Recently, I’ve become obsessed with reducing waste. Although, I suppose it’s not that much of a recent phenomenon, it’s something that I’ve been mindful of for the past few years, with an increasing focus on our planet. I’ve made sensible changes where possible - sourcing toilet rolls from a paper-based subscription service, scrapping all physical mail and magazines where possible (Christmas Radio Times excluded, obviously!), and choosing glass options over plastic if available.

But it’s taken a new level for me, down to a few reasons. Firstly, watching The Good Life made me think about the make-do-and-mend mindset, and reading the book Six Weeks to Zero Waste only stirred an already growing interest. The book, a highly recommended, non-judgemental read, was full of practical suggestions that made think. I was proud of doing some of the things in there already, and felt okay with ignoring things that felt like a step too far for me. But somewhere in the middle are solutions and changes that can work for the long term and still be relatively convenient for a busy life.

Even with the limits that busy working lives have on time to think and plan and reduce, I’ve suddenly started noticing everything and trying to make changes. I tried a soap-style shower gel bar, rather than a plastic bottle (more on that later). I stopped my HelloFresh delivery due to the vast volume of plastic sachets, and opted for local veg and meat deliveries instead. I made the conscious choice to sew up some holes rather than buying new clothes.

The best thing about the book and the mindset I’m taking with me is the idea that this is a journey. I’m never going to get to zero waste in reality, and also not going to be able to fix everything overnight. But it’s just about taking steps and making improvements and being aware. Ultimately, it’s about doing your bit however big or small that is.

All this is really to say, if the posts on this blog take on more of an anti-plastic eco-friendly slightly-obsessive vibe over the next few weeks, don’t be surprised. I’m already boring Mr C to tears with it every day so it’s only fair that everyone else gets to share the journey too.