With the surge of protecting the environment and making sure we are all doing something to help future generations as well as the plants and animals present now you will have noticed a shift in what you read and see in the media. This shift is one for the better and from small businesses to larger ones each one seems to be doing something to help with sustainability or going the ‘plastic free’ route.
With all this information flying in front of us, we can become tempted to do something to help as well but it can be overwhelming to know where the best place is to start.
Zero waste can start from within the home.
Earlier this year I made a promise to myself to change things around the house to make it more sustainable for ourselves as well as the planet. We already do this with the business – through our recyclable packaging so the home was the next step.
Since deciding to change things at home I have been doing some research on ‘making your own’ or swapping plastic for earth friendly items to lower our carbon footprint. At the same time of writing and researching for this post a program on the BBC aired called ‘War on Plastic’ by Anita Rani and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall which highlighted the problems with plastics, in everyday household items and how manufacturers, shops and the government need to look at stamping them out of the system. Certain facts that were brought up in the program really made me think – for example I never knew that all wipes (baby, face, cleaning) were mainly created by using plastic! This is not labelled or advertised on any product but it is present in a large amount and we allow that to be used on our newborn babies.
The changes we as the public require will most possibly take years rather than a few weeks for the government, shops and manufacturers to make, however we can start taking small affordable steps at home which will suit our families and start to make a difference.
Tip One:
Change your Milk from Plastic to Glass. Yes it sounds like we are going back in time, but actually when it came to this we were doing better when the milk man would come down our road every other day at the crack of dawn.
Link: www.milkandmore.co.uk
Tip Two:
Replace your Wipes. This can be a difficult one as we as a society are so reliant on wipes, be it baby, face, cleaning – the list goes on. We are not perfect here, however I have stopped using wipes on the kids for cleaning their hands etc and instead use wet flannels which just go into the washing basket at the end of the day.
Personally I stopped using wipes on my face a while ago and instead moved across to cotton pads however this has now been replaced by my own made face flannel rounds that again after use will go into a wash bag and end up getting reused once washed. Simple, effective, gentle and will last for years!
Cleaning wipes – a struggle for me as I love Dettol wipes and have a thing for ‘germs’. So this is a hard swap for me, however Dettol have taken out a Plant based wipe (which is more expensive sadly) but this may be the way forward for our household for now.
Tip Three:
Use the Refill Station for Dried Goods. Unlike America and Canada, the UK is definitely lagging in this area – approx. 20 years behind. So when we now see new shops opening esp in London being the main haunt it is an exciting prospect.
What I would love to see is more affordability when it comes to refill stations. Independent shops have a higher price point due to the amount they purchase the bulk items at. Therefore the way forward would be to make this a norm within supermarkets. Where they would rid plastic packaging, and open up the aisles with refills and loose items at affordable prices for any budget. This way we will automatically become inclined to go towards a less plastic – more earth friendly option.
Tip Four:
Bathroom Goals – Swap your Bottle shampoo and soaps with bar soaps or refill liquids. This was a first for me where I just emptied out my bathroom and literally got rid of nearly 20 odd bottles, random bits, old toys etc which not only opened up the space I was lacking in the bathroom. But it also makes the bathroom feel and look cleaner/neater. I still need to purchase glass bottles for the shampoo and conditioner and a soap holder for the bar of soap but then refill station it is for us!
Tip Five:
Reusable shopping bags. This is fab and so easy to do. Leave a bag in your car or pop it next to your door before you leave the house. You can get some seriously pretty looking bags if you want something stylish, or just go for something simple and practical. This will save you collecting plastic bags when you are out and you can hold a lot of things in one reusable bag – tried and tested.
Tip Six:
Take a refillable bottle to top up your water, coffee or tea whilst on the go. Some places you can even get a discount on your tea and coffee if you use your own reusable cup!
We would love to hear any changes you have made or will be making to start going Zero waste within the home.
By Mama
Image by Daria on Pexels