One Year Older!

Let's Play a Game of Swaps

A Game of Swaps

Single use Reusable

Plastic Bags Reusable bags/ bamboo/ Hemp
Cling Film Beeswax Wraps
Food plastic bags Reusable Silicone food bag
Plastic Toothbrush Bamboo toothbrush
Plastic scrubby /dish brush Bamboo dish brush
Plastic Toothbrush Bamboo toothbrush
Disposable Plastic razors Safety Razor
Disposable pads and tampons Washable Pads and Menstrual Cups
Disposable Cotton Rounds Reusable Cotton Pads
Bottle shampoo and conditioner Shampoo and conditioner Bars
Plastic Packaged Soap Package free soap
Single use cosmetics Refillable Cosmetics
Plastic water bottles Reusable metal water bottle
Plastic cutlery Travel cutlery/ Take a set from your own kitchen.
Disposable coffee cups Reusable coffee cups

Embracing zero waste swaps is a powerful way to make a positive impact on the environment and lead a more sustainable lifestyle. As individuals adopt these eco-friendly alternatives, they will not only reduce waste and conserve resources but also enjoy personal benefits such as cost savings and improved well-being.
The journey towards a zero-waste lifestyle doesn’t have to be perfect or happen overnight; every small step counts and contributes to a greener, healthier planet. We encourage everyone to explore the world of zero waste swaps and join the growing movement of individuals committed to safeguarding our environment for future generations.

Do You Have Old Socks and Underwear??

What To Do with Used Socks and Underwear

Why is it important to care about where to donate used socks and underwear?

Clothing production and consumption have significant sustainability concerns due to their environmental, social, and economic impacts. The fast fashion industry has accelerated these concerns as it promotes a culture of disposability and rapid turnover of clothing items.

The production of clothing requires substantial amounts of water, energy, and raw materials. It takes about 2,700 litres of water to produce one cotton shirt, equivalent to the amount of water an average person drinks in 2.5 years.

As we strive to minimize our environmental impact and live more sustainably, it is essential to address the issue of clothing waste. A significant way to contribute to this cause is by finding practical solutions for old or used items like socks and underwear.

1: Textile Recycling for Aid and International Development (TRAID)

TRAID recycles textiles and helps fund international development projects, promoting sustainability and social welfare. Textile Recycling for Aid and International Development (TRAID) is a UK-based charity organization that plays a vital role in promoting sustainability and supporting global development initiatives.

TRAID focuses on reducing the environmental and social impacts of the textile industry by recycling and repurposing unwanted clothing, including items like old socks and underwear. The organization’s relevance lies in its multifaceted approach to address both environmental and social concerns through its various initiatives.

2: Council for Textile Recycling (CTR)

The CTR aims to divert textiles from landfills by promoting recycling and providing resources for finding local recycling centres. The Council for Textile Recycling (CTR) is a non-profit organization that focuses on promoting sustainable practices within the textile industry, including recycling, and reducing waste.

They aim to create awareness about the importance of textile recycling and its environmental benefits, working towards a zero-textile-waste future.

Local recycling centres

Contact your local recycling centres to inquire about their textile recycling programs and procedures for dropping off old socks and underwear.

Crafting and DIY Projects

Creative repurposing of old socks and underwear can turn them into useful or decorative items, reducing waste and fostering a sustainable lifestyle.

Cleaning cloths

Cut up old socks and underwear to create reusable cleaning cloths, reducing the need for disposable paper towels and lowering your carbon footprint.

Pet toys

Craft simple pet toys from old socks and underwear, providing your furry friends with hours of entertainment while giving new life to otherwise discarded items.

Upcycled clothing items.

Transform old socks and underwear into accessories or other garments, displaying your creativity and commitment to sustainability.

The Ending:

Donating and repurposing old socks and underwear can have a meaningful impact on our efforts to live sustainably and reduce our carbon footprint. By taking action and making conscious choices, we contribute to a greener and more responsible future.

Remember, every small step counts when it comes to sustainability. So, the next time you find yourself with old socks and underwear, consider these donation and repurposing options to make a positive difference for both the environment and those in need.

Australia 2023

Grafton:

Clarance River Historical Society

Coffs Harbour:

Dolphin Marine Conservation

Port Macquarie:

Greenwashing: What to look for!

1. BUZZWORDS

Is the company or brand using words that sound good, or words that actually mean something?

Here’s a short guide to some of these terms:

- Environmentally Friendly - The term 'friendly' has no legal definition.

- Ocean plastic - Just because something claims to be 'ocean plastic' does not mean it has ever been in the ocean. Some companies use 'ocean bound' instead which is waste plastic argued to be destined for the ocean.

- Recycled - Two types of recycled content are as follows...

1: Pre - consumer: Rubbish that hasn't been used, created from fabric cut offs, plastic pieces, wood shavings.

2: Post - Consumer: Rubbish created once humans have used the item all the stuff we use /recycle.

- Oxo - degradable: Plastics made from standard plastic. These items don't fully disappear instead the breakdown into smaller and smaller pieces eventually leaving microplastics behind.

- Sustainable: Consider 3 elements (social, environmental, economic) Some companies will claim their products are sustainable because they are reusable or recycled.

- Carbon neutral: This means the company have 'offset' their emissions by investing in projects which supposedly absorb an equal amount of greenhouse gasses from the atmosphere.

- Climate Friendly: Another way of saying carbon neutral.

- Green: it's used so vaguely and has no real meaning that you should pretty much ignore it.

Always look for evidence behind 'GREEN' claims.

2. EVIDENCE

If a company is making claims about a product, have they provided any evidence to support these claims? For example, have they provided statistics or data to explain how this product is helping the planet or are they omitting that data and being vague? Look out for certifications – if they’ve got a certification in place, it means they have met the requirements of that standard to be able to use that ‘seal of approval’. You can then read the requirements of the standard for yourself to see if that is something you approve of.

3. VERIFICATION

Have those claims been verified by an external party? For example, if a particular certification requires an external audit, then you know that an auditor has reviewed the business or its products against a standard in order to award the certification stamp. However, some businesses may use a buzzword without any evidence and without a neutral third-party reviewing their claims.

Be cautious if this is the case.

4. SUSTAINABILITY

If a business or product is claiming to be ‘sustainable’ it should be considering the three pillars of sustainability (environmental, social and economic). Quite often there will be a strong focus how to reduce the environmental impacts, but the other pillars get forgotten about. Look for evidence that businesses are thinking about their impact on people and the economy too.

Zero Waste

An eco-friendly lifestyle is becoming more and more critical with every passing day.

Being humans, we need to protect and save our habitat, this planet, from any sort of damage caused by us.

It requires a lot of effort to be minimalist in using ingredients from the Earth in such a healthy way that it does not harm the environment. Still, there are many ways in which an individual can make certain sustainable changes so that the negative effect of our daily lifestyles can be balanced.

Below we have compiled 5 top tips for you to lead an eco-friendlier life; these habits will also help you save money and live a healthy lifestyle.

1. Maintaining or Renovating Your Home.

If you are thinking of living more sustainably, the first thing to do is adopt a more vigilant way of living. When the power is not needed, make sure you switch all the power points off. There is another thing called stand-by power wastage, your habitat and your wallet both are going to thank you if you turn off the appliances. Another smart option is to replace your old school light bulbs with advanced energy smart LED bulbs. These energy savers consume only 1/5 of the energy that a standard old-school bulb uses; these also last longer than regular bulbs.

2. Reconsider What You Wear!

Humans today consume almost four hundred percent of clothes when compared to the human of two decades ago. Every year we consume about eighty billion pieces of clothes, which has increased the demand for fast fashion, eventually destroying the environment. From farms to our room closets, textile industries consume energy throughout their supply chain. Rely on sustainable brands for your clothing and go organic. Clothing made with natural fabric instead of synthetic one will surely help benefit the ecosystem. You can also buy second-hand clothes. By using them, you can not only reduce carbon emissions but also save a lot of resources and energy wasted in the production of new clothes. It also prevents the piling up of old clothes in incinerators and landfills. This way, you help the environment and play a part in regulating the recycling process.

3. Your Meat and Dairy Consumption.

One of the main reasons for greenhouse gas emissions is excessive food consumption. Therefore, it is imperative to reduce our carbon footprint by cutting short milk and meat products consumption. As we know, about almost 1 kg of carbon dioxide is emitted in producing 1 liter of milk. These processes also produce heaps of methane, a chemical pollutant that is majorly responsible for global climate changes. However, we should reduce dairy consumption by looking at the nutritional and healthy aspects. A study by Shrink That Footprint reveals that a diet with less beef and lamb is eco-friendly. Why not try cutting meat out for a day of two in the week.

4. Use Eco-Friendly Products.

Cleaning products like detergents, foaming agents, and preservatives, are made with toxic chemicals. As we clean, the disposed of water with these chemicals is taken to the rivers and streams, entering the eco systems and, as a result, damaging biodiversity. It is essential to take eco-friendly measures and switch to products containing natural ingredients that are sustainably grown. Such products help in reducing the risk of toxic chemicals exposure, which is harmful to both humans and the eco system. You can make your own natural cleaners at home by mixing lemon juice, vinegar, and sodium bicarbonate. You can also add a spoon full of olive oil to use the mixture as a dust-resistant cleaner. This is one of the best eco-friendly and cheaper cleaners that help reduce packaging waste and the usage of toxic chemicals that can be detrimental to the environment.

5. Use Heat Pumps During winter.

Heat pumps extract the heat from the air, water, or ground and shift that heat to your home; they are eco-friendly alternatives to be used this January as air conditioners and boilers. The need for gas pipes and oil tanks can be limited with the help of these heat pumps. Every single kW of electricity a heat pump uses creates 4kW of thermal energy, resulting in a higher efficiency rate. Heat pumps reduce carbon discharge in your homes compared to gas or electric heating systems. In the UK, the schemes offer five thousand pounds off the heat pump installation cost.

Conclusion Eco-friendly living is a vast channel of habits that you adapt, as it helps you, your environment, and your entire community. Although it’s a bit difficult to acquire an eco-friendly living, our tips will surely assist you.

Australia Breakdown

Financial Breakdown from my trip to Australia.

- Flight: 1605.06 (I went with Travel Junction as I only wanted one stop flight, and I would NOT recommend them to anyone, it turned out to be a 2-stop flight)

TRAVEL JUNCTION

EVAAIR

- Visa: Free (Online E-Visa)

VISA INFORMATION

- Spending money: £501.56 GBP. (Half on Travel card and half in cash. Take more on card next time)

HAYS TRAVEL CARD

HAYS TRAVEL MONEY

- Cattery: £126 (The only problem I have with them is they need to update their payment system as I am not a fan of bank transfers.)

ANIMAL CARE

- Travel Insurance: £25.61 (Travel insurance for the trip would have been less but I have asthma)

INSURANCE

- Hostel + Fees: £44.74 (What they didn't tell me was switching days because of a flight time change added an extra £20 on + fees of course!!)

HOSTEL WORLD

HYDE PARK

(I have come to the realization i am too old for Hostels and bunk beds from now i think it will be Hotels or Airbnb)

- National Express 1: £13.72 single Carlisle to London (was £45.24 but I paid with Amazon Pay with student discount, so I got 75% discount)

- National Express 2: £30.73 single return London to Carlisle (Paid with Amazon Pay only got £5 student discount)

- National Express 3: £9.35 single from London to Heathrow

NATIONAL EXPRESS (These are my saviour after my Train got cancelled due to strikes)

Heathrow Express: £25 (from Heathrow to Paddington)

1: Accommodation in Grafton: £87.63 (cancelled due to the hotel closing, Refunded and Expedia did give me £100 voucher)

2: AirBnb £166.82 6th January till 9th January

AIRBNB

- Flight 2 Port McQuarrie to Brisbane: $248.31 Australian Dollars my friend recommended WebJet (£139.20 GBP, I didn't realise there was no Trains/ Buses/ coaches from Port McQuarrie to Brisbane, the journey would have taken 12 hours!)

- $99 Flight date change (I got that wrong date)

WEBJET

QANTAS AIRLINE

- Train to Grafton: $60.17 AUD (£35 English money)

Personal Expense:

- Clothes alternations: £50

- Travel toiletries: £10

- Summer clothes £25.50

- Food in London £30.00

- Airport Food/ Snacks £150

- Exchange Fees/ Card Fees £25

What would I have done better:

- Learn to drive beforehand so there's no need for public transport then find a great long term car rental.

- I totally underestimated the prices in London from public transport to restaurants, they all add a 'Service fee' on which I did not know, I think its modern-day thievery!

- Stay in Australia for longer, next time it will be my whole visa.

- leave the airports if you have a long stay over like I had in Taiwan 12 hours. Get out and see things.