Mothers Day

18 February 2015 by Plastic Is Rubbish Posted in 3.1 General & Homemade, 3.1 Special days & Parties Tagged 5 Content Veiw, hidays

Flowers and chocolates are a traditional choice for such days and always welcome. Especially when you choose a few plastic free, more eco options.

Sweets

Sweets or chocolate in a paper bag
Home made truffles

Flowers

The greener way to give flowers.

Gifts
What mum doesn’t love a garden? Or Monty Don? Or Waitrose? Then check this… while looking for some plastic free secateurs I came across these from Japan. At 80.00 they are outside my price range but they look lovely, are recommended by Monty Don, come in a box (less plastic packaging) and are sold by Waitrose.

“Rated one of the best performing secateurs by BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine, with a score of 17/20 (January 2015).These slim-handled secateurs, forged from a single piece of high carbon steel, are a popular choice for female gardeners as they fit smaller hands perfectly.”
What can I say!
If you cant afford that there are some other (cheaper) options here, recommended by me.
And a lot more garden related gifts here.

But what if …
I am stereotyping your mum? what if she hates the gardening, has hands the size of shovel, wants to wipe the grin off that smug buggers face and only shops in Lidles? You could try these plastic free delights that can double as gifts.

Argh last minute Valentine day fixes….

Forgot !?! Quick, go get this free down load and print out the coupon book. Serve with a deep soulful look ...
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Knickers

Time to buy new panties, knickers, bloomers, draws, step-ins – call them what you will. I am a simple woman ...
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Body Butter

One of the joys of living plastic free is that you have all kinds of useful base ingredients in the ...
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Secateurs

The cutters of I use are from Joseph Bently I bought this set from TK Max– steel and wood tools with minimal ...
Read More

Wrappings & Cards
Gift got you need to wrap it. You can find plastic free gift wrapping options and cards here.

Compost Bin – underground

15 February 2015 by Plastic Is Rubbish Posted in 3.1 Composting Tagged 5 Content Veiw 2 Comments

You can put ALL your food waste into your Green Cone including meat, fish, bones, dairy products, vegetables and fruit. There are so many good reasons to compost not least because you can dispense with bin liners.

“The waste is digested rather than composted and is primarily reduced to water. This nutrient rich water enters the soil under the base of the digestion unit. There is no need to turn waste over like in a traditional composter.

For anyone who does not have the time to compost, the Green Cone is the ultimate waste food disposal solution. Most Green Cones produce so little residue that they will need cleaning only once every few years.

Features
Composts ALL food waste
Completely natural process
No need to turn waste over”

Composting at it’s easiest, though perhaps not it’s most attractive!

You can buy them from Even Greener who claim that

4. CREDENTIALS Most of our products are made in the UK in our own factory.
5. GREEN MANUFACTURE Most of our compost bins and water butts are made from recycled plastic using renewable energy.
6. PRICE GUARANTEE Find it cheaper elsewhere and we will refund the difference.*
7. SATISFACTION GUARANTEED Not 100% delighted? Return your goods within 30 days for a full refund.**

See more composting posts here

Mosquito Repellent

15 February 2015 by Plastic Is Rubbish Posted in 3.1 General & Homemade, 3.1 Personal Tagged 3.1 Backpack, 3.1.7 Health, 3.2.4 make, 3.2.4 make makeup, 5 Content Veiw

It’s that time of night when sitting on the balcony becomes a feat of endurance rather than a pleasure and it’s down to those vile biting mosquitos. Time to take action… but what kind. I could of course slather myself in DEET…

DEET Was developed by the American Army and remains the most effective form of bug repellent known to man. It is a great weapon in the fight against malaria. But it can irritate my skin and has had other negative press. Plus it comes in plastic.

So what of the alternativee? Needless to say the internet offer everything from wristbands to essential oils. Lots of testing has been done which conclude that these range from considerably less effective to completely useless. “Two devices in particular came under harsh criticism from the scientists: bracelets containing herbal extracts and sonic mosquito repellers, which claim to use high-frequency sound to drive away mosquitoes.” And dont bother with citronella candles. You can read the rest here.
That said there is some evidence that certain essential oils (including citronella) might work.SO let’s discuss the options.

Why DEET
Just to reiterate N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide (deet) DEET is the most effective insect repellent ever.
Then (2-(2-hydroxyethyl)-piperidinecarboxylic acid 1-methyl ester (icaridin), p-methane 3, 8-diol (PMD), and ethyl butylacetylaminopropionate (IR3535)-based repellents also provide protection against biting arthropods,
Malaria & Other Nasty Deseases
Malaria is extremely dangerous and kills masses of people each year. DEET Will protect you from mosquitoes and many other disease bearing blood suckers. If you are in a malarial prone area then it is an essential means of protection and I advise you consider it. Medical plastic is exempt from the boycott. To quote DEET must be the “first choice for those visiting areas where malaria or other arthropod-borne diseases are endemic remains formulations with higher concentrations (20–50%) of deet.
Higher concentration icaridin and PMD preparations are the most useful alternatives to deet where they are available”
Read more here

How Strong?
What do these concentrations mean? A higher concentration of DEET means it will last longer. 20% DEET offers up to 6 hours of protection. 50% DEET which offers 12 hours of protection. If you sweat heavily you’ll need to re-apply it more often, obvs.
According to the British Medical Journal anything with over a concentration of 50% DEET will not be any more effective. Read this very good write up that discusses all the issues and gives clear advice on how DEET should be used. Access it here.

Bad DEET
But if you are not at risk from malaria you might want to limit your exposure to DEET. While DEET is generally thought to be safe there are reports of possible reactions. On a personal level I find it irritates my skin but then again so do most perfumes and some soaps. However it is not just me. Reactions to DEET have been documented. And they can include Hives or mild skin redness and irritation. The more you use the worse it gets. People using products containing a large amount of DEET over a long period of time may have more severe skin reactions that include blistering, burning, and permanent scars of the skin.
Wikipedia are even more worrying and report that
In the DEET Reregistration Eligibility Decision (RED) in 1998, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reported 14 to 46 cases of potential DEET-associated seizures, including 4 deaths. The EPA states: “… it does appear that some cases are likely related to DEET toxicity,” which may underreport the risk as physicians may fail to check for history of DEET use or fail to report cases of seizure subsequent to DEET use.[21]
The Pesticide Information Project of Cooperative Extension Offices of Cornell University states that “Everglades National Park employees having extensive DEET exposure were more likely to have insomnia, mood disturbances and impaired cognitive function than were lesser exposed co-workers”.[22].
Read it here

Which Alternatives Work
So for those munchy twilight hours when the biting, but non-malarial carrying beasts are out DEET seems rather a chemical sledge hammer. In these cases I have been using Cintronella essential oil mixed with Rice Bran oil as a mosquito repellent. Based on nothing more than a quick skim of alternative bug sprays on the internet and the fact I have some Citronella oil. The internets claims all kinds of wonderful qualities for Citronella but I tend not to believe them. So consequently I didnt know if my homemade repellent really worked i.e.if it actually repels Mosquitos. But I felt it did and it certainly seems to soothe bites and reduce irritation. So I decided it was time to do some research.

Citronella
Citronella is obtained from the leaves and stems of different species of Cymbopogon grasses. And it might just work. This is a quote from some research that seems reputable. “From the available literature and information, we can conclude that the complete protection time for citronella-based repellents is less than 2 hours”
Read more here

But 2 hours is all I need. I can live with the occasional bite at other times it’s the twilight feeding frenzy I object to.

Using Essential OIls
Essential oils are concentrated and so should be used with some care.
Do not apply neat to the skin.
It is good practice to do an allergy test
Do some further research into the oil you plan to use

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.

Making Mosquito Repellent
You should never use essential oils neat so the Citronella has to be blended with a base oil. And there is very little data avaialable on what kind of percentages to use for the oil to be effective against biting beasts.

Generally Most essential oil/ aromatherapy sites say that mixes of essential oil to base oil should not exceed 5%.
A good rule of thumb when seeking to make a 2% dilution is to add 12 drops of essential oil to each fl. ounce (30 ml) of cold pressed carrier oil, lotion, vegetable butter or other natural lipid/moisturizer.
There is a useful dilutions chart here

And then there is this:
For adults:
Sensitive skin: .5 to 1 percent dilution = 3 to 6 drops per ounce
Normal, healthy skin: 1 to 2.5 percent dilution = 6 to 15 drops per ounce
There is lots of useful information here

My Mosquito Oil
So I added Citronella to a base oil at a 5% ration. I have used coconut oil, rice bran oil and rapeseed oil as bases. All work well.
I spread this on all exposed flesh when the sun begins to set. I only apply it once.

Obviously we are not talking about huge percentage of active ingredient here. Certainly not the 30% of DEET creams. How effective this oil is I have no way of knowing. I can only say it seems to work for a limited period of time.
AND PLEASE NOTE
These blends have not been tested for skin reactions or allergies. It is worth remembering that DEET lotions have been used for years and have been well tested.
I am telling you of my own experiences for your information only. You should do a lot more research before proceeding. And proceed with caution.
None of the above have been tested on anyone other than me. All I can say Is that I have used essential oils for a long time with no ill effects…..
Also
Essential oils are resource hungry, have a large environmental footprint and should only be used on special occasions. You can read more about essentials oils, what they are and how they are obtained here.

Buy

Plastic Alert
Vegetatable oil will nearly always have a plastic element unless you are lucky enough to find a refill service. Even if you buy in glass the lid will be plastic lined. But even so this represents a huge reduction in you plastic consumption. Read more and links on where to buy, here.

Same goes for essential oils.

There is an interesting breakdown of mosquito myths here. Plus some useful advice on how to avoid them.
And this is an interesting article on using plants to deter insects
And I am looking into this.
“PMD: Lemon Eucalyptus (Corymbia citriodora) Extract
The principal repellent component of lemon eucalyptus extract is PMD, which is the main by-product of lemon eucalyptus hydrodistillation.
The active component is prepared through acid modified extraction of leaves or a synthetic version of PMD is used in the majority of commercially available preparations.”
Read about it here.

Bokashi Bins

14 February 2015 by Plastic Is Rubbish Posted in 3.1 Composting Tagged 5 Content Veiw 4 Comments

Because I love all things compost, I invested in a Bokashi kit – two bins with taps and bokashi bran.

Lots of articles you read will say that you can use a bokashi bin to make compost. NO YOU CAN NOT. At least not in the sense that word is usually used. You can use it to make pickled, partially-dehydrated, fermented waste. However the resulting material still needs to be aged in soil or a compost bin before it can be used on the garden.

This is a two stage process.

BUT you can use the bokashi process to store a lot of food waste for weeks in a small bucket before further composting it. So what’s is the point of that?

It makes a green waste collection service viable.
Bokashi juice it is claimed makes a great house plant feed though some dispute that.
Reduces trips to the compost bin if your bin is on your allottment say.
It is a good way to start the decomposition process

How it works

The bokashi bin is a Japanese system that pickles your waste.

You put the waste in a bin ( can be anything including meat)
press it down hard and sprinkle with bacteria (bokashi) laced bran.
The bacteria begin to pickle your waste.
As it does so the waste begins to ooze juice. This you drain off. This juice can be used as a liquid feed.
Once the bucket is full you leave it to stand.
You can fit two weeks waste of two people (who cook fresh everyday) into one bucket.

What to do with your pickled waste?

You can feed it to the worms in your worm bin. Bokashi is claimed to help in a limited space worm composting system. Compressing food waste means you can fit so much more in your worm bin and because it is part broken down, they deal with it more quickly.
You can put it on the compost heap again benefitting from reduced space requirements and increased composting times
You can dig it into the soil but you need to bury it deep to avoid attracting hungry animals who will dig it back up again. Personally I cannot see the point in that!

Not tried this you can also bury your fermented food waste in an enclosed bin or box. Best to use a bin that has at least a 20 gal capacity. Start by adding 1″ of soil to bottom of bin. Next, add your fermented food waste. Add some more soil on top of that and mix it in with the food waste. Pour 3″-4″ inches of soil on top of food waste, soil mixture and pack it down. Cover the bin. Food waste should be completely broken down and ready to plant in 4-5 weeks. You can continue to stack additional fermented waste on top until your bin is full. Plant your favorite veggies directly in bin when food waste has been completely broken down.
here are links to people who do this in the U.K. “You add the pickled veg to the bottom of a pot or mix it in with the compost. You then need to let it settle for a couple of weeks, but then you can grow in it. The pickled veg rots down very quickly once in the soil. Basically, bokashi vastly accelerates the decomposition process – so although you don’t get ready made compost out of it, it is well on its way. Personally I prefer to use worm compost, but bokashi is a useful alternative.”

I can testify that bokashi bins work really well for storing waste but because my compost bin is so great,(it can compost anything and is rat proof), and is close by ( just at the end of our very small garden) I don’t really have much use for my Bokashi bin.

I do use it very cold winters when the daily trip to the bin is just too horrid.

I thought I was getting a good deal with the liquid feed but this article suggest otherwise. “The majority of nutrients in food scraps is contained in large molecules like protein, DNA, carbohydrates, fats, oils etc. Since bokashi does not break down the food scraps these nutrients are still bound up in large molecules at the end of the bokashi process. That is why an apple still looks like an apple at the end of the process. The nutrients will not get released until the future composting process is completed.”

Interesting stuff as is this. Bokashi in way more detail

Buy

You can buy bokashi bins from Even Greener who claim that

4. CREDENTIALS Most of our products are made in the UK in our own factory. Including these bins.
5. GREEN MANUFACTURE Most of our compost bins and water butts are made from recycled plastic using renewable energy.
6. PRICE GUARANTEE Find it cheaper elsewhere and we will refund the difference.*
7. SATISFACTION GUARANTEED Not 100% delighted? Return your goods within 30 days for a full refund.**

Make

If you are handy you can apparently make everything yourself including bokashi bran. I have never tried but seen online links.

Candles

10 February 2015 by Plastic Is Rubbish Posted in 3.1 General & Homemade Tagged 3.1 general, 3.1.5 Christmas, 3.1.5 Halloween, 3.1.5. Valentines, 3.2.3 Buy On Line, 5 Content Veiw 2 Comments

Nothing sets the mood quite as well as candles but it is hard to find plastic free candles. Most come in a protective plastic wrap or bag. However we tracked down a few.

Which Candle?

Parrafin, soy or beeswax.

In the olden days candles were made from a by-product of beef-fat rendering(tallow) which stank and smoked or beeswax which didn’t smell or smoke but was very expensive.Then in the 1820s, French chemist Michel Eugene Chevreul discovered how to extract stearic acid from animal fatty acids. This could be used to make a wax that was harder and burnt far more cleanly.

However the most luxurious and brightest of all candles were made from crystallized spermaceti an oil obtained from the sperm whale. Like beeswax, spermaceti wax had a pleasing odour but also produced a far brighter light. Again it was a harder was so didn’t soften when the atmosphere got hot. Lucky for the sperm whale who was being hunted into extinction for his light shedding wax, rock oil and its many by-products burst onto the scene. One such by-product was paraffin which could be used to make super-hard, super-bright and, best of all, cheap candles.

Recently, a huge surge in the popularity of candles has led to new waxes being developed including soy bean wax.

Soy candles are made from a processed form of soybean oil called soy wax. It is very soft so most candles are made in tins or containers. However additives including beeswax, paraffin, or palm wax can be used to make it harder. Additives include: stearic acid, Vybar (a trademarked polymer), mineral oil, petrolatum, paraffin wax, ultraviolet absorbers, and bht crystals.

Most candles today are made from one of the following

paraffin (a product of petroleum refining);
stearin (now produced almost exclusively from palm waxes though initially manufactured from animal fats);
beeswax
Gel Candles produced from gelled mineral oils or synthetic hydrocarbons. They are made in containers.though some are rigid enough to keep their own shape.
some plant waxes (generally palm, carnauba, bayberry, or soybean wax);

The size of the flame rate at which the candle burns is determined mostly by the size of the candle wick.

You can find out more about candles here and here.

Candle Types

Taper, Dinner or household candles. The traditional round candles that have to be set in candlesticks or empty wine bottles. Used for dinner parties and power cuts.

Pillar Candles are the modern version. Big and chunky, they are solid and self standing in a variety of sizes.

Floating Candles are designed to float on water.

Tealights are low round candles in a metal container. Much loved by the Ikea crowd. They are used in food warmers or tealight holders

Container or Filled Candles are non-flammable, heat resistant containers which are filled with wax and wick. They come in heat-resistant glass jars, tins and less often, pottery.

Votive Candles are come heat-resistant containers often with religious imagery.

Specialty or Novelty Candles come in a wide array of shapes either molded or sculpted by hand.

Scented candles – can be used to create a pleasant ambience or mask other odours such as cooking or cigarette smoke. They can also be used to keep insects at bay though personally I don’t think they are very effective.

BUY

Basic white unscented candles

Parafin Candles

Prices do a practical range of plain white unscented candles both household & tealight. Last time I looked, so did Bolsius. I have bought both of the above packaged in cardboard from a number of local shops. If you can’t buy them locally you can of course get them on line.

I found some pillar candles on Amazon which look to be plastic free – please check

BULK PACK of 14 – Ivory Church Candles (60m…

Vegetable Wax

If you don’t fancy paraffin candles,these organic, vegetable wax candles look plastic free. they are available from Nigels Ecostore www.nigelsecostore.com and Amazon.

Grehom Organic Dinner Candles (Set of 4) – … from Amazon also look to be plastic free!

NB be aware they contain palm oil but sustainably sourced Scented Candles

Paraffin Based

Prices do a wide range scented tealights and candles in a tins and glass jars with fragrances to suit all moods and occasions. They also do some odour eaters great for eliminating or rather masking odours which work pretty well. These come as tealights, in tins or glass jars and include

HOUSEKEEPER~ Contains extracts of Beeswax, Mandarin & Lemon
CHEF’S CANDLE~ Contains extracts of Basil, Patchouli & Geranium
OPEN WINDOW~ Contains Lily, Violet & Orange Flower

I have bought all the above packaged in cardboard. Please be aware that tins ike this are almost always epoxy resin lined which is (yes you guessed), a plastic.

They can be bought pretty much everywhere.

Soy Candles

You could try Foundry Candles from Oldham Manchester

“The scents of these delightful hand poured soy candles have been captured perfectly in a tin. Aprox 40 hours burning time. All natural ingredients. Check out all the amazing scents!”

Please be aware that tins are almost always epoxy resin lined which is a plastic.

There are plenty more up on Etsy but they are eye wateringly pricey. You might be better off making your own. How hard can it be?

You can get soy flakes in a reusable cotton bag

Only supplied in the re-usable cotton storage sack if purchased from Amazon or Aura
Container blend – NO soot or smoke.
Achieves a longer burn than paraffin Wax.
Easy to clean up any spills with soap and water.
Finest quality American SOY WAX flakes.

Aura’s Eco Soy Wax Flakes. A greener way to make quality candles…. These flakes are the finest quality Eco Soy flakes imported from the United States. Superior to paraffin Wax, candles made with Eco Soy will burn longer and be free of soot & smoke……. BASIC DIRECTIONS: Melt like chocolate. Gradually add your chosen fragrance. Add your colour a little at a time. Secure your wick into the desired container. Pour the melted Eco Soy into your container & leave to harden…..Once set – Enjoy your candle!!

Beeswax

Try these from Etsy, they are made in London and you should be able to discuss packaging with them.

Buy

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.

However sometime you have to buy on line. If so please see if there are links to sellers direct in the post above.

If you can’t do that then I have put together and Amazon catalogue. Yes I know.

Amazon is a very dirty word at the moment and I thought long and hard before suggesting them. Heres why I went ahead….. No we are not entirely happy with Amazons recent history. However, we have always found their service to be good and their packaging usually compostable.

If you buy a product via this link we do get an affiliation fee for this. This is not why we do it.


Bolsius Pack of 6 Household Candles £3.98	PRICE’S HOUSEHOLD CANDLES 5PK – 5 CANDLES £2.44 4	Sentinel Nightlights X6 £3.40

BULK PACK of 14 – Ivory Church Candles (60m… £29.99 These look like they might be unwrapped. Please double check before you buy – then tell me!	Grehom Organic Dinner Candles (Set of 4) – …look to be plastic free!	Heaven Scent 24 Organic Unscented Tea Lights £5.81

Candles Naturally Plant Wax Unfragranced Te…	Heaven Scent Natural Organic Jumbo Tea Ligh…	Prices Pack of 10 Tealights £5.24


Price Candle PXT011028 Winter Jasmine Scent… £3.13	Prices Patent Candles Open Window Jar £5.49	Scented Candle In Tin – (Housekeeper) £6.95

Housekeeper Tealights – (FR441016) £4.95	Prices Housekeeper Scented Candle in Tin El… £10.99	Prices open window candle – FR510316x1 £13.44

Prices Household Scented Candle in Tin – FR… £15.33	Prices Candles FR541016 Open Window Tealigh… £2.48	Prices Candles FR341016 6-Piece Chef’s Teal… £2.83


WASIWAX Handcrafted Wedding Carved Candles … £34.90 As these are made in Britain you might be able to ask about plastic-free packaging	Magical Floating Candles – 50 Reusable Floa… £20.50	Clever & Unique Magical Floating Water … £20.50

2.5 KILO Eco Soya / Eco Soy Container Candl… £19.99	5metre Wedo LX8 (50mm) Candle Making Wick +… £3.09	5 Metres Wedo ECO Candle Making Wick. High … £2.50

ECO 8 Pre-tabbed Candle Wick – pack of 20 £3.99	20 Pre Waxed Wicks For Candle Making Teacup… £2.60	Jute Ribbon Brown 7/8 Inch by 10 Yard Roll … £3.59


Prices Candles Tealights Winter Walk 6 Pack	Prices Fragrance Tealights x 6 Garden Laven… £3.12	Prices Fragrance Tealights x 6 Tea Rose £3.01

Price Candle PXT011005 Pomegranate and Waln… £3.12	Price Candle PXT011012 Fresh Fig Scented Te… £3.13	Price Candle PXT011010 Cinnamon Sticks Scen… £3.13

Price Candle PXT011020 Apple Spice Scented … £2.69	Prices Fragrance Tealights x 6 Peach Blossom £2.99	Soft Geranium Scented Tealights 6 Pack £3.13

Easter

7 February 2015 by Plastic Is Rubbish Posted in 3.1 General & Homemade, 3.1 Special days & Parties Tagged 3.1.2 reusables, 5 Content Veiw, hidays 2 Comments

Easter Sunday falls on April 9, 2023 so time to start planning.

Absolutely disappointed that one of my favourites the M&S Cheese Eggs, with Barber’s Farmhouse Cheddar as whites and a vintage 18-month matured Red Leicester yolk hand-dipped in a duck egg blue wax ‘shell’, does not appear to be the stores. please correct me if I am wrong.

They are doing other plastic free eggs though.

You can find plastic free easter finds over here on Facebook tagged #plasticfreeeaster2023 Please do add and tag your own finds.

Eggs

Easter egg makers are far more environmentally aware than they used to be and it is now easily possible to buy plastic free eggs if you look for them.

If you cant find anything on your local shops these people supply plastic free food on line. Bet they have something…

Online Plasticfree food
This is an interesting option that allows you to buy basic foods on line plastic free. You can even use your own produce bags. Read more HERE

Refillable Eggs

An even greener option is to have a reusable, refillable egg. For example…

You can buy papier-mâché eggs like these… online from here

If your decorating skills leave something to be desired you could try these Beatrix Potter tins can be bought here

There are lots more on eBay and Amazon

Obviously the packaging might be plasticky but contact the supplier and see what they can do. If nothing then console yourself with the thought of all the future plastic you will be saving by going for a reusable.

Then you fill them with sweets and chocolates….

Sweets & Chocolate

You can still buy sweets loose in shops and even some supermarkets. I have seen those pastel chocolate eggs available which are of course ideal.
you can find loose sweets and ethical chocolate here

Or if you are feeling ambitious you try your hand at #plasticfree truffles – egg shaped of course. Find the recipe here.

Don’t Like Sweets?

But one of my favourites has to be the M&S Cheese Eggs! yes. M&S has launched a pack of six wax-covered Mini Cheesy Eggs, with Barber’s Farmhouse Cheddar as whites and a vintage 18-month matured Red Leicester yolk hand-dipped in a duck egg blue wax ‘shell’ and sold in what looks like a cardboard box. For obvious reasons I can’t get out to check.

Don’t like Cheese? Gasp! Flowers are always nice….

Flowers are always a lovely way to celebrate Easter for older or less chocolate orientated people. But gettting them plastic free can be tricky…..

More Special Days, Gifting & Parties

How to special celebrations like Halloween and Christmas. Also those general chocolates/ flowers kind of days.

Plus gifting plastic free. Tips on cards, wrapping, sticky tape and others.

And of course how to party plastic free. The booze, the cocktail shaker the disposable cutlery. Then, when everyone goes home – finally, how to wash up.

See all our posts HERE

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

Condoms & Lubricants

1 February 2015 by Plastic Is Rubbish Posted in 3.1 Personal Tagged 3.0 sneaky plastic, 3.1.5. Valentines, 3.1.7 Health, 5 Content Veiw 1 Comment

If all goes well on Valentines day you may well be planning some intimate moments. Time to check out condoms.

Condoms come in the following materials….

Latex: made of latex rubber from rubber trees a natural and therefore biodegradable. Which has led to claims that that latex condoms are biodegradable. Which is hotly debated! Latex condoms contain addatives to make them (amongst other things) stronger. Many people say that even if they do eventually decompose, (not proven), it takes such a long time as to make any claims of biodegradability misleading. Certainly the anti-balloon camp do not consider latex balloons to be biodegradable despite what the balloon industry say. So, for the time being, lets leave latex on the shelf for further study.

Synthetic materials: polyisoprene, polyurethane and silicone. All of these are non- biodegradable materials.

Lambskin: sheeps intestines – no good for you vegans out there but definitely biodegradable.

Lets find out more

Here is some blurb from the British Condom shop about Trojan NaturaLambs, the make of lambskin condoms they sell

“These condoms are made from a natural membrane and while that may sound strange at first, they are one of the most comfortable, intimate, and largest condoms on the market. Most notable is their ability to transfer heat.

NaturaLamb condoms also have the exclusive Kling-Tite draw string at the base for added safety.

NOTE: These condoms do NOT protect against STDs, only unwanted pregnancy!”

Some more….

I am sure the packaging will contain plastic elements but then so will all the others. This appears to be the best option for condoms you can compost. The next question is would you want to?

Lube

Lambskin condoms can be used with both water-based and oil-based lubricants. However most commercially produced lubricants come in plastic bottles and many contain paragons, a preservative that causes some people concern. If you want something completely natural, go for for coconut oil. If you like this blog you know we love coconut oil – but don’t take our word for it, read this is a great write up about coconut oil in the bedroom.

NB If you find the smell overwhelming you might like to buy an odourless coconut oil. In Yorkshire? – you can buy coconut oil here

If you want to go for a traditional product here’s a good write up on what is available in the world of lubricants.

Buy From Amazon


Trojan Naturalamb Luxury Non Latex Condoms … £28.99 Made from sheeps intestines	Biona Org Odourless Coconut Oil 610 ML x 1 £10.00

Amazon Products

Being committed to local shopping, I prefer to buy that way whenever possible. I would encourage you to do the same. One of the joys of living plastic free is mooching round the local shops seeing what you can source. But sometimes you can’t buy local so I have put together an Amazon catalogue.

Yes we do get an affiliation fee for this, and no we are not entirely happy with Amazons recent history. However, we have always found their service to be good and their packaging usually compostable.

Cleaning products – refill system

25 January 2015 by Plastic Is Rubbish Posted in 3.1 Cleaning Up, 3.1 Disposables & Reusables, 3.1 House, Office & Garden, 3.6 Businesses & social enterprises Tagged 3.1.2 refill, 3.6 #P-fU.K. Directory, 5 Content Veiw 2 Comments

Planet Earth offers a range of household cleaning products with a unique refill and reuse system.

It works and has been scientifically tested to be as good as the leading brand.

It’s an eco winner: To make a bottle of eco2life cleaner, fill a spray bottle about half full of ordinary tap water, simply add one ‘small wonder’ refill to the spray bottle and top up with cold tap water. Replace the trigger, give it a quick shake – you’re all set to go.

There is no lugging of ‘water’ back and forth, requiring less production, less energy, less packaging

Our spray trigger is designed for a long life and our spray bottles are reusable.

Vegetarian Society Approved.

It’s made in the UK and of course it’s made from naturally derived readily biodegradable aquatic safe ingredients with fully recyclable packaging.

Planet Earth eco2life ‘The brilliantly simple refill system’!

Please note

This post was written by the contributor. It is not a Plastic Is Rubbish review, does not represent my personal opinions and I may not have used this product or service. Instead it is a PfU.K. Directory submission.

The Pf U.K. Directory is…?

…a directory of UK-based groups, organisations businesses and individuals who are responding to the problems presented by the misuse of plastic. That does not mean anti-plastic necessarily but certainly plastic-problem aware.

In 2014 I hope to feature 12 UK-based initiatives featuring refuseniks, trash slashers, businesses and the rest.

The DIRECTORY is to promote their work not mine. Read more here…

Got a project?
It is very easy to get a project featured. Each contributor submits a short synopsis of their project, focussing on the plastic aware element and I post it. You can read the submission guidelines here.

Valentines Day

15 January 2015 by Plastic Is Rubbish Posted in 3.1 General & Homemade, 3.1 Special days & Parties Tagged 5 Content Veiw 3 Comments

Wethers it’s Valentines Day, a very special date, an anniversary or just because, here’s a round up of plastic free posts to woo your plastic free sweetie.

Argh last minute Valentine day fixes….

Forgot !?! Quick, go get this free down load and print out the coupon book. Serve with a deep soulful look and "Experiences mean so much more than things, baby". I ...
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Candles

Nothing sets the mood quite as well as candles but it is hard to find plastic free candles. Most come in a protective plastic wrap or bag. However we tracked down ...
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Condoms & Lubricants

If all goes well on Valentines day you may well be planning some intimate moments. Time to check out condoms. Condoms come in the following materials.... Latex: made of latex ...
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How to wrap gifts plastic-free

Which wrap should you choose? Well we prefer reusables over all else so here are some wraps you can use over and over again... Reusable Wraps Wrap your presents in ...
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Sweets, Snacks & Nibbles

I don't care if the lady loves milk tray, she's not getting a box of chocks from me. Not with that plastic wrapping, plastic cover sheet and plastic sweet tray. Before ...
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How To Buy Flowers Plastic Free

You don't even want to know how many plastic wrapped roses we are going to get through on this one Valentine's day.Oh you do? According to the Flowers & Plants Association, ...
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Greetings cards

Cards have been the bane of my life , (I mean greeting cards not gambling - that's all in the past), as many come wrapped in icky plastic. So what are the alternatives? E-cards ...
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More Special Days

Other special days can all be found here….

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

Fibres & Bristles

13 January 2015 by Plastic Is Rubbish Posted in 3.1 General & Homemade, 3.6 Good to know, 4 About The Alternatives Tagged 5 Content Veiw 1 Comment

A guide to natural and biodegradable fibres that are safe to compost and can be used and washed without shedding tiny plastic microfibres that go on to pollute the land and sea.

What Are Fibres & Bristles

Fibres are thin strands that can be spun to form one continuous thread that can be used a rope or thread or if fine enough woven into cloth.
Bristles are short stiff animal hairs or feathers. Or very stiff vegetable fibres used in brushes.
Plant derived fibres/bristles include everything from the finest cotton to the stiffest bassine
Animal derived fibres/bristles range from fine silk to boar bristle hair brushes.
Bristles and fibres can also be replicated in plastic. So acrylic mimics wool and plastic brushes replace natural brooms.

Fibres, Yarns and Fabrics

Fibres (and then yarns and ultimately fabrics) can be can be natural, synthetic or chemically produced hybrid called regenerated fibres.

Know Your Fibres

Natural Fibres
These are plant or animal derived.
They biodegrade
Coarse Fibres for rope, string, sacking and industrial uses include:
Abaca can be used for rope, coir from coconuts has a wide range of applications, jute is used for sack cloth and sisal for string. As well as these traditional uses there are many new applications.
Read more HERE
Fibres used for finer fabrics and yarn include cotton, flax wool and silk. They are used to male threads and yarns and can ultimately be knitted or woven into fabrics

Synthetic fibres
These are man-made from chemicals many of which are petroleum derived.
They include acrylic , nylon and polyester
They are derived from oil and coal.
Most do not biodegrade.

Regenerated Fibres
The base material is cellulose that can be obtained from a range of sources including wood, paper, cotton fiber, or bamboo. It is then converted through a chemical process into a fiber.
Some it is claimed are biodegradable. Some are not.
Regenerated fibres include Rayon, Bamboo Rayon, Viscose,Modal and tencel (lyocell)

Fabrics
Fibres can be spun into yarn or threads.
In turn this can be can be twisted into string or rope
woven or knitted into fabric.

More
Read more about fabrics and fibres HERE

Know Your Bristles & Brushes

Plant Derived Bristles
Basin,
Natural Coco Fibre (COIR) can also be used as a rough yarn
Black Coco Fibre (DYED COCO),
Bahia Piassava (BASS) Arenga (GUMATI ) Tampico Fibre
Union mixture is a mixture of white fibre and bassine.

Animal Derived Bristles
The most commonly known are
Boars hair is used for hairbrushes.
Feathers for dusters
A variety of animal hair for decorating and artists paint brushes

Synthetic Bristles

Polypropylen (PPN) PPN
Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)
Flagged PVC/PPN

Easy enough to spot when they are used alone but sometimes they are mixed with natural fibres. Do check carefully when buying natural fibres. Ask if any of the above have been used or look carefully at the bristles.

Whats that dot mean?

11 January 2015 by Plastic Is Rubbish Posted in 1.51 Reusing & Recycling Plastic Tagged 5 Content Veiw

The Green Dot is a symbol used on packaging in many European countries.

It looks like a recycling logo but is not.

It is a trademark.

It is not always green. Sometimes it is black and white!

In the UK but has no specific meaning for UK consumers.

In Europe howeve it indicates that a packaging producer has paid the have a proportion of their packaging collected and recycled.

They have to. The European “Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive – 94/62/EC” This applies to all companies whose products use packaging. It states that manufacturers have to collect any recyclable packaging they use.

Obviously most do not do this. Instead they pay a company to do it for them. They can then display the green dot on their packaging.

Frequently asked questions about the Green Dot® program.

Which companies need to comply with the Packaging Waste Directive?
All companies need to comply with the Directive if their products include nearly any type of packaging.

Can I come up with my own packaging recovery plan and avoid joining Green Dot^®?
Yes, you can present your own plan for packaging recovery. This may make sense if you are very low volume producer with very few customers.

Am I required to join the Green Dot^® scheme?
No. You are not required to join a program such as Green Dot^®. However, the Packaging Directive requires manufacturers to recover their own packaging. Most companies find this impractical and participating in the Green Dot^® Program is one way to meet these requirements.

You can find this very useful Q&A post here

To conclude

A licence fee is paid by manufactorers towards the cost of collection and recycling.
The amount paid depends on the material used in packaging (e.g. paper, plastic, metal, wood, cardboard).
Different countries pay diferent amounts for joining the the scheme.
Fees take into account the cost of collection, sorting and recycling methods.
A reduction in packaging means a reduction in the liscence fee.
Once the fee is paid the company can then display the green dot on their packaging and consumers will know that the manufacturer contributes to the cost of recovery and recycling.

We do not use this system in the UK. The Green Dot is not used as a compliance mark in the UK, but it is still a trademark. Anyone who produces packaging with a Green Dot, which is then sold in the UK, must pay a UK licence fee through Valpak Ltd.

Find more on this and other international packaging signs here.

Better still buy unpackaged and take your own reusable bags

Christmas Crackers Reusable

6 January 2015 by Plastic Is Rubbish Posted in 3.1 Disposables & Reusables, 3.1 General & Homemade Tagged 3.1.2 reusables, 3.1.5 Christmas, 5 Content Veiw 1 Comment

As they sound – a cracker that can be used over and over again. Probably not completely plastic free, (those ribbons look synthetic), but a great way of reducing your trash.

These are made by a UK company Keep This Cracker. The following was taken from their website.
What makes our Gift Box Crackers so unique?
Slide open the box and it goes Bang! just like a cracker. Fill with your own gifts and personalise them for any occasion. Easy to reuse just feed a new snap into the slots at each end.
Sadly it looks as though the crackers come in plastic packaging. Check with the supplier…

I haven’t actually used these but you read about Westywrites experiences with reusable christmas crackers here.

Fill
You could fill them with plastic free sweets if you can’t find suitable gifts.
There are loads of printable joke sheets up on Pinterest. They are truly corny. But they come with snowmen. Here’s and example.

Make
And if you are crafty you can make your own crackers. I have never done this but there are instructions up on Pinterest. Looks fiddly to me! You can buy cracker snaps from craft shops and on line.

Buy

You can buy crackersnaps and more reusable crackers from Amazon. You can read about our Amazon links here.


Refillable Crackers – Bundle of 6 snaps £2.50	Refillable Crackers 4 Packs (Folk Green) £12.75	Refillable Crackers 4 Packs (Ornate Jade) £12.75

You can find lots more plastic free Christmas tips here…
And you can read up more about special days and general partying here.

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Which Candle?

Candle Types

BUY

Basic white unscented candles

Soy Candles

Beeswax

Buy

If you can’t do that then I have put together and Amazon catalogue. Yes I know.

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Eggs

Refillable Eggs

Sweets & Chocolate

More Special Days, Gifting & Parties

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Please note

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More Special Days

N.B.

And before you go…

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What Are Fibres & Bristles

Fibres, Yarns and Fabrics

Know Your Fibres

Know Your Bristles & Brushes

Synthetic Bristles

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