What changes have you started to make to be more envormentally friendly?

[GlamGiraffe]

I was just wondering?
People I meet seem to be split between 2 distinct camps, those who are making a real effort and those who don't care/dont have a clue in the slightest.
We,(nagged by me) are on a mission- albeit starting small , I wondered about other people.

Can someone recommend a good, collapsible reusable coffee cup please.

I don't feel that I do enough.
Always use a refillable bottle, refillable coffee cup, recycle where I can and take unwanted items to the charity shop.
I buy unwrapped food where I can, but it's literally limited to carrots and lemons in my local supermarket. The plastic generated from the fruit and veg we eat is immense. I might try a fruit and veg box again- though when we tried in the past it didn't go down well with the fussy people in the house (including me ).

Reusable make up wipes

Trying to avoid buying single use plastic bottles and coffee cups

Eating less meat

Trying to avoid plastic crap toys that will end up in the bin quickly

Planning to swap gas guzzling diesel for a petrol hybrid (and contemplating full electric)

Having a wild flower bed in the garden for insect life

However I fall down on air travel. I have to do a fair bit for business and love seeing the world. We are holidaying in the U.K. this summer but travelling is a behaviour I find it difficult to change.

We were doing well within our given situation:
Minimal plastic packaging purchased
In season veg and fruit
Own vege garden
Worm farm for scraps and to fertilise the garden
Hubby cycling to work when possible to cut down on driving
Wastefree homemade lunches for the whole family
Shopped at dry goods store with own containers wherever possible.
Reusable nappies
Homemade cleaners
Reduced meat
Reduced dairy
Re-used grey water

Then we moved overseas 6 months ago and have had to start almost from the beginning again. Some things have carried over easily so we're slowly getting there and are learning where to shop etc but DH and I both miss the large veg patch and worm farm for waste. On the upside we now walk and use public transport for everything and have done our best to make our purchases sustainable where possible.

Stopped using the dishwasher for small amounts.Use a washing up bowl and a green washing up liquid for most meals now.
Saves on both water usage and electricity

Wooden toys instead of plastic for the baby, I’ve done this with all of my DC as babies/toddlers.
Reusable nappies and wipes.
Plastic free baby bowls/plates/cutlery
We don’t eat meat
Try to walk where possible instead of driving (not always possible though)
Tupperware and reusable water bottles instead of juice cartons/cling film
Recycle everything we possibly can
Second hand clothes and I try to buy decent brands so they’ll still be good to either sell on or give to the charity shop afterwards
We don’t eat meat and have very little dairy
Plastic free washing and dishwasher tablets

Growing our own fruit, veg and herbs

We have lots of bee friendly plants in the garden too.

I'm completely envious of all of you that have shops selling refillable and proper green grocers that don't charge a complete arm and a leg. Our local-ish two are complete overpriced rip off merchants. I obviously live in the wrong area to have these things available, and I live in london🤷‍♀️

I stopped using take away cups, if I don’t have my travel cup with me I don’t drink one. I think I had to cave in twice last year, nobody is perfect.

Switched to cans instead of bottles for soft drinks.

Bought a water carbonator to kill the huge amount of plastic bottles we use daily

Try to minimise the amount of vegetables wrapped in plastic, difficult as the nearste decent market is too far away but I think anything less is better.

More home baking than buying wrapped biscuits.

Swapped DD to period pants, I am struggling to do nearly menopause and very difficult periods.

Splosh is an online shop, Giraffe, they sell pretty much all the household cleaning products we use, all as refills.

Not much really in the grand scheme of things. I almost never buy bottled water, or many drinks in single use plastic. And I use bamboo wipes for kids' hands and faces but continue to use disposable nappies and wipes for bums. I don't eat massive amounts of beef but we go through quite a bit of milk as a family. We have one car, and it's not used every day while I'm on mat leave as DH gets the train to work and I do walk to a lot of places.

Following for more ideas.

Stopped using the dishwasher for small amounts.Use a washing up bowl and a green washing up liquid for most meals now.
Saves on both water usage and electricity

I agree on electricity but not sure if that's right about water (although happy to be corrected). I think dishwashers use less water than washing up (especially if you rinse under running water), but I do only put mine on when it's full.

I buy everything I can from my local no-waste shop, including tooth powder (instead of toothpaste) and recyclable toothbrushes (they collect them in a box), shampoo (I have switched to solid, but nobody else at home has), flour, spices, pasta, rice, dried legumes, etc. It's frustratingly expensive, but I can afford it, and believe it's important that those of us who can should do so, until it becomes more widespread and affordable.

Fruit and veg come from a local delivery scheme, from various local producers, delivered all jumbled up in cardboard boxes (ie no other packaging). We don't eat much meat, but what we do comes through the same scheme, so it's organic and local, albeit in plastic. I would like to be able to take my own containers to a butcher's, but as I want organic and local, that's impossible round here.

I make my own cleaning products (ingredients bought at no-waste shop). I have used white vinegar instead of fabric softener for years. I also make my own body butter and handwash.

I spray DD's hair with a mixture of apple cider vinegar and tea tree essential oil; it's a brilliant detangler (smell fades as hair dries).

I try to take my lunch to work, but when I have to buy something, I choose on the basis of minimum packaging. It's usually something to take back to my office, but when I go out for a casual lunch with colleagues I no longer have a drink; tap water isn't served in this country, not because it isn't safe to drink, just to force people to buy bottled and canned drinks, and I now refuse to do that.

Other things aren't changes because I've always done them: dry washing outside wherever possible, compost everything we can, use public transport where possible (though we have to drive to the station as we live in the country)...

I do think that bigger, systemic changes are necessary, but I also believe that we all need to take responsibility at our own level.

Eco egg for laundry
Trying to reduce food waste but both kids are a nightmare
Splosh cleaning products
Loofah/washable washing up sponges which are compostable
Greengrocer veg (plastic free and so much cheaper)
90% sure won’t have the third baby was thought we would
Ecobricks
Beeswax wraps
Cloth pads. Used cloth nappies for my first for 18 months, but my second was such a sicky baby I couldn’t deal with the washing and then never got into it once he was over the sickiness. Use Naty disposables mainly but still feel guilty!
Gone vegetarian
Water butts but can’t claim them as they were here when we moved in!
We have a diesel car which I can’t drive without guilt but will be a fair few years before we can replace it!

I basically think it’s really hard to do anything without an impact in this day and age, unless you live off grid in the forest like Hanna 😄 we can all try our best and we’re all full of contradictions 🙏🏻 Isn’t it like 100 companies contribute 70% of greenhouse gases? I read a stat like that here on MN so don’t have a link.

I went vegan in January. Was totally dreading it as I was a massive meat and dairy eater and provisions where I live for vegans are pretty shit. But I love it now @soulrunner don't give up!

Mooncup
Washable nappies and wipes (I do use a disposable at night though)
Made the household mostly vegan
We found a place where you can get beer and soft drinks in glass deposit bottles which is great.
I use reusable net bags for fruit and veg but the big problem here is that all organic stuff is plastic wrapped so you have to choose between plastic and pesticides
I am an aspiring minimalist which has really helped me make better choices.

BUT we have 3 kids, a diesel car and take flights to visit our families so there is no virtue signalling here.

I think if we make the small changes, businesses will see that there is a market for more eco friendly options and that will lead to changes in industry. So it is not just about what we do, it is how what we do impacts those who are making the money and big decisions.

One thing on nappies. I may be wrong but AFAIK, a lot of the biodegradable ones can't biodegrade in an anaerobic environment (eg. In plastic bags in landfill) so if you are spending a fortune on them, it may not be making that much of a difference.

Not much tbh.
I already don't have a tumble dryer and haven't for the last fifteen years.
We have meat free days and use reusable bags all the time
Our heating is on as little as possible over the winter
Obviously we recycle as much as possible

I'm violently allergic to most vegetable proteins so could never become a vegan nor a vegetarian. We eat plenty of locally grown fresh fruit and veg.

I also sort every piece of waste we accumulate and sort it all into bins for collection. I no longer accept plastic shopping bags and avoid buying anything wrapped or stored in plastic.

I drive much less, arranging appointments and errands to occur on one day rather than spread over the week.

Rift and we do more than I thought. We bulk buy laundry liquid and fabric conditioner so only get it twice a year in huge bottles. Ditto toilet rolls, we use soap not shower gel, no wipes or cotton wool, worn out clothes are made into cleaning clothes, we don't use anything like air freshener or furniture polish and bulk buy washing up liquid in the large bottles.

Not enough but this so far:

• soap not shower gel
• trying shampoo bars, but struggling a bit with them tbh
• solid (packaging free) body moisturiser
• eco cleaning & laundry products
• almost all meals vegetarian and red meat almost never
• more conscious of energy use in house
• fly less and pay to offset if I do
• reusable water bottles
• Tupperware rather than sandwich bags
• reusable bags for shopping
• no wipes

Never use a disposable cofee cup - I either take my own, go without or have a nice sit down in cafe.
Try to avoid bying water bottles and am about 90% successful with that..
I'm buying fruit and veg loose where I can and taking my own bags for them.
Refillable ecover washing up liquid.
Generally avoid over packaged stuff.
Cycle a fair bit.
I don't really agree that veganism is the way to go as all the plant based alternatives have travelled a long way, I would like to reduce meat, but family are not so keen.
It all doesn't really feel like it's making any difference though

Have made washable makeup wipes from old flannels cut up. Just chuck into normal washing machine load
Washing up cloths etc all washable and put in with normal laundry
Washable period pants for females of household
Re-usable shopping bags but any carrier bags we do acquire are taken to carrier bag recycling bin at supermarket. They also take bags from sliced bread, bagels, breakfast cereals etc
Try to minimise plastic use but our council does recycle tetrapak cartons, food trays and yogurt pots so where I have to buy them they can at least be recycled.
Batteries and lightbulbs are recycled by returning to shops that collect them (batteries are incredibly toxic if going into landfill)
Council collects textiles and shoes, so if things are too worn for charity shop I leave then in textiles bag. Old knickers, to let socks, worn out dusters etc all get washed and left in bag
Council also recycles clean foil so I rinse out Indian takeaway containers and also recycle foil milk bottle tops (glass bottles from milkman)
Use paper mushroom bags at supermarket for all produce I'm weighing myself
Freecycle as much as possible, recently freecycled 100 plastic coathangers, as well as old duvets (washed) from deceased relative's house
Wash and tumble dry old feather pillows. They look like new !

I use washable pads and a mooncup.
Bamboo toothbrushes.
Don't buy bottled water, take our own.
Take reusable bags everywhere.
Cut down on meat drastically, now only buy chicken but will eat a steak when out. Even got big meat eating DH eating veggie curries.
We've decided as a family that we won't fly now.
Recycling, our council is thankfully very good and we can recycle most things.
Most importantly, bringing the DC up with the knowledge of what needs changing so they can carry it forward. I believe that it will be their generation that changes things.

Isn’t it like 100 companies contribute 70% of greenhouse gases?

Kind of but actually I think that’s hugely misleading as they are the producers not the consumers. If a market didn’t exist for their products they wouldn’t exist.

I like the look of Splosh - do they do referral codes so any of you can benefit?