Little ways in which you help the environment and/or reduce waste

[GunpowderGelatine]

I thought we could have a thread where we share the small low-effort ways in which we can make changes and reduce waste.

• we have a good waste digester. Smarter than a regular compost bin as it takes all food waste even bones. Got it at a discount at £30 and I love it, it gives me really lovely compost too and we literally have no food waste going in the black bin

• I buy as much second hand as possible, if the kids need new clothes I look for bundles on Facebook, I only really buy new shoes or specific clothing like costumes for book day. Most things are like new when given a good clean anyway.

• I've stopped buying DVDs and subscribed to Netlifx, and if I do get a specific DVD I go to CeX and get it second hand

• i refuse to buy anything with unnecessary packaging, like fruit and veg (I only buy it loose)

• use less bath water and limit the number of baths we take

• I wash everything at 30, if it's stained I'll go to 40 with a bit of Vanish on it and if it's smelly I use a white wine vinegar solution on it before I wash it

• I only use eco friendly cleaning products (this has helped with our allergies massively too, no more sneezing after wiping the tops down)

PS thank you for sharing the tips - I didn’t know about waste digesters and terracycle. Wish you were my actual neighbours instead of virtual!

ClarabellaCTL aluminium foil can be recycled (endlessly!) - like drinks cans - it’s one of the most cost-effective recycles because the initial production cost is so high.

alupro.org.uk/consumers/how-is-aluminium-recycled/

It’s been recycled for nearly 100 years & 75% of all the aluminium ever produced is still going round today!

Buy locally. All fruit and vegetable peeling plus paper and cardboard are composted.

At work we return all toners to the manufacturers for recycling. Also there are companies which will collect tech and electrical stuff for recycling - anything from a broken desklamp or a dead mobile to an old photocopier. The company we use needs a minimum of ten items so we save them up and have a collection every few months (also bring in bits from home to make up the numbers and save a trip to the tip).

I don't use bar shampoos or soap, but I do use a 2-in-1 shampoo/conditioner and rinse but not repeat.

We buy Encore cat food which comes in tins or sachets - the sachets are plastic but at least they can be recycled.

We have cling film but I can't remember the last time I used it. We use plastic Chinese takeaway containers for food storage and for sandwiches.

We have an allotment so grow a lot of our veg and we're getting quite good at timings so we also have more fresh stuff over winter (and not just bloody sprouts!).

Have used re-usable shopping bags and baskets for decades but if we do get an online shop, we'll choose a slot where there is already a local delivery booked (Sainsburys - or do they all do this?).

Loads of other things but they've all been mentioned several times. Anyway, last but not least... ahem, no children (to be fair, that wasn't our decision!)

Our financial and environmental extravagances are heating and flights And when I was having periods, I would certainly have tried a Mooncup but other types of reusable sanpro wouldn't have been for me.

I used to do all the things you listed OP but I've become worse over the years rather than better at them. Started with getting the garden landscaped and putting a shed where the compost tumbler and compost bin used to go...then children got older and second-hand clothes weren't acceptable anymore...I've gone back to washing at 40 or 60 (don't even know why now?!).I've definitely got things to work on but I do the following:

• re-useable bags (planning on getting some of the ones for loose produce though)
• walk to shops most of the time
• DH works from home and when he does need to travel take public transport
• I work within walking distance of home
• Only had one child
• I've been eating a plant-based diet for 2 years now and DH has drastically cut down on how much meat he has
• Don't travel much - holiday in the UK
• recycle as much as possible
• No bath - so always shower
• Mainly use eco cleaning products and e-cloths

For those of you who can't get on with shampoo bars, places like Big Green Smile sell big 5l bottles of shampoo. One big bottle = 20 regular sized bottles not going in the recycling bin.

MotherWol Is Big Green Smile only online or do they have shops for refilling?

When we had a shop, we ran an Ecover "Refill Station" - I'd love to be using that now but the nearest one is miles away.

DontCallMeCharlotte they're online only, sadly. It's worth googling refill shops/zero waste shops in your area. Our local health food shop only stocks the smaller sized bottles of Ecover/Faith in Nature, but if you ask they're happy to order the 5L bottles on request, they just don't keep them on the shelves. So might be worth asking if you have an independent health food shop near you.

Excellent thread loads of great ideas. My minds blown regards the Terracycle points, this sounds silly but it makes me really happy to see all the local efforts to recycle.

One I can add is that the plastic lid in Azera and Millicano coffee tins are great for covering a half full tin of beans/veg in the fridge. I know a previous poster shared a link to a multi pack of lids which look like they'd cover bowls and all sorts so thanks to that poster.

Oatmilkforbreakfast I agree ... I'd love you lot to be my neighbors!

The refill shampoos etc is a great idea and so obvious I can't believe I'm not doing it. Tried the shampoo bars but didn't get on with them because they just turned into a soggy mess by the bath, our own fault really.

One I can add is that the plastic lid in Azera and Millicano coffee tins are great for covering a half full tin of beans/veg in the fridge.

What a brilliant idea

Virtually all our lightbulbs are LED now though that was an economy choice, not eco.

We used to have 6 x 50w halogen in kitchen - now have 9 x 6w LED
3-4w for bedside lamps
5-7w for living room table lamps
13w for ceiling lights & standard lamps
Massive difference to bills, & they’ve pretty much got matching colour output now if you get a nice warm white (2700k usually)

Giant I think you have to be careful if you're leaving opened food in cans for long (something do with tins oxidising? I may have made that explanation up ) but if you know it'll be used soon it should be fine.

I also use the lid to lie the scoop part of a wooden spoon on during cooking.

LED bulbs instead of normal low-energy ones.

Much cheaper than they used to be and will save you ££££.

If you don't want to switch all at once, start with the lights you have on the most e.g. kitchen, living room, then do it in stages.

Reusable wipes around the house used as make up removers, child cleaning, occasional bottom clean when needed, tissues, etc and thrown in the wash.

Try to buy loose vegetables and fruit when possible.

Reusable sanitary products.

Haven't ever used floor wipes or anything like that, just keep a stock of old towels.

Reusable wrapping - making Christmas and birthday wrap out of old clothes mainly

This a wonderful thread.
Whilst I make a lot of effort on the small things like using soap, minimising the use of cleaning products (Mrs Hinch I'm looking at you), washing towels and bedlinen fortnightly (unless illness strikes) and trying to buy glass not plastic etc, I'm afraid I live in the middle of nowhere. Well not quite but we're not even in a village.
No public transport even from village and I work a far distance away. Plus being in the middle of nowhere any activity is circa 25 mile round trip. I do a lot of miles - maybe 16000 per year... that's just me. OH does as many for work.
I feel guilty about that but we can't afford a house in the city. Plus we have a large garden and can grow stuff. I buy second hand, we mend and reuse. Our cars are all old high mileage which we repair until uneconomical. To make up for my driving, I have only flown once in the last 15 years.
I have one bath a week and no showers - I grew up knowing how a flannel works.
My view is we shouldn't judge each other, this is not a competition. We should all do as much as we can - however everyone's circumstances are different. A lot of environmentally friendly products or choices may have cost implications. Some people have health conditions which influence their choices.
But reading threads like this gives lots of good ideas - sharing is really important

Have been veggie for years but am transitioning the rest of the family (sneakily) hopefully without them noticing too much and re-use leftovers.
Make soup with (clean) veg peelings rather than throw away or compost as I cook in bulk, supplying 2 sets of meals per week.
Have bought a water bottle to refill, it is a Bobble one with a filter, although not sure about the filter being a good thing.
Use Freecyle and Freegle rather than buy new if possible and donate unwanted items to those that will use them.
Share a bath which reduces water use and cleaning. We have 3 toilets so use one each and reduce flushing.
Use bar soap.
Use much less than the recommended dose of any detergent/shampoo etc. No fabric or hair conditioner.
Re-use cling film, I have a huge roll which has been going on for years so will continue until it runs out.
Re-use foil and recycle when it is done.
Make yogurt rather than buy in plastic tubs.
Use a pea sized blob of toothpaste, flouride free if possible.

I avoid any food that contains palm oil wherever possible, especially ready meals and biscuits, Pringles, Nutella etc.

Re: opened tins in the fridge, this is really not a good idea. Decant into a small bowl or jar. I was taught this as a child.

www.sbs.com.au/food/article/2016/11/02/it-safe-put-canned-food-fridge

So far we have:
Stopped buying nearly all bottled drinks.
Changed to soap bars and shampoo bars.
Changed to Splosh for washing powder, floor cleaner, fabric softener, bathroom spray and kitchen spray.
Reduced the use of ready-made meals
We have lots more to do. Next, we're going to focus on increasing the batch cooking and changing to cloths for more cleaning next. Some great suggestions on here for small steps.

The recycling foil thing...do you put that in with can recycling or somewhere else?

SpringForEver
Re: opened tins in the fridge, this is really not a good idea. Decant into a small bowl or jar. I was taught this as a child.

Oh I know it’s not a good idea routinely/long term (& there’s a reason why tomato tins have plastic linings!)

But once in a while it’s briefly ok (esp for petfood, which is usually a matter of hours. I have in the past bought petfood lids, & in fact the free coffee tin ones are a better fit!)

foxessocks
The recycling foil thing...do you put that in with can recycling or somewhere else?

Can recycling here, & I thought in most places, though I now gather some councils don’t do it that way

(Aluminium takeaway trays/pie dishes can go in too)

These are my council’s requirements