Product Review: Dingbats* Ātopen Dual Tip Pens

Finding truly sustainable art supplies that actually last is harder than it should be. For example, sustainable dual tip pens can be difficult to find if you care about quality and eco credentials. Many ‘eco’ pens dry out quickly, bleed through paper, or sacrifice performance for marketing claims — which creates more waste, not less.

What makes Dingbats* Ātopen dual‑tip pens different?

Dingbats* Ātopen Dual Tip Fineliner/Brush Pens are fabulous to use – and are still perfect after several years of use! As you can see from the image I took (yes, my writing IS that bad, LOL), the Dingbats* Ātopen dual tipped pens offer a wide range of possibilities for art drawings, journaling, doodling, calligraphy and much, much more.

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April 26, 2026

Fraserburgh Beach, on a bright day, with a blue sky and few clouds

Ethical Living

🌊 The Two‑Minute Magic: How a Fraserburgh Promenade Walk Sparked a Tiny Act of Coastal Kindness

Yesterday evening, with the North Sea breeze doing its usual wild dance and the dogs trotting happily ahead, I wandered along the Fraserburgh promenade for a much‑needed stretch of the legs. During my walk, I decided to take part in a 2 Minute Beach Clean and see what a difference a small effort could make. It was one of those simple, grounding walks — the kind where the waves hush your thoughts and the sky feels bigger than your to‑do list.

Then something unexpected caught my eye.

A small placard. A bold QR code. A message that felt like it was meant just for me:

“Take 2 minutes. Make a difference.”

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

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April 24, 2026

Ethical Living

Bluebell and Albie, the Eco-cats!

Firstly, let me introduce you to Albie, our one-year-old cat. He also answers to many other names: Albus, Albus Dumble-cat, Alfred, Albert, Alberto, Alb and Albachino. In upcoming posts, you’ll find out why we consider him one of our official eco-cats.

This is him — and yes, I’m biased, but isn’t he the cutest?

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

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May 18, 2025

Brand Reviews

Product Review: Solid Conditional Bars – Bain & Savon

If you’re already using a solid shampoo bar, pairing it with a matching conditioner can make the transition to low‑waste hair care easier. I’ve also reviewed the Bain & Savon solid shampoo bars, which are designed to work alongside these conditioner bars as part of a plastic‑free hair care routine.

This is an interesting story, and should be read alongside my first review (Product Review: Coconutty Soapnut Shampoo Bar). That review also details struggling with adapting to bar shampoos. In addition, it contains some tips and suggestions to aid your own transition.

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

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November 19, 2023

Brand Reviews

Product Review: Solid Shampoo Bars – Bain & Savon

Following on from my previous review of the Coconutty Soapnut Shampoo Bar, I wanted to explore a different range of solid shampoo options. This time, I tested several shampoo bars from Bain & Savon, purchased via Peace With The Wild.

My aim was simple: to see how these solid shampoo bars performed across different hair needs and whether they offered a practical, low‑waste alternative to bottled shampoo. I focused on everyday usability, scalp comfort, and how my hair felt after continued use.

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

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October 19, 2023

Brand Reviews

Product Review: Coconutty Soapnut Shampoo Bar

After decades of my sensitive skin reacting badly to any soap products, and having dry hair requiring twice as much conditioner as shampoo, I was particularly nervous about finding a more ecological alternative. Especially as I feared that this would dry my hair further.

The Coconutty Soapnut Shampoo Bar from Living Naturally was the first Bar Shampoo that I have ever tried. This particular soap is advertised as being great for “Nourishing & Moisturising. Suitable for all hair/skin types, especially for dry or lack luster hair/skin or inflamed sore skin” with the added appeal of being:

SLS Free
Palm Oil Free
Organic

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

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September 19, 2023

Ethical Living

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

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/

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March 1, 2023

What makes Dingbats* Ātopen dual‑tip pens different?

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