To ask you to join me for a thread about the little changes we can make to help the planet

[BuffaloCauliflower]

New Years resolution - live more lightly on the planet. Hoping we might be able to share tips and advice to lower all our impact, so thought I’d start a thread for us to help each other make more planet kind choices.

I already don’t eat meat, haven’t for years, and try to eat with the seasons where possible. Trying to reduce plastic but there’s still so flipping much of it, it’s horrifying and yet seems so hard to reduce particularly with food (is anyone winning this battle? Please share your knowledge!)
I carry a reusable water bottle and coffee cup.
I’ve started thinking about the fabrics I wear and where my clothes come from much more, have bought a few things second hand and trying to buy less in general.
We’re currently TTC and planning on using cloth nappies.

Would love your tips for living a bit more environmentally friendly? Maybe things I haven’t even thought of! Big and small changes welcome.

I say this lightheartedly but I felt a twinge of irony in your post; having a child is apparently the worst thing you can do for the environment.

Re food.It is so hard isn't it?But as much as possible only buy loose fruit and veg.Buy seasonal as well .Put it straight in basket and onto conveyor belt and into cloth bags.It is easy once you're used to it and cashiers are very helpful I find if I thank them and are pleasant. Use paper bags if available.I also shop locally at farm shops a lot more as they have more loose produce.Took Sainsbury's to task recently for shrink wrapped Swedes and celeriac.Asked produce manager why ?
Buying a lot more tinned stuff but discovering that tinned spinach etc in curries is great and much cheaper.Plus no wastage.
We do eat meat,but have cut down a lot and only buy high welfare.Buy bread from local baker who uses paper bags.
Only use storage containers. The freezer bags I have are strong and I wash out and reuse as long as possible.
No longer use bin bags.All the bins are plastic.Rubber gloves on and rinse out with scalding water and a bit of disinfectant and they are fine.
Shampoo bars are great.Generally cut back on purchases that aren't necessary .But not missing out.A nice treat like a handmade candle or organic bath stuff in a bottle does the trick.

Get rid of Trump - that will be one of the best things to help the Planet.

Ban Nuclear weapons - they are capable of destroying the planet.

I’ve switched to a moon cup

I now cut up old clothes as cloths as I’ve just learned about how microfibre releases micro plastics into the environment

Pol pot.I get your point.I have grown up children and a grandchild.But rarely fly.And actually wouldn't care if I never did again.
I have a friend who has no children but flies long haul for every holiday.And another friend whose son is a science whizz doing research at Cambridge into repairing the hole in the ozone layer.OPs child may be a future scientist or contribute massively to our future on the planet.We can all try to do our bit.

reduced meat intake (3 or four times a year) reducing fish intake as well.
drive more smoothly, no sharp acceleration and braking.
dry clothes without a dryer.
clear out the crap form my car so it is lighter (this is where I fail most)
we have to use bin bags as we still have dustbins with sacks which are ridiculously thin.

^^

buy second hand clothes, repair them and wear them out, (any decent ones go to charity and old ones are used as cleaning cloths. )

A really easy switch is halving your meat intake.

I’ve discovered lentils -i now do half mince, half lentils in spag Bol and half meat/half lentils in casseroles.

No effort at all, better for the environment, healthier and cheaper.

Things I plan to do next year/do more of.

Buy a sandwich wrap for my son's lunch box- often I just stick his sandwich in as it is but sometimes it's a bit of a messy filling and then I use a bag and I'd rather not.

Look into the laundry bags you can use to wash your fleeces in to stop microfibres being released into our oceans.

Wearing more layers around the house so the heating is on less.

Trying to remember to take the reusable bottles out with us all the time.

Keeping a fabric bag in the car for unexpected shopping.

Increase local shopping, less supermarkets.

Buy the children more practical presents, less plastic tat.

Oh is getting some titanium cutlery for his work bag as a Christmas present- he works away quite a lot and hates how often he has to use plastic throw away cutlery.

I use a mooncup and don't eat meat. I have really tried with shampoo bars but they make my hair feel horrible - I know there are lots of different ones out there though so I will keep trying others until I find one that suits my hair. I'm going to buy some reusable wrap and stop using cling film and I have bought flasks for the dc's lunchboxes instead of giving them cartons every day.

I'm going to get a Cora ball which helps to trap some of the microfibers in the washing machine.
Get some mesh bags to buy loose vegetables.Eat a bit more seasonably and plan veg to grow next year.
Eat less so I can really treadore lightly on the planet!

I have a mooncup.
Have started using washing powder in cardboard boxes as opposed to the liquid in plastic bottles.
Don't buy bottles of water any more. Fill the bottles most weeks for my son's footie team so they don't all bring disposable bottles.
Am not using wrapping paper for all the adults this Christmas, just reusable present bags.
We eat too much meat so will try and cut back on it in 2019.

Im a work in progress! I get my energy from on a 'green supplier'. I'm unable to have solar panels on my house, but we are powered by renewables. I've had a low plastic Christmas this year. It's been impossible to cut it out completely, but I have tried to reduce it. I have not bought anything with glitter, and have wrapped my presents in brown paper (tied up with string). I don't eat red meat (not perfect, but I love chicken and fish too much to quit) and I don't fly. When I get really worried I buy a few trees from an online charity that plants them in poor countries. It's called Tree's for the Future. Also there is a green search engine called Ecosia, that plants a tree for every search.

Forgot I’d made this thread in the Christmas maelstrom, thanks for all your suggestions. The Christmas excess has reminded me even more that we need to change how we’re living.

Definitely aware of child problem - but society also needs replacement people to function. Hopefully we can raise some socially and environmentally conscious people for the good of the planet.

I’ve ordered bamboo toothbrushes as our current plastic ones need replacing. We used bamboo a few years ago and then got out of the habit as we moved away from the shop I bought them at. Found a cheaper pack online. Also going to try out toothpaste tabs (Denttabss ones with fluoride in a cardboard box from anythingbutplastic.co.uk) to see how we get on with those)
Have also ordered some beewax wraps and mesh produce bags.

I think I’m going to have to rethink how we shop, Tesco where I can get lose fruit and veg over Aldi where I can’t. Or maybe a veg box again, we used to Abel and Cole. I’m not sure about farm shops near me, I’m fairly urban.
I’d like to get glass bottle milk but we have soya so it’s not an option. Was sad to discover recently the tetra-pak’s can’t go in the recycling, I always thought they could.
Will be making proper plans for work lunches - generally we take our own but not religiously. Will be doing more to avoid that single use plastic.

I hope more are inspired to join us