Friday 27 April 2018

What happened when I tried to have a Plastic free Friday.

Last Friday I had the day off work so I decided to try taking part in Friends of the Earth's new initiative, Plastic free Friday.   You're meant to go without single use plastics one day a week - Fridays - to help the environment.  I'm going one step further, because I've already cut out a lot of single use plastics, I wanted to have a completely plastic free day, but as you can see it was more difficult than I thought...

Breakfast.

What happened when I tried to have a Plastic free Friday. By UK eco blogger secondhandsusie.blogspot.com #plasticfreefriday #plasticfree #friendsoftheearth #zerowaste

What happened when I tried to have a Plastic free Friday. By UK eco blogger secondhandsusie.blogspot.com #plasticfreefriday #plasticfree #friendsoftheearth #zerowaste

Despite trying really hard to have a plastic free breakfast, it didn't happen.  My organic mushrooms from Abel and Cole came in a plastic tray, my vegan margarine is in a plastic tub and although I store my seeds in glass jars they come packaged in plastic bags.  I made my own bread to save using pre packaged bread, but I used oil in a plastic bottle and even the bicarb was in plastic!  Urgh!

Getting up.

What happened when I tried to have a Plastic free Friday. By UK eco blogger secondhandsusie.blogspot.com #plasticfreefriday #plasticfree #friendsoftheearth #zerowaste

I'm not wearing deodorant because it's in a plastic tube, it's about 20 degrees today so we'll see how that goes!  I have washed my armpits with soap (came in a paper wrapper) and a cotton flannel, so that was plastic free at least.  Sorry to say I've brushed my teeth with a plastic electric toothbrush and paste from a plastic tube, and put on moisturiser and sun cream from a plastic bottle too.

Chores.

What happened when I tried to have a Plastic free Friday. By UK eco blogger secondhandsusie.blogspot.com #plasticfreefriday #plasticfree #friendsoftheearth #zerowaste

What happened when I tried to have a Plastic free Friday. By UK eco blogger secondhandsusie.blogspot.com #plasticfreefriday #plasticfree #friendsoftheearth #zerowaste

I washed up with some fairy liquid from a plastic bottle left by the previous owners of our house.  I use a loofah and wooden brush to wash up, and some really old cloths that get washed and reused to wipe the kitchen worktops.  I use Method eco friendly cleaning sprays for the kitchen and bathroom, and Ecover loo cleaner, all three have had a use today and all are in plastic bottles.  I put the dishwasher on, the tablets come in a cardboard box, but each tab is wrapped individually in plastic.  I usually use Ecover laundry liquid, but I have soapnuts so I used them, and white vinegar as fabric conditioner, to do a couple of loads of washing, which I dried in the sunshine.

Shopping.

What happened when I tried to have a Plastic free Friday. By UK eco blogger secondhandsusie.blogspot.com #plasticfreefriday #plasticfree #friendsoftheearth #zerowaste

I went to Wilkos, Holland and Barretts and Boots on the hunt for some plastic free sanitary towels, I found some in Boots and they were suuuuuper expensive, but I bought them and had a nice chat with the lady at the till about being plastic free (she buys her apples loose in the supermarket!).  I bought some antihistimines in Wilko, which come in plastic blister packs. I Really wanted some crisps but resisted, and instead bought some loose nardicotts, a cauliflower and a lettuce from the market.  The lettuce was all wrapped in plastic, but so is the organic lettuce that comes in our veg box, and I'm still waiting for my homegrown lettuce to get going.  FYI I am regretting not wearing deodorant. 

Lunch.

What happened when I tried to have a Plastic free Friday. By UK eco blogger secondhandsusie.blogspot.com #plasticfreefriday #plasticfree #friendsoftheearth #zerowaste

I had a huuge green salad with the aforementioned plastic wrapped lettuce, another homemade flatbread, vegan cheese, nuts and pretzels.  The cheese, nuts and pretzels were all in plastic.  Sigh.  I am beginning to feel disheartened. 

Gardening.

What happened when I tried to have a Plastic free Friday. By UK eco blogger secondhandsusie.blogspot.com #plasticfreefriday #plasticfree #friendsoftheearth #zerowaste

This was a fairly plastic free afternoon, but I did use some compost that comes in a plastic sack.

Dinner.

What happened when I tried to have a Plastic free Friday. By UK eco blogger secondhandsusie.blogspot.com #plasticfreefriday #plasticfree #friendsoftheearth #zerowaste

Joe came home super late from work, and I fell over in the garden like a wally and twisted my ankle, so we had a takeaway.  And some snacks before the takeaway came. Ahem.  

Bedtime.

What happened when I tried to have a Plastic free Friday. By UK eco blogger secondhandsusie.blogspot.com #plasticfreefriday #plasticfree #friendsoftheearth #zerowaste

Back to my plastic-y tooth bush and paste, and my medicine - at least the eczema cream only has a plastic lid, the tube is metal.

I tweeted companies throughout the day asking them to reduce their plastic packaging, but only got replies from a few (Abel and Cole, Oral B, Aldi, B&Q, Wilko), I suppose as long as we keep giving our money to companies that use plastic packaging they won't change their business practices - it's hard though because who doesn't use some pre-packaged foods, household and personal care stuffs!

So, as you can see, Plastic free Friday is not easy and I have to go away and think about how I can cut more plastic out of my life.  Have you ever tried Plastic free Friday?




Friday 20 April 2018

15 ways I use coconut oil instead of conventional beauty products.

I used to spend loads of pennies on beauty products, but over the years I've replaced them all with coconut oil.

Conventional beauty products contain loads of chemicals and some of them are harmful, and they're generally packaged in plastic which I try to avoid. 

This huge jar of coconut oil cost £15 and has lasted me well over a year so far.  If I used conventional beauty products I'd be spending over £50 (calculated using prices for basic vegan friendly products on Superdrug's website).  Here's how I use it...

15 ways I use coconut oil instead of conventional beauty products. From UK #eco-friendly blogger secondhandsusie.blogspot.com #coconutoil #plasticfree #ecofriendlyblog

Face
Lip balm
Under eye cream
Serum - if it's a really cold day, or my skin is a bit dry, I pop some coconut oil on my cheeks before I put my moisturiser on.
Day cream - if I'm not going out I'll use coconut oil as a face moisturiser, but if I'm going outside I use a cream with SPF instead.
Night cream
Face exfoliator - make a really nice exfoliating and moisturising face mask by mixing coconut oil, oats and sugar - rub in into your face and leave it on for a few minutes before washing it off.

Body
Body lotion
Hand lotion
Cuticle balm
Foot lotion
After sun
Body scrub - mix a little bit of coconut oil with granulated sugar for a nice gentle exfoliator. 

Hair
Leave in conditioner - I melt a teeny bit in between my palms and then run it through wet or dry hair.
Frizz ease - I used to use sooo much Frizz Ease, coconut oil doesn't give quite the same effect but it does help keep frizzy hair at bay. 
Hair protector for swimming

Is there anything else I can use coconut oil for?!?







Friday 13 April 2018

Easy green actions and articles.

Easy green actions and articles.  From UK eco blogger secondhandsusie.blogspot.com #ecoblogger #petitions #savetheworld

Here are a few easy online actions and interesting articles to make the world a better, greener, happier, place, 

IKEA are launching a vegan hotdog, and I'm excited for it! 

Easy green actions and articles.  From UK eco blogger secondhandsusie.blogspot.com #ecoblogger #petitions #savetheworld #plasticfreefriday #friendsoftheearth

Friends of the Earth's newest campaign is a challenge to go plastic free on Fridays.  Which I think would be interesting, but also totally hard! 


The government has promised to phase out coal mines by 2025, so it would be stupid to give planning permission for a new one now, in Durham, wouldn't it??  Sign this petition to make sure it doesn't happen.  



Los Angeles-based ‘gangsta gardener’ and community leader Ron Finley is determined to redefine ‘gangsta’ as being about building thriving communities, not machismo.  "Gardening is gangsta: Mother Nature is gangsta. Being educated, creative and self-sustaining is gangsta. That whole concept was about turning a negative into a positive. If you want to be gangsta about anything, make it about building your community, sharing knowledge."
via positivenews.com
I love this piece about 'Gangsta Gardener' Ron Finley from Positive News.  
Scarily, the world has lost a third of it's quality arable land in the last 30 years - but there's still time to reverse the decline and scientists have some good ideas how to do it - but I think eating more organic food and planting more trees would definitely help too!

Sign 1010's petition asking the government to make sure all new buildings have solar installed as standard

Easy green actions and articles.  From UK eco blogger secondhandsusie.blogspot.com #ecoblogger #petitions #savetheworld #gardentower #gardentowerproject
I REALLY want one of these all in one vertical planters and worm composters, but sadly don't currently have a spare £300 lying about!  There are a few DIY versions about on the internet, and I'm trying to work out a way to make my own plastic-free version.

If you have a few spare pennies and are feeling kind would you please think about donating to this Crowdfunder appeal to create a vegan hub in my little hometown - it would be lovely if you did.