Going Green Podcast, Video blog and Daily News

  Greenwashing 101: How to Spot It and Avoid It Because not everything with a leaf on it is eco-friendly. What Is Greenwashing? It’s when companies pretend to be environmentally friendly — but aren’t. They might slap on a green label, use words like natural or eco , or show a smiling Earth mascot… all while selling a product that’s anything but sustainable . Greenwashing is marketing spin dressed up as planet love. Why It Matters When you fall for greenwashing: You waste money 💸 You support dodgy practices 🚫 You feel good — but nothing actually changes 🌍 Real sustainability gets drowned out by noise. And your good intentions are used against you. 🚩 Red Flags to Watch For Vague or "Fluffy" Language:   Look for buzzwords that sound good but lack specific meaning or legal definition, such as "natural," "eco-friendly," "sustainable," or "green". Misleading or Fake Labels:   Be cautious of self-made labels t...

  Wormeries: Composting with a Wiggle Because your food waste deserves a VIP (Very Important Pulveriser). Why Worms? Composting is great — but sometimes your garden (or nosey neighbours) won’t tolerate a big heap of rotting leftovers. Enter: Wormeries . Neat, compact, odour-free systems where a battalion of worms turns your food scraps into gorgeous, nutrient-rich compost. They're the silent heroes of zero-waste living. And they're wriggly. What Is a Wormery? It’s a multi-layered bin, often with drainage taps and ventilation, filled with bedding material (like shredded paper or coir) and composting worms (usually tiger worms or red wigglers). You feed it: Fruit & veg scraps 🍎 Tea bags (plastic-free!) Crushed eggshells Coffee grounds ☕ They give you: Vermicompost (a.k.a. worm poo gold) Worm tea (nutrient-rich liquid fertiliser) 🛠️ Starting a Wormery — What You’ll Need A worm bin (stackable ones are best for airflow and harvest) ...

  Sustainable Travel: Do Carbon Offsets Really Work? Or are they just the environmental equivalent of a get-out-of-guilt card? First, What Are Carbon Offsets? Imagine you’re taking a long-haul flight. You know it’s not great for the planet. But the airline says, “Want to pay £5 to plant some trees and make it all okay?” That’s a carbon offset : you pay someone else to reduce or remove emissions so you don’t have to . The logic? Burn now, clean later. The Problem: It’s Not That Simple Most carbon offset schemes do one of three things: Plant trees 🌳 (which take years to absorb the CO₂ you're burning today) Fund renewable energy ☀️ (good… but wouldn’t it be built anyway?) Protect existing forests 🌲 (which may have been protected already) While the idea is sound , the execution is... mixed . ⚠️ Where Offsets Go Wrong Double-counting : The same offset gets sold twice. No real change : The project was going to happen anyway. Lack of permanence : ...

  Zero-Waste Bathroom: From Toothpaste Tabs to Bamboo Loo Roll Because sustainability doesn’t stop at the bathroom door. Why the Bathroom? Your bathroom might be small, but it’s bursting with plastic , chemicals , and wasteful habits . From shampoo bottles to cotton buds, razors to toothpaste tubes — it’s a minefield of single-use everything. But don’t worry. You don’t need to go full eco-warrior and start brushing your teeth with seaweed. Just a few smart swaps can seriously reduce your bathroom’s footprint. 🚽 Small Room, Big Changes Here’s how you can green your bathroom one swap at a time: 🧼 Toothpaste Tabs Plastic-free and travel-friendly Pop one in your mouth, chew, brush — job done Brands to try: PÄRLA , Truthpaste , Ben & Anna 🪥 Bamboo Toothbrushes Replace plastic with compostable handles Just snap off the bristles before composting 🧻 Bamboo Toilet Roll Grows fast, uses less water Comes in paper packaging — no plastic wrap! Try: Who Gives...

  The Power of a Window Box Garden Because saving the planet starts right outside your window. Why Bother with a Window Box? You might think you need a sprawling garden, raised beds, or a greenhouse to grow something green and meaningful. But truthfully? All you need is a window, a box, and a bit of dirt. Window box gardens aren’t just cute or decorative — they’re tiny ecological powerhouses. And whether you’re in a flat, a townhouse, or even a student room, they offer a surprisingly big impact for such a small space. 🌿 What Can You Grow? Herbs : Basil, parsley, thyme, mint, chives Salad greens : Lettuce, rocket, spinach Edibles : Strawberries, chillies, dwarf tomatoes Pollinator plants : Lavender, nasturtiums, marigolds Scent and colour : Geraniums, petunias, violets Even if your thumbs are more "olive" than green, these are beginner-friendly. 🌎 Why It’s Eco-Friendly ✔️ Reduces food miles – your basil no longer flies in from Kenya ✔️ Cuts ...

  Solar Panels in the UK: Are They Worth It? Yes — but only if you do the homework. Why I Wrote This From our own home in the UK (solar array + batteries + heat‑pump) I’ve become obsessed with one question: Is investing in rooftop solar genuinely worth it here, now, today? The short answer: Yes — but there are important caveats. The Case for Solar A typical UK household with a 4 kW system can save £1,000 + per year under good conditions. GreenMatch.co.uk +2 EcoFlow +2 With rising energy prices and VAT relief on solar until 2027, the economics are improving. EcoFlow +1 In many cases, pay‑back periods are now around 8‑12 years in Britain. Sheffield Renewable Services +1 Benefits go beyond money: lower carbon footprint, more self‑sufficiency, better for your home’s future value. MoneySavingExpert.com +1 Why They Might Not Be Worth It If your roof is north‑facing, heavily shaded or in poor condition. MoneySavingExpert.com +1 If you expect to move hou...