Green shoots

Grow your own!

My mantra is that you don’t have to have a garden to grow your own – anybody can have a go! All you need is a hanging basket filled with tumbling tomatoes, a windowbox of salad leaves or some pots of mini vegetables outside the back door to enjoy a little self sufficiency. You can…

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Use soda crystals

Soda crystals have long been used as a water softener, so use them in your washing cycle to soften your clothes. Add 100 g (31/2 oz) to your wash load for soft, fluffy clothes. If you are in a hard water area, adding washing soda to your laundry means you can then put in the…

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Keep skincare simple

Many people spend lots of money on products designed to keep them looking young and beautiful. Unfortunately, many of these products contain harsh, toxic chemicals which can be detrimental to your health and the environment. In addition, many items come in plastic packaging, which ends up in the landfill, where it remains for hundreds of…

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Don’t waste your beetroot tops!

Did you know that beetroot leaves can be eaten like spinach? What a waste to throw those leaves away! Next time you harvest or buy beetroot with the leaves on, be sure to eat the tasty tops too. If you pick them when small, you can eat them raw in salads. If they are larger,…

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Shop ethically with gooshing

Are you concerned about greenwashing or unsure which companies you can trust? Do you want to make more ethical choices, but not sure how to find what you are looking for? Then I have just the tool for you! Gooshing is a free ethical shopping tool from the Good Shopping Guide. GOOSHING makes it easy…

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Ditch the plastic bag

We’ve all heard it hundreds of times before, which means, if you’re still taking disposable carrier bags from the supermarkets, you shouldn’t be! Over 17 1/2 billion disposable plastic carrier bags are given out every year in the UK alone. Once in the landfill, these bags can take up to 1000 years to degrade. If…

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Switch to rechargeable batteries

Every year in the UK, householders bin 700 million batteries weighing 19,000 tonnes. Put end to end, these would stretch to Australia and back. We’re buying more and more battery operated gadgets such as digital cameras, MP3 players, Cd players, remote controls, games consoles and wireless computer peripherals. Currently, less than 2% of batteries are…

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Save 20% on your driving costs

This tiny step could make all the difference to your running costs and environmental impact. If you make 5 car journeys each week to work or a school run, why not Lift share for one of those days? Taking this one step will reduce your fuel costs, driving emissions and car running costs by one…

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Put a lid on it

This is one of the simplest tips for reducing your carbon footprint and saving money on cooking fuel. It also means you can’t boil things over. If you have a gas hob this will save you time and frustration (and hot water and detergent!) with reduced cleaning. It’s not rocket science and it’s something I…

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Reduce air pollution in your home

Air pollution in your home can be higher than air pollution outdoors – that’s amazing isn’t it? One of the reasons for this is the use of toxic household cleaning products. So called air fresheners are one of the biggest culprits. They work by overpowering the scent you want to hide with a harsh blend…

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