I’ll catch up on the last few days…
Eating meat has a hefty impact on the environment from fueling climate change to polluting landscapes and waterways.
Going meatless once a week can reduce your risk of chronic preventable conditions like cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity. It can also help limit your carbon footprint and save precious resources like fresh water and fossil fuel (www.meatlessmonday.com)
Batteries contain a number of heavy metals and toxic chemicals and disposing of them by the same process as regular trash has raised concerns over soil contamination and water pollution.
Rechargeable batteries have the advantage of holding energy for longer when used in appliances that consume a lot of energy.
Several tea bag brands use polypropylene, a sealing plastic, to keep the tea bags from falling apart.
Bags with Plastic: ❗️PG Tips ❗️Tetley ❗️Twinings ‘heat-sealed’ and ‘string and tag’ ranges ❗️Yorkshire Tea ❗️Lidl own brand
TEA BAGS WITHOUT PLASTIC: ✅ Abel & Cole ✅ Clipper ✅ Co-op own brand 99 ✅ Pukka Herbs ✅ Teapigs ✅ Twinings pyramid range ✅ Waitrose Duchy range
As well as the manufacturing process, makeup brushes can affect the environment in another way. When they are no longer usable makeup brushes get thrown away and end up in landfill.
Some brands use real animal hair for their brushes. They often use hair obtained from the fur industry, which is known for trapping and killing animals for their pelts, often by gassing or electrocuting to avoid damaging the hair.
We’ve made the switch to SoEco Make Up Brushes and Sponges.
So Eco is a range of “eco-friendly” make up brushes, with the unique emphasis on components being responsibly and ethically sourced. So Eco has tested and developed the hand cut heads for size, powder application and finish. The bristle colours have been chosen so you can see the amount of product on the brush head.
The hand crafted handles are made using bamboo, the ferules are made from recycled aluminium and the brush heads are crafted from cruelty-free Taklon bristles which are suitable for both liquid and powder cosmetics.
All totally pointless if it ends up as rubbish!
So, freeze and plan!
Meal Planning means you will be more able to buy in bulk which costs less in the long run (think dry foods; rice, flour, pasta…) this also reduces packaging!
How many more positives could you want???
Related to Day 26 but in other areas of your life; how much clutter do we have, how many items have we bought never used or used once and just collecting dust…?
With the internet and constant adverts on social media its hard to resist the impulse buys as were always being reminded to buy more and more and more.
According to the research, which was carried out by a team from the Green Lifestyles Alternative Models and Upscaling Regional Sustainability (GLAMURS) project, when people involved in grassroots climate movements take it upon themselves to buy and consume less, they actually experience greater lifestyle satisfaction compared to the people who do nothing.
Researchers collected information by comparing the lifestyle choices and wellbeing of 141 people from 12 different grassroots movements to information gathered from 1,476 non-members. When they looked at all the information, they found that the people involved in sustainability programmes had carbon footprints that were, on average, 16% lower than people who took no action, and discovered that members of the climate movements were also 11-13% more likely to think positively about their own life.
Added benefit of this, you might end up saving money on some of the items you decide you do want. Companies see that you have left an item in a basket they may offer you 10% off or Free Delivery. Win Win.
The shocking truth of Wet Wipes Pollution. Some of these photos are in the UK! As well as causing trouble in wastewater systems, wipes can find their way into oceans. Along with other types of plastic pollution, they can cause long-term problems for sea creatures and the marine environment. Wet wipes made up more than 90% of the material causing sewer blockages that Water UK investigated in 2017.
Below you can see a fatberg, a large mass of solid waste that has accumulated over time in sewers. It usually consists of personal hygiene products and congealed fat that have been flushed down the toilet.
It is estimated that 2.5 billion single-use coffee cups are discarded globally every year. This equates to a staggering 5000 every minute.
There are so many alternatives and it seems many coffee shops are selling their own reusable cups, and some even offer a discounted price on your favourite beverage for using a reusable cup.
This is my Coffee Cup from Home Bargains. Made with natural bamboo fibres that are pesticide-free, fast-growing and renewable crops. Bamboo is naturally sterile, with no plastic after-taste. They are free-from BPA or phthalates with a natural, matte, tactile surface, not “plasticky”.
Have a look round to see which cups are best for you. When you have these shops discount coffee for reusable cups:
It’s easy to get discouraged, especially when the problem is so widespread that it’s hard to see what difference your individual effort is making. Many people think this is true with recycling too, but the truth is that small acts of recycling make a big difference:
I hope this 30 Day Challenge has shown you that small changes are easy to make and that Small Eco-Friendly Changes Have a Big Impact