Save the Planet Journal

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44

116

92 CONTENTS

4

006

USE YOUR POWER WISELY

128

CELEBRATE SUSTAINABLY

018

PULL-OUT ECO CARDS

140

TAKE ACTION

020

SAVE WATER, SAVE THE WORLD

152

HOW DID YOU DO?

032

WISE UP TO WASTE

156

SET YOUR RESOLUTIONS

044

SAY GOODBYE TO PLASTIC

158

MAKE BIGGER CHANGES

056

LIVE A CHEMICAL-FREE LIFE

160

THE DIRECTORY

068

BECOME AN ECO TRAVELLER

080

ENJOY FOOD FOR THOUGHT

092

WEAR YOUR CLOTHES WELL

104

EMBRACE YOUR GREEN SPACE

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RAISE A GREEN FAMILY

Reduce your energy consumption Gentle prompts for eco-friendly habits Look after our most precious resource Get rid of your things responsibly Find everyday alternatives

Safe, natural ways to avoid toxins

Organise great green gatherings Make a difference in your community Record your achievements here What are you going to achieve next?

Can your actions have a greater impact?

Your guide to online resources

Greener ways to get from A to B

Make smarter choices on what you eat Stepping away from fast fashion From gardens to window boxes

Living the eco way with children

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HOW TO USE THIS JOURNAL There are 12 sections in the journal, so try exploring a different subject each month. You can complete them in any order, starting at any time, and by the end of the year you should have been able to make dozens of small, planet-positive changes to your lifestyle. At the end of the journal, starting on page 152, there’s space to record how you got on and also to set some resolutions to help you keep up your new green habits.

As well as being packed with information, each section of the journal has interactive spaces where you can jot down ideas, set yourself goals and tick off new ecofriendly tips as you try them.

Writing down your intentions will make you more likely to see them through.

Keep the journal as a long-term reminder of ways that you can live a greener life.

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WHY SAVE ENERGY?

The power we use in our homes seems so clean and effcient – we fick a switch, and there’s light or heat with no mess or fuss. But understanding where that energy comes from might make you think again…

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witching the TV on for ‘background noise’, having all the radiators in the house on high, leaving the radio on to keep the cat company when we go out… we’re all guilty of consuming energy unnecessarily sometimes, and using up the world’s valuable natural resources.

We heat our homes, workplaces and shops using natural gases, and power our many appliances with electricity from coal-fred power stations, releasing carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases into the atmosphere as we do so. As a result of the increasing amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, which is largely due to the combustion of fossil fuels, the world’s average surface temperature has increased by around 0.6ºC in the last 100 years.

The adverse efects have been impossible to ignore – climate change is causing polar ice caps to melt, fooding and droughts are becoming more common, and endangered species are edging ever closer to extinction.

Scientists predict that the average global temperature could increase between 1.4ºC and 6ºC in the 21st Century if things carry on the way they are. The consequences of everincreasing temperatures could include food shortages, increased coastal fooding and even confict caused by people moving away from afected areas in great numbers.

Taking steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions means adopting more energy-efcient habits, and switching to electricity generated from renewable sources – both of which are easy to do!

R E S O U R C E S R U N N I N G LO W W H Y W E C A N ’ T K E E P R E L Y I N G O N F O S S I L F U E L S T O K E E P U S WA R M As their name implies, fossil fuels like coal, petroleum, heavy oil and natural gas are formed from the organic remains of prehistoric organisms, and exist within the Earth’s crust. Coal was formed from dead trees and other plant material, while crude oil and gas were

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formed from marine life. North Sea oil deposits are around 150 million years old, and amazingly, lots of the coal we use today began to form over 300 million years ago.

Fossil fuels can be burned in air, or using the oxygen derived from air, to produce heat.

You can then beneft from the heat directly, for example, by having a coal fre, or its heat can be used to produce steam to drive generators that supply

electricity. Cosy homes and electricity at the fick of a switch – what’s not to like? Except that fossil fuels are fnite resources, which are either no longer being made, or being made extremely slowly, so we’ll never see them again in our lives. It’s incredible when you think how eagerly we’re getting through them! Not only that, but they produce CO2 and greenhouse gases when we burn them. We need to start using alternatives now.

CLEAN AND GREEN T H E R E A R E P L E N T Y O F R E N E WA B L E E N E R G Y O P T I O N S If you’re passionate about creating a greener, more sustainable future, switching to renewable energy should be high on your ‘to do’ list. Rather than using fnite resources, green energy companies fnd fuel in resources that can be replenished. Producing power from renewable energy sources produces a smaller carbon footprint, and it’s becoming much more effcient, too, with the average 2.5MW wind turbine generating enough electricity to power 1,400 average households for a year.

There are now several large ‘green energy’ companies in the UK. Ecotricity get their electricity from the wind and sun, and they even build their own windmills and solar farms across the UK. Their gas comes from organic material, and there are no resulting CO2 emissions, no fossil fuels and no animal byproducts used. Ovo Energy even

plant trees on your behalf, and are committed to investing in a more sustainable energy system.

If you’re interested in signing up to a green energy supplier, compare the different tariffs online. Some have deals that compete with mainstream providers, and tariffs may be getting more competitive due to the rise of public interest in renewable energy. It’s worth knowing, though, that even if your tariff is for pure renewable energy, all the electricity produced in the UK pools in the National Grid before being

distributed, so what you end up with will be coming from both green and non-green sources.

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The sun is one of the best sources of renewable energy there is. In theory, we could power the entire planet just from solar energy alone if it was harnessed properly.

CUTTING CONSUMPTION F R O M S W I T C H I N G S U P P L I E R T O M A K I N G S M A L L C H A N G E S AT H O M E Take a look around you right now. How many appliances are plugged in? Is your TV on standby? Maybe your your laptop’s on charge even though you don’t plan to use it. There are plenty of ways we waste energy – but that means there are lots

of ways to save it, too! We’re so used to having things on demand but it’s worth making a few little sacrifces for the sake of the planet.

If you ‘need’ that work shirt for tomorrow, don’t be tempted to stick it in the washing machine on its own. A full load is far more effcient, and so is that eco setting, which uses less energy and water. Set your heating to timer so it’s only on when you need it – that way you won’t

forget to switch it off. Invest in a draught excluder to keep the warmth in, and wear jumpers rather than switching on the heating as soon as it gets a bit chilly. Switch radiators off unless you’re in the room, replace oldstyle bulbs with energy-effcient LEDs, and never put warm food in your fridge – it will have to use more energy to cool it down. And shop around to fnd an energy supplier with an ecofriendly approach.

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FIND THINGS A NEW HOME

While recycling is much better than simply throwing things away, it’s even better to fnd a new use or a new home for items rather than breaking them down and starting again. What can you fnd a new life for?

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fter a thorough spring clean or a house move you might fnd yourself faced with a pile of unwanted stuf that apparently seem ft only for the bin, including larger household items. But there’s a good chance you can prolong the life of most of the things you’re thinking

of throwing away. If it’s something you’d replace with another similar item then see if you can repair it frst. If it’s something you no longer want but there’s still life in it, see if you can make something else out of it, or pass it on to a new owner who can make the most of it.

FIX IT

UPCYCLE

READY, SET, MEND!

E N J O Y A T R A N S F O R M AT I O N

If you’ve got a garage full of wobbly chairs or kettles with blown fuses, now’s the time to fx them (or get them professionally repaired). Make a list of what needs mending and when you’ll do it.

An old colander turned into a hanging basket? Car tyres fashioned into garden planters? Think laterally about what you want to get rid of – can you turn it into something useful? Jot your ideas below.

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CHARITY SHOP

FREECYCLE

EVERYONE BENEFITS

J U S T G I V E I T AWAY !

Almost anything that you don’t want – providing it’s in a saleable condition – can be donated to a charity shop, helping them to raise funds for good causes. Make a list of what you can donate today.

Websites such as Freecycle (www. freecycle.org) are great for offoading things you don’t know what to do with.

Got an old VCR? Someone’s bound to want it! What can you give away?

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Recent research suggests that the average repair saves 24 kilos of CO2 emissions.

Keeping items in service rather than replacing them also keeps precious resources in the ground.

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CREATE A PLASTIC-FREE CARRY KIT

So much of the plastic that gets thrown away is created to make life a bit more convenient, but the long-term effects of the pollution it creates don’t help anyone. Find out how you can shun single-use plastic every day.

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ne of the big attractions of plastic is that it’s you don’t have to resort to plastic cups. Perhaps ask if your lightweight, making it perfect for takeaway food company could buy washable crockery for everyone to use packaging, single-use cutlery and other items at work – the one-of expense would cancel out the ongoing designed to make our on-the-go lifestyles a bit easier. cost of buying disposables.

If you buy a ready-made salad and a drink for your If you’re of on a day out, the same ideas apply: lunch at work then chances are by the time carry refllable food and drink containers, as FA C T you’ve fnished your meal there’ll be a plastic well as cutlery. And a packable bag such FILE container, plastic bottle and a plastic fork as an Onya (www.onyabags.co.uk) means From clothing and to throw away. Over the course of a week, you won’t need a plastic carrier if you end carpeting, to furniture and let alone a month or more, that’s a lot of up shopping. For longer holidays, the playground equipment, there are plenty of waste. As so much plastic is used as food miniature toiletries are tempting (and very innovative uses for recycled packaging, the obvious way to avoid it cute), but you can just refll the bottles from plastic that everybody when you’re out and about is to take your your last trip with your regular products can enjoy. own food and drink from home. Or take bars of shampoo and soap in washable, refllable in a sealable soap dish, as these won’t fall foul of containers – you can even buy airport security regulations on carrying liquids. reusable straws to carry with you!

We’ve suggested some things you could keep at work or in Keep a proper cofee mug your bag, or pack for your holiday, to minimise your plastic and a glass to use at your use. Can you think of anything else you could add to the desk at work so lists to help cut your plastic use?

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AT W O R K

ON THE GO

Keeping a few essentials at your desk will mean you don’t need to resort to throwaway cutlery and plastic cups.

A couple of simple additions to your bag can keep your plastic use to a minimum every day.

WA S H A B L E C O F F E E C U P

REFILLABLE COFFEE CUP

WA S H A B L E WAT E R G L A S S

R E F I L L A B L E WAT E R B O T T L E

REUSABLE CUTLERY

PA C K AWAY S H O P P I N G B A G

H O L I D AY K I T Travelling light doesn’t mean you have to stock up on single-use shower gel miniatures. A spot of re-using and some clever packing will make your holidays much more environmentally friendly.

Refllable small bottles of shampoo, shower gel and other toiletries, or try soap bars instead Refllable water bottle (remember to empty it before going through airport security) Reusable cutlery, and refllable containers for sampling local street food

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GET ON YOUR BIKE

Two wheels are better than four (or more), so try to make cycling part of your regular travel plans. Do it often enough and you can cancel that gym membership too – it’s great exercise!

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ycling is a great way to get around. There’s the thrill of gleefully gliding past trafc, discovering secret spots along cycle paths, and exercising on the go.

Plus, cycling is a pollution-free mode of transport, with no need to fuel up before you whizz of on an adventure. And while cars are one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions, a bike’s impact on the Earth is minimal in comparison. If you own a car, you’re looking at, on average, emissions of about 271g of CO2 per passenger-kilometre (due to high-energy production and driving) compared to a bike, which is about 21g, and less if you eat a plant-based diet. Amazingly, with help from cycling charity Sustrans, a London butcher recently cut its CO2 emissions by 75%, just by using an electric cargo bike for deliveries – a reduction that speaks for itself.

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Not only is cycling better for the planet, it’s more economical too – financially as well as practically – with bikes taking up a third less road space than cars.

W H AT D O Y O U N E E D T O G E T S TA R T E D ?

W H E T H E R I T ’ S A B I K E O R J U S T S O M E M O T I VAT I O N , M A K E A P L A N …

Apart from a bike, obviously, you don’t need much to set yourself up for cycling. A helmet is a must, as well as a sturdy padlock if you leave your bike anywhere away from home. Lights are also essential if you cycle after dark, and bright or reflective clothing is a good idea.

Meanwhile, do you have somewhere you can keep a bike secure at home? Do you have a bike lurking in the garage that could do with a service before it’s ridden again? Write down anything you need to do or buy to get on your bike.

WRITE YOUR CYCLING PLANS HERE

CHART YOUR CYCLING H O W FA R C A N Y O U G O I N A W E E K ?

For one week, try replacing one car journey a day with a bike ride, whether it’s to work, to the shops or for any other errands. Record the number of miles you’ve travelled each day, then think about how you feel at the end of the week. Hopefully fitter and more eco-friendly!

16 14 12

MILES

10 8 6 4 2 0

MON

TUE

WED

THURS

FRI

S AT

SUN

HOW DO YOU FEEL?

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LOVE YOUR LEFTOVERS

Throwing away unwanted food not only wastes money but harms the environment too. Get creative with your cooking to make the most of what’s in your fridge – you might discover a new family favourite meal!

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inning your unwanted leftovers or that salad you forgot in the bottom of the fridge is bad news for the environment. Food waste often ends up in landfll, creating toxic emissions as it breaks down that add to the problem of climate change. According to Recycle Now, households in the UK waste around 7 million tonnes of food a year – which equates to the average family spending £700 annually on food they won’t eat.

But while some leftovers are inevitable, they can often be used for the next day’s meals. Or, if you have a garden, use raw food scraps to make compost (take a look at page 109 for more on this). If home composting isn’t an option, check with your local council to see if they collect food waste.

Councils often mix food waste with garden waste, which is transformed into soil conditioner, or waste can be broken down and converted into biogas to generate energy.

Simple steps such as planning a week’s meals in advance and only shopping for what you need should help you avoid buying unnecessary ingredients. And if you fnd you’re always stuck with leftovers after a meal, reduce the amount you cook, or increase it to ensure you’ve made enough for two full meals, so that the excess can be frozen for another day – the perfect packaging-free ready meal! Also, trust your common sense rather than the ‘best before’ date on things like fruit and veg – if it looks and smells fne, use it. Exercise more caution with meat and dairy products, though.

W H AT D I D Y O U WA S T E T H I S W E E K ?

WHETHER IT’S UNUSED INGREDIENTS OR LEFTOVERS AFTER A MEAL, FOR O N E W E E K W R I T E D O W N A N Y F O O D Y O U T H R O W AWAY – A N D W H Y .

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DO YOUR RECIPE RESEARCH O N C E Y O U K N O W W H AT F O O D Y O U T H R E W AWAY , C H E C K Y O U R R E C I P E B O O K S F O R WAY S Y O U C O U L D H AV E U S E D I T A N D W R I T E D O W N H O W Y O U C O U L D USE THOSE PEPPERS OR CARROTS NEXT TIME…

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In the UK, up to 40% of produce is rejected as it is too ‘ugly’ for the shelves. Look out for local veg boxes and grocers who are happy to stock beautifully imperfect produce.

P L A N Y O U R B AT C H C O O K I N G D I S H E S S U C H A S C U R R I E S , C H I L L I E S A N D B O LO G N E S E S A U C E ( E I T H E R M E AT O R V E G G I E V E R S I O N S ) A R E P E R F E C T F O R F R E E Z I N G . L I S T Y O U R FA M I L Y ’ S FAV O U R I T E S H E R E A N D R E M E M B E R T O M A K E D O U B L E N E X T T I M E .

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MAKE THE MOST OF WHAT YOU’VE GOT Getting creative with your clothes is a great way to update your wardrobe without having to head to the shops. And a bit of love will help to extend the lifespan of some old favourites too…

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ou don’t need to be an expert with a needle and thread to carry out simple repairs and alterations to your clothes. It only takes a few minutes to sew on a replacement button or fx a split seam, and then you’ve made that garment good to go again. And if you fancy a new look without resorting to buying something new, altering

out-of-favour pieces in your wardrobe will get them of the hanger and into circulation again. Jeans can be made into skirts or bags, men’s shirts can be transformed into women’s tops, and a quick spot of embroidery can turn a plain vest into something far fancier. Visit www.simplysewingmag.com for some upcycling ideas and plan your projects below.

UPCYCLING IDEAS W H I C H C LO T H E S C A N Y O U R E FA S H I O N ? W R I T E Y O U R P L A N S H E R E …

Striped maxi dres

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Turn into sorter dres

MENDING LIST W H I C H C LO T H E S N E E D F I X I N G ? T I C K T H E M O F F W H E N T H E Y ’ R E M E N D E D

I PROMISE TO WEAR… CAN’T BEAR TO DITCH SOMETHING EVEN THOUGH YOU RARELY WEAR IT? LIST IT HERE TO REMIND YOURSELF TO DUST IT DOWN, AND TICK IT OFF WHEN Y O U H AV E . I F Y O U H AV E N ’ T W O R N I T W I T H I N A Y E A R T H E N G I V E I T AWAY !

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Around 70% of the world wears recycled clothes, saving on landfll space and conserving energy. Items can also be sold by small shops in developing countries, creating jobs and income for many.

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GROW YOUR OWN

While a garden can be a haven of beautiful fowers, it’s also a practical space where you can grow your own fruit and vegetables. It’s the ultimate way to cut down on your food miles and your grocery bill, too!

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ou don’t need loads of space to grow fresh fruit and vegetables – tomatoes, potatoes, strawberries and many other plants will happily grow in pots or even old compost sacks full of soil. If you have got room to turn a fowerbed or bit of lawn into a vegetable patch you can

eat the results of your hard work in just a few months if you get growing by the end of spring. For ultimate eco-friendly veg, use peat-free compost (or, even better, compost from your own heap) and avoid pesticides – try some of the pest control methods on page 109.

W H AT W O U L D YOU LIKE TO GROW?

W H AT D O YOU NEED?

P L A N Y O U R PAT C H

A FEW ESSENTIALS

Consider how much space you have and what the soil is like (some root veg isn’t happy growing in heavy clay, for instance).

Also think about what you’d want to eat – don’t grow what you don’t like!

There’s no need to splash out on loads of kit for growing your own. See if you can borrow larger items such as garden forks, as you may only need them when you’re setting up your patch for the season.

Garden fork

Twine

Hand trowel

Secateurs

Seeds

Pots/planters

Labels

Soil (if growing in pots)

Gloves

Support canes

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WORK OUT YOUR PLANTING SCHEDULE Check seed packets (or the label if you’ve bought plants) to work out when to plant each variety of veg you’d like to grow, and note when to harvest it too.

W H AT T O P L A N T

WHEN TO PLANT

WHEN TO PICK

GROWING NOTES WRITE DOWN YOUR SUCCESSES (OR ANY HITCHES) FOR REFERENCE NEXT YEAR

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It might not look pretty but dishwater and bathwater – known as ‘grey’ water – does a fne job when it comes to watering plants. As long as it’s free from chemicals you’re good to go.

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DAYS OUT & ACTIVITIES

‘Must have’ toys are often throwaway plastic distractions, but it’s possible to keep children of all ages happy with simple games. And by exploring locally you might fnd some hidden playing places that the kids will love.

K E E P T H E K I D S B U S Y AT H O M E E N T E R TA I N M E N T D O E S N ’ T H AV E T O B E E L E C T R I C A L Screens and gadgets can be tempting for parents and children when you’re stuck for ideas of what to do at home, but there are endless ways to keep kids entertained without adding to your electricity bill or buying more plastic toys. Try some of these ideas…

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1

Go on a bug hunt in the garden, counting or drawing what you fnd.

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Plant easy-to-grow seeds like cress or peas in old eggboxes.

2

Decorate pebbles with paint – create funny faces or weird creatures.

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Let children decorate old clothes with paint, beads and buttons.

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Stamp shapes onto paper with carved veg and poster paint.

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Make junk instruments: plastic bottle maracas and jam jar lid castanets!

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Make a birdfeeder from an old plastic bottle then see who uses it.

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Decorate empty bottles, quarter-fll with rice and use them as skittles.

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Pick fowers and press them between books and greaseproof paper.

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Mix four, water, salt and vegetable oil to make modelling dough.

W H AT ’ S N E A R B Y ?

A LITTLE FURTHER…

D I S C O V E R T H E P L AY G R O U N D S A N D ACTIVITIES ON YOUR DOORSTEP

A D AY O U T D O E S N ’ T N E E D T O INVOLVE A CAR JOURNEY

Ask around for ideas of things you can do with the children within walking distance of your house, and make a note here.

Find out where you can go for the day by bus or train, or even by bike with older children. Leave the car at home!

FA M I L Y D AY O U T C H E C K L I S T REMEMBER THESE ECO ESSENTIALS WHEN YOU SET OFF, AND ADD YOUR OWN Refllable drink bottles

Snacks in refllable pots Old carrier bags for carrying muddy clothes or wet boots

Travel passes for buses or trains

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THE JOURNAL THAT HELPS YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE

It’s easy to embrace a more eco-friendly lifestyle.

In this beautiful, practical journal you’ll find everyday ideas for reducing your carbon footprint, creating a chemical-free home and living a zero-waste life. And there’s space to record your progress, too!

NEW!

ONLY £9.99 INC. P&P*

T R AV E L

PLASTICS

FASHION

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RECYCLING

WAT E R

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