100 Sustainable Living Tips

Sustainable living is a bit of an obsession of mine.

Just by living on the planet we are using up resources and creating waste matter.

By that logic, the very worst thing we can do for the planet is have children (and I’m a mother of two!)

So what CAN we do?

Look, none of us are perfect, but just understand that every choice we make will have an impact, small or large – we just have to choose our impact.

So here are (over!) 100 tips to live that little bit greener. Yes, I do them all. Not every day perhaps.

Even if you change just one thing each month, that will really make a difference over time. 

Eat less meat and dairy

Consuming less meat and dairy is the single biggest way to help the planet and is better for your health too. And I do eat meat (but we’ve choose organic where we can).

1. 1. Meat lover but want to cut down? Cauldron sausages are flavoursome and ‘meaty’ …
   2. ‘Beyond Meat’ Plant’ Burgers are AMAZING – I actually prefer them to beef patties at a BBQ.
   3. Try my completely inauthentic but yummy family fave Veggie Spag Bol. Coarsely grate 500-750g veg (courgette, mushrooms, carrots, leeks – whatever you’ve got – it’s a great ‘hidden veg’ user-upper!). Sauté with olive oil then stir in a pack of soya mince. Add flavour/colour with crushed garlic, Bouillon powder/stock cubes, 2 tbsp ketchup, 2tbsp tomato purée, Worcestershire sauce (omit if vegan), a glug of balsamic glaze, chilli flakes, teaspoon Marmite (trust me!), red wine, 70% chocolate/cocoa powder, salt, pepper. Add two tins of tomatoes and simmer. No real measures – it’s all to taste! Makes 8 portions (freezes too).
   4. Add 1-2 tins of kidney beans to the leftovers for a ‘Chilli sin Carne’. Serve with rice, tacos, guacamole, grated cheese, shredded lettuce, sliced peppers and 0% Skyr yoghurt (healthier than sour cream!).
   5. Oat milk is way more sustainable than nut milks. We use Oatly Barista. Froths up, doesn’t separate, yummy and creamy.
   6. Try this DELICIOUS dairy-free yoghurt substitute from The Coconut Collab. Dangerously good.
   7. Ditto this Booja Booja organic vegan chocolate icecream. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
   8. I love cheese too much to go vegan, but Nush almond-milk chive-flavoured cream cheese is a bit like Philadelphia.
   9. Vegan slow cooker recipes we’ve enjoyed include this Jambalaya…This Quinoa chilli…and this Veggie stew (we add more spice and butter beans for protein)
   10. These breakfast burritos are yum, with an amazing vegan ‘scrambled egg’. Make a batch for quick, healthy weekday lunches or freeze.

Greener cooking

1. 1. Try and buy British, seasonally and choose ‘wonky veg’ options to reduce food waste and save money. We’re trialling Oddbox this February! They save wonky veg from waste and show them some love …we ended up with the most GIANT potato I’ve ever seen. A full 910g – it could feed all four of us! 
   2. Reduce plastic packaging e.g. We get butter in paper (I use this insulated butter dish on the counter) and buy loose fruit and veg where we can.
   3. We were trying to get more fruit into our diets but the berries kept going off! Frozen fruit was our saviour – no more waste and loads cheaper too.
   4. Oxo cubes are plastic-free (as opposed to Knorr stockpots)
   5. Mindful Chef. have healthy, gluten-free and vegan choices. They also donate a meal to a starving child for every meal you buy. Get 4 boxes with 25% off here.
   6. Try these Bees Wraps for sandwiches, to cover bowls, wrap around cuts of cheese, etc
   7. You can wipe and re-use tin foil several times before recycling. When you do, roll foil up to the size of a tennis ball (wrap tiny pieces in the larger pieces) as the recycling grabbers can’t pick up smaller bits.
   8. These lid toppers are great as a lot of manufacturers have stopped doing the plastic disposable lids.
   9. After holiday seasons like Christmas and Easter, we take any excess unopened food – non-perishables like crisps, chocolate, biscuits, cakes, jams, relishes and puddings to our local soup kitchen.
   10. Bought too much cheese? Did you know you can freeze it?

Greener drinks

1. 1. Milk & More deliver milk and juice in retro glass bottles to your doorstep – check the link to see if they deliver to you.
   2. Looseleaf tea is too faffy for me but luckily my favourite Yorkshire Tea do plant-based bags. Check out other plastic-free tea brands here.
   3. These steel reusable water bottles are better than plastic ones which leach BPAs and harbour bacteria.
   4. We LOVE our Contigo travel mugs. Lockable and spill-proof, great or around kids, tech or in bags. Drinks stay hot, we save a fortune and no throwaway coffee-shop cups (most places will discount if you take yours in).
      
   5. Coffee: we don’t use pods, Andy buys sacks of beans and grinds his own.
   6. Get a SodaStream for plastic-free sparkling water. We dilute the kids’ juices too for healthier ‘fizzy drinks’.
   7. If you drink alcohol, these are the most sustainable drinks brands.
   8. Did you know that Bailey’s is now officially a B-Corp spirit – good for the planet, if not your waistline!
   9. Say ‘no’ to straws: Paper ones actually use eight times more resource than plastic to produce (yes, greenwashing!) – but that still doesn’t mean you’re right to bring the plastic ones back Trump!
   10. We use these stainless steel ones– and this portable one clips to your key ring!

Greener shopping

• 1. Start with a clearout. We got rid of anything that didn’t ‘spark joy’ (thank you Marie Kondo) and now have an organised, clutter-free home. Enjoy the headspace, time and calm of needing less and buying less. Our purchases now are more considered, high-quality and long-lasting. 
  2. If you have to shop, Vinted/Ebay! I’m LOVING Vinted and even hubby is getting obsessed!
  3. Gift ‘experiences‘ – no clutter, just great memories. Events, gigs, gallery memberships, cinemas, days out and meals – or even favours, help and time spent with loved ones.
  4. Reduce mass consumerism: e.g. gift homemade gifts/edibles, agree to just buy for the kids. Less stress and cost, no crap presents and you focus on time together. Liberating!
  5. Metallic/glittery papers don’t recycle. We use plain or printed paper, brown parcel tags and string – or glue sticks instead of sellotape. Kids can decorate brown paper with marker pens or stamping inks (poster paints don’t recycle).
  6. Instead of real cards, send e-cards and/or make a charity donations.
  7. Another great eco gift idea is e.g. adopting a panda (or other animal of your choice!)
  8. Use (or start) a neighbourhood Whatsapp and/or Facebook group. Great for buying/selling/donating toys, books, clothes, games, bikes and household items. 
  9. Keep fabric shopping bags in the car, with your coats and in your bag – so you’re never caught out needing a plastic one.
  10. If you do have plastic bags, Ocado pay 10p for each (any brand) and recycle them.

Greener wardrobes

1. 1. Try and cut down new online clothes shopping – a shocking number of retailers send returned goods to landfill,
   2. Get your ‘colours’ done – saves on time, money, mistakes – and you’ll look great!
   3. My stylist also edited my wardrobe: I buy less and wear more of my clothes because now they’re all organised, I know what I’ve got and can find them again. Plus she gave me some great restyling tips.
   4. A great dressmaker can tailor or rejuvenate existing items and second-hand finds. Game-changer.
   5. Buy pre-loved: I get overwhelmed in charity shops – but I love eBay. Vinted, Vestiare Collective and similar.
   6. I used to buy the kids’ 0-4 yr clothes and toys (often new, with tags!) from NCT Nearly New Sales.
   7. Host a ‘Swishing’ party: bring a bottle and quality clothes/accessories/unused toiletries you don’t want, and swap. A great girls’ night in and a wardrobe boost – donate leftovers to charity.
   8. Easier still, you can find local clothes-swap events on Eventbrite. 
   9. Mothballs are toxic; use zipped laundry bags to store folded jumpers and woollens, try cedarwood hangers/sprays and read other moth-repellent tips here.
   10. Did you know 95% of fabrics in landfill could’ve been re-worn or recycled? I don’t throw any away…

• • • Kids’ clothes get passed on to family and friends…
    • Adult clothes go to charity, warm ones go to our local soup kitchen and higher-ticket stuff sold.
    • Use old garments as cleaning rags (my dad used old socks to polish shoes!)
    • Any unusable items (even holey socks, tights, pants…) get bagged up and taken to H&M, one of the most sustainable mass-market fashion brands, for discount vouchers.
    • I’ve donated quality work-clothes and accessories to Smartworks which helps women get job interviews.
    • Old bras go to Bravissimo – the reusable ones go to women in developing nations, the rest get recycled with a charity donation.
    • Use pretty fabrics to wrap presents, Japanese furoshiki-style
      

Green Power aka ‘how we halved our energy bills’ …

1. 1. We love our Genesis EV. Definitely cheaper to run, although factor in charging time for longer journeys.
   2. We have a charger at home and charge overnight when electricity is cheaper.
   3. We use sustainable Octopus energy. To switch (and get £50 off) click here.
   4. Our TADO thermostats turn the heating down when we’re out – and back up as we head home. You can control/override it from an app.
   5. Our energy-efficient Hue lighting and motion sensors mean lights only come on when needed/passing through and can be dimmed at night, and are controlled by phone app (boosts security on holiday!), remote control or voice command.
   6. My boys and I got these huge, cosy ‘Oodies‘ so we are toasty warm when lounging.
   7. Swap out spent disposable batteries for rechargeables – they last for years. We have a Universal battery charger and keep charged spares in a drawer.
   8. Take used batteries to a battery-recycling bin – our local Sainsbury’s has one.
   9. A Smart Meter displays how much energy we were using.
   10. Ours shocked me into buying a retractable double washing line and these recyclable pegs!

Greener cleaning

1. 1. Microfibre cloths although plastic, are really eco-friendly. They wash well, last for years, you use less product and they are super absorbent. 
   2. Glass cloths polish mirrors/windows and even cutlery with just water.
   3. Save water – don’t rinse your plates – just scrape and pop in the dishwasher.
   4. DON’T pour hot fat down the drain – that makes fatbergs! Let it solidify and put it in food waste.
   5. These coconut husk washing-up sponges biodegrade in food waste.
   6. This Ecover toilet cleaner is amazing – and for tougher limescale, Kilrock is a powerful eco-friendly solution.
   7. I make most other cleaning products using vinegar and Fairy liquid – easy, fast, cheap and non-toxic. Any vinegar smell disappears (or you can scent it – slice juiced lemons up and push into the bottle. You end up with preserved lemons for salads, chicken and fish dishes!).

Vinegar: I LOVE this stuff

• • Burnt-on pans/ovens/tough stains – Mix vinegar into a paste with bicarb of soda, rub on, leave for a bit, use elbow grease, wipe/rinse. Or make a runnier mix and let it fizz away. For burnt pans: put water and vinegar in immediately. After a few minutes, the gunk just lifts off with a gentle scrape.
  • All-purpose cleaner: for sinks/glass/worktops: 50/50 vinegar/water and a good ‘squidge’ of Fairy liquid in a spray bottle. Tip gently back and forth to mix.
  • Granite/marble/kitchen counters: Just drizzle on neat washing up liquid and use hot water with a microfibre cloth. Lift stains with a paste of bicarb and water or lemon if needed.
  • Limescale remover for taps, tiles, etc: 50/50 vinegar and Fairy (neat). Warm the vinegar to mix it more easily and tip bottle gently back and forth. Spray on stubborn limescale and leave to dry. Scrub with an old toothbrush and use the suds to clean the rest of the sink/bath, then rinse. Thank me later.
  • Toilet descaler: use a loo brush to displace as much water as you can first for best results. Boil 1-2 inches of vinegar (it will descale your kettle too!), pour down the loo and close the lid. Leave overnight if you can. Scrub – the scale should lift. Repeat if needed. 
  • Drains: Commercial drain unblockers are usually toxic. De-clog smelly drains with 1/2 cup of dry bicarb down the plughole, pour 1-2 cups vinegar over to make it fizz. Leave 30 mins and pour a kettle of boiled water on top. Repeat as needed.
  • Wood: just wipe down oiled or varnished surfaces with a damp cloth (this from a man who came to re-oil our table!). Occasionally rub oiled wood with a bit of furniture wax if needed. 
  • Floors: for tiles, lino, laminate and sealed floorboards. Mop using just hot water, a glug of vinegar and Fairy. Do not over-wet wood.
  • Dishwasher: put half a teacup of vinegar in the top rack. Everything will sparkle and it descales your machine. 
  • Washing machine: weekly, add half a cup of vinegar into the drum or fabric-conditioner drawer. Whitens whites, darkens darks (it removes soap scum), softens, descales, deodorises, kills germs and prevents mould build-up. Magical stuff!
  • Algae. Spray neat vinegar on the areas and leave for an hour. Wash off with soapy water and a firm broom to scrub.

Greener washing!

1. 1. We use Who Gives a Crap bamboo toilet paper- sustainable, plastic-free AND they provide sanitation to developing countries. Get £5 off your first order here. The packaging looks nice in my bathroom too.
   2. Plastic-free washing: Use soap bars instead of shower gel (we love Dove). I also love Garnier and Alberto Balsam shampoo bars. Great for travel too. I’ve yet to find a good conditioner bar though. I also use this gentle, moisturising face bar. This is the best soap tray. It attaches to a tile/mirror with strong suction and holds the lot.
   3. If your brand is bottled – go large. A 900ml bottle uses less plastic than 3 x 300ml ones – usually better value too. Also, don’t buy the cute travel-sizes – just decant your big bottle into reusable travel bottles. 
   4. Buy plastic-free cotton buds with paper stalks here
   5. Use cleansing cloths instead of disposable cotton wool or wipes.
   6. Plastic toothbrushes don’t recycle or break down – I use these bamboo ones and here are some recyclable toothbrush heads.
   7. Floss can harm wildlife (bin, don’t flush it!). Instead, use this electric water flosser.
   8. For a natural tooth whitener, use bicarbonate of soda on a damp toothbrush – I combine with a bit of toothpaste to mask the taste!
   9. Save water with this FREE kit – if you’re metered, the tap aerators and shower timers will save £££s too. Oh, and turn your tap off whilst you’re brushing!
   10. #PlasticFreePeriod: women typically spend over £18,000 and use up to 11,000 sanitary products in a lifetime. Try a Mooncup: hygienic, zero waste, no fuss – or period pants e.g. Thinx, ModiBodi etc

Greener business

1. 1. Join B1G1 to link everyday business activities to creating impacts for good (Use my referral code BM16053 and we both get $10 to donate to our causes of choice)
   2. Instead of client Christmas presents, we gifted a total of 2502 days of literacy and business training to women in Uganda via B1G1
   3. For mailouts only use 100% recycled or recyclable packaging – including stiff card envelopes for books and this brown parcel tape.
   4. www.ecosia.org is a search engine that plants trees with every click and search so it was my default one – except I’ve just found Open Tabs which saves trees for every TAB you open – now I can justify all those open tabs!!!
   5. We run virtually paper-free, everything is digital and backed-up in the Cloud.
   6. We designed brand for ZEN (Zero Emissions Network) and are a recommended partner alongside Calverts printers who only use recycled or FSC-accredited paper and non-toxic inks. Our clients get a 10% discount with them!
   7. The Guardian Sustainable Business Network will keep you up-to-date with other ethical and sustainable business innovations.
   8. Did you realise you can also choose greener cars on your Uber app?
   9. Consider these airlines for their sustainability efforts – or try Eurostar.
   10. Watch my winning talk at the first Good Pitch Summit where I talk about how any business can be a Force for Good.

Don’t worry, you don’t have to do all of them. Remember – every little helps.