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What do you do to help save the planet?

118 replies

RiverMeadow · 18/09/2020 20:07

Looking for more ways to help so any ideas would be much appreciated!

OP posts:
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phil23 · 28/06/2021 18:15

Save unwanted items from landfill and put them of Ferris (a zero waste app)

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DdraigGoch · 29/06/2021 12:02

@LemonSwan

The planet is fucked. We cant reverse global warming.

So I garden.

And I am proud to say in Britain our domestic gardens are the most biodiverse land group we have; and by extension the most bio-resilient.

So get gardening everyone :) Remove unpeermeable areas. Mix those natives with those non natives, build up your soils and provide for the invertebrates and all will be well.

And get rid of that awful astroturf!
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BikeRunSki · 29/06/2021 12:09

@MxEWeatherwax

Find a zero waste shop. Use soap bars. The big one, buy less, make do.

All of this
Seek out preloved items rather than buying new
Invest in things that are long lasting and repairable
Milk delivered in glass bottleso
Walk rather than drive short distances.
Soap and shampoo bars
Reduce, reuse, repair, recycle
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Permanganate · 29/06/2021 12:10

Vegetarian

Don't fly, haven't for over 10 years

Lowest tolerable setting on thermostat when heating is on (16-17?, 18 would be a special occasion)

Low temp on washing machine

Dishwasher once a day - proven by Which to be better for environment than hand washing up.

Continue to drive my already-manufactured car rather than buy another one that will take 20 years for any eco benefit to outweigh the environmental costs of its manufacture apparently.

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Permanganate · 29/06/2021 12:15

Follow the nonconsumeradvocate - she is great.
It highlights that simply not causing new stuff to be manufactured is one of the best things you can do for the planet!

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itsmellslikepopcarn · 29/06/2021 12:15

Vegan, buy mostly second hand clothes and furniture, try to buy as eco-friendly products as possible (recycled toilet roll, shampoo bars and soap rather than bottles), also run a couple second hand businesses and use paper bags, recyclable bubble wrap or paper alternatives and paper wrapping tape. Try to eat food as seasonally as possible. Haven’t flown in 4 years.

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Permanganate · 29/06/2021 12:59

Will limit the number of children I have to less than replacement level

Just reading through the posts to gain tips as I have many lamentable non-eco habits and read this Grin

Actually that is probably the number one thing we can do for the planet

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ppeatfruit · 13/07/2021 10:42

This thread slipped off my "i'm on".

I'm limiting my time online now (after hearing how much power is used by us all on here) 6% of all the world's electricity supplies. fgs.

Covid sure hasn't helped cut down on plastics has it?

But there is good news locally with more organic farmers starting up (our local agricultural college has given fields to be be organically cultivated and the produce is superb). I was talking to the young farmers in the market. He was saying the students are learning as they help harvest it. (Fr.)

Iam making my own cleaning product from citrus fruit skins, boil in water ,then simmer them, and sieve into old spray bottles. It worked on my cooker top! The waste goes in the compost heap.

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grey12 · 13/07/2021 11:02

Check out Terracycle Wink

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grey12 · 13/07/2021 11:03

@Humbersider

No kids.

Anything less is just pissing in the wind.

You're right! Let's kill off all human beings. Those guys are terrible
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ppeatfruit · 14/07/2021 07:53

The sad thing is grey that a large number of us seem to think that we can carry on normally ( eg. flying everywhere ) and that technology will have the answer to all the problems. Sad

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grey12 · 14/07/2021 08:21

@ppeatfruit

The sad thing is grey that a large number of us seem to think that we can carry on normally ( eg. flying everywhere ) and that technology will have the answer to all the problems. Sad

Of course we can't! We need to be aware. Who doesn't know people who even complain about recycling?! Hmm

But I did argue before that if a lot of environmental conscious people don't have any kids, the next generation of adults will have had parents who didn't give a **.....

It has been proven that developing poor countries is what works in controlling the world population. When there is access to medicine, contraception, food, work, then people naturally have less children: 2/3 instead of 10!
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dudsville · 14/07/2021 08:25

I think it's a fantastic farce. The big companies produce all the crap and you feel responsible for turning that ship around. Stop earth's destruction at the point of production. (And yes, I'll be turning my hand to slogans now!)

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AlwaysLatte · 14/07/2021 08:31

Electric car, compostable dog poo bags, much less plastic (but recycle everything), compost the garden waste, own chickens for eggs, although still use the washing machine a lot, but that and the dishwasher are eco brands. We also use eco cleaning products only. And we don't go in for cheap plastic fashion.

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AliceTheCamelHasFiveHumps · 14/07/2021 08:33

@ppeatfruit

This thread slipped off my "i'm on".

I'm limiting my time online now (after hearing how much power is used by us all on here) 6% of all the world's electricity supplies. fgs.

Covid sure hasn't helped cut down on plastics has it?

But there is good news locally with more organic farmers starting up (our local agricultural college has given fields to be be organically cultivated and the produce is superb). I was talking to the young farmers in the market. He was saying the students are learning as they help harvest it. (Fr.)

Iam making my own cleaning product from citrus fruit skins, boil in water ,then simmer them, and sieve into old spray bottles. It worked on my cooker top! The waste goes in the compost heap.

I don't think limiting your time online would make much difference? The power is being used for the massive stadium sized data centres etc, surely?
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Mrstreehouse · 14/07/2021 08:34

I don’t drive, I don’t fly, I don’t eat meat. I grow most of my own veg.Have smallholding. I recycle but never buy single use plastic. Eco products. Shop mainly in charity shops for clothes unless ethically sourced. I’m a bloody saint. 😂 Won’t do any good though, sadly.

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EverythingWillFallInLine · 14/07/2021 08:39

I don't have pets.

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Unmute · 14/07/2021 08:49

I have one child
I don't eat meat
I don't drive

Aside from those things (which I'd do whatever my income) I'm poor, so being eco friendly is easy. No holidays, no new clothes, no food waste etc.

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ppeatfruit · 15/07/2021 09:02

Yes dudsville So true about nearly all of the massive companies. There are a couple which are beginning to do something, of course it will be too little too late.

Do you mean the CLOUD? Alice Yes it's using a hell of a lot of power. There should be ways WE can control what gets stored . There probably are but I'm not a tecchie.

The problem with developing the 3rd world countries grey is the way it has been done. I was upset in the 80s and 90s that nuclear power was being introduced into equatorial countries. NOT SOLAR POWER (or not enough). It's effing crazy. That's without the destruction of forests for grazing and growing major crops etc.

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groundcontroltomajormum · 03/11/2021 17:11

We recycle as much as we can. Have switched to home made or ethically made toiletries. We have a shower, not a bath but I really miss the bath Grin one car, we have swapped bottles soap for bars of soap. Nothing major but I think it helps.

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DuringDinnerMints · 13/11/2021 20:54

We haven't owned a car for about ten years.

We only fly to places we can't get the train to.

Zero waste shops where we take our own containers.

Most clothes and toys are bought second hand.

Shampoo and soap bars.

We don't shower every day to save water.

Heated electric blanket which uses less energy than heating the whole house.

2 compost bins and a vegetable patch.

Reducing meat consumption and buying from the local butcher.

Using an Eco Egg instead of laundry detergent.

Not owning a dryer.

We used a combination of cloth and plastic nappies.

Biodegradable, plastic free sanitary pads.

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JennyForeigner · 13/11/2021 21:02

@BerllanBrych

Hi Peeps,
I try to balance a bit of eco living with maintaining my sanity. Sorting crisp packets to give to the local Terracycle scheme is pretty much my limit,
My BIG passion, that I would LOVE your thoughts on is to normalise the planting of a baby's placenta with a tree in the UK. Almost all human placentas in the UK are treated as clinical waste and incinerated (more CO2 emissions). We planted ours (after a spell in the freezer while we summoned the energy to garden), with hazel trees for both boys and they grew really well.
This is normal practice in many cultures around the world. What do we need to do to normalise it here?

Probably not have a badger sett in the garden.

They'll dig up anything.
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VerveClique · 13/11/2021 21:07

We planted a placenta! God knows where the other one went Shock

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mum2jakie · 13/11/2021 21:10

I've switched to Pilgrims Choice cheese as it uses less plastic packaging than other cheese brands.

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nannybeach · 13/11/2021 21:19

Condensing dryers have more than twice the carbon footprint of a vented model
Heat pump or gas are the best. What do I do, haven't eaten meat for 40 years. Grow a lot of my own fruit and veg,right down to citrus. Don't eat out of season.recycle,reuse.lot of second hand furniture.dont fly. Solar panels,plus 100% green energy company

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