Adopting a more eco conscious lifestyle can be a daunting proposition, so the best thing to do is to start small.
Most people decide that they’re going to start by removing the single use plastic from their lives and this is generally a good place to start, but remember that you don’t need to start by immediately binning ALL your plastic – the most sustainable way of living is by using what you already have. Then, when things reach the end of their natural life or are broken beyond repair, replace them with eco-friendly alternatives.
Here are a few easy alternatives to ease yourself into your eco life:
When your plastic dish brush has outlived its usefulness, replace it with a bamboo dish brush, with natural fibre bristles and ideally that takes replaceable heads, rather than having to replace the complete brush.
Plastic scourers are also easily replaced with coconut scourers. Unlike their plastic counterparts, coconut scourers last a really long time – mine is still going strong after two years – they are also naturally anti-bacterial and are gentle enough to use on non-stick pans. And when they need replacing, they can just be composted.
When it comes to wrapping parcels or presents, stop using plastic tape as your go to, instead swap to paper tape. I don’t mean the decorative washi tape kind (that unpeels itself as soon as your back is turned), I mean the strong brown paper tape sort, which you can now get with lots of cute, printed designs and are totally biodegradable.
Find an alternative to clingfilm for your leftovers and to wrap your sandwiches in. There are plenty of options for you to try – beeswax or vegan wax wraps, silicone bowl covers, stretch fabric covers. For me, the beeswax wraps offer the flexibility of clingfilm, and with a range of fabric designs available, they also look great.
Stop taking plastic bottles into the shower and switch to shampoo bars instead. This is a slightly more controversial swap, as many people find that their hair goes through a “transition” phase – where your hair remains greasy, tangled and has a waxy residue after washing. For some shampoo bars it's suggested that you use an apple cider vinegar rinse, to remove this, making this a far from simple swap. Typically the transition phase is only a problem if you use a soap-based shampoo bar. Instead, choose a shampoo bar that is surfactant-based, and you’ll find that it is just as simple as switching bottled shampoos. Helpfully, we stock the award winning Soul and Soap shampoo bars, which will leave your hair clean, soft and shiny.
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