I and A Mag Sep19
Telford Magazine
Telford Magazine
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Small Steps Big Impact<br />
It’s not always easy to be eco-friendly, but<br />
there are ways you can work together as a<br />
family to lead a greener life.<br />
Discuss the issues<br />
Talk to your family about what you want to achieve <strong>and</strong> why.<br />
You might be surprised at what they come up with. After<br />
watching ‘War on Plastic with Hugh <strong>and</strong> Anita’, my children<br />
announced they were giving up jelly pots <strong>and</strong> other plasticwrapped<br />
snacks. Can you commit to walking or cycling to<br />
school rather than going in the car? Can you all agree to use<br />
reusable water bottles rather than buying drinks while you’re<br />
out?<br />
Recycle<br />
Make recycling easier by labelling your bins so it’s clear what<br />
goes in each one. Print pictures to stick on the lids if you<br />
have young children. Short on space? Ikea sell space-saving<br />
stackable storage bins.<br />
Crisp packets, biscuit wrappers, toothbrushes, contact lens<br />
packaging <strong>and</strong> baby food pouches usually aren’t collected<br />
by the council, but they can be recycled by TerraCycle.<br />
Alternatively, Ellie’s Fund has recycling collection points across<br />
the UK to raise money for brain tumour research, see www.<br />
elliesfund.com/recycling.<br />
Get crafty<br />
Most children love crafts, so why not look at a few eco-projects?<br />
You could make beeswax wraps together (an alternative to<br />
cling film) or soy c<strong>and</strong>les to give as gifts. My children decorated<br />
some organic tote bags (£1 each on eBay) to donate to the<br />
local shop for customers to borrow.<br />
Go wild<br />
Cut down on the weeding <strong>and</strong> do your bit for insects by letting<br />
an area of your garden go wild. Encourage birds by hanging up<br />
some bird feeders <strong>and</strong> bird boxes, or planting large shrubs or<br />
a hedge for them to nest in. Don’t have a garden? Search the<br />
RHS website for pollinator-friendly plants for pots <strong>and</strong> window<br />
boxes.<br />
Reuse<br />
Try to reuse before buying new. You could melt wax crayons<br />
down in silicone cake moulds to make new chunky crayons for<br />
example. Kids desperate for plastic toys? Buy them secondh<strong>and</strong><br />
on eBay or Facebook Marketplace.<br />
Take action<br />
Get your kids involved in campaigning! You could encourage<br />
them to write to your MP or send letters to ask favourite br<strong>and</strong>s<br />
to reduce plastic waste. You could even take part in familyfriendly<br />
climate marches together.<br />
Make the switch<br />
Some of the things that make the most difference actually<br />
take the least amount of work. Switching to a renewable<br />
energy supplier such as Bulb, Ecotricity or Octopus only takes<br />
a few minutes. Most green energy companies have excellent<br />
customer service ratings <strong>and</strong> sometimes work out cheaper<br />
than the larger companies.<br />
Move your money<br />
Banks often use your savings <strong>and</strong> loan repayments to invest<br />
in companies you may not want to support. It’s easy to move<br />
your family’s money to a more ethical provider. Charity Bank,<br />
Triodos <strong>and</strong> Ecology Building Society all offer a range of ethical<br />
investment opportunities <strong>and</strong> savings accounts. Want to stick<br />
to a high street bank? The Co-operative Bank has a strict<br />
ethical policy that sets out what it won’t invest your money in.<br />
by Kate Duggan<br />
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