Consuming lightly
Reduce - Reuse - Recycle
REDUCE GENERALLY
Learn to live simply: simplicity
Expect less – then things which have become everyday become special again
Consume what we need and leave the rest
Avoid unconscious impulse buying : sleep on it before buying
Fix rather than replace
Make it rather than buy it (or ask someone to help if we lack the skills!)
Imagine that what we have is finite and we need to use it carefully. Use less of things and make them last longer e.g. how much do we really need to use of something? E.g washing powder, liquid, soap
Say ‘no’ to promotional offers and freebies
Helpful links for reducing general waste
REDUCE CONSUMPTION OF NEW PRODUCTS
Buy second hand where possible – charity shops, Zero Waste in Dunbar, gumtree, ebay, freecycle, freegle, local facebook groups
Borrow or hire for items which are used infrequently e.g tools, vehicles, clothes for special occasions, books, films
Ask wider family before buying items in case they have one spare
REUSE AND REUSE AND REUSE
Make better use of what we have
Use reusable items rather than disposable items e.g razors, food storage, ink cartridges, water bottles….
Buy products which are durable and will last
Look after what we have, so that they can be passed on to others
WHAT IMPACT DOES THE MAKING AND TRANSPORTATION OF THIS PRODUCT HAVE?
Avoid products with palm oil in / or choose sustainable palm oil. These include soaps, toothpastes, bread, crisps, margarine, biscuits, cream cheese, vegan cheese, pizza bases, ice cream, instant noodles…
CHECKLIST FOR BUYING (courtesy of LiL)
Do I really need it?
Can I buy it second hand?
Where is it made?
Can I find a locally produced product?
What materials is it made from?
How has it been made and by whom?
How will I dispose of it at the end of its’ life?
…but please don’t judge yourself! :
“We don’t need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly”
- Anne-Marie Bonneau
CLOTHING AND DÉCOR
Just one cotton shirt requires approx 3000 litres of water!
Look for eco-friendly materials – natural fibres
Make sure it fits well - more likely to wear it
Change from attitude of instant gratification, being trendy, on trend’ etc to functional and durable
Capsule wardrobes: a few essential items of clothing which go together, can be worn in different ways for different occasions
Clothes swapping parties amongst a few friends – take your sack of stuff and tip onto floor and big mirror – ask friends to join you and have a good laugh sharing and swapping
www.depop.com app for second hand fashion; The Big Pick in Musselburgh – pay by the kilo; charity shops; Leith emporium
Don’t consider shopping for clothes, interior design etc as a ‘leisure pursuit’ Dare to be shabby and colourful, creative and real, patched up
Fix and repair e.g darning socks
Learn to recreate one’s old clothes or make new from items you have Craft and Connect at Tyninghame village hall on Tuesdays – get help and learn re sewing etc.
Free fabric scraps from Made in East Lothian (Haddington)
BEAUTY PRODUCTS AND TOILETRIES
Bar soap instead of shower gel
Deodorant sticks or bars
Shampoo bars and conditioner bars work well e.g Crunchy Carrot, Lil
Bamboo toothbrushes
Menstrual cup or reusable pads for sanitary wear
Reusable cotton pads for removing make up
Flannels instead of face wipes
Toothpaste tablets
Makeup: e.g Zao which does refills, Peace with the Wild…
Recycled paper toilet paper e.g. Who Gives a Crap, Ecoleaf, Traidcraft….
Reusable safety razors
Cloth hankies or cut up old unused clothing instead of paper hankies
Get a really short haircut – reduces need for washing hair, no need for shampoo
Don’t shave, wash less – good for skin bacteria apparently
Bamboo plasters
Biodegradable dental floss
CLEANING
White vinegar – all purpose cleaner and for mildew. E.g kilmer jar 1/3 filled with 50:50 water/vinegar and leave cloths to soak and use to clean sinks etc / vinegar and lemon – especially greasy kitchen surfaces
Bicarbonate of soda for scrubbing
Castile soap on floors and sinks
Refills from the Mart / Crunchy Carrot / Low Impact Living (LiL)
Biodegradable toilet brushes
Wash clothes less – dare to be grubby! Merino wool or bamboo does not smell
Guppyfriend – washing bag to catch micro fibres
Biodegradable poop bags (dogs!)
KITCHEN
Instead of kitchen roll and wipes: old towels, muslins, clothes and cloths
Cloth napkins instead of paper napkins
Beeswax wraps / tupperware / wax paper from cereal packets / glass jars / tea towels instead of cling film or freezer bags
Reusable bags and containers where possible when food shopping
Reusing packaging e.g. washing and reusing plastic bags, using paper bags four times = the same carbon footprint as a plastic bag
Complain to suppliers about packaging and keep asking for food which is not in packaging; ask staff in shops why they keep offering bags
Praise suppliers about good packaging options
Compostable bags
Bring your own cutlery when out and about
Recycled aluminium foil
Loofahs for washing up
FOOD
A monthly budget to stick to can help stay focused and not buy on a whim
Meal planning to reduce food waste
Bulk buying for certain products
Ditch the big weekly shop
Choosing in-season, local, organic food where possible
Refills : e.g from Low Impact Living (LiL), Crunchy Carrot, Bostock
A packed lunch for work / leftovers from tea / snacks from home
Reducing how much coffee / other treats consumed and save the money
Milk deliveries in bottles
Refrigerated milk dispenser at the Mart (BYOB): Mart hopes to do this, subject to funding
What happened to bottling plants that existed? Persuade eg Grahams to abandon / reduce plastic bottles
Bring in old egg cartons for personal use when buying loose eggs at the Mart
Loose tea instead of tea bags
Olio app (food sharing)
TooGoodToGo app (buying food which is near end of shelf life)
Foraging e.g wild garlic
Free food Friday’s at the Mart ; Free food at Bleachingfield
Use of slow cooker; wonderbag
Helpful links for reducing food waste
COMMUNICATIONS
Avoid upgrades to phones when offered unless really needed – don’t get sucked in to the newest version
Alternative options e.g fairphone
Computer storage – limited – need less data, back to basics?
Don’t buy new laptops! Upgrade, repair, eventually recycle. If you must buy new, use a manufacturer who has a credible recycling scheme
‘Free software foundation’
MONEY: MONEY MATTERS….IT REALLY DOES!
Where we put our money can have a huge impact. For example, having a green pension can be 21 x more powerful at cutting our carbon than stopping flying, going veggie and changing energy provider combined. Who we bank with, where are pensions are held, who we have mortgages with, and who are our insurers are really matter.
Click here for more information on where we put our money; and here for more information on what we can do with our pensions
STATIONERY AND DIY
Save parcel wrapping / packaging and reusing
Refillable ink pens / refills for biros
Use pencils
Refillable whiteboard markers
Both sides of the paper used for printing, use recycled paper
Envelopes and old paper kept to use to write notes/lists
Cards kept to cut up and reuse
Rechargeable batteries
Paper masking tape
Paint: work out how much paint is really needed; choose a product without a hazard warning on it
Freecycle website
BOOKS
The library – and can ask the library for a book if they don’t have it – to order books in
Buy second hand e.g the World of Books, Abe books
CHILDREN
How to avoid all the ‘stuff’?
Make it possible for kids to play on the street and reinvent the old games ; encourage children to play outdoors and make their own fun
Ask schools to talk with children about eco issues and it’s cool not to have loads of ‘stuff’ at parties
Don’t give in to peer pressure – feel ok letting people know you don’t want plastic toys and let them know why
Explain to your children why the above is important to help them understand low carbon living from a young age
Teach children the value / cost of toys etc and encourage to save
Divert birthdays away from receiving gifts and giving gifts – be creative
Limit number of children to a sensible number
Reusable wipes and nappies
Less is often more for the number of toys for children
Jack and Jill second hand markets and online market
Toy swaps
PRESENT AND PARTIES
Experiences, consumables, donations to charities or home-made presents
Agree a sensible present strategy with relatives before birthdays and Christmas; limited quantities, limited plastics, things that will be durable but still enjoyable
Secret Santa for Christmas
Exchanging poems instead of gifts (about the birthday/Christmas person)
Wrap with newspaper / brown paper / kids’ art work / who gives a crap wrapping / cloth
Re-usable cups and plates at parties (e.g you can hire from www.lil.org)
Discourage party bags
Sustainable Wedding Blog – Neil from Mart’s wife is creating this and will be shared soon : list of what is available
GARDENING
Seed swaps!
Avoiding use of peat
Make own pot plants – paper /toilet rolls / egg cartons / newspaper
Make own compost
Skills sharing – how do we grow?
Garden sharing is a great way to make friends while someone else looks after your garden!
Wildflower areas for the bees
Wildlife areas
Weedkiller: clear vinegar 4 cups, Epson salts ¼ cup, ecover 2 teaspoons
Nettle tea: nettles and water steeped for 4 weeks – dilute in water and use to feed plants
Comfrey tea: comfrey and water – dilute in water and use to feed plants
Many cut flowers purchased in Europe have been grown in countries where water is scarce. Locally grown and in season flowers much better, or grow our own and in season flowers much better, or grow our own
LINKS
RECYCLING
Recycling First for furniture, household items and domestic electrical appliances in East Lothian:
Recycle more with Terracycle
RE-USE
Zero Waste Dunbar
The Freecycle Networ
Freegle Don’t throw it away, give it away!
Buy nothing North Berwick – a facebook group
SHARING
East Linton Borrowers - a facebook group
Whirli – a toy sharing subscription box: helping UK families reduce toy clutter with a more affordable and sustainable way to play
Nurture the Play - to hire toys
ENERGY
Home Energy Scotland – an online advice hub and to find out what funding you could get for home energy improvements
BeGreen energy advice centre in Dunbar for information, grants and services
Warmworks helping to warm homes across Scotland