Tis the season to be sustainable

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Christmas is a time for giving, but it shouldn’t cost the earth. So here are our top five tips on having a sustainable Christmas and saving the planet while you spread some Christmas cheer.

The gifts
Lists aren’t just for Santa. Choose who you’re buying gifts for and make a list (and check it twice). That way you’ll know exactly what you need to buy and it should also help you avoid last minute panic buying, which can lead to unused and wasted presents.

Gifts don’t have to be bought, and they don’t even need to be material things! Pledges for your time or an activity are a thoughtful alternative and handmade gifts such as food, arts or crafts show a really personal touch. Did someone say “let’s bake gingerbread men…?”

If you do buy a gift, choose to buy local from sustainable companies to reduce the environmental impact of your shopping. It can help support your local community too, as the cash spent and taxes paid stay in your local economy. It’s also more sustainable to stick to one big gift rather than giving lots of little ones – it can reduce waste and as an added bonus you’ll only need to come up with one thoughtful gift idea.

If you’re feeling really charitable (and you think the gift receiver would like it) you could even make a donation to charity on the person’s behalf.

Wrapping paper
And what to wrap your lovely thoughtful gifts in? Eco-friendly wrapping paper of course! Recyclable wrapping paper is better for the environment than many normal rolls, as a lot of them contain non-recyclable elements like foil, glitter or plastic. Equally, brown paper packages tied-up with string can make a beautiful present. Finish off with twigs of eucalyptus tucked under the string and your sustainable pressie is complete!

Pro tip: want to know if your wrapping paper can be recycled or not? Use the scrunch test. Scrunch up the paper in your hand then let it go. If the paper stays scrunched up it can be recycled. But if it unfolds on its own, then it probably contains non-recyclable elements. Boo!

The tree
Up to 8 million Christmas trees are bought every year in this country alone. That’s a lot of trees. Although plastic tress are a good alternative and should last for years, they take a lot of energy to produce and will have to be disposed of in the future.

A sustainable alternative is to rent a tree. Yeah, that’s right – rent your Christmas tree! Loads of garden centres offer a tree-hire service for the festive period and they’ll even pick it up and drop it off to save you the hassle.

Of course, if you want to go one step further, you could use or grow your own. A tree with roots will grow outside and you can use it again next year, reducing the environmental impact and costing you less. Holly, apple, pear, and Japanese maple trees are all good options, although they do take a bit more looking after.

If you do go for a real tree though, just make sure it’s sustainably grown – trees should have either the FSC or Soil Association logo on them. And remember to recycle it when you’re finished. Most local councils have set up recycling points specifically for Christmas trees, or alternatively you can take yours to your nearest recycling centre.

The food
Oh the food! We all love a bit of Christmas dinner. Whether it’s the mouth-watering main or those sumptuous sides, we just can’t get enough. If you’re going down the traditional turkey or meaty route – try to buy organic and free-range, and support your local small-scale farms if possible too.

The Soil Association tell us, “food is the single most important, everyday way for people to reduce their environmental impact.” So we can really make a difference by making sustainable choices, even down to the packaging of the foods we buy. Opt for loose items or those that have little or no plastic packaging to help save the planet.

Plumping for a full-on veggie Christmas dinner is even better for the environment. Vegan nut roasts and brandy butter are delish, and definitely won’t leave you feeling like you’ve missed out.

…and the drink!
Like the food, go organic and locally-sourced with your drinks if you can. Haven’t tried organic wine yet? Well Christmas is as good an excuse as any to give it a go. There are loads of UK vineyards producing tasty tipples, just look out for their organic credentials on the label. Or if you prefer something a little stronger, the UK’s first organic distillery in south-west Wales, Dà Mhìle, has a selection of organic whiskey, brandy and gin. Just remember to enjoy responsibly!

Last but not least
Always find yourself searching the cupboards for enough matching glasses when you’re entertaining at Christmas? Fear not – you can rent some for free from Waitrose! What a time to be alive!

More than just moustaches

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“Our fathers, partners, brothers and friends are facing a health crisis, yet it’s rarely talked about. Men are dying too young. We can’t afford to stay silent,” reads the homepage of Movember’s website.

Movember is trying to change the face of men’s health, and has grown from self-professed ‘humble beginnings’ to become one of the most recognisable movements in the world. You’d be hard-pushed to find someone who isn’t aware of Movember, especially as moustaches start to appear on men’s top lips across the globe in November each year. But what is Movember? What’s it working towards? And why is it so important?

A bit of history
As with all good ideas, the Movember movement began in the pub. In 2003 two friends in Melbourne, Australia, had the idea to try to bring back the moustache. Inspired by the mo’s ability to generate conversation, the mates saw their idea develop over the next few years from a conversation-starter to an annual fundraising event, and eventually into the leading charity it is today.

The charity is changing the face of men’s health – helping men live happier, healthier, longer lives. They’re working to help fight and prevent prostate and testicular cancers, as well as working to improve men’s mental health and prevent suicide.

With prostate cancer rates set to double over the next 15 years and testicular cancer rates already having doubled in the last 50, it’s not hard to see why Movember feels men’s health is in crisis. Add to this the fact that one man dies by suicide every minute of every day, it’s clear to see that action needs to be taken.

So what are they doing?
Movember has funded over 1,250 men’s health projects across the world to help tackle preventable deaths and improve men’s health. They’ve backed education initiatives to help men spot the signs and symptoms of prostate cancer, and also sponsored organisations providing support services to men fighting cancer. Movember has championed projects to help men stay healthy mentally and build strong connections so they can take action early when times are tough.

Movember fund various projects, all with the aim of reducing the number of men dying prematurely by 25% by 2030.

How can I get involved?
You can join the more than 5.5million Mo Bros and Mo Sistas by getting involved with a fundraising initiative:

  • Grow a Mo, save a bro – the tried and tested moustache growing. You can inspire donations, conversations and real change.
  • Host a Mo-ment – raise the roof with a get-together and raise much-needed funds for men’s health.
  • Make your Mo-ve – run or walk 60km over the month for the 60 men we lose to suicide each hour.

If all of this has inspired you to get involved, or you’d just like to find out more, check out Movember’s website.

Boost up on plant power!

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Statistics from the Vegan Society suggest that vegans and vegetarians are set to make up a quarter of the British population by 2025 and just under half of all UK consumers will be flexitarians. A flexitarian diet means that although you don’t eliminate any foods, you generally eat less meat and other animal products.

But why are more of us deciding to cut the meat, what exactly are the benefits of including more plant-based foods in our diet, and what can we learn from #meatfreemonday?

Meat Free Monday is a not-for profit campaign which encourages people to have at least one plant-based day each week, so we’re exploring how reducing meat consumption can have a significant impact on our health and the planet.

It’s kinder to the environment
According to a recently conducted study, avoiding meat and dairy is the single biggest way to reduce your negative impact on the environment. A plant-based diet has a positive effect not only on reducing greenhouse gases (cows are responsible for 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions), but also on things such as land and water usage.

A study conducted by Oxford University found that if we all cut meat and dairy completely from our diets there would be a 76% reduction on land used for food production and a 19% reduction in fresh water withdrawals for agriculture.

Save on your shopping
If your diet is currently high in meat, you might find swapping for more plant-based meals could save you money on your food bill. Meat is traditionally the most expensive grocery item, so buying less means your bank balance could see a healthy benefit and you’ll help save the environment at the same time!

Ramp up the nutrients
Eating mostly plant-based foods will give your body a big healthy boost, as whole plant-based foods are more nutrient dense and will naturally contain less saturated fat and additives. If you are eating whole, un-processed plant-based foods you might notice your diet is naturally becoming healthier and getting in your five-a-day is suddenly much easier!

Get flexible
Being open to eating more plants offers greater flexibility in your diet and more control over the amount of meat you choose to eat. A flexitarian diets allows you the flexibility to fit your diet around your lifestyle and your social life.

Adopting a vegan or vegetarian diet can seem overwhelming, but if you’d like to dig into the world of plant-based eating, give the flexitarian diet a go and power up on plants!

Using nature to nurture wellbeing

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Having recently moved to a big city, I’ve been really aware of the lack of green space compared to where I used to live. It’s the same in many cities across the UK, as horizons are dominated by skyscrapers and offices, while parks and wildlife are scarce in comparison.

I’ve always been quite active and enjoyed being outdoors, but I didn’t realise the direct impact a lack of green space or nature can have on your mental health. German research, quoted in the UK press, said people who live in the countryside are happier, while an American study found those living in urban areas are 21% more likely to have anxiety.

There could be for a number of reasons for this. The pace of life is likely to be faster in a city and there’s generally more pollution too. And if you’re anything like me, the thought of exercising – which is heavily linked to wellbeing – outside in the city isn’t as appealing as the thought of doing the same in the countryside. Running along a busy main road just doesn’t seem as enjoyable as going for a forest walk.

So what role can nature play and how can we get a bit more of it in our lives?

How can nature help?
The mental health charity Mind says spending time in green space or bringing nature into your everyday life can benefit both your mental and physical wellbeing. Doing things like growing food or flowers, exercising outdoors, or being around animals can have lots of positive effects, helping you feel more relaxed and improving your mood.

And a report by Natural England published on the Government website shows taking part in nature-based activities helps people who are suffering from mental health issues by reducing levels of anxiety, stress, and depression.

What can we do?
You don’t have to escape to the country for a long weekend to feel the benefits of nature. A walk at lunchtime in your local park or even creating a space to grow vegetables or herbs can help.

So whether it’s a bit of gardening, putting out bird feeders, or even just reading or eating outdoors, bringing a little bit of nature into your life can have a great effect on your mental wellbeing.

If you’re not sure where to start there are loads of local community groups who are happy to help. So why not have a look and see what’s happening in your area?

Sustainable living – small steps to make a big difference

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Sustainability. It’s a bit of a buzz word right now, but for very good reason!

I don’t know about you, but I find it all a bit overwhelming. I wholeheartedly want to do my bit – we all have to if we’re to find a better, more sustainable way of living and reduce the impact we’re having on the planet. But sometimes it all feels like too much effort.

For me, sometimes it feels like I’m fighting a losing battle when I’m sifting through the tonne of packaging I’ve accumulated trying to work out if it can be recycled or not! And I hate that we have all this plastic that can’t be recycled that will go to landfill or might end up poisoning some marine-life thousands of miles away. Can’t we just banish the plastic?!

So I’m determined to up my game!

We all know we need to tackle this together, but what is ‘sustainable living’? The World Wildlife Foundation says that it’s a lifestyle that attempts to reduce the use of the Earth’s natural resources by reducing your carbon footprint through changing your methods of transport, energy consumption, and diet.

I’ve given this quite a bit of thought recently and I’ve joined various groups on social media to help with some inspiration. I’ve found local groups can be a fantastic way of learning more and understanding what we can do as a community to be more sustainable. For one, I learnt that we can recycle a lot more in our green bin than I thought, as the rules have changed! So double check your local recycling rules to make sure you’re up to speed!

There are lots of things we can do to make a difference, so here are my top tips:

  • Compost – make your own at home or see if there’s a local scheme.
  • Buy second-hand – clothes, books, toys… anything really! It’s amazing what you can find and with lots of selling sites now available, it’s never been easier. And you can grab a bargain too!
  • Eat less meat – the environmental impact of meat production is well documented, so consider having at least one vegetarian meal a week instead.
  • Use less paper – mop up spills with a re-usable cloth instead of kitchen paper and cancel that unwanted mail through your letterbox.
  • Walk/bike more – as well as the physical and mental wellbeing benefits, by not jumping in the car you’re reducing your carbon footprint and saving money on fuel too! Public transport is also a more sustainable option.
  • Use less water – take a shorter shower or turn the shower off when you’re lathering up! Only do the washing with full loads.
  • Turn off electrical items when not in use – lots of electrics still use energy when not in use, so try unplugging your hairdryer, microwave and phone charger etc. – it’ll also save you money on your electricity bill!
  • Re-usable containers and bags – use a re-fillable water bottle and take a re-usable coffee cup for your morning caffeine fix. Find a zero waste shop and take your own containers along for stocking up on food. And always take re-usable bags with you on shopping trips!
  • Change your lightbulbs – switch to energy-saving LEDs.

It’s that simple! We can all easily make some of these changes and do our bit, so let’s get started!

The perfect work-life balance – is it all fantasy football?

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As the football season starts again, many of us up and down the country are dreaming of glory by going through the painstaking process of selecting the perfect fantasy football team.

Just like selecting that perfect team, maintaining a good work-life balance takes consideration and regular review.

Home or away?
Firstly, you pick your Captain. In fantasy football, the Captain is your priority as he’s the man who’ll get you the most points by scoring you the most goals. In the same way you’d regularly review your choice of Captain, you might want to think about how often your work comes home with you. Shifting your priorities around to make leaving work behind should be your number one goal. Although in theory keeping your home and work life separate is simple, in practice, it’s often more difficult than you think.

Next, select your Vice Captain. He works together with the Captain to help score the most points. Your Vice Captain represents your ‘me’ time and without it, how can you leave your work behind? Make time to do things that make you happy on a daily basis. This gives you an enjoyable focus outside work and leaving that big pile of paperwork behind becomes easier.

Teamwork makes the dream work
Now to select the rest of your team, they’re crucial to get the best result on match day. Picking the players who’ll get you the most points are your priority here. This can dwindle your budget and as you run out of money you’ll need to carefully select the rest of the team.

Creating your dream team is just like prioritising your workload and, like ever expanding to-do lists, choosing your players can quickly become overwhelming. Your urgent tasks take priority and once these are cleared you can re-evaluate your to-do list to help shift your priorities instead of running out of time, or having to stay late.

The end goal
Finally, pick your subs. We all know there’s no point in building a strong team if there’s no support for injured players. If you feel stress is getting on top of you or you’re taking work home, talk to your line manager about the issues you’re having.

Achieving a good work-life balance needs careful management, regular changes to your priorities and using the support around you. How will you score this season?

Less plastic: more life

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Every single piece of plastic ever thrown away is still on this Earth.

It’s a shocking fact, but plastic is simply unable to decompose fully. That one plastic bottle of water you bought earlier will take up to 450 years to only mostly decompose – it’ll never fully decompose! And it will most likely turn into microscopic plastic pieces, of which there are 51 trillion (269,000 tons) on our planet – that’s over 500 times the number of stars in our galaxy!

What would you prefer to see?

What plastic means to you and the environment
If we carry on using plastic at our current rate, it’ll out-weigh the number of fish in our seas by 2050. The need to take action is clear, and reducing our plastic use right now really could make a difference.

As well as killing 100,000 marine mammals and turtles, and over 1 million sea birds every year, plastic pollution also affects marine plant life. And we rely on these marine plants to produce 70% of the oxygen we breathe. The marine life that does survive often eats the plastic that ends up in our seas. It stays inside them forever, and worryingly a third of all fish now contain traces of plastic. Therefore, there’s a high chance that if you eat fish, you’ve also eaten microscopic pieces of plastic. Maybe some of the same plastic you threw away!

So reducing plastic will be beneficial not only for the planet and the marine life, but also for us, our friends, and our families.

Reducing our plastic waste

  • If you have to use a straw buy a metal or bamboo one.
  • When shopping take re-useable bags with you.
  • Spread the word about the impact plastic is having and encourage others to reduce their plastic usage.
  • If you live near a beach why not head down and do a litter pick. Check out the Marine Conservation Society or Surfers Against Sewage for details of clean ups close to you.
  • Don’t live near the beach? You can still head down to your local park and help pick up rubbish. There are loads of organised litter picks.
  • Join campaigns to help reduce the production of plastic products such as Friends of the Earth or the WWF.
  • Recycle all the plastic you do end up using so it doesn’t stay wasting away on the planet.

The future
As part of the younger generation being told “you don’t know enough to understand our plastic consumption or climate change”, I feel it’s my duty to prove people wrong and help others understand the level of catastrophe we’re facing.

People are often told not to worry, as it’s something for future generations to deal with. But it shouldn’t be like that! It might not affect you in your lifetime, but you can make a significant, immediate difference to help your children, grandchildren or any younger generation to live in a safe, environmentally friendly world.

Life without plastic?

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My desire to go plastic-free in July was inspired by reading into the wider issue of single-use plastics. They’re having a devastating impact on our environment and wildlife, particularly marine life – it shocked me to discover that it’s now estimated 90% of all seabirds have some form of plastic in their stomachs.

I’ve shared my experiences of going plastic-free in my previous blogs, so here are the lessons I’ve learned in going plastic-free in July.

Drowning in plastic
At the beginning of the month the scale of the challenge seemed overwhelming and everywhere I looked, plastic was all around. It was eye-opening to see how much I had in my house and I didn’t really know where to begin, so I decided to take small steps first. I started taking my lunch into work every day and took a re-usable bottle everywhere I went, as well as a bamboo cutlery set. This immediately cut my plastic waste and felt like an easy swap.  

Plastic-free heroes
Once I’d started with the small swaps, I looked into plastic-free alternatives to my everyday essentials and came across some amazing plastic-free companies, like Plastic Freedom and The Kind Store. I was pleased to discover the cosmetics company Lush has a great range of packaging-free cosmetics and toiletries.

I swapped out my kitchen sponge, teabags, makeup remover wipes, body wash, face wash, shampoo and conditioner to plastic-free alternatives. The initial cost was expensive, but as most of these products came in bar form or are re-usable, there should be significant long-term savings.

Food for thought
The first time I went food shopping during plastic-free July was so frustrating. Pretty much all of the fruit and veg is wrapped in some form of plastic. Finding plastic-free alternatives was time-consuming and the whole experience took about half an hour longer than usual. I looked at my trolley and felt like I’d failed!

From the second week onwards it was much easier, I was able to avoid the plastic traps and switched my fruit and veg shopping to our local farm shop – 90% of their fruit and veg is plastic free. The produce is cheaper and tastier too!

The plastic problem
Because plastic is so cheap and easy to manufacture, it’s everywhere you look. I learnt that it’s ok not to be perfect all the time – there are times when you’ll have no choice but to purchase something wrapped in plastic. Don’t be too hard on yourself, making small changes elsewhere all adds up!

Plastic-free for the future
Although plastic-free July is over, I intend to continue with my journey. Going plastic-free has been eye-opening and the amount of waste, as well as plastic we produce as a household has reduced dramatically. This challenge has made me realise that even if we all make small swaps such as switching to a re-usable coffee cup and refusing plastic straws, the impact we can make as a collective is huge.

Doing something drastic, cutting the plastic

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According to Surfers against Sewage (SAS), plastic pollution can now be found on every beach in the world, from busy tourist beaches to uninhabited, tropical islands. Whilst this is a worrying statistic, making even the smallest change to your single-use plastic consumption can reduce your plastic footprint significantly. I’m now two weeks into my plastic-free July challenge and I’m starting to get into my stride!

Monday 8 July
It’s my first full week back at work since my holiday and I’m definitely feeling the Monday blues! Just like last week, I pack myself lunch and take my (many) re-usable containers into work with me. I make my first tea of the day – I’ve switched to a loose leaf tea as I was shocked to discover that most teabags contain some form of plastic. As an avid tea-drinker, that adds up to a lot of plastic waste over time!

Tuesday 9 July
As I’m starting to use up some of my regular household items I’m looking into plastic-free alternatives. After doing my research I discover that although the initial outlay is often pricey, the sustainable alternative should last me longer and the re-fills are often cheaper. I’ve made an order from an online plastic-free shop called Plastic Freedom and I’m excited to unpack washable kitchen sponges, organic cotton produce bags, washable cotton rounds to take my makeup off and plastic-free cleaning products.

Wednesday 10 July
Today I get the chance to try out my new cleaning products! I purchased a few glass spray bottles and fill these with lukewarm water, then add the concentrated cleaning solution. I shake the spray bottle thoroughly and my anti-bac cleaner dissolves completely into the water, making it completely zero waste! On testing, my plastic-free cleaner does the job nicely and as an added bonus it smells incredible!

Thursday 11 July
At lunchtime I sit down to listen to my audio book and tuck into my homemade salad of chickpeas, sundried tomatoes and olives (all salvaged from last night’s dinner). Not only is my lunch delicious, it also cuts down on unwanted packaging and is saving me money too – a definite win in my eyes!

Friday 12 July
Food shopping has been the hardest area to go plastic free. I’m making changes by shopping for all our fruit and veg at a local farm shop rather than a supermarket and trying to buy items in cans or glass wherever possible, as these are easier to recycle. Buying meat plastic-free has been pretty much impossible unless I go to the butchers (unfortunately we don’t have one locally), so all my meals have been meat-free this week.

Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 July
My husband and I have a quiet weekend at home, so living plastic free is relatively easy! I take a trip into town to stock up on some bubble bars and bath bombs from Lush (my favourite treat!). I bring my own bags and the staff in store put my purchases in small paper bags. They go in a bowl in our bedroom, which makes the room smell amazing and means we don’t need air fresheners or room sprays anymore!

What started off as a challenge that felt almost overwhelming, is starting to become quite enjoyable. And researching the plastic pollution problem has only spurred me on to continue to make as many changes as I can.

How’s your plastic free July going?

Drowning in plastic – my plastic free July challenge

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After seeing both the recent BBC documentary the War on Plastic and Blue Planet, I’ve been horrified to see the impact that single use plastics are having on the environment and on wildlife. A particular statistic that shocked me was that in the UK we throw away around 16.5 billion pieces of single-use plastic cutlery every year.

To me this seems like an unbelievable amount and it’s inspired me to try and give up as much single-use plastic as I can.

Whilst researching the plastic-free / zero waste movement online I came across Plastic Free July – a global movement encouraging people to refuse single-use plastics throughout the month of July – and I decided to give it a go!

Although living completely plastic free is probably a step too far for me right now, I’m aiming to reduce the amount of single-use plastic I buy and use over the month of July and I’ll be sharing my journey here – read on to find out how I got on.

Monday 1 July
I’m currently on holiday in Zante and as we aren’t doing much today except for sitting by the pool I’m able to make a good start on going plastic-free during July. I can get free water from the bar and the smoothie I order arrives in a glass mason jar. We have lunch in the hotel’s restaurant, meaning we avoid plastic cutlery, and I remember to ask the bartender not to give me a straw, so not a bad start all in all!

Tuesday 2 July
Today we travel home from Zante and although I try my best, the wheels come off today. We have a mid-day flight, so the morning flies by in a haze of packing, but before we leave the hotel we have one last glass of water and then travel over to the airport.

Zante airport is tiny, with a couple of cafes dotted around and not much else. I manage to buy a sandwich and ask them to put it in a paper bag, which they do for me, but getting water that isn’t bottled from here on out is impossible as the tap water isn’t drinkable in Zante. I buy a large bottle of water for myself and my husband to share and hope this option is a bit better than buying individual bottles – we take this on the plane and try and make it last as long as possible. By the time the food trolley comes around, I’m starving – but there aren’t any plastic-free options so I give in and order a sandwich (feeling surprisingly guilty as I do).

Wednesday 3 July
I’m back at work and back to reality! I have a s’well re-usable bottle in the cupboard at home, so I pour in some water from the fridge and add a few ice cubes to keep it nice and cold. I also bought a set of re-usable stainless steel straws so I pop one of these in my work bag.

We go out for lunch and although I’m well-prepared with my reusable straw, the place we go to for lunch provides paper ones! I’m struggling to find snacks that aren’t wrapped in plastic, so on the way back to the office I go into a local grocery store and pick up some loose fruit.

Thursday 4 July
Today I decide to bring in my own lunch. For most of this year I’ve been buying lunch out every day which is not only an expensive habit to have, but it’s made me think about how wasteful it is. I pack myself a nice healthy lunch in my reusable, stainless steel lunchbox and I can use the cutlery at work so I don’t need to bring a knife and fork with me.

My snacks today are an apple, an orange and a packet of crisps. The individually packaged crisps are an issue, so I decide to buy a large bag of crisps in my next food shop and divide it into portions, rather than buying a multipack, to cut down on packaging. Plastic-free packaged crisps seem pretty much impossible to find!

Friday 5 July
I have the same lunch as yesterday, so I put it all in a re-usable tote bag and take it along to work with me. In the evening, I go out for dinner with a friend and order a mocktail, but it comes with what appears to be a plastic straw. –I speak to the barman and he explains the straws are actually made entirely from cornstarch, which means they look like plastic but are completely biodegradable and they dispose of them amongst their food waste. I enjoy my mocktail even more!

Saturday 6 July and Sunday 7 July
It’s finally the weekend! We have a double helping of BBQ’s and I have a feeling that navigating this plastic-free is going to be a bit of a nightmare! On Saturday we have a hog-roast so I’m able to refuse a plate and eat my bun without the need for cutlery or a plastic plate.  We go to a family BBQ on Sunday and I feel slightly awkward asking for a proper plate and knife and fork rather than the paper plates on offer, but my sister in law gladly obliges. This gets me talking about the challenge with the family and I think I’ve now got a few of them on board too!

This first week hasn’t been without it’s challenges, however the small swaps such as bringing my lunch in, carrying everything in a re-usable bag and bringing my own cutlery with me have helped make a big impact already. I’m starting to plan how I’m going to tackle the food shop next week – I’ll let you know how I get on!

Not so fantastic plastic

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Ever since the first plastic was created by Alexander Parkes in 1862, its use has sky-rocketed – with common household items such as bottles, shopping bags and wet wipes now being relied on for daily use.

Our over-reliance on plastic and its devastating impact on the environment is now making global headlines – and reducing plastic use is one of the biggest challenges we currently face. Although positive changes have been made, I feel there’s still a lot more to do.

How exactly does plastic impact the environment?
Many plastic products contain harmful chemicals that can transfer or leak from the plastic by a process called leaching. Leaching contaminates soil and groundwater, killing fish and undersea species in oceans. And plastics release greenhouse gases when they’re produced or burnt – leading to global warming. So it’s fair to say plastics have a particularly damaging impact on the environment!

This should be a major concern to all of us as inhabitants of the planet, but the simple steps listed below can help us to take action and reduce the impact on our environment right now:

Quick and easy plastic-free lifestyle changes:

  • Use reusable shopping bags – these are generally quite low cost and can be reused many times, so on top of being plastic free they have less impact on the environment. Plastic bags are bought 160,000 times every day, so helping to reduce their use could have a major impact.
  • Stop buying single-use bottled water – plastic bottles are one of the main causes of plastic waste, and we can all easily help by simply buying a stainless steel or bamboo reusable bottle instead.
  • Give up plastic straws – one person uses approximately 130 plastic straws every single year. Saying no to plastic straws is an important step towards being plastic free, but going straw-free would be even better in my opinion.
  • Use wooden cutlery – when you’re out and about try to choose wood over plastic – they’re stronger than plastic forks which always end up breaking before the end of the meal too!

Try starting with these small steps – it shouldn’t be a huge change to your lifestyle, but could help in the fight to massively reduce plastic use around the globe.

Festival Survival Guide

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You bought your ticket months ago, and you’ve been looking forward to it ever since. There are even rumours the sun might make an appearance!

The start of summer means the start of music festival season. So whether you’re getting geared up for Glasto, ready for Reading, or teed up for TRNSMT, here are our top tips to ensure you get the most out of your festival weekend.

Supplies
If you’re buying a tent specifically for a festival we’d recommend getting one that’s light and easy to pitch. Festival campsites can often be a long walk from the car park, so something that’s light to carry will make life easier. The same goes for your sleeping bag and carry mat, light and durable are best. And make sure your sleeping bag is warm, as despite the day time temperature it can get chilly at night! Also, a trolley can be a huge help for transporting your stuff from car to site, particularly heavier items like food and drink.

And if you can manage a camping chair, then take one along – it’s always good to have somewhere to sit, especially if it gets a bit muddy on the campsite.

As well as your essentials mentioned above, make sure you take:

  • toilet roll
  • a portable phone charger
  • a torch
  • a towel
  • (plastic free) baby wipes & anti-bac hand gel
  • refillable water bottle

Most of these are self-explanatory, but the baby wipes can be a hygiene godsend if there are no shower facilities available. And make sure you take any medicines you might need with you too.

Drinking (and eating)
Festivals are a great place to let your hair down and enjoy yourself. But one thing we’ve learned (through experience) is the importance of staying hydrated and drinking lots of water, especially if it’s a warm weekend. Of course we’re not saying you shouldn’t drink alcohol, but just make sure you pace yourself. You don’t want to peak too early and end up in your bed before the headline act has even started.

Try breaking up the alcoholic drinks with a bottle of water or two. You’re more likely to last the distance this way. And make sure you eat plenty while you’re there too. Think about what you’d eat at home and try to eat just as much while you’re at a festival. Gone are the days of only terrible burgers and awful fast food at festivals (mostly). The majority of sites now serve-up some tasty treats, so check them out and make sure you ‘line your stomach’ with something to soak up the alcohol.

What to wear
Our top tip is to take clothes you don’t mind getting ruined. Of course we all want to look good, but comfort and practicality win out when it comes to festivals, as the unpredictable weather can often leave you wet and muddy! With that in mind, make sure you dress for the weather – waterproofs or sun cream if required. And given you’re likely to be on your feet all day, comfortable footwear is a must!

While you’re there
We wouldn’t recommend planning every minute of your weekend and every single act you want to see, as things can crop up and plans can change. But having a loose idea of what you want to do can help everyone in your group know what you’re doing and what stage to go to. Agree on a meeting point if you get split up so you know where to head if you get separated.

But most of all, have fun and enjoy yourself – festivals can be some of the best weekends of the year, so make the most of it!