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10 ways to live more sustainably
We round up products and services to help you make better lifestyle choices
From preventing food waste to compostable nappies, here are a number of green and ethical solutions.
Drink eco-friendly wine this summer
Yealands sauvignon blanc from Marlborough New Zealand is vibrant, fresh and bursting with flavour, reflecting the natural environment in which its grapes are grown. Yealands is Toitū carbonzero certified (meaning it is reducing its carbon footprint) and its Awatere Valley vineyard is abundant in flora and fauna, including “butterfly gully”, where swan plants have been introduced to provide a home for the monarch butterfly. Cover crops (which are planted to cover soil, and are not harvested) and wildflowers between the vines attract other beneficial insects, including bees, and also improve soil structure and increase soil carbon. Yealands wine is available from supermarkets and wine stores, including Asda, Booths, Co-op, Majestic, Marks & Spencer, Morrisons, Ocado, Sainsbury’s and Waitrose.
Visit yealands.co.nz for more information
Shop allergy-friendly lingerie
JulieMay Lingerie makes all its bra sets from certified organic pima cotton and pure silk for the most comfortable wearing experience. The 100 per cent pure silk is used for the bra inner layers and the brief crotch, which are luxuriously soft. Its cotton and silk collections have been accredited by Allergy UK to be suitable for people who are allergic to synthetic fibres and have sensitive skin. All products are designed by local UK designers and made by using sustainable production methods that conform to ethical, fair trade and sustainable standards. JulieMay’s mission is to help women find their confidence in the cotton and silk collections and, most importantly, feel comfortable without any skin reactions. Sizes range from UK size 8-18 and 34B-42DD.
Shop now at juliemay.co.uk
Look for a eco friendly fashion label
Gudrun Sjöden’s new summer clothing collection is an ode to the earth’s natural elements, brimming with gorgeous patterns evoking themes of earth, fire and water. Shop cool aquatic blues and greens of the lotus plant, a delicate print reminiscent of corals on the ocean floor and a sun-drenched meadow of wildflowers, which are just some of the motifs of this season’s designs. This Scandinavian label encourages you to create a green wardrobe with pieces designed to stand the test of time and with the environment in mind, as it uses organic cotton and recycled materials. Its own eco-labelling system makes it easy to shop sustainably.
Visit the brand’s website at gudrunsjoden.com or head to its concept store at 55-57 Monmouth Street, London WC2H 9DG.
Help the environment with compostable wipes and nappies
Mama Bamboo’s award-winning sustainable nappies and wipes are made from 100 per cent FSC-certified bamboo. The brand offers a more natural, healthier alternative to standard plastic nappies and wipes. Customers really rate Mama Bamboo’s products due to the excellent absorption, softness and reduction in nappy rash. The eco wipes are also made from 100 per cent compostable bamboo and 99.4 per cent purified water, aloe vera and coconut extract, so they provide a gentle, natural cleansing experience, suitable even for newborn skin. All products are vegan registered and cruelty-free, too. Enjoy 10 per cent off your first order with the code “BAMBOO10”.
Go to mamabamboo.com
Pick up reduced food items to prevent waste
The Gander app is a world-first mobile app displaying reduced-to-clear and yellow-stickered food available in food shops for nearby customers to purchase in-store. This food is reaching its sell-by date and at risk of going to waste, so it is reduced in price, but it’s still well within its use-by dates. It’s a fun and easy way to save money, while doing your bit for the planet as you’re saving perfectly good food from going to waste. You can find everything and anything from pizzas to pineapples reduced on the app, as well as search or filter by categories/dietary preferences. Non-food items are also available, such as cleaning and beauty products. The app is unique as it integrates with the store systems, so it updates in real time, always providing a live, accurate view of what’s in store without manual updates from staff.
Find out more at gander.co
Make conferences virtual to reduce impact on the environment
Travelling to and from conferences and work events can not only be costly for companies, but also for the environment. On a mission to making conferencing greener and more accessible, Be Inspired Films believes using a mixture of in-person, online and hybrid approaches to conferencing can make all the difference to the environment. By using live streaming, remote speaker contributions and interactive online event hubs, conferences and global summits can be accessed online and on demand, thereby reducing travel time, costs and impact on the environment.
Find out more at beinspiredfilms.co.uk
Develop a career or hobby that can help the planet
Whether you want to change your career or boost your skills, you can join a wide variety of training courses to learn more about ecology and conservation. Ecology Training provides you with expert training and career guidance in a comprehensive range of online and face-to-face courses while developing the necessary skills and knowledge to progress you path into sustainability. Topics range from bats and botany to animal behaviour and species identification, you can learn at your own pace with longer certificate courses available. Contact admin@ecologytraining.co.uk or visit ecologytraining.co.uk to find out more. All courses for over 16 year olds only. Use the code IND10MAY22 to get 10% off all online courses. Offer valid until 31 May 2022.
Start your sustainable career at EcologyTraining
Boost wellbeing with an away day in the great outdoors
Corporate Away Days brings wellbeing and nature together in May with a range of environmentally-friendly activities. A team day out in the great outdoors works wonders for lifting everyone’s mood, building excitement and giving a boost to the team’s general wellbeing. Corporate Away Days will ensure your team gets the full benefits on its wellbeing adventure days which have sustainability in mind, allowing time to connect, be present and in the moment while being be engaged in an eco-friendly activity that excites, inspires and doesn’t damage the environment. There are a range of away days to choose from, including sustainable beekeeping, a day at the races, watersports, coasteering, sea swimming, standup paddleboarding, cliff jumping and boating. To book your complimentary discovery day, get in touch to see how Corporate Away Days can boost your team’s wellbeing — email contact@awaydays.co.uk or call 020 3714 0929.
Go to awaydays.co.uk to discover more
Utilise solar energy and save on your bills
With SolarisKit, you can buy, build and install your very own solar collector to heat your above-ground pool using solar energy. By using solar energy to heat water, you’ll save money and lower your carbon emissions. The SolarisKit S400 solar collector provides an affordable, easy to install and visually attractive way of using solar energy that can combine multiple solar collectors together for larger pools or for faster heating. These solar collectors are also ideal for camping and glamping sites and gardens needing hot water. There’s no experience necessary to build your solar collector, just follow the step-by step instructions and video. SolarisKit is a certified B Corp company, and its Solar Keymark-certified collectors are proudly made in the UK. Use the code “FREESHIP22” for free shipping of the S400 solar collector in the UK. Offer valid until 30 June 2022.
Go to solariskit.com/store now
Use a dedicated search engine for second-hand sites
Loma is a dedicated search engine for second-hand and rental sites. With so many new secondhand and rental sites popping up, it can be hard to know where to start your search or just generally keep up. Enter Loma, which promises to look through every secondhand and rental site for you, and compiles the results into just one page for you to compare. Whether you’re looking for furniture, clothes or gadgets, Loma compiles all pre-loved objects into one search engine. Many people are looking to stretch their budgets, but shopping pre-used and renting is an underrated way of living more sustainably. This means no new natural materials need to be sourced, and it keeps items in use and out of landfill.
Start your search at lomasearch.com
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