We're always looking for easy ways to live a little greener and be kinder to the planet. That's why we've compiled this useful list of the simple eco friendly things we can do to help the planet, plus sustainable swaps for the products we use on a daily basis.
1. Sustainable coat hangers
Did you know that plastic hangers take more than 1,000 years to break down in landfill. Opt for wooden or corrugated cardboard hangers which can be reused.
Dutch company, Hooks Creative, has produced a fully biodegradable clothes hanger made entirely of CO2-absorbing raw materials. BioHangers are produced from renewable and reusable produce, such as potato starch, corn, beetroot or various types of grass, and aim to help prevent billions of clothes hangers from the fashion industry being dumped in landfill. They are also completely compostable! Shop now at www.hooks-creative.com.
2. Coffee logs
www.diy.com
Coffee Logs are a sustainable alternative to conventional fossil fuels, made from the coffee waste created by UK businesses. Packed from the grounds of around 25 coffee cups, they can be used in wood-burners and multi-fuel stoves.
3. Need to replace an appliance?
Need a new washing machine or dishwasher? Help the environment and save on your bills by investing in an appliance from Currys PC World’s Go Greener Tech range. These appliances feature quick, water- saving wash cycles and load detection technology. Customers who decide to upgrade to this range will also able to take advantage of free delivery, installation and recycling services for their old models. Visitwww.currys.co.uk/gogreener to find out more.
4. Silicone straws
Not keen on paper or metal straws? Sip your favourite festive tipples with these reusable silicone alternatives. They can be cut to any size to make them suitable for different types of glassware and are dishwasher safe too. Pack of six £10.
5. Sustainable beauty
Eco-friendly beauty brand, Faith in Nature, have been using 100 per cent recycled and recyclable bottles since 1999 – saving a whopping 340 tonnes of plastic from going to landfill. They've now made the switch to ocean- bound reclaimed plastic – collected from rivers and streams – across their core range as well as introduced 5L bottles which can be taken to refill stations around the UK once empty. Explore the full product range and find your nearest stockist/refill station, visit www.faithinnature.co.uk
Why not try an eco-friendly deodorant like Fussy too?
6. Swap out your plastic pens
www.etsy.com
Ditch plastic pens and make the swap to an Ecoscribe pen. Not only are they made from recycled paper, but they can be fully recycled after use. Simply soak in hot water to unravel the paper shaft, remove the stainless-steel ink chamber and nib and recycle all parts appropriately.
7. Tissues
No desk set-up is complete without a trusty box of tissues. Certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, this tissue cube by The Cheeky Panda is made from unused bamboo that would otherwise go to waste.
8. Notebooks
These eco notebooks are produced using plantation trees grown just for paper – a method that produces less CO2 and chemical usage compared to recycled paper. Pack of five from £2.95, mujionline.eu/uk
9. Pencil case
www.whsmith.co.uk
Keep pens and pencils stowed away in this cork pencil case. Not only is the lining made from 100 per cent recycled plastic bottles, but cork itself is a natural, biodegradable and a renewable resource.
10. Pencils
Once finished with, plant these Sprout Pencils into soil and water and the capsule will dissolve and grow into anything from cherry tomato plants, sage and basil, or carnations and sunflowers.
11. Sustainable bags
www.kindbag.co
Do your weekly shop with a helping hand from Kind Bag. Each one of these reusable (and water-resistant) shopping bags are made from six plastic bottles. Not only are they super-practical, but they also look the part with 12 attractive designs to choose from – including pastels and prints, perfect for spring. Better still, the brand also donates ten per cent of all profits to Just One Ocean – a UK-based charity dedicated to protecting the ocean for future generations.
12. Cleaning products
Say goodbye to buying expensive (and often not very green) cleaning products. Simply turn tap water into a powerful cleaning product in under 20 seconds with Raindrop. This clever eco product comes in the form of a ‘pod’ which is dropped into a bottle of water to create a cleaning solution. Ten per cent of profits are donated to anti-plastic waste charities, including Surfers against Sewage.
13. Clothes donations
We all know recycling clothes is kinder to the planet. But with lockdown logistics, the donation process has become a bit tricker. Here’s three options:
Visit[ salvationarmy.org.uk ](http:// salvationarmy.org.uk )to find your nearest Salvation Army donation bank. Check it’s being serviced before donating, though.
Contact local places of worship which may be accepting clothing donations for local needy causes.
14. Frying pan
www.lakeland.co.uk
Sizzle sausages and flip pancakes the eco-friendly way with the Earthpan. Made from 100 per cent recycled aluminium, it uses 50 per cent fewer
CO2 emissions in its manufacture than an average pan, and the handle is made from recycled plastic bags! Non- stick and oven-friendly up to 150°C, it can also be fully recycled at the end of is useful life! lakeland.co.uk, rrp £49.99
15. Switch your bedding
snug-bedding.co.uk
If your duvets and pillows have seen better days give the environment a helping hand by switching to Snug – the eco-friendly bedding brand. Not only are its products filled using 100 per cent recycled fibres, but they are also packaged sustainably – so you can rest assured that your bedding is that bit kinder to the planet. Buy at snug-bedding.co.uk from £13
16. How to recycle your blister packets
Until recently, tablet blister packets weren’t recyclable. Now recycling innovator TerraCycle has launched ‘Little Packs, Big Impact’. This new programme allows you to drop empty prescription and over-the- counter medicine blister packets into dedicated bins at participating pharmacies and Superdrug stores nationwide, to be converted into reusable raw materials.
To find your nearest drop-off point, visit terracycle.com. Be sure to return unopened, unused and out-of-date medicines to pharmacies for disposal.
17. Soap pumps
It’s no surprise we’re using more hand wash than ever before, but while many plastic soap containers can be recycled, the pumps that come with them can’t.
Handwash brand Carex is selling pumpless bottles to encourage consumers to reuse their existing pumps. Each one can be used more than 10,000 times – that’s about a year’s worth! The brand has also introduced a new eco-friendly refill pouch for topping up your existing bottles – using up to 85 per cent less plastic. More than five million pumps have been saved from landfill so far. Carex 500ml refill pouches from £1.50. Available in most supermarkets.
18. Toothpaste
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happierbeauty.com
Did you know that more than one billion single- use plastic toothpaste tubes are sent to landfill each year? Happier Toothpaste has launched the UK’s first return and reuse toothpaste lid scheme, where customers can return the brand’s plastic lids using a Freepost address. Better still, each ingredient in the toothpaste is specially selected to have as minimal impact on the environment as possible. £12/75ml tube at happierbeauty.com.
19. Natural cleaning
Make your surfaces sparkle the natural way! Use a lemon (or grapefruit for bigger surface area) with rock salt to clean the inside of your bath*, olive oil to remove limescale from taps and baking soda with vinegar for an all- natural toilet cleaner.
Not only will raiding your existing supplies save money, it also avoids chemicals being dumped into the environment and saves on unnecessary packaging.
20. Reusable bottle
www.chillysbottles.com
Every minute, one million plastic bottles are bought around the world and this figure is expected to go up 20 per cent this year. To help bring the number down, the Chillys Bottles brand has created a range of reusable products. For every bottle bought, £10 will be donated to City to Sea – a charity campaigning to reduce single use plastic to protect our oceans.
From £20 at chillysbottles.com
21. Donate unwanted furniture to charity
Thousands of tonnes of furniture goes into landfill each year, so it's a great idea to donate any pre-loved furniture that's still in good condition to a good cause. Not only will it mean that your furniture goes to someone who really needs it, it also means that it won't go into landfill. Even if it's a larger item of furniture such as a sofa or wardrobe, these items of furniture can often be collected from your home by charities to make the donation process simple for you.