Few can fail to be moved one way or another by Greta Thunberg and those like her, those whose passion is so undeniably strong but is such that it leaves the rest of us feeling somewhat…inadequate.  That said, we cannot deny that we all need to do our bit and make strides to save our planet and our environment. 

Having done a little research there are some obvious changes we can make which will as part of a combined effort make huge differences.  According to Conserve Energy Future there are three steps to consider when becoming more eco-friendly.

  • Learn to consume items that cause minimal environmental harm.
  • Look at your own carbon footprint and work to reduce your own impact on the environment.
  • Work to support others that work to live and produce eco-friendly and sustainable communities.

These may seem daunting, after all we are used to many modern conveniences and there are harmful products hidden in many of our household items.  Replacing them wholesale is not possible and eco-friendly alternatives are often expensive, so we wanted to share a few easier steps that may help get the ball rolling...

  1. Grocery Shopping - reduce plastic waste.  Have your bag for life in the car but also invest in a reusable cup and food container.  Buy loose fruit and veg, you can buy cheap non-plastic food bags for use at the supermarket or your local shop.  It’s little more time consuming than grabbing a ready packed bag of apples or potatoes but on a weekly shop of fruit and veg, buying loose could save around 6 or 7 plastic bags.  Another hint picked up on BBC is to buy refills for your cleaning materials and toiletries and replace shower gels for a bar of soap, it’s cheaper and creates less waste.  Choose items packaged in cans or cardboard over those packaged in plastic.
  2. Fashion – buy less but buy better.  Buy clothes made from natural fibres, such as cotton and linen.  They feel nice, last well and do not contain micro-fibres that end up in the oceans.  Best of all recycle.  Buy vintage. Wrap.org.uk report that over 350,000 tonnes of clothing go into landfill in the UK every year valued at around £140 million!  Just by extending the useful life of an item of clothing could save between 5-10% in water, waste and carbon.
  3. Try to walk or cycle more and leave the car at home. It’s not always possible so don’t beat yourself up, but for shorter trips where time is not against you, pull on your comfy shoes and stride out.  Zero emissions and great for your mind, body and soul.  In the UK we are not blessed with the best or cheapest public transport network but if armed with the right commuter kit the journey will be more bearable and you will be helping to reduce pollution and waste in our towns and cities. Remember when you use your eco water bottle or coffee cup, many coffee shops offer discounts when you use your own cup! Ooh have a stunning collection of gift box ideas with sustainability in mind.
  4. Gifting – Share your new found passion with your loved ones by gifting responsibly too. Gifts bought from independent sellers, recycled and sustainable products and packaged responsibly too.  Here at ooh we have chosen many eco-friendly items from small independent UK businesses.  We supply our gifts in packaging that can be recycled but the gift box was chosen to be kept and re-used, it’s far too too lovely to be binned!

The main message from many eco bloggers, regardless of the subject is to not feel eco-anxious but to turn your good intentions into habits. 

Try it - it's much easier than you think!

January 08, 2021 — Julie Selby