Wellbeing

10 Eco-Friendly Swaps

Small steps can make a huge difference when it comes to tackling the climate crisis – here’s how to get started…

Whether you’ve already tried to implement some sustainable swaps into your life to help the planet or it’s been on to your to-do list for a while, what matters most is your intention and willingness to make adjustments. In some circumstances, finding eco-friendly alternatives to our favourite products can be tricky, but for many people, once they make the switch, they never look back. Now is the perfect time to change some old habits and start becoming a little kinder to the planet – and ourselves.

1. Scrap single-use

50 percent of single-use plastic waste comes in the form of our bags, bottles, cups and straws. By eliminating these from your daily routine, you’ll impact the amount of single-use plastic pollution. Our top tip: grab a net bag that you can roll up and carry round in your handbag. We love this Organic Cotton String Shopping Bag, £4.99, greenecoshop.co.uk

2. Leftover luxury

While we’re not suggesting that potato peelings become part of your skincare routine, it’s worth looking in your cupboard for beauty ingredients. UpCircle sources coffee grounds from London’s coffee shops for their body scrubs. Head over to naturalhealthmagazine.co.uk to find out what happened when a member of the Natural Health team made their own beauty products.

3. Pad it out

Wipe out your make-up wipe habit – not only do make-up wipes often contain lots of chemicals which can irritate, dry out and even age your skin, but they are also having a devastating impact on the environment – blocking up sewers, lining beaches and ending up in the sea. By switching to reusable pads, not only will your skin thank you, but you could save around £50 per year!

4. Roll on

The average lifespan of a plastic deodorant lasts over 400 years and the compressed gases that are used in aerosols have a harmful impact on CO2 emissions. Try The Natural Deodorant Co Clean Deodorant Balm, £1.75, naturaldeoco.com

5. Glad rags

Handkerchiefs, bandannas and rags have an infinite amount of potential in your kitchen. Use them to wipe up a mess, wrap up food for snacks on-the-go, and other small kitchen tasks. They make a great alternative to paper towels and they’re colourful, too!

6. Brush crush

111 million plastic toothbrushes are thrown into landfill sites every year releasing chemicals into the air and adding to the environmental damage. But there is a sustainable alternative – bamboo. Try, Bamboo Toothbrush Adult Firm Bristles, £7.99, wildandstone.com

7. Beauty bars

Switching to shampoo and conditioner bars can significantly reduce your household’s plastic waste. We love Ethique’s St Clements Shampoo for Oily Hair, £12, ethique.co.uk

8. Wax to the max

Use reusable food wraps instead of plastic wrap or aluminium foil. The warmth from your hands softens the wraps to allow them to stick. Wipe with some diluted dishwater to clean, and store for reuse.

9. Have a green clean

Many of the chemicals you use in the cleaning process end up in the sewage. Swapping out your typical plastic cleaning tools for an eco-friendly range can help.

10. Monthly habits

In the UK, women use an average of 11,000 sanitary products in a lifetime; that’s around 200,000 going in the bin each year. We love, OrganiCup, £20.99, superdrug.com