Hi there,
As you know, I think about the Environment lots and try to make some changes and differences.
There's a great challenge called Plastic Free July which you can sign up for and they send you ideas for the challenge. There's all sorts of resources including those for promoting it to others, e.g. posters and the resources are tailored towards different individuals.
Here is a Calendar of things you can do.
My Mum and I sat and had a read through the calendar today to see which ones we do and which ones we need to work on.
A disclaimer here. When I share posts like this, it is never to shame anyone for what they do or don't do. I do it because I care passionately about these things and I know having a dialogue about them is an important part of change. I also hope it inspires people. It's not a brag fest either. There are plenty of unhealthy practises in my life which I need to change. If you take one thing from this post or find yourself in agreement or find it interesting, then I have achieved my aim. However, I will always challenge practises in real life which I think are just down to being lazy as the lazy TA who couldn't be bothered to wash out her Lucozade bottle so she just lobbed it into the bin instead of the recycling bin and then the subsequent TA who laughed and said she often couldn't be bothered either, found out after I expressed my disgust.
Day 1:
Join the Plastic Free challenge. Well, I joined in with this 2 years ago and it made me make some important changes and I am looking again at this challenge this year (to coin Ang's Words for the year) to see if there is any more I can do. If you even make a decision to try and join in with the challenge, even in retrospect and make one change, then that is progress!
Day 2:
Bringing your own shopping bags. I am good at this one. This one is ALL about routines for me. Once you have used the bags, making yourself replace them in the place you will be able to access them again when you need them is the KEY to succeeding at this. By the way, I include produce bags in this one too (which more often than not are old bread bags or junk mail bags). So, empty your shopping out and IMMEDIATELY put your reusables back in:
a) car boot,
b) under your car seat.
c) in your handbag
d) in your cycling pannier
e) in your coat pocket
f) by the front door
g) hanging on coat hooks with coat
h) in your desk drawer
i) in your work locker
j) in ALL of the above so you are NEVER caught short!
And if all above fails, CBC and I are TOTALLY stubborn on this one (at least when we are together). If we can carry it in our arms to avoid taking a bag, we will, to the point of ridiculous! We will load it back into the trolley and stick it all loose into the boot, we will walk down the road with our arms full. Once, I was in the supermarket and realised I'd forgotten my bags, I went and raided the Recycling Carrier Bag point to reuse someone else's old bag rather than admit defeat. Another time, I took the carboard box on the Flour shelf and from the fruit display in Lidl to avoid taking a bag- like we used to in the 80's and 90's.
Day 3:
Bringing your own drinks bottles is another really easy one that I assume that most people do. I have not willingly personally bought a bottle of water since at least 2018 except maybe once. I travelled to Italy by train (it took almost an entire day) and didn't buy a plastic bottle. My key to this was having a few reusable bottles (I took 4 to Italy). Yes, they might be heavier to carry but it is worth it. Again, I travel by my own steam a lot of times- bike, walk or train- so it's not like my lifestyle makes it any easier. Again, routines are your friend. Every evening when I get home from work, I refill my Stainless steel 750ml flask and replace it in my bike pannier. If I go out without my bike, I am in that mindset that I always think to put the bottle in my rucksack/handbag- having a few sizes would help if you are a minimal bag person - you could have a small one hanging off a karabiner.
Shenfield station (Platform 3) and Liverpool Street station (to the left of the main Circle Line entrance) both have Filtered Water dispensers so it's worth seeing if a station has a refill point. Or just ask.
Buying a nice reusable for a friend is a great Eco-friendly present.
Day 4:
I have had a few reusables over the past 10 years or so. Again, having more than one helps. Keeping one in your hand bag, bag, one in the car helps. Routine is king again. Wash and dry it when you get back and replace it in the best place for you.
I bought a Hunu collapsible Hot drink cup last week- it folds tiny and is perfect for travelling.
I am also very stubborn. If a place refuses my reusable or has no option for drinking in in something they will wash up, I make a point of changing my mind about wanting a drink from that establishment and saying my reason. I don't care if they think I am awkward. I always try to remember to ask before I order to find out what it will come in but I have been caught out once or twice.
Day 5:
Saying no to a straw is a tiresome one. Because, even though I make a point of always asking for no straw, I have been given one SO many times because they do it on Autopilot. At least they are mostly paper nowadays but still, I would prefer no straw. Say it clearly if you are refusing and say why- hopefully they will remember if you put emphasis on it.
If you go to Italy, the phrase for no straw is "Senza Cannuccia per favore."- I speak from experience! ;-)
Day 6:
Again, I am quite au fait with this one. Using what you have already is a great one! I make use of any suitable container for reuse. If you have plastic bags from products you've bought, use those to house loose things you buy. My Mum is the expert at this. In the Zerowaste shops, they always comment on the sheer variety of receptacles I use. Yesterday,I bought Mulberries in a Jelly Tots tube, Lentils in a biscuit tin, pasta in a posh chocolate box, tumeric in a yoghurt pot, apples in a bread bag, green beans in a magazine bag, broccoli in an old potato sack. Have a 'reuse' bag ready that you can grab ready. Any useful bag or containers get shoved in it.
Day 7:
I've sort of mentioned Loose produce and how I approach that above but I tend to try and look for those products that don't come in plastic and stick to those. Lidl is quite good for that. You can get Avocados, vine tomatoes, peppers, courgettes, sweet potatoes, aubergines, bananas, spring onions, onions, potatoes at most times of year and other seasonable ones. It does depend on where you live though but I try to always check if I am going somewhere, if there is an option where I might buy things.
I am lucky that I can easily travel to places to get loose options. The Milk and More does plastic-free options although they do cost a bit more.
Day 8:
Bar soaps and shampoo bars are a great way to avoid plastic and one we have embraced. They are great gifts to give or receive and a nice thing to give to Food Banks also. We have been using Lush's Montelbano shampoo bars for at least 3 years now and they last well. I have been using a nice Comme Avant Shampoo bar recently that my hair loves too. It was a present.
Day 9:
Do I need to mention the "R" word again? Routines are your friend. I bought a lovely bamboo set (and received another as a gift) and keep a set in my bag (in a makeup bag). I also just carried a metal set around with me before though. Wash it up when you get home. I put a set into CBC's glove compartment too so he always had a set. He's got his own set in my satchel too.
Day 10:
Plastic free cleaning products are great! Again, we've not bought things like washing up liquid, toilet cleaner, surface spray, descaler, bathroom cleaner for at least 3 years.
If you aren't lucky enough to have access to a Zerowaste shop (brands like Miniml, Sessi, Fill are very reasonable), you can order products from the Ocean Drop online from a myriad businesses. These come in tiny little boxes and are concentrate which you pop into an old bottle and add water and you have cleaning products ready.
And that's Days 1-10. I'm happy with my progress on these 10 items. I wonder what I need to work on next week?
