Sun Block Creams & Lotions

30 July 2017 by Plastic Is Rubbish Posted in 3.1 Personal Tagged 3.1 Backpack, 3.2.4 make, 3.2.4 make makeup, 5 Content Veiw 1 Comment

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. Sunburn is painful, ages the skin and potentially very dangerous.

Disclaimer

Be aware of the risks of listening to someone who
a) doesn’t have any training in this field,
b) most of what they know comes from Google,
That’s me I mean.

A Tannning History

I realised that I needed sun tan / block lotion and lots of it. And it needs to be applied regularly. Even in cloudy weather. I came to this conclusion just as I was giving up plastic. So not only did I have to learn to use sunblock and had to learn how to make it. I have been using zinc based, home-made sun block lotion for about 5 years now. I know it stops me from burning because I burn when I don’t use it. Obviously it has not been tested in a lab and I cannot guarantee results.
I cannot guarantee the SPF factor or that it is not doing unseen damage.
I still try to limit my exposure to the sun but I feel this cream definitely helps me. I offer this personal account for discussion only. If you do decide to make your own lotion please do more research.

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

Why Sunscreen
Sunscreens help prevent the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) radiation from reaching the skin.
There are two types of ultraviolet radiation, UVA and UVB
UVB is the chief cause of sunburn and linked to sun cancer. UVA rays, penetrate the skin more deeply, and contribute to photoaging.
You need a cream that protects from both.
Creams protect in following ways
Physical sunscreens reflect the sunlight
chemical sunscreens absorb UV light

Physical blockers
Physically block the rays of the sun by covering the skin in a thin coating of white powder that deflects the light. They include Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide.
They can leave white sheen on the skin.
Chemical Blockers
Most other sunscreen ingredients beyond titanium dioxide and zinc oxide are chemical sunscreens
Physical blockers tend to be more stable, while chemical sunscreens may degrade and are often paired with other sunscreen ingredients to increase stability. (See more information at AMF.org.)
Some people are allergic or sensitive to chemical sunscreens.

Sun Block Active Ingredients
Against UVB (290-320nm):
Aminobenzoic Acid (PABA), Cinoxate, Dioxybenzone, Ensulizole, Homosalate, Octocrylene, Octinoxate, Octisalate (Octyl Salicylate), Oxybenzone, Padimate O, Sulisobenzone, Trolamine Salicylate, Titanium Dioxide, Zinc Oxide
UVA (320-340nm):
Dioxybenzone, Ecamsule (Mexoryl), Helioplex, Meradimate, Oxybenzone, Sulisobenzone, Titanium Dioxide, Zinc Oxide
UVA (340-400nm): Avobenzone, Zinc Oxide

SPF
Sun protective factor provided by cream is measured in SPF
SPF factors only measure protection against UVB. You will need a cream that also protect from other kinds of rays.
SPF4 filters out 75% of UVB
SPF10 filters out 90% –
SPF15 filters out 93%
SPF25 filters out 96%
SPF30 filters out 97%
SPF50 filters out 98%
SPF100 99%
Source

Applying Cream
Sunscreens are unlikely to be fully effective after 2 hours
According to the skin cancer organisation “you need to apply 1 oz – about a shot glass full. Studies show that most people apply only half to a quarter of that amount, which means the actual SPF they have on their body is lower than advertised. During a long day at the beach, one person should use around one half to one quarter of an 8 oz. bottle. Sunscreens should be applied 30 minutes before sun exposure to allow the ingredients to fully bind to the skin. Reapplication of sunscreen is just as important as putting it on in the first place, so reapply the same amount every two hours. Sunscreens should also be reapplied immediately after swimming, toweling off, or sweating a great deal.

Buy

Anything But Plastic online sell this – Shade Sunscreen for £9.75 for 100ml
But at that price I will also have to continue making my own.

Making Sun Block At Home

Disclaimer
Be aware of the risks of listening to someone who
a) doesn’t have any training in this field,
b) most of what they know comes from Google,
That’s me I mean.

If you want a better informed opinion I suggest you head on over to the Aromantics website. They will sell you everything you need to make sun tan lotion including recipes you can download as a PDF. They have been in this game for years and are far more qualified then I am.
The following is an account of my own experiences which may help you in your own research.
I use
Zinc Oxide
This is a fine white powder that coats the skins and so reflects the damaging and burning rays of the sun.
It protects the skin from UVA, UVB and UVC.
I am currently researching Microfine Titanium Dioxide.

Using Zinc Oxide

This is a fine white powder easily available on line.
It coats the skins and so reflects the damaging and burning rays of the sun.
It protects the skin from UVA, UVB and UVC. According to www.aromantic.co.uk website (where you can buy zinc and get advice on how to use it),
It is one the oldest and most effective sunblock and
It can be easily added to base lotions and oils.

No to Nano Zinc

So zinc is great BUT it is a white powder and stronger mixes can sit on the skin like a pasty mask. Make your lotion too strong and you look like Marcel Marceau. You don’t burn but you look freaky. To counter this some suggest using nano zinc.
Nano or micronized zinc oxide is zinc oxide that has been ground to a very fine powder to reduce the size of its particles. Anything with a particle size smaller than 100nm is considered a nano particle. This means it spreads more easily and does not leave a white sheen on the skin.The worry is that particles this size may be able to enter the body.
Because of that I use normal zinc. In stronger concentrations it does leave a slight white sheen. It can also leave white marks on dark clothes. Wear white linen is the obvious answer to this. Or work on your locked in a glass box mime.

Using Zinc In Homemade Sun Block

None of the below have been tested in lab and you have no accurate way of knowing what SPF your lotion has. Proceed sensibly! If in doubt Make your lotion stronger then dilute as you tan.

Too much zinc and you end up with white clown makeup. In this case you may have been overcautious.

You can add zinc to
home made creams and lotions (if you want to make a lotion there are some recipes here)
ready bought lotions
a base oil such as coconut oil.

20% zinc oxide will give an approximate SPF of 30. That is by weight. So you weigh your base say 100g of cream then you add 20% or 1/5th of zinc. Which is 20g of zinc.

You can see from the ratios below that SPF 15 is not half of SPF 30 so you cannot use that scale to work out your SPF factors.
For SPF 2-5: Use 5% zinc oxide
For SPF 6-11: Use 10% zinc oxide
For SPF 12-19: Use 15% zinc oxide
For SPF >20: Use 20% zinc oxide

These ratios were taken from DIY Natural. They have not been tested in a lab proceed with caution

Recipes

Lotion
Oil
Masking Cream
Oily Lotion

Sun Block Oils
Zinc
Oil – I have used both coconut and rice bran oil

I used to add zinc to creams and lotions. More recently I have cut out the middle man or rather the cream and started adding zinc directly to oil.

Which Oil?
I guess you could do this with any oil but I prefer a lighter oil less gloopy than say olive oil.
I have usually used coconut oil as a base because it is light and easily obtained in glass jars. Some claim that coconut oils has an ability to deflect burning rays but the claims made for coconut oil are prodigious. Do not rely on coconut oil alone.
The problem with coconut oil in the UK at least, it solidifies below a certain temperature. This sun tan lotion needs to be liquid and well shaken before use because the ingredients separate. So if you use coconut oil, warm and shake it before applying.
More recently I used rice bran oil which is much cheaper and easily available. At least that is the case in Thailand. It is a light oil and does not solidify.

Advantages Of Oil
Oily creams and oils are great for the beach because I feel they don’t wash off so easily in the sea as home made lotions do. And the oil itself seems to act as an added protection against the general drying effect of salt water and heat. My skin doesn’t feel as itchy. But then I am only using two ingredients no fragrances, no preservatives.
They give your skin a rather nice sheen.
And it is As Cheap As Chips
Adding zinc to rice bran oil is super cheap which means you can liberally apply this lotion. Very good if you are on a budget. Plus I get to use the oil for other things.
The disadvantages? – well it is rather… oily…

VERY IMPORTANT NOTE
The ingredients separate so the lotion must be well shaken before use. If you are using an oil that solidifies like coconut you need to be sure it is liquid and well mixed before use.

SOME OILS MAY MARK YOUR CLOTHING. EXPERIMENT FIRST

Sun Block Lotion
Zinc
Thin Lotion
Add zinc to a lotion.
Find out how to make Lotion here

Masking Creams
Very strong and thick. To be used on vulnerable areas that burn easily.

First I make my own rather thick cream and then add the zinc at 20% ratio. This makes a super thick cream which is difficult to rub on large areas but great for masking specified areas. I use it to protect my great big nose and around my eyes.
For general application it is too tough and sticky.
Find out how to make cream here

Oily Cream
Zinc
Cream
OIl
You can thin the above thick cream down by adding oil. N.B. You cant use water for this. Add water and your cream starts to separate when you try to rub it on.
Oily cream goes on way more easily but obviously the more you dilute is lower the SPF factor.
The advantage of this cream is that it is thicker than oil alone so easier to apply – less dribbling.
It does not separate.

Store Bought Base Creams & Lotions
Apparently you can add zinc to a store bought cream to make a suntan lotion. I have never tried this as I gave up shop bought years ago. But considering the success off adding it to oil I can see no reason why this wouldn’t work. Do remember that zinc makes your lotion thicker and much whiter. It might be a good idea to use a thin lotion as a base.
Apparently it helps if you warm them first.
Let me know how you get on!

Fragrance
Many recipes on line suggest adding essentials oils. In my opinion there is no real benefit to be derived from this as
they may make your skin more sensitive to light;
essential oils are resource hungry, have a large environmental footprint and should only be used on special occasions.
You can read more here

PLASTIC SPOILER

You can buy zinc on line.
It will come in a plastic bag- booo.
The best you can do is ensure the bags are polythene and so can be more easily recycled.
As I get huge amounts cream out of one small bag of ingredients, I consider it a worthwhile compromise.

Travelling Plastic Free For Months
This discovery massively reduces your plastic when travelling. I carry all my own home made plastic free toiletries with me to avoid creating plastic waste which can present something of a problem. A years supply of sunblock is a lot to carry. So now I compromise. I take my own zinc and buy coconut oil (or rice bran oil) while travelling. I mix the zinc into the coconut oil to make a sun tan lotion great for the beach.

N.B.

Lines changes, products get removed. For more information why not ask the Plastic Is Rubbish FB group for updates. They are a great source of tidbits, personal experience and the latest news. Why not join them and share the plastic free love x

And before you go…

If you have found the #plasticfree information useful, please consider supporting us. It all goes to financing the project (read more here) or

Calendar & Petitions

7 April 2017 by Plastic Is Rubbish Posted in 4 Year Tagged 5 Content Veiw 1 Comment

As well as boycotting plastic in your daily life there are an increasing number of campaigns you can support. In this post you will find:
Featured campaign the latest project:
Annual events – dates for your diary:
Petitions you can sign right now.

Dates For Your Diary

These annual events are recurring.
April
Big Spring Beach Clean this April (3rd – 9th April) organised by Surfers Against Sewage

July
Plastic Free July is a world wide event.
Every year, in July, people everywhere try to cut their consumption of one use plastic, for this one month.
Read more here

September
Zero Week Week runs the first full week in September.The aim is to cut the trash going to landfill.
Read more here

The Marine Conservation Society (MSCUK) organises The Great British Beach Clean Up

Petitions

Go straight to the petition…

Bottle Deposit Return Petition
Placing a small deposit on plastic bottles and cans would dramatically increase recycling and reduce marine plastic pollution. Surfers Against Sewage’s Message In A Bottle campaign site.

Straws
Introduce a 5p charge on plastic straws to reduce the UK’s plastic waste, for both the environment and the economy. Sign Here.

Boycott plastic straws completely or use a reusable/ compostable alternative.

Tampax
As the leading tampon brand around the globe we are reaching out to you to stop a very serious environmental hazard: plastic tampon applicators. Sign here
Find out more about menstruating plastic free, here.

Cut Food Packaging
Please sign the petition to ask the major retailers (and our lovely local farm shop) to end plastic packaging on foods!
Find a whole loads of plastic free foods here – and how to cook them!

More on the above

Tampax

As the leading tampon brand around the globe we are reaching out to you to stop a very serious environmental hazard: plastic tampon applicators.
An alarming number of tampon applicators are washing up on shores all over the world, some beaches even have to be closed after large numbers of them flood the beach after a storm. In the past two months of cleaning up beaches JUST along Lake Ontario in Canada, my team and I have picked up 415 plastic applicators. We are aware that these applicators are not meant to be flushed, but it’s evident that many users are not following this advice and we would like to stop this problem at the source. Sign here

Plastic Free Food

Opting for food without plastic packaging could be a huge relief for our limited resources, however until the supermarkets change their packaging this is going to be difficult for consumers who frequently go for convenience in our ‘one stop shop’ age.
We need to act now before this problem gets worse – it’s not one to hand onto the next generation.
Please sign the petition to ask the major retailers (and our lovely local farm shop) to end plastic packaging on foods!

SaveSav

2017 Plastic Free For Free

4 February 2017 by Plastic Is Rubbish Posted in 5 Blog Social Media & Map 9 Comments

Always happy to collaborate on a plastic free giveaway. These are the folks we have worked with. If you are interested you can read more about the process Snact

About Snact “make snacks from surplus produce. That’s produce that would otherwise be thrown away for being too big, too small, too ugly, or simply too abundant. Better still this sustainable fruit jerky comes in 100% home compostable packaging – the first of its kind in the UK! The packet biologically decomposes within just 180 days and becomes a fertiliser for soil, behaving similarly to an orange peel. You can read more about Snact, here.

WUKA period underwear

Just for the Plastic Is Rubbish members, I would like to give two prototype WUKA period underwear this month, which mean you will be the first one to try it. All you have to do is join the Plastic Is Rubbish Facebookgroup Then Llike and follow us WUKA. and signup with us at www.wuka.co.uk Also Tag your friend who would love this and help us reach out to every menstruating bodies all around UK. Read more WUKA here: https://wuka.co.uk/blogs/news/eradicate-pads-and-tampons-exterminate” rel=”noopener” target=”_blank”>HERE

Sorry BUT you missed it….

Snact
Snact “make snacks from surplus produce. That’s produce that would otherwise be thrown away for being too big, too small, too ugly, or simply too abundant.

Better still this sustainable fruit jerky comes in 100% home compostable packaging – the first of its kind in the UK! The packet biologically decomposes within just 180 days and becomes a fertiliser for soil, behaving similarly to an orange peel.

You can read more about Snact, here.

WUKA period underwear

Just for the Plastic Is Rubbish members, I would like to give two prototype WUKA period underwear this month, which mean you will be the first one to try it.
All you have to do is join the Plastic Is Rubbish Facebookgroup
Then Llike and follow us WUKA. and signup with us at www.wuka.co.uk
Also Tag your friend who would love this and help us reach out to every menstruating bodies all around UK.
Read more WUKA here: https://wuka.co.uk/blogs/news/eradicate-pads-and-tampons-exterminate

Greencane Plasticfee Tissue Products

A great giveaway from a company called Greencane
They make #plasticfree tissue products including loo roll. Wahey. They gave away
Mixed Box
32 Rolls of Toilet Paper (8 packs of 4 rolls)
6 Rolls of Paper Towels (3 packs of 2 rolls)
3 Boxes Facial Tissues

The products come in individually wrapped packs.
All the packaging is paper, card and or cellophone.
The cellophane is certified as commercially compostable.
Delivered to your door in a cardboard box from their Brighton warehouse.
There may be some plastic tape on the box but they are working on that!
Anyone trying to live a plastic free life will know what good news this is!
I have reviewed these produce – you can read my review here.

Buy

For lots more info and to order products visit the website

U.K. Made Cotton Produce Bags

Do Your Bit Produce Bags From a U.K. Based company who make organic cotton reusable bags from fabric sourced from a fair traded local company.

Buy Here

Never mind, you can still enjoy the frisson of plastic free shopping by buying bags right now from the Do Your Bit shop

Tickets to see
You missed out on tickets to see Bea Johnson but there will be other opportunities. To win great free #plasticfree stuff.

Oils, Fats, Butters and Marge

28 January 2017 by Plastic Is Rubbish Posted in 3.1 Food & Drink

These are the plastic-free/reduced oils and butters I eat.

Vegetable Oil

Pre-packed oils always have a plastic element – if it comes in bottles it will have a plastic lined cap and probably a plastic pouring widget in the bottle top. Buy it in cans and there will be more plastic caps plus the cans are plastic lined. Read more here.
If you are lucky you might find a place that sell oils on tap. Then you may be able to use your own refillable bottle. You can find a U.K. wide list of places that sell oil on tap here
Cold pressed oils are a better option

Buy & More
Plastic free oil details here

Lard & Dripping

I have gone back to lard as the most economical plastic-free, frying option.
I also make pastry with it
It is of course an animal fat.
It is U.K sourced.
It comes in what is (possibly), plastic-free, greaseproof paper. It’s really hard to tell! Read more about that, here.
Buy & More
Plastic free lard details here

Butter & Margerine

Before the boycott I ate margerine because I thought it was healthier option but you cannot get decent margarine plastic free. It all comes in plastic tubs.
So I went back to butter.
Butter
Turns out I love butter.
I use it for spreading and cooking
It is of course an animal fat.
It is U.K sourced.
It comes in what what is (possibly), plastic-free, greaseproof paper. It’s really hard to tell! Read more about that, here.
I have to buy the paper option because foil is definitely plastic lined!
Buy & More
Plastic-free butter details here.

Margarine
Ugh! Not so keen on marge any more now I know it is a hydrogenated fat. But I do use it occasionally for cakes. I buy the stuff in (possibly), plastic-free, greaseproof paper. It’s really hard to tell! Read more about that, here.
I have to buy the paper option because foil is definitely plastic lined!

Buy & More
Plastic-free margarine details here.

Lots more plastic-free food here.
What are oils, waxes and butters?

Look out for these other sneaky plastics

Oil we don’t eat
Oil we don’t eat…. palm oil

Lard & dripping

I am a lard eater! Yes, I know... sounds strange right? Until now I have always used a liquid vegetable oil ...
Read More

Oil Vegetable Cooking Refill

Vegetable oil is difficult to source plastic free. Buy in glass and the metal caps will have a little plasticized disc ...
Read More

Rapeseed Oil

Rapeseed (Brassica Napus) or rape, oilseed rape, rapa, rappi, rapaseed is the bright yellow flowering plant grown in swathes all over ...
Read More

Coconut Oil

Is a hard oil which has a very low melting point. When the weather gets warm it will get liquid ...
Read More

Palm Oil

While I was in Malaysia I got to see some orangutangs. Most of them were in the rehabilitation center which ...
Read More

Oil Vegetable

Pre-packed oils always have a plastic element – if it comes in bottles it will have a plastic lined cap ...
Read More

Butter

Turns out I love butter.I use it for spreading and cookingIt is of course an animal fat.It is U.K sourced.It ...
Read More

Margerine

So I gave up margerine in plastic tubs and scoured the shelves for an alternative. Back in my more innocent ...
Read More

Online shops for General and personal products

27 January 2017 by Plastic Is Rubbish Posted in 3.2 Shops & Businesses Tagged 3.2.3 Buy On Line, 3.2.6 Plasticfree Packaging

One of the real joys of buying #plasticfree is sourcing the stuff in local shops. The excitement when you see milk in glass bottle in the newsagents is beyond words. But sometime you have to buy on line. And then you come up against the prickly problem of packaging. There is nothing that enrages plastic activist in me more than researching a product that claims to be plastic free and environmentally friendly, purchase online, wait eagerly only to find it comes plastic packed.

Plastic free and plastic reduced products are of course a great step forward in the battle against plastic. But when I am buying a product I want to know how the product is packaged. There is little point buying a wooden comb if it comes in a plastic bag. If it comes via an online, postal service, onward packaging needs to be stated. I want to know how the product will be packed and the more information the better. Down to what kind of tape is used (whether it is plastic or not) and whether the invoice will be in a plastic bag on the front of the box.

Which is why I like he following companies who offer plastic free products but also consider the onward packaging.

N.B. But no matter what I say, check and double check for yourself. One mans plastic free is another’s little bit of sticky tape.

Sin Plastico
We are a plastic free and zero waste store. That means, we ask our makers and distributers to send us everything in bulk or with the less packaging as possible.
We do use Kraft and corrugate cardboard to wrap and fill the boxes. And even our tape is made of paper and vegetal glue.

They are based in Spain but ship to the UK. They have a great range. Check it out HERE

Based in the UK Is Boobalu with a great range of stuff

You will receive your order either in reused, recyclable or biodegradable packaging. Green mail bags are biodegradable and pink mail bags are recyclable. You can also choose plastic free packaging at the checkout page.

Less Plastic

always either reuse cardboard boxes that have come to us or our friends and neighbours, or use brown paper wrapping with brown paper tape. We pad our parcels with recycled/reused paper or newspaper. Also have you seen our infographic trying to inspire other online businesses to do the same? Visit the WEBSITE

And Keep

Please have a look at www.andkeep.com. Eco-friendly, sustainable and reusable products. Postal packaging is always recycled. I’m a public speaker on plastic Pollution too and passionate about helping people to make more mindful purchasing decisions while helping them on a plastic-Free or zero waste journey. All packaging is paper or cardboard.

More Here

For reviews of some products featured above and other categories for #plasticfree online shopping including food… yes #plasticfree food on line. And I don’t just mean vege boxes!

Some Reviews Here

Anything But Plastic Online Shop

Anything But Plastic sells alternatives to plastic products in order to reduce everyday plastic consumption and help tackle plastic pollution ...
Read More

Cleaning Liquid Refills

ECOVER do all of these products and you can get your plastic bottle refilled. To find where Ecover have a refill ...
Read More

Fabric Offset Warehouse

Offset Warehouse is a social enterprise which brings together a huge range of hand-picked eco fabrics and haberdashery, ideal for ...
Read More

Greencane Tissues/ Paper Productsd

A while ago a company called Greencane sent me some tissues through the post. Not just tissues but toilet paper and kitchen ...
Read More

Handwash

I know a lot of people like a liquid hand wash. Personally I prefer soap but whatever. So this hand ...
Read More

Hodmedods – British Grown Beans, Grains & Pulses

Did you now you can get homegrown British beans, lentils (soon) and even Quinoa. Many of them organically grown…. Introducing ...
Read More

Loose Food On Line

One of the joys of living plastic free is mooching round the local shops seeing what you can source. And ...
Read More

Online shops for General and personal products

One of the real joys of buying #plasticfree is sourcing the stuff in local shops. The excitement when you see ...
Read More

Soap hard/bar

I use soap to wash my body (I don't like using soap on my face so I cleanse with oil and ...
Read More

Live Free Here

Our enormous index of #plasticfree products and lifestyle hacks has been updated. Have a look

N.B.

lines changes, products get removed. For more information why not ask the Plastic Is Rubbish FB group for updates. They are a great source of tidbits, personal experience and the latest news. Why not join them and share the plastic free love x

And before you go…

If you have found the #plasticfree information useful, please consider supporting us. It all goes to financing the project (read more here) or

Let’s Do A Give Away

1 January 2017 by Plastic Is Rubbish Posted in 5 Blog Social Media & Map

We love promoting plasticfree products and a great way to that is to give somethings away for free. Who doesn’t love a freebie?

So if you have a product you want to promote and Wish to work with us, this is how we organise a giveaway. However we are always open to suggestions.

In the following, the organisation giving the gift is referred to as the donor .

Briefly the donor offers a product to give away, we organise a draw and promote it and the product on our blog. The donor should do the same. The winner is chosen at random. Their details are passed on the donor who send the prize on.

The Giveaway Draw

Is done via Rafflecoptor ( who organise on line draws).
Terms and conditions are agreed with the donor. i.e. Only residents of the U.K. can enter.
The link is designed.
The resulting code is then pasted into blog post and looks something like this.

Rafflecoptor giveaway portal as seen on the blog post. And tha bags are not green but white!

To enter, participants then click on the link and are directed to a range of options.
For our giveaways they have to
tweet a tweet containing your Twitter handle
visit your FB page
comment on the Give Away Page (more on give away pages below).

Each action counts as an entry to the draw.
Participants can do all three thereby increasing their chances of winning,

Entries go into rafflecoptors virtual hat.The winner is chosen at random.
The prize is sent directly to them by the company doing the giving.

Advertising the Giveaway

Both parties should promote the giveaway as widely as they can.

Blog

I promote the giveaway on my blog in a variety of ways

The What’s On Page
Every month I do a round up of latest news, plastic free finds and other topical stuff.

In The Previous Month
I advertise the giveaway the month before in the Whats On page. First in the news as a shoutout and then in more detail in later on.
You can see an example from the current giveaway here

In Giveaway Month
When the giveaway goes live, it is featured in the current months Whats On page but this time with the link to the Rafflecoptor giveaway like the one shown above.

See an example from the current giveaway here

The Giveaway Page

It is also promoted on the separate give away page. The giveaway page focuses on your product only, has more detail and again links to the Rafflecoptor draw. This is the page entrants will be directed via tweets and FB links.

See an example from the current giveaway here

Side Bar On All Posts

Give away is featured in the blog sidebar.

The giveaway page is also linked via a widget on the blog side bar which appears alongside of every post. The widget has a picture and brief description of your product and a countdown.

Social Media

Plastic Is Rubbish a rapidly growing group where folks can share, rant and post about living plastic free. Join us here.
Planet Trash A Facebook of plastic pollution.
Facebook page Plastic Free U.K. a visual library of U.K. plastic free finds we come across
PlasticSrubbish Twitter account
Plastic Is Rubbish Instagram
And have a Pinterest page

Want to do one? Contact us now.

Borax

25 December 2016 by Plastic Is Rubbish Posted in 3.1 Cleaning Up, 3.1 General & Homemade Tagged 4 raw materials 1 Comment

Borax occurs naturally in evaporite deposits produced by the repeated evaporation of seasonal lakes. The most commercially important deposits are found in Turkey; Boron, California; and Searles Lake, California. Also, borax has been found at many other locations in the Southwestern United States, the Atacama desert in Chile, newly discovered deposits in Bolivia, and in Tibet and Romania. Borax can also be produced synthetically from other boron compounds.
WIkkipedia

Proper borax is No longer sold on the shelves in the UK. You have to make do with a borax substitute from Dripak.

“Borax Substitute is sodium sesquicarbonate – a mineral compound, with similar pH to borax, making it ideal for cleaning and laundry. It is gentler than Soda Crystals yet stronger than Bicarbonate of Soda.

Using Borax Substitute around the house
Uses Borax Substitute as a:

Multi-purpose cleaner – Mix it with some water to form a paste. This makes it an excellent scouring agent that offers more cleaning power than Bicarbonate of Soda.
A water softener to help keep your washing machine clear of limescale.
To make your own bath salts, simply add some perfume or essential oils and a drop of food colouring to some Borax Substitute.”

That said you can still buy borax from Ebay

Uses

You can use real borax for the above and
Can be used to make a fire retardant spray
To deter moths

Borax, washing soda, bicarbonate or all three. What should you use for your cleaning needs? A comparison HERE
See all out #plasticfree cleaning aids HERE

Duvet

1 December 2016 by Plastic Is Rubbish Posted in 6 archive Tagged 4 plastivan

There are lots of synthetic duvets on the market full of polyester and the like but even before I went plastic free I always preferred the cotton/feather covering. However I have become aware of other options.

Natural fillings include
Feathers
Silk
Wool
Cotton

There are all sorts of things you need to know when buying a duvet. What filling, pockets or channels, and what tog. all useful stuff and there are many good guides online which it is pointless to reproduce. I can recommend this one as covering all bases.

Duvets

Cotton Duvet John Lewis
BuyJohn Lewis Natural Light Cotton Comfort Duvet, 4.5 Tog, Single Online at johnlewis.com
£35.00 – £65.00
Country of Origin China
Cover material 100% Cotton; 190 thread count
Filling 100% Washed Cotton

N.B.

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Coffee Fresh

29 November 2016 by Plastic Is Rubbish Posted in 3.1 Food & Drink Tagged 3.1.3 drinks, 3.1.3 Loose Food 2 Comments

When I first started my boycott, the only way to get plasticfree coffee was to buy the beans loose and grind them. Now theres all kinds of options from instant in your own bag to compostable pods

For other coffee posts check out our index. You will also find tea, cocoa, milk in glass bottles and something stronger.

Buy Beans Loose

I love my morning coffee,
Can’t do with out my brew,
But Lavazzas wrapped in plastic!
So whats a girl to do?

Done got myself a bean grinder and I buy my coffee beans loose in my own plastic-free packaging

I am extremely lucky in that I can buy (fair trade), coffee beans from the superlative Coffeevolution, Huddersfield, an independent coffee shop, run by the owner. They import their own fair trade beans and roast them themselves. I give them my own bag they give me fresh, loose beans. Happy days.
There are many other good reasons to go to the café. It is not a chain the ambiance is great, and they have home made biscuits stored in glass jars. There are murals on the walls. and they have a great notice board. Smashing.

Elsewhere

If you cant get to Huddersfield there’s a list of

Supermarkets & Chains

Whittards

Whittards are. U.K. wide chain that will sell you tea loose.this from twitter
“Hi there, yes if you visit our store with your own container, we can fill it with either tea or coffee.”
They have over 50 shops. You can find one one here.
NB you will have to take your own plastic free or , better still, reusable packaging. See below for links.

“The company was founded in 1886 by Walter Whittard. It expanded in the 1980s and 1990s, and was bought by the Icelandic Baugur Group in 2005 for around £21 million.”

Ground Coffee In Compostable Packaging
Percol do ground coffee in home compostable plastic free packaging. I bought some in Waitrose. The coffee was acceptable. I composted the packaging in my home bin. Read more about this, below.

From their website
“You’ll start to notice the Plastic-Free logo on our new home compostable Ground, Beans and Coffee Bag packaging from November 2018. Like many, we want to do more to reduce the amount of packaging (particularly plastic) we’re using, and as a UK retail brand which sells more than 4 million products a year, we have an important role to play in reducing the impact we are making on our planet”
Read more here

Online

Just got a doorstep of delivery of ground coffee in a reusable/returnable tin. Not one bit of plastic. from the @ModernMilkman_

https://www.facebook.com/TheModernMilkman/

Roasting House

We’re a micro coffee roastery based in Nottingham. We roast all of our coffee in very small batches to order. Our environmental and ethical values guide us in how we run our business. We have a zero waste to landfill policy informs our purchasing decisions and use only 100% recycled and recyclable paper packaging and labels for our coffee. At events when serving hot coffee, we use both ceramic reusable cups and fully compostable takeaway cups.
Website: roastinghouse.co.uk

Onward Packaging
Would also like to add that when I contacted on twitter they confirmed that you can order online and they send out in a cardboard envelope.

MORE COFFEE!!!!

For other coffee posts check out our index. You will also find tea, cocoa, milk in glass bottles and something stronger.

There’s the old school stuff – paper, cardboard, leaves and other plant based materials. And then there is the new. The biodegradable plastics.

What is biodegradable?

Biodegradable products break down through a naturally occurring microorganism into stable compounds which can be absorbed into the ecosystem.More about biodegrading here

What is compostable?

To be classed compostable, items must biodegrade within a certain time and the resulting biomass must be able to sustain plant life For a man-made product to be sold as compostable, it has to meet certain standards. You can find out more here.

Composting Plastic At Home

While most agree that some plastics are compostable, they also say it can only composted in large scale municipal schemes. I say the days of large scale municipal schemes is fast approaching as governments aim to divert biodegradable rubbish from landfill sites. But more to the point, I have been composting my compostable plastic at home for years now, including Biobags, deli pots and disposable cutlery. Read more about that HERE.

The Home Compostable verification logo clearly identifies and differentiates packaging materials as biodegradable and home compostable. This means that the biodegradable packaging will break down under specific home composting conditions back into water, carbon dioxide (CO2) and biomass.”

N.B.
lines changes, products get removed. For more information why not ask the Plastic Is Rubbish FB group for updates. They are a great source of tidbits, personal experience and the latest news. Why not join them and share the plastic free love x

Join our Facebook group here

Special days, gifts & parties

4 November 2016 by Plastic Is Rubbish Posted in 5 Blog Social Media & Map 1 Comment

Here’s a guide to celebrating, partying and gift giving.

If you want biodegradable, disposable cutlery try How To Party Plastic Free. Reusable advent calendar? Check out Christmas. Compostable condoms – yes they are in Valentines along with other loved up stuff.

And of course at the end of every party, the washing up. Sigh.

Have fun and drink responsibly….

The Plastic Free Year

February and Valentines Day

Easter

Remberence Day

No posts found.

Toys

3 November 2016 by Plastic Is Rubbish Posted in 3.1.7 Wo/M/animals Tagged Children 8 Comments

There are some lovely plasticfree toys featured on our toy Pinterest page.

Myriadonline

for toys and craft supplies. Use cardboard and paper packaging including paper parcel tape.

A really lovely shop full of wooden toys and wool felt balls. Recommend you have a look HERE

Talking of games….

Any teachers out there want to trial a plastic awareness game?

The Auroville community in India are tackling plastic waste through education. Sometime ago I spoke to them about a children’s game they were developing – here is an update….

“Last year, interviewing experts was part of our research phase for developing a memory style card game which we have decided to call ‘kNOw PLASTICS’. The game educates children about the impact of plastics on animals, the environment and us.

We are now in the pilot testing phase of the game. Up till now we have tested the game in schools here in and around Auroville, Tamil Nadu, South India. It is a really rewarding experience and so much fun to see the children playing with the cards. So far we have received positive responses but we would like to get feedback from as many other children throughout schools the world over. We are looking to test the game internationally with students from diverse cultural background so that the game is relevant to as wide an audience as possible.

If you know of any schools, organisations or teachers then we would be very happy if you could connect us or test the kNOw PLASTICS game, please find below what this would entail:

Printing the game in colour (we’ll send you the designs and clear instructions).
Find 4 resource persons or teachers to help you or test the game (3-5 student per group).
Playing the game with children and answer questions (takes about an hour and it lots of fun).
Sending us the feedback and if you can Skype/WhatsApp call at your convenience.

Our goal is to complete pilot testing the game by the end of November, so our design team can finalise the game, print and launch it in February 2017.

When we have produced the game we would like to provide a free copy for a school or organisation you work with as a thank you for your assistance in pilot testing the game.

Please do help us test this game!

I really appreciate your time and effort and promise it won’t be a waste of time!

If you can help you can contact Chandra on wasteless@auroville.org.in
www.wastelessindia.org
Facebook.com/WasteLess

Why This Post Is ….

A little bit rubbish. You are reading a work in progress. Here’s how the blog is written and why we post half cocked.

Remembrance Poppy

1 November 2016 by Plastic Is Rubbish Posted in 3.1 Personal, 3.1 Special days & Parties Tagged 5 Content Veiw, hidays

One of the most poignant events of the year happens in November. Every year on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month all of Britain observes a full silence for two minutes. Because 11 November is Armistice Day and the anniversary of the end of the first world war. Remembrance Sunday is always held on the weekend so that everyone can participate. On this day we take time to remember all those who have fallen on the many wars.

Through November the most visible sign of remembrance is the wearing of a red poppy badge.

November is also When the Royal British Legion, a U.K. Charity organise a massive fundraising campaign. Whatever your opinions on the politics of war, whatever you feel about the senseless loss, many soldiers have died leaving families behind. Many soldiers have survived but so badly hurt that they now need help. The Royal British Legion supports the Armed Forces community both past and present. It provides support for the serving men and women, veterans and for their families.

Every year (2017 starting on 26 October), they ask for contributions in return for which you receive a poppy to pin on your lapel.Sadly the poppies made from paper and plastic are disposable. Many people buy a new poppy each year. Some careless ones like me get through two or three a year. Hundreds and hundreds of little green plastic stalks and black centres are left over once the paper petals have have rotted away.

So this year why not do it differently. The Royal British Legion have many new and interesting ways to contribute. 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.

You can buy reusable poppy pins from the Royal British Legion,(visit the Website), Or these from Marks & Spencer’s. 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.

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Disclaimer

A Tannning History

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Making Sun Block At Home

Disclaimer Be aware of the risks of listening to someone who a) doesn’t have any training in this field, b) most of what they know comes from Google, That’s me I mean.

Using Zinc Oxide

Using Zinc In Homemade Sun Block

Recipes

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Dates For Your Diary

Petitions

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Tampax

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WUKA period underwear

Sorry BUT you missed it….

Snact Snact “make snacks from surplus produce. That’s produce that would otherwise be thrown away for being too big, too small, too ugly, or simply too abundant.

WUKA period underwear

Greencane Plasticfee Tissue Products

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U.K. Made Cotton Produce Bags

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Vegetable Oil

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Some Reviews Here

Live Free Here

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Duvets

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Buy Beans Loose

Elsewhere

Supermarkets & Chains

Whittards

Online

Roasting House

MORE COFFEE!!!!

What is biodegradable?

What is compostable?

Composting Plastic At Home

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Why This Post Is ….

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Disclaimer
Be aware of the risks of listening to someone who
a) doesn’t have any training in this field,
b) most of what they know comes from Google,
That’s me I mean.

Snact
Snact “make snacks from surplus produce. That’s produce that would otherwise be thrown away for being too big, too small, too ugly, or simply too abundant.