Going Green Podcast, Video blog and Daily News

  The Surprising Sustainability of Your Local Library Because saving the planet doesn’t always mean giving up — sometimes it means borrowing. 🤯 Libraries: The Original Sharing Economy Before car shares, tool libraries, or vintage clothing swaps — there was the library . One building. Thousands of books. Millions of reading hours saved. And best of all? No manufacturing footprint each time someone reads one. Borrow a book = Save a tree Borrow a DVD = Save plastic Borrow an eBook = Save energy and shelf space It’s sustainability without even trying. 📘 Why Libraries Are Eco-Heroes ✅ Reduces resource use — Every borrowed item = fewer printed books, discs, devices ✅ Cuts down waste — No need to throw away old books or DVDs ✅ Minimises transport — Local borrowing reduces delivery miles compared to online orders ✅ Promotes reuse — Books get read again and again (and again) ✅ Provides digital access — eBooks, audiobooks, and online newspapers, often free 🧠 But...

  Upcycling Clothes: From Rags to Trendy Riches Because fashion doesn’t have to cost the Earth — or even your wallet. 👖 Fast Fashion Has a Fast Track… to Landfill The UK bins over 300,000 tonnes of clothes each year. That’s not just wasteful — it’s a climate issue . But what if those sad old jeans or holey jumpers had a second life? Enter: Upcycling — turning worn-out clothes into something new, useful, and seriously cool . 🧵 What Is Upcycling? Upcycling is creative reuse. It’s not just fixing — it’s reimagining. Examples: A men’s shirt becomes a summer dress Old jeans become a tote bag A worn-out jumper turns into mittens or a hot water bottle cover Fabric scraps get stitched into patchwork cushions or wall hangings 🪡 Why Upcycle? ✅ Reduces textile waste ✅ Saves money ✅ Unleashes your creativity ✅ One-of-a-kind style (no awkward “same top at the party” moment) ✅ Keeps clothes out of landfill and shopping carts 🧠 Where to Start For Begin...

  Sustainable Gifting: Rethinking Wrapping Paper Because glitter and foil don’t belong in recycling bins (or forests). 🎉 The Wrapping Problem Each Christmas, birthday, and “just because” moment adds up to millions of tonnes of wrapping paper. Except — much of it isn’t paper at all. ❌ Foil-lined ❌ Plastic-coated ❌ Glitter-covered ❌ Tape-sealed These make most wrapping non-recyclable , even if it looks like it should be. If it scrunches and stays scrunched, it’s probably paper. If it springs back, it’s probably landfill. 🟢 Smarter, Greener Ways to Wrap a Gift 1. Furoshiki (Fabric Wrapping) Reusable, beautiful, and culturally respectful Use scarves, tea towels, bandanas, or thrifted fabric Bonus: It’s part of the gift! 2. Brown Kraft Paper + Twine or Ribbon 100% recyclable Add a sprig of rosemary, lavender, or old buttons for flair Use potato stamps for homemade patterns The ribbon can be reused or part of the gift. 3. Old Maps, Sheet Music ...

The Case for Sharing: Libraries of Things Because owning a waffle maker you only use once a year is… wasteful. Wait — What’s a Library of Things ? Imagine a library, but instead of books, you borrow: A drill A carpet cleaner A projector A camping stove Even a Sewing machine , tents , or paddleboards It’s a community-powered toolkit where people share rather than own , saving: Space Money Resources The environment Why It Matters The average UK drill is used for 13 minutes in its lifetime. Yet we buy millions of them. Do we really need to own everything we only use once? 🌍 The Green Benefits ✅ Less manufacturing waste ✅ Lower carbon footprint (less shipping, fewer new items produced) ✅ Reduces clutter and landfill ✅ Encourages repair culture ✅ Makes tools accessible to everyone Bonus: You also avoid the IKEA panic when you realise you don’t have an Allen key. 📦 What You Can Usually Borrow Tools (power drills, sanders, ladders) Garden equip...

  Reusables on the Go: What’s Actually Practical? Because lugging around a glass straw and collapsible lunchbox sounds great... until it doesn’t. We’ve All Been There… You buy that bamboo cutlery set, reusable cup, silicone straw, foldable container, water bottle, beeswax wrap… Then leave it all at home. Or worse: You carry it everywhere and still end up buying a sandwich in plastic because… life. So what’s actually worth keeping in your bag? 🎒 Everyday Carry: The Practical Reusables Kit Let’s cut the green guilt and talk realistic reusables. ✅ Always Handy Reusable water bottle (stainless steel or insulated – doubles as a thermos) Foldable shopping bag (weighs nothing, saves plastic) Small cloth napkin or hanky (less messy, more sustainable) 🤔 Optional But Useful Collapsible cup (great for commuters or surprise coffee stops) Travel cutlery set (ideal for work lunches or takeaways) Reusable sandwich/snack bag (those wax wraps are better fo...

  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...

  Can You Recycle That? The Confusing World of Plastics Because not all plastics are created equal – and your yoghurt pot might be lying to you. 🧴 Plastics: The Everyday Minefield From shampoo bottles to sandwich trays, plastic is everywhere. And most of it comes with that friendly little recycling triangle — the one that quietly whispers: “Pop me in the bin and feel good about yourself.” But here’s the truth: Just because it has a triangle doesn’t mean it’s recyclable. And just because it’s recyclable doesn’t mean your local council actually does. Welcome to the confusing, often misleading world of plastics. ♻️ What Those Numbers Inside the Triangle Actually Mean That triangle isn’t a recycling symbol — it’s a resin identification code (1–7). Here’s the cheat sheet: Code Plastic Type Common Uses Easily Recycled? 1 PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) Water bottles, food trays ✅ Yes 2 HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene) Milk bottles, cleaning products ✅ Yes 3 PVC (P...