My plastic free life: busy single mummy & business owner

As I write this, I’ve just put my son (now 2 and a half) to bed. He is singing himself to sleep. I can hear him on the monitor. His song of choice tonight is ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star’ which is now on repeat, until he finally gives in and closes his eyes for the night. I feel grateful to have a happy little boy who is happy to find his zzzz’s via gentle humming rather than wild screaming (although of course it has been known, when he’s been unwell). As parents, we are all striving for similar things (I...

  It's Plastic Free July 2020   The “Plastic Free July” campaign has been running since 2011 and its tagline is to “Be Part of the Solution”, offering the opportunity to find millions of global companions reducing their plastic waste for the betterment of our world. “Plastic Free July is a global movement that helps millions of people be part of the solution to plastic pollution – so we can have cleaner streets, oceans, and beautiful communities" The website is packed full of ideas about how to reduce your use of single use plastic. I highly recommend the straight-forward and...

For some years now I have been making my own lotions, moisturisers and balms, both for myself and for my son, Finn. This is for two or maybe three reasons really – firstly I wanted to avoid the toxic load of some shop bought options, and secondly I wished to avoid unnecessary single use plastic waste… My third reason is a happy by product of the former two reasons; it’s lovely to make your own skincare products, is as relaxing as baking, and can turn out some lovely bespoke results which can often be nicer than shop bought alternatives (and...

  Things are quite tricky at the moment, globally.... I'm focusing my mind on achievable eco goals. One of them is to try to find ways around the national toilet roll shortage! It seems like a good opportunity to find sensible ways to use less and waste less, at a time when we don't know when we might safely be able to leave the house to go to the shops in the way that we have been used to. At time of writing we are Day 2 of lockdown during the Coronavirus pandemic. I have used reusable / washable baby wipes...

  A New Year brings with it the feeling of great hope for me, combined with a sort of eco-pressure that I need to create a set of resolutions to achieve some of the eco friendly goals that the world and our children need us to work harder on. I try hard for it not to topple over into ‘eco anxiety’ which is now much written about (an anxiety specific to the threat to our natural environment and the human race). Golly! My previous years of eco-resolutions include starting this #plasticfree business (tick!), but also some other really achievable things for...