Another zero waste product!

I have found a zero waste deodorant....I haven't tried it yet, I hope it's good!!! I suppose the people around me hope so too..

This is lovely, although I have yet to try it on a hot day (I'd love to, truly I would! it's just that we don't get too many scorchers in Bristol!) HOWEVER it is mighty expensive at £10 for one. So I am still on the hunt!

 I have found an interesting recipe that I want to try sometime soon...

https://www.goingzerowaste.com/blog/2016/1/14/zero-waste-deodorant-update?rq=deodorant

I'll up date when I have!

Wow Mumbai!

Superb work beach cleaning teams!

My questions are, where did it all go? 2.8 Lakh kg (280,000kg!) of rubbish was removed and put where?

My next question is where did it come from?

Are the Indian people addressing how to stop it all accumulating again...


http://www.news18.com/news/buzz/mumbaikars-clean-2-8-lakh-kgs-of-trash-in-worlds-biggest-beach-clean-up-drive-1280242.html

more

https://www.facebook.com/UNEP/

really? incredible?

Now this seems almost too good to be true, but could be something to explore....https://www.facebook.com/natgeo/videos/10153594554768951/?fref=nf

This could be fantastic for getting rid of what we have. But, not a 'oh it's ok to use plastic now because we know how to get rid of it. I'm sure the life span of a meal worm that eats plastic can't be long....

We so need one of these!

Look at this:

http://foodtank.com/news/2016/03/scandinavias-first-zero-packaging-supermarket-opens-this-summer

World Earth Day video

This is a great little TED lesson. One to share with the kids too. 

http://ed.ted.com/lessons/what-really-happens-to-the-plastic-you-throw-away-emma-bryce?utm_campaign=social&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_content=lesson&utm_term=global-social%20issues

Another creative idea to deal with plastic!

So creative! The outcomes are in-numerous! Thanks Matty!


https://www.facebook.com/LangkapPerakMalaysia/videos/780677185366135/?fref=nf

Another great find!

My new favourite shop is 'Scoopaway' on the Gloucester Road.

     

See all the jars? They are full of herbs and spices of every kind imaginable. What I didn't know was that you can take your old glass herb bottles and they will weigh them for you. You then fill them up and they calculate the cost! No new packaging! Wonderful. It would be great to see shops like this in every high street.

The challenge continues!

So, I have set myself the challenge to see how little landfill waste I can accumulate in 2 weeks!What you see here was collected Friday - Monday lunchtime...It squashes down small but even when you are trying you just can't help collecting landfill waste, as you can see! 
The real challenge comes when you are shopping, choosing not to buy certain things because of the packaging. There are many people who are trying to do what I am doing, and I am guessing that in time the packaging issue will become more seriously debated.

Plastic to fabric

It was my mum's birthday the other day, so I bought her a bamboo tooth brush some lovely soap and a solid shampoo all wrapped up in a Lush Knot wrap.

https://uk.lush.com/products/knot-wraps

She was very pleased but asked how on earth they make such silky beautiful fabric from 2 plastic bottles. To be fair I hadn't a clue. We had a look on You tube and this is what we found:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyF9MxlcItw

Fascinating. What I found challenging though is that the bottles we use travel all the way back to China and then the products come all the way back to the U.K. The Lush Knot-wraps have 'Made in China' on them. 

In this age of recycling it is a consumers market and the idea of buying something made from bottles, in the West, makes us feel like we are doing good. However, really we should be buying less plastic including items made from plastic. I'm guessing the lovely fabrics made from plastic bottles also become pollutants in the end...

Wow, Surprised myself!

We have a landfill collection every 2 weeks. Our usual waste is a bag and a half every 2 weeks. So, we put in 1 bag one time and 2 the next, that's our usual. I'm not sure if it's clear but the bag in the picture isn't full, we usually over stuff them!!! This bag is for the last 2 weeks. Much less than our usual :) Clearly, far too much and for those on zero waste this is about 20 years landfill rubbish, but a small improvement none-the-less! As I said before, looking at those on zero rubbish can be a bit intimidating. I'm doing this, slowly, working out how as I go along. I began this year wanting to reduce the amount of plastic that we as a family throw away. As the journey has gone on it's turning into something much more challenging, reducing land fill waste...Next week I will photograph our plastic waste to see how we are getting on with that.

The idea of zero waste.

So, now I'm getting the hang of reducing my plastic waste, my internet journeys have introduced me to people who produce zero waste. To be really honest, at first they irritated me, the idea was just too much. But that's the point we have always had a bin in the kitchen and always thrown away loads of things every day. However as time goes on, I'm gradually reducing more and more and finding new ways to use less disposable plastic. Here are a few links to share their ideas:

Lauren Singer:
https://www.facebook.com/Upworthy/videos/1161010843939772/?theater


Bea Johnson
http://www.zerowastehome.com/p/about.html

Morgane Croissant

http://matadornetwork.com/life/steps-towards-going-zero-waste/

Good luck!

An amazing man!

Check this out he has an amazing idea! I want some, in the summer we have loads of BBQ's we use regular cutlery and after the last person has gone I have to wash it all up. I dodn;t buy plastic cutlery because of the waste. I would buy these for the convenience though! 
https://www.facebook.com/NowThisNews/videos/1023251154431675/?fref=nf

Bye bye plastic bags in Bali

Well done! to Melati and Isabel, they now have governmental backing and from 2018 you won't be able to get a plastic bag in Bali. How on Earth they are going to remove the plastic that is on the island now is another question I guess...

Take a look to see what they are up to:

http://www.theage.com.au/world/bali-tourists-bagged-to-support-girls-monumental-plastic-rubbish-goal-20160310-gng8xs.html

Toothbrushes are plastic, but we can't go without those can we?

So, ever since I was tiny I had a toothbrush, it's a necessity not a luxury. Sadly, today there are still too many children who don't own a toothbrush and who are paying the price with painful tooth extractions. But that's for another day.....

During one of my never ending room clear ups I found myself throwing away our tooth brushes and replacing them with new ones as you do every now and then. As I did so, I thought 'more plastic for the bin that I can't seem to avoid'. But a little investigation proved me wrong again!

there are many different bamboo toothbrushes that you can buy! I opted for these ones as having a coloured bottom meant everyone knows which one is theirs! They are not expensive, in fact a lot cheaper than many of the plastic ones on the market. We do use an electric toothbrush as well, but my family seem to like both systems!
Go on treat yourself, they are great!

March round up.

So it's the third month of 2016 already! At the beginning of this Blog I said that this year, as a New Years resolution I wanted to see if my family could reduce the amount of plastic we use, recycle and throw away. Over the last 9 weeks I have thought about and researched this issue. I found that plastic is everywhere and at times thought there is almost no point but at other times I have been really pleased with the 'new' ideas I have discovered. I say 'new' because in a lot of ways, it is the old ideas, or they way we did things when I was little that I have gone back to! So, what's changed in my house?

1. I no longer buy washing liquid or fabric conditioner in plastic bottles. I get my empties refilled 

in http://www.betterfood.co.uk/ or http://www.scoopawayhealthfoods.co.uk/


2. I now buy soap instead of shower gel and soap shampoo instead of shampoo in a bottle. I'm sure they are not the only shop to sell them but Lush is where I have shopped so far. https://uk.lush.com/

3. I take bags with me wherever I go so no more plastic bags, http://byebyeplasticbags.org/

4. When buying things like Olive Oil and I'm presented with a huge choice I make glass a priority. 

5. I have signed a petition to ask Lidl one of the worlds largest supermarkets to take steps to reduce the amount of plastic it uses, so that others may follow suit...

6. I have applauded the city of Hamburg by making sure the city employees stop using coffee capsules:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-35605927

7. I've shared a number of links that discuss this subject.

8. Most importantly I have raised the profile of the impact we have on the environment with my family. All four of us are becoming critical shoppers and have a greater understanding of the harm we can cause and how we can make small changes to improve the situation.

I wonder what the next few months will bring?

Coffee pods....

Last year on holiday, with family, I was introduced to a coffee machine that used pods. To be honest, while the coffee tasted okay it wasn't hot enough and certainly produced a disappointingly small amount; I'm used to drinking a large mug of piping hot instant coffee! But, what really struck me over the week was how much waste they produce. It was shocking. This year I packed a jar of my usual coffee and stuck with that. Today my daughter came home from school and told me that Hamburg had taken a stand against the coffee pods. I think she remembered me remarking on how dreadfully wasteful they are! (so she does listen, sometimes!!) I searched out the link and here it is:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-35605927

Good for you Hamburg!

Come on Lidl

This came to my attention on Face book from a friend that lives in Switzerland. Thank you Heinz Schmid!

https://action.sumofus.org/a/lidl-cut-the-crap/?sub=homepage

The power of the supermarkets is immense, we need to put pressure on them to make the changes. Any small change they make will have a massive effect on the outcomes.

Have a read a sign the petition!

If I needed more proof...

We went to a bakery and we bought some bread but sadly it came in a plastic bag. I am beginning to think that reducing the amount of bottles we buy may be 'barking up the wrong tree' a bit. Here in Bristol PET bottles are recycled, however it's the 'plastic packaging currently not recyclable' waste that is probably more pressing.

And if we need to know why this is such a problem check this out:

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/oceans-mo
re-plastic-fish-2050-report-061023838.html

A powerful little short

I saw this and just had to share, it's very powerful, and very sad.
http://www.upworthy.com/at-first-you-think-theyre-just-playing-around-then-the-end-happens?c=ufb1

Another problem solved!

This week I wanted to buy some olive oil. Usually I'm baffled by the choice in the supermarket and to be honest, I usually buy what's on special offer at the time. 

However, with the mindset of reducing the plastic bottles that I buy, the problem got a whole lot easier!! Reduce the choice to anything, on offer, in a glass bottle!!

A share from the lovely Gaye in Australia!!!

Thank-you so much for this awesome share Gaye! Watched the talk and I'm not surprised you are proud of Melati and Isabel!

Hi Marcelle, Love your blog! You may be interested in watching this video. These two sisters, Melati and Isabel are my neighbours in Bali. They have now been in TED talks, INK talks and to the COP21 in Paris to spear head this all over the world. They started this when they were 11 and 12 and are now only 13& 15! Very proud of them! Their group is called Bye Bye Plastic! here is a link to one of their talks. Check them out on Facebook.

Gaye (a gorgeous friend of mine in Oz!!xxx)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VIDDEC2P0c

You can help Melati and Isabel by signing their petition. If any of you are lucky enough to be going to Indonesia this year, remember to bring your own bags!

http://www.avaaz.org/en/bye_bye_plastic_bags_on_bali/?rc=fb

Wow these girls are incredible!

Miranda Wang and Jeanny Yao, started their work when they were in 12th grade, Year 13 here in the U.K. They are scientists who are looking into the problem of plastic pollution. Truth is, we need to look at the problem of plastic waste scientifically, buying less shampoo bottles really isn't anywhere near enough. Watch this, it's fascinating, I didn't understand all of it, but the main ideas are amazing. Incredible, for two very young people! Good luck Miranda Wang and Jeanny Yao, we are depending on you and your peers! 

https://www.ted.com/talks/two_young_scientists_break_down_plastics_with_bacteria

Try something new!

So, reviewing my recycling and thinking about reducing the huge amount of plastic I throw away. I looked at my shampoo bottles. A friend told me that she has bought a shampoo bar in Lush. So, I had to try!! 

Lush have many different types, this one had such a beautiful colour, with added seaweed and it is for thin hair like mine, I just HAD to try it. The lady told me it lasts for the equivalent of three 500ml bottles which sounded amazing. The first time I tried it I was shocked the lather was huge! I felt like a kid when you have so much soap on your head you can spike your hair up vertically and have a mohican !! The next time I used less!!!

Thanks for the tip Denise! That's quite a few bottles reduced for me! I'm going to get a shampoo bar for everyone in my house!

If you want to know more about Lush check them out:

https://uk.lush.com/

Green Peace!

Thanks for the link Hana! Green Peace have some top tips to help with reducing plastic.

http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/blog/oceans/new-years-plastic-resolution-5-simple-ways-help-ocean-20160107

And as ever, they need funding to keep up their work...

https://secure.greenpeace.org.uk/page/contribute/microbeads-donate

Win Win!

So, there is a lot of talk about introducing a sugar tax in the U.K and a few of my friends are dramatically reducing the amount of sugar in their diet. Many people buy drinks that are contained in plastic bottles and are full of sugar. I had a very brief look on Pinterest (not as easy as it sounds, for me anyway!!) and found this:

http://www.52kitchenadventures.com/2012/09/17/fifty-awesome-flavored-water-recipes/

Glass AND no sugar! Win win!

Sugar tax info
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-35256647

Where it all started
http://www.jamieoliver.com/sugar-rush/

Human impact has pushed Earth into the Anthropocene, scientists say

So along with other factors, the 300 m metric tonnes of plastic humans generate each year, is contributing to a new geographical epoch.

I found this on the Guardian website.

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/jan/07/human-impact-has-pushed-earth-into-the-anthropocene-scientists-say

It almost makes my small effort to buy less plastic seem a bit pointless, but I think that's the point. These global issues seem so big it feels out of our control. But consumers as a conglomerate group have a lot of power. When more and more people refuse to buy things packaged in plastic manufacturers will adapt.  

Happy New Year 2016!

So, it's New Years Day and many people are talking about New Years Resolutions....about a week ago I saw this TED talk and it got me thinking, I'd like to see how my family could reduce our contribution to all the plastic in the sea:

https://www.ted.com/talks/dianna_cohen_tough_truths_about_plastic_pollution

My family lived in Thailand for 8 years and we spent a lot of time travelling around S.E Asia. On one trip, we drove from Bangkok to Krong Preah Sihanouk in Cambodia. An amazing road trip if you ever get the chance. Sihanouk is on the coast and we took a small boat to an island for a couple of days. It was very basic, wooden huts, no roads or shops and no electricity anywhere on the island! It should have been beautiful, a tropical island almost all to ourselves. However, on the boat to the island we saw lots and lots of plastic in the sea and when we were on the island the beach was full of rubbish most of which was plastic. Shocking. This is not the only example I have experienced, but one that I remembered when listening to Dianna Cohen talking.  

My family throw a lot of plastic away, but we're luckily as we live in Bristol U.K our plastic is taken away and recycled. Where this is done and what it is all recycled into I have no idea. That's something I'm going to try to find out!

I took a photo of what is in my bin today, and to be fair it's not much. It's the Christmas holidays, my family have been away and our recycling has been removed only a few days ago.

                                       

So Dianna Cohen talked about :
                                                                  

As we all need to start somewhere, I thought about what I know I buy and throw away a lot. There are 4 people in my family a 10 year old, 14 year old, myself and my husband, that makes for a lot of washing on a daily basis! So I buy lots of these:
and these...

So, I have done a little research and I have found two shops in my area that offer a refill service for washing liquid, fabric conditioner and multi purpose cleaning liquid. Result!

http://www.betterfood.co.uk/shoplocal/st-werburghs/

and
http://www.scoopawayhealthfoods.co.uk/

So, hopefully I have thrown away my last plastic bottles of washing liquid, fabric conditioner and multi purpose cleaner!

If you are a fellow Bristolian, you may want to make use of these facilities too. If you don't have shops that offer a refill service you may like to contact Ecover or get a local shop to start the service!

http://uk.ecover.com/en/products/

Over the next year I hope to find other ways to reduce the plastic I throw away....join me if you like and send me any ideas and tips...