You could being saying, 'Ahh Christmas' or you could equally say 'Arghhh, Christmas' - either way I hope it's a joyous one for all my readers!
It's a perfect time to snuggle up with your loved ones, but do we need the stress and does the planet need all the waste? An absolute no on both counts.
To take away some of the strain, I have written useful tips on how to have a green Christmas, how to reduce waste, some eco books to buy & loads more.
Stocks are very limited so grab 'em while you can!
For those with the Winter blues, why not check out our positive news section to give you a bit of a boost along the way?
Meanwhile, for those forward thinking types (one step at a time) then why not check out my directory of all good things, to help you decide which charity you'd like to support, how you can volunteer and some good sites to browse for the New Year.
So put your woolly browsing socks on & enjoy the ride!
Just in time for Plastic Free July, the Big Plastic Count results are in. A survey was sent out to interested hosueholds in May 2022. Published by Greenpeace & Every Day Plastic, the results of the survey are indeed very shocking.
Some takeaway nuggets include:
π Nearly a quarter of a million
people (248,957) from 97,948 UK households took part in the biggest ever Plastic Count Survey.
π On average, each household threw away 66 pieces of plastic packaging in one week, which amounts to an estimated 3,432 pieces a year.
π Over a million pieces of plastics were counted from fruit & veg packaging whilst over a million more made up of snack bags, packets and wrappers.
π The majority of these types of plastics (57%) are soft plastics which are less likely to be recycled.
π The survey found that just 12% of the type of plastics discarded will likely be recycled in the UK whilst 17% shipped abroad, 25% could end up in landfill whilst 46% be incinerated.*
π The UK is the 2nd worse country for plastic waste per capita after the USA and is almost double the weight than plastic waste generated in Italy.
*Different local authorities handle recycling in different ways so there's some level of guesswork involved but the calculations were based on types of plastics being discarded in the week (a tick off chart helped categorise what was being used, ie cartons, peelable lids, trays, wrappers etc and also categories for food, personal products (for body washing etc) & household products such as cleaning sprays & wash tabs etc etc.)
π They concluded that 62% of the pieces of plastic recorded in the count are either not collected or poorly collected for recycling by UK local authorities, and likely to end up in landfill or incinerated.
π Incinerating plastics cause way more pollution/carbon emissions than burning coal & releases toxic fumes into the environment.
π Landfilling meanwhile releases methane & ethylene into the atmosphere as the plastics are broken down (if the landfill is exposed to the elements), coupled with microplastics being carried by wind.
This highlights the need for much better investment in recycling products, reducing single used products & encouraging a deposit scheme for return of plastic bottles as an urgent requirement. The government discussed previously a deposit return scheme however a scheme has yet to be implemented.
Also a bigger look at circular economy would be a help, for instance Mother Nature has far less waste, what is no longer needed goes back into the system and used by some of other part of the eco system. Humans have a much more linear system, make something, use it, discard it, buy another and so on.
We need to be more forward thinking rather than letting waste pile up to the point where we can no longer live due to all the products we rely on (meat, plants, water, air) becoming too polluted to rely on. Many would say we are already past the tipping point.
I've been trying to reduce plastics for a number of years and have been recycling plastics since the late 80s/early 90s. Even so, my weekly plastic tally came to 40 plastic items.
A portion of these items are re-used as we wash out plastic bottles for making our own fizzy drinks, using a ginger beer plant as a base plus plastic ziplock bags are used for disposing of cat litter.
The majority of plastic products I buy have recycled content in them, however 40 items was still shocking to me - this is under the national average but it's still too much.
What a joy it was to watch Sir David Attenborough’s Green Planet aired by the BBC earlier this year. It was split into 5 episodes, exploring Tropical Worlds, Seasonal Worlds, Human Worlds, Water Worlds & Desert Worlds.
Sir David Attenborough follows the remarkable nature of plants, including how they grow in remarkably hostile terrains and how, with a little care, we can encourage nature to spring back allowing a biodiverse environment and benefitting us in the long term.
Inspired by the BBC programme, an AR experience has been created for a short time in Piccadilly Circus, London. It runs from Friday 11th February to Wednesday 9th March.
Travel through some digitally enhanced worlds including Saltwater, Freshwater, Rainforest, Seasonal & Deserts.
The Green Planet AR Experience is located at Piccadilly Circus in London. Tickets are free & can be booked online at https://thegreenplanetexperience.co.uk/
Also available is this Green Planet double-sided colour poster. Produced by the Open University, it is free to order online at https://connect.open.ac.uk/greenplanet
Hedgerows are easy to undervalue but they are a great refuge for multiple species of birds and insects. According to Positive News, the Climate Change Committee recommends a 40% increase in hedgerows, which not only helps wildlife but they can act as a carbon store. Devon Farmer Rob Wolton, with the aid of entomologists, spotted 2000 species in one hedge alone, including insects, small mammals, lizards, grass snakes and various types of birds.
The Guardian report that hedges reduce the likelihood of flooding downstream, help to suck pollutants out of water, and prevent soil erosion. Flower filled hedgerows could also attract pollinators which have been in decline. (An excellent look at the benefit of hedgerows and how they can help us reach net zero can be read in the Guardian link above.)
The Tree Council kick started a National Hedgerow Planting Week end of May/early June last year. Their Close the Gap Hedgerow Project is part funded by the UK Government’s Green Recovery Challenge Fund in unison with the National Lottery.
The Queen’s Green Canopy (QGC) is a tree planting initiative created to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022. Everyone across the UK is being invited to plant trees from October 2021 (when the tree planting season begins) through to the end of the Jubilee year in 2022.
The Local Authority Treescape Fund (LATF) will re-open in early 2022. The government expects that up to 100 grants worth £50,000 to £300,000 will be available for local authorities in the next round.
The first round of funding is currently supporting planting of an expected 260,000 trees outside of woodlands, with 139 local authorities awarded a share of £4.4 million across 42 projects.
For further tree & woodland planting grants head on down to:
So why are trees so important? Although they can produce carbon, they sequester twice as much as they emit allowing them to be a carbon sink.
According to an article by Eco Watch: ‘Forests emitted on average 8.1 billion metric tonnes of carbon dioxide and absorbed 16 billion between 2001 and 2019.’ The net amount absorbed is 1.5 times more than United States emits annually, so our trees MUST be nurtured if we want to continue our existence.
Peatland Restoration:
The UK Peatland Strategy was launched in April 2018 by the IUCN UK Peatland Programme. They estimate that 80% of peatland is degraded, this sadly leads to drying out of the peat causing carbon loss rather than carbon capture. In the UK, three broad peatland types exist – blanket bog, raised bog and fen. Peatland in good condition can help with water filtration and prevent flooding, as well as encourage a more diverse mix of plants and insects which then encourages a greater mix of birds and wildlife.
“Peatlands are Earth’s largest terrestrial carbon store, holding more than twice the amount of carbon in all the world’s forests. 87 per cent of peatlands are degraded. In this state, they do not capture and store carbon but emit an estimated 10 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent every year.
Swansea University, Sky Ocean Rescue & WWF have been planting sea grasses to help our shores. Sea grasses are a useful source of carbon capture & provide a haven for sea life.
Rewilding is allowing nature to return back to its natural habitat. Land can be over farmed losing its nutrients; trees can be cut down for house building & animal grazing can strip young shoots preventing new growth. Hedgerows can be cleared to make way for larger fields and waterways can be straightened and narrowed, reducing natural flood plains which can result in flood water rushing down into inhabited towns and villages.
Animals, birds and insects that rely on natural surroundings begin to suffer as their native food supply may be lost due to lack of forest and ground cover and lack of healthy plant and flower growth in the area. Soil can lose nutrients and peat land can dry out. With dry peat land, unhealthy soil and a lack of greenery, this leads to carbon storage becoming much harder to control causing carbons to be lost into the atmosphere.
Rewilding projects help to work with landowners and farmers & allows nature to return back to its former glory, thereby encouraging a more biodiverse landscape. This will help with carbon capture thereby helping us out too!
Overgrazing can deplete soil causing loss of nutrients and soil erosion. We don’t have to STOP farming, just re-think the methods in the way we do it.
Methods could include planting wildflower meadows along the edges, building more hedgerows, allowing fields to recover before bringing grazers back in, avoid over tilling of soil which could strip the nutrients, planting trees, shrubs and herbs that produce food which also encourages pollinators & allowing grazing animals to move between trees rather than land clearance.
Our recent eco booze article covered ways in which grape producers encourage local biodiversity in between their planted vines as an example.
There’s also the Countryside Stewardship Facilitation Fund by the UK government which encourages collaborative farming communities getting together to exchange ideas. 'The scheme plays a significant role in fostering and strengthening an engaged, collaborative and environmentally aware farming community.'
Wildflowers:
The Tower of London are holding a Super Bloom event this year. Vibrant meadow flowers will be used to fill the moat in honour of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
In spring 2022, over 20 million seeds will be sown from carefully designed seed mixes.
One of the Green Planet episodes covered a project in Kenya, whereby seeds were encased in charcoal ash and scattered by volunteers which included school children and wardens. Numerous ways have been used to plant seedballs, including dropping from planes, using slingshots to project them in random directions (great fun for the kids!) and some countries even uses camel riders to drop seedballs as they trek through the desert.
The beauty of seedballs is that the material used to encase the seeds (such as charcoal, clay), can be used to protect the seedlings and feed them during the early development. The seeds naturally bury their roots down into the soil so don’t need digging in.
Did you know that Lovelier Planet have been making seedballs with wildflower seeds for your garden? A good way to attract bees and butterflies into your garden to increase pollination.
They are individually hand made from 50% compost & 50% clay and come in packs of 10 balls in a gift pack (which can be personalised on request) or in home made fabric crackers in packs of six available, with Easter and Christmas designs. See our etsy store for more details.
Did you know you can choose alternative coffins too, including beautifully designed cardboard based coffins?
Memorial:
If you have lost a loved one why not donate a tree in their honour through Woodland Trust? RSPB can accept memorial donations and have a book of remembrance at selected reserves.
Shopping:
Support sustainably produced projects such as companies that use green energy or re-utilise waste products (check out our recent eco-booze article for some ideas).
If buying products made from trees, look at for the FSC label to ensure it was properly managed, or use products made from faster growing bamboo. Our reviews section has some ideas for you.
Check whether your product uses sustainable palm oil by using a Giki app. (This app looks at various ethical badges to help you make an informed choice).
Also look out for the Rainforest Alliance logo on products for sustainable agriculture.
Check the label and see which products are produced locally. Avoid those sent by plane (for instance perishable goods such as fruit & veg flown in from abroad). Support your local farm shop for fresh produce.
Support local care farms (aimed at helping people as well as the environment whilst growing and selling fresh produce). There is a UK map here which you can enlarge to see the local care farm in your area. https://www.farmgarden.org.uk/your-area
Check the packaging of items you buy in store to see if the manufacturer uses recycled content for their packaging (this uses less virgin plastics or trees which would add to your carbon footprint).
If you have a zero waste store in your area, help cut down on packaging waste by taking your own containers. See this directory for some stores near you.
Reduce food waste (waste produces methane which can affect plant growth and increase global warming). There are some food apps to help reduce waste you can try.
Create a wildlife friendly garden with tips from the PTES. The site includes pollinating flowers, how to create woodpiles, insect hotels, bat boxes, ponds & hedgehog friendly gardens.
Ditch the gym membership and find some outdoor gym equipment in your local area. This site shows some ‘fresh air fitness gyms’ that might be near you.
Check for local activities such as ranger led nature walks at the National Trust.
If you like walking, maybe get a group of friends together to do a beach clean or litter pick.
Waterhaul, a UK company, can sell you litter pickers for about £15 made from recycled fishing nets and face masks. Great idea! Or the RSPB has one made from recycled plastics & metal.
Easter:
You’ll be surprised that even Easter eggs have their affect on the planet as well as worker’s rights. The Ethical Consumer group has listed Cadbury’s, Terry’s & Nestle as scoring poorly in their league table.
Read on to learn more. (It’s worth reading the summaries below the league table too for some interesting insights).
The site below is an eye opener for those looking at greener savings accounts. I was shocked to see my bank has been financing the nuclear weapons industry, as well as contributing to climate change industries whilst scoring poorly in tax payments and the use of tax havens.
⚘ Support companies that offer free tree planting with your order such as Floral Fox. Switch your search engine browser to Ecosia to support tree planting projects with every click.
In this post I will be looking at 10 options for eco friendly beers, wine & spirits. It's good to know there are some sellers out there who consider the planet when shaping their business. We as consumers can make our own choices on who to follow. Here's a few suggestions below:
1) Sea Change Wine – A UK company which sells wines produced in Germany, France, Italy & Spain. The team at Sea Change donates to ocean charities whilst reducing plastic in their cork wraps and using 15% grape waste in the labels.
Their first wine was Pink Elephant which supported an elephant conservation charity to protect Asian elephants. They have some gorgeous labels with seals, dolphins, porpoise, whale, sea lion, otter & turtle.
Your purchase can help support great work, they’ve raised over €100,000 which funds vital research and supported ‘Ocean Generation', who were behind the film ‘A Plastic Ocean.’
Other donations have gone to help beach cleaning projects in Cornwall & save sea turtles in the Maldives.
2) Hidden Sea – wine sellers in Australia are working with the ReSea project to remove & recycle 1 billion single use plastic bottles from the ocean by 2030. With each bottle sold, 10 plastic bottles are removed from rivers and oceans.
3) Cono Sur – a South American vine yard has striven to work organically without pesticides and encourage biodiversity, by planting native wildflowers to entice insects into zones between the vines.
They have also achieved carbon neutral status, recycle water to clean the barrels, use solar power to generate electricity and even use geese to help with pest control! Goose manure & waste from grapes goes to improve the soil.
They won the title of ‘Green Company of the Year’ awarded by the British Drinks Industry Green Awards in 2011.
Available in UK supermarkets (look out for the Bicicleta range with a bicycle on the label!)
4) Identity Wine – a Fair Trade wine producer in South Africa use solar panels to generate electricity and have bee hives on site (the bees encourage pollination of the vines).
They also have wild peacocks and geese to help with pest control. The company have been helping to support local schools & support their community workers. They have a trebuchet on site which they have used for fundraising projects.
5) Toast Ale – a social enterprise using surplus bread to make beer, which utilises less barley in the process. The surplus grains from production are used as animal feed while spent hops are composted to feed nutrients back into the soil.
They won a Footprint Covid-19 Contribution Award in 2020, by setting up a Meal Deal to divert waste from restaurants to people going hungry during the pandemic. Profits from their sales are donated to Feedback, a charity set up to reduce food waste & increase sustainability.
To help save the planet they distribute to the UK only and local deliveries in London are transported by pedal power. Look out for their quirky names such as the Bloomin’ Lovely Session IPA and Much Kneaded Craft Lager!
6) From the Notebook – a wonderful selection of craft beers with beautifully designed labels depicting Sand Martens, Robin, Stork, Gibbon, Hedgehog & Pangolin to name a few!
7) Brew Dog - a Scottish seller of beer, spirits & cider have been reducing their carbon emissions in 2020 by switching to renewable energy, using electric vehicles and cutting air travel.
Some new exciting projects include planting trees and restoring peatland in a newly acquired 9000 acre forest and an anaerobic digester bio-plant is set to be operational in 2022, which will turn waste brewery water into pure H2O and biomethane.
Brew dog is not just carbon neutral but is carbon negative due to the tree planting initiatives. To help reduce waste they also produce fruit beers using fruit that would go to waste & make dog biscuits using waste spelt from the beer production (non alcoholic of course!)
The product ‘Lost Lager’ even uses less water & utilises bread that would go to waste – with every pack they plant one tree.
8) Adnams in Southwold – producers of beer, spirit & wine, Adnams have switched to 100% renewable energy in 2017.
The company have reduced water waste by using steam from one batch, which is recycled as heat for the next batch. Spent grain is then used as cattle feed, with any remaining waste going to an anaerobic digestor which is turned into energy.
The team also organise beach cleans annually in partnership with the Marine Conservation Society. Wildflowers are encouraged to grow at their distribution centre which also has a green roof, with the on site bee keeper making honey, used by the local hotel.
9) Orkney Distilleries – Highland Park (Whisky) and Orkney Distilling (Gin) - these two distilleries based in the Orkney Islands have received government funding as part of the HySpirits project to explore the use of hydrogen as a green fuel source. Edinburgh’s Napier University are also playing a key role.
The UK government are encouraging green businesses across the UK with £5bn in funding, some of which will go towards greener distilleries. Orkney Distilleries above were successful in phase 1 funding, Bruichladdich below was successful in phase 2.
10) Bruichladdich Whisky – a Distillery based in Islay (Scottish Isles) are embracing the green revolution. They have installed a circulatory heat system to send hot water from the stills to heat their offices & visitor centre.
In 2017/18 they helped plant 7,500 trees in partnership with the Woodland Trust. Wildflower conservation is also encouraged on the land to promote biodiversity, including planting sunflower strips.
In 2019 the distillery replaced their petrol vehicles with electronic vehicles as staff cars. From 2020 they transitioned to 100% renewable energy and are currently looking at hydrogen as an option (see government funding on phase 2 link above).
These are just a snapshot of what's available in the UK.
But how does wine for example, affect your carbon footprint? During the filming of BBC 2’s program ‘Feast to Save the Planet’ the guests at a dinner table had to guess the impact of their chosen meal.
Many were surprised to find that wine driven from Europe to the UK was actually more of a problem than wine shipped from as far away as Australia. It was explained that alcohol from overseas can be shipped in very large vats and are then bottled once they reach the UK.
So if you see a wine originating from overseas with the words ‘bottled in the UK’ then it may not be quite as bad as you think, although will still have some impact on the environment.
An article in live science explains that out of various transportation methods, air cargo is the worst method, delivery by truck/lorry 2nd and shipping cargo had the lowest impact of all.
The article writer explains that a client on the East coast of the States may create less carbon emissions with wine shipped from Bordeux by container, rather than receiving wine by the truck from the West Coast of America!
Some wine makers are working to reduce weight of their bottles & minimising packages to help with transport costs once it reaches the truck for onward destination. Of course, if you consume a product that has been made & distributed more local to you then that’s a win for you AND the planet.
Thankfully, glass is one of the most widely recycled material but can be heavy to transport. British Glass says that ‘a green wine bottle in the UK will contain, on average, 68% recycled material.’
Any unrecyclable glass (where it has downgraded too much to be melted into bottles) can be used as aggregate in building materials.
So what’s the eco footprint of beer I hear you roar. According to ethical consumer report they say at the higher end, the carbon footprint from a pint can be equivalent to a generous bath heated by energy efficient gas boilers, whilst at the lower end, the same as an 800g loaf of locally baked bread!
Stats including pie chart about half way down the page on this link. The article explains other factors to consider including genetic modification of crops, transportation methods, water used, packaging and so on.
For those wanting to cut emissions you could even try some home brews. Toast Ale for example has a home brew club so you can follow the recipe and give it a try, making ale using surplus bread!
Mike Berners-Lee, eco consultant who wrote the book ‘There is no Planet B’ is an expert on carbon emissions. He works with many companies around the world and authored several books on the impact of human kind on the planet. (See a review of his book in the link above).
A few more links for you
π· If your taste buds have been wetted then why not check out this list of 15 eco drinks & where to buy them, including a rum made from banana skins & a beer using Cornflakes, Rice Pops & Coco Pops!!
π· Check out this grading system for eco booze created by the Ethical Consumer Organisation. Toast (the beer product mentioned above) came high up in the list.
π· If you've got the nibbles. why not check out this handy guide on which foods have lower carbon footprint (think seasonal & local).
This time of year can be joyous but can also be stressful, not only for us but also for the planet. Thrown away toys, unwanted gifts, plastic packaging, excess food waste, the list goes on. But we can do better. Here’s some thoughts on how to reduce our use of resources AND make ourselves feel better at the same time!
Reduce – it’s so easy to get into the habit of excess buying. A poster on a forum had some good ideas. Buy your child something they want, something they need, something to wear and something to read.
For older members of the family maybe set a limit so you don’t feel you have to spend lots, no more than a tenner perhaps. Or make your own items that they enjoy like bath salts for a bath enthusiast or your own biccies for that someone with a sweet tooth. Try these 100 Homemade Gift Ideas for some inspiration.
If you do buy gifts, why not buy from a charity shop catalogue, you know your gifts are also helping charity, or look to sponsor an animal maybe.
To reduce food waste keep an eye on use buy dates. Best before dates are usually safe (even after the date) but use by dates you want to keep an eye on. I try to write on a white board which things need eating as a reminder or bundle left overs in the freezer for later in the week.
Food waste can often be composted but it does produce methane, a greenhouse gas so reducing waste can reduce our carbon footprint.
There are some food waste apps that help to reduce waste you can try.
Check my reviews for some eco products too for some ideas of less wasteful products to try or check out some of our home made items for sale.
Reuse – it’s OK to reuse old wrapping paper, or even
use brown wrapping paper tied in string. You can find ways to brighten it up. Be
creative and inventive!
Recycle – frustrating I know, we try so hard to recycle but it can be very complicated. To get an idea of what recycling symbols mean check out our blog post.
RecycleNow is also a great site to guide you along the way.
For anything tricky to recycle like toothpaste tubes and cat food pouches, take a look at Terracycle to see if there’s a recycling point near you.
Rekindle – is there an old hobby you lost sight of?
Maybe a favourite walk you used to do you haven’t done in a while? It’s OK to
take time to do more for Planet You.
There’s no point running around totally stressed
out and have little time for you. If you have a large bunch of people young and
old to cater for, work out which jobs folks love to do best and play on their
strengths. It’s less of a task if you enjoy it!
Recoup – let’s face it, some of the best things in
life are free. Fresh air, warming sun, crispy leaves, trickling water – if you have
access to these things enjoy them. I love a nice walk on a cold crisp day at
Christmas. Even better when you can snuggle up when you get home!
Rejoice – Grab ya fave music, radio is usually free
and lifts your spirits. Or grab that book you never got around to reading. Why not check out our list of eco friendly bookstoo?
Instead of full throttle take a step out and breathe a little. (Believe me,
this is something I have to remind myself to do regularly).
If you’re feeling bad about reducing your gifting this
Christmas, take a look at Martin Lewis’ tips on why it makes sense to take a step back.
Plastic Free July was started in Australia ten years ago. In 2020, an estimated 326 million people across the globe took part in the challenge from 177 countries.
This Plastic Free July web site is a great resource for you to try, and can give you tips on how to make changes in the home, with your pets, on holiday, at work, during festivals and so much more.
My Own Journey
Read how I made some changes to reduce plastics in my home life - it isn't perfect but I've enjoyed trying out different things.
For those starting out on their own journey we have several reviews on plastic free items such as:
❤ = Will keep, I love it / π = Not sure, will try some more / π = Oh dear, it's not for me
Review Twenty One - There's no Planet B
For a late Christmas present I treated myself to a book
called There’s no Planet B by Mike Berners-Lee.
I bought the latest version which was released in January 2021.
I remembered seeing the author Mike Berners-Lee on the TV
show called 'Feast to Save the Planet' about the impact of our food on the environment. I’m a lover of statistics so felt encouraged
that I would learn lots, & lots I did indeed learn! I have added some quotes
from the book below with some of my interpretations.
“It’s not what we do, see or have that matters but how much we appreciate it.” p141
The tendency in today’s society is to have it all, do it all and want more of it. But can we appreciate the amount we do have without pushing for ever better (but also more wasteful) things? We need to find the right balance of having just enough & not pushing for more. Businesses need to learn from this too as they are often the ones driving our wasteful society.
“Human impact = impact per person x no. of people.” p169
How many people think ‘there’s no point me doing
anything if everyone else is not bothering’ but if all the folks who wanted to
do something make a start then as a collective it does make a difference.
Per person, our own little bit of impact can benefit the
planet as a whole, but be careful as this can apply both ways, bad as well as
good! By doing nothing we are creating a bad impact so any little bit in the
right direction really does help. In other words, do start to make changes no
matter how small they are & build on them. You could influence others to do
the same!
“12 billion careful people could live well on the planet,
whereas 1 billion careless people couldn’t.” p262
Our planet can survive even with a bulging population but
only if those very people take care of Earth’s precious resources. If not then
the planet would have trouble even with 1 billion of us. Us humans are
intelligent enough to realise that all is not well but realising is not enough,
we need to create the action needed to change our ways. But, it can be done!
“If all the world’s discarded plastic was cling film, it would be more than enough to wrap the whole planet.” p63
Well if that doesn’t get you started in cutting back on plastics nothing will!
Some changes I made
During my 50th year on this planet I decided to
make some changes in reducing plastic.
I am not claiming to be perfect, my house does still have plastic
products in it, but I have tried to make the switch in many ways (more soaps,
shampoo bars, bamboo toothbrushes, non plastic razors, recycled bottles,
re-using old bottles with re-fills, making my own products & more).
Click here to see how I made some switches. I hope it will provide some inspiration to others who want to make a start too.
I highly recommend reading 'There's no Planet B', it really will get you
thinking & is packed FULL of information from start to finish. It is indeed a love ❤ from me. Happy
reading!
Meanwhile let’s give the Earth a bit of TLC, because, where
would we be without her?
Mike is also the author of the books ‘How Bad Are Bananas? The Carbon Footprint of Everything’ & ‘The Burning Question’ (a book about climate change).
I was watching with interest the BBC 2 Horizon documentary 'Feast to Save the Planet' aired in January 2021. Five celebratory diners were asked to choose a starter, main meal, drink & dessert. While they enjoyed their meal, Mathematician Dr Hannah Fry worked with researcher & author Mike Berners-Lee to crunch numbers on the carbon foot print of each course..
Which Foods Fared Worse?
Did you know that food accounts for a third of greenhouse gas emissions? Comedienne Sara Pascoe's choice of Asparagus weighed heavy with high carbon footprint due to the product being imported from Peru. In the Summer it would have been a good choice but 'out of season' it has to be flown in by plane to keep it fresh. Local 'in season' fruit & veg fared much better.
In terms of fish, local cold water prawns & local mussels have a lower carbon footprint. Overseas warm water prawns fared much higher. Local salmon rated higher than mussels, as farmed salmon are fed on diets containing fish to get them to their optimum weight.
In terms of meat, chicken fared better than beef due to the cow's propensity to pass methane gas. Cows digestive systems rely on bacteria breaking down the food in its four stomach compartments, causing excess gas as a by-product (peppermint tea anyone?)
Dairy food from cows leads to a higher carbon footprint too due to similar circumstances.
Excuse Me π¨
If you missed the programme click here to watch it now. You only have 28 days to watch it sadly and may only be available for UK viewers (due to license fees in the UK).
What Can We Do?
The take home message is that we can choose foods that are wrapped in less plastic waste, but also more likely to be in season and travel less food miles. A good way to do this is by supporting your local farm shop or grocery store, some of whom offer deliveries, or order online & arrange a click & collect.
The food is less likely to have been sprayed with chemicals or stored in nitrogen containers to prolong their lives. Our local farm shop delivery comes in boxes or in paper - very low plastic or chemicals involved.
If you do shop in a supermarket bring your own mesh bag & buy items loose if you can to cut down on plastics. Look for items that are in season too (think root veg & winter greens or autumnal fruits such as apple & pears).
Whilst buying your product look out for the label of origin to guide you. Some symbols will even show the Union Flag for British grown produce.
Like to Learn More?
Mike Berners-Lee who featured in the program, is a researcher & writer on carbon footprints.
He's an author of the book 'There's no Planet B' (mentioned in our list of 10 books on reducing plastic waste).
A new edition of the book is due to be released later in January 2021. I have purchased a copy & look forward to reviewing it later in the Spring.
.jpg "Time for Change Photo by Art Bokeh from Pexels")
