To think you can't be environmentally friendly on a low income?

[Mummamama]

How do you be green on a low income? I try and find ways to reduce my impact but the green options are expensive! Particularly lately i've been looking at all the plastic waste of bottles of shampoo/shower gel but when i've looked for alternatives shampoo bars are really expensive considering I spend 90p on a bottle of shampoo!

Well I can't remember afford a car so either walk or take the bus everywhere. I line dry all my washing as no dryer and never fly anywhere because I can't afford to travel. I mend clothes or buy second hand and only rarely buy new. I keep the thermostat low. I can't afford to eat meat every day. I'll also probably never have kids as I'll never earn enough. I'd say I'm pretty green compared to most rich people who fly and drive everywhere even if it's more out of necessity.

Obviously we should be reducing plastic waste and single-use packaging, but as you know it's not always affordable. If your main green concern is climate change, then reducing packaging waste is less essential in tackling climate change than stopping flying or reducing unnecessary car journeys. Although obviously it's still something worth trying to do if you can.

Reducing packaging isn't always expensive: bar soap for washing hands over liquid soap, for example. Bring your own bags to the supermarket. Avoid overpackaged fruit and veg in favour of loose (if affordable).

@PomegranateQueen

My children are still little and I have noticed that it is hard to be 'fashionably' environmentally friendly on a budget. I'm thinking scandi organic cotton clothes, the latest cloth nappy prints, fancy cloth pads, Kleen kanteens for the whole family, eye wateringly expensive wooden toys etc etc. Some changes are easier to make on a budget, most of my DS's clothes were my DN's first I use public transport or walk and I holiday in the UK if at all.

But of course no one needs to be fashionably environmentally friendly. Buying second hand (as op does) is better. I think most of us appreciate this.

And having smaller families in the wealthy 3rd world. That's a contentious one but one of the least sustainable things you can do is put more children onto the planet than will replace you.

Today I was walking down my high street and I walked past a woman obviously much younger than me who was carrying a gigantic helium balloon in the shape of the letter 4. Obviously for her child's birthday. What happens to that plastic and that helium tomorrow? We've got to stop with the throwaway.

Not sure where that "remember" came from

Also a massive yes to ebay, it's so great especially for baby and toddler clothes

@Mummamama

Thanks everyone. I should have added we already walk whenever possible, and we live in a village so post office and a couple shops nearby which makes that doable for certain things, however my job is 40 mins away by car so unfortunately I cannot cycle it. We drastically reduced meat a few years ago and enjoy veggie options which does also save alot of money so win win there! Our vegetable waste is fed to our chickens. Zero waste shop is a good idea but I've just checked there isn't one local. Hopefully in the future more shops will offer this and brands will stop using so much plastic.

You are already doing a lot - have you measures you family carbon footprint agai at a) the average and b) the target?

I completely disagree with your premise, I think it is entirely possible to be green on a low income - buying less, travelling less, eating less meat are all good actions.

My shampoo bar is under a fiver and I use two and a bit a year with long very thick hair. I can’t think of a cheaper way to wash your hair.

Eating less meat is good.

Buying second hand is good.

No food miles on your eggs if your chickens make them

You’re doing a lot already!

I use basic bars of soap for handwashing. Very cheap compared to all those bottles of hand wash.

Oh typos, sorry! Just have a guess

Conkers make amazing clothes washing powder

@DollyDinkle

Conkers make amazing clothes washing powder

I don't understand this - please elaborate!

Maybe not massively eco friendly to send things in the post but PM me your address if you’d like to try a bar shampoo OP and I’ll send one.
I stocked up about a year ago but they last so long and it’s only me that uses it in the family.

You might love it and feel it’s worth it for the future if one bar lasts as long as several bottles and if not, no big deal.

Absolutely it’s the gas guzzling, massive carbon footprint folks and companies who should be doing their bit though to have the biggest impact.

You can make small changes every bit helps.
I buy the 5ltr water bottle over small bottles still not great but am improvement.

If you can fork out on an industrial bottle of shampoo from a salon stockist.

I don't drive a car or fly because I can't afford it, it helps the environment.

You're making a conscious effort more than a lot of people have managed.

www.friendlysoap.co.uk/product/lavender-tea-tree-shampoo-bar/. is £2.75 and will likely last much longer than a bottle.

While it's great to cut down on plastic, the biggest impact you have on the atmosphere is by heating your home, your choice of surface transport and your diet.

Poorer people normally have smaller homes (so less home to heat) and are watching the pennies so don't have the heating on much, don't drive a car and eat less meat. So you definitely can be environmentally friendly on a budget - in fact compared to richer people, it's highly likely you are already.

Nonsense OP. Reducing consumption saves money. That's common sense. How can it cost money to not-fly? I got rid of my car in favour of a bike. £1-2k saved per year. Thinking "do I really need that?" before each purchase - also saves a fortune.

As for the cost of a bar of shampoo, how often do you need a new bottle compared with how long a bar lasts?

Shampoo bars last for ages if you can afford the initial out lay!

@Mummamama

How do you be green on a low income? I try and find ways to reduce my impact but the green options are expensive! Particularly lately i've been looking at all the plastic waste of bottles of shampoo/shower gel but when i've looked for alternatives shampoo bars are really expensive considering I spend 90p on a bottle of shampoo!

Don’t even bother wasting your time. I work for lots of well off people. The waste they produce will undo any and all of your good work. It’s utterly pointless. You’re almost definitely beating them all in the green game anyway.

One of the biggest things we can all do is stop very short drives. Driving 5 mins up the road to get a loaf of bread, go to the post office, gp, school, etc. If we walk those very short distances that makes a massive difference.

Wear a jumper and blankets when cold over boosting heating.

Little things add up. Otherwise I do agree, a lot of the trendy eco things are very expensive, and not all are as eco as they seem.

Buy second hand. All of our furniture pretty much is second hand, lots of clothes, anything we need I look for it second hand first. Stops the need for new things to be created, stops old things going to landfill and its easier on the pocket.

Lemonnhoney

that soap is £6.45 with postage

Alberto Balsam have bought out a shampoo bar.

The greenest people I know have very little money, they have allotments and grow all their own fruit and veg, keep bees and sell the honey, make their own detergents etc and never buy new clothes. So it is possible it is just a big time investment to keep your bills down in other areas.

Shall we all just sit back and watch the world burn then @mrsrobbiehart?

I'd rather do something than just give up completely. Yes there are lots of knobbers out there undoing our hard work... they are shits, we are not.

@ivykaty44

90p for a shampoo bottle that lasts how long?

my shampoo bar in Sainsbury was £3 and last 3 months

I started using bum loo roll thats £36 per 48 rolls, but they are double the size of the cheap rolls and last twice as long. we used to get through 3/4 bog rolls from supermarket per week but now 1/2 per week

might be false economy buying cheap

Probably lasts me 6 weeks or more.. I'm lucky that since having DD I can get away with only washing my hair twice a week (i do still shower everyday before anyone thinks I stink haha) I might look for that bar then, the cheapest I'd seen was £6! I wouldn't mind paying £3 for it to last me 3 months

@AnneLovesGilbert

My shampoo bar is under a fiver and I use two and a bit a year with long very thick hair. I can’t think of a cheaper way to wash your hair.

Eating less meat is good.

Buying second hand is good.

No food miles on your eggs if your chickens make them

You’re doing a lot already!

Can I ask what shampoo bar it is? Maybe I'm looking in the wrong place!

No I completely agree.
Reusable stuff like sanitary towels and beeswax wraps are expensive. They save you money in the long run, but the outlay is high.

One problem I have is some stuff is just a bit shit, so you’ll pay a lot for something with a view that it will save you money, but it’s shit and or doesn’t suit you or your lifestyle. So it’s a waste