These are some strange times right here.
When I wake up in the morning and my alarm clock goes off, there is a glorious moment of forgetfulness before the slap of remembering hits me in the face and/or gut. The coronavirus is everywhere; in our hospitals and communities, as well as all over our digital realm. There are some positives that are coming out from the virus, however, and one of them is to have the time to commit to new projects, skills and reflection.
I’ve been reflecting on ways to stay green in my home during this period and thought I would share my top tips.
1. Use up what you have, then replace it with a green alternative.
Do you have bottles of shampoo, conditioner, face creams and more, sat around in your cupboards that have been relegated to the bench there since you started your zero waste journey? Well, now is a good time to use them all up. There is a lot of pressure on supermarkets to provide everyone with the usual toiletries so why not get to the back of your cupboard and then look for sustainable alternatives to replace once they’re gone? You’ll be clearing out the plastic and supporting small businesses.
2. Reduce food waste
Now is the perfect time to sit down and plan out your meals. Spending time at home means more homecooked food and the opportunity to experiment with recipes. Save the offcuts from your vegetables and boil them down to make vegetable stock. Continue with your food prep on Sundays and cook your meals in batches and store them in the freezer. Any fruit pulp from your juicer could be made into crackers or granola, any limp looking veggies can get tossed into a warming soup or fruit can be frozen and turned into nicecream. Or, better yet, if you have a garden area, why not start your own compost?
3. Buy in bulk.
There is a difference between buying bulk and panic buying. Panic buying is buying significantly more of something than you need at any one time, involves many people doing the same to a particular item and some people are therefore are left without. We saw this happen with loo roll, eggs, flour, and canned goods in our supermarkets. In our home, we always buy our bamboo toilet roll in bulk. It saves us pennies and we ensure we get the sustainable variety that we like. We also are lucky to have a zero waste store near us, where we usually fill up on nuts, seeds, nut butter, soaps, detergent, flours and anything else we need in bulk. However, depending on what you need, there will likely be some limits to how much you can buy. So, now might be the time to plan on your bulk buying strategy, for when the virus is over. Equally, if you can shop online at a small, independent shop, or support your local zero waste store who might well be doing deliveries, that is a great way to start getting used to the process.
4. Grow your own
Depending on your home and whether you have access to garden space, growing fruit, veg or microgreens is a great way to supplement your diet and pass the time. There might be a neighbour who could offer you cuttings or a local allotment that has surplus seeds and containers. If you have the tools at home, why not start your own garden and help alleviate some of the pressure on our farmers and avoid lots of plastic. Sprouting seeds on your windowsill is a fantastic way to up your protein intake on a vegan diet and all you need are some needs and a glass jar!
5. Audit your wardrobe
Our wardrobes are one of the biggest contributors to climate change, not only from the amount of carbon it takes to create them but also the fact they are hardly worn before being thrown out. Fast-fashion is appalling for the planet, so why not tackle it head-on? Take ThredUp’s fashion footprint calculator to see how dirty your wardrobe current is!
Then, start by getting ALL of your clothes out of your wardrobe and assess them, try them on, pair them with different garments and shoes and see what you feel good in. If you’ve not worn it in a year, I’m sorry but you’re not going to, even if you do lose/gain the weight you want to. Once you’ve decided on what you want to keep, package the rest of your the clothes up ready for a donation bank or charity shop once they reopen. Or, you could do a live sale on Instagram or Zoom and invite friends and family to buy or rehome your clothes. Get a personal stylist to do a virtual styling session with the clothes you like and learn more about what colours and cuts are flattering for your shape and skin tone. This helps us make better choices in the long run.
6. Turn it off and make the switch.
Being at home all the time means less people driving and flying, which is fabulous for the planet. But, it might also mean more washing, tv, laptops, lights and general energy consumption at home. If you’ve not done so already, why not switch your electricity and gas to renewable sources? You don’t even need to have someone come out to the house, you can do it all online. Make a point of switching off lights and appliances at the socket when they’re not in use. Switch your laptop off at night time too to help conserve energy.
7. Try making your own cleaning products
I love this set from The Green Boutique as it has everything you need to transition to a clean, green home. They have soapnuts, Soap Nuts, Sodium Citrate, Marseille Soap Flakes, Sodium Percarbonate and many other items to help you explore making your own detergents, laundry, all-purpose degreaser, all-purpose cleaner for the bathroom and many other things. These are gentle, non-toxic but highly effective ways to clean your home and there has never been a better time to practice!
8. Upgrade your beauty routine!
Instead of tucking into a plastic-wrapped chemical-based beauty mask, why not use a little of your quarantine essentials? Try making your own beauty products, or giving your skin a complete break (since now we don’t have to see anyone…) How about combining banana, honey, egg or oatmeal to create a nourishing mask? Or, simplify to two ingredients and just use coconut oil and oatmeal? This mask has antibacterial and antifungal properties so it is great to reduce blemishes, inflammation and restore the natural pH balance of your skin. All you need to do is measure 60 ml warm water into a mixing bowl and stir in one tablespoon coconut oil and continue until combined. Add in roughly 3 tablespoons of oatmeal and continue to stir together until you get a paste. Apply the mixture to cleansed skin, pop some cucumber over your eyes, set a timer for 15 minutes and relax. Once you’ve rested, massage the mask into your face (do this over the sink) for a few minutes before rinsing away with warm water and patting dry with a soft clean towel.
9. Learn new skills.
Brands like Bottega Zero Waste are teaching us how to make soap online for free, or Agnes LDN offering DIY sewing classes, zero waste Kitchen Tips from Chlöe at Nibs Etc, or take inspiration from Upcircle beauty and turn your used coffee grounds into skincare! There is SO much going on online right now, it’s a great time to start practicing all those DIY skills that will see you enjoy the next-level of green living.
10. Be kind to yourself
There are a lot of unknowns in the world right now. So, if you do find yourself buying plastic-wrapped food or sanitary supplies, try not to worry. This too shall pass. Work through this list when you feel inspired to do so, but never feel bad or anxious if you slip up here and there. There are a lot of fun things that can be done with this time, but paying attention to how you’re feeling is the most important. Take time to look after yourself, be kind to others, support family and friends and do what you need to to stay positive and happy. We need you to do what you can, with what you have, where you are, but in the grand scheme of things, remember - don’t sweat the small stuff. :)
Top Tips
01 : Use up what you have.
02 : Get good at meal planning!
03 : Buy in bulk.
04 : Grow your own.
05: Audit your wardrobe.
06 : Make the switch.
07 : Make your own.
08 : Upgrade your routine.
09: Learn a new skill
10: Be kind.