Cat

Iwas just wondering if we could have a section or even just a sticky on peoples tips and recomended buys for all things environmentaly friendly.

After my last years study in animal rights and envionmental ethics along with a number of current TV programs, I have really had my eyes opened to a numer of ussues like climate change and animal testing etc and have decided to make a lot of life changes. Whilst I have never been a particularly wastefull person I do feel that I could do a lot more to help. As I feel this would benefit both myself and my family in eating better quality food and exposure to less chemicals, and obviously do more to help our environment, animals and areas of poverty etc.

Thing is there is so much stuff you can get/do and its hard to know whats any good and whats a waste of time/money and what things would really help the most. So I would love ideas and suggestions from people along with any recomendations of good products or ethical shops etc.

Ideally I want to buy all organic produce from now on. as Ihave a lot more understanding now of how fertilisers distroy the environment, as well as the obvious health benefits. I also will make my own compost and as I only have a small garden now I will grow my own herbs.

I want to buy enviromentally friendly household cleaners and toiletries from now on. But dont really know what ones are any good.

I want to find ways of being more energy efficient arond the home, although dont really know where to start here either, but I want to reduce our carbon footprint.

And any other thing Ifeel I can do along the way.

So if anyone has any tips or product recomendations and stuff I would love to hear!

Tezzy

Minxy

I've heard that new 'OZClean' range (the one with the old Australian biddy in that AWFUL ad?) is an environmentally range and was going to give it a try.

I'm interested in doing a bit more, I think having a child makes you think a bit more about the world you're going to leave them in, and I don;t think I do enough.

We recycle glass and paper, and use cloth nappies, but that's about it. I don't drive and rely heavily on public transport, but that's necessity not noble. I do hate the big gas guzzling monster cars that seem so popular though

I've had a catalogue form these people http://www.spiritofnature.co.uk and it looks good.

You say you've only got a small patch, but have you got a 4ft by 4ft spot? If so, check out this book for vegetable planning
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Delias-Kitch...e=UTF8&s=books
I'm going to give it a go in the new year. We could be gardening buddies!


*EDIT the Delia book has a section on how to build your own compost bin too!

Cat

Cool!

Im getting a couple of Hugh Fernly Whittingstall books for Xmas, and they cover growing veg/herbs. Even your own livestock, and loads of traditional reciepes with the emphasis on being thrifty and utilising everything. Even how to cultuvate wild produce from the hedgerows. And the family cookbook is all about family projects like how to make your own butter. Fun for adults and once the kids are older giving them more of an interest and understanding of food.

Kina

Tescos have just started doing a range and sell it alongside Ecover. I'm pretty sure it's made by the same company...

You can get soapnuts so you don't use detergent when you use your washing machine.

Cloth nappies washed on a low temperature also really help the environment.

Minxy

[quote="Kina"] You've got to watch that Kina, she's a cloth pimp!

Arcanegirl

[quote="Kina"]Does washing on a low temp actually clean properly? I always thought that wsashing on low temps wouldnt kill of all bacteria.

Cat

LOL, well I dont have a tumble dryer and dont fancy the idea of having nappies constantly hanging all round the house drying. So I have however decided to start getting bio digradable disposables.

Kina is it you that has said before about using reusable baby wipes that you just add solution to? If so where do you get them from?

hypnorm

Thats a good idea.
i have started using ecover products.
There is also another website with lots of ecofriendly ideas.
www.imperfectlynaturalwoman.co.uk

I also use Thermoflow, h2flow and Motoflow to help reduce my fuel bills and make my water less 'hard'

beanie

Ii don't have a tumble dryer at the moment (its been broke for 2 months) and I have found that drying the nappies aren't too much of an issue. Tots bots fluffles are very quick drying (take 2 hours in a warm room). The only thing about the bio disposable ones are that due to the way our rubbish tips are maintained they don't get the conditions in which they can degrade so they end up hanging about as long as other disposables. However I guess from the point of view what makes them, they are more enviromentally friendly then ordinary nappies.

Arcanegirl, with todays washing powders nappies get clean just fine on a 30 degree wash. I do occasionally do a 60 degree wash if I have some particularly soiled ones but that is not the norm at all.

Cat reusable baby wipes are well easy to make. Just get some cheap flannels and cut up into wipes. I carry mine round in a plastic wallet and then when I use them I just spray solution onto them (but normally just use water). You can buy solutions ready made but its so easy to make your own from cammomile teabags, lavender oil or even the baby bath that you normally use.