What are your tips for being more environmentally friendly? Tell Unilever for a chance to win a £300 voucher!NOW CLOSED

[MichelleMumsnet]

Unilever have asked us to find out what Mumsnetters' tips are to make sure that your family is more environmentally friendly.

Here's what Unilever say, "At Unilever, we believe there has never been a better time to create a better future for our children; a world where everyone has enough food to eat and no child goes to bed hungry; where everybody can enjoy life today while protecting the planet for future generations.

"If we all work together to take small actions every day that make a real difference, we can build a world where everyone lives well and lives sustainably.

"We're committed to taking positive action on climate change within our business, but we also want to inspire our consumers to make those small changes that can make all the difference."

So, what positive habits have you got in to which help you be more environmentally friendly which you can pass on to other Mumsnetters? Maybe it's as simple as getting yourself and your DCs into the habit of switching off the lights as you leave the room? Are you a champion for only buying sustainably sourced products or managing down the food miles in your weekly shop? Perhaps you're now using reusable instead of disposable products, everything from batteries to razors to ink cartridges? Or maybe you've ditched the car in favour of cycling? Whatever your tips are, we'd love to hear them!

Everyone who posts their tips on the thread will be entered into a prize draw to win a £300 Love2Shop voucher!

Thanks and good luck,
MNHQ

Don't own a dog, or other meat-eating pets.

I have two bags hanging in the kitchen on the under stair cupboard door where we are recycle as much as we can, having them close at hand helps remind little people that they are they !

I have a little watering can next to the kitchen tap, so when I'm waiting for the water to run hot I collect the cold/tepid water and use it to water my indoor plants. In summer I collect the water in the bowl and use it to water my outdoor plant pots.
I also have a water butt, a composter which really reduces our landfill bin waste, and we grow some vegetables and salads from seed. I grow my own herbs, and we have a couple of small fruit trees, too.
I'm trying to walk for shorter journeys rather than taking the can, with the added bonus of getting me fitter, too!

We recycle whatever we can. We advertise things locally on social media if we want to get rid of something to minimise landfill.
We try to turn lights off harder in spider season
Use old envelopes for lists and ideas and drafts and then recycle them.
Use old sheets for fancy dress costumes/den making.
Try to use more natural products (using vinegar and baking soda for different purposes)
Grow our own fruit and veg and buy organic and fairtrade veg boxes and as local produce as possible.
Menu planning so we don't buy too much excess food.
Use non-biological powder. Not plastic capusules.
Wash at lower temperatures.
Freeze excess food.

Majority of times buy a whole chicken and make stock as well.
Compost veg peelings and paper and grass clippings.
Try to remember to take veg water out to garden once cooked.
Use a water butt to collect rain water in the garden.
Use old pallets to create garden structures, furniture and bug hotel.
Companion planting to reduce the need for organic chemicals in garden.
Where possible use refillable bottles rather than buying bottled water for day-trips etc.
Sometimes DH uses DD bathwater once DD is out and in bed.[hmmm]
Use crusts of bread and stale bread for bread crumbs by blitzing in a food processor, freezing and pulling out when needed.
Holiday in UK so rarely fly.

We walk
And walk and walk!
Lucky to live in lovely countryside and it is a shame to fill it up with cars and not get to look at all interesting nature as you toddle along

I always re-use carrier bags, recycle as much as I possibly can and mend clothes now instead of buying new. We also try to switch off as much as we can when it's not being used and only turn the heating on when it's really needed!!

Minimise the amount we need to purchase in the first place, try not to buy something with excessive or purely disposable packaging, choose things without unnecessary chemicals, grow our own and cook from scratch, don't put the heating up to much, take alternatives to driving, and let our garden grow a little wild.

Be vegan.

We try and recycle as much as possible. We also try and turn things off when we aren't using them and also turn lights off when we leave rooms.

ride to work instead of driving

Make sure you train the whole of the family to turn off the lights and appliances when not in use.

Our family do all the usual recycling, filtering paper, cardboard, cans, compost, etc and only sending stuff to landfill which can't be recycled.

We also buy locally to save carbon miles, and turn off everything possible in the home. But the best tip I have is to encourage children to grow what ever fruit and vegetables possible. This year we have grown first early potatoes, onions, strawberries, runner beans, tomatoes, cucumbers and lettuce in the greenhouse

Children enjoy helping to plant, watching plants grow, and best of all - eating the produce. Save lots of money, and much better for the environment.

We don't have a car, rarely use heating, recycle as much as possible and eat very little meat and fish. We also get most things second hand.

Research what can be recycled in your area. Compost waste food and peelings, etc. Sell or donate unwanted items; even broken appliances can and do sell on eBay! Recycle carrier bags, water filters and light bulbs at your local large Tesco. Buy rechargeable batteries (check out the pound stores!) and recycle dead batteries. It's all about being aware of what can be done, and then organising to put it in to action.

I shall pass on, with stiff disclaimer, my BIL's suggestion:

Eat cats.

When my 12 year old is in the shower I usually put the washing machine up, as it fills up the water upstairs goes cold which usually stops her from spending too much time in there hence saving water

I'm not sure if this has been said already,

I always buy the glass jars instead of the plastic ones. Marmite, jam, ketchup and mayonnaise ect as I have a glass recycling bin.

...and, Brand if you save the jars and put them on freegle or freecycle when you have a couple of dozen, someone else uses them as-is, instead of them having to be made into new jars, thus even more of an energy saving.

(Plus, I usually get a jar of homemade jam or marmalade out of it as the people collecting the jars invariably bring a full one with them to swap.)

We walk or cycle if it's a local journey,

save water wherever possible eg shorter showers, use kitchen waste water for the plants, have a water saver in the loo cistern,

recycle everything that can be recycled locally,

have minimal/no food waste,

use items until they cannot be fixed,

and we are very sparing with household chemicals eg no fabric softener, half the recommende amount of detergent.

I recycle everything that I can, we are lucky that our council take a lot from the doorstep now.
I have a couple of water butts in the garden and as someone else posted above I also keep the cold water that's otherwise wasted when you run a hot tap.
I try and only wash up once a day so I don't waste water.

archery that's a really good idea I have about 5/6 in the recycling bag ready to go out!

Meal plan to try and reduce waste, I also put a piece of paper on the fridge with use by dates, that helps.
Recycle.
Take stuff to charity stores.
Turn off plugs when things are not being used.
We don't drive so walk a lot.

Buying and consuming less overall. Water use awareness.i buy very few "big brands" - seek out well priced alternatives.

I donate and buy from local charity shops, i also dont use plastic bags anymore, havent done so for over 3 years. I recycle where i can and i re use most jars/ bottle etc for crafts/making jam