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...