There’s a lot to be said for the benefits of travel from relaxing to adventure, discovery and quality time with those you love.

As a modern day holiday maker, explorer or adventurer though there is an extra responsibility on our shoulders to 'leave no trace'

To travel consciously and conscientiously.

Then there is the issue of space...is it just me or is there never enough room in your suitcase/backpack? No matter how light I try and pack space is always at a premium.

So to help you travel lightly in all respects here are some new holiday must haves

1. Travel Soap by the friendly soap co. 

This soap has your back while you travel. It’s designed to wash your body, hands, and hair. With a super luxurious and 

moisturising lather it even helps with the 5* feels. It also means that they last longer than you’d expect, so they’re even better value than they seem.

But it doesn’t stop there. Enriched with lemongrass and tea tree oils it is naturally antiseptic and anti-fungal and it even helps to harmlessly repel insects.   It’s even suitable for hand washing clothes should you run out of smalls or drip gelato down your favourite sundress.

Who knew one little soap bar could do so much?

The soap bars are all hand-made using an age old cold press method, that creates no by-products (waste) and also results in a bar that is completely biodegradable, so good for the planet even after you’ve washed it away. 

They’re also vegan, cruelty free Palm oil Free SLS and Paraben Free and made by a team all paid a living wage.
Simply packaged in card they’re a really versatile and award winning travel buddy.

2. Earth conscious deodorant stick.

Strong enough to protect you on the hottest days, but without making the earth sweat, this has to be a winner.
Free from aluminium, parabens, and toxins. Using natural oils and waxes to moisturise and care for your skin whilst keeping odour at bay.
They’re Vegan and plastic free, made in the UK and certified organic.

Strong but lightweight cardboard tube makes it a perfect travel companion, whist being able to be recycled or biodegrade when finished with. Which won’t be for a while because a little goes a long way and they last ages. Making them both ecological and economical.

3. Mouth wash tablets.

Perfect for keeping your breath fresh without the worry of transporting liquids or using plastic bottles.

Made of entirely natural and non-toxic ingredients, they are free from Fluoride, Glycerin and SLS. They help to restore a healthy pH balance to your mouth and freshen breath.
Just dissolve a tablet in a mouthful of water and wash.  180 tablets means you’re good for a couple of months. Fully recyclable glass jar and aluminium lid mean you can either re-purpose the jar yourself or send it on to be recycled.

4. Bamboo/ Beech wood toothbrush

From a novel item these are now pretty mainstream, and are a great way of reducing a form of plastic that almost never gets recycled. When you think of every toothbrush you’ve ever had still sitting around somewhere it’s pretty sobering.
Responsibly sourced and made these toothbrushes are a bio degradable/ compostable and recyclable solution.

 5. Toothsoap

This little tube is going to last you for even the longest adventures. Solid, so no worries of spillages and gloopy mess. It is made from 100% natural and non-toxic ingredients and flavoured with organic peppermint essential oil.

Gently foaming it leaves your teeth feeling really clean and based on being used twice a day should last you 6 months. (Although at the time of writing I’ve been using mine for a month and have barely made a dent in it! 

The smart and sturdy cardboard tube is fully recyclable or biodegradable when it’s finished.

6. beebee wraps.

This might seem like a slightly odd shout, but they’re such handy travel companions I couldn’t leave them out. 
 Great for transporting food, or keeping bought food fresh if you’re self catering without having to resort to the pesky cling film.
They’re also great for providing a clean surface to eat from whilst out and about, picnicking or at the beach etc.
Also really handy for transporting your soap on the journey home. Keeping your toothbrush clean, and almost anything else you need them to do!

7. Green people sun screen.

This sunscreen is completely marine safe and endorsed by the marine conservation society. In fact Green people are working in partnership with the Marine conservation society to help raise awareness and further their research.

The sunscreen is effective with broad spectrum UVA & B Protection, whilst using only natural and a high % of organic ingredients.
They are fair trade, Cruelty free, vegan and perfect for sensitive skin and even if you suffer from prickly heat.

Their packaging is made from sugar-cane and is fully recyclable and renewable. Farmed sustainably it is also carbon neutral.

Brilliant people and earth friendly products that will help ensure happy and lighter travels where ever they may take you.

Washing powders, laundry liquid and the ubiquitous laundry liquitabs can hurt our pockets in more ways than one.
You know, no-one talks about how to save the planet AND save money at the same time! Let me tell you a secret about how YOU can!
These days, the smart money is on environmentally-conscious, money-saving products … ones that deliver reliable results! The humble item I'm about to share with you fits the bill on all three counts: it saves money, it's sustainable, and folks like you and I are delighted with the results.

It's a curious thing but people are often sceptical about anything new, particularly anything unusual-looking. When you first see a soapberry you wonder how on Earth this truly strange-looking item can possibly be used in laundry or for making gentle shampoo! “What is this thing?” I hear you ask. The Indian Soapberry or Soapnut - Sapindus Mukorossi, to give it its Latin name - comes from the same genus as the lychee. Its properties are inherent in its name: ‘sapo’ meaning ‘soap’ and ‘indicus’ meaning ‘of India’.

The trees are highly prized in rural India; the wood is used in construction and the fruit as a source of revenue. The organically-grown berries contain a high proportion of natural saponin or mild soap which is gentle on sensitive skin.
Ecologically this is a sustainable, entirely renewable resource; the fruit is harvested and sun-dried, the seeds removed and planted to ensure crops for future generations. Sapindus Mukorossi has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for centuries to nourish and hydrate skin and hair, and laboratory tests show it to have mildly antimicrobial properties.

Customers across the country are delighted with the results even if the vast majority of them were sceptical at first about using something so out-of-the-ordinary to wash their clothes. “Try them. You won't regret it!” we hear again and again.

 - Soapnuts are most effective in your washing machine on a 30, 40 or 60-degree wash and can also be used for handwashing.
-  Proven to be safe for sensitive skin - yet delivering startlingly good results reliably enough to convert the most hardened sceptic.
 - The mild suds care for your fabrics and keep colours bright with no need for artificially-perfumed conditioner.
 - Each handful of dried berries is reusable for up to four to six washes, after which they can be composted.
 - They have become an extremely popular, effective and money-saving alternative to regular laundry detergents in some circles.
 - They are great to take if your are travelling too. Even if you've spilled washing powder or squashed liquitabs all over your luggage in the past, there's no danger of mess with soapnut shells! They're lightweight and space-saving, too!

The Indian Soapberry is also used in producing natural skin balms and healing salves, as well as in making solid shampoo and body wash bars. All of these are perfect for sensitive skin and for anyone trying to cut down on their plastic waste.

Yes, you CAN shine your environmentally-friendly halo, knowing that soapnuts actually work … and save you money! If you're on a “journey to zero waste”, looking for ways to save money now that your family has expanded or you are simply trying to find something that does not irritate your skin then the gentle Indian Soapberry is well worth looking into!

And you can do that HERE! 

By Nicola Broadsmith, 

There's no doubt that this is important and we should be aware of what is going on in our world. (Really going on, not just what the media thinks we should know about) and how our choices impact it, and they do.

But sometimes it can be all too much. We are bombared by a lot of information these days and we can feel overwhelmed by it all, and it can be paralysing.

When we become overwhelmed the best thing we can do is step back and breath.

Start smaller. when the whole environment seems like too big to handle, stop thinking about it as taking on the whole worlds environment.
Just tackle YOUR environment.

Start at home, and just think about making changes in just your own immediate environment. Because just by
making changes there you will be changing the whole environment.

- By eating less meat and dairy, you will be cutting your carbon footprint dramatically right off the bat, also saving land from being cleared for grazing, land which is often covered in carbon drinking trees.

- By reducing the plastic you use at home you will be reducung the waste going to landfill, or the pastic ending up in the sea, environemnt and foodchain.

- By choosing sustainable fashion, your impact will be HUGE

-By choosing cleaning products that contain less chemicals and do not harm the waterways you will be doing your own enviroment and the wider environment a world of good.

- By using your own bags and own containers for shopping you are saving loads of packaging

-By growing some fruit and veg of your own, and /or having a wildflower garden, bug houses, bird houses you are helping biodiversity.

There are so many little things you can do, and they all really do have a massive impact. Just start with one

After all, how do you eat an elephant? - you know, if you were so inclined. Maybe we should change it to a giant pumpkin or something?!

But if you can find space in your garden for one tree, that is amazing.

Here are some great benefits trees;

1. They are good for you – Trees have been shown to reduce stress, improve mood and some can even help boost our immune systems
2. They support wildlife, and biodiversity.  A Single oak tree can support over 280 species of insect! Give shelter and food for birds, as well as providing a food source for deer, squirrels and badgers from its acorns. The leaves that fall provide shelter for more insects and a place for fungi to grow.  Doesn’t have to be an oak tree though all trees will provide some nature with a home or food source. And fruit trees provide food for you too!
3. They absorb CO2. Helping to prevent climate change. A young tree can absorb abrond 13lb a year whist a 10 year old tree around 48lb.
4. Better Air quality – Trees also absorb odours and filter particles out of the air.
5. Are cooling – if you live in a town or city especially trees can help to keep us cool. Tarmac and concrete are very good at absorbing nd holding heat, causing the heat in towns and cities to rise. Trees offer shade to homes or gardens or pavements. And they release water which helps to cool the air temperature.
6. They save water. – Shade from trees slows water evaporation from plants and lawns, meaning they require less watering.
7. Trees help to prevent water pollution, by allowing the water time to filter through the soil and rocks it allows cleaner water to enter the waterways/reservoirs /ocean and groundwater.
8. Trees protect. Trees reduce UVB exposure by around 50%  reducing the risk of sun damage to our skin, whilst allowing us more time outside. Especially important for children.
9. Trees provide a screen, they can cover up a wall or unsightly view, offer privacy and reduce noise levels from surrounding areas.
10. Trees can increase property values, reduce crime rates and inspire greater community pride. At the end of the day, we all love trees!

It is best to plant native species, and always make sure you know how big they are likely to get before you plant them (oak trees and beech trees for example can get rather large!) 

Make sure to plant them far enough away from the house that they are not likely to cause damage. (rule of thumb is at least its mature height away from buildings) 

If you are unable to plant a tree at home you can always sponsor a tree or trees. Or go on a tree planting.

Here are some resources to help 

You can sponsor a tree HERE with the World land trust or HERE with Trees for life.

You can help the Woodland Trust by donating HERE

So say Georganics

Whats the difference?

Many people use mouthwashes on a daily basis to help keep their mouth in tip top condition and their breath fresh. But many of the ingredients in commercial mouthwashes could be argued to be doing harm as well as good. Ingredients such as Alcohol kill not only bad but good bacteria too, can lead to the mouth becoming overly dry and contribute to the increased risk of developing oral cancer.

So what makes the Georganics mouthwashes different?

They use a method called oil pulling which comes from an ancient Indian holistic health practice called Ayurveda ,  Ayur = life and Veda = science. 
Based on the theory that the body and mind are linked Ayurvedic practices aim to maintain the balance between them and treat the body and mind as a whole.

 Ayurveic oil pulling has been used for between 3& 5000 years . It works by drawing toxins from the mouth through the action of pulling and pushing the oil around your mouth. This allows it to collect and trap bacteria which live around the teeth and gums.  When you then get rid of the oil you are also getting rid of all the bacteria trapped in it. Rather than killing the bacteria on contact as modern day mouthwashes do.

Coconut oil is known to be great for this due to its natural antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties.

The essential oils have been carefully chosen for the mouthwashes due to the benefits they also bring to the table.
Peppermint, is extremely effective at targeting bacteria which thrive in low oxygen environments (like the mouth) These bacteria can be responsible for gum disease.
Spearmint has similar qualities to peppermint but with a softer flavour
Tea Tree has natural antiseptic and cleansing properties, making it a great aid in healing gum disease.
Red Mandarin, has gentle soothing properties and is safe for children and for use during pregnancy.
Activated charcoal, not an essential oil! But adds a mildly abrasive quality to the mouthwash, the charcoal is also highly porous and traps bacteria within it as well as helping to remove stains and naturally whiten.

These and all their products are also

- Made in the UK
- Zero waste
- Low impact
- Vegan & Cruelty Free
- Completely natural and organic

It is a system that can take some time to get used to as you have to pull and push the oil around your mouth for 5-20 minutes, but you don’t have to start off with 20mins, if it is a challenge then start off with a comfortable amount of time and build it up from there.  It can be done daily or less and it is most effective when done in the morning before breakfast and as with any teeth cleaning is not advised to be done after eating.  

If you think your mouth would benefit from some gentle but effective care then you can shop the range HERE

 Beautiful Scented Candle Tins

Made using Soy wax - clean and slow burning - and fragranced with high quality fragrance oils they smell divine. 
Plastic Free, renewable and sustainable, GMO free and no animal ingredients. 

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Flowers that bring seasons of joy. 

This brilliant wildflower seedballs are easy to grow, just scatter. In beds, pots or window boxes they add beautiful colour and attract bees and butterflies, giving nature a helping hand too. 

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A gift that brings a smile every day.

Beeswax wraps a handy and eco friendly alternative to clingfilm or tin foil.  Perfect for wrapping sandwiches, cheese, fruit, salad, covering left overs, transporting soap....
Airtight and breathable they keep food fresher for longer are reusable over and over again and brighten up anyone's lunch.

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Award Winning Handcrafted soap set.

Naturally moisturising, sweet smelling gift set comprising 2 soaps and 2 facial cleansing bars. 
Made in the UK, free from palm oil, parabens, SLS, Plastic Free, Zero Waste, & Vegan. 

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 For on the go Mums! 

Tea always going cold? Or always rushing out the door? Its surprising how often Mums forget to make themselves a drink, or do and then don't get to drink it! 
With the stylish ecoffee cups this is a problem of the past. Made from Bamboo they are biodegradable and renewable but also a class act at keeping drinks warm (or cool) whether on the go or at home.

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And of course, There's always Chocolate! 
This is no ordinary chocolate however, It is Raw chocolate so it contains good things! Like magnesium, minerals, essential fatty acids and antioxidants. 
It is also Vegan, Organic and refined sugar free. Oh and tastes great! 
It is super rich so a little goes a long way, a really decedent treat.

Oh and the packaging is also fully recyclable or compostable! 

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Although it has been predicted that due to climate change and population we too may be suffering severe water shortages in 25 years.

Easy to take for granted, but not easy to live without here are few tips for helping to look after our water.

- An oldie but a goody - don't leave the water running when brushing your teeth.

- Watch the chemicals - Cleaning and laundry chemicals washed down the drains are harmful to waterways and water creatures, not easy and not always removed by water plants. Switch to more natural products and biodegradable cleaning /laundry products

- Clothes.  A new pair of jeans takes about 10,800L of water to make, from growing the cotton to finished product.  And 2,700L to grow the cotton for one T-shirt (thats about the same as a person would drink in 2.5 years.) Buy clothes that will last, or pre-loved clothes, reuse and recycle your old clothes.

- Install a water butt to collect water to water your garden and home grown veggies. 

- Take your own water bottle. Not only is this cutting down on plastic waste, but water waste too! It can take almost 3x as much water to make a plastic water bottle as the bottle holds.- Water with a watering can instead of a hosepipe. Also water in the evenings will reduce evaporation and mean your plants get to use more of the water

- repurpose an old plastic water bottle or two (depending on size) by filling up with water and placing in your toilet cistern. If you don’t have any you can get water displacement devices from your water provider.

- Always try to run your washing machine or dishwaher with a full load. (Although don’t overfill your washing machine...i know, lifes all about balance though, right?!)

- Always fix a dripping tap. A dripping tap is not only annoying is you can hear it, it can waste 15L of water a day.

- Reuse water from boiling eggs (when its cool!) and cleaning out fish tanks to water house plants, it will have lots of extra nutrients

Phew. All that typing's made me thirsty!  

But when it comes to buying things and they are just sitting there waiting to be bought it’s too easy to just buy “it”. We might give a thought to price or colour but do we really think about the social or environmental impact of our purchase?  
Every purchase we make comes with one though, even the smallest.

Like a dish cloth...   

So simple. But such a great product, with a wonderful human story too.

Toockies are a set of Hand-crafted 100% organic Cotton and Jute scrubbing clothes.  They -

= Contain NO microplastics
= Are reusable
= Machine washable
= Bio degradable (when they are no good for washing up/cleaning any longer you can use them as potting mesh or compost them!)
= Are really strong.
= They don't stain
= They don't scratch
= They last ages!
= Are Fairtrade

As well as all of that - Toockies are knitted by hand by ladies in Nababpur India. Its such a simple thing, but the Tookies project opens up an unimaginable door of opportunity for these women. A community centre provides them with a central location for training, knitting, picking up new yarn and dropping off finished products. They can work at the centre or at home, allowing them to work hours that suit them.  It gives them a dignified way to earn a living and take charge of their own future.

When the knitter has made a pack she signs the card sleeve, and you are able to go to the website and see the lady who made your cloths and her story.

Who would have thought so much could come from a humble wash cloth?!  Someone said to me –“ but its just a dishcloth, I’ve got hundreds!”

 Can those hundreds of dishcloths claim all the same as the above? Just imagine how much good you could do buying your hundreds of dishcloths with these environmental and social impacts...

Even the smallest things we do, can have a massive positive impact on the world if we let it.

Also it helps when the products are great, we have been using these for a few months now and they are.

 You can get them HERE

I have a few...Lush, is one of the top ones.  Oddly I don’t take issue with it when used in its original context... “the jungle was so lush and green” That, I can cope with.  But if you tell me “You gotta try this, its lush!” you have instantly erased any desire I had to try the thing. (Unless its cake...there are always exceptions to be made for cake.)

Another is ‘Life Hack’.  It appears to have become a coverall phrase for a good idea, or a job something can perform that isn’t immediately obvious.  Which is fair enough, but more often than not they are not all that groundbreaking, I saw a great one not so long ago – 10 life hacks using paperclips - No1 was holding paper together...

So rather than Heres some White Vinegar life hacks, Im just going to say –

You NEED white vinegar in your Life!

Humble, unassuming White Vinegar, it can be so easy to overlook this product. It doesn't have much glitz or glamour, it's not a hot topic, but it does several jobs really well & can quietly save you a fortune whilst also being better for the planet. Here are a few of the jobs it will happily do for you, no questions asked!

• - Replace your fabric conditioner (especially great for towels, gym wear and anything else that is designed to wick moisture off you!) Fabric conditioner put a coating on fabric that prevents it absorbing or wicking moisture.
• - Use as a Rinse aid in your Dishwasher
• - Cleaning Windows / Shower screens/ mirrors /glass doors. Streak free shine!
• - Make a fruit & Veg wash. The vinegar dissolves wax that may be coating the surface and removes pesticide residues. Make sure to rinse the food thoroughly in water.
• - Remove limescale from taps /shower heads /draining boards/ kitchen sinks
• - Remove fabric stains (dirt and organic) - Always test first!  Also good to brighten up collar and cuffs and any underarm marks.
• - If your Pet has an accident spraying with white vinegar will clean and deodorise it. ( Also works when potty training toddlers goes a bit wrong!)
• - Unblock drains. Poor some bicarbonate of soda down the drain, follow with double the amount of white vinegar. when it stops foaming Run some hot water down. Wait a few mins and then run some cold water. Cleans and deodorises.
• - Gets rid of grease from Hobs, extractors, worktops and tables. Mix 50:50 with water, add 3 drops of washing up liquid. 
• - Cleaning inside and outside your Fridge.
• - Cleaning Wooden chopping boards
• - Clean windscreen wiper blades
• - By spraying your car windows with 3 parts white Vinegar to 1 part water will (supposedly, we haven't actually tried this yet!) keep frost from forming. Far less toxic than Antifreeze!
• - It is great at removing wax, from candles to crayons.
• - Super at deodorizing,  - for things like lunch boxes or plastic containers, place a slice of bread soaked in white vinegar in overnight, smell all gone by morning.
  For a room, place a shallow bowl of vinegar in the room and the smell will go. Works well for smoke, (aka-  it’s not burnt its caramelised!) fish,  bacon etc.   Or put ½ a cup of white vinegar into a saucepan of water and boil, and let it simmer for a while.

White vinegar can be used to clean or freshen up so many things around the home.  Whilst it does have a smell, it quickly goes as the vinegar dries leaving everything clean and fresh.

Give it a go.

Please always try on small inconspicuous areas first as with any cleaning product.
We would love to hear if you have any other uses for it that we haven’t yet found!

(Please don’t use white vinegar on - Frosted glass, limestone, natural stone (i.e granite or quartz)  or marble worktops, metal plated surfaces where the plating is already damaged)

Also whilst we can at the moment only find White vinegar in plastic bottles, we feel that the saving on overall plastic made by using just this one product vs several. Plus the savings on chemicals in the home and water ways. Plus the fact that you can re-use and recycle the bottle. Whilst obviously not perfect is also better than not using white vinegar...

And that right there, dear reader is the problem.  I’m not going to lie to you, this has been a tricky post to write because it would be very easy to write it in such a way to leave you picturing me walking down the street wearing a ‘The End Is Nigh’ sandwich board, and I really don’t think I would pull that look off.  

So, here we go...

There have been many many apocalyptic films, books, tv dramas, computer games, from meteors to apes, even at least one about global warming... it seems us humans like to fantasise about how the world might end, or at least be changed beyond recognition.

But in reality what might be our greatest undoing has crept up on us. And I think it is because we have been on a quest for ever greater convenience in our lives. Ways to speed up and hassle down the day-to-day jobs.  We all Love convenience, but is convenience killing us?

The medical profession might be nodding their heads, we are all too sedentary these days, spending too much of our time sitting – at work, in cars, in front of the TV leading to less fitness more illness. But that (although a problem for many societies) is not exactly what I mean.

So what do I mean?

We live life at an increasingly fast pace, there is ever more to cram into a day and we embrace anything that is going to shave time off tasks so that we can cram more and more into our days. More work, more time with kids, more social media time, more holidays, more learning, more DIY, more TV! Whatever, we want more.

But in this quest, have we taken convenience too far, to a point where it is doing more harm than good?

Don’t want to go to the well to fetch water? Let’s pipe it straight into people’s homes! – Pretty convenient, time saving and on the face of it no massive environmental impact.  (once all ground works have been done)

Not wanting to use that water that’s conveniently piped into your home, because it’s more convenient to buy it in a plastic bottle?  More expensive, more damaging to health and more damaging to the environment.  Really, I see no upside. And is it actually more convenient or is it just perceived convenience?

Throwing away worn or damaged clothes Vs Mending...Sure it might save you some time but the environmental impact is massive.

You don’t want to grow your own food? Or you don’t have time to grow your own food? Ok we have farmers to do that, you can buy it from them.  – pretty convenient.  You don’t want to cook your own food, ok we will make you a ready meal.  Result – excess (plastic) packaging, excess salt, millions who don’t know how to cook!

I could go on and on.

It is our need for convenience that has driven our need for plastics, for fossil fuels, for fast fashion.  We drive when we could walk, we tumble dry when we could line dry, we hit social media when we could pick up the phone for a chat or write an email...

Our need for convenience influences every part of our lives, but my (probably unpopular) opinion is that we have taken convenience too far and when taken too far it is perhaps no longer a force for good.   

Plastic pollution, micro-plastics, global warming, mental health issues, obesity...  Change can be very inconvenient, but not getting on top of these issues, not finding ways to stop, reduce or tackle them.... that could end up being the most inconvenient of all.

But why is it good that life is different from the movies? Because in this case, we still have time to make a difference...

I mean, you don’t have to change them right this second but over the next few weeks or months would be AMAZING!

It sounds a bit crazy right? As if its that easy?!...but it could be... Because in reality thats all it takes, enough people making small changes. And once you start..who knows where you'll go!

You Make A Difference!

1. Eat less meat.  Studies show that the number one thing that we can all do that will have the biggest positive impact on climate change is to eat less meat. We are so lucky that there are so many other options open to us, Veggie and Vegan are more “in” than “woo-woo” and as such recipes and inspiration abound – even ready meals if you feel so inclined.
   
   

2. Reuseable drinks Containers  In the UK we use 13BILLION plastic water bottles a year, and 2.5 BILLION single use coffee cups.  By getting a reusable water bottle and coffee cup you would certainly be part of the solution. Try these
   
   

3. Avoid Single use Plastic. We are set to be known as the plastic age. Is it just me that finds that rather depressing, when you think of all the other amazing stuff we have going on?  It can be a challenge getting out of the single use plastic habit but it is do-able. Refusing plastic straws, stirrers, buying loose fruit and veg , taking your own containers for meat, fish etc. Is a great place to start. Seeing if you have a refill shop or zero waste shop near you and switching your shop to there, is great too!

In the UK we use 745,000 Miles of clingfilm a year, enough to go around the world 30x! A simple switch to Beeswax Wraps could save many of those miles.  You can find out more about them HERE.

4. Swap Your toiletries. There are some great zero waste options for toiletries now available, from shampoo bars to toothpaste jars. The great news is that they are also *usually* made with more natural ingredients and fewer chemicals, making them better for you and the environment too. Try These or These.
   Switching your toothbrush for a bamboo toothbrush is another great swap for the environment.
   
   

5. Avoid Fast fashion. The fashion industry is one of the most polluting on the planet. And is a triple threat, being damaging to the land, the air and the water. Fast fashion creates a huge extra demand on resources that is simply unsustainable, and often exploits workers too. By opting for better quality items they last longer, look better and can easily be mixed and matched to give a timeless look.
   
   

6. One man’s trash...is probably yours too, but if you see some pick it up. If you have some spare time you could see about collecting some litter near you, or if you are already walking combine it with a litter pick.  You and I both know that it is not glamorous or even a particularly appealing prospect. But you could literally be saving a life, like this one... or this one... I don’t know why people litter, if you do, please stop, there are things id rather be doing than picking it up!
   
   

7. Make your laundry, cleaner. We have written extensively about how changing your laundry products can have a big environmental impact, so if me just saying switch up your laundry products for more environmentally friendly ones, (Like This... or These...) isn’t enough then you can read more about it HERE, HERE and HERE!
   
   

8. Grow your Own. Any amount of fruit or veg you can grow at home is great. It adds some biodiversity to the lawn culture and it has been shown to improve health and happiness. As well as giving you some great tasting and fresh food. It is educational for children and has literally zero food miles.  If you don’t have a big garden then you can grow in pots (strawberries, potatoes, beans for example) if you don’t have a garden at all then you can grow some crops in window boxes (herbs, lettuce, spinach, strawberries for example)

9. Cleaning Up.  How many cleaning products do you use around your home? How many chemicals are under your kitchen sink? With a few swaps to more eco friendly alternatives you can - Save money, cut the chemicals going into the water ways, reduce the air pollution in your home, which is often worse than outside!  Simple swaps like - white vinegar, a real wonder product. If you would like more info on this and the simple swaps you can make you can find it HERE and HERE.

10. Go Wild. Help out wildlife in your area by setting aside some of your garden, for some wildflowers.  It can be easily done just by scattering some Seedballs, they contain seeds, compost and natural pest deterrent to help as many seeds grow as possible.  You could also set up a some wildlife homes, using some stacked logs, bird houses or bug hotels. If you dont have room in your garden, or a garden at all, then you can always spread a little wildflower love out and about!

11. Have a waste free period. Probably safe to say that this is nobodies favourite time of the month. But should the whole world suffer for it? (Not including your other half, they should of course suffer right along with you! ;) )  The average woman uses 11,000 sanitary products in her lifetime and many of those products end up in our oceans and on our beaches. They also contain a surprising amount of plastic and synthetic fibres which are not always the best for your body. There are some great alternatives from Mooncups, to reusable pads to natural pads and tampons. To find out more Click Here.

12. Single use wipes. A source of ‘hidden plastic’ in the home. Single wipes often end up in the environment by being flushed or blown away, and if sent to landfill will not decompose.  You can make your own reusable wipes, from old clothes or towels. Or you can buy biodegradable single use wipes like these (baby ,bathroom/kitchen and face)  

So there you go, whether you change one thing or 12, do all at once or one a month, you will have made a positive differnce and as cliched as it sounds, changed the world.

When we do that, businesses, then governments start to take notice. Businesses go out of business if they don’t serve customer demands, and the governments want successful business and happy non riotous citizens (most of the time!)

The more action that is taken by business then the easier it becomes for more and more individuals to make and stick to changes in their shopping habits/lifestyles, which leads to more people making changes, which leads to more businesses making more changes and ta-da massive change!

There are more and more signs that the business world is taking heed. The latest is M&S.

They launched a trial last week that saw them introduce 90 lines of Fruit and Vegetables in their Tolworth store that have no plastic packaging.

Whilst this includes the more obvious choices like carrots and bananas, it also includes soft fruits like strawberries, which will be available in plastic free compostable punnets.

• They have also removed Best Before dates from the fruit and veg as part of the trial, attempting to help curb the amount of food wasted.
• As well as removing plastic barcode stickers in favour of a more eco friendly alternative and swapping out plastic produce bags for paper ones. 
• They have already removed all plastic cutlery and straws from their cafes across the country.

To help make the most of this initiative they will also have trained greengrocers on the shop floor, available to help customers with the picking and weighing, but also with advice on how best to sore items to prolong their life and how to avoid food waste.

I hope that consumers really get behind and support this 3 month trial so that not only will M&S make it standard practice in all of its stores, but other supermarkets start to follow suit.

M&S aim to become a zero-waste business by 2025, and this would be a great stepping stone on the way to achieving that.

Is this the kind of initiative that you could get behind and support? Do you already use a plastic free shop?  We’d love to know!

This may seem a bit picky, after all, cotton is already natural, it is a plant, it is white and pure looking and fluffy and most of us (at least in the UK) may never come into contact with it in its most natural state, so how could this possibly make a difference?

Generally speaking cotton is grown as a mono crop, which means there is no crop rotation just cotton cotton cotton. The knock on effect of this is that higher and higher levels of pesticides and insecticides are needed, in fact a few years ago 22% of all the worlds insecticides and 20% of the worlds pesticides were used on cotton alone. Some changes in recent years to the genetic makeup of cotton has reduced the need for some of these chemicals but not all that much.

When mono crop culture is used it causes heavy damage to the soil, meaning that the soil becomes poor quality, and so many chemical fertilizers are used to try and give the cotton enough nutrients to grow... but because the soil is in such poor condition, many of these fertilizers, pesticides and insecticides are just washed away and end up in the waterways. This is not only bad for the local aquatic environment (see more on this here) leading to dead zones but they also often make their way into drinking water meaning in some areas there is no safe drinking water for the people in the area.

But that is not the only toll on water that cotton can take. Cotton is a thirsty plant, and when grown in this way it becomes even more so. According to the WWF 20,000 litres of water is needed in order to produce one 1kg of cotton. Roughly the equivalent to 1 t-shirt and a pair of jeans!  This thirst can, and has had the most devastating consequences.  The Aral sea in Uzbekistan being a prime example, once the 4^th largest fresh water lake in the world (about the size of Ireland) 85% of it is now a desert. Caused solely and completely by cotton farming.  This video shows exactly what this has meant for the region and is a powerful watch if you can spare 10mins https://youtu.be/NC5UIEx83fo
And this report from the WWF also makes for interesting reading file:///C:/Users/Admin/Downloads/cotton_for_printing_long_report.pdf

But after all of that! All is not lost, there are things that can be done- There are organisations that are helping cotton growing communities to improve their practices, which not only helps the local environment but also their own health too in many cases.
Integrating things like integrated Pest Management has resulted in 60- 80% reduction in pesticide use and increased cotton yields. This has also seen a return of birds which are also helping to reduce pests.

At the moment organic cotton accounts for around 0.2% of world cotton production (WWF) It can take about 3 years for farmers to transition to organic practices and recover the yield they were previously getting, but experienced farmers in India, Paraguay, East Africa and Peru report yields which are broadly equivalent to conventional cotton.

In some areas production has remained lower, BUT due to less expenditure – in pesticides, insecticide and fertilizers the profits of the farmers still went up.

There are also practices that can be put into place to reduce the water needed, introducing sprinkler or drip irrigation can save 70% of the water, better rainwater harvesting, and recycling of the water can also be implemented to help improve yields.

But organic cotton is a fragile business, it is increasing in demand, but the future is uncertain, farmers want the assurity that the market will be there to support them, and that, dear reader is where we come in.  By choosing organic cotton you are helping to prevent environmental disasters like the Aral sea (which you probably hadn’t heard of until now, right?) You are helping communities to have an industry that can support them and keep healthy. You are helping.

When you buy clothes try and make sure they have been responsibly grown, consider the environmental impact of what you are wearing.

And even for cotton products like Cotton Buds, Cotton Wool Balls, Pleats and Pads, you can get wonderful organic alternatives (the buds even come without the plastic stem!)

We all have the power to make a difference, every day. Sometimes we don’t even know we are doing it!

If you have not heard of them before, here is a quick low down on what they are and what they do.
They are squares (usually) of cotton coated in beeswax, natural tree resin and jojoba oil. And what they do is, well, pretty cool actually!  They replace cling film, kitchen foil and sandwich bags etc for many many uses. (They can’t be used in the microwave or oven)
Things we have been using them for at home;

-         To cover left overs

-         To wrap things like cheese once opened or if too much has been grated.

-         To keep cut fruit fresh (they are really good at this! So far tested on an apple, a watermelon and a pear that my 2 year old took one bite of before deciding she wanted a banana!)

-         For sandwiches. They have come in so handy over the summer for days out Not only have they done a great job of taking care of our sandwiches, they have also provided a clean eating surface for lunch!

-         To keep bread fresher once cut.

-         To wrap a bar of soap in to take on holiday

-         To wrap our toothbrushes in to take on holiday

I was afraid that they might be a bit of a faff to use, with the washing up and storing etc. But they are a breeze, just a quick rinse /wipe in some warm soapy water and good to go again and I genuinely haven’t found it any extra effort. 
They actually seal to themselves or the bowl etc really well (unlike cling film which seems to stick to everything but what you want it to actually stick to!)

So given their success at home, we couldn’t very well not bring them to the Wikaniko shop so that all of you lovely folk could benefit from them too. 

They should last for about a year – we haven’t had ours that long yet so cannot confirm or deny , but are still going strong after a couple of months of heavy use.  And when they are able to wrap no more, you can compost them!

They are made with organic cotton, local beeswax (local to Cambridge which is fairly local to Wikaniko HQ too) and organic jojoba oil.

They are made in the UK, and are sustainable and ethical right the way through from raw materials to production.  As well as that Beebee wraps, the company who makes them, work on several projects that are supporting bee populations.  So are certainly the kind of company we like to work with.  Also if that wasn’t enough the wraps are really pretty and smell great!
They are a helpful versatile way to reduce your waste and plastic use with very little effort, if you are looking for an easy eco swap you can’t go far wrong with these!

It has actually been known for some time that some of the chemicals used in chemical based sunscreens can damage the marine environment. In the last few years sales of natural sunscreens and reef friendly sunscreens have started to climb rapidly, meaning that people are cottoning on to the damage being done and that they can do something about it. It is good to see it being taken to heart on a larger scale too.

The marine environment and in particular coral reefs are really fragile and it does not take a lot to disrupt their balance.  Scientists have estimated that somewhere in the region of 25 to 60 million bottles worth of sunscreen washes off swimmers every year. There only needs to be around 62 parts per trillion to completely bleach coral.

But it doesn’t have to cause a problem. As long as he sunscreen is biodegradable and does not contain any chemicals that are going to harm the marine environment.

The four main culprits seem to be

•  - Oxybenzone (aka Benzophenone-3 or BP-3) - This disrupts coral reproduction, causes coral bleaching and damages coral DNA... not much then! 
• - Butyleparaben - Used as a preservative it has been shown to cause coral bleaching
• - 4-methylbenzylidene camphor (4MBC) (thats a mouthful!) - Another one guilty of coral bleaching
• - Octinoxate (Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate) - Coral belaching.

But it is not just coral reefs they can also harm fish and have been found to be not all that great for people either. Chemical sunscreens work by sinking into your skin (which is why you need to wait 15-20 mins after application before going out into the sun). This results in a certain amount of it entering our bodies and Oxybenzone has been found in breast milk, blood and urine. Ingredients like Oxybenzone are suspected to cause issues with reproductive and thyroid hormones.

And just in case you are thinking that its ok, because you only ever dip your toes into waters closer to home...The UK has coral reefs too. They are not as famous but they are around 8000 years old and just as teeming with life. 

So what is the answer? Firstly look for a sunscreen that is reef friendly. If you can, go one step better and look for a physical sunscreen. These are different to chemical sunscreens because they do not sink into the skin but rather form their protective layer on top of the skin. These sunscreens are usually going to rely on the ingredients

• - Zinc oxide and
• - Titanium dioxide

They can also be known as mineral sunscreens, natural sunscreens or inorganic sunscreens. The downside is that because they sit on top of the skin, they can leave you looking a little pale. But there has been great improvements in the formulations over the last few years and you can find them now that are pretty invisible. You need to make sure that the Zinc Oxide and Titanium dioxide are Non-nano though as the nano versions can also case problems to the marine environment.

So in short,

• - Do not avoid sunscreens, they protect your skin.
• - Look for reef friendly sunscreens
• - Look for mineral/natural sunscreens where possible
• - Make sure they are non-nano. 
• - Wear clothing that will help to protect your skin from sun exposure.

Plastic Free July was started in Perth Australia by Rebecca Prince-Ruiz, she wanted to do something to tackle her own plastic use and got the rest of her office on board too, which is a great start right there!  That first year there were 40 people who pledged to not use single use plastics for the whole of July.
They had fun taking this challenge and the word spread, and the next year 400 people signed up, It has grown at a crazy rate since then and last year 2 MILLION PEOPLE  in 159 countries signed up to Plastic Free July. Amazing.

As a family and as a business we already try to be really aware of the waste we produce, especially the plastic. But it never hurts to be challenged to do better, so we have signed up and will be doing what we can to reduce our use of plastic still further.  We are also using it as an opportunity to look at more products we can start stocking which will help everyone else to use few plastics, so we are really looking forward to the month ahead.

You can sign up to take part at www.plasticfreejuly.org

If you do not feel ready to go completely cold turkey on the plastic you can pledge at whatever level you are comfortable at. Whether that is just choosing to refuse plastic straws and bags or going for the whole shebang. Everything will help. They will send you hints, tips and encouragement throughout the month too, so you are not alone in this challenge!

To help get the ideas whirring though, here are some ways in which you may be able to use less plastic this month (and perhaps every month hereafter)

Single use Coffee Cups. Say no to single use coffee cups and get a reusable one to take with you instead.
These Ecoffee Cups are made from Bamboo, are sustainable, plastic free, biodegradable, naturally antibacterial and taint free.  They also feel really nice to hold!

Shopping bags.  Make sure you have your reusable shopping bags with you. These string or tote bags are a great alternative.

Sanitary wear.  In every pack of sanitary towels, there is the same amount of plastic as in 4 carrier bags.  In a lifetime a woman uses about 11,000 pads or tampons and it is estimated that 700,000 panty liners, 2.5 million tampons and 1.4million sanitary towels are flushed down the toilet every DAY.  This is having a devastating effect on our coastlines and marine environments. So swap them out (And NEVER flush them down the toilet). Natracare products contain no plastic, are compostable and free of nasties.
Mooncups are another brilliant option. Reusable, and last for years and years and years. 

Shampoo.  Ditch the shampoo bottle and try a shampoo bar instead. Last for ages, great for your hair and great for the environment too.

Soap and Shower Gel. Again. Ditch the bottle, switch to the bar!

Bin bags
Obviously one of the upshots of reducing your waste, is that you need fewer bin bags.  Whilst it can be possible to stop using them altogether (you will find some great tips on how to do this at plasticfreejuly.org, or they will send you them when you sign up) but if you are not quite ready for that yet, at least make the switch to oxy-biodegradable plastic bags, that will completely degrade to air and water, leaving no residue behind.

Disposable wipes
If you are using baby wipes, make up removal/cleansing wipes, or kitchen/bathroom wipes then try switching to ones that are biodegradable.  Most commercial ones are made of mostly plastic and will hang around for a loooong time after they have cleaned what they need to clean.  They also cause big problems for the drains and the marine environment.

Toothbrush
Is your toothbrush in need of renewing this month? Then try a swap to a bamboo toothbrush! Designed to last just as long as a plastic one, they are naturally antibacterial, you can get them infused with charcoal (natures whitener!) and when you are done with them you can use them in the garden or just bury it in the garden and it will be gone in a few months!

Cleaning.
For cleaning products try switching some of them over to things that come in a box, like Citric acid, bicarbonate of soda and Borax substitute.

Also for things like food.  If there is somewhere you can buy loose in bulk then go for it, you will just need some kilner jars or the like. Or find products that come in boxes rather than bags.

Obviously what you can do may be restricted by what is available in your area, But there are lots of lovely things available on Wikaniko to get you started (shamless plug!) and we are going to try and add more throughout the month so keep your eyes peeled!
Hopefully this has given you some ideas to get you started, there are loads more over at plasticfreejuly.org

Drop us a line if you are joining in with the challenge- to whatever degree- we would love to hear from you!

When I was little and my mum asked me to do something, perhaps my homework! I would often reply, “yeah, I’ll do it tomorrow”

“But tomorrow never comes!” She would say.  “Of course it does!” I would think “It will be here as soon as today finishes... obviously. God, grownups are so weird!”

But now that I am older (certainly) and a little wiser (maybe...) I get it.  And it is one of the biggest problems we face with trying to be more environmentally friendly.

In general as people I think we all fall into the trap of thinking that we have infinite tomorrows. Even when we have reached a point where we know that logically that is not the case, there is a part of us that believes there is always more time, always more tomorrows and so we procrastinate, we put off, we delay.   I am not saying this to be scary, or depressing, I for one am hopeful of a great many tomorrows. But I should not use that as an excuse for procrastination, for not doing what I know I could do today.  And while it could be easy to digress into almost every area of life here, I am focusing on eco issues.  
I believe that one of the greatest battles that we face personally when it comes to changing our habits, our way of life, our spending,  what we use, what we waste is that there is no visible impact TODAY.  It is the same reason it is so easy to gain weight but so hard to lose it! Because there is no visible impact TODAY.  And it is also why it is so hard for us to convince anyone else to change what they are doing, because you have to find your own reason for doing it, you have to find your own reason to change what you are doing, because without a good, solid, passion-fuelled reason, change is hard.

It is why so many people start thinking about their impact only after something has directly impacted them on an emotional level. And its then that we see people make a swift and decisive change.  And we are capable of it. Humans are by our very nature resourceful and adaptable, which is how we have survived so long and have come to live in every far flung corner of the world.
If a law was passed tomorrow stating that everyone had to keep their rubbish and waste at home for a year before it was collected then I would wager that the amount of waste that was produced per household would drop dramatically. I am not naive enough to think this an actual solution, before anyone raises their eyebrows at me, but I know that there are people who have tried it, extreme as it may be, but they can see the impact right there in front of them and that has to be pretty powerful.

Does this mean that there is little we can do to help other than outside our personal efforts?  No, I think there is still much to be done.
Every choice we make with the product we use and buy is a vote for the kind of world we want to live in, and every perosn who changes puts pressure on for greater change.

Without the pioneers taking matters into their own hands, we wouldn’t have products available to switch to. Without people already switching to and using the alternative products the people and companies making the alternatives would not be able to continue to do so.  We are paving the way and showing what can be achieved, we are making the road less travelled into a highway, easier and easier for all to journey on.  With people like us and you talking about the issues and the solutions we sow the seeds in peoples’ minds, we make it possible, easy and dare I say even desirable to be part of the solution. 

There is one industry that I can think of that should by rights have the same struggle and that is the anti-aging industry, and yet it doesn’t. Why? Because we are able to see what aging looks like, there are people that are ahead of our own timeline that we can use as reference, and so, (if we wish to!) we take steps to lessen the impact of age upon our skin and bodies. We trust that the products we buy will help us maintain or improve what we have, to help us avoid our ‘perceived’ vision of what we will look like when we get older and we spend billions -multiple billions- of pounds avoiding it, but the truth is we never really know if what we are using is making a difference, we don’t get to see ‘us if we don’t’ and ‘us if we do’ ‘us if we use that’ or ‘us if we use this’ so we base it on trust.

We don’t have a world that is ahead of our timeline, we all share this one world and its timeline, we can’t see what the future will look like if we do not take action, but I know from the impacts we can already see that I prefer the version of the future where I have taken action to lighten my footprint. Although I may not have the sway of David Attenborough, if I can help or encourage even one other person to step a little lighter too,  then that can only be a good thing, yes? 

So why don’t we apply some anti aging cream to our planet and start taking more preventative measures now?
 I choose to take it on trust that just like the cream I apply my actions will make a positive difference to the future....

If there were people attacking your home, threatening its very existence you would do everything in your power to defend it. The world is our home and currently we have nowhere else to go, we are the ones attacking it so why, why as soon as we are aware of this do we not snap into action doing all we can to stop the damage and make it right??
It makes no logical sense, so all I can think of is, -  either we think it is too big of a problem for us individually, which we know to be untrue -  "what difference can I make? - Says 7 billion people"  
Or it is the fault of tomorrow.  - We can sort it tomorrow, we will look at it tomorrow, it will be easier tomorrow. 

The trouble with tomorrow is that it never comes... but it is also here sooner than you think.  

Single use wipes are the next product that has been brought to the general publics attention for its impact on the environment.  Most of the attention seems to have been focused on baby wipes, but the single use wipe market is actually huge, according to Smithers Pira, the global wet wipe market is set to hit $20billion by 2021. Covering everything from baby wipes, to make up removal/cleansing wipes to kitchen and bathroom wipes, it is a large and varied market.

Conventional, commercial wipes are made mostly of polyester and can take up to 200 years to break down, which is crazy when you think that it has probably only been used for about 30 seconds!

If they were all just thrown in the bin, it is possible that they would have escaped such notice, but according to Water UK they are responsible for 93% of blocked UK sewage pipes, so a LOT of people are flushing them down the toilet.  In April of this year (2018) 5,453 wipes were recovered from 116 square meters of the Thames.   Whilst I believe that manufacturers need to take responsibility for the products that they are making, we as end users also have a responsibility, and how we dispose of the things we use has to be a big part of that. There is, at the end of the day no reason for these to end up in the sewers or the Thames.

A lot of the media I have read though on this seems to be focused on causing panic amongst parents. “Parents are on the war path” “what will we do without wet wipes!”  and statements such as “Defra is encouraging innovation and working with industry to support the development of alternatives such as a wet wipe that does not contain plastic” Which is great, but is not doing a very good job of informing people that there are already alternatives!  They are here, and perfectly available, and whilst things can always be improved, to give the opinion that there are no alternatives when there are, is very sad, and surely leaves people feeling a little helpless to do anything about it, when in fact they could.

For our children at home we seldom use wet wipes, its just a personal preference but I have always preferred to use organic cotton wool pads (which I do not flush) and warm water.  And just use wet wipes when we are out and about.    

Our favourite baby wipes are Beaming Baby. They are bio-degradable, they are certified organic and they have half the carbon footprint of other wipes.   They also are incredible soft and gentle, free from harsh chemicals , they are actually pretty good at coming out of the packet one wipe at a time (how annoying is it when you are one handed and you can only seem to get 20 wipes out at once!!)
And come in fragranced or super sensitive non fragranced.

But what about other wipes?

For makeup removal then Faith in Nature have us covered with their 3in 1 face wipes. They are 99% natural and remove makeup, cleanse and moisturise in one step.  They are hypoallergenic, fragrance free and made in the UK, cruelty free and vegan.   

And for Kitchen and bathrooms you need look no further than Ecozones antibacterial multi surface wipes. Also 100% biodegradable, they are tough on grease, kill 99% of bacteria, alcohol free as well as cruelty free and vegan. Gently fragranced with Aloe Vera and cucumber they are a perfect alternative to other kitchen and bathroom wipes.

So no need to panic one and all (as if you were, right?!) The alternatives are already here!

Periods are a very personal thing and so is what we chose to use to manage it. As such it can be one of the hardest ‘habits’ to change. What you use you may have been using since your very first period, or you may have experimented a bit but have stuck with what you felt has worked for you for years now, because we want to be able to get on with our lives and so we place our trust in what works. Fair enough, there is little worse than being let down by your protection and in our very busy lives do we really have time to be messing around with something that is working? 

Well, for what it’s worth, I think that is important that we make the time. Because as with most of this ‘eco stuff’ it is not just about what works for us. Everything we do has a knock on effect, even what we choose to use for our periods.

Here are a few things about most sanitary wear that may shock you....

     - A woman uses around 11,000 pads or tampons in her lifetime

     - Most sanitary pads are made of 90% plastic (90%!!!)

     - In fact, one pack of sanitary pads contains the same amount of plastic as 4 carrier bags.

     - 27,938 used tampons and applicators are collected on our worlds beaches in a single day

     - 1.5 billion Items of sanitary protection are flushed every year in the UK Alone!

     - Cotton is the world’s most heavily pesticide sprayed crop, causing problems for local environments, water ways and the health of farmers.

This statistics shocked me.  Especially as, it is of course avoidable, it absolutely does NOT HAVE to be this way! There are perfectly viable alternatives, which solve all of these problems. 

If you are shying away from this, I get it, I absolutely understand, this is one of the changes that actually took me, personally, the longest to make.  But if you want to make a conscious choice to help the environment, this is one of the most effective areas to start. Just look again at those stats and think of what a difference it would make. 11,000! If you lined all those up at once, it would be a sight to behold, and you, YOU have the power to change that. Right now.

So I am going to start with the option that is probably most outside your comfort zone, but, that I feel, makes the biggest impact.

Mooncup

When I first heard about the idea of re-usable sanitary wear, I was quite frankly, horrified.  Perhaps this is you too, or perhaps you are tutting and rolling your eyes at my naivety, and either of those is ok! I have come to learn that making these changes from our ‘usual’ habits is a journey, as is life in general. And unless we are very closed minded then our beliefs and opinions change and evolve as we go along.  Sometimes it takes hearing about something a few times (or more!) for us to really notice it and start mulling it over, then it spends some time whirring around in the back ground of our minds until one day we decide we feel comfortable enough to investigate it further.  So this was me, with Mooncups.

If you are already using them (or another brand) then great! You are already doing your planet, seas and body a wonderful service.

I did switch to these a few years ago and I wish I had done it sooner.  Here are a few of the pros

     - You only need 1 Mooncup, and it lasts years. It is, I believe one of the easiest ways to reduce not only the amount of waste we are responsible for, but also our overall footprint.

     - In fact according the Mooncup website they estimate that through people using Mooncups to date, 1.7 billion fewer tampons and pads have ended up on beaches or in landfill.

     - With just using the one Mooncup – for years – you save a lot of money not buying disposable sanitary products.

     - You can use your Mooncup from the lightest day of your period to your heaviest, because it is non absorbent so it won’t cause dryness on the light days and it holds 3 x more than a regular tampon so perfect for your heaviest days too.

     - A surprising side-effect that I (and it seems many others) have noticed from using something that is non absorbent is less pain! My periods are less painful since using the Mooncup.

     - Made from soft Medical grade silicone it is comfortable, you can’t actually feel it.

     -  It is Latex free and hypoallergenic, containing no dyes, perfumes, BPA, phthalates, plastic, bleaches or toxins, ideal if you have sensitive skin or allergies.

     - Oh and it is also multi award winning and Vegan.

It is different, and it can take a few cycles to get it right, but it is worth it.

If the Mooncup is a stretch too far for you at the moment, fear not. You can still make a big difference with a small change. 

Natracare make pads and tampons that look and feel just like those you probably use now, but with some big differences. All their products consist of renewable natural materials

     - Certified organic cotton. – Better for you and the environment!

     - Bio- plastic, made from plant starches

     - Fluffed Wood Pulp (Which is much more soft and comfortable than it sounds!!)

All their products are biodegradable and can even be composted, if you wanted! (which is actually what Natracare recommends)

They are free from;

     - They are completely plastic-free, they substitute plastic for bio plastic made from plant starch, which will biodegrade unlike its regular plastic counterparts.  

     - Poly-acrylate super absorbents (SAPs) Plant based materials are highly effective in locking away menstrual fluid and the absence of synthetic materials ensures your skin is able to breathe and stay dry.

     - Petroleum derivatives.

     - Synthetic ingredients.

     - Latex and

     - Perfume.

Natracare tampons also have no fibre loss. This is from their website –

“Try this test at home with most brands of tampons and you might notice the fibres coming off from the tampon after just a few minutes. This is because normally tampons are made with a mix of rayon and pesticide-sprayed cotton. Rayon fibres are short and straight and can easily slide apart from each other, shedding into the vagina during use.

Apart from the hygiene issues of fibres remaining in the vagina, there are also implications for bacterial colonisation which can contribute to vaginal infections.  Natracare does not have an issue with fibre loss as our tampons, including the string, are made from only 100% organic cotton, a wavy-construction fibre that easily interlocks. “

They are also certified organic and vegan. 

So there you go, who would have thought that your period could be such an eco issue! But this simple change is really something that we can personally KNOW is making a impact, making a difference, and not just to the environment, but to our own bodies and our bank balance too!

Just think...11,000....

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This infographic from Mooncup is a great way of summing it up.

So to continue this, we are going to talk bags. Yes, I appreciate this might not be the most exciting topic you have ever read about, but it is another small but important change that can have a massive impact.

We have already heard so much about plastic shopping bags and how they are/were a scourge upon the environment. Whether you love or hate the fact that you now have to take your own bags to the shops or be charged for them, there is no denying that it has had a huge positive effect.

 According to government stats for 2015-16, since the plastic bag tax policy came into force in England in October 2015, the total number of carrier bags used at the UK's biggest retailers has fallen by an estimated 85%. And in direct relation to this studies of plastic litter found in the North and Celtic Seas, they found statistically significant reductions in the amount of plastic bags in the sea from 2010 (when Ireland introduced the tax) – 2017.  Plastic bags are the only form of plastic litter to have seen a reduction over this time frame. All other forms have increased.

To me this demonstrates two things; - Firstly we really can make a difference when we try! It is amazing to read about positive environmental impacts for a change!
 And secondly we really need to take more personal responsibility for this stuff. It is sad that it has to take the government stepping in and penalising us for ‘us’ as a significant collective to make the changes needed.  Every time we spend money, make a choice we really are voting and contributing towards the kind of world we want to live in and we really need to start taking responsibility for that.

So why am I writing this post about bags? Has it not already been dealt with? Single use carrier bags yes. But these are not the only plastic bags we use!

If you have been following the blogs for a while then you probably know that Wikaniko started life simply selling bags. From alternatives to the single use carrier bags to all sorts of bin bags, freezer bags, sandwich bags, dog waste and nappy bags. You see, they creep in everywhere.  

But there are alternatives and really as a user you will not notice any difference. They look the same the feel same and they do exactly the same job. So what’s the difference? Once you have finished using them they break down much much quicker in

 the environment and not only that but instead of simply becoming smaller and smaller piece of plastic, they biodegrade, just like a leaf and leave nothing behind. No toxic residues and no fragments of plastic.  

They are known as Oxy-biodegradable plastics and the only difference is an additive called d2w that is added to the plastic at the manufacturing stage of production. Creating what is known as ‘controlled life’ plastic. It also does not stop the plastic from being recyclable (not particularly important for a bin bag perhaps, but useful in other areas!)

According to Symphony Environmental -

“Oxo-biodegradable plastic has been studied by scientists for many years http://www.biodeg.org/bibliography.html

Most recently at the Technical Research Institute of Sweden and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, and a peer-reviewed report of the work was published in Vol 96 of the journal of Polymer Degradation & Stability (2011) at page 919-928 where they found 91% biodegradation within 24 months.

Furthermore, ten governments in the world have examined this technology very carefully and rea

lised that Oxo-biodegradable plastic offers a solution to plastic waste that escapes into the open environment and cannot realistically be collected. They have legislated to make Oxo-biodegradable plastic mandatory, because it does not just fragment - It biodegrades.”

If you want to know more about the bags then please visit this link which has some great information

To me it seems a shame to place items that have the potential to degrade fairly quickly and sealing them in a plastic bag that will help to preserve them for many decades, and for that plastic bag to never really go away. Even the messy business of dog poop, or degradable nappies, sealed up in a plastic bag that will keep them around for many years and stop them degrading as they should.

In the D2w Range of bags you will find –

Standard Refuse Sacks – Great for general domestic waste and they are strong. We find them perfect for our kitchen bin and you probably will too.

Heavy Duty Refuse Sacks – The kin of the above but thicker and also come with a drawstring.

Pedal Bin Liners – Perfect for bathrooms and smaller kitchen bins

Swing Bin Liners

Medium and Large Food/ Freezer Bags

Wheelie Bin Liners

Green vest general purpose bags. These are great for everything from use as dog waste bags, to nappy sacks, to collecting blackberries or anything else you can think of really (and yes we have used them for all of those!)

A few other options available to you are;

Kompost Kaddy Bags - Simply drop the full bag into your compost bin! Composts quickly and easily (within 60 – 90 days). Suitable for putting into council bins, but more importantly they are 'OK Home' which means that you can put them into your home composter. These are probably the only bags with this specification.

Beaming Baby Biodegradable Nappy Sacks

Available in fragranced and unfragranced.  These biodegradefar quicker than regular nappy sacks allowing your nappy to start biodegrading more quickly too. 

And if you still need some great bags for doing your weekly shop -

String Bags or Tote Bags are a great option.  

So there are great options out there that allow us to do more for the environment without putting ourselves to any great effort. Do we really need to be forced to make these changes? Wouldn’t it be amazing if we stood up as a nation and said, ‘actually no, we choose to do things differently.’ Wouldn’t it be great if we caused the change, rather than being forced to change??

Hope they help!

Multi –purpose cleaner

Ingredients – Water, White Vinegar, lemon-grass essential oil  and eco washing up liquid (Wikaniko recommends BioD)

Fill a spray bottle to half way with water, then top up to ¾ full with White vinegar. Add 10 – 15 drops of Lemongrass essential oil, add a few drops of washing up liquid. Shake well before use.

Tile Cleaner

Ingrediensts-  Bicobonate of soda, white vinegar, lemon juice

Mix 2 parts bicarb to one part white vinegar and one part lemon. Use a damp cloth to apply the mixture to the tiles and leave for 10mins before rinsing off.  This is also good for draining boards, sinks, baths.  

Toilet Cleaner

Ingredients - Bicarbonate of soda, White Vinegar

Flush Toilet so sides are wet, Sprinkle with bicarbonate of soda, then drizzle with white vinegar. Leave it alone for at least 30mins or as long as possible and the scrub with a toilet brush.

Blocked drains

Ingredients - Equal parts bicarbonate of soda and white vinegar, boiling water.

Pour bicarb down drain and follow with vinegar, solution will foam up, leave for a few minuets and follow with boiling water.

Furniture Polish

Just Oilve oil, or two parts olive oil to one part lemon juice.

Cleaning gloss paint and UVPC window frames

1 x Tablespoon Soda Crystals dissolved in 1 bucket of hot water

Glass Cleaner
50% White Vinegar to 50% water, spray on windows and buf with a microfiber cloth, or if you are feeling really retro, newspaper!

So there you go, you can clean your whole house with just a few basic ingredients. Essential oils are an option to add scent and can be used for added antibacterial or anti fungal properties.  

Tips –

-          Bicarbonate of soda is great at deodorising so you can sprinkle it onto carpets or upholstery and leave for a few mins and vacuum up to freshen them up.  

-          It can also be sprinkled into smelly shoes or trainers left for a few hours and then shaken or vacuumed out.
Leaving some in a ramekin in your fridge can absorb any bad odours trapped in there.

-          Essential oils can add antifungal and antibacterial properties to cleaning products, but you only need a few drops. 

-          Be sure to test any new cleaning products on a small inconspicuous area first.

-          Do not mix Bicarbonate of soda and white vinegar together in a sealed container

-          Do always keep cleaning solutions out of the reach of children.

Recipe Credits to 

The green cleaner.co.uk, womens voices, goodhousekeeping/the national trust

And not just in the Spring but all year through. Oh yes, my friends eco cleaning is for life not just for Spring time ;)

One of the problems that we all face is effective advertising. We see the products on TV or in magazines, so we feel they must be good, perhaps we have been using them for years or our parents used them and we trust them, they are familiar. But what if ...

First we are going to talk VOCs. This is the abbreviation for Volatile Organic Compounds and whether you have heard of them before or not, they are important. They are chemicals that have a high vapour pressure at room temperature, which basically means at room temperature they will be or become a gas/ vapour. They are given off by a lot of things... almost everything in fact to some degree, but the vast majority of them that are present in your home will come from paints, furnishings and cleaning products.  They are also responsible for the quality of most people’s indoor air to be up to 10x lower in quality – or more polluted - than that of the outside.  As many of us spend an awful lot of our time indoors these days, this is not something to be taken lightly. They have been linked to all sorts of health issues, but to list them all here would smack of scare mongering to me and that is not what this is about, so I will just mention that one of the main ones is Asthma and if you want to know more about VOCs then please have a look into them.

Now obviously the VOCs are invisible, we can’t see them – although we can sometimes smell them and we may be able to notice their effects.  - but what we can see is the host of warning labels on the back of the bottles of many of the cleaning products. If you go to the cupboard where you keep them and line them all together and just look at those warnings. Those diagrams mean things like ‘Irritation’ – to skin eyes or airways ‘environmental hazard’ ‘flammable’ ‘corrosive.’  There may be phrases such as ‘only use in well ventilated areas’ or ‘poses threat to wildlife’. Not all eco products are completely safe of course. We would always recommend keeping anything cleaning related out of the reach of children or pets, but to me it just makes sense to minimise the risks as far as I can. 

What about the wider environment? Well, if you are not washing all those chemicals away down your sink, or flushing them down your toilet, then you are straight away doing the environment a great favour. Many of the chemicals can cause great problems in the waterways from straight up death of aquatic life to algal blooms. Even water that ends up being treated in the treatment plants cannot be stripped of all the chemicals we put into it.

When we clean our homes, unless we are washing everything down afterwards with a lot of water, we are also leaving behind a ‘film’ of these chemicals on the surface we have just cleaned.  So are they really clean?

We have become obsessed in recent times with everything being germ free, but is germ free really what is best for us? With Allergies, Eczema, Asthma etc on the rise, maybe we need a few more germs in our lives and few less chemicals? And you can still combat the nasty germs without the chemicals.

Also you can save money. I know, it just keeps getting better, right!  You do not need to have anywhere near the amount of cleaning products in your life that the commercial manufacturers would have you believe.   

So how do you make the switch?

As with most of these things it makes little sense to throw all of your current cleaning material away and rush out (or online!) and get new.  But if you cannot now stand to use your current supplies again, then please please do not simply throw them away or wash them down the drain.  You can take them to hazardous waste disposal (contact your local recycling centre) or even donate them to be used elsewhere.  

The good news is that, as ever we have a variety of options for you to replace your cleaning products with from things that won’t feel dissimilar to raw ingredients that you can make your own cleaning products with.

Bio-D offer a great range of cleaning products, including a Multi Surface Cleaner, Furniture polish, Toilet Cleaner, Bathroom Cleaner and Floor Cleaner.  All of these are made with Bio-D’s care and attention for ingredients and backed by their strict environmental policy. 100% of their range is Hypoallergenic, Vegan and Cruelty Free. The products are also made in the UK and come in recyclable packing.  They are concentrated and last for ages.
These products are a great place to start on your journey towards a more eco clean home.   

EcoEgg have a very cost effective Antibacterial  Multipurpose Cleaner. It is super concentrated and  1 x 1L bottle of concentrate will make 80 x 1L bottles of cleaning product. It lasts a long time! It is dermalogically tested and contains no harsh chemicals being made from plant extracts. It still manages to kill 99.9% of bacteria including E.coli, Flu and MRSA.

They also do a really good hard surface cleaner which is 100% natural being made of a special type of clay. It contains no phosphates, no detergents and no chemicals.  It is great for stainless steel, ovens and hobs, tiles, windows, mirrors, pots and pans and so much more!

What if you want to take it a step further and really get back to basics? To know exactly what you are cleaning your home with? No problem, and it is actually pretty simple and straight forward, you only need a few key ingredients and you and your home can find a whole new world of clean.

White Vinegar. This is a good place to start, super for cleaning glass and windows , it is also a natural disinfectant And can combat limescale. (but not to be used on plated surfaces). It is also great for mould and mildew. So wonderful for bathrooms, especially if teamed up with some essential oil. White vinegar is actually great for so many things that it really should be considered for a prime spot in your cupboard.   It is not the best at removing dirt though so it does need some back up.

Bicarbonate of Soda, is super at deodorising - carpets, upholstery, bins, drains, fridges. And also great for mild abrasion, it cleans well without scratching so can be used on shiny or delicate surfaces.  It is super at cleaning up grease and grime so great for kitchen and bathroom surfaces. 

Soda Crystals. These are amazing value and have so many uses. They are amazing for cleaning paintwork and the frames of UVPC windows. They are good at removing stains from carpets and upholstery. They dissolve grease so great for drains, cookers hobs, and backsplashes. They can clean floors, tiles, silverware, jewellery, bins, toilets and many more things!  (not to be used on aluminium).

Citric Acid is great if you have build up of limescale, whether it is in your kettle or your showerhead, around 

your taps or in your iron.

For scent and antibacterial cleaning qualities you can look to essential oils. Tea Tree is an excellent option (although beware if you have cats as it is not so excellent for them).

Hydrogen Peroxide is great also for disinfecting when needed, for example after contact with raw meat.

Olive Oil  makes a wonderful furniture polish. Especially if you would rather avoid beeswax. 

Magic Erasers are amazing at getting marks of walls, doors, coffee cups, wood, vinyl. Even deep seated stains that other cleaners may have failed at, they really are quite magical.

Microfibre Cloths. These are great cloths for cleaning all surfaces. Far more powerful than regular cloths, they are able to get surfaces clean using just water, not chemicals, detergents or polishes required. Can be washed (without fabric conditioner) and reused hundreds of  times.

So I hope that has helped you to see how making some more simple switches can make a massive difference to your immediate environment and all who live in it and the environment and large and all who live there too!

There are hundreds of options available to you that need not involve the harsh chemicals. So I hope that you find options that work for you. As ever if you have any questions or comments please get in touch.

As a plant alone, before it is made into anything else, it has some pretty great characteristics - It is actually a member of the grass family and as such it grows fast, really fast. It is actually the fastest growing plant in the world with some types of bamboo are purported to grow up to four feet a day!

• - It produces 35% more oxygen than the same area of trees would.
• - It grows well and fast without the need for pesticides, insecticides or fertilisers.
• - It is not thirsty, requiring only rainwater to grow
• - It is good for the soil. When it is harvested it does not need to be uprooted just cut back and it will re grow keeping the soil bound together. This means it helps to prevent soil erosion and also flooding. It can also grow in areas that prove difficult to grow and harvest other crops like slopes.
• - It will also grow at altitudes from sea level to 12000 feet above.

When it comes to harvesting it,

• - It can provide the same amount of useable material for the textile industry as cotton using only 10% of the land area
• - It is 100% biodegradable
• - It only takes 3- 5 years before it can be harvested again, much quicker than trees!
• - The strength of bamboo in terms of building is comparable to steel! But with much more flexibility making it great for places prone to earthquakes or hurricanes.

But the chances are more likely that you have come across this wondering why you should buy bamboo socks, toothbrushes or towels rather than using it as a building material.

For bamboo toothbrushes the argument is fairly simple, they are biodegradable unlike their plastic counterparts (bristles will depend on the toothbrush make). They are also naturally antibacterial so could be a healthier option for your mouth too! They take a lot less energy to create than their plastic cousins, but should last you just as long with the proper care.  

As far as clothing goes, bamboo is an amazing textile. Although it is as strong as steel, when made into a fabric it is super soft and feels wonderful against the skin. It is great for all skin but especially for allergy prone skin as it is so soft, and non- irritating. It is also hypoallergenic, and naturally protective against UV rays.

The socks are great if you suffer with diabetes as they help to look after your feet. Socks made of bamboo provide 60% better wick protection than cotton alone, helping feet stay dry and reducing the risk of foot complaints. On top of that, bamboo has thermo-regulating properties which help keep feet warm in winter and cool in summer. This stems from it having hollow microfibers, making it efficient at trapping heat, yet it is also breathable. 

It is also odour resistant, antibacterial, anti-fungal and anti-static! Quite frankly, what more could you want from a humble sock!

These properties are also great for towels - who doesn’t want a super soft towel with great moisture absorption properties that is also anti bacterial? This makes it a great choice for the gym or swimming. And as they are anti-static, it reduces further the need to use fabric conditioners, which damage your towels (see blog on Fabric conditioners).

Environmentally speaking, there are 1500 species of bamboo and it occurs naturally in every continent except Europe and Antarctica. Whilst it is also famed for being the food source for the rather lovely Panda and Red Panda the species used for clothing, building etc is not the same as the panda eats so there is no direct competition there.

The process of transforming bamboo into fabric can take an environmental toll, with some methods involving a chemical based hydrolysis- alkalization process followed by bleaching. However it is countered that bamboo still has a much lower environmental impact than pesticide laden conventional cotton and petroleum derived nylon and polyester fabrics (Scientific American).

Processing methods have come on a long way and there are now reported to be much more environmentally friendly closed loop methods being used than there were a few years ago. 

The other danger would be from creating bamboo mono cultures, and land clearing for these (much like with palm oil). But currently as the growth of bamboo is so prolific and with it being able to reach great heights (35 feet in some cases) making its yield per sq ft greater than pretty much any other crop, this is potentially less of a problem than for other crops. But it is worth making sure that the bamboo you buy is from a sustainable source.

Overall Bamboo is quite a miraculous plant that could not only help us to protect the environment but also keep us all in comfortable clothes too. Where humans are concerned, I do not think there is much that we do that does not come with an impact of some kind, but it is good to see that this at least – if managed correctly, has pros that far outweigh the cons.

                                             

Stains are big business in the laundry world, especially if you ever wear white, own a carpet or live within 5 miles of a child. Most washing detergents advertising is based around how good they are at removing stains, but there are also a plethora of stain removers on the market, suggesting that even the most chemical leaden commercial brands need an extra boost from time to time.                                                               

So it stands to reason that even the best of the eco alternatives will also come across a stain that requires a little more oomph. But do not fear it is perfectly possible to tackle those stains using earth/waterway/skin friendly methods. 

Here are a few tips to get you started: 

- The first piece of sage advice is, no matter what method of stain removal you are using, treat the stain asap (if not even sooner than that!) The longer you wait the cosier that pesky stain gets, and the harder it is to evict.

- Any stain treatment you are using should be pretested on an inconspicuous area of the fabric first

- Do not rub at the stain before you treat it, this just works the stain further into the cloth fibres

- Stains have a type, and therefore will be suited to different types/methods of stain removals. Is the stain oil based, protein based, fruit based?

- Avoid heat, apply heat to the stain can set it further and make it almost impossible to remove. 

As with our previous laundry blogs, we will start with some suggestions that are more conventional for a first step outside the comfort zone. 

Ecoegg stain remover paste

This is an 'Out of the tube' spot on treatment.  But it is formulated using plant extracts, no toxic gentle ingredients instead of chemicals, it is they say, safe to use on all fabrics, kind to skin and the environment and tackles a wide range of stains.   

Exactly the same concept brings us the EcoZones stain remover. Again it is free from toxic chemicals, it is biodegradable, certified vegan and cruelty free, doesn't contain phosphates or nasty fragrances. Just apply to the stain, work in, leave for 10 mins and wash as usual. 

Ecoegg also do a new Instant stain remover.  This is also free from harsh chemicals, dermatologically tested and hypoallergenic. It cuts through stains with just a few sprays and works on all kinds of stains from ink to berry stains to red wine. It is certainly one of the best stain removers we have ever tried, natural or otherwise!   

For those of you willing to explore a little further then take a trip back in time with us as many of these are actually traditional solutions that would have been widely used a couple of generations back. 

Oxygen Bleach, now I know this has the word bleach in its name but it is not the same as the very toxic chlorine bleach that people are generally most familiar with. It is made from Soda crystals and hydrogen peroxide. It is usually found in a powder form and when mixed with water it produces... oxygen! The oxygen then gets busy being bubbles and lifting the stain out of the fabric as it passes through. Great for treating inks, dyes, fruits, drinks. Not generally recommended for use of delicate fabrics. 

White Vinegar. We mentioned this in the Fabric Conditioners section, but it is a laundry hero as it is also great for many stains too. Super for removing plant based stains so fruit juices, teas, coffee, wine, also great for mould and mildew stains but also useful for the more icky stains, blood, sick, sweat, urine... 

Soda Crystals. A scoop of these added to your wash will boost the stain removal power of your detergent of choice. They are also great for tea and coffee stains, mud, cooking fat, blood. For spot on treatment make the soda crystals into a paste with equal parts water and spread over the stain. Leave for a while, up to 30 mins bad then wash as usual.

Bicarbonate of Soda. Especially good for deodorising and cleaning large stains on things like carpets or upholstery. Simply shake on dry to mop up liquids before vacuuming up or make into a paste, and rinse out. 

What about keeping your whites white and not fading to grey? This can be helped by adding some lemon juice to your wash about 120ml to a load of washing should be ok. And for this - and fading out any stains, drying in the sun (when available!) also helps.

Some other interesting tips we have come across include - 

Candle wax - Pop some brown paper over the wax and iron the paper with a warm iron.

To remove lipstick from fabric, cut off the crusts from a slice of white bread, roll bread into a ball and then blot the lipstick stain, this should lift the lipstick stain from the fabric. (Havent tried this one personally...maybe my husband has?? ;) )

If you have chewing gum on your favourite trousers, pop them in the freezer! After a few hours the gum should be brittle enough to scrape off quite easily with a knife, carefully of course!

Milk is great for ink stains, just soak the item in milk - it may take a while - but the stain should then wash out. 

So there you have it! Your washing from start to finish, in an more eco friendly, in most cases a more pocket friendly, clothes friendly and health friendly way. Whats not to love? I really hope that you will give some of these a fair go. Not everything is going to be a great fit for everyone (or else there wouldnt be powder, liquids, tabs etc available from the commercial brands), so have a play with it, experiment and see what works for you. And whilst they might not help with making doing the laundry less of a chore, at least you can feel good about doing it, knowing you are helping your home environment as well as the environment at large. 

If there is anything you think we have missed out of this series or a tip or product you would like to share with us, we would live to hear from you, just get in touch with us via the contact page. Thanks for reading! 

Considering how long people have been washing clothes, fabric conditioners as we know them today have not been around all that long. They rose to popularity with the tumble dryer, and the rise of synthetic fabrics use in clothing, both produce static and smell pretty bad when heated.
The soution? Along came fabric conditioners, their job is to 'coat' the clothes in, well, basically a soup of chemicals to make them feel soft, and prevent the build up of static. Great! Except for the tiny problem that these chemicals also smell pretty bad, the solution to this? The heady perfume fabric conditioners are known for is added, using... a few more chemicals. 

I will admit that I have a fairly sensitive sense of smell but sometimes peoples fabric conditioner on their clothes is so strong that it will make my eyes water and make it a little harder for me to breathe just standing next to them. But the chemicals made to make this fragrance could actually be doing us some real harm. They release VOC's or Volatile organic compounds many of these are actually classified as toxic or hazardous air pollutants, they contribute massively to air pollution in the home (which is often actually many times higher than air pollution outside the home) and can cause or exacerbate respiratory disorders such as asthma (VOCs can be and are released from many sources inside the home not just fabric conditioner, but this is a major contributor). Some of them are also suspected hormone disruptors.
But the regulations state that product manufacturers do not have to declare what makes up the fragrance of their product because it would leave them open to being copied by competitors. This means that in some cases no-one outside the manufacturer actually knows what chemicals they are using to give the fragrance.

The softness provided to your clothes is largely provided by a group of chemicals whose name is shortened to quarts. The Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics, a leading international authority on asthma, calls these chemicals "asthmagens," substances that can cause asthma to develop in otherwise healthy people. With Instances of asthma on the rise (especially in children) is this something we should or can afford to ignore? 

By their very nature the chemicals are designed to stay on the clothes that you have on your skin, so some of them will be absorbed into your skin. For some people they can even cause contact dermatitis, eczema and body acne.

It is quite amusing, and at the same time horrifying that the adverts for these products often focus on the natural, their imaging is of hillside, mountains, festivals (!) people taking deep deep breaths of their wonderful clean and fresh fragrances....

I hadn't realised before we started our eco journey but Fabric softener is actually bad for quite a few materials;

Firstly because it makes them less absorbent, so at the very least you should stop using them on your towels! But also sports wear, which is designed to wick moisture away from your skin and allow your skin to breathe,(and is probably a large part of the reason you bought it in the first place!) is prevented from doing this by the film that is put on them by the fabric conditioner. 

Also anything that contains spandex aka elastane - leggings, some jeans and 'control shape wear', swimming costumes anything that has 'stretch' are all likely to be weakened by the use of fabric conditioner and have a shorter lifespan. 

Secondly because it makes them more flammable. Even if you buy fabrics that have been treated or made to be flame retardant (usually children's clothes/costumes) then adding fabric conditioner to them will reduce their effectiveness by up to 7 times according to the Department of Chemistry at McGill University.  

So in a lot of cases, fabric conditioner is actually completely unnecessary and a big fat waste of money! 

So that's the bad news! What of the good?  What if you love your fabric conditioner? What if you are old friends going back years and you love smelling like spring mountain dew on the delicate petal of an alpine flower damn it!

Well the good news is: You can still have lovely soft clothes, you can even get them to smell pretty good (perhaps a more subtle fragrance, which is probably, upon reflection, what spring mountain dew on the delicate petal of an alpine flower was going for anyway....) ;-) without the chemicals! 

The original fabric conditioners were made with olive oil but you do not even need to go that far.

If you are really not ready to kick the fabric conditioner habit then we have 2 great choices of fabric conditioners that  are far 

more eco friendly and use natural fragrances. 

Bio D This comes as unscented or with a lavender fragrance (so your clothes can be a source of calm in your day!)  As mentioned in Part 1, 100% of their range is hypoallergenic, they are also 100% natural, plant based products, they are committed to sustainable practices and are credited with the 14001 standard and are vegan.

Eco Egg These come in Fresh Linen or Spring blossom fragrance. Plant based and containing natural fragrance, it is also super concentrated, meaning one bottle will last your for around 240 washes! So it will last about a year for the average family and making it about 4p a wash to use!  Again they have a great environmental policy, are hypoallergenic and vegan. 

If you do not wish to use fabric conditioners at all, then the easiest way to keep your clothes soft and nice smelling is to line dry them when possible. (I appreciate that in the UK this equates to roughly 5 days a year! But on those days go for it!)  

At the very least keep synthetic fabrics out of the tumble dryer as they are the main culprits for static production. 

But fear not for the other 360 days a year there are still options;

Woolen Dryer Balls. They soften your clothes, reduce static and shorten drying time.  If you want a scent you can add a few drops of essential oil to them and they will gently fragrance your clothes as they go. They are very economical too, lasting for around 1000 uses. 

Ecoegg Dryer Egg. They work in a similar way to the wool dryer balls, softening clothes and reducing drying time (by up to 28%)  but also impart a subtle, natural fragrance to your clothes. The eggs should last...well for ages, you just need to change the scent sticks when they become less smelly. 

• You can also try adding some white vinegar to your washing machine during the rinse cycle. - The smell will not last, but it will make your clothes feel soft soft soft. 

• You can use essential oil to give a lovely subtle fragrance, and its super easy to change the scent when ever you want! You can either add it to your fabric conditioner draw of your washing machine or make up a spray bottle of distilled white vinegar and essential oil and spray on your clothes before adding them to the dryer. To 250ml of White Vinegar add 1.5 tsp of Eucalyptus essential oil (Lavender, lemongrass also work well or experiment with your own favourite scent!) and spray!   

It is highly recommended that you swap out your detergent  (see part 1) for one of the more natural alternatives if you are going to swap or stop altogether your fabric conditioner. Because the detergents and the fabric conditioners you have been using will be on your clothes still, and it may take a few washes for them to come out. This may lead to them feeling a bit stiffer and starchier than usual for a little while.  It is also worth giving your washing machine a bit of a detox to get any residue out of it. 

Phew, so there you have it, and now you know why fabric softeners needed their own post! In the 3rd and final part of this laundry series we will have a look at what we can do to tackle any particularly stubborn stains in an more eco way. 

But actually, in eco terms it is quite exciting because EVERYBODY (or their Mum!) does it. Perhaps not everyday, but every few, or every week for most I would wager, and it is a chore. We wear clothes, we would usually like to re-use them (a good eco practice right there!) and so we wash them, not for the fun of it but the necessity.  And for most its quite habitual. We find a washing powder, liquid or tabs that we like, a fabric softener that has a pleasing scent and that's what we use, because we like them, they do their job, so why change it?

Well, if we did all change our laundry products it would make a massive difference, to both ourselves and the environment at large. And, before you ask, yes eco friendly laundry products can be just as effective on dirt and cost effective too.
Lets look at some of the things in mainstream laundry products that in eco terms are less than ideal.

Phosphates are probably the one that most people would have heard of, they are there to help with removing dirt from clothes (also found in washing up liquids or dishwasher products) but when they get washed down the drain they can cause problems. 

When they find their way into waterways they cause algal blooms, which is a big problem if you are living in or dependent upon that water as they can harm or even kill the organisms by depleting the oxygen in the water, blocking the light, and even 

blocking the gills of fish. Whilst the quantity of phosphates or phosphonates has decreased in the last 30 years, there is still along way to go.  

Just as bad, is how phosphates are obtained. They are often strip mined, which has lead to the environmental devastation of many areas it has been mined in, the small pacific island of Nauru which once a paradise has seen 80% of its surface strip mined, leaving it a barren waste land. But this is also a problem in Florida, Brazil, Africa and other countries. 

Surfactants are pretty essential to washing. They break up the dirt and stains allowing them to be lifted off the clothes and washed away. LAS is the ingredient generally favoured by the industry (Linear Alkylbenzene Sulfonate), but the trouble with it is that it does not biodegrade without sufficient oxygen.  

Bio or non-bio? Many people automatically reach for the Non-bio because they believe it to be kinder and safer on skin and so it is especially popular for those with small children or sensitive skin. The difference is the presence of enzymes, which are present in order to help break down stains that are protein or fat based. But, whilst they are naturally occurring they can cause skin irritation. 

Many people turn to eco friendly laundry products simply because they have a reaction to mainstream brands, with the most common being contact dermatitis. But there are some ingredients that even though more eco friendly and natural can still cause  irritations, so it is good to know that there are an array of options out there, not only for your skin, but for how much of a 'change' you are comfortable making or how much money you would like to spend/save. 

So here are our favourites; 

Bio-D Laundry Powder or Liquid.  

These are really good products. We have found them to be just as good as mainstream powders 

for general soiling and are a great choice if you are looking for something that is much more eco- friendly but not too far our of your laundry comfort zone! 100% of their range is hypoallergenic, they are also 100% natural, plant based products, they are committed to sustainable practices and are credited with the 14001 standard and are vegan. 

EcoEgg Laundry Eggs

These are a complete replacement for laundry detergent, you just place it in the drum of your washing machine and let it work its magic. While a little quirkily different from regular detergents, they are independently laboratory proven to perform just as well as regular detergents.   They are supported by Allergy UK and the National Eczema Society they are perfect for even the most sensitive of skin.

They also score big points for being economical, with their 720 egg, being good for 720 loads of washing!! That is 3 YEARS worth of washing for the average family and works out at under 3p per wash!  They are also not tested on animals and have a very good environmental policy. And are vegan. 

Soap Nuts

Our most quirky offering is the wonderful soap nut, which literally grows on trees! These amazing little shells are highly effective cleaners, you just pop half a dozen in an old sock or muslin bag with your clothes and let them do their thing! They are great for all fabrics and all temperatures. They are great for allergy sufferers or those with very sensitive skin. Contrary to what their name suggests they are actually a berry not a nut, and so nut allergy suffers need not fear.   They contain Saponin a natural detergent, when placed in water the soap nuts absorb the water and release the saponins which act as a natural surfactant and lift dirt grime and oil from clothing.  They are also very affordable, being inexpensive to buy and you can use the same 6 or so shells 6 or so times and then when they are all saponin-ed out you can compost them! Making them truly sustainable, non-toxic and waste free!  An amazing eco option.   Soap nuts can also be used for washing up, soap or shampoo! 

So at whatever level you feel comfortable there is a way you can make your washing less impactful on the environment but better for your health too, if we all made a change to one of these alternatives (or any of the others out there) this would equate to not a big effort on our individual parts but a massive difference to our wider environment and perhaps even personal environment and purses! 

In part 2 we are going to look at Fabric conditioners and why you perhaps do not need them at all!... 

I do tend to get quite excited when there is a new product to test out, but it is not often that I am so excited by a new product once I have started using it that;

A. I am reluctant to give it up to the rest of the team to try, or B. that I would want to share it with the world before we have even started stocking it!  But this skincare range was different.   

Melissa the founder and developer of Planted contacted us and after chatting with her it was clear that her philosophy matched ours to a tee and that she had put an awful lot of time, care and research into developing her products.

There are currently four products in the range - 

• An Oil cleanser /makeup remover - which comes with its own muslin face cloth, which is a very lovely touch.
• A Nutrient rich moisturiser
• A Coffee and Orange Sugar scrub - which comes with its own little bamboo spoon! 
• and A Whipped Shea Body Butter.

I was a little sceptical about the oil cleanser. I have always preferred cleansers that foamed over say a cream cleanser, and I had never tried an oil cleanser. I have a combination skin but my T zone is really very oily, especially my forehead, and I just couldn't see how this would work for me, or how effective it would be at removing my make up. But this cleanser really surprised me.

I have been using 'natural' skin care products for a number of years now, but somehow I have still always struggled a bit with my complexion. I have always felt the need to exfoliate a couple of times a week, use moiturising masks and I am never seen without makeup (except by husband and kiddies).  So imagine my surprise when I realised that for 3 weeks I have not felt the need to exfoliate once, I have not used a mask.(The cleanser can be used as a mask too) And I have even on one occasion ventured out of my house without makeup on (no one screamed!) Its like giving myself a facial every day! I realise I am making this sound like some kind of miracle serum, but I honestly do not think that my skin has looked or felt this good since before my teens (some time ago!) I asked Melissa about this and she said

"Oil cleansing works brilliantly at deep cleansing our pores; the oil will easily pull excess oil and dirt out of our pores, without stripping them dry (like foaming and soaping ingredients can do). Stripping the skin of our natural oils makes dry skin drier and oily skin oilier! The blend I use is also formulated to provide the perfect balance of fatty acids so our skin can learn to balance it’s sebum production."

I have never used a cleanser before that left my skin feeling so soft that I dont actually feel like I need to use a moisturiser, 

but the Nutrient Rich face cream is another delight, as its name suggests it contains some super ingredients including Moringa oil, a firm favourite with us, as is Rose hip oil. It also contains Pomegranate Seed oil and Raspberry seed oil, which has UV protection and repair properties, as well as many other lovely ingredients.  A little goes a really long way, so much so that it took me a few goes to get the amount I was using right, when you use too much it does make your skin a little greasy for a little while, but this is certainly user error, as when you do get the quantity correct, it glides on like a dream and my skin feels baby soft and, well....moisturised! and stays that way for the whole day/night.

Using these two products together is a real powerhouse for your skin, and they have secured a place in my must haves for facial care.

The Coffee and Orange circulation boosting scrub also left my skin feeling very loved, it is certainly a good one for waking you up with its strong coffee aroma and again it is packed full of super ingredients for improving and maintaining the health of your skin. The unrefined cane sugar helps to remove the old skin cells making way for the fresh new skin, the avocado oil promotes elasticity and healing of skin whilst also being rich source of oleic acid for penetrative moisture. And of course the coffee, (grown by women farmers) contains caffeine which increases collagen content, decreases pigmentation, fights redness as well as all inflammatory skin conditions. And thats just a few of the ingredients! A word to the wise though, it can get a bit messy -- at least it did for me! So best used when IN the bath or shower, not just in the bathroom as a friend of mine did! 

I love a good body butter and this is no exception Virgin Shea and Cocoa butters whipped together to produce a moisturiser that is great for all over the body and is gentle enough to use on babies too! I find this especially great on my legs and feet where my skin is driest, I can actually apply this body butter and my skin still looks and feels good 24 hours later. Again I find a little goes a long way and I love the slight chocolatly aroma. Shea butter is known for its great moisturisation properties and is especially lovely for skin conditions like rosacea, eczema and psoriasis. It also works wonderfully as a lip balm.

So aside from how great this range is for the skin, is there anything else to love about this range? Actually, yes there is!  The first is the attitude of Planted and Melissa. She genuinely cares about bringing products to us all that are great for us as well as the planet, that contain wonderful ingredients and are affordable for all. It is my belief that she could charge a LOT more for these products than she is doing. 

• They are all cruelty free
• There are no synthetic ingredients  
• All the packaging is recyclable. 
• They are made in the UK
• For what they deliver, the price is amazing.

So in summery! I love this range. Everyone here who has tried it also loved it. We hope to start stocking it really soon, and can't wait to get the word out there to all you lovely folk about it so you can love it too! 

I will leave you with planteds philosophy, which sums it up perfectly I think;

Planted is committed to the belief that healthy skin should be easily obtainable by everyone. We use only high-quality, nourishing ingredients as Nature intended and tailor our products to address all skin concerns so you can keep your regime nice and simple.

For me, no two walks in the forest are the same. It obviously looks different depending on the season - are the leaves a bright and vibrant almost iridescent green of first spring, a deeper richer green of summer, or reds, golds and browns of autumn? 
It also smells different too, especially if it has recently rained or been dry for a long time. And it sounds different, depending on the time of day, the birds signing, the wind. Add in the weather – are you seeking shade amongst the trees or is it a job to glimpse the sun? Is there a warm summer breeze or are you wrapped up against the biting north wind? Is it an early and misty dawn and you are sharing the woods with the deer or foxes, or is it later and there are families and dog walkers a plenty? I find it fascinating and rejuvenating and also it is where I do my best thinking.

So it was a nice surprise to hear about Shinrin-yoku which is the Japanese practice of Forest-bathing! This started in Japan in the 1980s and has become a cornerstone of their health care. It is especially recognized as a legitimate practice for preventative healthcare and as a way to accelerate healing.

There have been many scientific studies in the last couple of decades into the healing benefits of being in natural places. They have found for example that some trees give off compounds that naturally help to boost our immune system.

Some of the other main benefits include

- Reducing blood pressure

- Improved sleep

- Improved mood

- Reduced stress

- Accelerated healing from surgery or illness.

Whilst it may sound like an ‘alternative therapy’ surely it is more about returning to a place where historically not all that long ago, humans would have spent a great deal of time, if not pretty much all of their time. The more we ‘advance’ the more time we spend in towns and cities, in front of screens, sedentary and cut off from nature, and even each other, each having a far more singular experience than ever before. We have changed our lifestyles far quicker than evolution would have, so perhaps there is a large part of our being that cries out for the wild, natural places of the world and why, for me at least, going to the woods brings a sense of connection and belonging.

So give it a go this week, go alone and breath deep, or take the family and jump in puddles, switch off the phones, relax, have fun, who knows, you may just feel so much better. And if you do not have access to woods, then go to the park, walk the fields, find somewhere you can just be with nature and take a little time for you and your health.

So in the last post I mentioned that we were going to be tackling our rubbish, the volume of which had started to creep up over the last few weeks/couple of months. I can make all the excuses, baby not sleeping, so a very tired me (so very very tired!), low energy, thinking through fog, school holidays - so our structure/routine is off etc, you get the idea. So we had fallen back on the supermarket a few times because I hadn’t made it to the greengrocers in time, or we had not been planning our meals as our days were more spontaneous so bread had been left to go rather hard... little things like this.

Two of the easiest ways we have found to cut down on our waste, is switching the supermarket for the greengrocers, butchers etc. Fewer plastic trays, plastic bags, horrible orange netting... Actually the packaging of fruit and veg is one thing that annoys me the most. Especially when I see people putting bananas in those little almost clear plastic bags... they come in their own handy packaging! They are even handily pre-tied (bunched) together for you! Why do they need to be in a little bag? What is the bag going to protect them from?? 

I digress! So yes, the greengrocers or farmers market has saved us a lot of packaging. I also like the feel of fruit and veg more from here. Is it just me? It is perhaps a psychological thing? But the fruit and veg from a supermarket always seems a little... sterile? Perhaps because of the uniformity or the extra packaging, or just the chilled clean supermarket environment? (Not saying that my local greengrocers is not clean!) it just seems another step away from nature somehow.

This is something that has been easier for me for the last couple of years, because I have been on (at least part time) maternity leave or a part time stay at home mum I suppose. So I have been able to pop out with the kiddilies during the day. When I had previously been office bound, this was harder to do and when I go back to being full time, I will have to have a think about how to make sure I don’t slip back to relying on the supermarket and their later opening hours. However, we intend to make our working life more flexible to fit in with the girls so with some intention and planning, I don't see it being a problem.

The other thing we did which had a massive impact on our waste, specifically food waste, was to plan our meals for a week. The thought of this horrifies my mum as she says she couldn’t stand to just know what she is going to be eating and be tied to it - she likes to get into the kitchen and be creative. But you do not have to be tied to it. If it is Tuesday and we were supposed to have spaghetti bolognaise, but no one fancies it, we will just swap it for Thursday’s risotto instead. And with some store cupboard basics always on standby there is room for some creativity too. Also, no two weeks need be the same. You can get all creative still, just not quite so spontaneously.

Not only does planning our menu save on waste in the form of throwing away food that has gone bad whilst waiting to be swept up in your creativity. It also saves money – not buying food you then throw away. And Time – wondering round the shops trying to think of what to buy and wondering round your shelves/cupboards trying to think of what to make! Yes, at some point you need to sit down and plan your menu, and that can be done in one fail swoop, or just left on the side and added to over a couple of days. We have been doing this for a couple of years now, and honestly it must have saved us tens or maybe even hundreds of hours. As if anyone reading this does have little people in their lives, you know those hours are precious. It also gives us the chance to include them in the weeks food, we can ask them if there are any meals they would like next week - Our 3 year olds favourite food is currently prawns! And when shopping they get a better idea about where their food is actually coming from, rather than just seeing everything as coming in a neat little plastic package.

Getting back on track with just these two things has dropped the amount of rubbish we are producing down along way.

Any food waste we do have we compost. We have in the past grown some of our own fruit and veggies, this is something that has gone by the wayside a little again over the last 2 years, but we still do some. Last year we had Tomatoes, Runner Beans, French beans, Strawberries and Raspberries. And the herb patch, which apart from some taming, mostly takes care of itself! Again the girls love it and there is something so satisfying about eating something you have grown.

Any cardboard waste we have (eg egg boxes) or yoghurt pots generally gets re purposed as arts and crafts materials by our eldest, or taken to nursery so that they can do likewise before it gets recycled. We have several beautiful sculptures adorning our surfaces that look (almost) like a rocket, or a house, or a ...doggy?

This is of course an ongoing thing and I would love to hear any ideas you have come up with for reducing waste around your home.

Action Steps - Make it Happen! 

• Have a go at planning your next weeks worth of meals before you shop. See what can be used in the cupboards and then make a list of what you need to buy
• See if there are meals that you can batch cook and freeze to save you time in the future.
• See if you can schedule in some time to go to the greengrocers/farmers market/ butchers etc. If it is not possible maybe try investigating some veg box schemes near you.
• With spring approaching see what you could have a go at growing for yourself. You do not need much space or loads of time. You could simply start with a few pots or grow bags....
• As ever if you would like a chat about anything eco or have any questions please get in touch with us or your Wikaniko Distributor. (Links at the top of the page) 

We have come a long way in our efforts to live in a more sustainable way, but I am under no illusions that we still have a long way to go. It takes a very special person to decide that they are going the whole hog approach when it comes to changing lifestyle and if you are one of those people, then I wholeheartedly take my hat off to you. But a lot of people are adverse to change, myself included and so the only way this was going to work was for us was to take it slowly, one step at a time.

We started really simply, by changing the kinds of bags we used, from bin bags to shopping bags (before we were charged for using plastic shopping bags). Out went the usual off the shelf bags and in came some lovely degradable ones for the rubbish and cotton string bags for the shopping.

Then a month or so later we started swapping our toiletries, shampoos, soaps, moiturisers etc, as the brands we had used for years ran out so they were replaced. A little while after that we swapped out our laundry products, then cleaning and so on.

With some products it took some trial and error before we found the ones that worked for us, (I will do some quick comparison posts later on to try and help you if you are having trouble deciding what to switch to. For example, switching your Persil for soap nuts ((which literally grow on trees)) might seem a bit of a stretch for you, maybe not, but if so then perhaps a laundry powder or liquid without chemicals will be a better fit...) but we were amazed by the options out there, that we had just never known about because they are not stocked in the supermarkets (generally speaking) or advertised on TV.

Sometimes it can be hard knowing where to start. What is the first step to take? So it can be surprising how once you do start, the way opens up in front of you and it can take you much further and in more directions than you ever imagined. It's one of the things that gets me really excited about what we do and about helping people when they are just starting out. Even if you only change one thing a month, that will make a huge difference after a year. Pick something that speaks to you the most, and go from there.

One of the areas that we are still working on changing, but is also a great example of how your horizons and point of view can change as you go, is our diet. When we first started this I would have sworn that I would never be vegan, you could not have induced me to go down that road for love nor money and my husband even more so…but now… well, we are not there yet, but we do not eat much meat at all now, our diets are certainly much healthier. We are more aware and make more conscious choices about where any meat, diary products etc come from, and I can see it being a distinct possibility that we will be slipping more and more into that lifestyle choice, it just seems to be a natural progression

Another great example is re-usable menstrual products. When we first started stocking them I was horrified! I couldn’t think of many things worse! However a few years on and I cant imagine what I was making such a fuss about, I wouldn’t be without them now!

So now, as a family we do quite a bit to lessen our footprint upon this world, we've done it slowly, nothing has been a shock to the system. Is it all we can do? No. But next week we will be doing a little more than today. Our next personal project is to cut down on waste as it has started creeping up a bit lately. Sometimes I think we all need to cut ourselves some slack and celebrate the things that we do that are great. Whether they be big small, green, kind, thoughtful, or just ordinary and every-day. So wherever you are now, take a moment to celebrate and congratulate yourself for the effort you are already making, then think of the next thing you are going to change and when, and go tackle that goal with a spring in your step.

Action Steps - Make it Happen! 

• Choose some first products to start swapping. It can be overwhelming to swap everything over straight away, so pick an area you would like to start with, Cleaning? Laundry? Personal care? And get some more eco choices in to try.
• Have a look around your home for the amount of products you use that could be swapped out. It can be quite surprsing! 
• Have a look into the options avaliable to you. A great place to start could be with ECO EGG, BIOD, FAITH IN NATURE CRYSTAL SPRING,  D2W BAGS, Or more generally with CLEANING or LAUNDRY to see the wide range of options avaliable to you
• If you have any questions or are unsure about where to start, please get in touch with us or your local Wikaniko consultant for a no obligation chat. We are always excited to talk eco and we would be happy to help you.