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Sustainable Living ideas

Things to do for National Children’s Gardening Week

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National Children’s Gardening week is a great way to encourage and celebrate children’s enthusiasm to connect with nature, learn about plants, and develop a love for gardening. Usually held  at the end of May / early June, this week provides a fantastic opportunity for parents, educators, and community members to engage children in a range of exciting gardening activities. There is no better time to get your little ones involved. 

With a focus on education, creativity, and hands-on experiences, this week-long celebration offers countless opportunities for young children to discover the joy of planting, cultivating, and harvesting. The activities organised during this week are designed to be both fun and educational, providing children with valuable skills and knowledge that will stay with them for a lifetime.

Photo by Maggie My Photo Album: https://www.pexels.com/photo/girl-wearing-white-floral-dress-beside-grass-plant-at-daytime-1134062/

Spending time with nature have many mental health benefits and can be enjoyed by children of all ages. You don’t even need a large outdoor space, check out your local garden centres to see if they are hosting any events or create your own fun activity in your back garden. For some schools, it may or may not fall over half term, depending on where you are in the country, but this shouldn’t deter you from taking part. 

We will explore a variety of exciting and educational ideas for celebrating National Children’s Gardening Week, promoting a deeper understanding of the natural world and adopting a sense of responsibility towards the environment. Plus, let’s not forget the fresh air!

Planting Seeds

A great place to start is by planting seeds for them to grow their own plants. All you need is a small pot, seeds, ice lolly sticks, and some compost. This will allow them to explore the difference between edible plants and non-edible plants, potentially learning about growing their own food. You never know, if your child isn’t a fan of eating salad leaves, could that change if they grow it instead? It’s worth a shot! They could grow colourful flowers and learn about how nature uses these flowers to create food and pollination. There may even be a workshop being run by local community groups to encourage little green fingers. 

School Garden Projects

There are many schools who have embraced the idea of creating and maintaining a school green. This is an important educational activity allowing children the perfect opportunity to work together to create ideas. Many students have the chance to care for their school gardens. This will not only teach them about teamwork but provides valuable lessons about patience, responsibility, and caring for the environment. If your school does’t have a school garden, maybe you could suggest they set one up. They’ll also learn that nature takes time to do it’s thing, they won’t see instant results. 

Family Fun

Photo by Kampus Production: https://www.pexels.com/photo/an-elderly-man-planting-with-his-grandchildren-7854120/

This is a great opportunity to have some quality time with your family, and create wonderful ways you can create something in your own garden at home. There are so many things you can create as a family; a bug hotel, set up a bird pond, a pinecone bird feeder. If your child prefers bugs, bug hunts. One of the other benefits of this is spending time in the great outdoors. Check out social media, there is so much information and it won’t be long before you find a list of fun activities to do as a family. Here’s a great one I found. 

Nature Scavenger Hunts

It’s not just about plants, it’s also a great introduction to loving nature. You can organise nature scavenger hunts in local parks or nature reserves, encouraging children to explore the outdoors, observe different plants and insects, and learn about the ecosystem. Here are some downloads that can help you. Not only does this make nature fun to learn about, but it encourages a deeper appreciation for the environment they will inherit. I Spy is a great game to make learning fun. 

Storytelling

Children are naturally imaginative so this is a great activity where you can share stories that centres around nature. Check out your local library on books about gardening adventures, magical plants, or the wonders of the natural world. Encourage them to imagine a fairy garden or even magical gardens; who lives there, what are their names, what goes on, what does it look like, do they go on adventures? This not only nurtures their love for reading but also sparks their curiosity about the world around them. The National Children’s Gardening Week website has a great download where little ones can learn to grow food in partnership with The World of Peter Rabbit. 

Education

This is a great opportunity to educate young people about environmental conservation as a whole and sustainable living. As parents and teachers, we can teach children about the importance in protecting the planet. They can learn about composting, saving water, how to recycle, and animals in their habitats. You could even try swapping plants with friend and neighbours. Worksheets on the environment is a fun way for them to foster an understanding about the world around them. 

Photo by Nasirun Khan: https://www.pexels.com/photo/group-of-children-planting-flowers-in-the-garden-16850734/

In conclusion, National Children’s Gardening Week is a wonderful time to inspire and teach children the endless benefits of connecting with nature, being part of a community garden, cultivating their curiosity, and developing a lifelong love for gardening. They’ll learn about their responsibility towards the environment and nurturing future stewards of the Earth. 

Children learn through hands-on experiences, and creative endeavours.  As children plant the seeds of curiosity and care, they are sowing the groundwork for a greener, more sustainable future.

If you’re looking for more information, check out the National Children’s Gardening Week website 

If you’re looking for some eco-tips for sustainable living, check out my YouTube video

Sustainable Living ideas

Cost-of-living Crisis Leads to Rise in Second-hand Shopping

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As the cost-of-living crisis continues, the cost in energy bills, food, rent and fuel continue to rise. UK consumers have started looking towards second-hand shopping from charity shops, online marketplaces, and resale platforms like Vinted. The additional benefit of this means consumers are, maybe without realising, reducing their environmental impact.

With inflation still high, consumers today are changing the way they shop; cutting back in some areas and opting for second-hand items in others.

According to new research from eBay Ads, the rising cost-of-living and sustainability concerns are accelerating the second hand shopping market. Between December 2021 and January 2022, searches for ‘upcycled’ rose by 40%, ‘second hand’ rose up 24%, and ‘repair kit’ rose up 21%. It would appear that shopping habits are favouring sustainable purchases. Our habits are changing and more of us are looking to adopt sustainable lifestyles.

Elisabeth Rommel, Global GM at eBay Ads, commented: “Between the rising cost-of-living and a growing desire to make more sustainable purchases, UK consumers are increasingly thinking about how they can be savvy with their shopping. With upcycling, buying second-hand, and more sustainably sourced products all rising on shoppers’ agendas, retailers in turn need to be adapting to these evolving preferences in order to engage their customers and contribute to the circular economy. 

“Whether it be offering a repair service, starting a second-hand shop, or making packing and materials more sustainable – retailers must tap into what really matters to consumers today, and communicate sustainability credentials clearly in their marketing and product information.” 

Photo by cottonbro studio: https://www.pexels.com/photo/women-at-the-thrift-store-6069552/

In 2022, eBay became Love Island’s First Ever Pre-Loved Fashion Partner. This news was received positively across social media as people were becoming more aware of fast fashion‘s environmental impact. 

But something has changed in the quality of second-hand fashion, more noticeably in the last year. 

Something is changing

I came across a tweet where someone was asking second-hand shoppers if they had noticed a difference in the quality of secondhand clothing recently. After a few conversations, my pre-recorded mini interview was aired on BBC Radio 4’s You and Yours programme along with other secondhand shoppers to get a broader view on the changes in the secondhand market.

It would appear that charity shops may be missing out on sales due to the rise in online second-hand clothing websites and apps.

Charity shops have noticed that since the rising cost of living they have seen more people are choosing to sell their clothes online on places like Vinted and Depop, whereas these items may have previously been donated to a charity shop. This has led to a fall in quality clothing available those hunting secondhand fashion. 

In the current economic climate, when many of us are strapped for cash, we look at what we have that we no longer need. Selling online has never been easier – you can do it from the comfort of your own sofa, lying in bed or travelling on the bus. Potentially making an extra few quid for a few minutes work does have its benefits. 

Of course, where does this leave charity shops?

Photo by Burst: https://www.pexels.com/photo/photo-of-woman-near-clothes-374677/

Many of us are acutely aware of how fast fashion brands greatly benefits the fashion industry. Some brands make clothes at break-neck speed to hit high street shops to keep up with fashion trends. In some cases, these clothes are cheaply made and of low quality. I’ve personally noticed these low quality clothes are appearing more and more in charity shops.

Since secondhand shopping tends to be primarily on the area of fashion, it’s helpful to focus on this. Secondhand shopping, whether it’s charity shops, thrift shops, or online apps, is part of a wider growth of the circular economy because it’s designed to avoid products ending up in landfill; a closed-loop system where materials would be reused over and over again. 

It’s clear that consumer behaviour is changing and second-hand spending is becoming the norm, especially as younger generations, especially Gen Z shoppers are seeing the reality of climate change. We’re all becoming more careful on how we spend our disposable income.

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.

Here’s a video if you prefer

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 those 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.