Northwich’s new Eco Store “Weigh of the World”

I had waited with great anticipation for our new Eco Store, Weigh of the World, in Northwich to open. THIS was a game changer for me! Local, and brilliant!

They are a zero waste shop – this means that they provide customers with the ability to refill food and cleaning products into their own containers. This allows people to buy as little or as much as they want and reduce packaging. They also sell toiletries and other everyday items that can be reused. As a result, they help people move away from single-use, throwaway items. Most important to me is their commitment to being there for people who have dramatically changed their lifestyles towards zero waste. More so, they are there for the people who just want to make small changes. Everyone has their own path!

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November 30, 2019

Ethical Living / Sustainability Guides

Upcycle Project: Old clothes to Origami bags!

When I was 19 or 20, I remember actually holding a “funeral” for my favourite pair of patchwork batik baggy trousers… I lived in them… they were part of me… yet I was not in a position (at the time I was at university) to maintain their repairs… alas… they were falling apart… and my housemates staged an intervention and helped me to part with them… (I still miss that specific pair now! They were purples and dark blues, and so comfy…).

These days, I try and keep up with repairs – with such patchwork baggy trousers, this is fairly easy – just add another patch! However, there does come a point where you find yourself doing this far too regularly…

Fast fashion means we’re encouraged to throw clothes away as soon as they wear out — but what if those “unwearable” items could become something beautiful and useful instead? This upcycle project turns old clothes into simple origami-style fabric bags, giving much‑loved garments a second life while keeping textiles out of landfill.

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

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August 1, 2019

Brand Reviews

Product Review: Reusable Sanitary Products

Periods: not the most pleasant thing to write about, but a monthly occurrence which, for the majority of UK women, results in repeated purchases of sanitary towels and/or tampons. This included me until this week.

Menstrual products are something most of us use for decades of our lives, yet we rarely stop to think about their environmental impact. In the UK alone, billions of disposable tampons, pads, and applicators are thrown away every year — many containing plastic that can take hundreds of years to break down. Switching to reusable sanitary products is one of the most impactful zero waste swaps you can make.

Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

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May 19, 2019

Photo by Ben Kerckx (Pixabay) https://pixabay.com/photos/green-waste-compost-compost-bin-513609/

Ethical Living

A Quick Guide To Composting At Home

Guest Post by Kevin Hilton

Around the house, there’s a lot of potential to waste food and food scraps. However, did you know you can help the environment, sustain your garden, reduce food waste and save money ga r dening all at once through composting?

What is composting? It is a natural process that turns organic matter to compost or “humus”. It is all about microbial activity. When your food and garden waste are put together, the bacteria present in the soil will break down the matter, turning it into compost. This can then be used as a fertiliser giving rich nutrients to your plants and condition the soil for planting.

Poor soil can hinder or prevent plant growth so it’s always best to have an idea of the kind of soil you have in your garden. If you’re not sure, you might want to give soil testing a try, either using a kit or a DIY method. These tests can also reveal what kind of pH your soil is, which also has a big effect on whether your plants will grow or not.

Compost can be used to improve your soil quality, and if you do it at home you’ll get compost for free instead of having to buy it from a shop.

Composting is satisfying because, not only will it help you in terms of cultivation, it will also help you in reducing food waste that ends up in landfill. You’ll be doing your bit to fight the pollution problem.

Composting at home may sound daunting, and many assume it to be dirty or smelly, but this doesn’t have to be the case if you manage your compost pile properly.

Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

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May 8, 2019

Climate Change

Extinction Rebellion

As people of all ages, backgrounds and origins have joined together as the Extinction Rebellion in London as a “wake-up call” to the UK and Parliament, it is clear that climate breakdown and ecological collapse threaten our existence. Therefore, this is a good time to reflect on what we are doing. In addition, we should consider how our actions are disabling the climate for future generations.

Extinction Rebellion, often shortened to XR, is a global environmental movement that uses non‑violent protest to highlight the urgency of the climate and ecological crisis. The group focuses on raising public awareness, encouraging governments to act based on scientific evidence, and pushing climate issues higher up the public agenda. While its methods are sometimes controversial, Extinction Rebellion has played a significant role in bringing climate conversations into mainstream media and everyday discussion.

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

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April 30, 2019

Planet Pavilion ©Jodrell Bank

Ethical Living

Science, Heritage & Culture: Jodrell Bank, Cheshire

For as long as I can remember, Jodrell Bank played a large part in my life. It was where my parents would take my brother and I at the weekend, where we went on school trips, and, in the past decade, proved to be a great place to simply go and think. There is something awe-inspiring about such an enormous telescope situated in the middle of the Cheshire countryside, something that puts life on our planet back into perspective. There really is much more out there.

The world famous Lovell Telescope at Jodrell Bank Observatory in Cheshire, part of the University of Manchester, has been a much-loved visitor attraction for many years, as well as an internationally significant space research centre.

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April 19, 2019

Brand Reviews

Product Review: Coconut Oil Unscented Solid Dog Shampoo – The Dog and I

It is no secret that I love my dog more than life itself – she is my best friend, my soul mate! Since she gets so dirty, I’ve found that using a coconut oil solid dog shampoo really helps keep her fur clean. For anyone searching for a new grooming product, coconut oil shampoo is a great option to consider. But lets face it – Poppy DOES love to roll around in the mud (and will take any opportunity to apply her favourite perfume: ‘Eau de Fox Poo’).

So, when making a purchase of shampoo bars for myself from Peace With the Wild, I took a moment to browse through the Pets section of the website. I quickly noticed they had coconut oil solid dog shampoo available for pet owners.

Choosing the unscented soap (I am not really someone who likes their dog to smell like a perfumery!), I was pleased to find that the shampoo was easy to use, and even removed ‘Eau de Fox Poo’ successfully!

Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

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April 2, 2019

Ethical Living / Zero Waste Swaps

Loose Tea vs Teabags

If you’re trying to reduce waste at home, your daily cup of tea is a surprisingly powerful place to start. In this post, we look at loose leaf tea vs teabags — from flavour and freshness to hidden plastics, cost, and environmental impact. This will help you decide which is the better zero-waste choice.

I never gave tea-types much thought, until I lived in Hamburg, Germany (2000-2007). Tea was something that automatically came in teabags – I popped it in a teapot or cup, added hot water and let it brew. For me, varieties of tea (up to the year 2000) consisted of Tetleys, PG Tips and herbal (mostly chamomile). These ALWAYS came in a bag!

When I moved to Germany, a whole new world opened: Tea shops are common in towns and cities. In fact, Hamburg, being the largest port in Germany, had more than its fair share. A quick search on google showed me well over 100! There were more tea varieties than I had ever seen before in my life! And very few in bags! Rows and rows of large jars adorn these shops. You can ask about the origin or flavours of any of them – and/or have a sniff! Every time I return, I come back with kilos of it! From whole leaf Lemon Verbena, to mixes of loose teas with roses…. It is part of my life and routine now. Although I admit, I am more of a coffee drinker!

Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

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March 7, 2019

Brand Reviews / Ethical Living

Bamboo Toothbrushes

Over the past 6–9 months, I’ve tried a variety of bamboo toothbrushes. Overall, I’ve found that they wear well, do the job just as effectively as conventional plastic toothbrushes, feel nice to hold, and — most importantly for me — can usually be disposed of with a much clearer conscience. Switching to a bamboo toothbrush is often one of the first swaps people make when trying to reduce plastic waste, and for good reason. However, as I’ve learned, not all bamboo toothbrushes are created equal, and some marketing claims deserve a closer look. Estimated reading time: 5 minutes ✅ Why Bamboo Toothbrushes Are a Popular Zero‑Waste Swap Traditional plastic toothbrushes are almost impossible to recycle and are typically destined for landfill or the ocean. Bamboo toothbrushes, on the other hand, are often promoted as a more sustainable alternative because: Bamboo is a fast‑growing, renewable resource Handles are usually biodegradable or compostable Many brands use plastic‑free or recyclable packaging From a zero‑waste perspective, they’re a clear improvement — but that doesn’t mean they’re perfect. My Experience with Bamboo Toothbrushes Charcoal bristles are often advertised as antibacterial and better at removing plaque. Personally, I did notice that my teeth felt cleaner when using charcoal bristles. However, I later discovered that “BPA‑free charcoal bristles” may still contain synthetic materials, meaning the toothbrush is not fully compostable. ♻️ Are Bamboo Toothbrushes Actually Compostable? All of the bamboo toothbrushes I’ve tried have performed well and felt comparable to standard plastic toothbrushes. I didn’t feel like…

3 Comments

March 5, 2019

Photo by Mahyar Motebassem on Unsplash

Ethical Living

Buy Local: Focus on Yarn

If, like me, often purchase beautiful yarns for knitting, crochet or even weaving, one small change you can make to reduce your carbon footprint is to #BuyLocal. We are not short of amazing yarn mills, spinners and/or even hand dyers in the UK – look out for them in your local shops or support them via their websites!

As you are looking through the below, PLEASE let me know if I have missed any and I will add them!

Estimated reading time: 14 minutes

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February 19, 2019

Guest Post by Kevin Hilton

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