Save the planet!!! What small steps have you taken today?

[Mrscog]

Following on from a thread where we were all discussing how we wanted to reduce our impact on the earth I thought I would start this thread for us to share ideas/motivation etc.

This is a non-judgmental thread and is about whatever steps you want to take to reduce consumption. None of us are perfect and we've all got to start somewhere.

My small steps today -

1. Morning school run incorporated as part of DH's commute.
2. Afternoon school run due to be done on foot.
3. Didn't bother going to Aldi as to be honest I have enough food in to cobble some stuff together.
4. Just used microfibre cloth with water to wipe down kitchen rather than dousing with chemicals (hadn't chopped any raw meat etc so no need to be too clean).

Empress I've used the Chiswick branch of ANI since it opened many years ago. The quality of the loose goods is quite good. I like the fried chilli broad beans snacks

they also do Ecover refills there.

On offer at Tesco for £8 for 66 loads. Natural laundry detergent.

100% recyclable cardboard bottle, super concentrated, fragrance free, sensitive skin.

I've been wanting to try it for a while now.

Made in USA which is a shame, but so is Method.

Will have to look out for that. I've got a surface cleaner sorted a friend makes her own so me and dd2 tried today and I'm pleasantly surprised it's worked really well .
I've been reading through this board and seen that people have been using white vinegar and essential oil instead of fabric conditioner so currently have a wash on with vinegar and lavender oil. If it works then it should save money as well as be eco friendly. Thankfully I always have a stash of oils in so we can experiment with what we prefer

Thanks Rebecca, I was hoping someone would say that! I'll definitely have to investigate then. Do they do fruit & veg?

Following with interest.

Empress yes they do F&V - bit pricey, but usually good quality. It's a good size shop, lots of dry goods, bread, f&v, meat (all shrink wrapped) - the butcher on Turnham Green Terrace is prob better for meat, though they do use plastic bags.

Washing all dry the vinegar worked :) I washed dd3 snuggly blanket in with towels she's currently cuddle up with it running it and no rashes.

Empress yes they do F&V - bit pricey, but usually good quality.

Brilliant. I'm veggie so meat's not an issue, but being able to buy fruit & veg that aren't wrapped in plastic definitely is!

They use paper bags.

I had a quick look yesterday & yes, definitely be going back.

Interesting thread, I've enjoyed reading it and plan to do the following:

• Buy loose leaf tea and a reusable metal 'bag'
• Finish off my shampoo, shower gel etc then use bars only
• Ask the places I have lunch not to put a straw in my drink

I'm pretty good on not using single use plastic and have a reusable water bottle and contigo flask both of which I use everyday. I have contraception which means I don't get periods so no need for disposable sanpro.

I don't do well on transport and drive to work everyday and take lots of flights (I just worked out I spent over 100 hours in the air last year ) so that probably cancels out any good I'm doing. There isn't really a viable alternative to air travel though. I guess I could not go on overseas holidays and visit family less but it's not something I'm ready to give up.

Silly question but how do you all use bar soap in the shower? I've tried it before but it didn't seem to work well. Do you rub it straight on your body or lather in your hands first? Straight on body doesn't seem nice but when I did it in my hands it took ages to get enough to wash everywhere...

I haven't used shampoo bar yet but that is something I plan to do to once my shampoo is finished. Don't know which brand to buy though?
For the body soap - I wet my body and take the soap and rub it in my body, surprising how little you need. > Fortunately only looking at them closely for their ingredients than buying them!

Have insulated our house properly this winter, already have electric car, hardly use cling film or aluminium foil, make my own yoghurt.
Don't have a shop which will sell fruits and veg loosely..
Where do you buy the wire mesh bags people to use for fruits and vegetables?

Re using soap, in the old days we used to have a little pocket made out of an old flannel. The soap sat in it and you scrubbed with the flannel. I can't remember if you took the soap out each use or let it sit...

By the way, if you sit the unwrapped soap in your clothes drawers for a month or two before you use it, it lasts longer and your clothes smell nice!

You can buy the mesh bags from eBay or Amazon afaik.

If you don't like to rub the soap on your body, you can just rub the soap onto a flannel or a shower puff thing - it lathers up really quickly, then use that to clean yourself.

I buy flannels really cheaply from IKEA - different colours at a time. When they get tatty, I move that colour onto cleaning duties and refresh in a new colour -though they do last for years. Great old school, low cost, no waste exfoliating way to clean ourselves.

I switched from shower gels, to shopping in lush, for soaps, and shampoo and conditioner bars. I will buy there face creams in plastic because of you return the bottles, and lids they wash and reuse them.

I've started buying things like ketchup and mayo, in glass jars.

Use the bus or walk more.

I've stopped buying plastic bags and have a cloth one.

its a good point that you can return the plastic pots and Lush will reuse them - I didn't know that. thanks!!

I use my shampoo lather to clean the rest of my body in the shower, and bar soap for hand-washing.
Have been increasing using cloths for cleaning and mopping up spills so paper towel usage has gone down to a roll a month or less. Also if I have a napkin from a cafe that's wrinkled or has tea on, I take them home and then they end up in the compost caddy.

Have been ruthless and avoided buying anything in the sales (lurgy is good for something!)
Later today I plan to buy a menstrual cup seeing as my body has decided my 40s is a good time to start having regular periods for the first time... Not sure I have the coordination to avoid scenes of carnage but it should be possible not to need to change it at work!

NotCitrus excited for you re menstrual cup - I think they are absolutely fantastic and I'm just very sad I didn't know about them 20 years ago. Sure they take a little bit of working out but by month 2 or 3 you will be a pro! and they are by far and away the most comfortable method (as well as being environmentally friendly). I barely know when I am on my period now.

Took my coffee in to work in travel cup and am now using it to get refills from the water machine, rather than using the plastic cups each time. Home made soup for lunch in re-usable container.

Dragged out my Brita jug, fitted the filter in order to stop buying plastic bottles of still and carbonated drinks.

Bought Belvoir cordial in a glass bottle instead of squash in a plastic bottle.

Duh of course, hadn't thought of using a flannel...

Also going to go and unsubscribe from all the email lists I'm on.

Duh of course, hadn't thought of using a flannel...

I think this is a symptom many people are experiencing - we've had so many years of being "upsold improved stuff" like shower gels, and puff scrubbers and very expensive muslin cleaning things for the face, and tea bags, we forget completely about the old school basics like a good soap and flannel and loose leaf tea.

I've been unsubscribing from emails for months now - it takes quite a while but they are reducing to the extent that I can now do a daily unsubscribe of the few remaining incoming (personal and work).