Working towards a sustainable lifestyle

Read more about the article Science, Heritage & Culture: Jodrell Bank, Cheshire
Planet Pavilion ©Jodrell Bank
Travel & Tourism

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
Read more about the article Loose Tea vs Teabags
Natural Fragrance / Natural Ingredients / Products

Loose Tea vs Teabags

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) and ALWAYS came in a bag!

Lemon Verbena

When I moved to Germany, a whole new world opened: Tea shops are common in towns and cities, and Hamburg, being the largest port in Germany, had more than its fair share (in fact, a quick search on google showed me well over 100)! With 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, and 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!)

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March 7, 2019
Read more about the article Bamboo Toothbrushes
Biodegradable Packaging / Compostable / Eco-Friendly / Environmentally Friendly / Products / Recycling / Reducing Waste / Sustainable / Toothbrush / Zero Waste

Bamboo Toothbrushes

I have bought a variety of Bamboo Toothbrushes over the past 6-9 months, all of them wear well, do the job, are nice to hold, and I can dispose of them in good conscience. I have to admit, though, my favourite so far has been the Bamboo Toothbrush with Charcoal Bristles by TEVRA - my teeth feel a lot cleaner with the charcoal bristles! Additional Attributes Plastic-freeZero waste - ie packed in all recyclable material!Dentist Approved: Not only is this toothbrush excellent for the environment, but it is also good for you. The toothbrushes all feature high-quality dental grade bristles, just like your plastic toothbrush at home. You will get the same clean, healthy teeth without any of the waste.Medium Bristles: They are stronger but gentle enough to not to cause enamel damage while delivering plenty of polishing power. GUARANTEED – If you do not like this toothbrush, TEVRA will refund the full purchase price - basically, you have no excuse not to try it! They also have their own Vegan Dental Floss and Refill Pack! This will be reviewed later! EDIT: I have recently read that the toothbrushes which I bought most, and favoured, from Tevra are "BPA-free Charcoal" - tested with a flame, and they melt rather than burn, so I suspect that there is some polyester in them. So, It is sadly it is not 100% compostable - despite what is openly advertised . I did, however, find a blog post on this subject which may be…

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March 5, 2019
Read more about the article Buy Local: Focus on Yarn
Photo by Mahyar Motebassem on Unsplash
Biodegradable / BuyLocal / Environmentally Friendly / Products / Sustainable / Sustainable 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
Read more about the article My Pledge to the Planet: 31st December 2018
Reducing Waste / Zero Waste

My Pledge to the Planet: 31st December 2018

Well, I think I achieved about an 80% reduction in waste – I did not reach my goal, but this is just the beginning. Taking a zero waste pledge has been an important step in my journey. In fact, the zero waste pledge continues to inspire me to make better choices.

The festive period, of course, was the source of many additional waste – but even so, I still managed to only have half bag of household (non-recycling) waste , and half-full recycling boxes for the last collection of the year – and of course, much of this was from gifts and packaging which I was not in control of. I am quite proud of myself! I honestly think that if I had set this goal earlier, without the festive period, that I would have achieved the 85%! Making this commitment to a pledge for zero waste has made me more mindful in everyday situations.

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

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December 1, 2018
Read more about the article Product Review: Biodegradable Bamboo Cotton Swabs
Biodegradable Packaging / Compostable / Cotton Buds / Products / Reducing Waste / Zero Waste

Product Review: Biodegradable Bamboo Cotton Swabs

When I started looking into everything I use on a regular basis, I found more and more things which I needed to replace – Cotton buds were one of these items. In order to avoid them ending up in landfill or in our oceans, where it takes 100s of years for them to degrade, I started looking for an alternative

I found some Biodegradable Bamboo Cotton Swabs from HydroPhil at Peace With The Wild. I am happy with the quality, functionality and biodegradability of the product. At the end of the day, I was not expecting a “wow” moment, unlike the shampoo- and conditioner-bars I have tried! It does what it says on the box, and I can use them with a clear conscience.

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November 19, 2018
Read more about the article Buy Local
Products

Buy Local

The Ethical Choice

When you buy out-of-season produce, e.g. raspberries or strawberries in December, your eco-credentials become lower. The same applies to purchasing any food product that has been flown from outside your country or is wrapped in layers of (unnecessary) plastic. By shopping locally (bakers, farm shops, green grocers…) it is less likely that the produce has travelled an unthinkable distance in order to get onto your plate. Not only does this support local farmers, but the produce will be wrapped in less (or even no) packaging and is fresher.

The same applies to non-food goods and services.

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October 5, 2018