Shopping Plastic Free

Shopping plastic free is one of the most practical and powerful ways to reduce your environmental impact. From excessive food packaging to single‑use items designed to be thrown away, plastic has become deeply embedded in everyday shopping — often without us realising. The good news? With a few mindful swaps and better choices, shopping without plastic is far more achievable than it first appears.

Whether you’re just starting your zero waste journey or looking to reduce plastic even further, learning how to shop plastic free can help cut waste, save money, and support more sustainable brands. This guide breaks down simple, realistic tips for plastic‑free shopping, including easy alternatives, what to look out for in shops, and how to avoid common low‑waste pitfalls — without striving for perfection.

Small changes add up, and every plastic‑free choice you make genuinely matters.

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

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May 19, 2023

Brand Reviews

For those who sew: Gütermann Recycled Sewing Thread

Gutermann Recycled Sew-All Thread Set 20pk – Basics

As an avid sewer – and I know that I am not alone here – I take pride in repairing and upcycling items in order to lower my carbon footprint. I also know Gütermann to be one of the best brands of sewing thread in the world! I have recently discovered Gütermann Sew-all Thread rPET. Not only can they be implemented for a variety of fabrics and stitches, but they are made from 100 % recycled polyester!

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

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April 19, 2023

Brand Reviews

Product Review: Lavandi Shampoo & Conditioning bars

Lavandi were kind enough to provide me with some of their Shampoo & Conditioning Bars for testing. I distributed these between myself ( Elderflower) and a friend (Joe) tried the Dandelion.

What I liked most is the fact that Lavandi are based in Northwich, Cheshire, where I live! Lavandi have seen the need for change and have created a range of recipes that are all-natural.

Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

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April 19, 2023

Brand Reviews

Product Review: Organic Lip Balm – Living Naturally

A lovely organic lip balm cardamom lavender, available from Living Naturally. I really like this – and the packaging! The lip balm is smooth, light and (most importantly) soothed and repaired my dry, cracked lips this winter!

Estimated reading time: 1 minute

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April 19, 2023

Sustainability Guides

TerraCycle® – The First European Pet Food Recycling Programme

If you share your life with a dog or cat, you’ll know the feeling: you’re doing your best to live more sustainably, carefully sorting your recycling… and then you pick up an empty pet food bag and realise you have no idea what to do with it. The TerraCycle pet food recycling programme makes it easier to dispose of these tricky empty bags in an environmentally friendly way.

Pet food packaging is notoriously difficult to recycle. Those shiny pouches, multi-layer bags, and treat wrappers are designed to keep food fresh, not to make life easy once they’re empty. For years, this type of packaging has almost always ended up in landfill or incineration.

So when I found out that TerraCycle® had launched the first European pet food recycling programme, I was genuinely excited — and cautiously curious. Could this be a real solution for pet owners trying to reduce their waste?

Let’s take a closer look.

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April 2, 2023

Ethical Living

The Milk Dilemma

After an extensive amount of research, and much frustration I have come to the conclusion that I (personally) have very little choice but to continue to buy the 4 pints / 2.272 litre plastic bottles of milk from the supermarket. This is all part of the milk dilemma many of us face when shopping for milk. In short, the milk dilemma truly affects a lot of people, not just me.

Choosing milk isn’t as straightforward as it seems. In fact, the milk dilemma complicates matters for those trying to choose the most sustainable option. This article explores the environmental impact of dairy milk versus plant‑based alternatives, helping readers understand the sustainability, ethical considerations, and climate implications behind one of our everyday food choices.

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

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March 26, 2023

Sustainability Guides

Blog mini-series: Eco pets!

Anyone who knows us, will know that our animals are very much the centre of our lives. We have also started to look into having more eco-friendly pet products. In fact, we have become passionate about choosing eco-friendly pets products whenever possible. And if you don’t know that already, I’m sure you’ll get the message throughout the next few posts. We love to write and share our experiences of the eco products that we use, so we think its only right to share the things that we use to make our pet ownership eco too! Choosing eco-friendly pets options is now part of our daily routine. From the food that we use, to the places we shop at, we try to be as environmentally conscious as possible. Although our cats and dogs are blissfully unaware of the climate crisis, I’m sure their future ancestors will thank us! By making decisions with eco-friendly pets in mind, we do our part for the planet. Throughout the coming posts, you’ll get to know our animals, and the products that we’ve loved using to help reduce our carbon paw-print! Moreover, eco-friendly pets topics will be discussed in future articles. Feel free to follow our dogs on Instagram (or Purl / Bobbin on Facebook) if you want to keep up with their antics! The cats (Albie & Bluebell) sometimes make a guest appearance too! https://zerowastellama.com/terracycle-the-first-european-pet-food-recycling-programme/ https://zerowastellama.com/my-carbon-footprint/

2 Comments

March 1, 2023

Ethical Living

Keep Cups: A Simple Zero‑Waste Swap That Actually Makes a Difference

Globally, KeepCup users help prevent over 5 million disposable coffee cups from being used every single day 1. Considering that around one million disposable cups are thrown away every minute worldwide, switching to a reusable cup is one of the easiest and most impactful low‑waste habits you can adopt 1.

I’ve been using Keep Cups for years — not just when I’m out and about, but at home too (clumsy people unite). They’re practical, well‑designed, and genuinely enjoyable to use, which makes them far more likely to stick as a long‑term habit rather than becoming another forgotten cupboard item.

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

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February 19, 2023

Brand Reviews

Product Review: Soapnuts Laundry Detergent

This is something I put off trying for years, but as soon as I started my quest to reduce my waste, I bought some. I have been using soapnuts ever since! An eco-friendly alternative to laundry detergent and synthetic soaps, they are natural and non-polluting. But for me, with sensitive skin, which goes blotchy with many conventional laundry detergents (and softeners!), I was particularly nervous about changing from the one I have used for well over 30 years…

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

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November 19, 2022

Sustainability Guides

Creative Recycling: Art Workshop Day

Drop into the Visual Arts Cheshire Gallery in Barons Quay (opposite WildWood) next Saturday to see the new 20×20 exhibition and try a free ‘Creative Recycling’ art workshop.

Inspired by my own journey to Zero Waste, I will be showing you how to make some art by upcycling scrap materials we all have at home! These can then be entered into the art exhibition or taken home! All ages welcome! (I will also have some Zero Waste Llama items for sale, for those looking to fill their stockings early!).