What else can we do for the environment

I haven't heard of the TerraCycle Scheme but I would be very interested to learn about it please. I am very conscious of the need to care for the environment. I recycle, cook from scratch, don't use paper towels, walk or use public transport. I gave up my car four years ago. My clothes are bought to last not to be thrown away after a few weeks. I use very few cleaning products and no chemicals in the garden.

Aldom. This is the link for TerraCycle.

www.terracycle.com/en-GB/

Sound like you're doing some brilliant stuff there Shropshirelass.

Other things I do that you may well already be doing:-
Garden organically - no pesticides, herbicides, slug pellets
Buy less of everything.
When you do buy if possible buy secondhand/vintage/used things
Campaign/contribute to charities that protect the environment.
Join a local group protecting the environment e.g. Surfers Against Sewage, Litter picking groups

You've inspired me to think of more things I can do. Thank you.

I am passionate about the environment too Shropshireless and recycle everything I can in the usual way.
Beyond that I put old items of wood, slabs etc on Facebook for free so they can have a second life.
I do beach cleans regularly, especially this summer where litter was a problem.
I no longer use plastic water bottles or buy coffees on the go. I use my own flasks and chilli bottles.
I dispose of dog poo bags responsibly.
I fly far less than I used to and am happy to travel by train rather than car if possible.
Most importantl, I talk about the environment with my grandchildren and share ideas.

Thank you Shropshirelass

Scones I do need to get my husband to buy less. He always thinks big and over orders just in case.

I decided to try to stop flying. Covid has certainly helped with that but I've also figured out many European train routes I wouldn't have considered before. Also decided to get a grip on my clothes buying. Truly enjoyable but totally unnecessary in my case. Haven't bought a single item for nearly two years now. Well pleased. Recycling is now second nature and our bin system is pretty comprehensive. Started using my car again instead of public transport because of covid but I'm easing back out of that but not entirely. I'm on the case. Hoping to cut back on fuel usage this winter but that remains to be seen. A work in progress...... and fingers crossed that Winter is not too brutal this year. I'm certainly learning more as each day passes and I implement what I can.

Cutting back on eating animal products would be a big change you could make. It sounds as if you are doing a lot already, so this could be easier than you think!

www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/oct/10/huge-reduction-in-meat-eating-essential-to-avoid-climate-breakdown

Apart from those listed already
Buy items made in UK to avoid transport costs
Use biodegradable dog poo bags.
I have a bamboo hedge so I cut some out in the autumn and dry off in the garage to use as garden canes.
Only eat organic.

We’re lucky where we live. Room to have a small ground mounted PV. Small wind generator. Quite a few compost bins.

New house (almost finished) has heat recovery unit (very little power) and solar thermal water system. Panels are on the roof . Eco friendly treatment plant that that needs no power. Eco cleaning solutions. No bleach. Rain and waste water harvesting.
Cutting back on plastics. Nothing left on standby.
Just recycled a large amount of batteries from vehicles and our old self generating system. .

I have started turning everything off at the wall , so now there is no red glow in the night , I have to remember not to record anything after I go to bed !
We have heat recovery and I have loads of crochet throws if it gets cool
Everything that can be recycled is in the council boxes , but I try to get stuff not in packaging

DGS and I are just home from Church( COS Brussels). We had a talk by the head of WWF for Europe, the children presented a piece about trees, and then there is a large march though the city.
The children were filmed for a special piece on one of the main TV channels here speaking about the problems and what they were trying to do to help.
It was a lovely morning +++++
Great to see Children for the age of 2 getting involved.

Use refill shops, if you can. One has opened near us and you can buy so many things there, from pasta to floor cleaner. It’s all done by weight so you take your own container, weigh it, fill it and weigh it again. The machine does the calculations for you and prints out a little label with the cost on it. It’s fun!

Thank you everyone, some really good ideas on here.

Stop flying.

'Together with other gases and the water vapour trails produced by aircraft, the industry is responsible for around 5% of global warming.' From the BBC Guide to Climate Change.

Bearing in mind that only a small number of people actually fly it's quite a lot to add to an individual carbon footprint.

Here’s my list
I don’t have a car I cycle, walk, use public transport
I don’t have central heating two gas fires which are only on when I m in plus jumpers and hot water bottles
I use all my food waste peelings etc on my compost heap
I buy mostly from charity shops
I shower never bath
I collect rainwater
I recycle according to councils rules
I have a wild but tidy garden with lots of wild flowers I have an allotment for growing my own
I swim in the sea not a heated pool
Can’t think of much else I ll keep working on it I think it’s incredible important we get back to a simpler lifestyle

Buy milk in bottles.

Don't have children and stop eating meat.

I win.

i try to recycle when i can but one thing i miss is a shop we had called the grain store, everything was in big drums and purchased by weight, i bought all my cereals, sugar, broth mix, peas and anything that came in dried form, even tea-bags and coffee, i hate all the boxes, packets and tins we need to throw away, i don't drive and always walk or take public transport, i try to only have food that has no waste.

no longer use plastic water bottles or buy coffees on the go. I use my own flasks and chilli bottles

It’s tricky though & more nuanced Josieanne.

For instance glass bottles can theoretically be recycled forever, but making them is four times more resource-heavy than manufacturing plastic bottles.

This is because glass requires the extraction of silica sand, soda ash and dolomite (see what I mean about digging deeper? ) from mines, which is associated with land degradation and toxic runoff draining into water sources. Re-using is far superior to recycling yet still we are urged to fill our green bags and bottle banks..

And forget that glow as you carry your tote to the supermarket; you’d need to reuse it 393 times to equal the environmental impact of using a plastic carrier three times.

Our eldest daughter of 43y too Alegrias ?

Urmstongran ?

muse + aggie
We are thinking of fitting a heat recovery system into our bungalow. I have got as far as looking up local installers but it would be interesting if you could give me an idea of costs and upheaval before I start contacting them.

I'm really alarmed when friends think that recycling is, somehow, 'the answer' - with maybe a little reduction in using the car. No thought given to maybe not buying so much - or not having a car!

Everything we do as individuals does, of course, make a difference and is worthwhile. But human nature means we're short-sighted, selfish and incredibly stupid. We do things to limit the guilt, that's all.

What am I doing? What I can, comfortably, manage, I suppose. I have no car, I'm vegan, I live with low temperatures, I consume as little as possible - to survive in our warped, twisted society.

I support and campaign for drastic change (we can't do much alone) but with little hope left of ever seeing it. I've apologised to the younger generations for all the damage we've done.