Taking the first step on your eco journey can feel overwhelming - there’s so much information to take in and factors to consider. As with many changes, starting is the hardest part, so here are some really easy swaps you can make, without costing a fortune - in fact you will often save money!

Already well into your eco journey? If you’ve ticked off this list, I’ve added some “next level” tips for each, and I’ll be diving deeper into some of these topics in future journal entries.

I’m often asked what my first eco swap was, so although the order of this last might seem random, it reflects my journey, starting with swapping clingfilm for beeswax wraps.

1. Clingfilm for beeswax wraps

I last bought clingfilm more than 6 years ago and I don’t miss it at all. Beeswax wraps are ideal for covering leftovers, wrapping cheese and cut fruit… I even use it to wrap shampoo bars when I’m travelling. Using the warmth of your hands helps create a tight seal, and you simply wash them in warm (not hot) soapy water to use over and over again. As a bonus, the fridge looks so much prettier filled with colourful fabric wraps rather than plastic!

Next level eco: refresh your wraps with a beeswax bar to make them last even longer. If they’re completely past it, cut them up and add to your compost bin.

2. Switch to natural deodorant

Many people switch to natural skincare because they’ve had a reaction to a mainstream product - and that’s a brilliant clue as to their eco-friendliness. Natural formulas are free from sulphates, phosphates, parabens and synthetic perfumes, all of which can irritate your skin as well as cause harm to the environment.

Natural deodorants use bicarbonate of soda, starch and essential oils to absorb moisture, balance pH and manage bacteria levels. This means it doesn’t block your pores like anti-perspirant does, allowing you to sweat naturally but without any unpleasant odours. Natural deodorants don’t leave yellow stains on your clothes either.

Switching my deodorant felt like a “safe” switch compared to changing moisturiser, which is why it was my first skincare swap. But now I only use natural products on my skin - all from Cosy Cottage made in Malton.

Next level eco: check your skincare products for true green credentials - some eco brands are being bought up by multinationals than might not be environmentally sound in other areas of the their business. For example Wild deodorant was recently bought by Unilever.

3. Be prepared with reusable cups and bottles

Pre-pandemic, it was quite common to take your own cup into coffee shops, but we’re still a way off this being the norm once again. Many indie coffee shops offer a discount for using your own cup so it’s a win-win. There are all sorts of shapes, sizes and solutions out there, from folding silicone cups to leakproof thermos flasks, so there’ll be one to suit you.

The same goes for water and juice, and again, it’s much cheaper to fill these at home before heading out and about.

Next level eco: use the Refill app to find local businesses that will fill up your water bottle for free when you’re out and about

4. Reduce your recycling

Whilst recycling our waste has some impact on how much rubbish ends up in landfill or in the ocean, it’s still got many downsides and certainly isn’t a solution to the problem. A significant proportion doesn’t get recycled, it takes energy to do, and whilst glass and aluminium can be recycled into more good quality glass and aluminium, plastic is much harder to process and often degrades.

A great way to reduce your burden is to take a look at your recycling bin and see what’s in there. Are there any plastic free alternatives? If there’s lots of plastic milk cartons, you could see if you have a local milkman. And of course many household products and personal care products can be filled up at your local refill shop, reusing the bottle numerous times. We’re about to refill our 6000th bottle at The GreenHouse, so it really does make a difference!

Next level eco: learn about triangle codes - the number inside the triangle on your plastic containers indicates how easy it is to recycle - if you can avoid the hard to recycle plastic completely that’s a huge help.

5. Look after your clothes

“Fast fashion” has a social as well as environment impact, so a double reason to try and avoid it wherever possible. Rapidly produced, low quality clothes create huge amounts of waste, have high carbon emissions and pollute water with dyes and chemicals. Growing cotton for clothes also uses huge amounts of water.

Making our clothes last longer is a simple step to reducing out fast fashion footprint. We probably wash our clothes much more often than we need to, weakening the material and shortening their lifespan. Washing some materials can also release chemical and microplastics in the ecosystem. Instead of chucking clothes in the machine after every wear, try sponging off any marks, airing outside to shift any odours and rewearing.

Learn to repair damaged clothes - thank goodness visible mending is on trend! I only learnt to use a sewing machine properly last year but I’ve already mended a few loose seams and tears. I hope to run a mending workshop in The GreenHouse soon too.

And of course if clothes no longer fit, donate them to charity or sell them on rather than throw them out.

Next level eco: when you do buy new clothes, use sustainable makers. These companies are thoughtful and transparent about their materials, supply chain and working practices. My personal favourites are Palava and Lucy&Yak.

Once you make a start, it’s much easier to keep adding swaps and green thinking into your routines. Everyone’s journey will be different, so try not to overthink it and get stuck… it doesn’t need to be perfect or all in one go, every little bit helps.

Do let me know what your first green step was, and of course, what else you want to know about in this journal.

Next time on the journal… how I make sustainable decisions for The GreenHouse.