Welcome to our monthly round-up of news and products. We update it as we go along so do check back for our latest finds. and you can subscribe to get our monthly updates delivered to your virtual door. There’s a subscription form at the bottom of the page.

You can see our past round ups here HERE.

November

people are always selling you stuff. including stuff to get the sticky left behind form sticky lables. well if the gunk is on glass this is a great tip. Mix oil with bicarb and spread on the sticky residue. wait 30 minutes then use an abrasive scrubber to clean the glass. It works. I tried it. Lots more info here .

Busy updating my links to local shops and british businesses

My guide to buying

U.K. made stuff I have recently bought.

Building a new van and I want it to be as environmental and as plastic free as possible. Decorating is very dirty work and needs a lot of research.

You can see all our related posts here

And of course if you want to show your support by wearing a poppy you can buy a reusable poppy. You still make a donation each year but wear your own reusable poppy. If you don’t like any on display, or find the offerings to be too plastic packaged, try making your own. Loads of ideas HERE.

Nice Initiatives

Leeds Peeps…

REAP wants to support our Roundhay and Oakwood community to reduce our plastic use, particularly single use plastics.
We want to work with volunteers who are willing to get actively involved in specific local campaigns e.g. with supermarkets re packaging or with bars and cafes which offer plastic straws.ACT NOW email us at info@reap-leeds.org.uk or come and chat to us at our monthly Farmers’ Markets.
Read more about REAP here. And perhaps get involved.

October

This Month

Whhhooo oooo

Because plastic is too scary – even for Halloween
Check out the How To Halloween Plastic Free page for details. And please do add your own grisly finds and ghastly zero waste ideas.

Interesting Ideas

Fairmondo UK wants to provide an online marketplace for buyers and sellers with strong ethical commitments – connecting ethical producers and sellers with like-minded consumers.
The Fairmondo brand began life in Germany in 2012 as a co-operatively owned marketplace promoting fair goods and services. The UK launch is the next step in building a global network of co-operative platforms for trading goods and services.

Friends Who Compost
Fantastic project. Linking people with biodegradable waste to folks who compost. Cutting down on landfill, methane emissions and returning nutrients to the natural cycle. Give your waste a second chance! https://sharewaste.com

Synthetic Fibres

I wear mostly natural fibres but occasionally have problems with elasticine. I thought this referred to elastic. So when the label said 95% cotton 5% elasticine I thought the article of clothing contained elastic. I was kind of confused to find my jeans contained elastic but considered it essential in my knickers. Obviously more research was needed. Read More here

Harvest Time

October is the time for apple harvesting. If you don’t have your own tree you could try a PYO farm. There are hundreds of orchards offering this in the southern counties, rather fewer up here in the north.Check out this great farm finder website

Urban Harvest

Otherwise you coud get involved in some of the urgan harvest programs. They pick and distibute unwanted fruit. Abundance in Manchester is one such. From the website…
“A mature garden fruit tree produces more than the average family can eat. And at the same time there are lots of people in our city not able to access fresh food.

Abundance Manchester is a voluntary project which picks surplus or unwanted fruit from gardens and public trees around South Manchester and distributes it to local groups and communities who can use it. We also collect and distribute surplus vegetables from allotments.”

I have listed a couple more here.

Supermarket & Chainstores

Buying a bin ….

Robert Dyas is a UK hardware retailer founded in London in 1872. It sells a range of housewares, small electrical appliances, gardening products, kitchenwares, DIY, and consumer electronics throughout 96 shops, mainly in Greater London and South East England, as well as online.Wikipedia

Read all about supermarkets/chainstores here, what plasticfree products they sell and which ones I prefer, right here.

Noodles

Finally found them plastic free. Its back to the wonderful Leeds Market. I love it. Its a great place to buy #plasticfree almost everything. Read a review here

While we are talking about online shops, check out Objects Of Use, a truly lovely shop. “Any plastic packaging materials used will have been recycled by ourselves from incoming deliveries. Otherwise packaging used will be paper or card of recycled or high percentage recycled materials.”

Sad & Super Supermarkets

Asked the @tesco butcher to use my own, new, compostable bag for meat. They refused.
Left and went to @Morrisons who didn’t. Thank you for the #plasticfree bacon. they also let you use your own tubs.

Which Chain Should I Choose?

Read up on which supermarket is doing the most to tackle plastic and which is the best place to shop.
See all our supermarket posts here

Zerowaste Week

Zerowaste week starts on the 4th of this month.
For a number of years now I have been a zero waste ambassador. Here are some quick zero waste week facts!
Zero waste week is organized by Rae Strauss:
It has been going since 2008:
The aim is to cut the trash going to landfill.

This year is focusing on plastic. Wahey. Visit the website here.

Of course its not just me doing it- there are loads of bloggers doing all kinds of stuff. You can find them herded together in one easy to access place on the Zero Waste website and listen to them wittering – sorry twittering – on on the twitter hashtag #zerowasteweek

If you want to join in you can make a pledge here on the zero waste website. If you decide to blog about it you can decorate your blog or post with various buttons, if you don’t you can print off posters for your living walls (easy tiger!) with these links posters and pdfs

Visit the website here.

Read more about My zero waste weeks here

August

Why So Slow

For those of you eagerly waiting, I am sorry for the delay in the monthly updates. I have rather ill. i can just about manage the daily essentials of life but my spare time is spent lying on the chaise longue with the smelling salts. And as the blog is written in my spare time… well you get the idea.

It has other implications. nearly all of the plastic from plastic free July was medical related. Apart from that I have to say we did pretty well.

Yoghurt

A great find for Plastic Free July was viili yoghurt. I make my own yoghurt but production is always varaible. I can keep a live culture going for around two weeks before it all goes wrong and I have to buy a new starter. in a plastic yogurt pot. If you have no idea what I am talking about, read this.

So this find got me all giddy.
“Viili, Filmjölk, Matsoni, and Piimä yogurt starters are all mesophilic cultures. This means that they culture best at 70º-77º F. They are also heirloom cultures meaning they are re-usable. With the proper care you can re-culture them to make batch after batch of homemade yogurt.”

Which means they are easy to make and last forever.
And they are good for you too. A bit more info…

“So far over 15 strains of bacteria and yeasts have been found in Viili yoghurt; making it one of the most active yoghurts available.”

Milk

Find a rounds that delivers in glass bottles here but double check before you order

But lets crack on. Summer and it’s time for high tea with

Strawberry jam and scones
First pick your strawberries. Unless you have been super organised and grown some, you will need to visit a pick your own farm.
If you live near Leeds you could try these guys
Horseforth Farm (tend to close early in August)
Please look at our facebook feed for daily updates
If not find more PYO farms here ….
Now you can make some jam. I know you can get it in glass jars but the lids are plastic lined. Jam recipe here

And Cucumber Sandwiches
Cakes can be tricky but Asian stores and Polish delis often stock the smaller kind.

And then of course you need a nice cup of tea…
What’s in your tea bag? Paper and tea? you wish! Most teabags contain one or more
Plastic, thermoplastics, epichlorohydrin and may have been chlorine bleached.
So what to do when you want a nice cup of tea?
Loose leaves are the way forward. But how to steep them? If you are brewing up for the WI, a teapot is fine but what when you want a quick cuppa for one?For lots more info on teabags and where to buy loose tea, tea balls and milk check out the hot drinks index

Fun In The Sun

Don’t forget if you are going out berry picking to slap on some sun block.
Sun protection even on cloudy days is vital. But dont listen to me, have a look at www.skincancer.org website an invaluable source that should be read by everyone. Though you might find yourself spending the rest of Summer cowering in a cellar coming out only after dark after doing so.
But educate yourself and you can enjoy the sun sensibly.

Oily Sun Tan Lotion

For a year now, I have been mixing up sun tan lotion using zinc mixed with straight oil which so far seems to be working. However it is a bit oily so I am also using zinc mixed with home made lotion. You can see my recipes here. making your own sunblockJuly

Of course every month is plastic free for me but plastic free July is a time to make a bit of extra effort, promote projects, look at my bin and join with other people all over the world who are taking this time to rethink their relationship with plastic.

What is Plastic Free July

The aim is to cut your consumption of one use plastic, for one month – July. If that sounds a bit much bear in mind that definitions of one use plastic can vary. And how much you choose to cut is up to you. You can take this opportunity to tackle one item. Maybe get your self a milkman, buy (or make) some produce bags for loose veges or get a refillable water bottle.
You don’t have to do it all at once!

But whatever and how much you choose to do, the plastic you loose is more important than the plastic you use!

A bit of history

Plastic Free July started in 2011. It is an initiative of the Western Metropolitan Regional Council (WMRC) in Perth, Western Australia and was developed by clever Earth Carers staff. In 2012 Plastic Free July expanded across Perth and in 2013 it went global. They have a great website and are all round good eggs.

My Plastic Free July

I cut all disposable plastics and just to remind you, that includes:
tins & cans:
tetrapaks:
glass jars with plastic/ plastic-lined lids:
Plastic lined cardboard:
Teabags:
Don’t know they had plastic in them? You can read all about sneaky plastics here.

Plastic packed personal care and hygiene products. I will as ever be making my own. Sadly the ingredients came plastic wrapped but it can’t be avoided. Read more here.

Any other plastic goods that I can’t think of right now.

Plastic I find myself using but Try not to
Booze. It is almost impossible to find plastic free booze to take out and there is usually at least one social occasion that requires a gift of alcohol. Read about plastic free booze here.
If the morning after visiting said friends painkillers are required then they will be administered. As of course will any other necessary medicines.

Daily Guide

Fantastic plastic free successes are in orange. Hooray.
Big plastic boos are in blue because thats how they make me feel.

Day 1
sample plastic free breakfast
toast- bread from the baker
butter in paper
tea loose leaf
milk from the milkman

Tin of beans. Had my lunch made for me. It involved beans. Tins are of course plastic lined. boo. it was a shared lunch so I’m only counting half a tin.

Day 2

Pickled beetroot!!!

Lunch was potato salad with apple, pickled beetroot and fresh picked mint. Pickled beetroot was not from a jar. Because jars of course have plastic lined lids and I dont do plastic #plasticfreejuly. No I got my pickled beetroot loose from Barnsley market. I have my own tub, she had loose pickled beetroot I came home with two pickled beetroot sans plastic. The dressing was not mayonaise (again jars, lids – same story), but my new countertop yoghurt. This is a different yoghurt culture that is, it is claimed easier to use. I will be trialling it throughout the month. Visit www.plasticisrubbish.com, @plasticSrubbish on twitter or join our facebook plasticisrubbish group for updates.

Day 3

No need for tinned tomatoes. Use fresh in this chicken casserole. didn’t have time to cook them first so chucked them in raw. yes there was a bit of skin but this cook don’t don complaints! Read more about tomatoes here

Day 5

Bottle of wine. the cork was corky but the foil wrap was plastic lined booo.

U.K. Participants

Every year UK based bloggers have joined in.
It’s really important to link up with U.K. based plastivists who will be sharing throughout the month. While some solutions like solid shampoo from Lush can be accessed UK wide, many are local.

You can find a list of bloggers who have contributed here.

Past Years

I am proof that you can do this anywhere no matter the constraints.
2014 I did it while travelling in a van. Here is how I did.
2015 I did it with a backpack check out Plastic free Mongolia
2016 here
2017 On a desert island. read more here

More Resources & Info

Loads of plastic free products here… A to Z of plastic free products

Keeping in Touch

Join in at the Plastic Is Rubbish Support Group where people share plastic free tips. See the link below.
And Twitter @plasticSrubbish

Hashtags
I encourage UK participants to use the hashtag #pfjuk for British related posts. Mainly because it gets very dispiriting to hear of a fantastic bulk food store only to find it is based in Sydney.

June

Currently researching tonic. Hic!

Tonic comes in in tins which are plastic lined. Mixers also come in glass but the metal lids of glass bottles are also plastic lined. And who can afford Fever Tree? You can make your own with a soda stream and ready made syrups.

Read more here including British made tonic syrups.

And looking into spirits.

And more Cocoa !!!!!

Honestly you search for years to find some loose cocoa and then two come along at once!
Find them HERE

This now means that all my hot drinks are plastic free. Check out my hot drinks index HERE

Local Shops

I love me my local shops and this year I am making a real effort to buy British and buy local.
Use your local shops Reasons why here.
Buy British and cut those air miles. Some ideas HERE

Plastic Free Shops

There are a growing number of plasticfree/refill shops in the U.K. Here are our latest finds.

Loose Food
Find out if a shop near you sells bulk food loose. This is stuff that normally comes plastic packaged.Heres a list of towns with shops selling loose food.
Buy On Line
No.Sad face? Don’t worry. These shops sell plastic free products and send them out in plasticless packages. Find them HERE
Want to open your own?
For anyone working on opening a zero waste shop try this page – visit here

Milk

Clipstone Dairy near Leighton Buzzard now has a milk vending machine.

Find a rounds that delivers in glass bottles here but double check before you order

Butter

Its getting harder to find paper wrapped butter. Bother co-op and Waitrose have stoped feeling this product.

Good news from a FB plastic is rubbish grouper

Anyone west Yorkshire way, Overlaithe Creamery make delicious butter wrapped in paper. Available at a few shops I think, one is definitely Très Bon Raymond, Delicatessen and Event Catering

see our other butter and spreads posts here

See all our food posts via the food index

Holidays

Planning to go abroad? Want to know if you can drink the water? Find out using this super cool website ” can I drink the water.” pick the country you want and read the result. If no get yourself a steripen. You can find that and other plastic free travel aids here.

Why bother?

Plastic Pollution

Saw and photographed some dreadful instances of #plasticpollutionon my travels abroad. You can see all our dirty pictures here on our Planet Trash FB page.

Fun In The Sun

Sun protection even on cloudy days is vital. But dont listen to me, have a look at www.skincancer.org website an invaluable source that should be read by everyone. Though you might find yourself spending the rest of Summer cowering in a cellar coming out only after dark after doing so.
But educate yourself and you can enjoy the sun sensibly.

Oily Sun Tan Lotion

The following information is for guidance only. None of the following recipes or tips have not been tested on anyone other than me. I strongly advise you do your own research and proceed very carefully as sunburn is not only painful and aging but dangerous.
I have been mixing up sun tan lotion using zinc from home with a base oil
You can see my recipe in making your own sunblock. BUT

Lots more information about sun protection here. Do read up before you decide to make your own.

Events

DO this

Plastic-Free, Worldwide Day

June 5 the world’s first One Plastic Free Day.Organised by international campaign group A Plastic Planet, (for which I am an ambassador)

May

Back Home

We are finally back in the UK in Leeds after year backpacking. Re-entry has been rather bumpy. I have a horrible stomach complaint which has meant I’ve had to stay close to home or at least close to a toilet.

Then there have been the usual teething problems. Sorting out Internet access for one. needless to say, in my absense, all of my devices have fallen out with each other and now refuse to share photos or even mailboxes. Even Facebook has got into the act and been troublesome. But shenanigans are now sorted and backpacks have been unpacked.

Long term readers will have noticed that Google ads have arrived on site. I never wanted to but I need the cash. Until now all the work done has been done in my spare time and for free. I see it as my pro bono environmental work. I will continue to do so because I believe in it.

But as the blog, and the plasticfree movement grow, it is becoming increasingly demanding. I can’t afford to spend any more time on it so I am looking for investment that will allow me to take time away from my self-employed, paid work.

So if you have any spare change and are looking for a cause to sponsor – or have found what we do useful – consider bunging a bit of it our way and buy another #plasticfree hour for the cause.

I have also been shopping… for food. Its been a while since I had to shop and its been interesting to to see the latest plastic free products. How fantastic it is so many people are so much more plastic aware now. Though of course there is still have a very long way to go.

Waitrose

I was in Waitrose the other day. Very upset to see that they didnt do butter in paper anymore. Why Waitrose why?
But I did find some other plastic free stuff there.

Steel and wood garden tools.

And compostable plastic bags. They sell them as bin liners, I use them to buy meat. But it seems I won’t have to for much longer.
I liked the matches in boxes.
I love that they do unwrapped bread and fantastic buns.
You can see the full Waitrose review here

Morrisons

Starting in May, Morrisons will be inviting customers to use their own containers when purchasing produce from the meat and fish counters in stores, in order to cut down on single-use plastic. Read more here.

see all our supermarket info HERE.
Find out more about the individual products here via the food index

Local Shops

But me, I love me my local shops and especially the fantastic Leeds Market. Spent a happy morning stocking up. Check out the album of finds here.

OMG Cocoa !!!!!

An old favourite in Leeds Market, the Nut Shop has expanded its range of loose foods and it now includes cocoa. Cocoa! I tell you. if you only knew the trouble Ive had getting cocoa.

This now means that all my hot drinks are plastic free. Check out my hot drinks index HERE

Posted a FB picture diary of some of the other products availabe at the fantatstic Nut Shop

Loose Food Shops

What Are Refill Stores?
Bulk buy or refill stores are places you can buy food loose.You take as much as you want/need from a larger container and you can usually use your own packaging.
While these shops provide bags and they are almost always plastic ones. You will need to take your own plastic-free and/or reusable bags.

Tare
The weight of the container may make a difference at checkout. Some shops subtract the tare weight but other don’t. The tare weight is the weight of the empty container.

Don’t Live In Yorkshire?
Try the Loose Food A to Z
Find out if a shop near you sells bulk food loose. This is stuff that that normally comes plastic packaged i.e rice, pasta and salt. And yes these shops do exist in the U.K. There’s just not many of them.
Heres a list of towns with shops selling loose food.

Butter

Its getting harder to find paper wrapped butter. Both co-op and Waitrose have stoped feeling this product.see our other butter and spreads posts here

Tea Bags

Yorkshire Tea‏ @YorkshireTea

Hi again! Here’s a quick tea bag update. We started looking into plastic-free tea bags last year. We’ve now begun a second round of tests on some prototypes, and we’re about to start some larger production trials. We should have the results of those by June.
It’s embedded into the tea bag paper rather than being applied separately, which makes them much more reliable. The hope is that it can be replaced with PLA, a plant-based, biodegradable alternative made from things like cornstarch.

June

The life #plasticless needs forward planning. Get ready for….

Plastic Free June
Want to really cut your plastics? Then this is a great campaign organised by the Marine Conservation Society (MCSUK).The MSCUK is a UK charity “that cares for our seas, shores and wildlife”.
The Plastic Challenge takes place every year in the U.K. in June.It is organized by them.
The MSCUK “have a vision of a world where plastics don’t end up in our seas and on our beaches, where they persist and impact our marine life.”
So they challenge you to give up single use plastics for a month (June), and get sponsored whilst doing it. The money goes to support MSCUK projects which are many and very worthwhile.

You can read more about it here

and this is completely irrelevant but I found it useful: If you are buying glasses on line here is a very handy sizing guide from rayban

www.edel-optics.co.uk

http://www.directsight.co.uk

April

Super Supermarkets

First in is Waitrose who are cutting the use of plastic lined disposable cups in their cafes!
“We’re removing all disposable takeaway cups from our shops by the autumn.You can still enjoy a free cup of tea or coffee when you shop with us; remember to bring your own reusable cup and your myWaitrose card with you.#KeepYourCup 💚
This will save more than 52 million cups, 221 tonnes of plastic and more than 665 tonnes of paper a year.
Find out more: https://bit.ly/2Jwh0d2

Talking of hot drinks the The Co-op are introducing their own plastic free teabags .
For those of you who didn’t know, most teabags contain plastic. not just the packaging but actually in the bag.

Which Chain Should I Choose?

See all our supermarket posts here

Making Up Updates

As you might remember, this year I was going to tackle #plasticfree makeup. So I have been practising. Learning to live with makeup is hard. Is it a skill you have to be taught in childhood? And I’m only up to mascara. One word – clumps!

Makeup Remover
Given my inexperience with makeup and my ham-fisted attempts with liquid eyeliner, my first and most important find has been a #plasticfree make up remover. And once again it coconut oil. Removes all makeup easily and gently. I rub it on my eyes massage carefully, then gently wipe with a flannel. it seems to work on everything

Just add that to its many list of virtues. You can read about coconut oil and where to buy it, here

See my ongoing research into plastic free make up here.

Loose Food
Find out if a shop near you sells bulk food loose. This is stuff that normally comes plastic packaged.Heres a list of towns with shops selling loose food.

Buy On Line
No.Sad face? Don’t worry. These shops sell plastic free products and send them out in plasticless packages. Find them HERE

Want to open your own?
For anyone working on opening a zero waste shop try this page – visit here

March

A welcome to our monthly round up of news and products. We update it as we go along so do check back for our latest finds. Subscribe to get our monthly updates delivered to your virtual door. There’s a subscription form at the bottom of the page.

Whats In Your Tampon

Most Tampons are made of cotton, rayon, polyester, Find organic plasticfree all cotton tampons HERE.

Guest Post

Sometimes when you want something plastic free you need to make it yourself. Yes we are talking knitting!
Now I’m rather new to this crafting lark, so I was delighted to have some guest posts from Jan of the Snail Of Happiness. Last month she wrote an introduction to natural yarns You can read that HERE
This month we see what she can do with British yarns.
Blimey! Take a closer look HERE.

Read up about

The Problems With Packaging

What if you need to post your products out in a plastic bag?

On supported e-commerce sites the customer can select to use RePack as the online order’s delivery packaging, the user will then receive the goods in RePack’s recyclable packaging. This packaging can be returned to RePack by dropping it to a local letter box and then can be reused, on average upto 20 times.[3]

Once the packaging has been registered as returned, the user will receive a digital voucher that can be used towards future purchases from RePack-supporting online stores.
The return rate of RePack’s products has reached 95%.
RePack is supported by online stores such as Frenn, Globe Hope, Makia, Pure Waste, Varusteleka and MUD Jeans.
Wikkipedia

Website here.
@OriginalRePack

Plastic Free…This Month

Out with the old

So #plasticfreebruary is over so I’m off to join in #plasticfreelent. Lent this year runs from Wednesday, 14 February Thursday, 29 March. The Church of England has suggested that its members might like to give up plastic. It seems that many of them have taken on the challenge. You can watch how they get on on Twitter #plasticfreelent.

Good for the C of E but lets not forget Libby who has been organising a great plastic free lent for a number of years now.

Libby’s Plastic Free Lent

Here’s some blurb “Welcome to the Lent Plastic Challenge. A group for all those who are ready to challenge themselves and take on the pesky single-use plastics that pile up in our modern life.
To support your challenge, each week we will have different theme. So you can start off in the first week with one item and build up gradually”
Hooray for them. Heres an update from this year
“Apologies for the radio silence, but as it’s the first day of lent, let’s begin giving up as much single-use plastic as is feasible! This group is a place to share your questions and ideas. I will share a suggestions sheet once a week and will be doing my challenge in the main from Bali so won’t be on facebook too much. So in the spirit of collective action and community, it will be a collective effort for everyone in the group to support other members in their journey tackling the pervasiveness of single-use plastic”

Nip over there to see how she is getting on.Visit here.

If you think this is rather short notice you might be interested to read about the other plastic free initiatives. The Marine Society organise a plastic free June in the U.K.
Plasticfree July is a world wide, hugely successful campaign.
Get planning.

Plastic Free Fridays

If you dont fancy doing a whole month or want to wait that long join Friends Of The Earth every week for a #plasticfreeFriday. Think this is self-evident but I’ll explain anyway; you go plastic free, one day a week, Friday.

Ambassador

Talking of cool campaigns I am extremely proud to be an ambassador for a plastic planets campaign for the plastic freestyle in all supermarkets. This would of course make plastic three shopping so much easier. It is an extremely valuable contribution to the debate. It would be great if you could pop over to the pop over there check out the campaign and give them your support. At a Plastic Planet.

I am currently hunting down some plasticfree Ferrero Roche’s to celebrate. Tricky. These have to be the most plasticky chocs ever. For now you will have to do with these plastic free, chocolate truffles. Find them here.
Extremely yummylicious. You spoil us ambassador!

They also make a great Mother’s Day gift.

Mothers Day

In the UK, Mother’s Day falls on Sunday March 11th this year.
Here are some excellent ideas on what to get the old dear including plastic free sweets and flowers. And if you do go down the gift route, how to wrap it up – plastic free natch.

Next Month

The life #plasticless needs forward planing

Easter
Easter Sunday will fall on April 1st – start looking for foil wrapped eggs now.

If you need some help visit the wonderfulPlastic Is Rubbish FB group a treasure trove of hints, tips, personal experience and up to date information.

And see our guide to a #plasticfree Easter here. including reusable eggs and #plasticfree sweets

February

Plastic Free…This Month

Boycott

There’s a new hashtag in town #plasticfreebruary. Not sure who is organising it but head on over to Twitter to join in and share your plastic free tips. I will be posting everyday @plasticSrubbish. I would love to tell you more about this project would but I am away from reliable internet access. So anyone knows any thing please let me know.

If you think this is rather short notice you might be interested to read about the other plastic free initiatives. There’s also a U.K. plastic free lent and June and a worldwide plasticfree July. Get planning.

Guest Post

Of course every month is plastic free for me. Which often means getting crafty. Sometimes when you want something plastic free you need to make it yourself. Out of wool. I’m rather new to this crafting lark, so delighted to have a guest post on this most natural of fibres.

Here’s a quick reminder

Fibres

Fibres are short fine hairs that can be twisted or spun into longer thread or yarn. This may be woven or knitted into fabric.
Fibres (and then yarns and ultimately fabrics) can be can be natural, synthetic (plastic) or chemically produced hybrid called regenerated fibres. Read more about them here

You can read Jan’s post on natural yarns HERE

And you can see all our handicrafty posts here. Read how to make makeup, cleaning and personal hygiene products, to sew and cook all #plasticfree HERE

Write

If you are interested in writing a guest post you can find some guidelines HERE

Sign Up

Remove all plastic from tea bags to ensure they are fully bio-degradable/compostable.
Why is this important?
Unilever owns PG Tips, the UK’s most popular cup of tea. Let’s call on them to remove ALL plastics from tea bags – it is usually polypropylene. Teabags won’t completely biodegrade if they have plastic in them.

SIGN HERE

Over 2 million avoidable single-use plastic items were used by the Parliament in 2017.
It’s time for MPs to get their house in order.
Join our new campaign and challenge your MP to support a Plastic Free Parliament.

SIGN HERE

Get ready for

Valentines Day 14th

It’s the big one of course! Valentine’s Day approaches. We have got plastic free candles to set the mood, flowers without the wrap, chocolates, sweets and cards. Even a few ideas for trash free gifts.
If your plastic-free sweetie is also a minimalist, there are some nice alternative ideas!
And if all this does the trick, some plastic reduced condoms you can compost.
Too much info?
Head on over here to get loved up!

Keep well

Got the sniffles? That’s not so sexy. Try a reusable inhalers and eucalyptus oil. Breath easily and cut the trash.
Stop chapped lips with this home made lip balm. It really works! With refillable tubes or metal tins.

Pancake Day

February 28 is Shrove Tuesday and you are going to make pancakes. Check out these plastic-free cakes fried in a plastic-free non stick pan. Yum!

Garden

While it is still a bit cold to be out there, thoughts now turn to the garden and the seeds that need to be sown for the coming year.
You need to start planning ahead for plastic free seedlings.
You can buy plastic-free seeds and find instructions on how to make your own paper seedling pots here Plus other great plastic free garden related products.

Planning Next Month

The life #plasticless needs forward planing

Plastic Free Lent
Lent 2017 begins on Wednesday, March 1 and ends on Thursday, April 13
Last year some folk are took part in a plastic free Lent. I would love to tell you more about this project but I don’t know a great deal myself. It is organised by people in Bristol (I am pretty sure of that) and has run for a couple of years now. It has a great FB page.
Here’s some blurb “Welcome to the Lent Plastic Challenge. A group for all those who are ready to challenge themselves and take on the pesky single-use plastics that pile up in our modern life.
To support your challenge, each week we will have different theme. So you can start off in the first week with one item and build up gradually”
Hooray for them.

Mothers Day March

Now the madness that is Valentines Day is out of the way you can start thinking about Mothers Day and here are some excellent ideas on what to get the old dear and how to wrap it up.

The Rest Of The Year

Read more about our plasticfree year HERE

January

Happy new year dear ones. Love to all and hope this year is everything you wish it to be.

Need A Really Easy & Effective Resolution?

I suggest that anyone in need of a new years resolution should try reducing their plastic trash by just one piece. Perhaps say no to straws in drinks, maybe buy, (and remember to use), some reusable produce bags or find a milkman with refillable glass bottles.This has to be the easiest New Years resolution ever. And so effective. Immediately you are making the world a cleaner place! Just think if every one of Britain’s 64.1 million people did this!

Need inspiration. Try quick tips to cut your plastic trash for more ideas and of the Cut Plastic Index for alternatives to plastic products.

Go on give it a go! Just say no. And do share your plastic free finds here or on the Plastic Is Rubbish FB support group.

Loose food Online

Plasticfree pantry is a UK based online shop sells pantry staples including
flour
herbs and spices
Nuts
Dried fruit
Pasta rice and grains
baking ingredients
beans and pulses
Drinks

All loose and plastic free. Well not completely loose. Duh. They have to packaging it somehow so they reuse paper bags, glass jars and compostable plastic.
They will also use your own clean and produce bags. Read more about produce bags here HERE

The onward packaging consists of cardboard boxes and shredded paper is used to protect the goods.
Packaging tape is heavy duty paper. If you want to try, you can buy some HERE
N.B. They reuse boxes so some might come with existing plastic tape.

Visit the website HERE.

Buy On Line

Find more online products here.
These shops sell plastic free products and send them out in plasticless packages. Find them HERE

Makeup

As for me. I am going to be looking into makeup. Not giving it up but putting it on. The purpose of this blog is to source alternatives for plastic packed products.Time to tackle cosmetics and as I always like to lead by example I need to learn how to primp and paint. I want to know what conventional makeup is like so I can compare and contrast #plasticlessproducts. But first what is conventional makeup like? I have bought some basic bits and bobs. Blimey they do like packaging don’t they? I’ve got a pencil, some liquid eyeliner, lipstick (greasy stuff) and blush. I will branch out into foundation and eyeshadow later.

Research into makeup is ongoing and I have had some great help from the lovely and lovely looking Plastic Is Rubbish FB group who came up with helpful reccomendations. They are a great source of personal experience and up to date information.

You can see them here http://plasticisrubbish.com/2015/04/10/reusables/

Handwash

I know a lot of people like a liquid hand wash. Personally I prefer soap but whatever. So this hand wash comes in soluble pods that you drop in water and refill the (plastic) bottle provided. When done you buy more via. The website. It is posted to you in plastic free packaging, (NB according to some reviews they come with some plastic).

Now I think you are meant to buy the bottle as part of the starter kit but I see no reason why you couldn’t just buy the refills and use your own plastic free soap dispenser?

It comes from a company called

Splosh

This is an online refill service. A new way to buy your home cleaning, laundry and health & beauty essentials.
You buy the starter pack which includes a range of bottles and concentrate product. You water down the product and fill the bottles. Thereafter you buy more concentrate on line and refill your bottles as needed.

Some products come in soluble pods which you drop into water; others in plastic pouches which can be sent back to be refilled or recycled. While the refillable plastic pouches obviously are plastic (duh) the soluble pods sound useful.

They supply a wide range of products. But “currently the surface cleaners and hand washes come in water soluble sachets and the rest come in pouches.”

Splosh also claim that the postal packaging for the starter kit and refills is also plastic free. Though according to some reviews they come with some plastic.

Here’s their mission statement. “Plastic waste is an environmental disaster and we’re committed to reducing it to zero. For each product we’ve designed a refilling system that takes plastic out of the waste stream. For example our pouches can be sent back for refilling and, at the end of their life, we manage their reprocessing into other products”

You can read more about how it works and order products here HERE
If anyone out there has used this product please let me know.

Soap

Should be easy enough but buying soap can be an ethical minefield. Ideally you want animal fat free, palm oil free, sls free and locally made. Preferably unpackaged. You can read more about dirty soap HERE

One ethical soap that is sold loose in most health food shops is Suma soap which are
“made in the UK, vegan and do not contain parabens, triclosan or phthalates.
Our range is free from artificial preservatives, colours and fragrances (we use essential oils to scent our products) and we guarantee our products have not been the subject of animal testing by Suma or our suppliers.

Suma handmade soap is made using the traditional cold process method of soap making, which generates zero by-product. Suma soaps are poured, cut, stamped, and packed by hand – using as little energy as possible.

Suma bodycare products do not contain methylisothiazolinone or phosphates and are GMO free.”

To Do…This Month

Garden

While it is still a bit cold to be out there, thoughts now turn to the garden and the seeds that need to be sown for the coming year. You need to start planning ahead for plastic free seedlings.
You can buy plastic-free seeds and find instructions on how to make your own paper seedling pots here. Plus other great plastic free garden related products.

Keep On Kissing
Stop chapped lips with this home made lip balm. It really works! And you can use your own refillable tubes or metal tins.