Browsing: recycling

Some might think I am a bit sad, but I read ALL the customer feedback we get via our enquiry and Ekomi review system. There are several key themes of feedback, but there is one niggling subject that seems to divide people equally – “my order was over packed – why do you use so much packaging?” and “my order arrived damaged – why don’t you use more packaging?” We therefore spend a lot of time testing new packaging materials with the aim of reducing the amount we use while seeking to get every order delivered complete and undamaged.

So we’ve been on the hunt for greener packaging alternatives that are resilient enough to make sure your order arrives in one piece. And we have found some great products that fit the bill.

Firstly, over the last year, we have moved to stronger but lighter boxes that provide better protection for your products whilst reducing the weight of cardboard being used. (In fact if whole the whole UK packaging industry followed suit, carbon emissions related to packaging transportation would be reduced by over 30% overnight!)

Secondly, we have switched over to even greener packing materials:

• green bubble mailer – the outer paper is recycled and all the elements are either recyclable or degradable
• green bubble wrap – this is made from a significant proportion of recycled materials and is also recyclable in many areas
• green void fill – this is an inflated cellophane sack that is made from recycled bottles and is recyclable and protects your products in transit.

The last one is particular favourite as it’s called Cell-O Green and is just character different from Cee Lo Green – the US rapper who won best international male artist at the Brits this year. Although he doesn’t know, Cee Lo Green is the star of choice when it comes to packing your parcels efficiently and ecologically. Cee Lo Green may sing about “forgetting you”, but we reckon that Cell-O Green will help make sure you know we’ve not forgotten you or our duty of care for the environment when it comes to getting your order in the best possible shape.

We’d love to know what you think of the innovative steps we’re taking to reduce our environmental footprint while better protecting your precious parcels, and we’d be delighted if you let us know how we could do better – just drop us a comment below!

Did you know that the litter on the streets around you speaks volumes about the region where you live?

It’s not something I had ever thought about before, but the the chaps at Keep Britain Tidy have conducted a survey which reveals that your accent really does determine the rubbish that you have to contend with every day.

Read the rest of What Really Paves the Streets of London? »

hip to be square

Huey Lewis is perhaps more famous for his contribution to the ‘Back to the Future’ soundtrack than as environmental spokesman. Even if his green activity is only the result of the way my brain links song titles and causes.  I’ll attempt to explain.

I’m regularly surprised by people’s appetite for avoiding personal responsibility. If that sounds harsh I apologise.  Please keep the emphasis on ‘surprise’.  Perhaps we all fall victim to the very seductive logic that any change we might make to our routine and consumption habits is so small that it can’t make a difference.  But today I’m feeling inspired.  Inspiration came in the form of laundry liquid.  Now I’m not usually in the habit of letting laundry products shape my thinking.  Nor was I transported to a higher mental plane by the feel of soft fabric on my skin or the inhalation of that fresh,just washed smell.  It was actually the new packaging which was responsible.

Usually I’m pretty sceptical about the whole packaging thing. (I still shudder thinking about the ‘turbo’ claims emblazoned on the box of the last vacuum cleaner I bought.)  But Ecover’s new packaging really got me thinking.

Read the rest of It’s hip to be square »

Back in January our Managing Director Andy wrote a blog “Our 2009 pledge to you” and asked for your feedback and comments. We were really pleased by the number of you who took the time to write in and leave some great feedback and ideas. Thanks!

From your responses it became clear that packaging was an issue close to many of your hearts. Unfortunately a great deal of packaging often just goes straight to landfill, so in the belief that through small changes each of us can make a big difference, I decided to review our current packaging and find greener, more eco-friendly alternatives.

One of the main bones of contention mentioned by many of you was our use of bubble wrap. As an ethical company, bubble wrap is a great source of conflict as it unfortunately isn’t green (eco-friendly I mean!). It is annoyingly necessary to protect glass and fragile items with bubble wrap but the plastic nature of the product means it creates waste that fills up landfills and takes many years to biodegrade.  This was the first item that I wanted to change and I was so pleased to find a wonderful new green alternative to this conundrum – biodegradle bubble wrap.  GeoBubble has the same benefits as traditional bubble wrap – protecting orders from damage while in transit but, what is so fantastic is it will safely dissolve naturally into the environment. And it is a lovely green colour too!

Another element we wanted to change was the way that we pack our bottles. Fragile products need extra protection, but frankly our old cardboard bottle holders required a degree in advanced origami to assemble! Our new wine bottle holders are now made from reconstituted paper and are pretty robust as this video demonstrates. They’re made from 100% recycled materials and are 100% recyclable too, helping to minimise the amount of rubbish that gets sent to landfill. It makes a great excuse to buy one of our fab ethical wines!

All of the paper that we use to pack our boxes and protect your orders during transit is recycled, and with no waxy lining you can recycle this paper all over again, not to mention the fact that it’s compostable too. Another eco-friendly packaging favourite is Eco-Flo packing, which looks and functions like polyestyrene, but biodegrades exceptionally quickly (check out our video clip in The Great Packaging Debate blog post).

As often as we can we reuse old boxes which means your package sometimes doesn’t look as pretty as it could, but the ecological benefits defiantly outweigh the negatives. If we can’t find a box to reuse, we use new boxes which are specially manufactured without wax, so can therefore either be recycled or you can use them to build a fort/time machine in your living room!

We hope you’ll agree that we’re heading in the right direction with our packaging and practices, but we are always on the lookout for new inspiration so if you have any ideas we would love to hear from you.

This morning’s news has been buzzing with talk of recycling, and questions of which of the leading supermarkets are engaging most effectively in the war against waste.

I for one am pleased to see such questions leading the national headlines, and it certainly made me sit up and take notice as I gulped down my morning toast and tea. It’s good to hear the BBC cross examining Heads of Food Packaging Departments, and I’m satisfied to know that British consumers are becoming discerning and environmentally aware enough to care about which shops are reducing needless packaging and which are gearing up towards the recycling effort. The premise behind the Local Government Association’s Survey of holding supermarkets accountable is a great one, and I’m encouraged to hear that since their 2007 report amounts of food packaging have decreased.

Despite improvement in some areas, the findings of the survey have also resulted in widespread criticisms of the various chains, which have in turn provoked a variety of responses both attacking and defending the key movers and shakers in the supermarket industry.  You might not have anticipated this one, but the British Retail Consortium’s Head of Environment Bob Gordon spoke out in favour of some packaging, highlighting that the survey failed to recognise the crucial role packaging plays in preserving food: “It’s a nonsense to suggest that retailers swathe their goods in masses of unnecessary packaging. This would simply be a pointless cost. Packaging reduces waste by protecting and preserving products.”

Read the rest of The Great Packaging Debate »

The night before our fortnightly recycling day in my household is a stressful and often unpopular task, with all the washing, compacting and sorting involved.  The council provides us with one small black box in which to squeeze our recycled rubbish and if this isn’t frustrating enough they won’t take my cardboard or plastic bags which means I have to get in the car and take it to our local recycling centre; I sometimes feel like giving up on this recycling habit.

Read the rest of Recycling made easy with Ben the Bin »

A plane. Yesterday.

How Ethical’s post on Worn Again designers recycled bags posed the question of what exactly we should be doing with old and disused aeroplanes; a concern which became even more poignant with the recent collapse of the holiday company XL, following swiftly in Zoom’s vapour trail.

Read the rest of A Jumbo Recycling Effort »

OLD AEROPLANE SEATS, USED MILITARY MATERIALS AND DISCARDED GLASTONBURY TENTS…

You’d be excused for thinking that these would be the kind of items you’d see in a Junk Shop or even at the dump, however the innovative thinkers at Worn Again have snatched up this array of random items, combined them with even more wacky bits of waste, and seen them as an opportunity!

Read the rest of Worn Again – Recycled Fashion »

The Credit Crunch. You couldn’t have escaped that fateful phrase over the past few months – but did you know that the bursting of the most powerful financial bubble since the end of the Second World War is coming up to its’ first birthday?! Now, I’m not suggesting we get all sentimental and sing it a couple of songs, shower it with gifts, and get its granny round for tea. But I do think that we should all be made aware of little things that everyone can do to get a little extra cash, and of course, help the environment along the way.

One little tip I stumbled upon this week was to earn cash from recycling! A simple and convenient way to do this is to crush up all those empty drinks cans, take them down to your local cans recycling centre. All you need to do is get as many cans together as possible, give them a ring, go and drop them off, and claim your not-so-hard-earned cash! Check out ThinkCans for more details on this project.

Of course, the more cans you have to recycle the better – for the planet and your pocket – so why not invest in an affordable, simple to use, and convenient can crusher to flatten those aluminium devils and fit more in your containers! Ethical Superstore has a great foot-operated can crusher – suitable for aluminium and steel cans for only £14.99. To top it off, the lovely folks at HippyShopper have made a video review of said Can Crusher to demonstrate its crushing prowess and ease of use.

For more tips on the possibilities of recylcling check out the Recycling Guide, or have a browse through one of our previous posts here at How Ethical; 25 Alternative Uses for Plastic Bags!

So, there you go, the third Armchair Activist post on how you can make an individual contribution to a global problem, and the first to highlight the money making, rather than money saving, Credit Crunch beating possibilities that an eco-friendly, green attitude can bring about.

Stay tuned for more . . . 

(Check out this great chair made from recycled cans by amir zinaburg>>>>>)

Now then, I’m new to the world of ‘blogging’ but an old hat at armchair activism!

By that I mean doing my bit to help make a difference, create change, influence friends, and ultimately feel better about my life and the way I live it.

I’m not going to start preaching to you because if you needed preaching to you wouldn’t be here, I merely want to pass on any hints, tips, and products I come across to help you in your quest for a more ethically minded, environmentally friendly lifestyle.

So, I’m going to start this series of posts with my Top 5 tips which can help you save money, and help save the planet!

1. Recycle rain water: I live in the north east of England. A pretty wet place. So, I have set up a water butt in my back garden to collect rain water ready to reuse on those odd occasions when the sun decides to shine and my plants need a watering! Still need convincing? Check out this article on the merits of saving water in the UK

2. Compost your food waste: composting is easy, fun, and beneficial to both the environment and your garden! Don’t throw your tea bags, banana skins and potato peelings away, chuck them in a composter and let the worms do the rest!

3. Switch off your appliances: I know this might sound like an obvious one but did you know that about 10% of your annual electricity bill is spent on standby electricity! So either switch off or invest in some standby busting devices now!

4. Keep an eye on your energy use: although this sounds complicated it couldn’t be easier! Ethical Superstore has a range of devices designed to monitor your energy use so you can always be aware of where your money goes. You’ll become obsessed with checking it every five minutes!

5. Grow your own: whether you only have enough room for one pot on your balcony or your garden in the size of a football pitch, there’s no excuse for doing a bit of organic gardening at home. Not only will this save you a bit of cash, but your produce will taste all the better having been lovingly tended to by you!

There you have it, 5 little things that can make a huge difference, see you don’t have to scheme to take down the major supermarkets . . . just do your bit

Any other suggestions or top tips? Send them in!

Thanks to Ned Trifle for the photo.