Earth Day 2021
You might have seen over on Instagram, I did a flat lay on Earth Day to discuss some simple, every day swaps we can all make to become more sustainable. I wanted to talk about them in more detail here, and include some I didn't have space for in my Instagram caption.
In case you don't follow me on Instagram, I want to caveat this by saying that to have the financial, emotional and physical bandwidth to make these changes and think about these issues is a massive privilege I want to acknowledge. If you live on or below the poverty line, if you live in a food desert, if you have a chronic illness or are dealing with mental health issues, then some or all of these may be beyond your means and that's OK. You can only do what you can do.
Having said that, I'm a big believer that doing something is better than nothing, even if that something feels small and insignificant. I'm guilty of 'all or nothing thinking', where I feel like if I'm not doing EVERYTHING then what's the point in doing anything? I drive a diesel van, Andrew flies abroad for work (or at least he did pre-Covid), we cook the occasional roast chicken and still get a Chinese take out every so often. Overall though, I can see my trajectory becoming more sustainable over time, so I'm determined to continue on my journey, making small changes where I can, and not focusing too much on the things that are outwith my control.
Here are my tried and tested tips on becoming more eco-friendly. If you have any tips of your own, I would love to hear them!
Buy a reusable cup instead of taking a plastic/card cup. For a while cafes weren't accepting reusable cups during Covid but most of our regular coffee shops are accepting these again.
Carry your own cutlery and straws, to avoid using disposables. My March YouTube episode talks about making your own cutlery roll!
Buy groceries in bulk where possible to minimise packaging, or make use of bulk buy shops where you bring your own container. Our local Scotmid is now offering this, which is a lot more accessible to us than the more exclusive, inconvenient and expensive eco shops.
Use bars of soap or shampoo instead of products in plastic bottles. We use bars of soap for our hands, body and face, meaning we don't buy plastic bottles of shower gel, hand soap or face wash. Bars of soap are often a lot cheaper, as well as being minimal packaging!
Bring a reusable shopping bag with you wherever you go. I have several small cotton bags that just live permanently in my various handbags and backpacks, meaning I basically never leave the house without one.
Did you know that as well as your regular glass, plastic, paper, card and cans, you can also recycle fabric, food waste, light bulbs, print cartridges, crisp packets, batteries and plastic bags (including the bags that bread and some fruit comes in)? I take my fabric waste to my local Cancer Research, where they sell it to a textile company who turn it into mattress stuffing! Call your local charity shops to see if they offer a similar service.
I'm planning a mini-video series on YouTube for Me Made May where I share a daily outfit and a bonus eco tip! I'm still planning how it will work but be sure to subscribe over on YouTube and if you have any eco tips you'd like me to share, feel free to drop me an email!