Sustainable(ish)

In this episode I’m chatting to Celia Pool one of the co-founders of DAME – a sustainable self-care brand on a mission to turn our bathrooms green.Did you know that globally we throw away 100 billion sanitary products every year? Which is enough to circle the globe 250 times. Plastic tampon applicators are a big part of the problem –being used for just seconds but taking hundreds of years to degrade. Even cardboard applicators are often lined with plastic. Here in the UK we throw away 13 billion aplicators every single year, and in a recent UK beach clean nine tampon applicators were found washed up on beaches for every kilometre of  shoreline.There are loads of great reusable menstrual products out there like cups and washable pads but what Celia and Alex realised was that one of the reasons that more women weren’t making the switch to reusables was that it was too big a habit change to switch away from a product like tampons that worked for them. Hence their first product is the world’s first reusable tampon applicator along with organic cotton tampons It’s a brilliant story and DAME are a company who really are pulling out all the stops to do things right – from actively seeking out female engineers ands specialists to help develop their produts, through to designing a poduct that can be used with any size tampon and any brand, and re-using existing packaging to send out their products. In fact, on the website they describe themselves as a “consumer goods company that belives in less consumption” (and we dive into that oxymoron in the podcast!). Whether you’re already a dedicated cup or reusable pads type, or in fact you don’t have periods at all, this episode still has something for you – it’s a brilliant example of a brand on a mission and it’s hugely inspiring to see how creating and selling stuff can be good for people and planet when it’s done right. Enjoy! ​​​​​​​​​​Useful linksDAME- Website- Facebook- Instagram- TwitterA Beginners Guide to Eco-friendly and Plastic-free Periods (blog post) [031] - Plastic-free Periods and Wipes with Natracare (podcast)[028] Buy Less Buy Better with Buy Me Once (podcast)B-CorpOddboxSkipping Rocks LabsRubies in the Rubble […]

Every year an estimated 300,000 tonnes of used clothing goes to landfill in the UK.In the UK we buy more clothes per person than any other country in Europe.It takes over 2000 litres of water to make one single cotton t-shirt.17% of young people said they wouldn’t wear an outfit again if it had been on IG.These are shocking stats aren't they? I’ve heard most of them before, but that still doesn’t detract from the shock value. However the one that was new to me was the IG one – I’m a bit too old and uncool to really care what outfit I’m wearing on IG, if indeed I share any pictures of myself at all. And it really hadn’t occurred to me that it would be a thing. That you wouldn’t want to be seen in the same outfit twice on social media. I wear the same outfits ALL the time. I figure that if I can’t remember what anyone else was wearing on the school run yesterday, then chances are they won’t have noticed what I’m wearing. But I guess for younger people, people far cooler than me, who do share their outfits and what they’re wearing, then maybe there is this pressure to be constantly refreshing your wardrobe? Clothes are cheaper now than at any other time, to the point that they are sometimes seen as 'disposable' - worm a handful of times and then simply discarded. Most of us give very little thought to the resources that will have gone into those clothes and the people who have made them.So what can we do about it?Well this is where #nonewjune comes in – a campaign being run by three friends at MCR Love Your Clothes encouraging us all to shop secondhand for our clothes in June. Prolonging the active life of our clothes by just 9 months can reduce their carbon, water, and land footprints by 20-30%. We can do that by wearing our own clothes for longer and also by donating the clothes we no longer love and wear to charity shops AND by buying new to us clothes secondhand. There are no real rules for #nonewjune other than not buying brand new clothes. You can buy secondhand clothes, you can swap clothes with friends, you can still have 'new to you' clothes, just not brand new ones! You can find MCR Love Your Clothes here on IG and here on FB. You can sign up here, and when you sign up you will get content into your inbox that will help you during your #nonewjune. Things like where to shop secondhand, how to look after your clothes and more. If you need an extra incentive I think I’m right in remembering that one of the stats shared was that by buying no new clothes for a month, the average shopper could save around 38kg of C02.  So how about it? Are you in? Let’s see if we can make a difference with this one simple action during June! ​​​​​​​​​​Useful linksMCR Love Your Clothes- Facebook- Instagram- The link to sign up for #nonewjuneUprising5 Ways to Get Your Fashion Fix (without Trashing the Planet) (blog post) Easy Sustainable Alternatives to Fast Fashion (blog post)Top Tips Tips for Charity Shop Shopping (blog post)Fashion RevolutionLove Your Clothes […]

If you've not got time to listen to the podcast or read the whole post, scroll to the end for the 'take home' points! Ecobricks. Plastic bottles packed with clean and dry plastic that can then be used literally as building bricks for a whole variety of structures. They seem to the the marmite of the plastic pollution fight with advocates citing them as a great way to keep plastic out of the biosphere (whilst we work on drastically reducing the mind boggling-ly enormous amount of plastic that we have come to depend on) and for the plastic that we would otherwise throw 'away' (altogether now "but we know there is no 'away'") to be turned into something of value. Meanwhile opponents argue that by having a nice neat end point for our plastic somehow legitimises it's use and prevents us tackling the real issues around reducing the amount that we're using. I've been intrigued by Ecobricks for a year or two now, and have been trying to get Lucie on the podcast for the last six months or so. Lucie is the UK's Ecobrick Queen, the 1st UK certified trainer, and all round wonder-woman. And she steadfastly refused to come on the podcast until I had made my very own Ecobrick. And I procrastinated, and faffed, until eventually Lucie sent me a 'make your own Ecobrick kit' to make it as easy as possible for me. And even then it still took me a good couple of months to get round to it. But at last it was done, and it was a really useful experience to make one.In this podcast we dive into everything Ecobricks - what they are, why they came into being, what we can do with them, and how to make them. I also asked on my FB page what people wanted to know about them, and posed several of those questions to Lucie, especially regarding the issues around whether they actually encourage plastic use, and any damage they might do the environment as and when they degrade. It was a really interesting chat (I hope you agree) and it was great to be able to cut through some of the hype and hysteria that sometimes surrounds them, and speak to someone who lives and breathes Ecobricks and is truly passionate about the positive impact they can have, not just on the sheer volume of plastic we're pumping out, but on communities and individuals as well. Be prepared, this is a slightly longer episode than normal, but with half-term coming up I figured you might be looking for something to keep you (and the kids!) entertained on long car journeys if you're off on your hols ​​​​​​​​​​Useful linksEcobricks International- Website- Catalyst programme for businesses- Facebook- InstagramEcobricks UK - Facebook groupNew Forest Aquaponics - Lucie's website with all the UK ecobrick info on- Lucie's Facebook page which has lots of info on ecobricks and workshops etc- Lucie's next Ecobrick workshop - 1st June near SouthamptonThe link to the  post detailing how to make your very own Ecobrick tablelamp​The link to sign up for the Sustainable(ish) Sunday newsletterTLDL?This is internet speak for "Too long, didn't listen" (it's usually TLDR - too long didn't read). I had to look it up.In my mind you all eagerly await each new episode of the podcast and sit down in your favourite chair with a cuppa and a piece of cake in blissful peach and quiet to listen, or you're listening while you're out striding around some rugged landscape or other with your photogenic dog running along at your side. In reality, we're all time poor and I concede that you might not have a free hour+ without extraneous noise at any point other than when you're asleep. So here are the take home nuggets:- Ecobricks are plastic bottles packed with clean, dry, shredded plastic to create a dense 'brick like' structure.- They can be used to create whole buildings when covered with 'cob' in the wattle and daub style that we might all remember learning about in history classes in school, and in the developing world schools and houses have indeed been made from them.- Ecobricks made in the UK stay in the UK, and are used as close to where they are made as possible.- If you want to use the Ecobricks that you've made in your home, a great project is an Ecobrick stool.- If you have no use for your Ecobricks personally, you can find a local project that will use them, or start your own community project (things like friendship benches and raised beds for gardening are popular).- The process of making an Ecobrick is not a 'get out of jail free card' that absolves you of any need to think about and reduce your plastic consumption. Partly because it's actually bloody hard work making one and not for the faint hearted. And partly because the sheer act of collecting all your plastic to go into your Ecobrick will horrify you and is pretty much guaranteed to see you committing to changes to reduce it. - Ecobricking is not a substitute for applying our old fave the Waste Hierarchy and looking to REFUSE, REDUCE and REUSE plastic before we resort to Ecobricking it. […]

I'm not sure about you, but I've sat behind my phone or my laptop on social media watching the youth climate marches, and the Extinction Rebellion protests with a mixture of gratitude, and awe, maybe a little bit of envy. And I've also curled up inside at the thought of going along myself. I feel like this stuff NEEDS to happen, that it's so important that we stand up and show the world, the government, business leaders and our friends and family that this matters. That this matters enough for us to get off our butts and take time out of our busy lives to literally stand up and be counted. But I've always felt like marching, and protesting, and waving placards was for other people. People braver than me, more extroverted, more out spoken. And I've felt a little bit ashamed that I haven't joined in.When I heard about the Mothers Rise Up climate march, organised by an 'ordinary group of scared mums' I felt like maybe this was something I could join in with. Even as as someone who's not mad keen on crowds and hordes of strangers. Even if I had to go on my own.So this Sunday I went. And now obviously feel suitably qualified to put together a little round up of tips for other first time introverts scared of the thought of marches too.Enjoy!TOP TIPS... Go with a friend or try to arrange to meet someone there - it's honestly not horrendous if you do end up going on your own, but for a first time a friend is definitely helpful!  Make a placard - my friend was right. It does give you something to do with your hands, and it makes you feel part of of the march. AND it's a great  conversation starter - several people commented on mine and we'd then chat for a few minutes together. Make your banner foldable/roll-able if you don't want to have to carry it on the train/tube and feel like a knob. Having said that, it is a good way for other people to recognise fellow marchers, and a good way to start conversations with others not aware of the march taking place. Wear comfy shoes - you'll be on your feet for a LONG time. Smile at people and make eye contact. This is sometimes easier if they've got young kids with them as you can congratulate the kids on their banners/t-shirts/just being there, and then it's an easy 'in' into a conversation with their parents.Set yourself a goal of talking to at least one stranger. Or two. Or however many feels ok(ish).You're under no obligation to shout/chant/sing, so if this is going to make you feel even more awkward either move away from the shouting/chanting/singing types or do like most of us do in church/school assemblies and mouth the words whilst smiling maniacally.Look around. Soak up the atmosphere. Feel a part of something bigger.And at the end of the day, if it all gets a bit much - a bit too overwhelming, a bit too people-y, head for home. You made it. You took a massive step out of your comfort zone. Next time maybe you'll stay longer. Next time, maybe a friend will come with you, or one of your kids.Take snacks. And drinks. And try to wee before you arrive at the start point. Oh, and suncream if it's going to be sunny.Be proud of yourself for what you're doing. For stepping up. For standing up. For being part of democracy and making your voice heard. You rock. Useful links4 things you can do to support the climate strike (if you're not the striking type) - blog postA beginners guide to plastic-free and eco-friendly periods - blog postMothers Rise upYouth Climate Strike UKExtinction RebellionThe Sutainable(ish) FB group - your online tribe and a great place to find like-minded souls ​The link to sign up for the Sustainable(ish) Sunday newsletter […]

If you've not got time to listen to the podcast or read the whole post, scroll to the end for the 'take home' points! When I was first approached to ask if I would be interested in interviewing the Susie Hewson, the founder of Natracare about their new safe to flush wipes my instant response was a resounding "No".I felt quite strongly that we should be discouraging the use of single use wipes, and also that marketing a flushable wipe would confuse the message that is starting to filter down that wipes should very definitely NOT be flushed. But I decided to do a bit of digging and a bit of research and it dawned on me that if I’m going to brand and label myself as ‘sustainanble(ish)' then these wipes are probably a very good example of that sustainable(ish) approach. We went cold turkey on baby wipes during our year buying nothing new and I haven’t used them for at least 6 years, so it can be done, and it can be done with young children in tow. The answer is reusable wipes and companies like Cheeky Wipes make it super easy now for people to make the switch. And remember that we’re not just talking baby wipes here, we’re talking make up wipes, cleaning wipes, pet wipes, you name it, there’s probably a wipe for it.  And for each of those scenarios, reusables will work just as well and in an ideal world disposable wipes wouldn’t be needed.But I’m also a realist and I know that my little social media bubble, my FB group, is not representative of the vast majority of society and that the wipe genie is not going to go back into the bottle anytime soon. So actually, maybe there is a need for a better type of wipe – a wipe that doesn’t contain plastic (as all other wipes do) and that has been through a rigorous certification process and independently deemed by the water authorities to be safe to flush.I would always encourage the use of reusable products over single use, but I also know that none of us is perfect. That there might be the odd occasion when we need to reach for a packet of wipes, whether we’re at a festival (if you’re much hipper and cooler than me), if you’re on holiday without any washing facilities and young messy kids, or maybe you're just getting started, you're a new mum and while you can just about get your head around resusable wipes at home, it all becomes a bit much when you start to think about leaving the house. Now at least there's a choice and a wipe that gives you an option other than to add another piece of plastic into the environment. I’m fully expecting a bit of a backlash from putting this out there. To maybe be accused of not being ‘green enough'. For advocating disposable products. But please, before you write me an angry e-mail or leave a disparaging comment on social emdia, listen right to the end. I came away from my conversation with Susie with a changed mind and a respect for her and her brand and what they are tring to achieve. As Susie says, she set up Natracare to be a campaigning brand, one that drives standards up, shows what can be done  and invites the rest of the industry  to step up and do the same. We need more brands like this. Who are looking beyond profit and thinking carefully about their impact on the planet, and thinking about how to create better products for people are starting to think about sustainable(ish) changes they can make. So please do take a listen, with an open mind, and ideally a cuppa and a piece of cake. Enjoy.   ​​​​​​​​​​Useful linksNatracare- Website- Facebook- Twitter- InstagramWater UK's Fine to Flush accreditationWomen's Environmental NetworkCity to Sea's Plastic Free Periods campaign​The link to sign up for the Sustainable(ish) Sunday newsletterTLDL?This is internet speak for "Too long, didn't listen" (it's usually TLDR - too long didn't read). I had to look it up.In my mind you all eagerly await each new episode of the podcast and sit down in your favourite chair with a cuppa and a piece of cake in blissful peach and quiet to listen, or you're listening while you're out striding around some rugged landscape or other with your photogenic dog running along at your side. In reality, we're all time poor and I concede that you might not have a free 45 minutes without extraneous noise at any point other than when you're asleep. So here are the take home nuggets:- Conventional period products contain plastic - a typical sanitary towel can be up to 90% plastic, and a standard pack of sanitary towels contains the same amount of plastic as 4 carrier bags.- Each DAY 700k panty liners, 2.5 million tampons and 1.4 million sanitary towels are flushed down the loo in the UK. This is bad.It costs the water companies millions of pounds each year to clear them from the water treatement plants and causes sewerage blockages. They can also end up being washed out to sea and cause problems for marine life, as well as being hugely unpleasant when one floats past you when you're paddling at the beach.- Conventional wipes are made of plastic. They will not biodegrade or break downing the sewerage system. - The only things that should be flushed down the loo are the '3 Ps' - pee, poo and paper- Early in 2019 Water UK introduced a new 'fine to flush' standard that has been developed by the water industry (who have a vested interest in these things as they are the ones forking out the cash to clear up the blockages) - the wipes industry had a bit of a paddy and said it would be impossible to create a wipe that would pass.- Natracare's Safe to Flush wipes are the first (and only so far) wipes to pass this new standard - the wipes are made from paper and will break down fully in the sewerage system and are home compostable.- I'm not on commission (as someone on FB suggested!) I just think that we need to provide people with choices. If people aren't ready for, or able to use, reusable wipes 100% of the time for whatever reason, up until now they had no choice but to reach for a plastic based wipe and add to the plastic pollution issues. Now there is a choice, and Natracare's aim is that it forces up the standards within the whole wipes industry.That might have been TLDR but hopefully you get the essence! […]

How do you feel when you open your bin to throw something away? Or after you've done your weekly shop? Smug and self-congratulatory at just how little single use plastic there is? Or like most of us, guilty and overwhelmed by quite how much there is?Teresa Walters was faced with a whole bin full of unrecyclable plastic after Christmas in 2017 and decided that enough was enough and that she was going to do something about it. She roped in her sister Mary, and together they embarked on a competition between the two families to see who could reduce their plastic waste by the most over the course of 2018. This episode is packed with loads of really actionable tips and if it doesn’t inspire you to make a start on reducing your single use plastic, then I'm genuinely not sure what will! The energy that Teresa and Mary have really comes across during our chat, and I love the way that they’ve teamed up (albeit in competition) to make change happen, and I think it’s easy to see how by working together they’ve been able to bouy each other up and achieve far more than either of them probably would have been able to on their own. So grab and pencil and a piece of scrap paper to make some notes and then sit back and enjoy! ​​​​​​​​​​Useful linksSisters Against Plastic- ​Facebook page- ​​On Twitter- Buying GroupPlastic Free July Faith in NatureEcoeggWyatt and Jack - inflatable amnestyClean Bin Project filmSodastream (I got ours secondhand from eBay so do take a look for a 'preloved' one first![009] - 4 easy ways to reduce your plastic footprint (podcast)[007] - Shopping plastic-free without a local zero waste store (podcast)[006] - Plastic-free living with the Zero Waste Chef (podcast)Plastic-free(ish) party bags (blog post)9 top tips for shopping plastic- free(ish) at the supermarket (blog post)Plastic-free(ish) pets (blog post)Re-usable alternatives to clingfilm (blog post)The Essential Guide to a Plastic-free(ish) Home (e-guide)​The link to sign up for the Sustainable(ish) Sunday newsletterHOW TO MAKE LIQUID SOAP FROM A BAR (from the Sisters Against Plastic FB page)1: Pop 2.5 litres of water with 1 table spoon of coconut oil on the hob to boil. 2: Grate one bar of ordinary soap (don’t use Dove) and add it to water. Gently heat whilst stirring and bring to the boil. 3: You can add a tablespoon of glycerine at this point if you would like your soap to be thicker than we have made ours. 3: Customise your soap with food colourings / essential oils / honey (great to add moisturiser) 4: Pour into bottles and let cool overnight. […]

Did you know that on average kids in the UK receive around £350 of toys a year? I was pretty shocked when I read this, and indignantly though to the myself "there’s no way that applies to my kids", especially as we buy the vast majority of their toys secondhand. But when I stopped and thought about Christmas and birthdays and those times when they drag me into the toy shop and my resistance levels are at an all time low, then it’s easy to see how it can all add up. And when I look around the clutter and the mess in my kid's rooms (actually more accurately spread around their floors waiting to trip me up) and the toys abandoned halfway up the stairs, in the kitchen, in the lounge… I start to feel a little bit overwhelmed. I try my best to keep on top of it, and have recently instigated a 'one in, one out' policy, but as any parent of small kids will tell you, the instant you put a long forgotten toy into the charity shop box it becomes their favourite toy ever that they could never even consider parting with, and you’re a heartless meanbag for even thinking about it. All of which is why I’m so excited about today’s episode. I’m chatting to Nigel Phan, founder of a website and start up called Whirli. Whirli is an online toy subcscription service where your kids can literally swap til they drop!There’s a brilliant range of stuff on there, from rattles for babies through to nerf guns for bigger kids. And larger items too like ride on toys for toddlers through to scooters and balance bikes – a great way to see if your kids likes and/or gets on with a toy before making a bigger investment. And actually if they really like it, you have the option to keep any of the toys!So settle back, ingmore the messy bedrooms and playroom for a minute, grab a cuppa and listen in.Enjoy.   ​​​​​​​​​​Useful links​Whirli- Website- Facebook- Instagram ​The link to sign up for the Sustainable(ish) Sunday newsletter […]

In today’s episode I'm chatting to Tara Button, the founder and CEO of Buy Me Once, and author of A Life Less Throwaway. After receiving a Le Crueset saucepan as a gift, Tara set out to look for a website that sold "the Le Crueset of everything" - meaning products that are made to last, and that will be cherished and are capable of being passed on to our kids and grandkids. When she couldn't find one, and the idea just wouldn't leave her alone, Tara founded Buy Me Once, a website selling only products that are built to last. After starting out small, the site went viral after a journalist wrote about it, and it's had praise from Ashton Kutcher and Caitlin Moran amongst others, and led to Tara being asked to write a book about her philosophy. A Life Less Throwaway is a brilliant book for anyone struggling to buy less - it dives into some of the ways we're constantly being manipulated by advertisers to buy more, and to upgrade, and is packed with practical advice to help you find your style, and resist that urge to impulse buy. I could have chatted to Tara for hours, and there's so many great gems of advice and information in this episode - enjoy. ​​​​​​​​​​Useful linksBuy Me Once- Website- Facebook- Twitter- Instagram A Life Less Throwaway - Tara's bookThe Clothes DoctorIkea's plans for renting out furniture​Buy Me Once's #makeitlast campaign The link to sign up for the Sustainable(ish) Sunday newsletterSome of Tara's Top Tips to Buy Less and Buy Better Make a list of all the things you DON'T need! Do you really need any more cushions? Or kitchen gadgets? Or black t-shirts? Be aware of the adverts that you're seeing. Acknowledge them, and say "No"!  Love your stuff! Buy only stuff that you will love and cherish for a long time.  Work out what you want out of life and what makes you happy (this will invariably be people and experiences, not things). Then make a plan to direct your energy and spending in those directions.Work out your style, and make sure that everything you buy fits with that. […]

Welcome back to Sustainable(ish)!Today I’ve got an interview lined up for you with Tom Neish who is the founder and head honcho of Yora pet food, a new pet food brand that claim to be the world’s most sustainable pet food.So what makes them so sustainable I hear you ask? Well I’m glad you asked. It’s because the food is made from insects!The message seems to be slowly getting out that we should be reducing the amount of meat that we’re eating in our own diets, but I’d genuinely never really thought much about the amount of meat that our pets are eating. Many of the perium brand pet foods focus their marketing on the fact that their food is made using human grade food, and we’ve bought into the fact that this is a Good Thing. But hang on a minute, shouldn’t we be working on feeding the human grade food to the humans?The first time I saw Yora I was fasincated (and I have to say slightly freaked out by the thought that it might be  a bag full of dried crickets or the like. It's not. It looks like regular dry dog food) by the concept, and I have to say that I absolutely love it, and the whole ethos behind the company.Tuen in your ears, and listen in as I get the lowdown and hopefully all your questions answered from Tom.Enjoy! […]

It's pancake day - hurray! Which means it's the start of Lent tomorrow - traditionally 40 days and 40 nights of fasting before Easter to remember Jesus' time in the wilderness.Now I’ve never really done Lent, but it’s a time of year when some people choose to take on a challenge and give up something they enjoy - whether thats chocolate, or sugar or alcohol, or something else entirely. But how about this year abstaining from something that will help the planet, rather than simply your waistline? In this episode I share with you a few ideas for things you might want to have a go at giving up this year for Lent: […]