10 Ways to Save the Planet that Cost You Nothing

 

As the new year approaches please take a second to consider our planet and the dire mess we have made it. Earth is ill and we all need to act now and do our part to help slow the process of climate change. While wildfires rage and storms tear apart our homes, some countries have homes underwater due to floods and others live in periods of widespread drought. Multiple species of animals are becoming extinct each week, sea levels are rising and the world we know is disappearing.

Some do more than others but there is something everyone can do to reduce their carbon footprint and help to save our planet, even at no cost to you. To be fair, many of the items on this list will save you money...

Conserve Water by Not Flushing!

I think on this subject you are either a hard for or against, but hear me out. You know what is coming, 'if it's yellow let it mellow, if it's brown flush it down'. Seriously. A toilet uses about 6 litres of water per flush, so consider how many times you pop to the loo every day and night, then consider the number of people in your home. That is a heck load of water just going down the drain. 

It will do you no harm to leave it a couple of visits before flushing!

On the subject of water conservation, there are plenty of simple things you can do to stop wasting water: 

- Turn the tap off when you're brushing your teeth.

- Fill up a tub with water to rinse your dishes in after washing them instead of having the tap run.

- Have cooler, shorter showers.

- Install a water butt outside to collect rainwater for use during gardening.

Use a Water Filter

Rather than buy countless plastic bottles of water, make your tap water healthier to drink by using a water filter. There are many options that do not require disposable plastic filters but even a normal Brita filter causes a lot less waste than water bottles. 

Stop Standby

Turn off all switches that are not in use at the wall! From TV sets, games consoles and printers to phone chargers, baby monitors and lights all still have electricity running through them even when not in use if you do not switch off at the wall or unplug them. It not only costs you extra money but wastes energy unnecessarily. 

Wrap Up!

Instead of having the heating on full blast, non-stop throughout the winter and sitting in a t-shirt, just pop on a hoodie or jumper and cosy up under a blanket while sitting on the sofa so as not to contribute to excess fossil fuel use. Unless, of course, you are lucky enough to have solar power!

Eco Mode

Eco mode is available on a variety of devices now, though in particular, I am talking about your washing machine. Either hit that eco button or use a cooler temperature and in turn cut your CO2 emissions. 

Air It Out

While we are talking laundry, ditch the dryer! For the majority of the year, most of the country should be able to take advantage of the wonderful wind and let your washing blow in the breeze to dry. We don't own a tumble drier at all, so obviously in winter when we are unable to use our washing line or on particularly rainy days mid-year we have clothes airers that can be set up inside. Also in winter, drape things on heaters to get a two for one deal when the heating is on - warming the house and drying the clothes!

Recycle!

Surely this is the most obvious, simple, easy thing on this list. Almost all homes in the UK have a recycling bin so it should be something most people could partake in. Sadly, not all recyclable materials can go in the general council recycling bin. However, you can visit the https://www.terracycle.com/en-GB website to find drop off locations for a whole host of other recyclables including but not limited to; crisp packets, bread bags, medicine packets and contact lenses. 

Additionally, make use of clothing, glass, battery and more, recycling receptacles at supermarkets and check your council website for information regarding recycling villages where larger waste can be taken. 

Donate

So many household items end up in the bin when they could be donated and reused or sold by someone else. Old towels and blankets that are clean and still functional can be used by animals shelters, toys, games and books could be given to hospitals and care homes, clothes and furniture would be accepted by charities helping people starting out in a new home, perhaps getting off the street or escaping a bad family situation. 

Always give a quick google to see where your unwanted things could find a better home or donate to charity shops that can raise funds for their respective charities through those donations. 

Make Do and Mend

Sew up that hole, repaint that cabinet and get creative. Turn old things into new things giving them new life and stopping them from ending up in landfills. Learning skills like sewing, crocheting, knitting, woodworking and other DIY skills are great to have and put to use to fix broken items or bring them up to date or your taste!

End Food Waste

Only buy what you need. Check your fridge and cupboard often and cook meals to use up things going off. Freeze things that can be frozen and won't be used in time. Start home composting cut-offs and waste. 

Until next time....

5 Easy Eco Swaps

 

Being conscious of how my buying/spending/using habits have on our wildlife and natural world has always been a priority to me. From when I first moved out of my family home and was buying my own home and beauty wares, I always opted for the cruelty-free options - never have I let animal testing slide. 
As the years progressed, so did my buying habits and also being accountable for the amount of waste I was contributing to the world was added to my checklist. 
Last year I put together a mini-series of posts detailing our ever-evolving 'Eco Journey' with the eco-friendly alternatives that we use throughout the different areas of our home. You can check them all out by clicking here.

Today, I want to share a quick post with super simple, easy swaps that anyone can make to treat our planet that little bit nicer. It's funny that so many thought that the pandemic was 'great for the environment' because there was less pollution from vehicles on the roads etc, however single-use, disposable items from plastic bottles of hand sanitiser and cleaning wipes to face masks and gloves have had a terrible impact on an already out of control waste issue our planet faces. 
Unless you live under a rock, you will have also heard a lot about climate change and that the terrible things we have done to the world are irreversible because no one seems to care enough to step away from their norm. Of course, the huge companies are those who really need to step up but we can all do our bit too, so if you are looking into what you can do here are 5 super easy eco swaps that you can make now to make a difference.

Soap Bars

When did liquid soap even become the norm?! Of course, many people use shower gels and body washes etc instead of a bar of soap however there are benefits other than cutting the plastic waste too. 

Bars of soap have many uses and come in all shapes, sizes and ingredients for all skin types. They last longer, are healthier for you and your body as well as the environment and can we talk about the fact that a bottle of shower gel or body wash is full of water - you're essentially paying for the packing and shipping of extra water, its unnecessary.

You can get bar soap forms of hand soap, body soap, face soap, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, pet shampoo, dishwashing soap and probably something else I am forgetting. Think of all those bottles you could prevent from piling up in a landfill. 

Ocean Savers

Our chosen option for household cleaners is Ocean Savers. I was originally a huge fan of the brand Astonish as they are fantastic cleaners but 100% cruelty-free...they still come in plastic bottles though. 

Ocean Savers are a plant-based, cruelty-free, eco-friendly, vegan, biodegradable cleaner re-fill 'drop'. You can use your old cleaners spray bottles or invest in amber glass bottles as we have, then simply drop one of the 6 different ecodrops into it and fill it with water then wait for it to dissolve. 

It's all so easy and makes a huge difference to the amount of plastic waste as well as the nasty chemicals that are in so many other cleaners.

Check them out here https://www.ocean-saver.com/

Water Filter

A water filter is a staple in our home. The only liquid I drink is juice (diluting juice/'squash') so we go through a lot of water. Many people buy bottled water, I've seen recycling bins piled high with drinks bottles which seems such a waste. You can always drink tap water, though there are some nasties in that so to combat that you can use a water filter jug. 
There are now many different filters options, much more eco-friendly than the Brita filter we have but the main thing I stress is not to replace things until it's completely needed. To buy a new filter and get rid of our perfectly fine one would be counterproductive, so don't feel the need to throw out things just to get a more eco replacement!

Smol
Did you know that most fabric conditioners contain animal fat from pig, sheep, cow and horses? 
Nah, I don't fancy walking about in clothes that have been 'washed' in dead animal bits. 
Now, if you don't want to either you should look into Smol. 
We started using Smol in July of 2020 originally just for non-bio laundry tabs. They are concentrated tabs that arrive to you through the letterbox in fully recyclable packaging and dissolve in the washer! We then added the Smol fabcon to our order! It is a vegan concentrated fabric conditioner with less chemicals and requires less shipping than leading brands. They also come straight to your doorstep in boxes of 2 bottles that are made from 100% post-consumer waste. You can post them back for their refill and reuse program or recycle them locally.  
Very little waste, cruelty-free, saves money and the website shows the impact you're making. 
Check them out here https://smolproducts.com/ (They also do dishwashing tabs and cleaning sprays!)

Cloths

Face cloths, dishcloths, cleaning cloths in general are the original and better alternative to disposable wipes. These days there are wipes for makeup removal, cleaning household surfaces, wet wipes for babies, wipes with suncream or insect repellant, wipes for pets and more. From flushing them wrongly down the toilet or even just binning them and sending them to landfills, the sheer amount of wipes destroying our land and seas is sickening.

''In 2020 volunteers collected an average of 18 wet wipes per 100 metres on UK beaches, making them the third most common litter item found.'' 

''93% of blocked UK sewage pipes are caused by wet wipes.''

''The UK uses an astonishing 11 billion wet wipes each year, which are causing environmental chaos to our waterways.''

You can also get reusable facial cloths and pads made from bamboo, cotton or muslin for removing makeup and other skincare, many different types of washable cloths for cleaning surfaces all over your home, face and body cloths for washing in the bath or shower and even soft, reusable swaps for baby wipes which makes so much more sense to use. 
Not only do these swaps replace disposable wipes but also plastic sponges and disposable cotton pads. 
If saving the planet doesn't interest you, maybe saving money will? Wash your cloths instead of throwing them away.

There you go. 5 of my top picks for super easy swaps if you are looking to become a little more conscious about your eco-impact! There are so many alternatives these days that it is insane to me how all the mainstream brands are still pumping chemicals out and filling up plastic bottles with not a care as to their end destination. 
These are the people who should be trying extra hard to make a difference. Why wait for them to start caring when you can show them what needs to be done by stop funding their practices. Support the companies who are doing the right thing while doing your little bit to make the planet a better place. It may be too late to reverse the effects but we can slow it down and we need to take action asap.




* wipe facts and figures from metro.co.uk and bbc.co.uk.

Our Eco Journey - Pets

 

Before I continue, please feel free to check out the other posts in Our Eco Journey:

The Bathroom
The Kitchen
Out and About
50 Things I Don't Buy

This has been in the drafts for many months and it's time to get it up. We try hard to bring an eco-friendly outlook to all aspects of our lives, that includes with our 10 babies, however it's more difficult with animals because first and foremost their care and needs have to be met to the highest standard. They don't have the choice to say what they want or don't want and although there are many arguments and thoughts about raising animals, we are personally doing what we can to give them the best life we can. I mention this not only because of the list of items below but because we are obviously vegans that do not feed our animals a vegan diet. My choices should not impact their basic needs. So there are probably more eco-friendly pet products but we place our pets health, safety and happiness first.

That being said, here are the things we have been doing and using to be more eco-minded when it comes to our little family. 

Beco Bowls
We love these! I'm going to share exactly what it says on their website because they word it best -
''A sustainably made bamboo food and water bowl that will last for years in the home, before naturally breaking down once disposed of. Natural food dyes are used to create bright colours.''
All of our animals minus the snakes use these! That means we own 10 in different sizes and colours!
We also have the litter scoop from Beco.

Eco Toys
Of course our spoiled guys and girls have accumulated a lot of toys over the years, some not so sustainable, however, those that aren't are sewed and washed to extend their lives often. We do have a few more natural options made for the likes of hessian, natural rubber etc and even some that have been made from recycled plastic bottles. 

Biodegradable Dog Poop Bags
With the amount of these that we go through, it's a must that these are biodegradable. I think all those sold should be. It's disappointing to walk along and see that someone has gone to the trouble of picking up their dogs poo but instead of taking it to a bin to dispose of, they've flung it to hang in a plastic bag from a branch or bush.

Compostable Food Bag
We've chosen to feed our dog and guinea pigs a dry food from a brand who has a great environmental ethic. They try to reduce their carbon footprint and environmental effects in numerous ways but one is with a compostable food bag! Read more about what Harringtons are doing here.

Terracycle Cat Food Pouches
If you have a cat you'll be aware of the sheer amount of these pouches that you go through in a month...and we have 2 cats. It's not always an option to use something that is eco friendly in the first place but thankfully the Terracycle scheme (click to read more) deals with these. We clean them out thoroughly while doing our normal washing up, let them dry out and box them all up to drop off. 
Currently we have an insane stack because the drop off point isn't accepting them right now, plus I can't go anywhere. They'll keep until we can get them taken though.

Wooden Cat Litter
I've always used this option with my previous rabbits and such, so when Mr H and I moved in I got him onto this option for the girls. Wooden litter is obviously made from a natural material. It's renewable and biodegradable and also technically recycled itself as it is made of waste from other industries.
There are many other benefits too including price!

Homemade Hay
In the summer when cutting our grass we were able to save some of the good stuff and dry it out to give to the Guinea Pigs as some additional fresh hay. 

Veg Offcuts
Not only do we use offcuts from our own vegetables at home but Mr H often brings a big bundle of broccoli stalks, fresh parsley offcuts and more home from work (he is a head chef) which the Guineas always love. 

Sustainable Treats
We may be vegan but we know that it is not in the best interests for animals to be so. Some people will argue that certain pets can survive on an all-vegan diet, however, we aren't those people haha. 
That being said when it comes to their food and treats where possible we stick to certain brands and certain 'animal products'. For example, I never buy anything including lamb, duck and exotic meats for Baker - we stick to chicken and turkey mainly.
Brand wise we enjoy those who put the effort in to have recyclable packaging, organic ingredients and higher standards where animal products are concerned. Baker loves Pooch and Mutt, Lily's Kitchen and Whimzees the most!

I've really enjoyed compiling this series and can already see changes from some of the other posts, which definitely reflects in the title 'Our Eco Journey'. Sadly, there are also a tiny handful of things that have taken a step backwards over the past year what with a global pandemic and such. While I'm on the subject, I have to stress how important investing in a reusable/washable mask or a few is. Please do not use disposables unless you are in healthcare, elderly care or another profession that calls for it. These among other things like disposable cleaning wipes, excess plastic and an increase in single-use disposables have presented a huge dilemma for our planet. All I have heard during this time is how great it has been for the planet with fewer cars on the road and a decrease in pollution from places of business, but it's been forgotten how bad one use, throw away culture has become.
For now I'm going to leave it here and perhaps revisit this series in a year or so to see how we have (hopefully) progressed.

I hope these posts have helped or inspired someone out there. Thanks for reading!
Until next time...

Our Eco Journey - Out and About

There was no eco-themed post last month (unless you count the '[Even More] Vegan Meal Ideas' post, because technically vegan eating is still eco friendly) however, this has been sitting in my drafts and I've decided it was time to get the penultimate post up. Looking back at the previous posts I can already see some differences in products we have started to use, forgot to include or stopped using so I will probably re-visit this series at some point in the future. 

Before I continue, please feel free to check out the other posts in Our Eco Journey:
The Bathroom
The Kitchen
50 Things I Don't Buy

As for this post, you can see from the title I'm going to share how our household brings eco-living with us on the go. Even before the pandemic we weren't the type to go here, there and everywhere much nor do I have a day job meaning 'Out and About' doesn't feature too prominently for us but we definitely do have lots of things that are there just in case!

Out and About

Reusable water bottles

This is the most basic thing anyone can do. I have used reusable bottles for as long as I can remember and cannot understand why people would rather buy a small plastic bottle every day than bring a bottle of water of juice with them - saving money and the planet one bottle at a time! 

Coffee Mugs/Flasks
I don't drink hot drinks, but Mr H is a big coffee lover. It's rare he'd get a coffee out and about because we're pretty frugal and prefer to not pay £££ for something we can get at home, but he does like to make his morning cuppa in a mug that has a to-go lid so he can drink it in the car or in a flask that he could take on the train etc.
For people who do like to buy coffee at shops, they will usually make it in reusable cups so please consider it as they are a huge waste - no matter how seasonally themed and pretty they may be!

Metal straws
I tend to use my re-usable bottles at home too in an effort to stop spillages (I'm clumsy and have animals), so straws aren't something we need all that often. However they have come in handy when needed for medical reasons or to have in my bag if ever the rare occasion of having a drink out anywhere arose.

Bamboo Cutlery Set
Not that they've had any use yet but Mr H picked out a cool little set of cutlery for use when camping or picnicking etc. It comes in a nice little roll to keep it all together and has all utensils you could need when on the go.

Titanium Spork
Similarly to the above, this is a utensil to eat with that is great for popping in your bag. This is the one I picked out because I was sceptical to whether I'd break the bamboo ones!

Tubs/Boxes
As I mentioned in our Kitchen Eco Journey post I really couldn't tell you the last time I used cling film or baking foil. You can get fancy reusable sandwich wraps though many are made with beeswax making them unsuitable for vegans or they are super expensive and unless you use them a lot it doesn't seem worth it. So when we want to take food out with us we have a stash of plastic tubs, of all sizes, from many places over the years that we repurpose and use time and time again.

Produce bags
These have been sitting in the bottom of the drawer for the longest time because we haven't done a food shop in person for a long time. However, if you do and you buy vegetables or baked products you need these! I know a lot of stores are replacing their plastic produce bags with paper ones, but even then the majority have a big plastic window in the which seems counterproductive. 
These reusable, drawstring bags are a great size, strong and can go in the washing machine!

Tote bags etc
Most of you should know what these are. We have an extensive collection with some kept in the car, each of our backpacks and probably all over the house. 

There we have it, another chapter in our Eco Journey down. Originally I'd grouped together the topic of this post and what is now next month's the last in the series - Pets - as I assumed there wouldn't be much to share. Evidently, after compiling it all I realized it made for a heck of a lengthy post hence splitting into two.
I hope it is helpful to at least one person who can change even one thing they do or use while out and about to give our planet the helping hand it so desperately needs. As I said in the introduction, there will more than likely be things I have forgotten but these are the main things that come to mind. Do you use any of these things already? If so what? Are there any other eco products you like for when you are on the go?

Until next time!

50 Things I Don't Buy

Recently I fell down a mini hole on YouTube from eco-vloggers and minimalists simply talking through a list of 50 things they no longer or have never bought. I found myself nodding along in agreement more often than not and could even think of many other things we don't use in our house, so began compiling my own list. 
A percentage of this list is intentional, because we hold the oceans, animals and our planet Earth in general in higher regard than the use of any of item. The rest is purely down to preference. We are pretty basic and low maintenance people by nature and don't tend to go for a lot of the frills and extras that some people may regard as essentials. 
Check it out below to see the home, beauty, life etc items we have never or no longer buy.

Disposable Makeup Wipes

Disposable Period Products

Disposable Razors

Cotton Wool Balls/Pads

Skincare Products 

Body Wash/Shower Gel

Shaving Foam

Liquid Shampoo/Conditioner or other Hair Products

Aersol or Roll-on Deodorant 

Perfume

Trendy Clothes

Excess Shoes

Jewellery/Accessories

Handbags

Swimwear

Bras

Excess Make-Up

Beauty Services [Hair cuts, lashes, nails etc]

Nail Varnish

Miniature Travel Items

Excess Kitchen Appliances [We don't even have a microwave]

Cling Film

Tin Foil

Kitchen Roll

Disposable Tableware

Washing Up Liquid

Disposable Cloths/Sponges

Excess Cleaners

Air Fresheners

Tissues

TV [Licence or 'Sky' etc subscription]

Apps

Fancy Gadgets 

New Tech

Phone Cases

Music Subscriptions or CDs

Magazines/Newspapers

Car Accessories [Air freshener, decor, mats etc]

Holiday Related Food/Decor etc [Minus Halloween]

Indoor Flowers

Bottled Water

Meat

Dairy

Pre-Prepared Food

Tea/Coffee

Fizzy Juice

'Eat Out'  Food

The first twenty things I don't buy are all healthy and beauty related, some more self-explanatory than others. If you read my 'Our Eco Journey - The Bathroom' post the majority are explained there, including what on Earth I do use if I don't any of those things. When it comes to perfume I do have 2 small bottles, both of which were gifts and because I very rarely wear it, it has lasted a good while. 
I stated 'trendy clothes' and 'excess make-up' because I do occasionally buy something from these sorts of categories but not on the scale of most people. For example, I don't wear anything on-trend or buy things as the seasons change. I have a chunk of staple clothing pieces that I always wear and a few pieces of makeup for the (again, rare) moment I do pop some on, so if something is broken beyond repair, run out or no longer fits I will replace it.
Moving on to the rest of the house the kitchen also has a blog post where you can see what we use as alternatives, Our Eco Journey - The Kitchen. All of the 'techy' things speak for themselves but I will explain the last few items. Pre-prepared food relates to things like pre-cut/sliced veg or similar and 'Eat Out' food is in reference to things you buy in stores to take out and eat. We cook 99% of all our own meals but do every now and again get a takeaway pizza or something!

Let me know how many things from our list you also don't use or buy!
Until next time...

Our Eco Journey - The Kitchen

This post has taken a little longer than expected to get up, purely due to procrastination and me putting it off to post other things. Obviously, this is the second post in this mini-series talking about how we do our little bit for the planet in our house. Pop over to Our Eco Journey - The Bathroom to read the first post.

To start off, I'll repost exactly what I said in the first post. I have to direct your attention to a specific word in the post title - 'Journey'. This is a journey. I have been adjusting my lifestyle since I was a teenager, from consciously seeking out only cruelty-free options for health and beauty as well as cleaning and home products, to going vegan and working on my eco-friendliness. It is a life long journey and I know there are still things I use out of necessity or even purely not being able to afford alternatives, but am I trying and that is the main thing.

Now that all of that is out of the way I want to share the things we are doing or using in our house to try and be as natural, animal-friendly, eco-friendly and eventually as low waste as possible. It's so lovely to have a husband with the same values as me and who also cares a lot about these things, so all the products I'll be showing you are used by both of us (where applicable). Over the years I've used multiple different companies and we are settling into some favourites so let's get started out with our kitchen!

I'm going to lay this out super simply and describe the items shown in the images, from top to bottom.

Dish Splash Solid Dish Soap.

I can barely remember what it was like to wash dishes with washing up liquid after using solid dish soap for the past few months. We've tried a couple but definitely settled into this one by Primal Suds. It's plastic-free, cruelty-free, palm oil-free and vegan. It suds up and washes really well and lasts way longer than a bottle of washing up liquid would!

Find it here > Primal Suds Dish Splash

[If you are a dishwasher user you should check out Smol Dishwash]

Bamboo Soap Ladder

Where there are soap bars, you need a place to put them and rather a plastic or ceramic dish where they sit with no drainage, we use a bamboo ladder that allows it to dry out and preserve the life of the bar.

Find it here > Primal Suds Soap Ladder

Coconut Dish Washing Brush With Wooden Handle

It would feel a little hypocritical to be using a solid dish soap with a 'plastic' sponge (polyester or nylon) that aren't recyclable let alone biodegradable so we tried a couple alternatives before choosing this brush. I rub it directly on the soap bar and then simply buff it of the washing up!

Find it here > Loof Co via Peace with the Wild

Storage Jars

All of our dry foods, grains, herbs and spices are stored it reused jars. We do not buy new jars specifically but just clean out old jars and paint the lids to make them look more cohesive. Hopefully, zero waste re-fill stores will become more popular and one will pop up around us, but right now there are none nearby so unfortunately before decanting into jars some foods do come in plastic packaging. 

Recycled, Plant-Based Non-Stick Pans

I have no idea how I found these but when I originally saw them I'd recommend them to my Mam who needed a new pan set. When we needed a wok/stir fry pan this was obviously our first port of call.

Prestige Plant-Based pans boast being the ''World's friendliest plant-based non-stick that's PFOA & palm oil-free. Better for you and our planet.'' They are also made from recycled materials, come in fully recyclable packaging and are recyclable themselves. Not only that but for every item bought Tree Aid plant a tree in Africa! I am obsessed with this range and cannot wait to upgrade the rest of our pans when they all finally end their lives. 

Find them here > Prestige Eco - Plant Based Non-Stick Cookware

Galvanised Metal Mop Bucket

I have always wanted a metal bucket, as weird as it sounds. When you move out for the first time most people don't have the option to spend ££ on basics like a mop bucket but when we needed a new one after moving to this house I knew I wasn't going to be spending money on another plastic bucket that just breaks and ends up in landfill. 

Wooden Sweeping Brush

Along the same lines is a wooden sweeping brush. Natural bristles work way better than horrible plastic ones too. 

(As you'll see I haven't included a mop. There was actually a brand new mop left here for us when we moved in and so we haven't yet invested in a wooden mop with replaceable cotton head.]

Eco-Friendly Laundry Capsules

Smol is something I bet many of you have seen advertised on social media recently. I never go for any adverts, I am pessimistic and untrusting haha. However, the usual laundry detergent I used was Astonish liquid and the only place anywhere near us that stocks it is Home Bargains...that is a problem because even before Covid I didn't like going in stores, so of course now I don't go in anywhere at all.

That's why I subscribed to Smol a few months back. They are plastic-free, cruelty-free, have lower levels of added chemicals, come in fully recyclable packaging and fit through your letterbox.

You tell them how many washes you do a week, how many capsules you use each wash and they will send you a new pack in time for your pack running out. 

Find it here > Smol Laundry Capsules

Eco-Friendly Cleaning Drops

Just like our laundry, Astonish was our main go-to for most cleaning products alongside the odd Method product due to them both being great cruelty-free options. Both come in plastic bottles and again were hard to get a hold of without going into certain retailers. 

Now we are obsessed with Ocean Saver's Eco Drops! They are a small capsule with a concentrated liquid inside. You pop them into a bottle with some water, they dissolve, you clean your house! Obviously, they are vegan, they are also 100% biodegradable, plant-based, non-toxic, they smell great and they work!

Find them here > Ocean Saver

Amber Glass Spray Bottles 

With the above item, you need an empty bottle to use them with and when trying to re-use our old Astonish bottles we had issues with the tops. That gave us the excuse to order some not only beautiful looking, but eco-friendly amber glass replacements. Amber Glass also is great for protecting the contents inside from light.

Find them here > UMISKAM via Amazon

Eco-Friendly Fabric Conditioner

After enjoying the laundry capsules and receiving the email telling us all about their new Fabcon, we decided to order some of Smol's new Fabric Conditioner! It's something I've never really bothered using but with 10 animals in the house and a husband who works as a chef, we can always use a little bit of an extra boost in our washing loads. We had the idea to super dilute some in a bottle too to use as a fabric refresher spray which will also be helpful when having to dry clothing inside on rainy days to help combat any slight 'foosty' smells!

Did you know that most fabric conditioners contain animal fat?! Gross eh? Smol's doesn't though!

Find it here > Smol Fabcon

Borax Substitute

Although all our cleaners are really great, we have quite hard water where we are so mixed with our bar soaps our bath and shower door tends to get a texture to it that isn't the easiest to scrub. Borax Substitute is a non-toxic powder gentler than soda crystals but stronger than Bicarbonate of Soda. You can mix it with water to form a paste or with lemon juice or white vinegar for a great scouring product.

Find it here > DriPak via Peace with the Wild

Some other things we have or do in our kitchen that aren't pictured are:

Recycling Boxes

You might be able to see a tiny peek of these in the bottom of the amber glass bottle image. We have two boxes in our under-sink cupboard that we use for glass and other recyclables which is taken either out to the big recycling wheelie bin or the bottle bank so that things aren't just laying around.

Cloths and Tea Towels

This might seem an obvious thing but from watching cleaning videos online or seeing people haul cleaning products I thought I could share this. We only use cloths, rags and tea towels for cleaning etc around the kitchen. We do not use any cleaning wipes or kitchen roll and many of the rags we do use are old t-shirts and such that are washed and cut up to repurpose. 

Decomposable Bin Bags

We try very hard not to have too many things going into our general kitchen waste bin, nor do we have much food waste at all but I still find it important to have bin bags that don't contribute even more plastic.

Compost Bin

And finally a compost bin. Technically this is outside in the greenhouse but it's the last port of call for any food waste. We try to eat everything we can, the Guniea Pigs also eat their fair share and then if there is any leftover it goes to compost. Mr H also tends to bring home cut offs and waste from work that is often too much for even our greedy Guineas so at least it can go in our compost bin rather than just put in general waste at work.

Oooff! Now I realize why I have put off writing this for so long! This took quite a while to put together and I'm sure I'll have forgotten something but either way I hope you find some ideas that you can put into practice in your house. I look forward to looking back on this in the future and seeing how much I have progressed because remember, this is a journey, not a destination. No one is perfect, we can all just try to do what we can for our planet. If everyone made one swap it would make a huge difference! 

I didn't mention it when talking about specific items but it is important to mention the cost. Many people argue vegan and eco-living is only for rich, privileged, stuck up people and I can't disagree more! My husband and I live month to month and have only one income. You see a larger price tag or a smaller item but these things last so much longer or are small as they are concentrated therefore often either save you money in the long run, work out cheaper for each wash or are of equal price to other leading brands.

Let me know what you think, if you use any of these products or other things that you recommend we should try in our kitchen!
Until next time!

Our Eco Journey - The Bathroom

Well here we go, another little mini-series I've been planning since re-starting Underland to Wonderland is finally here and for some reason, I'm a little nervous to post. Therefore, to start off, before I say anything else I have to direct your attention to a specific word in the post title - 'Journey'. This is a journey. I have been adjusting my lifestyle since I was a teenager, from consciously seeking out only cruelty-free options for health and beauty as well as cleaning and home products, to going vegan and working on my eco-friendliness. It is a life long journey and I know there are still things I use out of necessity or even purely not being able to afford alternatives, but am I trying and that is the main thing.

Now that all of that is out of the way I want to share the things we are doing or using in our house to try and be as natural, animal-friendly, eco-friendly and eventually as low waste as possible. It's so lovely to have a husband with the same values as me and who also cares a lot about these things, so all the products I'll be showing you are used by both of us (where applicable).
Over the years I've used multiple different companies and we are settling into some favourites so let's get started out with our bathroom favorites!

I'm going to lay this out super simply and describe the items shown in the images, from top to bottom.

Bare Coconuts Natural Bar Soap.

These soaps are awesome. We have different bars used for different things, but this one is what I use to wash my face. 'Shock Horror!'. Yep, my skincare routine is 3 or 4 products and bar soap is the main product. These bars are plastic-free, cruelty-free, palm oil-free and vegan. Great range, lovely scents, lather up amazingly, just really nice soaps!

These are made by Primal Suds, a husband and wife team from Southampton and from their social media presence I have to say they are super down to earth cool dudes. 

Check them out here >  https://primalsuds.com/.

Coconut Fiber Soap Rest.

100% biodegradable and compostable, long life, ethically made soap rest. This is a better (in my opinion) option to traditional plastic or ceramic soap dishes as it helps the soap to dry out better in between uses, prolonging the life of the bar. It also feels much safer than having ceramic that could smash if it sticks or slips. 

By Safix, bought from Peace with the Wild > https://www.peacewiththewild.co.uk/product/safix-coconut-coir-soap-rest/

Thor Beard Oil.

What is better than a cool beard oil in a glass bottle, than a one themed on Norse Mythology? Exactly. Nothing! Odin's Beard Care is another small company based in Leeds that produces it's oils, balms and butters in small batches. Not all of the products are vegan (as beeswax is used in some) but they are natural, organic where possible, cruelty-free and smell amazing! Literally, I can tell Mr H has used his as soon as he enters the room - so good!  

Find them here > https://www.odinsbeardcare.co.uk/ 

[They have also been amazingly kind to provide a discount code for you all so make sure to pop over and spoil yourself or your bearded buddy and enter use THOR to bag 15% off!]

Imperialis Moisturiser.

You all know this is from Lush. They are a much-loved company by many and something I have used for at least 15 years, however, I have been distancing myself more recently in favour of smaller companies and more natural ingredients. I still love Lush and will gladly use the odd bath bomb and this is the only moisturiser that I have been able to use despite trying so many over the years. Plus the pots are recyclable and everything is cruelty-free.

Cotton Flannels, Muslins and Re-Usable Face Wipes.

I have not bought or used disposable face wipes, cotton pads, cleanser, toner, or the like for many, many years. I have always used cotton flannels and muslins for as long as I can remember but added to my collection recently with these super duper soft Marley’s Monsters cloth wipes. 

Also bought from https://www.peacewiththewild.co.uk/

Natural Toothpaste and Toothpowder

This has been a journey indeed. We wanted a normal paste type tooth cleaning but that came in a glass jar...we ordered what we thought was the next best thing, a powder in a jar. It wasn't until just over a week of using it as a normal toothpaste that we questioned it. Our teeth were noticeably whiter (not that they're stained or anything anyway) and we realized it was tooth whitening powder haha!!

We ordered the toothpaste soon after and have been using it twice a day, between two people for approximately 70days now and still have well over half a jar left. 

Pure, natural and organic ingredients, hand-crafted in small batches, eco-friendly packaging. Fab!

Find them at > https://georganics.com/

Bamboo Toothbrushes

These days when you look for an alternative to plastic toothbrushes, you are inundated. But back when I was first looking to make the switch at the end of 2017 there wasn't as many options around. I came across a really cool company based in Portugal. The brushes are made of bamboo which is awesome for so many reasons - read more here - they compensate their shipping Co2, plant a tree a day and are climate neutral. 

The bristles are nylon 6 bpa free (but can be removed when replacing the brush so the bamboo can be reused or recycled). Yes, you can get biodegradable bristled brushes too but most are made of animal fibres, therefore are not vegan! 

To this day this is the only physical subscription service I have and I always look forward to the envelope with a handwritten message on the back dropping through the letterbox. 

Check them out here > https://thebamandboo.com/

Tin Storage, Coconut Oil and Bubble Bar.

In our two (well-loved) Lush storage tins I keep some random potions. In the left is organic coconut oil used on the rare days I have worn make up to get that all off. In the right is a bubble bar from Lush. I think bubble bars last much longer than only a couple uses, so I squashed it into a tin to keep it dry and scrape it into the bath as needed.

Rosemary and Tea Tree Natural Shampoo Bar 

Another switch I made many years ago was to solid shampoo bars. More recently we switched natural shampoo bars. Due to so many different medical issues, I have a lot of hair loss and realized that I need to treat my hair with the same care I (mostly) treat my insides. I'm loving it so far. It lathers so nicely and smells beautiful. I'm excited to try some different varieties!

Following our aim of shopping small, Hatton Handmade Soap is made by a lovely lady from her cottage in Lincolnshire. Everything is vegan minus one soap that contains honey, packaging is minimal and recyclable and hurray for no palm oil!

Find them over at > https://www.hattonhandmadesoap.co.uk/

Sugar Daddy-O Conditioner Bar

Lush again. It is indeed. This has been in our bathroom for far too long because a) it lasts forever and b) I don't like wasting anything. I rarely use it but Mr H does. It smells divine but once it is done I will be replacing it with a more natural alternative.

Natural Fibre Body Brush and Pumice Stone

Exfoliating body brush made from wood and natural fibres, though it unfortunately still includes plastic for some reason! Another to replace when it needs to be.

Pumice stone is a natural volcanic rock therefore it is also natural!

Bamboo Razor 

This Bull Dog men's bamboo razor is the razor I have been using for the past four years at least I'd say, probably longer. You still have to use a replaceable blade, which are steel housed in a tiny bit of plastic but a pack of 4 last me a full year. I haven't used disposable razors in a long time and the next step up is a safety razor which is the most eco-friendly option. They are a little pricey initially but are worth it in the long run.

Wooden Nail Brush

You have no idea how difficult it was to find a wooden nail brush when we were looking. Sadly it has plastic bristles which seems contradictory to itself but we have since found natural bristle options for when we do replace this one.

Reusable Cloth Sanitary Pads

I know this one is controversial and many people think it's disgusting, but we all have preferences and this is mine.

200,000 tonnes of sanitary products a year end up in UK landfill and it's estimated that 700,000 panty liners, 2.5m tampons and 1.4m sanitary towels are flushed down the toilet every day in the UK.

There is just no need for that when there are so many alternatives these days. It's a common theme online with people that products are too expensive and many people go without across the globe. This, as well as the environment issue, could be solved with reusables. Yes, pads require a washing machine and I accept my privilege in having that option but there are others too. Please consider looking into it.

My reusables are made from bamboo charcoal, zorb, microfiber and PUL and are in a classic black. They are very soft, extremely comfortable, are so much better for you health-wise and handmade by a lady in Weybridge.

So many different brands make these and in an endless range of prints, patterns, colours and sizes to suit all.

See here for Naturally Lady's full range >  https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/NaturallyLady

Other items and products not pictured...

Exfoliating Soap Pouch

Made from sisal, you put your soap inside this pouch and use it as a natural exfoliator. It is biodegradable and compostable, sustainable, ethical and fair trade!

Check out Hydrophil > https://hydrophil.com/en/

Solid Deodorant Bar

Our current bar is from Lush. I could not get along with it and Mr H is using it up. There are a couple of other brands of solid, plastic-free deodorant bars that I have on my list to try, so fingers crossed they turn out better!

Organic Cotton Buds with Paper Stems

I'm an addict for cleaning my ears, probably overly, but I'm glad that at least the cotton buds I've used for many years won't end up held by a Seahorse tail.

Tea Tree Oil

Along with the bar soap and moisturizer, tea tree oil has been a staple in my skincare. More so than anything else actually and I've used it now since my early teen years. It comes in a glass bottle that can be recycled when you've finally used it all up.

Calcium Bentonite Clay

Pure, natural, vegan and cruelty-free I buy this powder in a bulk bag which is then mixed with apple cider vinegar or water to create a face mask. It can also be used as a bath soak, alternative to rash creams, dry shampoo and even mixed into a natural deodorant. 

Find the PraNaturals clay here >  https://www.justbeauty.co.uk/face-c51/pranaturals-calcium-bentonite-clay-1kg-p33933

Phew! That ended up a bit longer than expected haha. Like I said at the beginning of the post, I know we aren't perfect. This is a journey and replacing products and items for more sustainable, eco-friendly options takes time, even more so when you have other things to factor in such as needing vegan and cruelty-free ingredients.
Thankfully many companies are jumping on board with the 'we need to save the planet' mindset so things will only keep getting easier for everyone. Still, that being said, there are a lot of larger brands who use this as a marketing ploy and really don't care. Take into consideration a brands carbon footprint, where raw materials are sourced and try to shop local, supporting small, family businesses as much as possible.
I hope you will check out those I have mentioned in this post. Particularly Primal Suds, Hatton Handmade Soap, Odin's Beardcare, Bam and Boo and Naturally Lady who are some of our absolute favourites ran by amazing people.
Keep an eye out for my next post in this eco journey series 'The Kitchen'!
Until next time guys!