Kermit the Frog once said…

Kermit the frog once said; “It’s not easy being green” and I agree with him! It seems we all have to make a contribution to help our environment but sometimes making changes to our routine is difficult.

Surely it can’t be that hard? Especially when there are so many resources to help us, help the environment. Being green is such a hot topic that I thought I would do a little research myself and see how I could alter simple factors in my life to become more eco friendly.

At the moment I am provided with the council recycling bins although I appear not to have a green box and no supermarkets close to me recycle paper and cardboard…something I may need to discuss with the council, but a debate that can be had on my own time!!

The obvious place to look first was WikiHow – the source of all questions answered! There are 38 tips to becoming a greener individual, those of which I find to benefit the earth and your pocket are easy ideas to implement into your routine, for example, turning off the tap when cleaning your teeth, wear an extra jumper instead of turning up the heating (something which I am practicing now and wearing extra socks, both of which has helped but I wouldn’t go as far as putting a woolly hat on!) Also, plan meals for the week or for a few days in a row so as to reduce waste, we do this at home and I save so much money, I go to the supermarket with my list of meals rather than a hungry tummy! Some of the points mentioned seem a little far fetched like reducing how many children you have, to be fair I think that one is up to the individual! Of course this will save you money and grey hair but a little extreme in the thought of greener lands!

Treehugger.com may sound a little over the top but rest assured it provides a great amount of advice for every detail of your life, from little changes like where to buy your tea and coffee – since coffee is the world’s most commonly traded commodity after crude oil, and tea is the world’s most consumed beverage after water, it would seem an obvious choice to make a change to the way we consume our favourite beverage. The great thing about this site is the amount you can learn, it is all separated into main headings of what areas you would like to make changes to, so you don’t have to hunt through a whole article to find what you are looking for. One thing I have noticed recently (since moving into a small but perfectly formed flat) was how cleaning products carried such toxic smells that gave me headaches, it made me wonder if what I was using was actually cleaning or harming me and my environment?? This site offers information on alternative cleaning products and if you’re not keen on filling your cupboards with brands, try making your own, after all we are surrounded by natural products that when mixed can clean anything. They suggest baking soda and vinegar – when used with warm water can be used as a multi purpose cleaner.

One thing I have been following over the past couple of weeks is BBC2’s ‘It’s not easy being green’ series.  The programme is set in Cornwall at Newhouse Farm, where it is proven that being environmentally responsible is possible (and fun!) This site is for those of you that would like to make big changes, say having a veg patch and making your own greenhouse (of the eco friendly kind) It proves that with a little land and dedication you can be using your own salad leaves for lunch…if only I had a garden! Although I am sure I can grow my own herbs on the windowsill, it would even make the flat look nicer! As part of the programme, on 4th February, Lauren Laverne spoke with the Director of the Centre for Sustainable Fashion, Dilys Williams about alternative shopping for a more sustainable life.

They travelled around London discovering innovative brands that are making a difference to our fashion industry and the way we shop. Names like From Somewhere, Deploy, Noki and Stellla McCartney were all looked at for their sustainable attire, although I am sure some of which would not be covered for in our budget, the idea of buying quality rather than quantity, not buying a coat every winter rather buying a quality coat could be transferred into brands that work for us. I have also ventured to find other eco friendly shops, so when we next decide to buy a vase or an item of clothing we can think how it is made. Check out Eco Centric for all things home, The Centre for Sustainable Fashion site also offers brand names we may never have tried before. They have a great amount of information on other green publications like magazines and websites, for example BBC Thread.

I know you might be saying at this point, eco and organic will not cater for curves, well I beg to differ!  Here’s a list of them;
Of the earth a beautiful range of friendly clothing
Etsy A little bit hippy but some lovely designs
One stop plus Simple but great prices
Lola&Gigi A wide selection of Bamboo tops
Indigenous Designs, a little pricey but quality and beauty make up for it!

I am sure there are more and more but this is just to get you started, watch this space and I will review further eco clothing ranges. If you come accross any clothing ranges that you are interested in, just drop 100% People an email and we will do the research.