Posts

Seasonal food

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What are your favourite fruits and veggies? Do you know when they're in season? Do you know where the food in your cupboard has come from? There are so many different foods on offer in our shops and supermarkets today that we are used to having whatever we want, whenever we want. But most of us rarely take the time to stop and think of the journey that food has made before reaching our shopping baskets. The food you buy may have travelled halfway across the world for your culinary pleasure. The term 'food miles' refers to how far food has travelled from source to shop. The more the food miles, the more the emissions of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, and air pollutants associated with transport of that food. On top of the energy used and emissions released during transport, transporting food also uses lots of energy in terms of refrigeration and transported fruit and veg are often picked when under-ripe then artificially ripened at their destination. These
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Save on packaging, save on money

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In the modern world, it seems impossible to get away from packaging (although this inspirational woman has managed: http://www.zerowastelondon.com/?m=1 ). Whilst a lot of packing can be recycled, it's MUCH more important to reduce waste in the first place. Why? Because producing the packaging in the first place requires resources, such as oil for plastic and wood for cardboard, the extraction of which causes some form of environmental and requires energy in the form of fossil fuel burning machines . The recycling process also requires energy and equipment. Reducing waste could even save you money, because if everyone reduced their waste Councils could reduce bin collections, which are paid for out of your council tax. What can you do? There's a few simple steps you can take to reduce your waste from packaging. 1. Take a packed lunch to work. Whilst your salad/sandwich/pasta box may not seem like a lot, the waste builds up if you buy your lunch every working day, or
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Make your coffee greener (not literally!)

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Hello! If you haven't done so already, check out my twitter feed for quick sustainable living tips and environmental news. I recently tweeted about the waste generated by takeaway coffee cups. I used to think coffee cups were recyclable because they're made of cardboard, but the waxy material on the inside (that stops your cup getting soggy) means that they're not able to be recycled. Fortunately, there's a great selection of 'keep cups' on the market that come in all sorts of designs. I love mine because its collapsible, so it can squish down in my handbag. Look for a cup with sustainable credentials, such as one made from recycled materials or from a carbon neutral company. You could also ask your favourite coffee shop to start using compostable/recyclable takeaway cups (they do exist, they're just very rare!). To make your coffee even greener, look out for upcoming articles on food choices and consumer power. I'll give you a hint of what's
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Welcome to Green London Girl

Hello! Welcome to this brand spanking new blog - Green London Girl.  This blog is all about bringing you practical ideas and tips to help you lower your environmental footprint and live more sustainably. These tips are little changes that anyone can easily make in their every day lives, whether you live or work in a city or not, but they are inspired by things I come across every day in London. If you have suggestions for how we can #GreenTheCity then leave a comment on a post.  Make sure you spread these tips, tell your friends and get everyone you know following Green London Girl!
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