For The Environment

We’re all aware of the current climate crisis and there are loads of us already taking action to reduce our waste! But it doesn’t happen over night. Trying to live a zero waste life can be hard, especially in the ‘throwaway culture’ we live in.

Whether you’re interested in reducing your waste for environmental reasons or as a money saving tactic (or both), here are 3 ways you can do your bit and save some money along the way…

Reusable Coffee Cups
Takeaway coffee cups are a huge contributor to the amount of waste we produce. Only 1 in 400 disposable coffee cups are actually recycled and that’s due to the plastic lining found in most coffee cups which prevents the paper becoming soggy. Not only that, many coffee shops around the world have introduced a ‘latte levy’ meaning you pay more for your coffee if you don’t bring your own cup.

This is leading to many people investing in their own reusable coffee cup and are being rewarded for doing so as in some coffee shops, they offer a discount for bringing your own cup.

Read our ‘The Rise Of The Reusable Coffee Cup’ article for some advice on what makes a good cup.

Reusable Infuser
Fancy a cuppa? Us Brits consume 60.2 billion cups of tea each year (according to the UK Tea and Infusions Association) with around 90% of us preferring tea bags instead of tea leaves. A common misconception is that tea bags are recyclable. Unfortunately, you are sadly mistaken. Tea bags contain a thin layer of plastic around the seal to prevent the tea bag from falling apart. Even by popping these in the compost heap, the plastic won’t get broken down and will lead to plastic pollution.

Although there are some companies that are already making changes to the way they make their tea bags however a lot of these changes won’t be made effective until the end of this year.

For those who are willing to give loose leaf tea a try, tea infusers are a great way of making the perfect cuppa and helping the environment. Although loose leaf tea can sometimes be more expensive than tea bags, loose leaf tea is a lot fresher and has a fuller flavour.

Reusable Water Bottle
Yes, most water bottles are recyclable however they are not reusable since a lot of them contain chemicals like BPA. BPA has been known to cause hormone imbalances in the body and has even been linked to some cancers. Even though these are recyclable, a very small percentage is actually recycled and many end up in landfill and eventually our seas.

Using a reusable water bottle will not only prevent plastic pollution, it will also help your purse. The convenience of being able to purchase water in any store at a relatively low price may seem like a great buying choice when you compare it to a bottle of Coke. But look at it this way, you have a tap! With a bit of pre-planning, fill up your reusable bottle and you’re ready to go.

Are you ready to start your waste free life?