The Current | Vol. 31 Issue 8

September 29, 2020 | nsucurrent.nova.edu 5 Features Reducing your environmental impact in the bathroom If you want to start practicing a more sustainable lifestyle, but lack the motivation or simply donot know how to do it, look no further. The bathroom, often a site of monumental product and water waste, is a great place to start. Here are three small actions to take in the bathroom today to begin gradually decreasing your environmental footprint. Be mindful of what products you’re buying You don’t have to go searching for those super fancy, eco-friendly, all- organic, sustainably-produced bathroom products that cost half your meal plan. Just take a few seconds before your shopping trip to do a little research on the ingredients of the products which you usually buy. Avoid buying them again if the ingredient list stretches across the whole bottle and you can’t pronounce the majority of it — chances are, it’s not natural or sustainably produced. Amber Orr, the President of the NSU Green Sharks, a student-run sustainability club, suggests either looking into zero-waste stores or exploring your options on the local level. “You could find eco-friendly products at Target and Walmart. You don’t really have to buy the fancy eco-products until you finish what you have... And if you’re buying online, you could bulk order with your friends and choose slower shipping options,” said Orr. Be mindful of how you use those products This is perhaps the most important action you can take — and probably, the easiest too. Definitely don’t throw away all your exfoliators with plastic microbeads or toss your plastic shampoo and conditioner bottles; just use them to their full potential before the next shopping trip. Use small amounts at a time so they last longer. Use one squirt of soap instead of two, cut smaller lengths of toilet paper and don’t fold the slices over to make them 10-ply. It may be By: Nicole Shaker Contributing Writer hard to remember to take these actions at first, but it’s surprisingly easy to make them habits once you start. “My biggest piece of advice is to use what you have before you buy new stuff,” said Orr. Be mindful of how use water We all enjoy those steaming, 40 minute showers, but you may not realize exactly how much water is being wasted in that time. According to Home Water Works, the average American shower uses approximately 15.8 gallons and lasts for 7.8 minutes. That’s about 2.1 gallons of water down the drain per minute. Instead of using the shower as your happy, stress- relieving sanctuary, just use it to get clean. It may sound hard at first, but it’s a small thing every studentcan do to make a huge difference. Actually pay attention to how long you’re in the shower. A good way to do that is play music and limit yourself to one or two songs (if it sounds daunting, maybe use two or three to start and work your way down).Also, try turning the water off while you’re lathering hair or body products or waiting for them to absorb. If you find yourself often waiting for a while for the water to get hot, collect that cold water and use it for plant- watering. Start small if you want; turn the water off while you’re brushing your teeth. It all adds up. Kicking off your eco-friendly lifestyle only involves being mindful. Take a second to assess your situation and see what small steps you can take. “Say ‘I’m gonna rinse out these bottles and recycle them,’ or ‘I’m just gonna throw this bottle in my backpack rather than ask for a plastic bag,’” Orr suggested. It doesn’t take much to get started, but Mother Earth will thank you for it. Gill Out: The Original SubCafe The Original SubCafe is a breakfast and lunch cafe and sandwich shop located about five minutes from campus featuring a simple, yet extensive, menu of classic favorites, such as both hot and cold subs, burgers and delicious breakfast sandwiches. The Original SubCafe also serves a variety of Cuban cuisine, such as Cuban toast and rich Cuban coffee. I originally heard about the cafe from my mother when she was around campus visiting me for spring break last semester. While my mother is not Cuban, she was raised by a Hispanic family in South Beach, leading her to greatly appreciate Cuban cuisine. Due to her spending the majority of her adult life in the Northeast, getting the opportunity to experience authentic Cuban cuisine that reminds her of her childhood is few and far between. As such, when she would not stop raving about The Original SubCafe, I knew I had to visit. When arriving in the plaza that houses the shop, The Original SubCafe blows all the other stores in the plaza out of the water with its decor. The Original SubCafe features quaint outdoor seating surrounded by natural plants and homey decor. The small statues and lawn-sized water feature remind me of a lived-in backyard. The decoration indoors is just as appealing. With a newly renovated interior and inviting aesthetic, there is more than enough reason to enjoy your food only a couple feet away from where it was prepared. The restaurant also features an outdoor order window, in case you just want to drop by for a quick coffee and perhaps a pastry before going on your way. I visited the shop early in the day, so I settled on trying something off of their all-day breakfast menu. I ordered a sausage, egg and cheese on a bagel with salt, pepper and butter. Along with my sandwich, I ordered an iced coffee and a guava danish -- my mother’s favorite pastry, coming highly recommended. The breakfast sandwich was not only filling, but delicious. The eggs were perfectly cooked and the melted cheese on top of the sandwich excited my taste buds. The sandwich was a little greasy, but in that good hearty and homey kind of way. I have high expectations for my egg sandwiches due to my hometown being in the NYC area (the postmark of that variety of food) and this sandwich exceeded my expectations. Both the iced coffee and guava danish were delicious as well. I could taste how strong the iced coffee was since it was made with Cuban espresso, but the cashier added just the right amount of milk and sugar to make it delectable. The guava danish was sweet and authentically fruity, making it a great breakfast pastry or after meal snack to satisfy that sweet tooth. Additionally, the staff at The Original SubCafe were overwhelmingly positive and respectful. I was greeted and treated like I had stepped foot into that cafe 100 times over. The icing on top, even for a Wednesday morning, I was able to get all three of my breakfast items within 5 minutes, making the trip short and definitely well worth it. PRINTED WITH PERMISSION BY R. ESNER The Original SubCafe $ 7711 Nova Dr Fort Lauderdale, FL 33324 Monday-Friday: 7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. Saturday: 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Sunday: 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. By: Rick Esner News Editor