How to reduce your environmental impact
Over the past few years, my husband and I have been finding ways to reduce our environmental impact. We try to follow the three R’s: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle and we’ve found some really great products to help us to do this.
As it’s Earth Day, we thought we’d share in the hope it might inspire others, too…
Reducing waste
Check these out:
Bamboo kitchen towel
This has been fantastic. We bought two rolls (20 sheets in each). They’re really absorbent, and can be washed up to 1700 times! We haven’t needed regular, disposable towels for yonks.
Find on Amazon >
Laundry ball
We love this product! It cleans and softens clothes; saving both plastic containers and money. Our clothes come out smelling lovely and fresh. I do occasionally use detergent if something is heavily soiled or particularly smelly (like pet beds) but a small bottle has lasted us over a year.
Find on Amazon >
E-cloths
I love e-cloths! They remove 99% of bacteria without the need for any other cleaning products + they can be washed time and again.
We have one for the kitchen, one for general cleaning, and another for the bathroom. We also have a washing up sponge (which is rough on one side) and a mop. They do a great job.
Find on Amazon: Cleaning cloth … mop … washing up pad.
Biodegradable wipes
As great as the e-cloths are, sometimes you just need a antibac wipe, right?! But they’re so bad for the environment. We find them useful for things like pet vom (eugh) but we hated using something so disposable. So we were delighted to find these Eco-zone wipes that are biodegradable. Brilliant.
They’re not currently available on Amazon but you can find stockists here >
Deodorant, Shampoo and Soap
I love this deodorant bar from LUSH. It’s fresh, lasts ages, makes the room smell amazing, and best of all there’s no plastic waste!
Also: ditch the liquid hand soap for an eco-friendly soap bar… I love LUSH for products like this; they care about the environment, never test on animals and most products are vegan, too.
Re-useable cotton pads
Ditch the make-up wipes and cotton wool pads for these re-usable pads (above), I love them! They’re very effective, wash well, and save me money. You can buy them on Amazon, here >
Bamboo cotton buds
You’ve probably heard about plastic cotton buds being banned at some point in the future. Clean your ears the eco-way with this bamboo alternative. They’re really good quality and do the same job, without using disposable plastic.
These ones on Amazon provide a HUGE pack, so you’ll be set for years!
Reusable water bottles
We used to buy drinks when were out a lot, so now we’ve got lots of re-usable bottles and always ensure we take plenty with us so that we’re not buying single-use plastic ones.
Food storage
We try to use tupperware instead of clingfilm, foil or plastic sandwich bags. We also found these washable food covers and storage pouches which have been really handy.
Silicon baking mats
…a great alternative to baking parchment, and silicon can go in the dishwasher. Easy peasy.
Energy supplier
Take a look at switching your provider or tariff to one that’s a 100% renewable energy source, this may also save you money.
Up-cycling
We love a good DIY project! Nathaniel’s used the wood from our daughter’s old bed to make a garden table, and pallets to make a bin store… and we were given this huge cable reel bobbin, which we’re going to paint and make a table out of! Before you throw out old furniture, electronics, etc. consider if you can up-cycle, offer it to family, friends or post a photo in your local community Facebook group to see if anyone wants it? Even if it’s broken, some people love to fix things!
Old clothes you no longer want? Check out Vinted. It’s an app where you can buy and sell second-hand clothes.
Reducing water consumption
There are many ways to use less water (which is good for your bill, as well as the planet!) For example, turn the shower off while you lather up your shampoo, turn the taps off while you’re brushing your teeth, etc.
We also have two water butts in our garden, collecting rain water. It’s a great way to water your plants, and apparently they prefer rain water to tap water so it’s win-win.
Help bees, birds and other wildlife
If you have a garden, make sure you have plenty of bee-friendly plants. Our local bees love our Wisteria tree and lavender. Take note when buying plants which ones have bees buzzing around them. We also purchased insect houses and feeders and boxes for the birds; one of which is home to a family of blue tits.
Carbon off-setting travel
We have chronic wanderlust, but travel = a bigger carbon footprint. We found a great site last year to off-set our trip to California. You enter where you’re traveling from/to and it will work out how much carbon you need to off-set. You then pay a fee which is used to fund renewable energy projects. Check it out here >
Electric car
Our next plan is to switch to electric vehicles… watch this space.
Reduce your consumption of animal products
The United Nations state that ‘a global shift toward a vegan diet is one of the steps necessary to combat the worst effects of climate change.’
Read more about the positive environmental impact of going vegan on Peta’s website >
If this feels too hard at first, how about just trying to be vegetarian or vegan one day a week? Small changes can make all the difference.
We went vegan for ethical reasons, and if you love animals, simply educating yourself on the meat, dairy and egg industry is a big, shocking eye-opener. We also feel healthier than ever and have delicious food, every single day!
Ways to reduce your environmental impact at work or in your business
Check out this blog over on our business website: Continual Improvement Ltd for tips >