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Sustainable Living ideas

The Big Plastic Count

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Last week, I took part in The Big Plastic Count.

The founders of this fabulous initiative is Greenpeace and Everyday Plastic asking households to take part investigating how much plastic is used for a period of one week – 16-22 May 2022.

By collating all this data, they can provide the government evidence that more needs to be done with tackling single-use plastic.

At the time of writing this blog, over 188k people had signed up and it wasn’t just households, schools, community groups and businesses we also included to participate.

The layout of the form is clear and it’s easy to identify where the information needs to be logged.

After a week, I was surprised.

I’ve noticed that the number of fruit and veg trays I buy is a lot more than I usually used to. I have recently kept an eye out and started buying more yellow sticker foods (reduced), especially fruit.

When the weather is really nice, I do prefer to eat more fruit but despite attempting to buy fruit loose, there are some fruits that you can’t buy loose; Strawberries, blackberries, green and red grapes.

I have a bit of a crisps problem! I love crisps but the empty packet…not so much! I have attempted to make my own crisps but I can’t seem to get the knack of it. They come out as if they’ve been sitting around for a week. yuk. I haven’t given up, though. I will keep trying to find something that works for me.

Bread bags is another one. I do have bread bags but I’m glad I buy most of my fruit without packaging so this figure was quite low.

All in all, it is a really good exercise to determine how much plastic we are using in our households and thinking about how it can be reduced.

I know it can be hard seeing the results and thinking that you expected it to be better. Remember, you are doing your best, which is a million times better than not doing anything at all.

I’m just about to submit my results, it would be great to see the results from this.

I realised this was similar to the household waste analysis I created quite a while ago, If you’re looking to start reducing your household waste, check out the free download

These are some ideas that work for me but may not work for everyone. Here are my terms & conditions for further reading

Sustainable Living ideas

Steps to Sustainable Living in Your Home

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I’m in the process of launching something I’m really excited about. A guide called Steps to Sustainable Living in Your Home.

Since I started this blog in January 2020, I’ve learned so much about sustainable living, a lot of which, I have adapted into my own lifestyle.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not perfect, I’m still learning everyday and one person’s vision of sustainable living doesn’t always necessarily compare to someone else’s vision.

I remember at the beginning I was trying to change so many things in one go and found it so overwhelming. I wanted to live plastic-free, look at everything I was buying, only buy locally because the carbon footprint will be lower, companies I buy from and their view on sustainability, clothes that were environmentally friendly and so on.

What I quickly realised is that, by trying to do everything in one go, I wasn’t doing anything well. I was trying to change a habit I’ve had for the last 40 years in a short period of time, and I failed miserably.

I decided to take a step back and pick on one thing.

Looking back on where I am now from where I was, I realised how difficult it was to get information. Of course, the internet is jam packed with a wealth of information, but it’s knowing where to look and whether it’s reliable too.

I wish I had somewhere to start from; a guide, a handbook, a manual, something to steer me in the direction I wanted to go.

This was the reason I wrote Steps to Sustainable Living in Your Home. To be able to give you the chance to start your mission into sustainable living without the confusion and overwhelm I had. To pass on what I have learned so far, give you guidance on where to look for information about clothing materials and toxins found in cleaning products, what recycling symbols mean and what greenwashing actually is.

I’m not a scientist or an environmental professional, I am someone who is looking to help others live sustainably based on what I’ve learned so far.

Since the start, there’s something that has always come back to me:

I’m not sure if I heard it somewhere or if I came up with it myself, but I always say this to people.

So, you’re probably wondering, what’s in this guide?

✓ 8 sections – Introduction, Household Waste, Cleaning, Kitchen, Bathroom, Fashion, Carbon Footprint, Conclusion
✓ 13 accompanying PDF downloads
✓ Editable PDF downloads, no need to print them off
✓ Introduction videos for each section
✓ Lifetime access
✓  Work through the course in your own time

.

How much is the guide?

The full price of this guide will be £57. That’s it, less than a full tank of fuel.

To register your interest, please sign up below and you will be the first to hear when Steps to Sustainable Living in Your Home will go live.

Sustainable Living ideas

DIY Toilet Cleaner Bomb Recipe

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DIY toilet cleaner bombs – Let’s be honest, no one looks forward to cleaning the toilet because it isn’t a fun job but it is one of those jobs that does need to be done.

Have you thought about the harmful toxins found in your toilet cleaner? It’s OK, I didn’t take much notice of the chemicals either.

If you go into the bathroom and have a look at your toilet cleaner, you will see the label is littered with so many chemicals and most of which neither of us have probably never heard of. Of course, this is not good for the environment.

There has to be another way!

DIY toilet cleaner bombs – Let’s be honest, no one looks forward to cleaning toilets because it isn’t a fun job but it is one of those jobs that does need to be done.

Have you thought about the harmful toxins found in your toilet cleaner? It’s OK, I didn’t take much notice of the use of harsh chemicals either.

If you go into the bathroom and have a look at your toilet cleaner, you will see the label is littered with so many chemicals and most of which neither of us have probably never heard of. Of course, this is not good for the environment, especially when you see the following sentence on the label ‘may be harmful to the environment’.

There has to be another way!

And there is – the answer is DIY fizzy toilet bombs!

I’ve been learning how to make my own own cleaning products with natural, dry ingredients. Some have worked well, some not that great.

This blog post will have all the instructions you need for these homemade toilet bombs below will show you how you can make your own DIY toilet cleaner bombs because I’m all for making life easier and this is the easiest way I’ve found to clean!

They are really easy to use because all you have to do is drop one in the toilet bowl, and after it’s done fizzing, grab your toilet brush and you can start cleaning.

I bet you’re wondering – why DIY? if I can just buy them, why would I bother making my own?

  • They are not littered with chemicals
  • You can add your favourite essential oil
  • You can make them into any shape you like (I will come to this!)
  • They don’t pollute the environment
  • You can save money (because who doesn’t want to save money)
  • A great way to avoid plastic packaging
  • And the best part – DIY is fun!

Let’s get started with the DIY toilet cleaner bombs

Here are some simple ingredients you will need :

  • 1 cup Bicarbonate of soda
  • 1/4 cup of citric Acid
  • Silicone molds ice cube tray (mine is shaped as penguins!)
  • Spray bottle filled with tap water
  • 30 – 40 drops of Essential oils of your choice (I have lemon oil)
  • Large Bowl
  • Cup
  • Spoon
  • Knife
do it yourself toilet bomb ingredients

Method for DIY toilet cleaner bombs recipe

  • Add the bicarb soda and citric acid in a bowl and mix
  • Add 30 – 40 drops of essential oil and mix
  • Spray the mixture with water – 2 sprays and mix
  • Keep spraying until you have sprayed the mixture with water about 20 times (two sprays at a time and mix)
  • Don’t over water the mixture because it will start to see some fizzing action!
  • Spoon the mixture into your silicone mold and firmly press down so it’s compact and all the edges are filled. You could use an ice cube trays but I found it easier to use silicone. 
  • Leave for 24 hours in a dry place and out of direct sunlight
  • Carefully pop your DIY toilet cleaner bombs out and store in an airtight jar, airtight container or a glass jar with a lid will do.
Do it yourself Toilet Bombs jar
Do it yourself Toilet Bombs Jar

So that’s it, you can have a go at this DIY recipe at home that works for me. Have fun with these diy toilet bombs and let me know how you get on with these fizzy tablets.

There are so many essential oils to choose from; lavender oil, peppermint oil, tea tree oil. There are some great options available for pure essential oils for your homemade toilet cleaning bombs, all with natural ingredients. Other recipes suggest adding liquid soap, castile soap, and other dry ingredients (or even wet ingredients). Personally, I’ve never seen the need to add anything else, this works well for me and I don’t want to mix too many ingredients!

I’ve seen similar recipes to make bath bombs. I’ve never tried this personally. 

If you fancy another DIY project – here’s how you can make a draught excluder from things you’ve already got at home or how about How to make your own eco-friendly DIY skincare products at home.

If you want more ideas – feel free to check out my social media, follow me on Instagram and keep an eye on my website for more upcoming ideas.

Sustainable Living ideas

Reduce Your Household Waste Consumption

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The amount of waste us Brits throw away is eye-watering and I wasn’t aware of how much household waste is created.

In March 2020, The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) produced a report which shows how much household waste is currently being produced in the UK each year.

  • It is estimated that the UK generated 41.1 million tonnes of commercial and industrial (C&I) waste in 2016, of which 33.1 million tonnes (around four-fifths) was generated in England. The latest estimates for England only indicate that C&I waste generation was around 36.1 million tonnes in 2017 and 37.2 million tonnes in 2018.
  • The UK generated 221.0 million tonnes of total waste in 2016, with England responsible for 85% of the UK total.

221 million tonnes!

What does this household waste mean?

Let’s put that into context. I’ve got a Seat Leon car which weighs about 1.2 tonnes. That’s about 184 million Seat Leons. That’s a whole lot of household waste and it’s not sustainable at all!

We have become a throw away society. Things can be bought so cheaply now which means the quality isn’t high and certain products don’t last long anymore or they aren’t made to last.

I just want to add that I’m sure there are those who would love to have the money to buy good quality products that last longer but finances dictate your purchases.

In order to reduce what we throw away, we need to be smarter when buying products and looking at the packaging and the quality of the product. WE are the ones who spend the money and WE have a lot more power than we realise.

Companies will create and sell products based on demand, if the demand is dropping off, the product will eventually become obsolete.

The amount of packaging that comes with products is astonishing and it’s these choices we have to adapt.

I’ve been careful about what I buy so my bin isn’t overflowing every week. I’ve been actively reducing my household waste but that isn’t possible for everyone. So, I created a download to help you do just that.

I’ve written how how I’m trying to reduce my consumption you may want to check out

How I became greener in 2020

Ditching tea bags

My Local zero-waste shop

Make your own draught excluder with things you’ve already got at home

Here’s what I’ve come up with

Here’s my Household Waste Analysis. Each day has its own page covering 10 – 14 days (whichever you choose) and separated into four sections

  • Recycling
  • Composting/Food Waste
  • Donating/Selling online
  • Landfill

Plus, it’s an editable form so you don’t even have to print it off! Last thing I want to do is add to your household waste!

Oh yeah, and it’s FREE! Who doesn’t like a freebie?! Get yours here

Household waste analysis download

Each day you can record what is in your rubbish and save the document. Once you get to the end of the 10 days (or 14 days), you will have a full analysis of what you are throwing away.

When you see it in black and white, it may shock you!

The last page will give you ideas on how you can reduce your waste.

If you’re ready to start reducing your household waste, get your free download

I genuinely believe we have a serious consumption issue that we can’t recycle our way out of.

Please do let me know how you get on 💚 💚 💚