Sustainable September

You’ve had Earth, Wind And Fire on repeat, have reluctantly replaced your summer picnic rugs for fluffy blankets and have the urge to buy back-to-school stationery whether you are going back to school or not – must be September!

This September, lets use the “new term, new start” mentality to create some positive changes in our lives and make this month a little more kinder to the planet. Here are three tips to get you started…..

• Have a wardrode declutter – as the days cool down and the frost starts to show, you’re going to need to dig those winter woollies back out. This is a perfect time to go through the clothes you’ve been wearing all summer and decide if they still work in your wardrode. Are there any items that you didn’t wear all summer, even though they are summer season clothes? Did any garments not fit or didn’t bring you joy? From there you can sort them into categories such as To Fix, Upcycle, Charity Shop or Re-gift and create a simplier wardrobe going into autumn.
• This September, we are all washing our hands more than it used to seem possible. While using a solid soap in your bathroom is one of the least wasteful options, this may not be possible in places like the kitchen or for hygiene reasons. Therefore, it may be time to consider using handwash refills to keep your hand wash bottles going for longer. Brands such as Cussons Carex (https://carex.co.uk/terracycle/) have produced Hand Wash Refill pouches which can be used to refill your existing hand wash bottle, so you don’t have to get rid of the bottle or pump, which can be very hard to recyle. The programme claims to use up to 85% less plastic and the refill pouch and pump can be sent to Terracycle to recycle them once you are finished. So there’s no excuse not to do good while you spend 45 seconds washing your hands for a good part of each day…
• Trial moving to a more seasonal diet this September by choosing seasonal produce when shopping. In the UK, September catches the end of the season for blackberries and raspberries, and sees the emergence of mushrooms, apples, pears, parsnip and leeks. Sounds like perfect roast and crumble dinners to me! Look out for seasonal displays in the shops and produce that is British grown to help you pick produce in season in your area.

Hopefully these tips can be food for thought for the rest of this month and help us all to find a focus on things we can change in this uncertain time.