no hundred percent right or hundred percent wrong diet, different people have different needs. You wouldn't feed the same thing to a preschooler and a pro-athlete, because they need different nutrients to perform on top of their game. Also, we should never be the one to judge someone's eating choices, we don’t know where they are coming from and what they are going through. For those of us who are able to choose, let's make conscious choices and consider either vegetarianism or veganism.

Klára Bicáková

Vegan Recipes

Healthy & Fresh

SJÁ L FB O ĐAL I ĐA R UMHV E R F I S L A N DIĐ What do vegans eat? Grass? This is one of the most frequent questions I used to hear when I started my journey with vegan cooking. At the beginning it was hard to find a new way of being creative in the kitchen, but as my cooking skills increased with every meal, even meat lovers from my family started to appreciate meat-less meals. A vegan diet has a lot of benefits; it can lower your chances of getting certain types of cancer, such as colon cancer, reduce your risk of heart disease by lowering cholesterol levels and make you feel lighter. And it is super easy to prepare vegan meals!

In the SEEDS volunteer's house we are trying to be creative with cooking. For us, it is very important to avoid any leftovers, not to throw away food and enjoy vegan versions of recipes from all around the world. In this article I would like to share my favorite ones with you, ones that I have prepared many times for SEEDS volunteers during camps and also in our home in Reykjavik. Enjoy!

Dominika Krawiec

Contents 1.

4 Cowboy’ beans soup - frijoles charros Cream of cauliflower and roasted garlic

8 Tofu that will make you actually love tofu Tofu Satay Curry

3.Main dishes

5. Desserts

Bean Burger Lentil-carrot pasta sauce

Bean brownie Chickpea Chocolate Chip Cookies

Kitchen Cookbook is the official SEEDS Dishes Magazine Editor/Layout/Design:

Proofreading:

Contributing Writers:

Rodrigo Rente

Cynthia Dressel Lennia Gallati

Dominika Krawiec Lennia Gallati

Soups

Cowboy ’ beans soup - frijoles charros P re p arat i o n time: up to 30 minute s In Spanish this dish is called frijoles charros and in the United States it gained popularity as frijoles rancheros. It owes its name to Mexican horsemen who, for lack of a better comparison, are most often compared to cowboys. The charros, living as hired horsemen helping out on farms, created a dish that suited their lifestyle - dry beans cooked with onions, garlic, chili, and dried meats. Traditionally, this dish was cooked outdoors in clay pots, giving it a unique smoky flavor. It has become one of the most popular dishes during our SEEDS Camps. Our volunteers ate it during cold evenings in Reykjavik and also after long excursions. Even if you are not a huge soup lover - you should give it a try. The soup will not only make your body warm, but also will make you feel like a Mexican Charros during their favorite meal.

Ingredients for 5 - 6 por tions: - 2 onions - 2 cloves of garlic - 1 - 2 jalapeño or other seedless peppers - oil - 2 teaspoons smoked paprika - 1/4 teaspoon hot pepper - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin - 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander - 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano - 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme - a pinch of cinnamon

- 1 can sliced tomatoes - 2 cans white beans - 2 cans red beans - 3 cups broth - 1 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce - 1 - 2 teaspoons wine vinegar or lemon juice - a handful of coriander - salt

Soups

Preparation: 1- Peel the onions, cut them in half and roast them on the cooker for the broth. Then set aside to cool. 2- Meanwhile, chop the garlic and jalapeño and drain the beans. Finely chop the cooled onions. Heat the oil in the bottom of a large pot, add the onions and fry for 3 - 4 minutes. 3- Add the garlic and jalapeño to the fried onions, fry for another 30 seconds, then add all the spices and continue frying for 30 seconds, stirring well. Add the tomatoes and simmer for 2 - 3 minutes. 4- Add the beans, stock, soy sauce and a pinch of salt, cover and cook for 10 - 15 minutes. Finally, pour 3 ladles of the soup into the blender container, add the vinegar, a large handful of coriander and blend everything to a smooth cream. Pour it back into the pot, season to taste with salt and possibly more vinegar. Serve the soup hot with fresh cilantro.

Tips: Burning the onions is quite important as it gives a distinctive Mexican barbecue flavor. If you don't have a gas cooker, you can burn the onions in a hot oven, on the bottom of a dry pan or with a creme brulee burner. Instead of green jalapeño peppers, you can use other hot peppers, but then you should add a stalk of celery or a bit of lemon zest to the soup. The green pepper has a specific, fresh, citrusy, bitter aroma. The type of beans doesn't matter much - feel free to use red beans, white beans, or any other favorite beans.

Dominika Krawiec 5

Soups

Cream of cauliflower and roasted garlic P re p arat i o n time: up to 4 5 minute s Once upon a time, in the SEEDS Volunteers house we got an enormous amount of cauliflower as a donation. We wanted to figure out how to use all of them to not let them go bad, and that’s how the magic in our bowls happened - Roasted cauliflower and garlic soup. We prepared this soup from 15 cauliflowers, so the pot was huge! And you know what? The soup was gone in the blink of an eye. The taste of cauliflower and garlic change beyond recognition during roasting. The first one becomes slightly nutty, caramelly and, above all, does not stink like the one cooked for too long in a school canteen; the second one loses its sharpness, gets sweeter and softer. That's why it's such a good idea to fire up the oven, throw both of them in there at the same time, and then briefly simmer them in the soup and blend them to a fluffy cream. No distracting herbs, spices or garnishes. Just cauliflower, garlic and the magic of roasting.

Ingredients for 5 - 6 por tions: - 1 cauliflower - 1/2 bulb of garlic - oil - salt - 1 tbsp olive oil - 2 cups vegetable broth or water - 2 - 2,5 cups vegetable milk - 1 tbsp yeast flakes - a big pinch of nutmeg - salt and black pepper

Soups

Preparation: 1- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees celsius and line a baking tray with baking paper. Divide the cauliflower into florets, cut the stalk into smaller pieces and rub gently with oil. Put the cauliflower onto the baking tray, add the garlic cloves and bake for 18 - 20 minutes. 2- Once it’s time, remove the baking tray. Remove the skin from the garlic, discard the skins. 3- Heat the oil in the bottom of a large pot, add the roasted cauliflower and the garlic, sauté for 2 - 3 minutes, then pour in the hot stock. Cook for 5 minutes. 4- Blend to a very thick paste, then add the yeast flakes and continue to blend while gradually pouring in the milk. 5- Finally, season to taste with nutmeg, pepper and salt. Serve with olive oil and almonds.

Dominika Krawiec 7

Tofu meals

Tof u that will make you actually love tof u P re p arat i o n time: up to 20 -30 m inute s I feel like many people don't like tofu and try to avoid it. Most of the time, at least when it comes to my friends, the reason is always the same - it’s tasteless and the consistency is too jelly. What about trying to prepare it in a different way then? Tofu is a good source of protein for vegetarians and vegans, and can be prepared in many ways. If you have a similar perception about tofu as my friends, I want to introduce you to a very simple and even tastier recipe inspired by the asian cuisine that once and for all will change your mind about this product. And if you liked tofu already, this recipe for sure will make you love it even more.

Ingredients for 5 - 6 por tions: -

2 n atu ral tof u cubes ( 2×1 80 g) 3 t b s p p o t a to flo ur/co r n st a rc h oil 3 t b s p s oy sauce 3 t b s p ag ave syr up o r o ther s we e te ne r 1/ 4 - 1/ 3 cup wa ter 2 - 3 cm g i nger 1 - 2 clove s of ga r lic to s e r ve : chives, bl a ck pepper

Tofu meals

P reparation: 1- Dice the tofu, put it in a bag, pour in the potato flour and shake until it is evenly coated in flour. Do not discard the bag, shake it out and leave it to coat the tofu in flour. 2- Heat plenty of oil in the bottom of the largest pan you have, enough to cover the whole bottom. Rest assured, the tofu will not be greasy. 3- Gently place the coated tofu cubes in the hot oil and fry for 3 - 4 minutes on one side, until the coating has a warm tinge and is crispy. Then turn and fry the same on the other side. 4 In the meantime prepare a plate lined with a paper towel and make the sauce. Add the soy sauce, agave syrup and water to a glass. Finely grate the ginger, which should add up to about two teaspoons, and the garlic. Add to the ingredients in the glass and mix well. 5-Set the fried tofu aside on a paper towel for a while. Pour the sauce into a smaller pan and heat on the highest heat until the sauce starts to bubble

intensely, then add the tofu. Stir constantly and when the tofu is all coated in the sauce it is ready! Sprinkle it with chives and black pepper and serve with rice or your favorite Asian noodles. It is also outstanding the next day in your lunchbox.

SEEDS Volunteers favorite way of serving: Honestly, we love this recipe. And the second thing we love are peanuts. We used to eat this tofu with rice noodles, mixed vegetables and of course, peanut butter soy sauce (and peanuts on top). The sauce is super simple to prepare - you just need to mix soy sauce with peanut butter and some water. The quantity of the ingredients is up to you! Dominika Krawiec 9

Tofu meals

Tofu Satay Curry Preparation time: up to 40 minutes Let’s stay on the topic of tofu and peanuts for another moment and one more recipe. If you are also a peanut lover, you will adore this recipe. It’s sweet, salty, creamy and completely vegan. And it is perfect to prepare for special guests, even for meat lovers!

In gredients for 5 - 6 por tions: - block of firm tofu - 1 onion - 3 garlic cloves - thumb of ginger - 1 red chilli - 1 tsbp curry powder - 3-4 tbsp peanut butter - 400ml can coconut milk - 1 tbsp dark soy sauce - juice of half a lime

1/2 tsp cor ian der 1/2 tsp cu m in 1/2 tsp tu r meric 1/2 tsp chi lli powde r 1 ts p cu rry powde r 1 tb sp dark soy sau ce salt an d pe pper serve wit h: ric e, cori an der a n d chil i

l i me,

Sat ay seasoning ingredients: - 1/2 tsp coriander - 1/2 tsp cumin - 1/2 tsp turmeric - 1/2 tsp chilli powder - 1 tsp curry powder - 1 tbsp dark soy sauce - salt and pepper - serve with: rice, lime, coriander and chili

Tofu meals

Preparation: 1- Press your tofu ahead of time to remove all the excess water. Chop into bite sized chunks and mix together with the satay seasoning in a bowl, coating each piece. 2- In a frying pan over medium to high heat, pour a drizzle of oil. Add the tofu to your pan and fry for around 15 minutes until golden brown. Remove the tofu from the pan and set aside. 3- Heat up some oil over medium heat, then add chopped onion, minced garlic, diced ginger, chili and curry powder. Fry until softened for around 5 minutes, stirring continuously, adding a dash of water if needed. 4- Transfer to a blender and blend with one cup of water and the peanut butter. 5- Return to the pan and add in the coconut milk, soy sauce, lime juice and the tofu you prepared earlier. 6- Bring to a boil and then simmer and cook for 15 minutes until the sauce has thickened. 7- Serve your creamy satay with rice, a squeeze of lime, sprinkle of coriander, peanuts and some chopped raw chillies.

Dominika Krawiec 11

Main dishes

Both of the following recipes - traditionally prepared with meat - I took the liberty of giving them a new name. The goal of those dishes is not to taste exactly like the meat dishes that we know, but rather to invent a new dish that doesn’t contain meat. A new dish with ingredients that has a low environmental impact and is fun to cook.

Bean Burger Preparation time: up to 40 minutes

Ingredients for 4 portions: - 1 Onion - 2 cloves of garlic - 1 can of kidney beans - 1/2 can of chickpeas - cornstarch - oats

Preparation: 1- In a bowl mix together onion, garlic, and beans. 2- Add cornstarch and oats until a somewhat firmer mass is formed. 3- Shape patties. 4- Fry the patties with a little butter or oil. 5- Enjoy them in burger buns with the ingredients you have on hand.

Lennia Gallati

Main dishes Lentil-carrot pasta sauce Preparation time: up to 30 minutes

Ingredients for 4 por tions: - 1 onion - 4 cloves of garlic - 2 Shredded carrots - 1 tsp tomato purée - 1 can of crushed tomatoes - 400 ml water - 300 g red lentils - garlic powder - ground coriander - paprika - salt and pepper

Preparation: 1- Sauté onion and garlic in a pan. 2- Add tomato purée and spices. Measure the spices according to personal taste 3- Next, add the shredded carrots and the lentils. Sauté for a little bit before adding the water and the crushed tomatoes. 4- Let it simmer until the lentils are soft. 5- Enjoy with any type of pasta you have on hand.

Lennia Gallati

Desserts

When I was in high school I wanted to promote vegan sweets in my hometown. It was not so popular at that time, so I prepared my own project where I was distributing cookies and cakes to the people I met on the street. People tasting them did not know what they were made of. How surprised they were when it turned out that all of them were... vegan and made of beans and chickpeas. To this day I regret not having documented their reactions. However, after the initial shock, each person asked me for the recipe, and these are the recipes I want to share with you.

Bean brownie Preparation time: up to 120 minutes This recipe has a special place in my TOP vegan recipes. Actually because of this brownie I started to experiment more with vegan sweets. This version of the brownie is reminiscent of the original version - heavy, stretchy, sticky and for some, scrumptious - which is exactly the point! It's not a chocolate cake, but a real brownie. Enjoy!

Ingredients for a round cake tin of approx 21 cm: - 1 can of black beans, or red beans (or 240g cooked) - 4 tbsp ground linseed + 9 tbsp boiling water - 1 cup almonds, ground as for flour - 50 g cocoa (approx 9-10 tbsp) - 180 g brown sugar - less than half a cup of rapeseed/sunflower/grape seed oil (approx. 6 full tablespoons) - 1 teaspoon gluten-free baking powder - pulp from a vanilla bean - a handful of chopped almonds and coconut chips (optional) - dark chocolate bar (option)

Desserts

Preparation: 1- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius and lightly grease a baking tin with oil and line with baking paper. Pour boiling water over the linseed and leave to cool. 2- Place the drained and well rinsed beans, linseed glut, ground almonds, cocoa, oil, sugar and vanilla in the bowl of a blender and blend thoroughly to a smooth paste (this can be done in a Vitamix, hand blender or even a food processor). Optionally add chopped chocolate and mix well. 3- Pour the mixture into the mold, smoothing the surface with wet hands. Sprinkle with chopped almonds, coconut chips or your favorite toppings. 4- Bake on the lower oven floor for about 50 minutes (baking time always depends on the oven) and after about 30 - 40 minutes cover the cake from the top with aluminum foil. Leave to cool completely after baking. Ready to taste?

Dominika Krawiec

Desserts

Chickpea Chocol ate Chip Cookies P re p arat i o n time: up to 40 minute s One and only, the most delicious and one of the quickest cookies to make - THE chickpea cookies. The mixture for the cakes is delicious on its own, and can be eaten with a spoon straight from the blender cup - it is like a sweet version of hummus!

Ingredients for about 15 cookies: - 1,5 cups cooked chickpeas (can be from a can, drained and rinsed) - 1/2 cup peanut butter - 1/4 - 1/2 cup agave syrup - 1/4 teaspoon baking soda - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder - 1 medium teaspoon liquid vanilla extract (optional, but worth it!) - a pinch of salt - chocolate or chocolate drops for decoration

Desserts

Preparation: 1- Put all the ingredients - except the chocolate - into a bowl or the bowl of a blender and blend thoroughly to a smooth paste. The consistency will resemble a thick hummus. 2- Add the chocolate, chopped into small pieces, and mix. 3- Using a small spoon, scoop the dough into rounds, flattening them slightly with your hands. Place on a baking tray lined with baking paper. It is important that the cookies are not too thick - then they will burn on the top and not bake in the middle. 4- Bake them in the oven preheated to 180 degree celsius for about 10 - 15 minutes, monitoring the point at which the biscuits start to brown. They should come away from the paper and a stick inserted into them will dry. You can keep them longer to make them crispier, but be careful not to burn them. 5- Let the biscuits cool down... and enjoy them with almond milk or your favorite smoothie.

And that’s all! Hope you will enjoy the meals and it will become one of your favorite vegan dishes. Dominika Krawiec

One thing that makes our camps in Reykjavik a tad more special is the fact that we are cooking solely vegetarian dishes. This may come as a little surprise for some of our participants, but to us, it is very important. A cuisine without meat or fish is for many people not imaginable. Meat is often the most important part of a dish, the sides are decided on the base of the meat. My diet before SEEDS contained quite a lot of meat. Here I got shown the environmental impact of ingredients like meat and fish, as well as dairies. Our team consists of vegetarians, pescetarians, vegans, and people living plant-based diets. The switch to not eating meat was very easy for me, I had everything that I wanted and needed. What occurred to me is that the lifestyle I’m living here in Iceland is somewhat privileged and it is not as easy to maintain not eating meat in every country in this world. This fact got proven repeatedly during our many intercultural dinners during our workcamps. The participants are asked to cook a typical meal from their country and region. In response, we often get the statement that every dish that came to their mind was cooked with meat. One good thing that our world provides us with nowadays is substitutes. And I’m not talking about the well-known “meat-substitutes”, I’m talking about the ability to cook with vegetables, beans, legumes and so much more to create tasty meals.

Lennia Gallati

Photo taken in the Westfjords, Iceland by Rodrigo Rente

Five ways how to use coconut oil in your daily skin routine According to the philosophy of Ayurveda, the most valuable and effective cosmetics are those that can be eaten. This condition is fulfilled by one of the healthiest oils in the world: coconut oil. Probably you already have it in your kitchen, but if not - you should definitely get some! Coconut oil can be purchased not only in organic food shops - it is also sold in every major supermarket. Cold-pressed, unrefined oils are the healthiest and have valuable properties. The fact that the oil has been refined means that it has been heated to a high temperature (above 160 degrees Celsius) and cleansed of water or so-called mucilage, but in the process has lost most of its health benefits. Its specific structure, the presence of valuable fatty acids and, last but not least, its high content of vitamins and minerals make coconut oil useful in the care of skin and hair affected by a wide variety of problems. Here you can find 5 ideas on how you can use coconut oil in your daily routine!

Toothpaste A beautiful day starts with a beautiful smile, and you can start it even better with your new organic toothpaste. This toothpaste also has whitening and germicidal properties, so it’s super healthy for your teeth!

Ingredients: 1 / 2 cu p o rga nic extra -v irgin c oc onu t o i l 1 t ab le s p o o n H ima l aya n pink salt 2 t ab le s p o ons ca lcium ca r bo n ate 1 / 2 cu p b ak ing so da 1 / 2 te as p o o n o rga nic liquid stevia 1 t ab le s p o o n o rga nic peppe rm int fl avo r

1- With a mortar and pestle or using a spice grinder process the salt into a fine powder. Do not skip this step. If the salt is too large it can cut your gums and cause pain and discomfort. 2- Mix the salt and remaining ingredients in a bowl until the consistency is light and fluffy. 3- Add the toothpaste to an 8-ounce jar with a fitted lid for storage, or try one of these reusable food-grade tubes or pouches for storage and travel.

Body scrub To do this scrub you only need two ingredients: coconut oil and sugar. Put coconut oil in a jar, add sugar and mix it together! The amount of oil and sugar depends on you, if you want your scrub to be more soft - add less sugar. If you like strong cleansing - put more sugar. If you have some essential oils you can also add them to the scrub. Use it while taking shower and rinse with water. Enjoy your soft and smooth skin!

Makeup remover Coconut oil can be perfect as a makeup remover. It is not only safe to use when cleansing your face, but it’s also quite effective and offers numerous benefits to your skin. Coconut oil is antibacterial, anti-yeast, and also works as a great first-aid cream. Because of its detergent effect, it also works well as a makeup remover. You can just simply use it as you would use a cleansing oil—no abrasive washcloths or cotton pads are needed. Liquify the coconut oil in your hands when it’s in its natural solid state. Then, gently rub onto dry skin, paying special attention to heavy eye makeup. Once your makeup has been sufficiently melted away, rinse your face with warm water and pat dry.

First step of hair care Hair oiling with coconut oil is applied to dry or slightly damp hair. A small amount of oil should be rubbed into the hair. Your hair should look damp. Then place a foil cap over your hair and wrap your head in a towel. Under the influence of heat, the hair cuticles will open up and the nutrients from the coconut oil will be able to penetrate the hair structure. Leave the coconut oil applied to your hair for at least an hour, then wash your head with a mild shampoo that will remove the oil mask completely. Applying coconut oil to your hair before washing it will ensure that water and shampoo do not dry it out. Your hair will be smooth and nice to the touch and coconut oil will also protect it from heat, cold, wind and toxic substances in the air. Sometimes coconut oil may not be the perfect match with your hair type, but you should try it out! And if it won’t work try with other oils, like for example olive oil.

Anti aging eye cream Coconut oil is also one of the most effective vegetable oils for delaying skin aging and smoothing out wrinkles resulting from a lack of moisture and elasticity in the skin. Due to its extreme friendliness and gentleness, the oil can be used fearlessly for the sensitive eye area, dealing with crow's feet, puffiness and sagging skin. It is best used at night after removing make-up and applied by gently massaging the area above and below the eyes. When it comes to coconut oil in cosmetics - the sky's the limit! You can also use it as a lip balm, nail cream and in many other ways. So now you can just get your jar of quality, cold pressed, unrefined coconut oil and enjoy your home spa. Dominika Krawiec 17

How to break free from fast fashion Fast fashion

[fast-fash-uhn], noun “Fast fashion is a term used to describe cheap and low quality clothing that are rapidly produced and are cycled in and out the market quickly to meet new trends.” Being a camp leader at SEEDS means getting into a teacher role with the goal to raise awareness. At the beginning of every camp leader experience, our team has to go through a choosing phase to create their presentations and workshops. During that time we look at all the environmental issues that are “teachable”. And of course, every camp leader is different and has other standards for their own presentations. For me, the most important requirement for a topic was to be able to raise awareness about the issue, but also to have the opportunity to talk about solutions to resolve the issue. And the solutions should involve different levels for example government or industry level, but also the consumer level. Because those kinds of big-scale changes cannot be implemented on one level by one party. They have to be implemented on all levels, with the force and determination of everyone involved. Fast fashion was for me one of those topics. I am able to share information with my participants to raise awareness, and at the same time, I can discuss solutions to move away from the vicious circle we created with fashion. Want to raise your awareness about the environmental impact of fast fashion check out the following pages:

xrfashionaction.com

fashionrevolution.org

stand.earth

Let’s talk about solutions on the consumer level: What can you do? 1- Don’t shop fast fashion brands: Before purchasing a new clothing item make sure to put the brand through a background check. Look at the purchase the same way you would look at a one-million-dollar investment. You want to make sure that the purchase is “clean” and that there is no funny business happening in the background. Websites like Good on you give you detailed and researched information about the topics of the planet, people, and animals.

2- Shop second-hand: Thrift or second-hand stores have become quite the trend in the last few years. For me going to the thrift shop is a form of me-time, as it allows me to just browse through the selection of clothing and find the hidden treasures that the stores have in waiting. Getting clothing second-hand is a good way of implementing a circular economy and minimising waste.

3- Mend and upcycle: How often does it happen that you find a little tear on your clothes? The seam is ripped or there is a hole somewhere. Instead of immediately giving up and throwing the item away, get yourself a thread and a needle and within a couple of minutes, the tear is not visible anymore. Get the sewing knowledge from your grandparents, and friends, on the internet, I guarantee you success with one of those options. If the item is really not saveable then try to upcycle it. The jeans are torn on their knees, and you don’t like the look? Turn them into shorts, a bag, or a pencil pouch.

4- Renting clothes: Some items in our closet, unfortunately, have a very short lifespan, due to their extraordinary look. Most of the time we are talking about ball gowns or suits that are only worn for one event and then disappear into the depths of the closet and are never to be seen again. To avoid this unnecessary uptake of space there are many companies nowadays that allow clothing rentals for a few days. Better for the environment and better for your wallet as well.

Let’s talk about solutions on the consumer level: What can you do? 5- Tailor things that don’t fit (anymore): Our clothes are supposed to fit our bodies, not the other way around. Changes in our bodies if it is loss or gain are totally normal, and we should not force ourselves into clothing that makes us feel uncomfortable. An easy way for this is to get your clothing altered by a tailor. Many times it’s an easy fix and you’ll have the clothing back in no time.

6- Swap clothing: Borrowing and swapping clothes with people in your bubble will give you a much larger choice of clothing without having to actually purchase new things. Many families already have traditions of passing clothing down to the younger siblings, why not take it up to adults. There is also an amazing trend of public swap markets where you can bring clothing that you fell out of love with and get yourself new favourites.

7- Be considerate with washing and drying: Try to wash less, use lower temperatures, reduce spin speed, and fill up the machine to the maximum. To capture possible microfibres that shed during the washing process add a washing bag or ball to your load. When it comes to drying, if possible, opt for open-air drying instead of turning to the dryer.

8- “Less is always more”: Before purchasing a new item make it a habit to check a list of questions in your head. Think about topics like: Do I already have something similar in my closet? Does the item fit with my usual style? Does it fit me 100% and am I utterly in love with it? Is it made out of durable long-living materials? Do I really need this? My personal tip before purchasing something is to leave the item in the store, go home, sleep over it one night, and then only buy it if you thought about it the next morning.

Let’s talk about solutions on the consumer level: What can you do? 9- Don’t fall into the trend trap: The threat that trends pose is always around as they pass very quickly and are often faster than a blink of an eye. Suddenly there is a specific colour or a new product that the brands tell you, you so deliberately need. You want to be part of this elite society following all these trends up to the second. 10- Be aware of greenwashing: Using sustainability in their marketing is often used to get customers’ attention as the demand for slow fashion has increased in the last few years. If the brands are really doing what they are promising in their marketing is another question. An easy way not to fall into these traps is to check the website and search for numbers rather than words. Vegan doesn't necessarily mean sustainable. No materials sourced from animals doesn’t mean that there wasn’t an environmental impact for example from oil.

11- Unfollow fast fashion promoting influencers: It’s a fact that there is a huge trend on social media called fashion hauls targeting most often young girls and women. You’ve got millions and billions of videos whose main content is opening packages, showing, and trying on clothes that were sent to the so-called influencers by the brands that they are in return promoting. That this is influencing people’s minds is no secret and also totally understandable. If she looks that good in this bikini, I’ll look that good too and of course, will have the same confidence as she has. What many unconsciously don’t think about is the fact that those bodies are often staged with good lighting or an advantageous pose to get closer to the “perfect” body that has implemented itself in our minds.

Lennia Gallati

Playlist for people who want to have a good day 1- Pull it Together - The Greeting Committee 2- Little Talks - of Monsters and Men 3- Little Lion Man - Mumford & Sons 4- Hey, Miss Fannie - The Clovers 5- Let The Sunshine In - The 5th Dimension 6- (What A) Wonderful World - Sam Cooke 7- Oogum Boogum Song - Brenton Wood 8- Sex Bomb - Tom Jones, Mousse T 9- Nothing From Nothing - Billy Preston 10- (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher & Higher - Jackie Wilson 11- Ain't That A Kick In The Head - Dean Martin 12- Beyond The Sea - Bobby Darin 13- Hey Laura - Gregory Porter 14- 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover - Paul Simon 15- Walk Right In - Love 16- Undercover Martyn - Two Door Cinema Club 17- What You Know - Two Door Cinema Club 18- Five Years - David Bowie 19- Modern Love - David Bowie 20- Pastime - Samantha Crain 21- Don't Stop Me Now - Queen 22- Radio Ga Ga - Queen 23- If I Ever Feel Better - Phoenix 24- Always Where I Need to Be - The Kooks 25- Wheat - Wilderado 26- They Don't Want Music - Black Eyed Peas, James Brown 27- Ice Water - Loyle Carner 28- Millionaire - Kelis, André 3000 29- Gettin' Jiggy Wit It - Will Smith 30- Bust A Move - Young MC 31- I Wanna Be Your Lover - Prince 32- Get Down Saturday Night - Oliver Cheatham 33- Perdoni Tenente - Pino D'Angio 34- Burguesinha - Seu Jorge 35- Take It Easy My Brother Charles - Jorge Ben Jor 36- Gamesofluck - Parcels 37- Theatrical State of Mind - Papooz 38- Children Of The Night - Isaac Delusion

Maë lle Pe i n a do

Next Camps starting in September

SEEDS 051. SEEDS 051. Forestry in the Far East of Iceland (2/2) From 03.09.2022 to 18.09.2022

SEEDS volunteers will be working on a project in the beautiful Hallormsstaðaskógur forest in the far East of Iceland, doing nature and environment-oriented tasks.

S EED S 057. S EED S 057. Environm e nt & P ho to g rap hy From 07.09. 2022 to 16.09. 2022

During this cam p, par tic ipant s ca n share the ir love for (and le arn m ore about) global & local e nvironm e n t a l issue s, as we ll as photography.

Other Media

The Why Foundation

Podcast Helpline Earth

THE WHY FOUNDATION is a non-profit media organization that supports sustainable development by securing free access to reliable information for millions of people around the world.

In our podcast we are discussing environmental issues. Get on a call with us to talk to our special guests.

SEEDLING