A single-use plastics problem – since the outbreak of this pandemic, there have been some environmental benefits. I read an article on the BBC website about the canals in Venice starting to clear and fish are visible for the first time in years thanks to the massive drop in water traffic, the drop in air travel and the only people using their cars are essential workers so the traffic will be significantly reduced which means pollution has been reduced too. NASA reported that airborne nitrogen dioxide had sharply declined over China and this was partly due to the slowdown of the economy.
Shopping habits have drastically changed recently and we may have to buy a product because that’s the only one available on the shelves, not really taking into account the extra packaging this products comes in. We need food, we need produce, we will buy what we can get. Households have been encouraged to wash their hands frequently, leading to millions of extra hand wash containers headed for recycling or landfill.
PPE Plastics problem
People have started wearing face masks and rubber gloves when they are out in public, we are all taking precautions to ensure we do whatever we can not to catch this virus and not pass it on to someone else. However, I noticed the other day at the supermarket someone had left a discarded purple latex glove in the trolley. Over the last few days, I’ve noticed discarded gloves by drains, stuck in a bush or left on the pavement.
I appreciate people feel the need to use this protective equipment but there are some people who are taking no care in disposing them properly. These will all end up on landfill, I can’t see where else they will end up but it heartbreaking to see that someone would wear this to protect themselves but just don’t care about how they dispose of them.
Yes, we are in the grips of a pandemic and thousands of people are dying worldwide daily but we need to think about what we are still doing to our planet and how single-use plastics have an impact on our society and the planet.
The single-use plastic problem hasn’t gone away, we still need to fight that fight.
If you’re interested in reading about what I’m doing to be greener, check out my blog and if you’re interested in signing up to my newsletter, click here, I promise not to spam you.
This coronavirus pandemic has resulted in people ditching the cars they used for the commute and school run. This has led to empty roads and less air pollution.
We are all isolating at home and using this time could really benefit the environment allowing you to make eco-friendly choices during this lockdown.
Grow your own vegetables
If you have an outside space, growing your own veg isn’t as difficult as you think. There is a wealth of information about how to grow veg; potatoes, carrots, spring onions, lettuce can all be grown in the UK. This is also a good way to support your local garden centre as some of them are still doing deliveries. There’s nothing more satisfying than eating something you’ve grown yourself. If you don’t have a garden, the kitchen windowsill also works well.
Explore your cupboards
This is a great time to see what you have in the back of your cupboards, what’s the point in buying lots of new products when you’ve got food already at home and also means you don’t have to queue for the supermarket. If you found something you don’t particularly like (and it’s in date) donate it to a food bank so someone else can use it.
Zero waste Shops
These shops are popping up all over the place and you are able to buy food without the packaging. The food is usually stored in large jars and you only pay for what you need, kind of like the old fashioned sweet shops (showing my age, aren’t I?) and you may find a lot of these shops are better stocked than supermarkets so why not take some empty clean Tupperware boxes with you and see what they’ve got. Most of these shops are independent businesses so you’ll be supporting a local business too. Win win!
Cooking
This is a great time to start cooking again. Dust off those cookbooks and give a new recipe a whirl. If you’re anything like me and are rubbish at cooking, you could try an app called Supercook where you add in the ingredients you have and it comes up with a recipe for you. Why not try something new for dinner? Cooking also reduces waste because you’re not throwing away packaging you would get from a microwave meal. Anything you don’t eat, you could put in the fridge and eat the next day.
Ditch the car for a bit
As the only reasons we would use our car is to commute (for key workers) and shopping, if the supermarket is within walking distance, why not try walking to the shop instead of taking the car? This will contribute to your daily exercise too. A bit of fresh air, exercise, pop in your headphones and catch up on The Archers, what’s not to love? Also, if you filled up the car before the lock down, imagine how long it will be until you need to fill up again! You’re saving money too.
Make do and mend
I have to say, I do love this one. Do you have a top or shirt that has lost its button an you never got the chance to repair it, now’s your chance. If you don’t have a sewing machine, get your needle and thread out and make repairs to clothes that are sitting in your wardrobe you can’t wear because a button is missing or a part of a hem has come undone. Have you been meaning to finally put the new kitchen cabinets on or do the weeding in the garden or change one of the spotlights in the kitchen that stopped working a year ago. Have a wander around your home and look at what needs fixing and try to fix it.
It’s Easter Weekend and the weather is glorious. The only problem we have is that the corona virus pandemic is stopping us from going about our normal lives. We are on lock down and we must stay indoors. Of course, when the weather is as lovely has it has been today and yesterday, staying indoors is a shame but we are in exceptional circumstances and must collectively do what we all can to ensure this virus doesn’t spread any further.
For those who have gardens, this is the next best thing. Having an outside space is a wonderful thing to have. And if you do have one, this is your chance to make the most of it and do something different with the people who live in your household. Enter…the paddling pool.
I’ve never had a paddling pool before as wasting the water was always an issue for me. However, it’s quite a challenge trying to explain that to a 4-year-old. She just wants to have fun, especially as her school has been shut for 3 weeks now and you can’t deny that a paddling pool is an amazing source of fun.
I knew the weather was going to be nice for two days so we set it up on Friday, covering it Friday night to enjoy it on Saturday as well. I have to say, it was a great success. My little one absolutely loved playing the water and I have to admit, I enjoyed it too. Hopefully all the excitement tires her out for bedtime tonight!
Now the question, what do we do with the water?
I decided to save as much water as I could find containers for and use the water to water the plants over the next few days/fortnight. I would’ve used the water directly from the tap to water my plants anyway, why not try to save what I could from the pool? The water has just taken a slightly little detour.
So, I tried to find as many buckets and tubs from the shed filling them with water until I ran out and had to let the rest of the water go to waste. I can only imagine what the neighbours thought I was doing but I didn’t care. I managed to find enough containers for half of the water from the pool. Maybe I should invest in a water butt?
This lot will keep me going for a bit.
This is a good opportunity to update on my potatoes and strawberry plants. I was a little concerned about the strawberries a few weeks ago as we had some frost but I got a fleece blanket and ‘put them to bed’. I never thought I would be doing that for strawberries but there you go. There’s a flower on a strawberry plant so I’m guessing that’s a good thing. Also the potatoes have just started to sprout. I’m making a extra effort in watering them a lot more than I did last year.
As the weather is starting to change, this is the perfect opportunity to start planting in the garden.
I planted potatoes last year and they went okay. A mistake I made was that I didn’t water them enough and it was very hot last summer.
This year, I decided to get my daughter involved and although I don’t have a particularly big garden, we can still grow things so that’s what we’re doing. I remember when my ex-husband’s nephew was about five or so, he was asked where eggs came from and his reply was ‘Tesco’. The rest of the family thought this was hilarious and never bothered to correct him, he genuinely thought eggs came from Tesco. My daughter is five and I want her to know where our food really comes from. Also with the current Corona virus crisis, it’s something to do in the garden rather than being stuck indoors all day. Luckily, I had already bought supplies before the lock down so we were all set.
We started with the Strawberries and I have to be honest, I didn’t realise there were so many different varieties of Strawberry! Who knew! I stood there trying to figure out what I should be buying so I decided to buy three different varieties.
Planting them was pretty straightforward to do, especially for someone who isn’t particularly green fingered. And volia! We have planted strawberries.
Although, the tags state they can be planted in March, we’ve had a few nights of frost so I bought a fleece and covered the strawberries on the nights that were particularly cold. I felt as if I were tucking the plants to bed that night. LOL
My next project was to plant the potatoes. But I was doing it a bit differently to last year.
I had a plastic storage container where the lid was broken and wasn’t suitable for stacking but instead of taking it to the tip, I decided that I could use it for my potatoes!
Of course drainage is needed so I got my drill out and drilled some holes at the bottom. I collected the leftover plastic bits from the drilling and put them in a little pot which will be deposited in my ecobrick, don’t want that getting into nooks and crannies out in the open. Wildlife may think it’s food!
Then I set about filling the tub. I’m really glad that rather than sending something to landfill, I was able to utilise it in a different way. It may be not be how the professionals do it and my neighbours probably think it’s a little odd too but I don’t care. I like it.
I remember from last year how satisfying it was to be able to go into the garden whenever I needed potatoes and hope it’s better this year than last year.
The mistake I won’t make this time is to neglect watering these. I will check them everyday and report back.
If you’re interested in reading about what I’m doing to be greener, check out my blog and if you’re interested in signing up to my newsletter, click here, I promise not to spam you.
It’s not that often I write book reviews but as the subject is relevant today, I would like to make an exception. Plus, I really enjoyed it!!
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For those who don’t know (where have you been?!), Greta Thunberg is a Swedish teenager who has shot to fame for her climate activism. It started by sitting outside the Swedish Parliament with a simple sign “School Strike for Climate”. Her persistence gained worldwide recognition at attracted attention from the media. This has inspired other students around the world to join her #FridaysforFuture demonstrations.
What struck me from the outset is the anger or maybe the intense passion she possess in her fight to protect the environment. This book is essentially a collection of her speeches and when you read them it is clear that she’s not trying to be a scientist, she wants the world leaders to listen to science rather than thinking about how much revenue will be lost if a government’s policy changes.
As she is not old enough to vote, this is the only way she can get her voice heard and her actions are being replicated around the world. I admire anyone, young or old, for standing up for what they believe in. They’re not hurting anyone, but our actions are hurting their future. The amount of criticism and abuse she has received is awful and no one, not even a teenager, should have to put up with that.
Overall, I felt her words were very powerful and I really enjoyed this book.
If you’re interested in reading about what I’m doing to be greener, check out my blog and if you’re interested in signing up to my newsletter, click here, I promise not to spam you.
Let’s talk carbon calculators. I recently started a course with The Open University to study for a degree in Environmental Science. I’ve always wanted to study for a degree but I had no idea in which subject. I had my eye on this degree for about six months. Eventually I got bored of talking about it and signed up. Six years of studying! Eeek!
One of my activities was to work out my carbon footprint. This was something I was really looking forward to doing and I was curious how high (or low) my carbon footprint was compared to the national average.
The calculator was quite easy to navigate, it asks about the number of people in your household, information about your home; insulation, doors, windows, heating, they energy rating for your appliances, your travel habits, food and income.
There were a few areas I had to make an assumption, for example, how long I spend in the shower? I don’t know about you but I’ve never timed myself in the shower. So, I decided to put 7 times a week for 7 minutes. Another assumption I had to make was my salary, if you’re self-employed, you will know that your income fluctuates all the time, so I worked out the monthly average and went with that.
According to the calculator, the UK average carbon footprint is 14.60 CO2 emissions per year. It turns out that mine is well below the national average of 8.80 CO2 emissions per year. I had a feeling it would be low but I didn’t realise how low it was until you visualise it.
If you look at the bar chart on the right-hand side of the image, you will see that my travel is non-existent, I do travel and I do have a car but I don’t use it that much, only at the weekends and even then it’s few and far between. I live close to Ashford town centre so most things are within walking distance for me. I haven’t been on a plane in two years and I haven’t got any plans to go on a plane anytime soon. The only time I use public transport is when I use the train, which isn’t that often anyway, mainly for networking opportunities.
The OU calculator also allows students to enter in their own personal reduction target, I set mine at 20%, to find areas where they can reduce their carbon footprint further by amending your answers; making sure your loft insulation is efficient, not using the dryer as much, showers instead of baths (or quicker showers), changing your travel habits, buying some clothes or furniture second-hand instead of brand new and looking at changing your diet by eating less meat.
By looking at these, it allows you to identify areas you think you can make the changes in order to hit your personal reduction target.
Areas where I have / will be looking at are as follows:
Room Heating – Loft insulation
In order to work out whether my loft insulation was efficient, I got the ladder out, went into the loft and quickly realised my loft insulation is woefully inadequate. I’ve been in the loft many times but the insulation was something I had never noticed. I wondered if that would explain why the upstairs rooms in my home are always noticeably colder during the winter periods, despite living in a terraced house.
According to the National Insulation Association, the recommended depth for loft insulation is 270 millimetres for glass wool, 250 millimetres for rock wool or 220 millimetres for cellulose (https://www.nia-uk.org/understanding-insulation/loft-insulation/). I’m working out the figures and looking to get this fixed soon.
Appliances
Next, I looked at the appliances I have in the kitchen. It appears that most of them have an A++ or A+++. The only one that I couldn’t find the energy rating was my tumble dryer, it’s an old tumble dryer so I don’t think it’s a good energy rating. When the weather is good, I would always hang my clothes out in the garden, what’s the point in using the dryer when the sun and wind dry your clothes for free.
However, during colder weather is a different story and always used my dryer when I am not able to hand the clothes outside. Since doing the calculator, I’ve stopped using the dryer and hang my clothes in the house to dry. At the weekends, my house looks like a laundrette but it doesn’t bother us that much.
Goods
This is where I looked at my buying habits and how often I replaced things. I’ve never been one for having the most up-to-date phone or the latest fashion. I tend to wear my clothes until they fall apart. But one thing I could change is making an effort to buy certain items second-hand. I had been looking for a chest of drawers for a while and thought I would wait until Black Friday for any deals. It turned out that my Mum had one she never used so I now have hers.
Food
I’ve eaten meat all my life and have never been a big fan of vegetables. But I have looked at what I eat. Eating meat/not eating meat can be a contentious issue for many people and we don’t like to be dictated to regarding what we should/shouldn’t eat. I believe, as an adult, it’s up to you to eat what you want and respect other people’s choices. I have friends who are vegans and friends who probably won’t ever give up eating meat. That’s their choices, and I respect them. What I am trying to do is to slowly change a 40-year habit.
I don’t know if I will ever be able to cut meat from my diet completely but I am making an effort to eat less meat. In the last month I haven’t eaten beef, which probably doesn’t sound like a major achievement but for me it is, I don’t miss it and by looking at what I eat, it’s allowing me to have a more varied diet and try different foods I have never eaten before. A month ago, was the first time I had ever bought a parsnips.
Since doing this calculator, my carbon footprint is constantly in the front of my mind and I do look at what I do and the impact it has on my environment. I look at the packaging we get when we purchase food in a supermarket and I do wonder why a melon needs to be shrink-wrapped. I make more of an effort to buy loose fruit and veg and have started to ‘make do and mend’.
If you’re interested in reading about what I’m doing to be greener, check out my blog and if you’re interested in signing up to my newsletter, click here, I promise not to spam you.
On a very bitter, cold Saturday morning, I joined my first ever litter pick in Ashford. The area targeted for litter picking was a park in Ashford called Victoria Park.
The litter pick was organised by a local group who have a Facebook page called Keep Ashford Clean. I’ve seen their litter picking events on my feed for a while and this time I decided to stop thinking about it and just do it. It’s only two hours of volunteering.
We all met by the fountain at Victoria Park at 1pm and there were in total about 10 volunteers.
We were all provided with the equipment; a high-visibility vest, a litter picker, gloves, a bag for rubbish and a bag for recycling. We were split into teams of two and sent off on our way to cover areas of the park. Although, we were in pairs, it wasn’t really easy to have a chat with your buddy because there was so much ground to cover.
Here’s how I got on with my litter pick
Once I got underway, I put my headphones in and started listening to a playlist I had downloaded; *Nysnc, East 17, Jon Bon Jovi, Backstreet Boys and Timbaland, I was in my element. No judgement, please 😉
I was under the impression that I would mainly find drink cans and bottles, but this wasn’t the case. I found so many crisp packets and sweet wrappers, the items that can’t go in the recycling bag for Ashford Borough Council, and these wrappers get everywhere! You really have to look in hedges, fencing, play areas. It was a little sad to see.
About 45 minutes into my litter pick, my fingers started going numb. We had been provided gloves but despite wearing my own gloves underneath, the tips of my fingers were struggling. Despite this, I carried on.
Me with my numb fingers trying to take a selfie!
With the rise of knife crime in this country, I did wonder whether anyone had ever found any knives, I asked my ‘buddy’ and she said there had been cases of knives being found. And not just knives, needles too. She said needles were mostly found in the play area! Imagine taking your child to the park to play on the swings and slides and finding a needle!
About an hour and a half in, I started noticing other volunteers moving towards the water fountain so I started litter picking in that direction and arrived back to the fountain about an hour and 45 minutes after we started.
I was astonished by the amount of bags we filled!
The blue bags were rubbish and the clear bags were for recycling. The volunteers even found a TV, bicycle tire and what looks like part of a child’s scooter. In just two hours, this is what we collected!
It doesn’t make sense
I never understand why people litter? When I was growing up I was always taught to put your rubbish in the bin and if you couldn’t find a bin, put it in your pocket and wait until you get home and throw you rubbish away. When I’m on the school run, I do see kids drop things on the floor and it really annoys me, but it’s not always kids, it’s adults too. Just because they have no pride in where they live, they have no respect for others.
People dropping litter isn’t the only way litter in found on the roads. Council’s clearly aren’t emptying the bins quickly enough so when they are overflowing, and bit of wind and the rubbish goes everywhere. Council’s need to take more responsibility too. There also needs to be an element of common sense, although that seems to be lacking nowadays, if the bin is overflowing, don’t keep trying to add to it!
I hate littering, always have done always will do and I will ensure my little one knows not to litter.
Despite the cold, I enjoyed myself. I felt a sense of achievement just for two hours volunteering and hopefully the people who use Victoria Park regularly appreciate it the work that was put in to make their park nicer.
I look forward to the next week and hopefully it won’t be as cold next time!
If you’re interested in reading about what I’m doing to be greener, check out my blog and if you’re interested in signing up to my newsletter, click here, I promise not to spam you.
The reason I decided to start a blog is because I’ve been making small changes to my lifestyle in order to go greener. I don’t have the money to get solar panels on my house, buy an electric car or stick a wind turbine in my garden, although I think my neighbours would have something to say about that! But there are small things we can do to make a different.
I’m not good at gardening but I will attempt to grow my own potatoes, I’m not good at sewing but I will ‘make do and mend’ where I can and I will take part in local litter picking too.
If I can do this, there’s no reason why you can’t!
UK Eco blogger who cares about sustainable living, loves writing about environmental awareness days, Sustainable living ideas, and self-care the eco way – without judgement
