Eco warrior or ‘eco-ish’: every little helps

Can I be honest with you? In the past I think I haven’t made eco-swaps because I’ve been so paralysed by the magnitude of everything that needs to be done to stop the climate crisis. I kind of felt that whatever I did to become more eco-friendly simply wouldn’t be enough. If I committed to going vegetarian once a week would I be told why I need to be a 100% vegan? Should I only be taking my tupperware to fill up with grains? Or only eating food from within a five mile radius?

I’m sure you all know that nagging feeling of perfectionism where you want to nail absolutely everything you do — but then I was reminded of something Anne Marie Bonneau, a zero waste chef said, “We don’t need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly.” And so, rather than striving to be an eco-warrior and constantly feeling inadequate (I think us women do that enough thank you very much), I’m embracing being ‘eco-ish’.

How to be more eco-friendly? Choose smart green products

What does being ‘eco-ish’ mean? It doesn’t mean not trying. It means not berating yourself for not doing absolutely everything you possibly could to make a difference but at least giving it a bloody good go. And also bothering to look into where your products come from or how they’re made. So in the spirit of playing my part, I’ve made some quick, everyday household product swaps that I hope might inspire you to do the same.

Let’s start with your eco-friendly cleaning products. Call me shallow, but I like beautifully designed ones. I also now look for refillable glass bottles and anything that’s natural / non-toxic. Many reviews say they’re just as effective as the regular varieties but thankfully, much less harmful.

For toilet roll, I look for plastic-free, bamboo paper. The one I use (Who Gives A Crap) also donates 50% of profits to clean water and sanitation non-profit organisations, so it’s doing a world of good there, too. Remember, even if you just swap one thing, it helps.