With Christmas just behind us, the topic of waste seems particularly high on the agenda…what could we have done to reduce the packaging on all those presents, and did we really need to buy all that food and drink?
If you would like to support the zero waste initiative, and learn how to adopt some simple habits in your everyday life that will preserve natural resources and help prevent climate change, as well as improve your health and save you money, the association Zero Waste Switzerland has some great ideas to get you started.
Set up in 2015 with the aim of “enabling citizens, institutions, and economic parties to choose a manner of consumption and production without waste”, the association runs a series of interesting workshops to help inform and educate individuals on a variety of topics ranging from food and drink through to beauty and hygiene.
Special discount for knowitall.ch readers on all bookings made before 31 March 2018
Local entrepreneur, Sophie Robert-Nicoud, will fulfil her lifelong dream to become a full time professional photographer with the launch of her new photography business in 2018.
Called Sofy.ch, her new business will offer a full range of lifestyle photographic services, ranging from maternity and newborn photos through to corporate events and weddings. The emphasis will be on capturing special moments as they happen, using natural light both indoors and outdoors, rather than staged studio shots.
Explaining her speciality to knowitall.ch, Sophie told us, “When my two daughters were born, I had the perfect excuse to fulfil my lifelong passion for photography and create daily memories of them both. However, I soon found that were not keen on posing, and I rapidly developed a special knack for capturing special moments “on the move” in a lifestyle kind of way.”
She continued, “These natural photos were so successful that, over the last few years, I have been asked to use the same techniques when capturing the joy in other people’s lives, be they young children playing in the garden, or moms-to-be preparing for parenthood. I leave children to play, live and laugh and interact with them constantly. I give advice to moms or brides-to-be to help them feel at ease and relaxed and make sure my clients look as natural as they can possibly be. No studio for me, only natural light either outdoors or at the client’s home”
The second-hand children’s clothing shop, L’Ile aux Trésors is offering knowitall.ch readers 10% discount on any items purchased in their shop in Eaux-Vives before 28 February 2018.
As a Dépôt / Vente center, L’Ile aux Trésors also gives customers the possibility to deposit their own items of clothing for sale. So, if your child is growing out of their own clothes and needs a new wardrobe for Christmas, what better place to look than this cosy, welcoming boutique on the Rue du Nant in Geneva!
Asked how she came to be involved with this clothing shop, owner Carla Leabu told knowitall.ch, “Originally from Romania, I came to settle in Geneva in 2016. As a former Sales Director in a family-run business, I accepted the challenge of taking over the management of L’Ile aux Trésors, an existing shop, which was already quite popular with those “in-the-know” but which could also appeal to a much wider client base, if only they knew about it! I believe this business has huge potential to grow in a multicultural city like Geneva.”
Top-quality, branded clothing for children
L’Ile aux Trésors is quite unique in only accepting and selling top-quality, branded clothes for children aged 1 to 16. The focus is on seasonal items so you can be sure to find a good choice of ski clothing including gloves and ski helmets in the shop this winter. There is also a small area dedicated to children’s accessories and toys, including push chairs, books and DVDs.
20% discount for knowitall.ch readers on all orders placed before the end of the year!
Seedballs are all the rage in England and now they have arrived in Switzerland too!
Packaged in colourful little tins, each offering the potential to grow a wide variety of different wildflowers, seedballs provide a simple, fun, and low-cost solution for brightening up your garden or balcony…whilst helping to reverse the massive decline in bee colonies and other pollinators like butterflies.
Having recently won the 2017 Gift of the Year Award in the UK, it comes as no surprise to hear that seedballs are gaining popularity in Europe. And it’s all thanks to local entrepreneur, Harriet Kibbe, a gardening enthusiast interested in promoting sustainable growth and development, that you can now buy them in Switzerland too!
Harriet told knowitall.ch, “When I first met Dr. Ana Attlee, one of the environmental scientists who created Seedball in the UK, I immediately fell in love with her product! They offer a practical way to raise awareness about the decimation of pollinators, as well as the impact of pesticides and weedkillers on our environment. At the same time, they provide a simple mechanism for people to take control of the situation and actually DO something about it. I think many people would love to do something about the plight of bees but not everyone wants to become a part time beekeeper!”
Lots of amazing prizes to be won in the daily draw from 1 to 24 December!
The 56 shops and businesses located in Cornavin Station in Geneva are celebrating the magic of Christmas with a huge Advent calendar installed right in the middle of the main hall.
From 1 to 24 December, around 160,000 daily commuters through the station will have the opportunity to take part in 24 daily draws, giving themselves the chance to win one of the many fantastic presents offered by the shops and displayed in each of the 24 Advent windows.
Some of the exciting prizes up for grabs include a Mondaine watch, a Brompton bike, and a camera, not to mention other great Christmas classics such as chocolates, perfume and, of course, an Advent crown!
