Tag: Organic (page 1 of 1)

21 ways to go plastic-free in 2021

Plastic Free July is just around the corner. It is basically as it sounds – a global campaign that encourages us to reduce our plastic consumption during the month of July. It is an opportunity to reassess what we bring into our homes and who we give our money to. Consumer power, y’all! It’s a real thing!

But where to begin? Never fear, for I, Tamara, am here with a random assortment of quick and easy tricks and tips that I use in my daily life. So have a browse and pick one or two of your favourites to try on your low-waste, plastic-free journey. Remember, we need lots of people making small positive changes. Changing up just one thing in your daily life makes a difference. It’s all about progress not perfection.

Let me mention, there are no sponsors or affiliate links in my recommendations – just companies and brands that I use personally. As always, do your research and ensure the companies you give your money to are the ones that share your values and priorities, which may be different from mine.

Photo by Elli from Pexels

Sustenance

  1. Whenever you venture outside, carry a reusable bag with you. I love my bag-in-a-bags and like a girl scout, I am always prepared!
  2. Locate and use your local greengrocers. I shop at Portsmouth Fruit and Flower on Milton Market and the majority of their fresh produce is plastic-free, they also provide paper bags instead of plastic and since the pandemic, they also do home delivery!
  3. Try a fruit and veg box. My favourites are Wayside Organics and Riverford.
  4. Refill your pantry staples. We are so lucky in Portsmouth to have the Package Free Larder, Herbies and Wild Thyme Wholefoods who all offer refills on food staples like rice, pasta, cocoa, as well as beauty and cleaning products like hand sanitizer and liquid shampoo.
  5. Reuse glass containers – they are perfect for refills as I mentioned above and they definitely can have a cool Instagramy vibe, if that’s your jam.
  6. Buy multi-pack cans of fizzy pop instead of plastic bottles, ideally in cardboard packaging rather than being wrapped in plastic. Or try cordial in a glass bottle to pimp up your water, The same goes for beers and other multipack drinks – avoid the 6-pack plastic rings. The turtles will thank you. And perhaps try buying your booze from a local independent like The Beer Musketeer, the Portsmouth Distillery and the Southsea Deli.
Photo Credit: The Gender Spectrum Collection

Social

  1. Buy refiills of hand sanitizer. I get my hand santizer, which is made by The Portsmouth Distillery, at Herbies. Supporting local business and all that jazz.
  2. Get yourself reusable and washable face masks. Or if you are handy, why not make your own. I have multiple masks purchased from local black business Sistah Mandy and a few more which were a Which? Best Buy.
  3. Make your own hot beverages at home to take out, in an insulated reusable cup/ bottle. I love love LOVE my Chilly’s bottle. #notsponsored
  4. Say no to straws when ordering drinks out and carry you own reusable straws. They come in different materials like stainless steel, bamboo and silicone. And you also get a cute teeny weeny straw cleaner which is just a delight in the horror that is doing the dishes.
Photo Credit: The Gender Spectrum Collection

Lookin’ Goood

  1. Do you or someone you know have long hair? Do they use hair ties to contain their bounteous locks? Get some plastic-free hair ties made from cotton and natural rubber. It may be a small thing (literally) but worth it for the obscure green kudos points!
  2. Read the labels on your clothes and aim for sustainable, plastic free brands and second hand. Two brands I trust are Rapanui, based across the water on Isle of Wight, and People Tree.
  3. Naked toilet paper. No plastic, no packaging. For a deep dive into my toilet paper adventures, check out my post here and Emma’s post here on reuseable family cloths – a toilet paper alternative.
  4. Try low-waste bathroom products like solid soaps (my go-to is Faith in Nature naked soaps from Wild Thyme ), refill products like shower gel, shampoo etc, and deodorant creams in tins or glass jars.
Photo by Kelly Lacy from Pexels

Homey Vibes

  1. Next time you are wrapping a gift, try paper sticky tape. Plastic sticky tape, who dat?
  2. Use washable reusable cleaning cloths instead of disposable wipes.
  3. Refill cleaning products instead of buying new products. Wild Thyme, Herbies and the Package Free Larder all offer refills.
  4. Use cloth napkins instead of paper napkins. They make the dining experience super fancy!
  5. If you have a pet in your life, try sourcing pet food in cans. Tins and cans have a higher recycling value while low-grade plastic is extremely low-value and that is assuming recycling facilities for mixed plastics even exist in your local area.
Photo by Artem Podrez from Pexels

Consumer Tips $$

  1. Repair items whenever possible. Don’t know how? Vist to Pompey’s Repair Cafe which has recently reopened after a year and more of covid-19 lock downs.
  2. Limit online purchases wherever possible and try to support sustainable, local online brands. Request no plastic packaging for online orders and actively support local traders like Pigeon Books and online shops like Plastic Freedom that aim for low-waste packaging.

Let me know in the Comments section below what you’ll be doing this Plastic Free July. Be it small or be it big, it be something

Written by Tamara, a Green Hairy Feminist

How to make your dog more eco-friendly

Did you know that your dog is ruining the planet? It’s true, sneak up on your dog at any given moment and you’ll find them throwing plastic bottles into the bin or forgetting to turn off the lights when they leave the house… Okay, that’s not quite true. But our four-legged children do contribute to the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere thanks to the meat raised to feed them and the “presents” they leave.

According to a study by UCLA, dogs (and tbf cats) are responsible for 30% of the environmental impact of meat eating in the US, which has the environmental impact of an extra  13.6 million cars on the road, and produce 5.1 million tons of faeces annually, which produces methane and increases the amount of rubbish that we produce. And the bigger the animal, the bigger the problem.

puppy in plant pot

But look how cute!

So, should you give up your beloved puppy? No. That would also have a less-than-green impact on the environment. Instead, you should find ways to lessen your dog’s carbon paw print and I (Emma) am going to outline some steps for you below.

Disclaimer: The links in this piece are not affiliate links, but things that have been tried and tested by my friends/family with dogs. As always, feel free to do your own research on top of this article to find out what is best for your furry friend.

Food

piece of meat

While dogs love their meat, some dogs can actually live on a vegan diet. Just ask your vet for advice before you make any massive changes to your dog’s diet.

If your dog can’t go vegan, then you can still reduce their meat intake by putting more (home-grown) vegetables onto their plate. My aunt’s dog goes crazy for a carrot, eating them whole and raw. You can also opt for organic dog food, which will be made from animals/plants that were raised/grown without added chemicals.

You can also do your bit to reduce packaging waste for their food by:

  • Cooking their meat yourself
  • Seeking out recyclable packaging (and rinsing it before popping it in your green bin)

Accessories

dog playing with ball

All good dog parents like to spoil their babies, so my first advice is to think about what you have before buying more. Does Fido really need a third ball to play catch with?

If you are buying something that your dog does need, look for a retailer that has long-lasting, good quality products that can stand up to your puppy’s standards. After all, there’s no point in buying a lead that will break the first time your dog pulls on it or a toy that will fall apart after mere days. Always remember to compare the products and read reviews to find out which is the best for your pup.

And finally, when your dog doesn’t need an item anymore, be sure not to bin it. Instead, donate the toy/cage/raincoat to your local animal shelter, where they can either sell the item or use it to help their dogs.

Waste

A dog pooping

Who took this photo? Why is it on a stock image site? So many questions.

Pick up your dog waste! I had some friends in school, who I assume have since learnt the error of their ways, who wouldn’t pick up their dog’s waste and when I questioned them about it, they told me that the waste would naturally decompose/wash away. Turns out that your dog carries toxoplasmosis, which is harmful to people with compromised immune systems, and when you don’t pick their waste up, it can pollute waterways, coastal areas, and even the parks where children play.

If you are concerned about the environmental impact of put dog waste into a plastic bag and then into a bin, then you could:

  • use biodegradable bags
  • use flushable bags and put the waste down the loo
  • use a pooper scooper
  • reuse bags that would have gone in the bin anyway, like the bag that your frozen chips came in

Some top tips

dog on lead

When I polled my friends and family for their top tips on raising an eco-dog, some didn’t fit neatly into the sections above, so I created a new section for them.

  • “Upcycle products for your dog. You can easily make an old t-shirt into a rope toy.” – Andy
  • “Buy a dog brush that you can easily remove the fur from and use the fur to line birds’ nests or for your compost.” AND “Don’t choose plastic when buying their toys/bowls/etc. Use metal or glass or china” – Yasmin
  • “Incorporate your existing eco-hacks into your pet’s life, i.e. not using single-use bags to buy their food/toys.” – Meg
  • “You can buy/make eco-friendly flea and tick treatments.” – Sarah
  • “Ditch the gym and use the twice-daily walks as your exercise.” – Debby
  • “Buy microfibre cloths to clean up after or dry your dog.” – Steve
  • “Adopt, don’t buy.” – Hayley

Well, that’s it from me (and my friends) about raising an eco dog, but now we want to hear for you. What tips do you have for raising a green dog? Let us know in the comments.

How I Eco-Hack My Kitchen – A Green Goddess Series

In my household eating is a much-beloved activity and cleaning is most definitely  not. In this series on eco-kitchen hacks, I (Tamara) will be focusing on my attempts at green kitchen living. I will share with you my tried and tested tips – from how to eat sustainably, to where I buy food for me and my husband, to food storage and food waste, and of course the ever-dreaded cleaning.

In this post, I will be focusing on five easy and sustainable changes I have made. So, as they sing in Oliver, let’s get started with Food, Glorious Food, magical Food, Wonderful Food!

Man eating strawberries and cream

  1. Buy Sustainable & Certified Foods

fair trade Madagascan cacao bag

My requirement of food is simple –  I want the food I eat to cause me transcendental bliss, to tickle my tastebuds into spasms of delight, to satisfy my stomach and my mind. Surely that’s not asking for much?

What I do not want to taste is worry and guilt in every bite about the unfair treatment of producers and farmers, horrific animal welfare, industrial-scale deforestation, overfishing, air miles, and pollution, and the overall negative ecological impact – ain’t nobody got time for that!

This is why, wherever possible, I buy certified and sustainable food that can relieve both my conscience and my hunger. Whatever your food preferences, whether you are a meat-lover, meat reducer, pescetarian, vegetarian, vegan or fruitarian (not an exhaustive list!) – my first nugget of green wisdom is to be on the lookout for food produced to certified and traceable standards, ideally that goes above and beyond the legal minimum.

Logos and marks I look out for include Fairtrade, the green frog of Rainforest Alliance, the bluefish of MSC (Marine Stewardship Council), RSPCA Assured, Free Range and Soil Association Organic.

Yes, some certified foods can be more expensive as there are higher welfare and environmental standards involved with the farmers and producers are being paid a fair living wage. Yes, I have to make choices and yes, compromises also have to be made. This is why I have my ‘non-negotiables’ and my  ‘if-money-allows’.

My non-negotiables include free range eggs, Fairtrade or Rainforest Alliance bananas and coffee, MSC fish and seafood, and free-range or RSPCA-assured meats.

If money allows, I have organic eggs, vegetables, meat and cheese, and Fairtrade flowers and wine for when I am feeling fancy.

And finally, I always buy local if that option is available to me – this Christmas I had family visiting from Trinidad and so as it was a special occasion, I splashed out on a local free-range goose for them from the family-run Ashford Farm near Petersfield. I won’t lie, it was expensive but (I am assured) delicious and so worth it!  I also regularly buy fresh produce from my local Milton Market greengrocers Portsmouth Fruit and Flowers who stock veg and flowers from Titchfield. My Titchfield-grown daffodils from them are nodding happily to me as I type!

Basket of Daffodils

So whether it is choosing Fairtrade bananas in your a weekly food shop, or making the choice to buy RSPCA ham from Lidl or MSC certified fish fingers from Tesco’s or buying locally grown sprouts and daffodils from Portsmouth Fruit and Flowers greengrocers; each ethical, sustainable and local choice you make means an unsustainable food item is being left on the shelf. And that my friends, is the power of consumer choice. Boom!

For more information on the various certifications I mentioned and many that I didn’t, I found this list on the Love British Food website useful.

 

  1. Make Your Own Bread

Bread Rolls

Keeping on the topic of food, mine is a bread-loving household as the Dutchman (my husband) would eat bread for every meal if he could. Bread with cheese, bread with peanut butter, bread with chocolate spread – I think I’m married to a man-child!

Last February 2017, he was gifted a bread machine from a kind friend and it has seriously changed our lives! He makes a bread every 2 days and as we no longer buy shop-bread, we no longer have to deal with the plastic bags they come in, thus reducing our plastic waste. I salute those who make bread by hand – we tried it a few times and failed miserably. I’m happy with the convenience of the bread machine, for us it’s revolutionary!

 

  1. Use cloth napkins

cloth napkin with flowers and cutlery

Another small change that has helped reduce the amount of waste we produce is using cloth napkins instead of paper kitchen roll.

I am a mucky pup and spillages are a common occurrence. Cloth napkins are reusable, can be chucked in with my laundry, and it looks fancy shmancy!

I sourced mine from charity shops and my Mum who had more cloth napkins than one person could ever need. I have greatly reduced my (FSC and recycled) paper towel usage as I just use tea towels or cloth napkins instead.

 

  1. (Re) Fill Your Own

refill spice jars

As a prolific user of herbs and spices (smoked paprika makes everything taste yum!), I was delighted to find I can refill my spice jars at Wild Thyme Wholefoods who offer an amazing self-service for herbs and spices as well as a refill service for laundry and washing up liquid.

I recently refilled my Ecover laundry and washing liquid at Southsea Health Shop and it was cheaper than Tescos! Trust me, I checked! This does require a tiny bit more planning, and I am aiming to have one bottle in use and one pre-filled under the sink so I don’t run out and have to do a supermarket dash.

 

  1. Composting

compost heap

I have been lucky that the majority of places I’ve lived in here in Pompey had outdoor space for a compost bin. I compost all uncooked fruit and veg peelings and for years had been also innocently including tea bags made from polypropyleneNow if I am unsure if the material of the tea bag is made from plastic, I just add the tea leaves to the compost and discard the bag. I am currently working my way through a back-supply of tea bags and will be moving onto loose tea to save myself those 5 seconds of extra work.

Other than that, I just throw in my veg scraps every few days with some newspaper and let the compost do its magic. I might aerate it once a year if it’s lucky, but the rest is up to the worms! So far, so good! Though eggshells and coffee grounds can also be added to the compost, I add these to my garden as snail and slug deterrents. Those little bastards eat everything except the bloody weeds!

For those of us in flats or with no outdoor space, you could experiment a wormery or bokashi bin. Years ago,  I used to have a bokashi bin, but was too lazy to look after it properly and so it went horribly wrong. I’ve been thinking I might give it another go as you can add almost all food waste in a bokashi bin including cooked food. I need to research it first as it needs to be convenient for my lazy ass!

Alternatively- or as well as- find a friend or neighbour with a compost bin who you can donate your organic waste to! Try signing up with ShareWaste, a free app that links together people with organic scraps with people who have compost bins, wormeries, or chickens. So far, there are only a few of us in the Pompey area on there, but the word is getting out there, so sign up! Coincidentally, the first request I received was from someone who has the fermented organic waste from her bokashi bin to donate to my compost.

In this post , have just scratched the surface on the many small changes that I have made to green-ify my kitchen. What green kitchen tips do you have? Do you compost and if so,  do you just chuck it all in and hope for the best like me? Have you signed up to ShareWaste or know of any other similar useful apps? Let us know in the comments below.