Sustainable(ish)

If you're anything like us the kids start to clamour for a paddling pool as soon as the weather gets above 18C and we have one sunny day, we get one, spend hours (and use lots of precious water) filling it, they play in it for about three seconds, and decide it's too cold, or the sun goes in. It then sits there collecting dead bugs and grass and leaves for a week or two, then somehow gets a puncture (which may or may not be related to the dog jumping into it) and starts a sad and slow decline. Leaving us with a swampy area on the lawn, sad children and a large amount of plastic destined for landfill.​Until Wyatt & Jack launched their #inflatableamnesty!​Wyatt & Jack are an amazing small business based in Ryde on the Isle of Wight that repurpose fabric from vintage deckchairs, bouncy castles, paddling pools and inflatables and turn them into gorgeous drool-worthy bags. So far they have saved somewhere between 80 and 90 tonnes of material from landfill - that's the equivalent to the weight of around 60 family cars!In this episode, I'm chatting to Georgia, founder of Wyatt & Jack, about how the business came about, and how a tiny little one or two man band ended up working with the likes of the National Trust and Thomas Cook. Georgia shares her amazing story and her brilliant ethos and I love the passion and drive that she has behind not only Wyatt & Jack, but about repurposing and reusing. If you find yourself with a punctured bouncy castle, lilo or beach ball this year, then join in with the #inflatableamnesty and keep all that plastic out of landfill.Enjoy!Useful linksWyatt & Jack- Website- Facebook- Instagram- Twitter- Inflatable Amnesty- Inflatable Amnesty map for drop off points- End of life policyHoliday Hypermarket have teamed up with Wyatt & Jack and are offering free postage labelsMore info on Wyatt & Jack's collaboration with Thomas CookMore info on the collaboration with the National TrustThe inflatable Stonehenge that travelled the country and now in a top secret location waiting to be turned into bags by Wyatt & Jack!What you can send for the #inflatableamnestyPaddling poolsLilosLatex balloonsBeach ballsWhoopee cushionsRubber ringsTrampoline canvasWhat you can't send for the #inflatableamnesty Helium balloonsSwimming capsSpace hoppersRubber footballsFAQsDo I have to pay postage?There are some items that Wyatt & Jack can refund postage costs on - the best thing is to e-mail Georgia to check.Can I get my own inflatable back as a bag? Yes you can! If you get in touch, Wyatt & Jack can give you a quote for commissions. Where to send your punctured inflatables:Wyatt & Jack Inflatable AmnestyUnit 7, Weavers Yard,Lane End,Bembridge. IOWPO35 5US […]

DID YOU KNOW?We only have around 30- 40 years of fertile soil left in the UK? And golabally optimistic estimates are around 60 years. The problem is that modern agricultural practices take out more from the soil than they put back in, leaving it depleted of the nutrient that plants need to grown. And as 98% of our fod comes from the soil, this should be causing more of a stir than it is.The answer though is simple. And according to today's guest Anna de la Vega from The Urban Worm, it’s worms. Worm farming is a double whammy (in a good way)  – it’s a brilliant way to deal with our food waste (which if sent to landill releases methane and nitrous oxide, both of which are highly potent greenhouse gases) AND it creates amazing quality compost containing all of the essential nutrients that plants need to grow ,which is super concentrated meaning you only need small amounts.In lots of countries it’s being done an industrial scale, but here in the UK we are lagging behind a little. No doubt been distracted by a certain B word…But worm farming is something that we can all do on a household scale, even if we don’t have a garden. We can use our little worm pets to munch away on our food waste, so a worm farm is an ideal solution to food waste if you don’t hve a council food waste collection and don’t have a garden for a compost bin.Food waste is a massive issue when it comes to the climate crisis  - indeed if food waste were a country it would the 3rd biggest emitter of greenhouse gases after the USA and China. So it’s something we should all be working on. Obviously we should all be looking to minimise our food waste by meal planning, having a healthy disregard for best before dates, and dishing up sensible portions, but there will always be a certain amount of unavoidable food waste, no matter how anal diligent we are about it - things like banana skins, egg shells, tea bags etc etc.In this episode we chat all things worms, and Anna gives us the run down on setting up our own wormery, what to do and what not to do, and how to keep our worms happy.I’m super inspired to set my own now, and I hope after listening to this that you will be too!Enjoy!Useful linksThe Urban Worm- Website- Facebook- Instagram- 20L mini worm farm kits- How to set up a mini worm farm- Wheelie bin worm farm DIY kits- How to set up a wheelie bin worm farmCompost worms from Yorkshire WormsCan o Worms from Wiggly WigglersA Beginners Guide to Wormeries […]

I had the great pleasure of chatting to Tillie Mabbutt recently for Episode 37 of the Sustainable(ish) podcast, where she shared with us her amazing business Frome Eco Party Packages, and her top tips for anyone wanting to start up a similar thing near them. She's very kindly helped me to collate this little "How to.." guide with all the info in one place to make it super easy. Why you might want to:I'm sure any parent will tell you that kids birthday parties are massively wasteful - and that's before we even get started on presents and party bags. Many of us will resort to paper plates and cups to lighten the load a little but all of this ends up in our black bins and the more aware we become about plastic and rubbish, the more we’re realising that there is no simple magic land of ‘away' where the fairies take our rubbish and turn it into unicorns and flowers. It all has to go somewhere, and if it’s in our black bins it’s going to landfill or incineration – neither of which are great (to say the least) for the environment. Most paper plates aren't recyclable so we can't use recycling to ease our consciences, and so-called compostable plates and cups are only truly compostable under industrial conditions, which are only available in a few selected sites around the country.The ideal scenario is to use reusable party ware, but how many of have enough in our cupboards at home to deal with a whole party?More and more people are wanting to do the right thing by the planet, but it makes no sense at all for each of to buy (and then store for most of the year) enough reusable plates and cups. Having a service that allows these things to be hired out to families as and when they need them makes perfect sense.It sounds like a great project for a school PTA?Yes and no. In fact, the inspiration for Frome Eco Party Packages came from an article Tillie read about a  PTA in Wales doing exactly this. But as Tillie points out it seems ridiculous for every school in a town to buy the stuff and set up a scheme, when it would be much more sensible (and indeed more eco-friendly) to just have one central service for the whole town.If you still love the idea of being able to fundraise for PTAs you can do as Tillie does and donate a percentage of the fee to the child's school's PTA (Tillie donates 15%).What do I need?Tillie has bought enought for two 'Ultimate party packs' which include:20 plates20 cups4 food trays2 water jugs10 bowls for snacks and crisps1 birthday bunting2 compostable food waste bagsOptional add onsDepending on how involved you want to make it, other ideas for additional extras you could offer include:CutleryEco-friendly/plastic-free party bags (there are ideas for these here) or you could hook up with an existing eco party bag businessAdditional buntingPompoms/balloon alternativesWashable tableclothes Washable napkinsCakes/cupcakesShould I use plastic? Aren't we trying to avoid plastic?The main issue with plastic is single use plastic. Plastic in itself is actually a really useful material, especially for situations like kids parties where breakages are a possibility. Plus it's super easy to clean and can ultimately be recycled.Bamboo picninc ware tends to still be mixed with some kind of resin or plastic polymers making it difficult to recyle at the end of it's life and is also prone to breaking if it's dropped. The plates etc that Tillie has found are BPA free, and dishwasher safe - so if you don't use the links below, do look for these two things. Where to buy?In an ideal world we'd try and pool together things from friends and neighbours, which can be a great idea if you're just doing it for your own use, but if people are paying for a service you may find that they're happier with something that all matches and isn't already looking too worn. Ikea plates - £1.20 for 6Ikea bowls - £1.20 for 6Ikea cups - £1.20 for 6Ikea plastic cutlery - £1.20 for six sets of knife/fork/spoonColourful serving plattersJugs - Tillie says she got theirs from Sainsburys but I can't find a link at the moment!Bunting - obviously if you can make your own, or know someone who would be willing, that's awesome. A great idea is to reuse old fabric, so look out for colourful bed sheets etc in charity shops. Failing that a quick 'Ecosia search' led me to this company that make bunting from upcycled fabric.How/where to store it allIkea do a range of various plastic boxes with lids - this one here looks like it would do the job .Or there's these ones with castors that also have lids available. Try and find something that will stack well so you can pop a couple on top of each other. If you've got a garage or a shed then you can store it there (make sure the kid is on to prevent dust etc) or failing that find a corner of your home to squeeze it in! Make sure it's easily accessible thought otherwise it will become a total nightmare trying to heft it out each time it's needed.Total start-up costsThis obviously depends on how many setting you buy - if you buy 60 plates and cups you will have enough for 3 x 20, or 2 x 20 with spares for people to hire as add-ons60 plates = £1260 cups = £1212 food trays = £23.256 water jugs = £1230 bowls for snacks and crisps = £61 birthday bunting - price will vary or you can make your own2 compostable food waste bags - a pack is around £5 or £62 x storage boxes (obviouls you could use something you already have) = £14Total cost around  £80 excluding bunting How much should I charge?This is obviously entirely up to you, but as a guide Tillie charges £10 for their 'Ultimate Party Package' (see above for contents) and then £1.50 for every additional 5 childrens place settings.Tillie charges a £5 refundable depost payable when the booking is made and refunded when the package is returned.Tillie also offers an optional washing up service for anyone who really can't be bothered with it, and in this case she simply keeps the £5 deposit.Do I need a website and loads of techie knowledge?No! Keep it simple - at least to start with. If you go on to decide you want to create an all singing all dancing business and website to match, then go for it, but I think for most, this will be a lovely community side project rather than a money making business. This is what you'll need:A Facebook page - you can see the Frome Eco Party Package FB page hereFrome Eco Party Packages also has an Instagram page (optional) Some way of taking payment - this can be Paypal or a bank transferA diary to keep track of who has placed ordersAnything else?At Frome Eco Party Packages Tillie pops a little info sheet in the box with info on about cleaning and using the bunting etc which also has a mini inventory of what's in the box so people know what they should be returning.  […]

Kids birthday parties can be a  nightmare when it comes to the waste and plastic tat that they generate. Yet we all want our little darlings to have a fun and memorable party don't we? And ideally we want to do it with the least amount of stress and work!I’m sure we’re all familiar with the scenario at the end of a party where all the paper plates, cups, bowls, and food waste get swept into black bin liners and deposited in the bin – job done and we get to breathe a sigh of relief that we survived and can now go home and put our feet up. But all that rubbish! And the more aware we become about plastic and rubbish, the more we’re realising that there is no simple magic land of ‘away' where the fairies take our rubbish and turn it into unicorns and flowers. It all has to go somewhere, and if it’s in our black bins it’s going to landfill or incineration – neither of which are great (to say the least) for the environment. So what about recyclable plates I hear you ask? Could these be our get out of eco-jail free card and leave us with a clear conscience? Well... it’s complicated. Lots of paper plates can’t be recycled, especially ones that are brightly coloured or themed with Disney characters etc. And add to that there may well be contamination from contact with food and it really is a big fat no-no. OK, so how about compostable plates? There are more and more so called compostable plates on the market, but this term can be really misleading and many are only truly compostable under industrial conditions, which are only available in a few selected sites around the country.If you remember my favourite, the Waste Hierarchy, what we really want to do is to use reusable plates and cups (it feels a little mean to either refuse our children a birthday party, or reduce the number of birthdays we allow them...), but it feels like quite an expense, not to mention finding storage etc for it, to buy enough  for a couple of parties a year. Which is where businesse like Frome Eco Party Packages come in. It was started by Tillie Mabbutt in Frome, in Somerset just a month or so ago, after reading an article about a school PTA who have set one up for families to hire. And it’s such a beautifully simple idea. Tillie has sourced resusable plastic (yes, plastic, but reusable and pretty indestructible, and BPA free too) plates, bowls, cups, trays and jugs and hires out ‘party packs’ for families to use and then return. It’s SUCH a great idea, and how amazing would it be to have one in every town!Listen in to find out more, and Tillie’s top tips for getting set up if you love the sound of this so much you want to set up your own (I've compiled all of Tillie's tips into a "How to.." post here)!Enjoy!Useful linksFrome Eco Party Packages- Facebook- InstagramHow to set up a reusable party package service for kids birthday parties in your town (blog post) The reusable sandwich wraps that Tillie refers toTille and her family have swapped cleaning products and have started buying BioD in bulkThe news article about a PTA setting up an eco party packIkea plates - £1.20 for 6Ikea bowls - £1.20 for 6Ikea cups - £1.20 for 6Ikea plastic cutlery - £1.20 for six sets of knife/fork/spoonColourful serving plattersJugs - Tillie says she got theirs from Sainsburys but I can't find a link at the moment!Bunting - obviously if you can make your own, or know someone who would be willing, that's awesome. A great idea is to reuse old fabric, so look out for colourful bed sheets etc in charity shops. Failing that a quick 'Ecosia search' led me to this company that make bunting from upcycled fabric. The Eco Party Bags that Tillie refers toPlastic-free(ish) party bags (blog post)  […]

Today I’m chatting to Helen and Joe, co-founders of EcoTales, who have been friends since meeting each other at school at the age of 12. EcoTales is a podcast for primary school children that aims to share nature knowledge and inspire future generations to love and defend the planet. And it does it brilliantly through stories and songs helped by a cast of 26 animated alphabet characters. There’s PolyPlastic and Willow Water and Etta Earth, who alongside all their friends, tell Eco-Tales to not only engage children but also to help us to start having some of these conversataions with  our own kids about some of the big issues we’re facing.In  this episode we dig into how to talk to talk to our kids about the climate crisis without freaking them out, how to get older kids on board, what role schools should be playing in educating children about the future they might be facing and a whole host of other stuff. Now if that all sounds a bit heavy and hardcore, please don’t worry, it’s honestly not. It’s more a light hearted chin-wag over a cuppa, sharing our experiences with our own kids - things that have worked and some things that haven’t - when it comes to talking to them about the planet and the choices we're making.Enjoy!Key Takeaways:Children inherently care about natureBe as open as you can, and explain why you're making the choices you're making - obviously in an age appropriate way, and at a time when they're open to what you're saying (i.e. not in the middle of a meltdown in the supermarket about magazines/Kinder eggs/other assorted plastic crap)Encourage connections with natureHave the conversations naturally as they come upOlder children/teenagers can be more difficult to engage but we can also be more open and honest with them about the impacts of our actionsEasy actions include growing veg, feeding the birds, 'seed bombing', picking up litter, remembering to use reusable water bottles - all of these actions help our children to feel empowered rather than overwhelmedJoin in with the #ecotalespromise - make a simple promise for the planetwith your kids and share on social media using the #ecotalespromise hashtag'Poly Plastic' was made by professor Leo at Rock Laboratory and although she is useful, this cheeky superhero misfit must be handled with care!  Her unique superpowers make her indestructible and able to mould herself into any shape or object she wants. However, it is these very qualities that make her adventures into the wild so dangerous.  The question is, where will she end up next?Useful linksEcoTales- Website- Facebook- Instagram- Twitter"Gloop" - the award winning 'twisted fairytale' about the meteoric rise of plastic that Joe worked onPlastic-free(ish) party bags (blog post) "Beebombs" SeedbombsEcoTales Warrior Project on the TES siteAchieving Greenness - Joe and Helen's recommendation for a future guest […]

In this episode I’m chatting to Celia Pool one of the co-founders of DAME – a sustainable self-care brand on a mission to turn our bathrooms green.Did you know that globally we throw away 100 billion sanitary products every year? Which is enough to circle the globe 250 times. Plastic tampon applicators are a big part of the problem –being used for just seconds but taking hundreds of years to degrade. Even cardboard applicators are often lined with plastic. Here in the UK we throw away 13 billion aplicators every single year, and in a recent UK beach clean nine tampon applicators were found washed up on beaches for every kilometre of  shoreline.There are loads of great reusable menstrual products out there like cups and washable pads but what Celia and Alex realised was that one of the reasons that more women weren’t making the switch to reusables was that it was too big a habit change to switch away from a product like tampons that worked for them. Hence their first product is the world’s first reusable tampon applicator along with organic cotton tampons It’s a brilliant story and DAME are a company who really are pulling out all the stops to do things right – from actively seeking out female engineers ands specialists to help develop their produts, through to designing a poduct that can be used with any size tampon and any brand, and re-using existing packaging to send out their products. In fact, on the website they describe themselves as a “consumer goods company that belives in less consumption” (and we dive into that oxymoron in the podcast!). Whether you’re already a dedicated cup or reusable pads type, or in fact you don’t have periods at all, this episode still has something for you – it’s a brilliant example of a brand on a mission and it’s hugely inspiring to see how creating and selling stuff can be good for people and planet when it’s done right. Enjoy! ​​​​​​​​​​Useful linksDAME- Website- Facebook- Instagram- TwitterA Beginners Guide to Eco-friendly and Plastic-free Periods (blog post) [031] - Plastic-free Periods and Wipes with Natracare (podcast)[028] Buy Less Buy Better with Buy Me Once (podcast)B-CorpOddboxSkipping Rocks LabsRubies in the Rubble […]

Every year an estimated 300,000 tonnes of used clothing goes to landfill in the UK.In the UK we buy more clothes per person than any other country in Europe.It takes over 2000 litres of water to make one single cotton t-shirt.17% of young people said they wouldn’t wear an outfit again if it had been on IG.These are shocking stats aren't they? I’ve heard most of them before, but that still doesn’t detract from the shock value. However the one that was new to me was the IG one – I’m a bit too old and uncool to really care what outfit I’m wearing on IG, if indeed I share any pictures of myself at all. And it really hadn’t occurred to me that it would be a thing. That you wouldn’t want to be seen in the same outfit twice on social media. I wear the same outfits ALL the time. I figure that if I can’t remember what anyone else was wearing on the school run yesterday, then chances are they won’t have noticed what I’m wearing. But I guess for younger people, people far cooler than me, who do share their outfits and what they’re wearing, then maybe there is this pressure to be constantly refreshing your wardrobe? Clothes are cheaper now than at any other time, to the point that they are sometimes seen as 'disposable' - worm a handful of times and then simply discarded. Most of us give very little thought to the resources that will have gone into those clothes and the people who have made them.So what can we do about it?Well this is where #nonewjune comes in – a campaign being run by three friends at MCR Love Your Clothes encouraging us all to shop secondhand for our clothes in June. Prolonging the active life of our clothes by just 9 months can reduce their carbon, water, and land footprints by 20-30%. We can do that by wearing our own clothes for longer and also by donating the clothes we no longer love and wear to charity shops AND by buying new to us clothes secondhand. There are no real rules for #nonewjune other than not buying brand new clothes. You can buy secondhand clothes, you can swap clothes with friends, you can still have 'new to you' clothes, just not brand new ones! You can find MCR Love Your Clothes here on IG and here on FB. You can sign up here, and when you sign up you will get content into your inbox that will help you during your #nonewjune. Things like where to shop secondhand, how to look after your clothes and more. If you need an extra incentive I think I’m right in remembering that one of the stats shared was that by buying no new clothes for a month, the average shopper could save around 38kg of C02.  So how about it? Are you in? Let’s see if we can make a difference with this one simple action during June! ​​​​​​​​​​Useful linksMCR Love Your Clothes- Facebook- Instagram- The link to sign up for #nonewjuneUprising5 Ways to Get Your Fashion Fix (without Trashing the Planet) (blog post) Easy Sustainable Alternatives to Fast Fashion (blog post)Top Tips Tips for Charity Shop Shopping (blog post)Fashion RevolutionLove Your Clothes […]

If you've not got time to listen to the podcast or read the whole post, scroll to the end for the 'take home' points! Ecobricks. Plastic bottles packed with clean and dry plastic that can then be used literally as building bricks for a whole variety of structures. They seem to the the marmite of the plastic pollution fight with advocates citing them as a great way to keep plastic out of the biosphere (whilst we work on drastically reducing the mind boggling-ly enormous amount of plastic that we have come to depend on) and for the plastic that we would otherwise throw 'away' (altogether now "but we know there is no 'away'") to be turned into something of value. Meanwhile opponents argue that by having a nice neat end point for our plastic somehow legitimises it's use and prevents us tackling the real issues around reducing the amount that we're using. I've been intrigued by Ecobricks for a year or two now, and have been trying to get Lucie on the podcast for the last six months or so. Lucie is the UK's Ecobrick Queen, the 1st UK certified trainer, and all round wonder-woman. And she steadfastly refused to come on the podcast until I had made my very own Ecobrick. And I procrastinated, and faffed, until eventually Lucie sent me a 'make your own Ecobrick kit' to make it as easy as possible for me. And even then it still took me a good couple of months to get round to it. But at last it was done, and it was a really useful experience to make one.In this podcast we dive into everything Ecobricks - what they are, why they came into being, what we can do with them, and how to make them. I also asked on my FB page what people wanted to know about them, and posed several of those questions to Lucie, especially regarding the issues around whether they actually encourage plastic use, and any damage they might do the environment as and when they degrade. It was a really interesting chat (I hope you agree) and it was great to be able to cut through some of the hype and hysteria that sometimes surrounds them, and speak to someone who lives and breathes Ecobricks and is truly passionate about the positive impact they can have, not just on the sheer volume of plastic we're pumping out, but on communities and individuals as well. Be prepared, this is a slightly longer episode than normal, but with half-term coming up I figured you might be looking for something to keep you (and the kids!) entertained on long car journeys if you're off on your hols ​​​​​​​​​​Useful linksEcobricks International- Website- Catalyst programme for businesses- Facebook- InstagramEcobricks UK - Facebook groupNew Forest Aquaponics - Lucie's website with all the UK ecobrick info on- Lucie's Facebook page which has lots of info on ecobricks and workshops etc- Lucie's next Ecobrick workshop - 1st June near SouthamptonThe link to the  post detailing how to make your very own Ecobrick tablelamp​The link to sign up for the Sustainable(ish) Sunday newsletterTLDL?This is internet speak for "Too long, didn't listen" (it's usually TLDR - too long didn't read). I had to look it up.In my mind you all eagerly await each new episode of the podcast and sit down in your favourite chair with a cuppa and a piece of cake in blissful peach and quiet to listen, or you're listening while you're out striding around some rugged landscape or other with your photogenic dog running along at your side. In reality, we're all time poor and I concede that you might not have a free hour+ without extraneous noise at any point other than when you're asleep. So here are the take home nuggets:- Ecobricks are plastic bottles packed with clean, dry, shredded plastic to create a dense 'brick like' structure.- They can be used to create whole buildings when covered with 'cob' in the wattle and daub style that we might all remember learning about in history classes in school, and in the developing world schools and houses have indeed been made from them.- Ecobricks made in the UK stay in the UK, and are used as close to where they are made as possible.- If you want to use the Ecobricks that you've made in your home, a great project is an Ecobrick stool.- If you have no use for your Ecobricks personally, you can find a local project that will use them, or start your own community project (things like friendship benches and raised beds for gardening are popular).- The process of making an Ecobrick is not a 'get out of jail free card' that absolves you of any need to think about and reduce your plastic consumption. Partly because it's actually bloody hard work making one and not for the faint hearted. And partly because the sheer act of collecting all your plastic to go into your Ecobrick will horrify you and is pretty much guaranteed to see you committing to changes to reduce it. - Ecobricking is not a substitute for applying our old fave the Waste Hierarchy and looking to REFUSE, REDUCE and REUSE plastic before we resort to Ecobricking it. […]

I'm not sure about you, but I've sat behind my phone or my laptop on social media watching the youth climate marches, and the Extinction Rebellion protests with a mixture of gratitude, and awe, maybe a little bit of envy. And I've also curled up inside at the thought of going along myself. I feel like this stuff NEEDS to happen, that it's so important that we stand up and show the world, the government, business leaders and our friends and family that this matters. That this matters enough for us to get off our butts and take time out of our busy lives to literally stand up and be counted. But I've always felt like marching, and protesting, and waving placards was for other people. People braver than me, more extroverted, more out spoken. And I've felt a little bit ashamed that I haven't joined in.When I heard about the Mothers Rise Up climate march, organised by an 'ordinary group of scared mums' I felt like maybe this was something I could join in with. Even as as someone who's not mad keen on crowds and hordes of strangers. Even if I had to go on my own.So this Sunday I went. And now obviously feel suitably qualified to put together a little round up of tips for other first time introverts scared of the thought of marches too.Enjoy!TOP TIPS... Go with a friend or try to arrange to meet someone there - it's honestly not horrendous if you do end up going on your own, but for a first time a friend is definitely helpful!  Make a placard - my friend was right. It does give you something to do with your hands, and it makes you feel part of of the march. AND it's a great  conversation starter - several people commented on mine and we'd then chat for a few minutes together. Make your banner foldable/roll-able if you don't want to have to carry it on the train/tube and feel like a knob. Having said that, it is a good way for other people to recognise fellow marchers, and a good way to start conversations with others not aware of the march taking place. Wear comfy shoes - you'll be on your feet for a LONG time. Smile at people and make eye contact. This is sometimes easier if they've got young kids with them as you can congratulate the kids on their banners/t-shirts/just being there, and then it's an easy 'in' into a conversation with their parents.Set yourself a goal of talking to at least one stranger. Or two. Or however many feels ok(ish).You're under no obligation to shout/chant/sing, so if this is going to make you feel even more awkward either move away from the shouting/chanting/singing types or do like most of us do in church/school assemblies and mouth the words whilst smiling maniacally.Look around. Soak up the atmosphere. Feel a part of something bigger.And at the end of the day, if it all gets a bit much - a bit too overwhelming, a bit too people-y, head for home. You made it. You took a massive step out of your comfort zone. Next time maybe you'll stay longer. Next time, maybe a friend will come with you, or one of your kids.Take snacks. And drinks. And try to wee before you arrive at the start point. Oh, and suncream if it's going to be sunny.Be proud of yourself for what you're doing. For stepping up. For standing up. For being part of democracy and making your voice heard. You rock. Useful links4 things you can do to support the climate strike (if you're not the striking type) - blog postA beginners guide to plastic-free and eco-friendly periods - blog postMothers Rise upYouth Climate Strike UKExtinction RebellionThe Sutainable(ish) FB group - your online tribe and a great place to find like-minded souls ​The link to sign up for the Sustainable(ish) Sunday newsletter […]

If you've not got time to listen to the podcast or read the whole post, scroll to the end for the 'take home' points! When I was first approached to ask if I would be interested in interviewing the Susie Hewson, the founder of Natracare about their new safe to flush wipes my instant response was a resounding "No".I felt quite strongly that we should be discouraging the use of single use wipes, and also that marketing a flushable wipe would confuse the message that is starting to filter down that wipes should very definitely NOT be flushed. But I decided to do a bit of digging and a bit of research and it dawned on me that if I’m going to brand and label myself as ‘sustainanble(ish)' then these wipes are probably a very good example of that sustainable(ish) approach. We went cold turkey on baby wipes during our year buying nothing new and I haven’t used them for at least 6 years, so it can be done, and it can be done with young children in tow. The answer is reusable wipes and companies like Cheeky Wipes make it super easy now for people to make the switch. And remember that we’re not just talking baby wipes here, we’re talking make up wipes, cleaning wipes, pet wipes, you name it, there’s probably a wipe for it.  And for each of those scenarios, reusables will work just as well and in an ideal world disposable wipes wouldn’t be needed.But I’m also a realist and I know that my little social media bubble, my FB group, is not representative of the vast majority of society and that the wipe genie is not going to go back into the bottle anytime soon. So actually, maybe there is a need for a better type of wipe – a wipe that doesn’t contain plastic (as all other wipes do) and that has been through a rigorous certification process and independently deemed by the water authorities to be safe to flush.I would always encourage the use of reusable products over single use, but I also know that none of us is perfect. That there might be the odd occasion when we need to reach for a packet of wipes, whether we’re at a festival (if you’re much hipper and cooler than me), if you’re on holiday without any washing facilities and young messy kids, or maybe you're just getting started, you're a new mum and while you can just about get your head around resusable wipes at home, it all becomes a bit much when you start to think about leaving the house. Now at least there's a choice and a wipe that gives you an option other than to add another piece of plastic into the environment. I’m fully expecting a bit of a backlash from putting this out there. To maybe be accused of not being ‘green enough'. For advocating disposable products. But please, before you write me an angry e-mail or leave a disparaging comment on social emdia, listen right to the end. I came away from my conversation with Susie with a changed mind and a respect for her and her brand and what they are tring to achieve. As Susie says, she set up Natracare to be a campaigning brand, one that drives standards up, shows what can be done  and invites the rest of the industry  to step up and do the same. We need more brands like this. Who are looking beyond profit and thinking carefully about their impact on the planet, and thinking about how to create better products for people are starting to think about sustainable(ish) changes they can make. So please do take a listen, with an open mind, and ideally a cuppa and a piece of cake. Enjoy.   ​​​​​​​​​​Useful linksNatracare- Website- Facebook- Twitter- InstagramWater UK's Fine to Flush accreditationWomen's Environmental NetworkCity to Sea's Plastic Free Periods campaign​The link to sign up for the Sustainable(ish) Sunday newsletterTLDL?This is internet speak for "Too long, didn't listen" (it's usually TLDR - too long didn't read). I had to look it up.In my mind you all eagerly await each new episode of the podcast and sit down in your favourite chair with a cuppa and a piece of cake in blissful peach and quiet to listen, or you're listening while you're out striding around some rugged landscape or other with your photogenic dog running along at your side. In reality, we're all time poor and I concede that you might not have a free 45 minutes without extraneous noise at any point other than when you're asleep. So here are the take home nuggets:- Conventional period products contain plastic - a typical sanitary towel can be up to 90% plastic, and a standard pack of sanitary towels contains the same amount of plastic as 4 carrier bags.- Each DAY 700k panty liners, 2.5 million tampons and 1.4 million sanitary towels are flushed down the loo in the UK. This is bad.It costs the water companies millions of pounds each year to clear them from the water treatement plants and causes sewerage blockages. They can also end up being washed out to sea and cause problems for marine life, as well as being hugely unpleasant when one floats past you when you're paddling at the beach.- Conventional wipes are made of plastic. They will not biodegrade or break downing the sewerage system. - The only things that should be flushed down the loo are the '3 Ps' - pee, poo and paper- Early in 2019 Water UK introduced a new 'fine to flush' standard that has been developed by the water industry (who have a vested interest in these things as they are the ones forking out the cash to clear up the blockages) - the wipes industry had a bit of a paddy and said it would be impossible to create a wipe that would pass.- Natracare's Safe to Flush wipes are the first (and only so far) wipes to pass this new standard - the wipes are made from paper and will break down fully in the sewerage system and are home compostable.- I'm not on commission (as someone on FB suggested!) I just think that we need to provide people with choices. If people aren't ready for, or able to use, reusable wipes 100% of the time for whatever reason, up until now they had no choice but to reach for a plastic based wipe and add to the plastic pollution issues. Now there is a choice, and Natracare's aim is that it forces up the standards within the whole wipes industry.That might have been TLDR but hopefully you get the essence! […]