Going Green Podcast, Video blog and Daily News

  How to Buy Nothing for a Month (And Still Eat Well) ( Spoiler: it involves more beans than you expect ) Minimalism challenges, no-spend months, freezer clean-outs — the idea of buying nothing for a month sounds extreme. But done right, it can be both a money-saver and a surprisingly green way to live . No new clothes, no random gadgets, and no “just popping to the shops” when you already have a cupboard full of food at home. The best part? You can still eat well, if you plan smart. Why Try a Buy-Nothing Month? Reduces waste : You finally use up those tins you panic-bought in 2020. Saves money : No impulse purchases . Cuts clutter : Less coming in means less piling up. Lowers your footprint : Buying less = less packaging, transport, and production emissions . Step 1: Take Inventory Your freezer is not a mysterious cavern. Neither is your cupboard. Write down what’s there — beans, lentils , pasta , the frozen peas you forgot about. That list is your menu....

  Green Roofs and Living Walls – Bringing Nature to Your Brickwork ( How to turn your house into a mini nature reserve without moving to the woods ) Cities can be grey, concrete-heavy, and about as welcoming to wildlife as a supermarket car park. But what if your building itself could host bees, birds, and butterflies? Enter: green roofs and living walls — nature’s way of saying, “If you won’t make space for me at ground level, I’ll take the walls and roof, thanks very much.” What Is a Green Roof? A green roof is simply a roof covered in vegetation, often with layers of soil, drainage, and waterproofing beneath. Extensive green roofs : Shallow soil , low-maintenance, often grasses, sedum , or wildflowers . Intensive green roofs : Thicker soil, deeper planting, even shrubs and small trees. Basically, a roof garden . They look stunning, insulate your home, and provide habitats where there would otherwise be tiles and tarmac. What Is a Living Wall? A vertical gard...

  Terracycling Explained: Because Some Plastics Just Won’t Die ( And yet somehow still end up in my cupboard ) We all know the recycling drill: bottles, cans, paper, cardboard. Simple enough. But then you’re left holding a crisp packet , a toothpaste tube , or that mysterious plastic wrapper that looks recyclable but definitely isn’t . Welcome to the world of Terracycle – where the plastics that haunt your kitchen finally get a second chance. 🧟 The Problem: Zombie Plastics Some plastics refuse to die. Local councils won’t take them because they’re: Mixed materials (foil + plastic = nightmare) Too lightweight to sort Too low-value to recycle profitably Result? Landfill . Incineration . Ocean. Repeat. 🧩 The Terracycle Solution Terracycle runs specialist recycling schemes for things that normally can’t be recycled: Crisp & snack packets Toothpaste tubes & brushes Coffee pods Make-up containers Rubber gloves Even cigarette butts (ye...

  The Silent Energy Sucker: Your Router’s Secret Life ( It never sleeps… even when you do ) We worry about leaving lights on. We scold ourselves for boiling a kettle twice. But the real villain of modern energy waste? That innocent-looking Wi-Fi router blinking quietly in the corner. It’s the housemate that never goes to bed , eats electricity like snacks, and doesn’t even do the dishes. 🔌 How Much Power Does a Router Use? Most home routers draw 8–15 watts, 24/7 . That’s 70–130 kWh per year . Equivalent to: Running your washing machine 50 times Charging your phone every night for 3 years About £20–30 on your bill (depending on your tariff) Not huge — but multiplied by every household in the UK ? That’s a lot of wasted watts. 🌙 Do I Really Need Wi-Fi at 3am? Unless you’re live-streaming your dreams or your fridge is secretly watching Netflix, the answer is… probably not. ✅ How to Tame Your Router’s Secret Life Switch it off at night – sav...

From Rags to Riches: Upcycling Old Clothes Like a Pro ( Because your faded jeans deserve a second act ) We’ve all got them. That pile of clothes in the corner. Too worn to wear, too guilty to bin. Welcome to the wonderful world of upcycling — where old clothes get new life, your wallet sighs in relief, and the planet avoids yet another polyester apocalypse. And no, you don’t need to be on The Great British Sewing Bee to pull it off. 🧵 Why Upcycle? 👗 Fast fashion is filthy — 10% of global carbon emissions come from clothing. 🧴 Microplastics shed from synthetic fabrics and end up in oceans. 🛒 Most clothes are worn 7–10 times before being binned . Upcycling means: Less waste More creativity Clothes that tell a story (bonus: you look smug when someone asks where it’s from). ✂️ Easy Upcycling Wins Jeans → Tote Bags Turn those ripped knees into the most durable shopping bag you’ll ever own. T-Shirts → Cleaning Rags Because your “Gym 2010” tee ...

  How to Host a Zero-Waste Dinner Party Without Losing Friends (Hint: Compost the scraps, not the friendships) We all want to save the planet. We also want to have people over for lasagna without being that person who lectures them about landfill mid-meal. Hosting a zero-waste dinner party is absolutely possible — and no, it doesn’t require a composting toilet or wine made from kale . Here’s how to throw a party that’s stylish, sustainable, and still lets your guests enjoy themselves (and come back). 🛍️ 1. Start With Smart Shopping Shop local : Farmers’ markets , refill stores , your neighbour’s veg patch (ask first). Buy loose produce : If your carrots come in plastic armour , try somewhere else. Plan your portions : Make just enough. If you always cook for a football team, halve it. Unless you are feeding a football team. Bonus points for bringing your own containers and refusing plastic bags like a zero-waste ninja . 🥣 2. Serve It Real (No Disposable...

  ♻️ Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle – and Repeat Until It’s a Habit ( Because saving the planet is not a one-time event – it’s a lifestyle upgrade ) Everyone talks about the “ 3 Rs ” — but we like to go further: Refuse , Reduce , Reuse , Recycle … and Repeat. Like a catchy song stuck in your head — but this one saves the planet. And yes, you’re allowed to sing it while sorting your bins. 🙅‍♂️ Refuse – The First (and Most Powerful) R This is where the real eco-warrior flex happens. Refuse plastic cutlery Refuse fast fashion fads Refuse buying stuff you don’t actually need (no, really) Refuse a straw in your drink unless you're 5 or using it for swordplay Every time you don’t take something , the planet breathes a little easier. 🔽 Reduce – Less Is Actually More Reduce single-use packaging Reduce energy use (do you really need your hallway lit like an airport runway?) Reduce food waste by actually eating what’s in the fridge Reduce the num...

  How to Read Energy Labels Without Needing a Translator or Therapy ( Because choosing a fridge shouldn’t feel like taking an exam ) Buying an appliance used to be simple. It was white. It had buttons. You plugged it in. Done. Now? You’re faced with a rainbow bar chart , ten acronyms, a QR code , and a label that seems to say: "Congratulations, you’ve unlocked an existential crisis." Let’s decode the madness, together. 🧠 What Even Is an Energy Label? Energy labels are those bright stickers stuck on fridges, washing machines, TVs, dishwashers — anything that hums, spins, or glows. They tell you: How much electricity the thing uses How efficient it is Whether it’s secretly plotting to bankrupt you via your electric bill 🅰️ It’s All About the Rating – But It Changed! Back in the day: A +++ meant “Super amazing” A meant “Still pretty good” B or below meant “Why are you even buying this?” But we got label inflation . EVERYTHING beca...

  Daylight vs Warm White – The Epic LED Battle in My Kitchen ( Because yes, I'm that person comparing kelvins at 10pm ) We all know the old war is over: 🔥 Incandescent bulbs lost. ⚔️ LEDs won. 💷 The electricity bill has thanked us ever since. But now there’s a new civil war , one raging across my house (and my head): Daylight LED vs Warm White – which is better, and why does my kitchen now feel like a dentist’s office? Let’s flick the switch and dive in. 🔦 LEDs Are Clearly Better. So Why Am I Still Confused? Let’s be clear – LED bulbs are amazing: Use up to 90% less power than old-school incandescent bulbs They should last  5-10 years (unless you drop them. Or overthink your lighting plan like I did) Save money Don’t heat your room like a miniature sun But now the choice isn’t just on/off. It’s Kelvin scale warfare . 🌅 Warm White (2700K–3000K) Cosy, comforting, yellowish light Makes food look richer, skin tones look better Grea...

  The Great Meat Debate: Flexitarianism for the Greedy Gourmet ( Can I save the planet and still have my Sunday roast ? ) I like food. I like it a lot. And I’m not ashamed to say that when I see a perfectly crispy roast chicken or a bacon sandwich on a Sunday morning, my inner eco-warrior gets… conflicted . Enter: Flexitarianism – the halfway house between full-on veganism and “I eat steak with a side of steak.” Turns out, it might be the planet’s best compromise . 🥩 Why Meat Matters (and Why It’s a Problem) Let’s get the uncomfortable stats out of the way: 🌍 Livestock farming contributes ~15% of global greenhouse gas emissions 🐄 Cows are farting factories of methane 🌾 Meat production requires huge amounts of water and land 🚛 A steak might travel more than you do in a year But going cold tofu isn’t easy for everyone. That’s where flexitarianism comes in. 🍽️ So, What Is a Flexitarian? A flexitarian is: Mostly vegetarian Sometimes a carni...