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).

footle errrrr not sure re teabags actually. I just assumed they all were (clearly I assumed wrong....). It’ll say on the box won’t it? Will check tomorrow.

Most of them are not compostable - some of the fancy and expensive ones are - I’m not sure that even Clipper organic ones are. Maybe loose tea would be cheaper and easier- although that comes in unrecyclable packaging too - it’s a minefield! Grow your own tea plants!

After a moment of internet research ....Clipper ordinary teabags are now biodegradable (since Oct 2018) - I think they are one of the few companies that do this so far though.

ememem, the box won't tell you if they're not compostable. Most of them are reinforced with a plastic strip. You'd better research online to be sure. I don't drink tea so can't recommend.

😭😭

I’ll suggest to dh we grow tea. How does one do this?! Haha.

It’s possible! Apparently the UK has the right climate for it.

Really?! Wow. Never knew that. I’m in jersey, so our climate is a smidge warmer than mainland uk as were a bit further south.

Probably won’t grow my own tea - am a bit impatient for that....

Used to make yoghurt but haven't been doing for some time ...
Please can you post how to make in IP

Wow this thread is amazing, am still working through it all but have been making little changes over the past 4 years and now want to try go zero waste with as many household items as possible.

We've always used our own coffee cups and tend to take coffee from home as our luxury is our wonderful bean to cup machine. As cost saving, we take our own lunches to work in glass containers or thermos if off site without micro facilities. Like a pp, we also have picnic bag with full set of plates and cutlery so if out and about, we will buy bread, salad, cheese etc and make it up ourselves rather than prepackaged sandwiches. Reuse as much food packaging as possible.

Started with me switching to Mooncup 4 years ago then when expecting DC1, came to the decision that I didn't want any chemicals near them either so went straight into cloth. Have both DC in cloth now and exclusively use cloth wipes which we made at home - different colours for bums and faces. Recent skin issues prompted me to look at my skincare as cocktail of steroids and creams from GP is driving me mad so have switched to soap and shampoo bars made of natural ingredients and rest of family will switch when bathroom cupboard is empty. In terms of cleaning, have purchased eco-friendly detergents on and off for years but now plan to make the switch and also only use laundry powder from cardboard box once current supply finishes. Like pps, we also use old clothes as cleaning cloths. Have just purchased some kitchen brushes made from coconut so lets see how they go too.

I want my next step to be starting to grow some things at home too - will make great activity with DC as well as being environmentally friendly plus can use food waste as compost for it as local council recently stopped collecting food waste and we have to put it in general now :(

One thing I somehow want to tackle is to get my lovely MIL to stop using so much cling film and foil. We did buy her some food storage containers with lids to put leftovers in but they are still in the habit of just putting cling on everything! It drives me crazy when I am there (which is every week or more) and they get through so much of it.

Thanks for all the wonderful ideas, looking forward to finishing the thread

@ProfessorLayton1 it is the easiest thing ever and we make it every 2 days. Put some water in bottom of IP and add steaming rack then fill jars with milk and put on rack (we use regular full fat milk and it makes perfect yoghurt). Steam for 2 minutes and let pressure release by itself.

Take out the jars and let the milk cool down - I let it cool to a temp I can comfortably put a clean finger into. Then add some culture - we use shop yoghurt as our initial starter then use the existing yoghurt in fridge (haven't bought any for 1yr+ with this method). About 1 teaspoon is enough for jam jar size.

Take rack out of IP, empty water and put inner pot back in. Add the jars to the pot and put on yoghurt setting for 8 hours. This gets us perfect creamy yoghurt

We send birthday party invitations by email now using www.paperlesspost.com/

Did anybody see the war on plastics last night? It has given me a kick up the bum to sort my use of plastics out. This thread is so good for information!

Really enjoyed war on plastics.

Was talking at work yesterday and as an office we’re going to do plastic free July. Or at least single use plastic free july. I know it’s just a bandwagon to jump on for a month and we should be looking to make this a more permanent thing but baby steps.

Today I have bought reusable panty liners. I have washed them and will try them out tomorrow.

Today I am trying to make my own yogurt

I have stopped buying bottled water and used a stall at the local market for my fruit and veg today. The war on plastics has been such an eye opener.
good luck on the yogurt!

To the poster re tea in England: I'm sure there's a tea 'farm' in Cornwall/Devon way? Down south anyway.

I air dry my laundry, and I'm walking when I need to go out later on.

Is anyone doing Plastic free July?

Reusable panty liners are great, actually less sweaty and smell fresher. I wear shorts type knickers and they haven't moved at all.

I have a question about the sanitary towels, it may be my ignorance but I'm ge nuinly interested; what do you do when you have to change them when you're out and about? I don't like the idea of having to carry a used pad around in my bag unti l I get home. And also, what do you store them in, assuming they aren't binned after a single use?

I made my own beeswax wraps today so I don't have to buy any more cling film. Really easy - just sprinkle beeswax pellets on fabric and bake at 85C for five minutes.

*Karlwho All the ones I have used have poppers on to do up under your knickers and you can use the poppers to fold it in on itself and then just pop it in a bag/purse/small wetbag if you like. They are very self contained when folded up like that.

Oooh this is a good thread, I'm glad I've found it. i've been eco aware for many many years; interestingly the family aren't rolling their eyes at my kitchen compost bin any more . dh has finally found it!!

He needs constant education and encouragement though! We use tissues a lot and I'm having to go through the plastics bin to find his, they are wonderful for the compost heap. I use them to wipe the sinks and then compost them. Annoyingly (we live between Fr. and London ) the plastics RC bag here is effing plastic!!

i'm keeping old tops and washing and using on containers in the fridge instead of film. I could but I won't go on!

Oh I do spray the sink with my homemade disinfectant kitchen spay after wiping with old tissues !

Bumping this thread as it's a wealth of information. I recently watched war on plastic and Years and years, both gave stuck with me. Things I have done :

1.Using reusable pads for the first time this period and love them.
2.Stopped buying clingfilm and use glass jars instead. Paper bags for sandwiches or reuse plastic bread bags.
3.Ordered shampoo bars from soul and Soap.
4.Using compost bin a lot.
5.Completely given up disposable wipes. Cloths and Flannels instead.
6.For presents, reusing gift bags. I bought Lucy and Yak dungarees which came in lovely sari bags so will reuse those for gifts. Brown paper and string for Christmas. I do regift carefully too!

1. DC needed a coloured t shirt for sports day. Instead of buying a cheap new one from Amazon or Tesco I bought a big bundle of second hand clothes in the next size up from ebay. Total cost including postage £6 and it will all be reworn.
2. Stocked up on sandals and trainers for DC second hand from local FB selling site. Fab condition for a couple of £ each.
3. Will try local butcher this weekend. Tesco is too plastic heavy.

10. Will also chat to DH about glass bottles of milk. 11. Saving lush packaging to return to them to reuse. 12. Got a cheque for over £200 from energy company this month for using our solar panels. They are now 6 years old so have paid for themselves! 13. E cover dishwasher tabs in cardboard box.

I started a thread in AIBU today about eco products being more expensive and that they should be subsidised. Not many replies though.

Yes of course they should but let's face facts, the govt. are more worried about spending our taxes on a 3rd runway for Heathrow than on subsidising eco products.

I'm on a thread about trees and there are a lot of posters who don't seem to understand the importance of them at all.