#WIN a Vektra Vacuum Eco Kettle #ZeroWasteWeek
Browse main article categories
I’ve been learning some amazing facts for Zero Waste Week which runs 5-9th September.
The theme this year is reducing food waste, which is a topic close to my heart.
What if I were to suggest that when you came home from doing your weekly shop, you threw one third of the food you’d bought straight into the bin?
Sounds crazy, right?
Well, that’s what many households are doing, without even realising!
AND, one third of the food grown on this planet never reaches a human stomach.
Something’s not adding up when we’re told we’re going to struggle to feed people in the future!
Maybe we need to think about wasting less and redistribution of food…
I’ve learned it’s not just food we’re wasting.
We’re wasting drinks too.
And as tea is our nation’s favourite, I was shocked to learn we’re throwing away £110m of tea per year.
That’s not very British, is it?
Not only that, but the average household boils the kettle 1500 times per year and the Energy Saving Trust has found that three-quarters of British households overfill their kettles, wasting a total of £68m each year.
So here’s a simple pledge for Zero Waste Week – why not take care to only boil the amount of water you need AND take five minutes a day to kick back, relax and actually enjoy your favourite cup of tea before it goes cold?
Win a Vektra Vacuum Eco Kettle
I’m going to make it easier for you with your chance to win a fantastic Vektra Vacuum Eco Kettle which has generously been provided by the team at Boiler Guide. It’s ingenious design combines kettle and vacuum flask technology to boil water efficiently then keep it hot for up to four hours.
Simply enter the rafflecopter below and I’ll choose someone at random on Friday evening next week. PLEASE NOTE – this is only open to UK residents.
189 Comments
Featured posts
Five natural ways to cure Seasonal Affective Disorder SAD
In Northern Europe, around 12 million people suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Symptoms range from mild such as feeling a little…
Basic natural household cleaning kit
You’ve all been waiting patiently to begin making your own household cleaners. You know some of the nasties you want to avoid…
A natural homemade recipe for cough syrup using thyme, garlic, honey and sage.
Mother Nature bestows so many gifts upon us, providing all we could ever need for a long and healthy life; foods to…
Don’t leave stuff on standby
Don’t leave electrical products off property and turn lights off when room isn’t in use xxx
Turn off the lights, don’t leave stuff on standby, switch it off at the socket
Turn your lights off when you’re not using them.
Add layers to keep warm in the winters rather than relying wholly on the central heating. Use lower wattage lighting system. Helps the environment and the wallet:)
Do not leave items on Stand By
I have a small solar panel by my window so my laptop and other little usb items can get a charge while I am at work without using mains electricity
(great if your a amateur photographer and have a flash that uses AA batteries as they are charged for free and always to hand)
Find an old fashioned shakermaker ( was betterware) at a car boot, you just shake the angel delight and hey presto, most energy efficient equipment I have
whenever there are leftovers we always use them the next day and I always turn lights off after everyone, they wil catch on eventually
Always switch of power points when they are not in use.
Switch everything off – leaving things on stand by uses electricity
Only put enough water in the kettle for how many drinks you are making instead of boiling water you don’t need.
Only boil the amount of water you need
My tip is to use rechargeable batteries wherever possible, but make sure you have the right charger as this prolongs the battery life and recharge efficiency.
Monitor electricity usage. Don’t leave stuff switched off and conserve water by reuse and ensuring taps aren’t running.
Am enjoying #ZeroWasteWeek, just trying to get husband doing more too! Have composter and bin waste is now cereal and frozen vegetable packaging, not sure if ever will be able to change this. Good luck all keep up the good work and great blog!
always carry a refillable bottle so there no need to buy single use plastic when out and about
Instead of wasting electricity vacuuming, roller blade around on the carpets, it leaves lines which makes it look like you’ve vacuumed.
Don’t Throw Drinks Down Those Sinks!! 👍
Perhaps an obvious one, but buy vegetables loose where possible, not pre-packaged — saves on packaging, you only buy the amount you need, and even though there can be tempting special offers, buying the amount you need by weight still usually works out cheaper!
turn off lights as you leave the room
Turn off computer monitors when not in use.
I turn the plugs off for anything I’m not using. Those red power lights aren’t lit up for free!!
take the lightbulbs out of any room the kids use… forever turning the lights off after them!! 🙂
switch of power points when they are not in use
Turn everything what you do not need completely off.
Don’t leave the lights on in rooms you’r not in.
Switch off or unplug any chargers or appliances you don’t need on. If they have a stand-by light, a display or are hot to the touch they’ll be using energy just by being plugged in.
Turn off all switches before bed
Always turn plugs and lights off when not really needed, when you think essential means you will use less. 🙌
I make a large flask of tea in the morning which lasts my husband and myself until late afternoon so I don’t have to boil several kettles.
If you’re only making a cup of tea for one, fill your cup with cold water and empty into the kettle so you only boil exactly that you need.
Chargers use electricty even when they aren’t plugged into a phone. Buy a plug timer for your charger so that you only have it using electricity for the hours you would normally charge your phone – e.g. overnight.
Also, if you can’t access plug sockets very well to switch plugs off at the mains, buy extension leads which have switches so that they are easily accessible and you can turn off items which you would normally have on stand-by.
Dry washing on the line
Cook double and freeze half. A defrost and quick reheat uses far less effort and energy
Don’t leave anything on standby and turn off all unnecessary lights but most important never overfill your kettle only boil what you need.
Turn off electrical equipment when not in use.
Don’t leave appliances on stand by
Turn the pressure down on the shower – it is surprising how much water you save.
Use solar chargers for your phone and laptop
Turn lights off, drives me crazy finding lights on!
Also, love snuggling under a blanket whilst watching TV/reading a book, so keep the heating turned down.
always make sure you switch off all apliances and this saves a lot of money that you can not see being used
Wash your clothes on a short wash where possible.
Thermal backed curtains and a curtain over the front door help keep the cold out and the heat in.
make sure you power off electrical equipment at night and have good well fitting double glazing
Turn off lights when they are not needed. Fit energy saving bulbs.
Only use lights when you are in the room and need them! and make sure everything is off and not left on stanby!
I always turn of everything by switches if I am not using it – it works I have a low electric bill 🙂 x
Turn your microwave off at the socket…..it can use more electric powering the clock than the actual microwave if you don’t use it often.
Turn off the lights when you walk out the room.