Blog
5 steps to a productive food garden (progress in pictures)
It’s been just over a year since I moved into my “new” (1970s) house, and just under a year since my garden transformation began. (The transformation from lawn to productive food garden, that is.) And this last month, things have really (finally) taken a big leap forward. There is still so much to do, but […]
Where to shop online for sustainable Christmas gifts that isn’t Amazon
Someone on my local zero waste Facebook group recently asked the question, “what are some good zero waste stocking fillers?” and my favourite response was this one: “air”. When it comes to living zero waste, the less stuff we buy the better. I’m all for cancelling Christmas altogether, in fact. But we all like to […]
How to buy nothing on Black Friday
Every Black Friday, I set myself a challenge. To buy nothing. (I also like to do this challenge in the Boxing Day/January sales. I just discovered this year that Amazon has started a thing called ‘Prime’ day, and whilst I never shop at Amazon, if I did buy stuff from Amazon, I’d do this challenge […]
How to cancel Christmas (your guide to a truly sustainable festive season)
Yes, I’m talking about Christmas already. But not because I’m planning to spam you with lists of stuff you honestly don’t need. Instead, I wanted to raise the idea of cancelling Christmas – be it the whole thing, or simply the parts that make you stressed, poor and miserable. The thing about cancelling (or toning […]
How I’m planning my garden for food production
I’ve officially lived in my “new” (to me) house for 12 months (since October 2019). I started my garden transformation project in January and whilst it’s no way near being finished, I thought it was time for an update. I thought I’d talk you through some of the planning and design, and explain the different […]
Zero waste periods: the pros and cons of menstrual underwear (+ 6 brands to consider)
There are three main product types when it comes to having a zero waste period: menstrual cups, reusable pads, and period underwear. I’ve tried all three. I was a very early adopter of the menstrual cup, buying my first one back in 2003, but I was a definite latecomer to the period pants idea – […]
What to do with old plastic when you’re new to zero waste
The scenario: you’ve decided to change your relationship with plastic. Whether you’re cutting out the single-use plastic, choosing to refuse all the plastic you can, or full-on going zero waste, chances are, you already have plenty of plastic in your home. (I call this plastic ‘legacy plastic’. The stuff you accumulated before you knew any […]
Zero waste and the circular economy (and what it has to do with us)
Expressions like ‘zero waste’ and ‘circular economy’ get bandied about a lot. You might call them buzzwords. But the thing about buzzwords is that, as they become more popular, they often lose some of their meaning or get used outside of the correct context. Which is why people distrust the expression ‘zero waste’ (because on […]
