Note: This blog post contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own and it won’t cost you anything extra to shop through them. I received a copy of the book to review.

The book summarises the carbon costs of various activities and sorts them into sections by the weight of carbon emissions. At the low end of the scale are things like texting and emailing. At the higher end are volcanic eruptions and wars (which makes volcanic eruptions pale into insignificance).

Who Should Read How Bad Are Bananas?

This book is for everyone. If you are a beginner, then it will be highly educational and eye opening. There are also lots of helpful recommendations for positive actions that you can take.

For the more advanced, you can smugly turn the pages and say I do that, oh and I do that. But don’t get too smug as you might also learn something new!

Why Read How Bad Are Bananas?

If you want to get an understanding of how much it costs in carbon terms to send an email, eat a banana, watch an hours worth of TV or go to space (and much more), this is the book for you. I really enjoyed reading the book and feel that it is incredibly helpful to have Mike’s figures in mind when making every day decisions.

If you are making lifestyle changes or have done long ago, having facts and figures to back up these choices can be really helpful. Especially if people around you are curious about the justification for making these changes.

It’s not all about carbon footprints

Mike helpfully points out that the carbon footprint is not the whole story. Something might have a low carbon footprint, but still not be good for the environment for other reasons. I liked that in general he gives a rounded view of the issues.

There was only one recommendation he made where I felt he didn’t do that. That was when he encouraged people to swap to synthetic clothing. He didn’t mention that synthetic materials leach small plastic fibres into the water they are washed in. Unfortunately that does leave us stuck between a rock and a hard place when it comes to choosing the materials we clothe ourselves in.

No exact figures

Mike is a professional in the world of carbon footprints and is a university lecturer. But he admits throughout the book, that a lot of the figures are guesstimates. It is often difficult to put an exact figure on our activities as many variables come into play. However the point is to get a rough idea of how things compare and learn how we can make better choices!

I did also notice that it looked like there was a mistake in the headline figures in the TV watching section, but if you ignore them and read the blurb it makes more sense.

Get the book!

You can get your copy here: How Bad Are Bananas. If you don’t want to buy a copy, maybe you could borrow it (or request it) from your local library. Plus enter the competition below for a chance to win a copy. I have 3 to give away! When you enter the competition you also get a chance to win a copy of Ice: Tales from a Disappearing World and my book Eco Thrifty Living (This is the same competition I published last week in my review of Ice).

For more environmentally themed book suggestions, check out my Ultimate List of Sustainable Living Books

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Note: This post contains affiliate links and I received a copy of the book to review. All opinions are my own

You zoom in and out from the difficulties of getting dressed and eating in such cold conditions, to the blindingness of the light reflected from the ice, to the science behind the melting ice. There is a sense of danger and adventure throughout the book and an incredible event takes place during the day.

Does Ice: Tales from a Disappearing World, give us answers about the future of the planet?

I don’t feel that Marco gives us any rock solid answers about what the future will hold for the planet. Scientific models and predictions are essentially best guesses. They are based on our current level of data and understanding. Marco stresses the importance of critical thinking and remaining open minded to new information.

That said, we should still take the threat to the planet of melting ice caps seriously. We don’t know exactly how it will all play out.

Should we follow in Marco’s footsteps?

Most of us are unlikely to visit this ice sheet. However towards the end of the book, Marco mentions how the melting icecaps, will open up the area to tourism and potentially mining and frets about the devastating impacts that can have. So if you want to gain an understanding of what it is like, the best way to do it, is to sit back and relax with a cuppa and this book. Read about his adventures from the warmth of your sofa. Unless you fancy being a polar scientist that is – in which case, you have work to do!

Get your copy here: Ice: Tales from a Disappearing World or enter below for a chance to win a copy! Alongside Ice, I am also giving away a copy of my book Eco Thrifty Living and How Bad Are Bananas – the Carbon Footprint of Everything. There are three prizes in total, because I as well as the book bundle, I have an extra two copies of How Bad Are Bananas to give away.

For more environmentally themed book suggestions, check out my Ultimate List of Sustainable Living Books

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What is the problem with our waste?

In nature, there is no waste, as what isn’t useful to one creature will be useful to another. However we humans have created waste which can’t be used up naturally and causes imbalances in nature. Plus we are producing it in great quantities, at every stage along the production process of any item.

Our waste pollutes land, air and sea along the way to our homes. Then after disposal it continues to pollute. In landfill rubbish gives off methane a very potent greenhouse gas. When rubbish is incinerated it gives off CO2, which is another greenhouse gas. Watch the Story of Stuff video below, to find out more about the problems with waste

How can taking part in Zero Waste Week help to solve the waste problem in our homes?

Every year there is a different theme outlining positive actions that we can take to reduce waste in our homes.

Themes have included doing one more thing (2014) i.e. take one zero waste action, swapping disposables for reusables (2015) and keeping a food waste diary (2016) and tackling climate change (2019) .

I have taken part for years and have found that it totally changed my attitude towards my rubbish habit. We send a lot less to landfill these days. We are a family of 4 and we only need to put our bins out every few weeks.

Who founded Zero Waste Week?

Zero Waste Week was founded by Rachelle Strauss back in September 2008. She took on a challenge to send zero waste to landfill for a week and shared the challenge on a blog with her readers.

Her green journey started before that though. She was inspired to go green when she was pregnant and after being caught in a scary situation in flash floods with her daughter. To find out more read my interview with Rachelle here: Interview with Rachelle Strauss

When is zero waste week?

Zero waste week always takes place in the first full week of September. This year it runs from the 7th to 11th September 2020.

How can you take part?

• Sign up to the campaign here: Zero Waste Week Sign up. Once you sign up, you will receive all the information you need to take part each year.
• Join the Facebook Group: Zero Waste Week Heroes
• Check out the Ambassador page to discover bloggers who write on Zero Waste related themes (spot me at the bottom!)

Is taking part in Zero Waste Week enough to solve our rubbish problem?

The waste we produce at our end, in our homes is significant. We need to cut out waste in every area and it does make sense to start with what we have control over. No-one else can do it for us!

That said, there are areas where it is difficult to reduce waste. Plus as I mentioned earlier that the rubbish problem starts well before a product reaches our homes, so changing our own habits enough?

The theory of boycotting wasteful products and seeking out ones that come with less waste, was that companies would change to meet demand. That is happening, companies are changing and new zero waste businesses are springing up all over the place. There are now hundreds of zero waste shops in the UK, stocking all kinds of locally and ethically made zero waste products!

Change has to start somewhere. Let’s start it in the areas we can control!

Find out about more eco awareness campaigns here: Environmental awareness days, weeks and months

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In this interview, we get to know a bit more about them, including what they miss about Jamaica, why they quit teaching, their top frugal tips and more. Plus they share an authentic Jamaican vegan-ified recipe!

1.     On Joleisa.com, you share that you came over to the UK from Jamaica to teach. When did you make the move and what made you decide to come over here??

Leisa first came to teach in England in 2002 when there was a teacher shortage here. She was recruited from Jamaica by a teaching agency. Jo stayed back in Jamaica with her family and Leisa’s baby daughter while Leisa settled in to see what living in the UK would be like. At the end of the first year, Jo flew over to visit Leisa and also to reunite her with her daughter. She liked what she saw and decided to give it a go too. So the same teaching agency was contacted and an interview was arranged when she got back to Jamaica. The interviewers were impressed and so Jo also migrated with her family. 

What do you miss most about Jamaica and what do you like about living here

The switch was hard. The weather was….well typical British weather and the behaviour of the kids at school was abominable and not like anything we’d ever seen before. We knew kids could be naughty, but this was on another scale!

Leaving home in the dark to go to school, and getting back home in the dark (this was in January), was depressing.

We persevered because the salary was good. It afforded us the ability to save for what we wanted to achieve in life but also to be able to help family members and friends back home too! We love to travel and explore new places and this gave us the opportunity to do that too.

We miss the more ‘chilled’ life back home where things operate at a much slower pace. The constant sunshine is also something that we miss. The food is greatly missed too and we do cook Jamaican foods here but some authentic ingredients are hard to come by or are very expensive.

2.     What made you change direction from teaching to blogging and why did you choose to write about being frugal and thrifty on Joleisa.com?

After a while, the demands of teaching and running a family became rather difficult. We were spending long hours at school and only seeing our kids very little. At about that time too, there were some strange changes taking place in Education with every new Government minister wanting to put their own stamp on things. We felt that there was hardly any consultation with teachers. The goal posts kept changing according to the whims and fancies of those in charge. That compounded with the behaviour of many of the children. It made it feel like we were fighting a losing battle and not having enough time to spend with our own families.

So we had to take stock and decide whether we wanted to stay in our depressing jobs and be able to afford to pay for ‘stuff’( like the Joneses) or give up and live a happier life. We decided to go part time to test out living on a lower income. So that is exactly what we did. We were happier and got to spend more time with our families. So being frugal really did work a treat and that was why we decided to explore this more and encourage others to do the same. We both feel that this has been one of the best decisions we have ever made. So we started Joleisa.com before we totally gave up teaching. 

3.     How long have you been writing Joleisa.com for and what have been the highlights so far?

We have been writing Joleisa.com for nearly 4 years. Highlights include actually writing stuff that we enjoy talking about, getting to meet other bloggers, joining the UK Money bloggers group from where we have received so much help and being contacted by brands through the blog (and getting actual money for promoting what we believe in).

One big highlight too was being able to take part in all three series of the Channel 5 consumer programme Shop Smart Save Money, where we were able to give practical advice and support to families to help them manage their finance. It still brings a smile to our faces when people meet us on the streets and tell us that they saw us on tv. One lady met us in Wilkos and asked for tips and advice for redecorating her living room on a budget!

4.     Do you make money from Joleisa.com and if so how? 

Yes, thankfully all this work has paid off. We earn commission from Joleisa.com as affiliates, we write A LOT and we also get paid for ads on our blogs. We are paid also for working with brands and for sponsored posts.

5.     I read that you tried out Veganuary. How did you find it and how has that affected what you eat since?

We quite enjoyed Veganuary and don’t always cook meat with every meal. But we do have lots of friends who are vegan and who are always asking for recipes so we adapt some meat recipes to suit them and we quite enjoy partaking too. We also did some work with a brand on developing some Jamaican recipes to make them vegan friendly.

6.     Do you have any recommendations for vegan or vegetarian Jamaican dishes and any recipes that I and my readers could try out?

Sure! Ackee and saltfish which is a popular Jamaican dish can be easily adapted by replacing the salted cod with olives or mushrooms, preferably shitake for the meaty texture. Check out the recipe on our blog here: Jamaican Ackee and Saltfish (vegan version)

7.     I have heard/ read criticism that sustainability movements in this country aren’t inclusive enough. Is this a problem you have encountered and if so what do you think can be done about it?

In our humble opinion, sustainability issues affect all of us regardless of anything that seems to divide us. It is in all our best interest to take part by doing our bit. We can be sustainable with our shopping habits for clothes and food and body care products etc. These are issues that affect everyone. 

8.     What are your biggest tips for living the frugal life?

• Budget wisely according to your means
• Meal plan
• Spend within your limit
• Avoid credit at all possible costs
• Save and invest
• Shop around and check prices especially online
• Don’t automatically renew anything
• Use voucher codes, store loyalty cards and coupons
• When you’re out shopping, haggle haggle haggle
• Use comparison sites like Go compare, Compare the Market and other Apps that will show you the best deal.

9.     For anyone visiting your blog for the first time, where should they start and where can they follow you

Our blog is at Joleisa.com where people can read the latest posts. There is also the right sidebar which lists the latest posts, and also our most popular posts. Everyone is after something different and there is definitely something there for everyone.

I really enjoyed interviewing Jo and Leisa. I can relate to how they felt about their jobs and their journey too. Years ago I quit my job to become a blogger and also found that I prefered to live off less, but to have more time. I also did Veganuary for the first time this year and have been mainly (but not fully) plant based ever since.

Jo and Leisa are trained teachers turned full time bloggers. They hail from Jamaica and it is their passion to show others that they can live a good quality, happy life, at a fraction of the cost. They both have young adult children and currently live in Birmingham, England. Follow them on Instagram and Twitter. Read their blog at Joleisa.com

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Anxiety is a type of worrying, where it is difficult to get rid of your worries. Living with anxiety is really unpleasant. It can be very hard to relax, your sleep can be disturbed and worries go round and round your head on replay. If not dealt with it can potentially lead to panic attacks and depression. You know you are really suffering when you start worrying that you are worrying too much. You want to stop worrying, but you don’t know how to.

Please note this article contains an affiliate link marked with an asterisk. If you click through and buy something, it won’t cost you anything extra, but it will help to support the blog – thanks!

I suffer from anxiety sometimes

I have been through a period of anxiety and panic attacks in the past and found a lot of things that really helped me through.

Since the virus outbreak I haven’t slept as well as usual and at the beginning felt moments of anxiety flare up. That is without anything bad happening specifically to us.

To start off with, I just felt like I was going around with my mouth wide open in shock. Then I got a feeling of building unease, next anxiety and then I took some steps to limit it before it got worse. I still don’t feel entirely normal (does anyone right now?), but I feel much better than I would if I didn’t do these things.

If you suffer from anxiety there is help out there

I imagine that a lot of people are suffering from anxiety right now, much more so than usual. If that is happening to you, know this – you are not alone. There is a lot of help out there that you can access for free, or for very little and there are things you can do to feel better.

Obviously I am not a professional and this is not medical advice. But I am sharing some of the things that help me when I’m feeling anxious, plus some further ideas in the hopes that they can be of help to you too.

If you need to speak to someone urgently, call the Samaritans at any time for free on 116 123 .

5 ways to tackle anxiety on a budget

1. Tackle anxiety by making a risk register

Back in my internal audit days, at times I audited risk registers. A risk register is basically a list of all the key risks you (or an organisation) are facing right now. Then against each risk, you work out what action you can take to reduce it and how you will deal with it, if the worst happens. Finally you take the actions and you keep updating your risk register as things change.

If you have a long list of worries going round and round your head, write them down and brainstorm what you can do about each of them. Then take the actions that you can/ note the back up plans you will follow in case of emergency.

There will be some things that you can do nothing or very little about and in that case the best thing you can do is let go of trying to control them.

2. Let go of the things you can’t control

It can be very difficult to let go of worries, because we can mistakenly think that the worrying is protecting us and that if we let our guard down then bad things will happen. In reality though that isn’t true at all. Excessive worrying is a totally unproductive way to protect yourself. Having the worry in the first place is useful because it alerts us to a problem, but once we have got to work on solving the problem, or realising we can’t do anything about it, it is time to let the worry go – it has done it’s job.

3. Get/ ask for help with your anxiety

Cognitive behavioural therapy can be helpful if you are having trouble overcoming anxiety and letting go of those worries. You might be able to get an appointment to speak to someone over the phone or online. Find out what services are available from your local NHS. In some places you can self refer to wellbeing services. Also there are free workbooks you can access online via the site of a brilliant therapist that helped me – Anxiety CBT workbooks

If you have kids that have excessive worries – this book: What to do when you worry too much* is really good and even though it is aimed at kids, it can help adults too.

Also ask for practical help too if needed with food and money worries.

4. Do exercise

Doing exercise can be great for improving mood. In China, one guy stuck in his apartment on lockdown ran a 31 miles in his living room. He reported feeling great afterwards. So even if you are stuck in doors with no exercise equipment you can still get fit.

I was training for the Brighton marathon before everything kicked off. The guy who runs the running group I go to, said he didn’t recommend doing longer runs at the moment. He said it can weaken your immune system. So I wouldn’t recommend running quite that far right now, but shorter runs will be really good.

If you are thinking of taking up running for the first time, set yourself a challenge. Start off with aiming for running 5k and once you get there see if you can run faster or further. When you are pushing yourself you have to take a break from worrying because you don’t have brain power for anything else!

Many of us, especially those with kids, have all kinds of sports equipment and activities we can do at home. Now is the time to make use of the space and equipment you have. Also you and the kids can take part in Joe Wicks 30 minute long daily P.E. lessons online at 9.00 term time.

5. Make art

You do not have to be good at art to do this one. I started doodling a few years ago and I just draw random shapes with random patterns in them. When I draw the random shapes it really feels like I am letting go. There are no rules, I just let it all out. Even scribbling all over a piece of paper can feel good! Then I slow down to make the patterns and the lack of screens or information or brain challenge involved can be very relaxing.

I was so surprised that I liked the pictures that I drew. You never know you might surprise yourself with a hidden talent! Even if you are rubbish at art, you can still benefit from doing it. Plus art encompasses a wide range of activities. See if there is one that you like.

Art can be a great way to help kids feel calmer at this time too. Take a look a this lock down post on Red Ted Art for lots of great ideas.

Don’t let your anxiety win – tell it to get lost.

I hope these tips were helpful. If they didn’t cut it for you, keep looking for ways to kick your anxiety out. It is worth it because you will be able to deal with all the things worrying you far better and have a greater chance of solving them too.

I hope you are all staying safe and well during these incredibly challenging times and that you win out against anxiety if you are suffering from it.

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A little preparation before you go away on a trip can be good for your wallet and the environment! Here are my 5 eco money saving going away tips!

1. Sort out your food

The first of my 5 eco money saving going away tips, is to check the contents of your fridge. Plus your fruit bowl and any other places you might have food that has a short shelf life. Stop it from going off while you are away by doing the following:

Freeze:

• Excess milk in ice cube trays
• Berries and grapes. They taste yummy as a frozen treat, but also blend nicely to make sorbets, icecreams, smoothies or ingredients in a crumble or pie.
• Bread. For sliced bread tilt each slice slightly in the bag. It makes it easier to separate the slices after being frozen.
• Bananas – freeze in their skins or slice into coins.
• Meat and fish. It can be frozen once before being cooked and once after being cooked.

Batch cook and then freeze:

Make:

• soup out of excess vegetables including salad. If you have an unwanted apple or pear, add that to the soup for added sweetness.
• a white sauce or cheese sauce out of excess milk and cheese
• Pasta sauce out of excess veg and tomatoes or passata
• Banana tea bread out of over ripe bananas and freeze to eat another time. Tip – make it into muffins instead using sillicone cases or a muffin baking tray to avoid disposable muffin cases.
• Juice leftover citrus fruit and other fruit that is easy to juice. Either drink straight away or freeze in icecube trays for another time.

If you are going to stay with friends or relatives you could take your fresh food with you to share with them there. Check first if they can make use of the food you are bringing and if they have space in their fridge / freezer for it.

Tip: if they do want the food but don’t have any space – freeze a couple of 2 litre bottles of water and put them in a cool pack to take the food in. The frozen water should keep the food cool for a couple of days.

If you are going to stay in a hotel or your friends and relatives don’t want your excess food, try your neighbours. Or give the food away via online food sharing sites and apps like Olio.

For more tips about how to reduce food waste check out this article here: Food waste – a challenge to avoid it for a day and a round up of use it up ideas

2. Turn things off at the plug switch

While you are away you don’t need to see the clock on your oven or have your TV system on standby.

Switch everything off at the plug unless it is something that needs to be on constantly like a fish tank or your fridge freezer. Also if you have set things up to record over the holidays on something like cable TV you need to leave the cable box turned on, but everything else can go off.

You will save money on the background energy usage you don’t need to be on and it is better for the environment not to use energy if you don’t need to.

3. Set your heating to 5 to 10 degrees

It is important to leave your heating on a bit while you are away so that your pipes don’t get too cold and potentially freeze and burst. Equally though you don’t want to be paying to heat your home at the same temperature you have it while you are there. It doesn’t need to be that hot, just hot enough to protect the pipes.

4. Put your fridge freezer on holiday mode

When you are at home, the fridge freezer gets opened and closed regularly. That allows cold air to escape and then the fridge and freezer needs to work harder to cool down again.

While you are away your fridge freezer has less work to do, because the doors stay shut. So you can put it on holiday mode. This lets it know that it doesn’t need to work as hard and it will use less energy.

5. Give away any cut flowers, still blooming or take them with you!

Have you been given flowers just before you are going away? It would be a real shame for them to look beautiful in your home while you aren’t there. Take them with you if you can or give them to a friend or relative to appreciate them instead!

So there you have it – 5 ways that getting organised before you go away can save money and the environment!

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Interview with Debbie of Wastenot, a zero waste shop

Tell us a bit about yourself

Well one thing I like to say about myself is that I’m a life long environmentalist. I’m pretty sure it was being a tree frog in the school performance of Yanamamo that inspired 7 year old Debbie to try to protect the Earth.

Why did you set up Wastenot?

I’ve been working on minimising my waste since 2012 when I travelled to Australia. While I was there, I was introduced to bin diving for perfectly edible food thrown away by supermarkets. This really opened my eyes to the sheer scale of waste caused by the developed world. From food to packaging, disposability and convenience are destroying us. I wanted to create a space where people can shop for only what food they need, find eco friendly disposable alternatives, and purchase items that can last them a lifetime

How did you get your business started and did you get any help and support starting it up?

I am very fortunate to have plenty of skilled and kind friends around me who have helped. From the DIY shop fit, to marketing and blogging advice, and especially my partner Robin who was instrumental in building the website! 

What kinds of products are your best sellers in the shop?

I would definitely say that the dried bulk foods and the detergent refills are the most popular things. They are closely followed by bamboo toothbrushes, and washable makeup remover pads.

What have been your best moments with the shop so far?

My best moments tend to happen as a result of serendipity. For example, I wanted to start stocking coffee beans. A week after I had that thought, I was approached by Chris from Brewed Roasters about stocking their beans! Collecting coffee beans is one of my favourite things to do. I take the jars from my shop to Brewed on Lewes Road, and they fill them straight from their coffee sacks. I get to have a delicious brunch while I’m there too.

What have been your greatest challenges since opening your shop?

Finding time to do everything I want, and having to learn patience when I can’t move things as quickly as I would like!

What are the top three tips you would you give to someone else thinking of opening up a zero waste shop?

Be patient, get enough sleep, and have plenty of savings! It’s a very demanding and not especially well paid job so you have to know you will really love what you’re doing.

Where do you see yourself and the shop in 5 years time? It’s a strange thing to say, but I hope to be out of a job in 5 years!

It’s my dream that zero waste shopping becomes so mainstream that all the supermarkets run bulk sections and eco friendly products become the norm. I could close the shop happy that I was part of the movement towards a sustainable future.

Thanks to Debbie for answering the questions!

Want to find your local zero waste shop? Take a look at my UK Directory of Zero Waste Shops

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It could be in the form of negative comments or it could be in the form of them blocking you in trying to be more eco-friendly. They might also show no interest in changing even after you have given them a load of good reasons why they should.

So what can you do about it? My answer is to consider your message carefully.

Eco – living product swaps

Let’s say for example on your eco-living journey, you have decided shampoo bars are much better than liquid shampoo. You want to encourage all your friends to try them too.

You could tell them that:

1. it is wrong to buy and throw away plastic bottles and tell them about a myriad of other problems with liquid shampoo
2. you won’t be using shampoo in plastic bottles any more, you will be switching to soap bars and you think they should too.

Some people will take your point on board. Other people may feel that you are trying to pressure them into making an eco-living change they aren’t sure about and feel totally put off by it. Although there are good arguments for switching to a soap bar, there are also good arguments for not doing it.

Pros of liquid shampoo:

1. They really like the shampoo they use now
2. They have fine hair, or greasy hair and very particular requirements about what they use on it and have discovered the perfect shampoo after years of experimenting.
3. There are no shampoo bars for sale in the places they usually shop.
4. Maybe they know something about shampoo bars that you don’t, to do with their eco-friendly credentials, or maybe they are cynical. Sometimes things that appear to be more eco-friendly options turn out not to be.

Or you could:

1. Ask them what their hair type is. Then buy them a really nice shampoo bar as a gift suitable for their hair type. This way you are letting them decide for themselves what they think about shampoo bars, by having one to try out if they want to!
2. Try out a shampoo bar yourself and tell your friends what you thought about it. Then ask them what they think of the idea without pressuring them into using one at all.
3. You could also combine point 2. with buying them a voucher for a shop that sells shampoo bars and other things, when it is their birthday next.

Although the easiest option is to tell people why you think they should change their ways, it often doesn’t work. This is because they have objections. If you don’t know what their objections are, you can’t address them. You also don’t want to make people feel pressured, because we all hate those sales people who hold us hostage and won’t let us go until we have bought their product! It often has the opposite effect to the one intended, putting people off from making a change at all.

Give people solutions not problems, that take into account their objections and that are fun! That is likely to have a far better effect in influencing the people around you.

Eco-living habit changes

Not all eco-living changes that you make are a product switch though. Some are a habit switch e.g. not wasting bread . You can’t give someone a new habit, in the same way that you can give them a thing. So what can you do in this situation?

Again in this situation action speaks louder than words. Make the eco -living changes yourself, test them out and see how you get on. Why should someone else make a change that you haven’t tried and tested yourself?

Another good idea is to take on a challenge e.g. Zero Waste Week and invite other people to join you! Zero Waste Week is the first week in September every year. Asking other people to join in a challenge with you is non-threatening, because you aren’t telling them what to do, you are asking them for company on a journey of discovery!

If you’ve done all that and it hasn’t made any obvious difference, don’t step up your efforts and don’t give up! What’s that supposed to mean? What I mean by that is don’t try harder, because you might put them off and do keep doing what you believe to be the right thing. Don’t succumb to peer pressure to go back to your old ways, stand firm and keep going.

Diffusion of Innovation

At the top of this article I have shared a picture of a bell curve, which is based on Everett Rogers Diffusion of Innovation theory. It illustrates that we don’t all adopt a new idea at same time.

• 2.5% of people are innovators and come up with an invention/ an idea/ a new way of doing things.
• 13.5% of people are called early adopters. These people hear about a new idea or product and are on board straight away. These people may include first investors and customers
• 34% of people are in the early majority. It’s becoming more mainstream now and a lot more people are doing it/ buying into it.
• 34% of people are in the late majority. Not only is it mainstream, but by now it has been widely tried and tested, it is more readily available and accessible. They can have confidence that it works/ fills a need well/ is a good idea. Or perhaps they realise that, they will soon have no choice but to make the change.
• 16% of people are the laggards – the people who are very slow to make a change. Or maybe they never wanted to make a change at all but now have no option because the old way has become obsolete.

Bear this bell curve in mind when you feel like your actions are having no effect on people. You might not be able to see the seed of change that you have planted in their minds. But it doesn’t mean it isn’t there. Keep watering it, by continuing to act! You might be surprised by them and see them making a change later down the line.

The post Eco living – how to overcome resistance to it! appeared first on Eco Thrifty Living.

There’s an app for that! That is one of my husbands favourite sayings and for ages I just didn’t get it. I have got apps on my phone, but I wasn’t that excited by them. I didn’t think I needed any more apps that than the most basic ones. I couldn’t see them changing my life.

Things have changed. I’ve started to see the light when it comes to apps, especially free weight loss and exercise apps.

Regular readers of my blog will know that a few years ago I gave up sugar and I was sure I would never touch the stuff again. Well I fell off the wagon a bit, and then a lot and then before you knew it I was eating magnums for lunch on holiday (plastic, chocolate, sugar – basically a LOT of reasons to tell myself off!). The weight gradually piled back on and my attempts at going sugar free again didn’t seem to be resulting in the weight loss of before…

What was going wrong? Firstly I wasn’t doing much exercise, I was spending an hour a week chatting, I mean playing badminton with my friends. One of my friends suggested running, so I thought why not, I’ll give it a go.

To start off with I could only run for a few minutes at a time, but fast forward a few months and now I can run 10 miles and am aiming for a half marathon next! Running has taken over my life a bit and there have been a lot of factors helping me with it. I am lucky to have lots of friends to go running with and to  have the beautiful Downs pictured above close by to go running in!

Strava

Another one of the things that has kept me motivated is using the app Strava. It was my Mr ‘there’s an app for that’ who got me into it. Strava is great. Whenever I go running, I track my run on it. It shows me how far I ran, the pace I ran at and how long it took me. It also breaks down parts of the route / distances you run and tells you how you compared against yourself on previous runs.

You can see really clearly if you are improving. It is also possible to compare yourself to other people on the app, but so far I haven’t wanted to and have just been happy to see my progress against myself. You can also track other activities like cycling on there. I have been blown away by how quickly my running abilities have improved and knowing what my times are on Strava has motivated me to do better every time.

Lose It

Another free app, which has been really helpful is Lose It. I have never counted calories before. I thought avoiding sugar was enough. When I got Lose It, I realised that nuts and cheese are ridiculously calorific and eating them were a big reason I was finding it hard to lose weight. On Lose It, when you first sign up you put in your current weight and the weight you would like to be. It then calculates how many calories a day you can have to get to the weight you want to be by the date you would like to get there.

Each day, you log your weight, the exercise you have done and the food you eat. You can scan foods in and the app remembers your favourite foods and your meals, so you can copy previous meals and foods which makes it quick and easy. It calculates how many calories you have burned from the exercise you have done and then minuses your exercise calories from your food calories. This means you can eat more if you want on the days you exercise.

Strava is useful here because you will know how far you ran and how long it took you, which is the information you need to count the running calories burned in Lose It. Lose It also has a range of exercises to chose from including less obvious ones like house cleaning and gardening.

Weight loss success

Between Lose It and Strava, I have felt like I have a lot more control over my weight as I know now exactly which savoury foods and meals are way more calorific than others. It means that I can choose to avoid them, or to only eat them on the days I do enough exercise to counteract them or to have them in a smaller portion size or to do it anyway, but know what I am doing and what the result will be. I’ve been using Lose It for around 2 and a half months now and have lost just under a stone since I started using it.

Both apps are free and they have really helped motivate me to become a runner and to lose weight! I think they are both brilliant!

Note – this post contains entirely my own opinions, is not sponsored and is for entertainment purposes only. It does not constitute advice and you need to make up your own mind before using these apps.

The post How to lose weight for free! appeared first on Eco Thrifty Living.

Christmas is on its way and the school holidays will soon be upon us. The kids will need entertaining! As this is an expensive time of year, you may be on the lookout for some cheap children’s activities. I hope these eco-friendly suggestions help.

This is a guest post from Shoestring Jane who blogs about living a fun and frugal life at http://www.shoestringcottage.com. She writes about healthy eating on a budget, frugal gardening and growing your own food, making extra money and finding the best bargains. You can also find Jane on Twitter (@shoestringjane), on Instagram (@shoestringcottage) and on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/shoestringjane). I have added relevant affiliate links in places which are marked with an *. It won’t cost you any extra to purchase something through an affiliate link, but will help to support the blog!

Leaf printing

This is a lovely old fashioned autumn activity.  Leaves are easy to find wherever you live. It is really two cheap children’s activities in one as you will need a fun walk in the fresh air to collect the leaves first! Choose plenty of different shapes of leaf and don’t pick up the brittle ones as they will crumble too quickly.

Try to choose an eco-friendly paint* or have a go at making one yourself!  Simply paint the leaves in different colours and press them onto card or paper. Very simple and effective.

Pond dipping

I loved doing this with my kids. Obviously you need to pay attention when you mix kids with water. All you need is a body of water – your own or a neighbour’s pond is a good starting point – a sieve, a jam jar and a large light coloured tray. There are some very good instructions on the Freshwater Habitats Trust website. so take a look and get pond dipping!

Recycled crafts

Save toilet roll tubes, sweet wrappers, bits of wool, wrapping paper, foil, fabric, etc and make a craft box. Invest in some eco-friendly glue*, some edible glitter* and any other craft supplies you find at reasonable prices. On a cold, wet day your craft box will come into its own, allowing your children to be messy and creative.

You can take a more organised approach to what you are making and have a look on Pinterest. It is a fantastic source of inspiration and there are loads of ideas for children’s crafts for every occasion.

Geocaching

The modern day treasure hunt, geocaching is hugely popular and very addictive. You used to have to purchase a GPS device to take part, but now there are apps available for your smart phone very cheaply. Some are even free. There is a great beginner’s guide to geocaching on the Ordnance Survey website.

Beach combing

If you are lucky enough to live near enough to the sea, beach combing is so much fun. Finding little treasures such as shells, sea glass and pretty stones costs nothing and kids love it. They can explore the wildlife in the rock pools whilst you are there. I always like to take a spare carrier bag to pick up any rubbish on the beach as well. I find this maddening!

Charity shopping/boot sales

I love a summer boot sale. You can buy pretty much anything at a fraction of the as new price. Charity shops aren’t as cheap, but you are supporting a charity, of course, and they are still great places to find bargains. Both offer an inexpensive opportunity to teach your children about money and budgeting. Buying second-hand is also good for the environment as you extend the useful life of the items you buy and stop them going to landfill. I used to give my daughters five pounds each and let them spend it as they wished. However, they weren’t allowed to go on the very expensive inflatables you tend to find at the boot sale these days! This was a pleasant way to while away some time and their finds entertained them back at home too.

Visit your local wildlife trust nature reserve

Joining and visiting a wildlife trust is a superb way to encourage an appreciation of nature in your children, as well as supporting the preservation of wild spaces. They offer the chance to run around and let off steam as well as to learn about the wildlife in your area. The Trusts are a campaigning organisation and have huge influence. At the moment they are publicising the impact that Brexit might have on our wildlife protection laws. Find your nearest Wildlife Trust reserve here: Wildlife Trusts.

Delve into a museum

One of the best decisions this government has ever made was to make entry to our national museums free. They are a fabulous way to teach your family about art and history. One of our favourites is the Natural History Museum in London, but there are lots of smaller local museums that may be free too. Have a look on your council website. We have a lovely little toy museum and a natural history museum locally, both of which have free entry.

Have a cookery session

Children love to cook! There are so many reasons why you should teach yours this essential life skill. At its most basic level, it is fun and will while away an afternoon or two. However, it also gives you the opportunity to discuss where food comes from and slip in some information about good nutrition. Cooking from scratch is cheaper and healthier than buying packaged meals and allows you to avoid excess packaging. You could let your kids plan a meal and buy the ingredients as well, so that they get that food costs money. If you want to read about more reasons for teaching your children to cook have a look at this blog post I wrote on the subject five reasons you should teach your children to cook.

Plant something

You don’t have to have a garden to grow things with the children. Cress is so easy to grow on your windowsill, along with various herbs. You can also attempt to sprout avocado seeds or try Zoe’s instructions on how to regrow celery.  If you are fortunate enough to have a vegetable patch, involve your children and give them a bit of earth to grow a few bits in. They will get the same satisfaction as you do from growing their own food.

Having fun with your children doesn’t always have to involve a huge amount of expense, and you may find the most enduring memories you make are those that cost very little.

* where there is an asterisk affiliate links have been used.

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