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Zero Waste Doc

Environmental sustainability advice for busy people

  • Zero Waste
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  • Zero Waste
  • Lifestyle
  • Social Justice
  • Ethical Fashion
  • Faith

zerowastedoc

Natalie Davies (she/her)
We can all help make food last longer 💚 Now yo We can all help make food last longer 💚

Now you may not have a garden, or a balcony to grow food, or you may be living in a shared or studio apartment with very little space but there’s still ways you can make food last longer and thereby saving you money and avoiding food waste! (Also avoiding trips to the supermarket during lockdown).

Some simple tips include:
🍏Keeping spring onions and cut hers in water like flowers
🍋Dry herbs if you think you won’t get to them in time, or freeze them in oil
🍊Freeze soft fruits that are going squishy and use them later in smoothies or crumbles. Or make them into jam!
🥭Have a go at pickling or preserving veggies to make them last longer
🍑Check your fridge is at the right temperature (<5°C) to avoid spoilage
🍎Resurrect wrinkly carrots and parsnips, or lettuce buy soaking them in water overnight

What tips do you have to make food last longer?

#Zerowaste #zerowastelondon #zerowasteuk #zerowastehome #goingzerowaste #ourplanetourhome #zerowastecollective #plasticfree #plasticfreeliving #wastefreeplanet #refusereducereuserecycle #reducewhatyouproduce #zerowasteliving #choosetorefuse #refusesingleuseplastic #iamzerowastecommunity #zerowastechristian #foodwaste
Trying to live zero waste in a pandemic is hard. F Trying to live zero waste in a pandemic is hard.
Firstly there’s the many simple reasons - coffee shops don’t accept reusables, you can no longer “eat in” and many bulk shops aren’t accepting containers even if they’re open.
But more than that, the emotional burden of the pandemic is exhausting. The last thing I want to do on a day off is travel across town to the bulk shop, especially if I’m trying to avoid public transport and would have to walk. Some days even cooking dinner for myself is like climbing a mountain.

So that’s where my zero waste habits come in. Things that are so simple and ingrained in my life that even in a pandemic they haven’t failed me. Okay they slip a little more than they used to these days and that’s okay, but generally they are holding on in there.
Things like:
- making my own hot drinks (also saves time and exposure going to coffee shop)
- when I cook, cooking double portions for lunch the next day (saves time and money)
- always carrying a water bottle (again saves money and time buying water)
- using reusable cutlery (saves time hunting for some)
- Using scrap paper for notes, avoiding printing, or printing both sides

These might not be the same for you, especially if you’re working from home. But maybe instead of feeling guilt about all the things we’re struggling to do, let’s celebrate the few habits we have implemented. Because if they’re surviving a pandemic, they’re worth celebrating! And the rest can come back when we’re no longer in survival mode 🧡

What low waste habits have held on for you?

#Zerowaste #zerowastelondon #zerowasteuk #zerowastehome #goingzerowaste #ourplanetourhome #zerowastecollective #plasticfree #plasticfreeliving #wastefreeplanet #refusereducereuserecycle #reducewhatyouproduce #zerowasteliving #choosetorefuse #refusesingleuseplastic #iamzerowastecommunity #lowimpactmovement #lowimpactliving #zerowastechristian #zerowastejourney #lowwaste
Single use items  don’t need to be single use!
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Often we’re told to avoid single use items, especially single use plastics, but something is only single use once you’ve thrown it away. Plenty of traditionally “single use” items can be reused multiple times. Like any bag with a zip seal, I use mine for shopping at the unpackaged shop. Or plastic fruit trays get used for seedlings, and other trays get popped under plant pots to catch water. Jam jars are reused over and over and shoe boxes are used for shortage. Paper is cut up and used as scrap for list making (I love a physical list - anyone else?).
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Single use doesn’t need to be single use! 
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
This spring I’m saving anything that can be used as a plant pot or seed tray so I can get more plants on my balcony this year! What about you?

#Zerowaste #zerowastelondon #zerowasteuk #zerowastehome #goingzerowaste #ourplanetourhome #zerowastecollective #plasticfree #plasticfreeliving #wastefreeplanet #refusereducereuserecycle #reducewhatyouproduce #zerowasteliving #choosetorefuse #refusesingleuseplastic #iamzerowastecommunity #lowimpactmovement #lowimpactliving #zerowastechristian #zerowastejourney #lowwaste
Just try to your best 🧡 With zero waste we’r Just try to your best 🧡

With zero waste we’re always trying to find the best option, balancing physical waste, water waste, carbon footprints, and ethical production to name a few. And it’s hard! It’s hard to try to compare a carbon footprint to a water footprint to the impact of plastic or the impact of modern slavery. They’re in different scales entirely.
So then enter a global pandemic.

Now we also need to consider our physical shopping habits as we try to limit the spread of this virus. Gone are the days we can safely pop into multiple shops whenever we fancy, and we should be stretching the length of time between shops as much as possible and going to as few shops as possible. So even though there are a few unpackaged shops near me still open/doing collections, as a doctor (and so higher chance of being infected) I’ve decided to limit the shops I go to, meaning most of our food is from the supermarket.

I really don’t like it, but for now I think it is the safest and least wasteful option. Every time someone gets sick it uses a lot of resources, and a human life is on the line. But I am still trying to look for the best packaging options I can find. Like oats in paper, or glass jars instead of plastic, or loose coffee instead of pods.

Just try your best, and for now, accept that some kinds of physical waste are better than the deadly alternatives! It won’t be forever.

#Zerowaste #zerowastelondon #zerowasteuk #zerowastehome #goingzerowaste #ourplanetourhome #zerowastecollective #plasticfree #plasticfreeliving #wastefreeplanet #refusereducereuserecycle #reducewhatyouproduce #zerowasteliving #choosetorefuse #refusesingleuseplastic #iamzerowastecommunity #zerowastechristian
There are some resolutions that it’s okay to dro There are some resolutions that it’s okay to drop or forget about.
But our anti-racism work isn’t one of them.
Did you buy books that you said you would read but you haven’t got beyond the first chapter?
Download a podcasts but not yet listen to it?
Plan to write an email to your boss but never got round to sending?

I get it, the pandemic is overwhelming and we’re all tired. But the opportunity to check out and not think about race is a privilege not all of us have. And so if we have that privilege then we have an obligation to do more. 

Environmental justice relies on anti-racism work because otherwise we’re just creating a healthier world for white folks. The reason we are in the climate crisis is because of the oppression and extortion of black, indigenous and people of colour through colonialism. The industrial revolution where we saw emissions jump came of the back of white individuals who relied on the work of enslaved people not knowing how to cope once those people were freed. Today, people of colour, both in the global south and north, are more likely to experience the impact of climate change and pollution despite contributing to it less.

Our systemic racism is why we’re in a climate crisis.
Environmental racism is simply racism.
Social justice is racial justice.

So we need to step up, do the learning and start acting. Our friends and neighbours don’t have the option to check out, and they’re dying because of our collective inaction. We have to do better.

If you’re struggling with motivation right now, what about finding a fellow white friend as an accountability partner? Read the books as a book club? Check in and ask what the other has done this week? Let’s hold ourselves and each other to account. This cannot wait.

#Zerowaste #zerowastelondon #zerowasteuk #zerowastehome #goingzerowaste #ourplanetourhome #zerowastecollective #plasticfree #plasticfreeliving #wastefreeplanet #refusereducereuserecycle #reducewhatyouproduce #zerowasteliving #choosetorefuse #refusesingleuseplastic #iamzerowastecommunity #lowimpactmovement #lowimpactliving #zerowastechristian #zerowastejourney #lowwaste #environmentaljustice
Environmentalism in a time of lockdown. So let’s Environmentalism in a time of lockdown.
So let’s be honest, it’s been hard to focus on the environment lately. A global pandemic killing millions, so many loosing their livelihood, a mental health crisis, a civil rights movement, a US election, coup and inauguration.

But, there are still ways we can care for the planet from our homes in this time, and perhaps working through them can give your days some structure and something to focus on because binging Netflix has been making me feel worse honestly.

Firstly - remember to look after yourself and your community. Healthy individuals and communities are more resilient and resourceful!

Once you’ve done that you can focus on ways to care for the planet from home:
💚Learn to mend your clothes
💚Fix something that was broken (thanks YouTube!)
💚Learn to cook something you usually buy
💚Practice meal planning
💚Look into composting in your local area
💚Change bank or pension to an ethical one
💚Write a letter to your MP
💚Write to a company about reducing their waste
💚Read some educational books
💚Listen to an educational podcast
💚Learn to preserve foods
💚Plant bee friendly plants or an edible garden
💚Swap your energy to a green supplier
💚Join campaigns or sign online petitions
💚Donate financially to mutual aid or environmental groups
💚Use this time to try out a reusable products like a menstrual cup

Are you going to try and focus on any of these? Or is this a time to dig in and look after the wellbeing of yourself and your community?

#Zerowaste #zerowastelondon #zerowasteuk #zerowastehome #goingzerowaste #ourplanetourhome #zerowastecollective #plasticfree #plasticfreeliving #wastefreeplanet #refusereducereuserecycle #reducewhatyouproduce #zerowasteliving #choosetorefuse #refusesingleuseplastic #iamzerowastecommunity #zerowastechristian #mutualaid
When basic needs are not met, we cannot focus on t When basic needs are not met, we cannot focus on the bigger issues.

This is why the environmental movement must look beyond traditional environmental concerns.

Last year cemented the fact that inequality runs at the heart of our societies. It’s not new but 2020 finally made it impossible to turn away. From health inequality, financial inequality, educational inequality, gender inequality to race inequality, we’ve now seen how fractured our society is. Not broken however, as the Incredible @mikaelaloach put it - “We don’t live in a ‘broken society’. We live in a system that has been specifically designed to benefit some people and harm others.”

We know individual action alone can’t fix the climate, but many voices together can help. But how could we ask someone to campaign for the planet when they don’t know if they’re going to have food for tomorrow, or rent for this month, or money for medicine (thankful for the NHS 💙)??

If we can get everyone’s basic needs met then we have a much better chance of tackling  the big issues we all face!

So my climate activism looks bigger this year. It definitely might look more wasteful - like buying lots of packaged food for a local Foodbank. Maybe some of you will think it’s no longer climate activism. Maybe some of you will think it’s “too political”.

But we cannot have climate justice without social justice.

And I’m happy for my feed to look less aesthetic because of it 🤷🏼‍♀️

#Zerowaste #zerowastelondon #zerowasteuk #zerowastehome #goingzerowaste #ourplanetourhome #zerowastecollective #plasticfree #plasticfreeliving #wastefreeplanet #refusereducereuserecycle #reducewhatyouproduce #zerowasteliving #choosetorefuse #refusesingleuseplastic #iamzerowastecommunity #lowimpactmovement #lowimpactliving #zerowastechristian #zerowastejourney #lowwaste
I’m a lot less zero waste than I was a year ago. I’m a lot less zero waste than I was a year ago. And it’s okay if you are too.

Whether it was due to restrictions placed upon us like the necessary use of masks, not being able to travel to zero waste shops across town, the need for more long lasting foods like frozen and tinned in case of self-isolation, or those that I chose like supporting local restaurants by getting takeaways when I was too emotionally and physically tired to cook, or driving more as I didn’t want to expose others to hospital viruses on the bus.

My busy job had always made me aware that zero waste is not accessible to all, that it’s easier for those of us with privilege, and that I had to prioritise my energy into the most impactful actions. This year made that more abundantly clear.

People said 2020 would be the year zero waste died. But maybe it could be the year we woke up to it’s true form?

The year we realised that it cannot be based on our individual actions alone as we are limited humans?

The year we realised that community is the most valuable resource we have, not trash jars?

The year we realised that we must recognise and redistribute our privileged to help the marginalised be less impacted by our actions and waste?

The year we realised we cannot do it without government support and we must hold them accountable?

The year we saw the power of grass roots organisations in creating change?

The year we realised we needed less things, and just more nature and more relationships?

Maybe, just maybe, the pandemic recovery can be the recovery our planet needs to.

Leaving this year, my bin may be more full, but my soul may be a little more full of hope.

What did you realise this year?

#Zerowaste #zerowastelondon #zerowasteuk #zerowastehome #goingzerowaste #ourplanetourhome #zerowastecollective #wastefreeplanet #refusereducereuserecycle #reducewhatyouproduce #zerowasteliving #choosetorefuse #refusesingleuseplastic #iamzerowastecommunity #lowimpactmovement #lowimpactliving #zerowastechristian #zerowastejourney #lowwaste
The Christmas story isn’t “nice” A single t The Christmas story isn’t “nice”

A single teenage mother and a man who goes against all societal norms to stay with her.

A couple forced to travel far from home, over 90 miles whilst heavily pregnant, away from family and loved ones, sleeping rough without safe shelter.

A woman going through the pain of labour without any safe healthcare (because whatever midwifery care was, it wasn’t alone in a stable!)

An area that was under the rule of a foreign invading empire.

Shepherds, who were looked down on in society, chosen to be the first and honoured witnesses.

Maggi who went against instructions from the ruling authority when they realised following it would put lives at risk. 

An oppressive king, desperate to cling on to power by whatever means necessary. 

A young family, forced to become refugees for fear of persecution. 

Countless children murdered for what they represent.

The Christmas story is not “nice”. It’s counter-cultural. It’s subversive. 

Whether you have a faith or not, I hope you can look at the Christmas story and take something away from it. Aiming to always be nice, hides the truth that this world isn’t always nice. Instead in 2021, choose to love. Love means standing up to injustice, and that may not be typically “nice”.

This year, choose to love first.
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Recent Posts

  • Sep 07, 2020 10 ways to take part in Zero Waste Week 2020
  • Jul 27, 2020 A to Z of Zero Waste: S – Second hand and Sharing economies
  • Jul 20, 2020 How a meal plan helps with a busy, zero waste life

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zerowastedoc

🌍Sustainability advice for busy people
🌱Realistic Zero Waste living
💛Social justice = Climate justice
🌿Always learning 🎓NHS Doctor ➕Christian

Natalie Davies (she/her)
We can all help make food last longer 💚 Now yo We can all help make food last longer 💚

Now you may not have a garden, or a balcony to grow food, or you may be living in a shared or studio apartment with very little space but there’s still ways you can make food last longer and thereby saving you money and avoiding food waste! (Also avoiding trips to the supermarket during lockdown).

Some simple tips include:
🍏Keeping spring onions and cut hers in water like flowers
🍋Dry herbs if you think you won’t get to them in time, or freeze them in oil
🍊Freeze soft fruits that are going squishy and use them later in smoothies or crumbles. Or make them into jam!
🥭Have a go at pickling or preserving veggies to make them last longer
🍑Check your fridge is at the right temperature (<5°C) to avoid spoilage
🍎Resurrect wrinkly carrots and parsnips, or lettuce buy soaking them in water overnight

What tips do you have to make food last longer?

#Zerowaste #zerowastelondon #zerowasteuk #zerowastehome #goingzerowaste #ourplanetourhome #zerowastecollective #plasticfree #plasticfreeliving #wastefreeplanet #refusereducereuserecycle #reducewhatyouproduce #zerowasteliving #choosetorefuse #refusesingleuseplastic #iamzerowastecommunity #zerowastechristian #foodwaste
Trying to live zero waste in a pandemic is hard. F Trying to live zero waste in a pandemic is hard.
Firstly there’s the many simple reasons - coffee shops don’t accept reusables, you can no longer “eat in” and many bulk shops aren’t accepting containers even if they’re open.
But more than that, the emotional burden of the pandemic is exhausting. The last thing I want to do on a day off is travel across town to the bulk shop, especially if I’m trying to avoid public transport and would have to walk. Some days even cooking dinner for myself is like climbing a mountain.

So that’s where my zero waste habits come in. Things that are so simple and ingrained in my life that even in a pandemic they haven’t failed me. Okay they slip a little more than they used to these days and that’s okay, but generally they are holding on in there.
Things like:
- making my own hot drinks (also saves time and exposure going to coffee shop)
- when I cook, cooking double portions for lunch the next day (saves time and money)
- always carrying a water bottle (again saves money and time buying water)
- using reusable cutlery (saves time hunting for some)
- Using scrap paper for notes, avoiding printing, or printing both sides

These might not be the same for you, especially if you’re working from home. But maybe instead of feeling guilt about all the things we’re struggling to do, let’s celebrate the few habits we have implemented. Because if they’re surviving a pandemic, they’re worth celebrating! And the rest can come back when we’re no longer in survival mode 🧡

What low waste habits have held on for you?

#Zerowaste #zerowastelondon #zerowasteuk #zerowastehome #goingzerowaste #ourplanetourhome #zerowastecollective #plasticfree #plasticfreeliving #wastefreeplanet #refusereducereuserecycle #reducewhatyouproduce #zerowasteliving #choosetorefuse #refusesingleuseplastic #iamzerowastecommunity #lowimpactmovement #lowimpactliving #zerowastechristian #zerowastejourney #lowwaste
Single use items  don’t need to be single use!
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Often we’re told to avoid single use items, especially single use plastics, but something is only single use once you’ve thrown it away. Plenty of traditionally “single use” items can be reused multiple times. Like any bag with a zip seal, I use mine for shopping at the unpackaged shop. Or plastic fruit trays get used for seedlings, and other trays get popped under plant pots to catch water. Jam jars are reused over and over and shoe boxes are used for shortage. Paper is cut up and used as scrap for list making (I love a physical list - anyone else?).
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Single use doesn’t need to be single use! 
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
This spring I’m saving anything that can be used as a plant pot or seed tray so I can get more plants on my balcony this year! What about you?

#Zerowaste #zerowastelondon #zerowasteuk #zerowastehome #goingzerowaste #ourplanetourhome #zerowastecollective #plasticfree #plasticfreeliving #wastefreeplanet #refusereducereuserecycle #reducewhatyouproduce #zerowasteliving #choosetorefuse #refusesingleuseplastic #iamzerowastecommunity #lowimpactmovement #lowimpactliving #zerowastechristian #zerowastejourney #lowwaste
Just try to your best 🧡 With zero waste we’r Just try to your best 🧡

With zero waste we’re always trying to find the best option, balancing physical waste, water waste, carbon footprints, and ethical production to name a few. And it’s hard! It’s hard to try to compare a carbon footprint to a water footprint to the impact of plastic or the impact of modern slavery. They’re in different scales entirely.
So then enter a global pandemic.

Now we also need to consider our physical shopping habits as we try to limit the spread of this virus. Gone are the days we can safely pop into multiple shops whenever we fancy, and we should be stretching the length of time between shops as much as possible and going to as few shops as possible. So even though there are a few unpackaged shops near me still open/doing collections, as a doctor (and so higher chance of being infected) I’ve decided to limit the shops I go to, meaning most of our food is from the supermarket.

I really don’t like it, but for now I think it is the safest and least wasteful option. Every time someone gets sick it uses a lot of resources, and a human life is on the line. But I am still trying to look for the best packaging options I can find. Like oats in paper, or glass jars instead of plastic, or loose coffee instead of pods.

Just try your best, and for now, accept that some kinds of physical waste are better than the deadly alternatives! It won’t be forever.

#Zerowaste #zerowastelondon #zerowasteuk #zerowastehome #goingzerowaste #ourplanetourhome #zerowastecollective #plasticfree #plasticfreeliving #wastefreeplanet #refusereducereuserecycle #reducewhatyouproduce #zerowasteliving #choosetorefuse #refusesingleuseplastic #iamzerowastecommunity #zerowastechristian
There are some resolutions that it’s okay to dro There are some resolutions that it’s okay to drop or forget about.
But our anti-racism work isn’t one of them.
Did you buy books that you said you would read but you haven’t got beyond the first chapter?
Download a podcasts but not yet listen to it?
Plan to write an email to your boss but never got round to sending?

I get it, the pandemic is overwhelming and we’re all tired. But the opportunity to check out and not think about race is a privilege not all of us have. And so if we have that privilege then we have an obligation to do more. 

Environmental justice relies on anti-racism work because otherwise we’re just creating a healthier world for white folks. The reason we are in the climate crisis is because of the oppression and extortion of black, indigenous and people of colour through colonialism. The industrial revolution where we saw emissions jump came of the back of white individuals who relied on the work of enslaved people not knowing how to cope once those people were freed. Today, people of colour, both in the global south and north, are more likely to experience the impact of climate change and pollution despite contributing to it less.

Our systemic racism is why we’re in a climate crisis.
Environmental racism is simply racism.
Social justice is racial justice.

So we need to step up, do the learning and start acting. Our friends and neighbours don’t have the option to check out, and they’re dying because of our collective inaction. We have to do better.

If you’re struggling with motivation right now, what about finding a fellow white friend as an accountability partner? Read the books as a book club? Check in and ask what the other has done this week? Let’s hold ourselves and each other to account. This cannot wait.

#Zerowaste #zerowastelondon #zerowasteuk #zerowastehome #goingzerowaste #ourplanetourhome #zerowastecollective #plasticfree #plasticfreeliving #wastefreeplanet #refusereducereuserecycle #reducewhatyouproduce #zerowasteliving #choosetorefuse #refusesingleuseplastic #iamzerowastecommunity #lowimpactmovement #lowimpactliving #zerowastechristian #zerowastejourney #lowwaste #environmentaljustice
Environmentalism in a time of lockdown. So let’s Environmentalism in a time of lockdown.
So let’s be honest, it’s been hard to focus on the environment lately. A global pandemic killing millions, so many loosing their livelihood, a mental health crisis, a civil rights movement, a US election, coup and inauguration.

But, there are still ways we can care for the planet from our homes in this time, and perhaps working through them can give your days some structure and something to focus on because binging Netflix has been making me feel worse honestly.

Firstly - remember to look after yourself and your community. Healthy individuals and communities are more resilient and resourceful!

Once you’ve done that you can focus on ways to care for the planet from home:
💚Learn to mend your clothes
💚Fix something that was broken (thanks YouTube!)
💚Learn to cook something you usually buy
💚Practice meal planning
💚Look into composting in your local area
💚Change bank or pension to an ethical one
💚Write a letter to your MP
💚Write to a company about reducing their waste
💚Read some educational books
💚Listen to an educational podcast
💚Learn to preserve foods
💚Plant bee friendly plants or an edible garden
💚Swap your energy to a green supplier
💚Join campaigns or sign online petitions
💚Donate financially to mutual aid or environmental groups
💚Use this time to try out a reusable products like a menstrual cup

Are you going to try and focus on any of these? Or is this a time to dig in and look after the wellbeing of yourself and your community?

#Zerowaste #zerowastelondon #zerowasteuk #zerowastehome #goingzerowaste #ourplanetourhome #zerowastecollective #plasticfree #plasticfreeliving #wastefreeplanet #refusereducereuserecycle #reducewhatyouproduce #zerowasteliving #choosetorefuse #refusesingleuseplastic #iamzerowastecommunity #zerowastechristian #mutualaid
When basic needs are not met, we cannot focus on t When basic needs are not met, we cannot focus on the bigger issues.

This is why the environmental movement must look beyond traditional environmental concerns.

Last year cemented the fact that inequality runs at the heart of our societies. It’s not new but 2020 finally made it impossible to turn away. From health inequality, financial inequality, educational inequality, gender inequality to race inequality, we’ve now seen how fractured our society is. Not broken however, as the Incredible @mikaelaloach put it - “We don’t live in a ‘broken society’. We live in a system that has been specifically designed to benefit some people and harm others.”

We know individual action alone can’t fix the climate, but many voices together can help. But how could we ask someone to campaign for the planet when they don’t know if they’re going to have food for tomorrow, or rent for this month, or money for medicine (thankful for the NHS 💙)??

If we can get everyone’s basic needs met then we have a much better chance of tackling  the big issues we all face!

So my climate activism looks bigger this year. It definitely might look more wasteful - like buying lots of packaged food for a local Foodbank. Maybe some of you will think it’s no longer climate activism. Maybe some of you will think it’s “too political”.

But we cannot have climate justice without social justice.

And I’m happy for my feed to look less aesthetic because of it 🤷🏼‍♀️

#Zerowaste #zerowastelondon #zerowasteuk #zerowastehome #goingzerowaste #ourplanetourhome #zerowastecollective #plasticfree #plasticfreeliving #wastefreeplanet #refusereducereuserecycle #reducewhatyouproduce #zerowasteliving #choosetorefuse #refusesingleuseplastic #iamzerowastecommunity #lowimpactmovement #lowimpactliving #zerowastechristian #zerowastejourney #lowwaste
I’m a lot less zero waste than I was a year ago. I’m a lot less zero waste than I was a year ago. And it’s okay if you are too.

Whether it was due to restrictions placed upon us like the necessary use of masks, not being able to travel to zero waste shops across town, the need for more long lasting foods like frozen and tinned in case of self-isolation, or those that I chose like supporting local restaurants by getting takeaways when I was too emotionally and physically tired to cook, or driving more as I didn’t want to expose others to hospital viruses on the bus.

My busy job had always made me aware that zero waste is not accessible to all, that it’s easier for those of us with privilege, and that I had to prioritise my energy into the most impactful actions. This year made that more abundantly clear.

People said 2020 would be the year zero waste died. But maybe it could be the year we woke up to it’s true form?

The year we realised that it cannot be based on our individual actions alone as we are limited humans?

The year we realised that community is the most valuable resource we have, not trash jars?

The year we realised that we must recognise and redistribute our privileged to help the marginalised be less impacted by our actions and waste?

The year we realised we cannot do it without government support and we must hold them accountable?

The year we saw the power of grass roots organisations in creating change?

The year we realised we needed less things, and just more nature and more relationships?

Maybe, just maybe, the pandemic recovery can be the recovery our planet needs to.

Leaving this year, my bin may be more full, but my soul may be a little more full of hope.

What did you realise this year?

#Zerowaste #zerowastelondon #zerowasteuk #zerowastehome #goingzerowaste #ourplanetourhome #zerowastecollective #wastefreeplanet #refusereducereuserecycle #reducewhatyouproduce #zerowasteliving #choosetorefuse #refusesingleuseplastic #iamzerowastecommunity #lowimpactmovement #lowimpactliving #zerowastechristian #zerowastejourney #lowwaste
The Christmas story isn’t “nice” A single t The Christmas story isn’t “nice”

A single teenage mother and a man who goes against all societal norms to stay with her.

A couple forced to travel far from home, over 90 miles whilst heavily pregnant, away from family and loved ones, sleeping rough without safe shelter.

A woman going through the pain of labour without any safe healthcare (because whatever midwifery care was, it wasn’t alone in a stable!)

An area that was under the rule of a foreign invading empire.

Shepherds, who were looked down on in society, chosen to be the first and honoured witnesses.

Maggi who went against instructions from the ruling authority when they realised following it would put lives at risk. 

An oppressive king, desperate to cling on to power by whatever means necessary. 

A young family, forced to become refugees for fear of persecution. 

Countless children murdered for what they represent.

The Christmas story is not “nice”. It’s counter-cultural. It’s subversive. 

Whether you have a faith or not, I hope you can look at the Christmas story and take something away from it. Aiming to always be nice, hides the truth that this world isn’t always nice. Instead in 2021, choose to love. Love means standing up to injustice, and that may not be typically “nice”.

This year, choose to love first.
Presents under the tree... We still give and rece Presents under the tree...

We still give and receive gifts despite it potentially leading to more waste as I think it shows you’re thinking about someone and how much you cherish them - especially this year when you can’t see people as much! But just because we still do gifts, doesn’t mean we do them in the same way.

They’re consciously bought - often directly from a wish list we’re given to encourage useful gifts. We try to buy small or second hand, or we’ll made with guarantees, with recyclable packaging.

But a huge way we avoid waste is wrapping. The vast majority of our gifts are wrapped in fabric bags and with fabric squares that we reuse year on year on year. If not fabric, then we reuse tissue paper and paper gift bags until they fall apart!

And the best thing? No scissors, no tape - vastly quicker and less stressful. Which everyone can do with at Christmas!

Do you use reusable wrapping?

#Zerowaste #zerowastelondon #zerowasteuk #zerowastehome #goingzerowaste #ourplanetourhome #zerowastecollective #plasticfree #plasticfreeliving #wastefreeplanet #refusereducereuserecycle #reducewhatyouproduce #zerowasteliving #choosetorefuse #refusesingleuseplastic #iamzerowastecommunity #lowimpactmovement #lowimpactliving #zerowastechristian #zerowastejourney #lowwaste #lowwastechristmas #zerowastechristmas
Let’s talk about privilege in the sustainable Ch Let’s talk about privilege in the sustainable Christmas tree debate shall we?

At this time of year we see so many posts saying how a real tree is the most sustainable option, unless you use a reusable tree for 10+ years in which case do that. But what they often fail to mention is the privilege of having to make this decision.

My real Christmas tree wasn’t cheap. In fact the cheapest 3ft tree was £30 for a sustainably grown tree. Over 10 years? £300+ on Christmas trees is a privilege many don’t have when a reusable one is considerably cheaper, and future proofs your Christmases.

But also getting and reusing a plastic tree can be difficult when housing is hard. When families share a single room and pay through the nose for it, can they afford the space to store an Christmas tree year on year on year? Or if you bounce between lots of different accommodation? And that’s if you’re able to rent and you’re not living in temporary accommodation or in a refuge this Christmas.

And heck, the ability to have any Christmas decorations is a huge privilege. Even making beautiful dried orange segments means sacrificing something edible and nutritious and not cheap in addition to having your oven on for 4 hours.

So buy a fresh tree if you can afford it, or a second hand artificial tree and reuse it, both are good options. But maybe this year remember how privileged you are to make this choice, and think about how going forward you can support those who don’t have this privilege.

That’s the most sustainable tree of all 🎄

#Zerowaste #zerowastelondon #zerowasteuk #zerowastehome #goingzerowaste #ourplanetourhome #zerowastecollective #plasticfree #plasticfreeliving #wastefreeplanet #refusereducereuserecycle #reducewhatyouproduce #zerowasteliving #choosetorefuse #refusesingleuseplastic #iamzerowastecommunity #lowimpactmovement #lowimpactliving #zerowastechristian #zerowastejourney #lowwaste #lowwastechristmas #zerowastechristmas
It’s December 1st and the start of advent finall It’s December 1st and the start of advent finally!

This year has been tough, and so I have been really looking forward to advent and Christmas. But with the lack of socialising allowed this Christmas - I’m not allowed to spend Christmas with my family - it can feel really tempting to go overboard on all the other aspects of Christmas to make it still feel special. At least I’m finding it hard to resist! But Christmas can be wasteful and the more we do, the more waste we risk creating.

So as we’ve had a hard year, let’s have some light Christmas content on how to have a low waste holiday. Social and climate justice will continue in stories don’t you worry!

Let’s start off with advent calendars. So wonderful and typically so wasteful. But they don’t need to be as there are so many options that don’t create as much waste. Like paper advent calendars, reusable calendars that you refill, advent candles, activity calendars, reverse advent calendars for food banks and even home made advent calendars! I adore advent so I basically have all of them.

We used to fill ours up with packaging free pick-a-mix but that’s off the table this year so we have big bags of sweets and chunks of @tonyschocolonely_uk_ire instead. You can also fill it with whatever you fancy - doesn’t need to be food!

What’s your go to low waste advent calendar? And have you ever done a reverse advent calendar to collect food items for your local Food Bank like @trusselltrust? Maybe 2020 is the year to start a new tradition of a reverse calendar!

#Zerowaste #zerowastelondon #zerowasteuk #zerowastehome #goingzerowaste #ourplanetourhome #zerowastecollective #plasticfree #plasticfreeliving #wastefreeplanet #refusereducereuserecycle #reducewhatyouproduce #zerowasteliving #choosetorefuse #refusesingleuseplastic #iamzerowastecommunity #lowimpactmovement #lowimpactliving #zerowastechristian #zerowastejourney #lowwaste #lowwastechristmas #zerowastechristmas
You need less than you think you do this Christmas You need less than you think you do this Christmas season.
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We need to be content with what we have, not constantly striving for more!
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I’ve been thinking about Christmas in our new home. It’s bigger than our old flat, and depending on the restrictions we may spend a lot more time in it that we were hoping to. So my brain has been on overdrive planning on how to decorate and make it feel extra cosy and special. I got caught up in all the things I could buy to decorate it. Thankfully I realised before I bought any of them.
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So often we look for physical things to fill a mental or emotional hole. I was looking for decorations to fill a hole made by uncertainty and disappointment. But belongings won’t fill those holes. 
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Sure, I’m going to get a few more decorations this year (I can get a wreath with less chance of it being stolen!). But I’m not doing it because I think it will make everything alright.
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My decor can also include a lot of LED fairy lights I already own, Poinsettias, that Netflix fireplace on repeat, the smell of mince pies cooking, a festive hot drink in hand and lots of hand dried orange slices hanging up!
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Christmas this year might not be as we hoped, but filling our homes with a lot of tat won’t fix that. Focusing on true hope and joy might though!

#Zerowaste #zerowastelondon #zerowasteuk #zerowastehome #goingzerowaste #ourplanetourhome #zerowastecollective #wastefreeplanet #refusereducereuserecycle #reducewhatyouproduce #zerowasteliving #choosetorefuse #refusesingleuseplastic #iamzerowastecommunity #lowimpactmovement #lowimpactliving #zerowastechristian #zerowastejourney #lowwaste #lowwastechristmas
Off topic reminder but, if you have a cervix, you Off topic reminder but, if you have a cervix, you need a smear test (cervical screening).
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A lot of things this year have been delayed or avoided. Smear tests and other medical screening have been example of this. But preventative medicine is far better than treating a problem. It also avoids much more waste!
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I had mine this week. It was not my first choice activity for 8am on my day off but it’s important to get it done.
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Facts:
Cervical screening looks for HPV infection and pre-cancerous cells. It save lives by stopping being able to treat abnormal calls before they become cancer.
You need a smear if you have a cervix and are between 25-64 (UK).
You need one even if you’re not sexually active or have never had sex.
You need one even if you’re in a long term stable relationship with one partner.
You need one even after the menopause.
You need one even if you’ve had the HPV jab.
You need one regardless of your sexual orientation.
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Barriers for people getting screening include fear, embarrassment, misunderstanding, fear of judgement, convenience, cultural beliefs, language barriers, unsupportive environments for transgender individuals, history of assault, FGM or physical disability. These are real barriers and one of the way we can get over these issues is to talk about cervical screening more and help make it more accessible. Screening saves lives. By talking about it we could save our friends and families lives. That’s worth shouting about!
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This is your reminder to book your test today if it’s overdue. If your GP is not a supportive place for you, many sexual health and GUM clinics are often more clued up.
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That’s it. Get your screening! 
Back to usual topics tomorrow ❤️
I’m dreaming of a sustainable, small business Ch I’m dreaming of a sustainable, small business Christmas!
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This year I have been in the fortunate position that as a doctor in a pandemic that I have never once worried about my job security. My income is secure. I haven’t worried about paying my bills or losing my home.
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Many have. Maybe you even have.
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So this year when I’ve been looking forward to Christmas - sorry, I know it’s still November, but for me Christmas is about Hope and Joy, and who couldn’t do with more of that ASAP! - I’ve been thinking about how I can support others who aren’t in the position I’m in.
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So I’m planning a small business Christmas. Yes I’m trying not to create waste, and trying to make environmentally friendly choices, but I still have Christmas food and decor and I still do presents. 
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I’m hunting for food from small businesses.
If I buy new decor it’s going to be indie.
Presents will be from UK small brands if I can do anything about it.
(And if they don’t need anything, they can always have a charity gift!)
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It might not sound related to the environment at all, but it is.
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Keeping money out of the pockets of billionaires and giant corporations will at least not further their climate damage. And the small businesses that get my money instead? It will make much more of a difference that in Bezo’s offshore account!
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Are you planning a small business Christmas? Tag your favourite small brands below!
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(P.s. it is a privilege to be able to make this kind of financial decision at a time like this. If you can’t, there is no shame or guilt in that)

#Zerowaste #zerowastelondon #zerowasteuk #zerowastehome #goingzerowaste #ourplanetourhome #zerowastecollective #wastefreeplanet #refusereducereuserecycle #reducewhatyouproduce #zerowasteliving #choosetorefuse #iamzerowastecommunity #lowimpactmovement #lowimpactliving #zerowastechristian #zerowastejourney #lowwaste #smallbusiness #shopsmall #shoplocal
Shopping unpackaged isn’t the answer to the clim Shopping unpackaged isn’t the answer to the climate crisis - so why do I still do it?!
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I do it because although it won’t stop the climate crisis, it will reduce waste. The more of us trying to reduce waste, the bigger the impact.
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I do it because it shows others that change is possible and practical too.
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I do it because I would rather my money go into small businesses than into huge supermarkets. With allegations of worker exploitation coming out about Sainsburys, Tesco and M&S today, I’d rather not support that when I have the choice (remembering that we don’t all have an equal choice). (Although loving the Sainsburys advert 🧡)
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I’d rather my money go into the local economy - where it’s more likely to stay, supporting and employing local people.
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I’d rather it goes into a place where they care about sourcing U.K. and organic products when customers ask them to.
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I shop there because I have the privilege to worry less about the cost than others might, and I am happy to spend my privilege in that way to hopefully make zero waste shops the norm.
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Just because something isn’t the ultimate answer to climate change doesn’t mean it’s not worth doing.

#Zerowaste #zerowastelondon #zerowasteuk #zerowastehome #goingzerowaste #ourplanetourhome #zerowastecollective #plasticfree #plasticfreeliving #wastefreeplanet #refusereducereuserecycle #reducewhatyouproduce #zerowasteliving #choosetorefuse #refusesingleuseplastic #iamzerowastecommunity #lowimpactmovement #lowimpactliving #zerowastechristian #zerowastejourney #lowwaste
Single use in a pandemic. How do we approach sing Single use in a pandemic.

How do we approach single use items in a pandemic? Because the world has changed wildly since last year!

I have to wear a hospital disposable mask at work. It’s the best way to protect myself and patients. I have a reusable Covid one for operating but it’s huge and not great for talking to patients.

If I support my local coffee shop or small restaurants during lockdown it means getting single use takeaway items. Even if they’re compostable, it’s not a great option. But neither is these places going out of business and the increase in poverty and unemployment.

There are still plenty of reusables I can use, like my water bottle and mug when I make drinks myself. I can bring my own lunch and use metal cutlery. I can use a reusable bag at the shops and buy loose produce. But it’s just more complicated now.

So let’s remember that and not guilt or shame people for using single use items at this time (or ever let’s be honest) because you don’t know they thought that went in to it. If you have the energy to do so, I would love you to use it to write to your representatives and ask them to support a green recovery plan. That is the best thing for our planet now 🌍

How are you approaching single use items at this time? Any advice?

#Zerowaste #zerowastelondon #zerowasteuk #zerowastehome #goingzerowaste #ourplanetourhome #zerowastecollective #plasticfree #plasticfreeliving #wastefreeplanet #refusereducereuserecycle #reducewhatyouproduce #zerowasteliving #choosetorefuse #refusesingleuseplastic #iamzerowastecommunity #lowimpactmovement #lowimpactliving #zerowastechristian #zerowastejourney #lowwaste
How are you feeling? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ G How are you feeling?
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Given the last week, it could be anything.
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Relieved? Overwhelmed the scale of people who still voted for Trump? Motivated for similar change in your country? Burnt out from checking the news so much? Lonely from lockdown? Hopeless looking towards a Covid Christmas? Worried financially? 
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Whatever you’re feeling, it’s okay.
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Whatever you’re feeling, I know it’s better in community. 
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Share your joys.
Share your fears.
Share your pain.
Share your passions.
Share your hopes.
Share your tears.
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Together we are more capable than apart. We can be more, and achieve more together.
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When we are burnt out and brought low we cannot do the good the world needs. So if you’re struggling, reach out. If you’re doing pretty okay, reach out to someone who may not be.
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Community matters.

And remember, even behind a mask you can always smile with your eyes 💛

#Zerowaste #zerowastelondon #zerowasteuk #zerowastehome #goingzerowaste #ourplanetourhome #zerowastecollective #plasticfree #plasticfreeliving #wastefreeplanet #refusereducereuserecycle #reducewhatyouproduce #zerowasteliving #choosetorefuse #refusesingleuseplastic #iamzerowastecommunity #lowimpactmovement #lowimpactliving #zerowastechristian #zerowastejourney #lowwaste
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