Hey guys! Sorry for the late upload, hope you enjoy the video and let me know how you got on if you did #plasticfreejuly ! Don't forget to check out Rejuce on insta, and if you want to hear me chatting about low waste on BBC1 Xtra the link is in the description. Thanks again xxx
We have a group called Refill Ireland here, they have a Facebook page which you might like to check out. I managed to fly through Dublin airport with no water purchases as a result of their page 😀. Maybe there's a similar group in the UK?
I love how honest you are and how you don't try to portray yourself as perfect. You are my favourite low waste/ compassionate living vlogger. Thank you for sharing. I have been feeling disappointed in my results from plastic free July. I have realised that I can't suddenly change overnight. I do better when I break down my goals into small achievable steps. I am not plastic free but slowly switching plastic out of my life one item at a time.
Chnae Alisha another great low waste blogger is going zero waste. She's very realistic and positive, once again not trying to portray herself as perfect
In Australia we have a tv series called the war on waste. It is intense how plastic straws and e waste are killing our planet. Not sure if other countries can find it on the net but it is worth a watch 😊 #banthebag
At the start of plastic free july I was inspired to do something out of my comfort zone, so when I ran out of shampoo I decided to try out a shampoo bar from lush and I took my own tupperware to put it in. I approached the staff member at the till and really politely asked if it was ok to put it in my tub to avoid the unnecessary sticker and paper packaging and she (obviously) said yes! We had a small chat and I think I maybe got her thinking about waste too! Something I would normally be too scared to do, but I'm glad I did it as it was a bit of a confidence boost.
Lush is actually a pretty good brand for that kind of stuff. Not explicitly eco-friendly and deff not zero waste, but they try and their stuff is all-natural and biodegradable.
One thing I'm really glad about is that in australia, all cafes with a form of running water have to fill up your bottle if you ask. Also the source is brilliant!! So proud of the aussie brand 😊
I love how happy and positive you are right now! The message is getting through, even my 85 year old Dad asked me how to recycle his Costa cup. We go for coffee every week but this week he was under the weather so I took coffee to him. I used my Hydro Flask but had to get his Chai Latte (yes, he’s a cool 85 year old) in a take out cup. Fortunately Costa will recycle so we’ll take it back next week (he’s feeling much better now 👍). Hearts and minds are changing. Keep on keeping on xxxx
Rosemary Bruce I never thought of getting him one! Even though it would be used infrequently it would totally be worth it. It’s funny how I think of my footprint but not his. Thank you 🙏
Honestly, I think it's more than ok to buy a plastic water bottle when there aren't any other options, and when it's necessary to keep you healthy. We're human and we can't be perfect. Especially, like you mentioned, when supermarkets, restaurants, etc aren't doing their part. Thanks for sharing your experience with this!!
I agree, I always keep the plastic bottles though since I find them helpful in my garden for seed starters to plant plots , even made a scarecrow from them , as long as you buy them only when necessary , it’s ok
@@ameliaglendinning8855 BS. They save money and appeal to the zero waste market. Besides, i dont care for packaging . I care for the contents and if they are my taste. Also if you write a letter to your favorite brands i am sure they will want to make you happy. Your money talks so open your trap and tell them????
Who puts straws in wine glasses!? That was shocking to me, but I appreciate your honesty and talking about the struggle. I think it’s not about being perfect but about attempting each day to make progress.
I was shocked too, wine never need straw :( I had an alcohol free cocktail, and i wasn't avare about that is coming with a straw. I was sad, first time pregnant, so alcohol free stuff still comes with straw. :(
You and Blue have inspired me so much on my plastic free journey. Some things are very difficult here in parts of the USA. Bulk is so hard to come by. I envy your stores in Britain and other parts of Europe. Europe seems to be more on board with the movement. I count the successes more than the failures. That is what keeps me and my family going. I think if everyone visits their local dump, they will be moved to action. It was a turning point for me. I was overwhelmed with the enormity of waste. I try to inspire others, even though I am not completely successful every day. It’s a goal. Love what you are doing. Love your videos.
Beautiful video love ❤️ I deeply admire how transparent and honest you are with yourself and your low impact lifestyle. This is a motto I feel we all need to see to really grasp the low impact mindset and way of living. Much love from your waste free babe in California. Marina
Hello! I thought I'd share something since I am from a developing country. I am so proud to say that there are lots of online shops on eco-friendly living starting their businesses this year! I've already found 3 online shops and 2 local shops that even metion zero-waste, and it made me so happy to see awareness spreading even when there's economic hardship! Also I'm so proud of you and what you are doing! Thx for everything
BTW, If you don't want to throw a plastic bottle away, but don't want to use it for water consumption, you can always use it to store some detergent or softener or soap in a more pour-able/manageable quantity than the bulk packaging might allow.
Well actually strictly speaking the soap will only make the plastic release more toxins and if there wer microplastics in it, the soap will contain the micro plastics aswell... So it wouldn't be safe to use on yourself and if you would use it on something else it still would release micro plastics in the water. 😳
I've been self-isolating because I don't want to contribute to this coronavirus pandemic (as much as i can help it at least) so I've been spending my extra time at home researching into this. I thought I knew some stuff, this isn't the first time I've looked into living more sustainably, but I have learnt so much in just a few days. I'm pretty sure the average person out there has absolutely no idea about the extent of how much we need to all be aiming to live as low waste as possible. I think I've found my true calling, I don't think I've ever felt so motivated and excited about anything like I do with this. Thank you for inspiring and spreading the message! What you do is important work!
there's a great store called FareShares in Elephant and Castle that's a community not-for-profit project that has bulk bins, lots of teas, and some other eco-related stuff. It's not entirely plastic free, and is pretty small with only a few opening hours but it's been going for years and years and is so great! no permanent staff so you just add up and weigh products yourself -- it's got a really nice atmosphere and could definitely do with some publicity! not sure where you are in london but it might be closer than chiswick!
I feel like so many people around me are talking about this issue now! The hotel i clean at started recycling much more hardcore and got biodegradable shower caps... the other day an older gentleman saw my bag with recycling on the bus (I have no recycling bin so I take it all to my bf 😂) and chatted to me about how strongly he feels about avoiding excess waste.... there’s just talk of this subject everywhere, so much more which is epic!!
Thank you for making these videos. You're really inspiring, do not doubt that. I am really happy that the efforts you make in your work are effective and that it seems to make you happy. Of course, we do not know each other, it's the whole thing about the online community, if I may say it that way, but I appreciate what I know about you. I've been watching your videos for a while now, but I think today is the first time I've realized how great what you're doing really is. What I mean is that right now, I feel like I'm not reaching all the expectations I've set for myself, but looking at this video, I found the spark that I had in me that motivates me. I want to thank you for making your content available, because it reminds me how important my journey also is. Let's say this is how I return the favor.
Thank you for talking about accessibility! Many places don't even give you the options you need for recycling and composting is much worse. If you don't have a car in some places there's just no way to do some of this. Then there's the problem of car emissions. It's just so daunting sometimes.
I loved that video, I’m Italian an I live in Lincoln uk, we don’t have a bulk shop here, the only one I’ve found is plasticfree pantry online, and also the council don’t give you an option for food waste
This video was recommended to me, and I am so happy to have found it???? How does RUclips read my mind like this ha! I love your approach, will definitely have to truck it to Chiswick to do some zero waste grocery shopping, and will be trying this challenge myself! Thanks for showing your failures as well as your successes!
I think that all of your videos are so eye awakening! You've helped me realize how much we waste and how devastating it is for the environment. Thank you so much for these! My journey in a waste free lifestyle has started because of you :)
I think its very important for the low waste and minimalist people to get on bigger stages. I have only just started and am so encouraged so I would love for the people who have fully emmersed to get out to the people and educate and excite people
Asking for no straw has literally just become part of my ordering process. I totally understand the frustration of forgetting or getting one because they have forgotten.
We really enjoyed your video you should be proud of yourself you did a good job. Sometimes when we go out to a restaurant and order something to drink we also forget about the straw. Thanks for sharing.
This may be a Canadian thing but the size of your reusable coffee cup is TINY!! I’m boggled by it! My husband and I take coffee to work everyday from home and our mugs have to be at least 3 times as big! And I don’t even drink as much as many people I know!
I have been teaching my family about not taking what we have for granted and not being wasteful. My son and I go for a walk everyday and pick up garbage we find along the way. Some can be composted, some cant but I love teaching him to not be okay with garbage being thrown in a hole in the ground.
this video made me so happy! i live in northern california and though there is a lot of people who try to live zero waste, there's not many resources or groups that do events! this inspired me to start events 😊
Well done; I've been buying my toiletries, cleaning & dry foods such as pasta, gravy granules etc as zero waste refills - Sara who runs my local refill store says I've refilled / re-used over 200 items of packaging! When I went to Buxton I refilled my water bottles at the Pump Room drinking fountains; even the plastic bottles of Buxton water I got in my hotel room were refilled! I've got a reusable cup for take out drinks & I've cut out plastic packaged crisps, biscuits, chocolate, sweets, tobacco etc. As well as being the unhealthiest items these are also the worst offenders for plastic packaging & most frequently found when litter picking.
This is great! Good for you and thank you for your efforts this month and in general. I'd like to do much more eco-orientated content over on my channel too. Wish there was a no waste shop near me that I could get groceries from but sadly in rural North Wales there's nowhere really like this. x
This is a great challenge. The capacity of water bottles is a big deal. When I go out, I want to take a full 2 litres with me (every day is muscles day), so I don't have to worry about running low. I liked the Big Bottle Co. but they're made of hard plastic. There are so many cute steel bottles with a 500 ml capacity, but I want more XD
My travel silverware is all bought from the local thrift store, after I lost my To-Go Ware bamboo set I've had forever. For less than $1, I have a knife, fork, and spoon. I made a cloth napkin with a snap that has slots for all my silverware and my reusable straw, so I have everything wherever I go, and the napkins are (of course) machine washable.
JabuJabule i was a nursing student and thought about this a LOT. My feelings/not quite solution were just that i’d try even harder in my personal life.
I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought this!! I currently work at a pharmacy, and I start nursing school in a month! Both are so wasteful and it stinks. But at least there's more sense to it than your average everyday plastic waste. I'm more motivated to be less wasteful in my every day life!
I've thought about this too! But I think it's necessary waste that you can't (and shouldn't avoid) cause how can you reuse medical equipment for different/the same patient? No way haha but if that were our only waste it wouldn't be such a problem for the environment.
I’ve thought about this a lot!! I take a lot of medications and I feel horrible about all the plastic pill containers i have and birth control, etc. I think the healthcare industry is a huge stress on the environment because we don’t really think about “how can this be environmentally friendly?” since it’s for our health. wish there was an eco-friendly solution because it’s something i can’t change.
I work in a residential care facility (resthome). Single use plastic use is everywhere. Disposable gloves are required for assistance with toileting, handling bodily fluids, etc. Plastic bags are used to storing used incontinence products, especially smelly ones need double bagging. Plastic straws, plastic spoons for medical administration. Disposable plastic cups used for giving out water and juice. Plastic wrap used in the kitchen to cover food. And because its the facility's policy and procedures, these are rules staff are expected to follow. So much plastic use, I try to make up for it, by minimising plastic use at home.
in the old days, 'bulk buying' was a normal type of shop in the dirt-poor markets where poor people bought food, back when supermarkets were expensive and shut at 5pm and ethnic shops and markets were where poor people went. They were usually pretty filthy! The food bins had all sorts in and people were constantly dropping the scoops on the floor, where that floor might even be the normal walkway of the market or the street. I really couldn't do that now, i'd be too aware of germs...
I really enjoyed this, I’m in the north east of England and there is hardly any plastic free or waste free initiatives here- hard to even fill up your water bottle. I’m trying to forgive myself for only being able to be as plastic free as I can, within these limits.
When there is no water to refill the bottle I buy a soft drink in a recyclable packagen, like diet coke or sparkling water or whatever is available in glass or can instead of the plastic bottle. It happens rarely enough so I don't worry about it too much. Of course sometimes you just want water and it's okay to buy it if there is no other option!
Thanks for being so honest🙈 Last time I was buying fruit I tried to convince my mum to put all our fruit into one bag, but she told me that they wont accept it that way and we have to use one for every single fruit.. any suggestions what I could do? (I‘m from Italy btw)
I have had this situation in trains and it infuriates me! I have never understood why trains don't have taps where people fill water. I am so happy to hear you are in Southwark. Can you do a video with info on where you shop and so on? I would love to know where you shop so I can follow!
Anna from Australia here. You don't leave the house without a water bottle here. It's cute seeing you brits cope with 20 degree heat! When it comes to coffee, just sit down and drink it in the restaurant! If you don't have the time to sit to enjoy a coffee, you may need to admit to a coffee addiction!
A little late, but you could upcycle the plastic bottle by cutting it into half and turn it into a "plant/seedling pot" and hang it up somewhere by the window! :D Or use it to water your plants with! Or maybe turn it into a bird feeder for your garden? :P I've asked for no straw for my iced coffee before, but still received a straw in it. Q.Q" I just low-key take the plastic straw with me, and either upcycle it for art or recycle it off with a neighbourhood recyclers on whenever their recycling collection day is cause they take in plastic straws as well. But I've got the knack of whipping out my rainbow metal straw right after I order my iced coffee at the till before they can move onto the next customer. xD
You're doing awesome, and I'm trying to do better! I just ordered $87 worth of Stasher bags. I also have been using mesh shopping bags for produce. Do you have any recommendations as to what I can do with a box of plastic straws that I have? TIA.
Hey! I've just recently moved to the UK from Australia so I'm trying to find places to source my plastic free food. I've recently gone vegetarian so that has helped me but I'm struggling to find vegetables plastic free. Things like spinach, corn and cucumber that I could easily get at home I can't find anywhere! Do you have any recommendations for places in London that sell plastic free? I live in Kent but it's worth the train trip for me haha
I’m having this dilemma.. I’ve been trying to live as low waste as possible. I bike to work, bring reusables anywhere I go, cook my own food, make homemade stuff to use at home such as toothpaste, laundry soap etc but my struggle is I work in the hospital as a RN and we use a lot of disposables of course for health reasons. I just can’t quit my job just because it does not live up to my goal. I’m just glad my hospital believe in a vegetarian/ vegan lifestyle which makes me feel less guilty? LoL but still it’s a struggle for me.. anybody living the same kind of dilemma as I’m having?
Ring Miester I now what you mean.... I worked at a place where we had a lot of food waste and it was a big challenge for me to be not able to change that. But after a time I recogniced that the people were just used to it and due to that they did't thought about it anymore. So I'm sure that I anoyed a lot of them with my questions and remindings... but at the end we all did grow on these challenge. At the places with big problems, it's often most important to spread awarness and to open up the people. :)
ya its my struggle right now ...its hard throwing lots of plastic gloves everyday and all those wastes we are using. and I know that we have to do it coz its pretty what the options are for now. But my hospital has a pretty good system in living a healthy lifestyle since its a 7th day adventist hospital they kinda adopt veganism so most of patient's food menu are vegans unless they insists on wanting to eat meat.
I'm a health care assistant in an aged care facility, and I feel your pain. All the waste!!! Incontinence products, plastic bags for waste, plastic cups for giving out water, plastic spoons for medical administration, disposable gloves, and the list goes on. At home, where I don't have to follow my organisation rules, I'm much more eco friendly. But I do like my job, helping all the residents, what can u do?
This is really helpful and motivating. I have been trying to live plastic free lifestyle for couple of weeks now and I can relate to your struggles so much! 😅💕
i have so many waterbottles, i have 1 & 2 litre ones for travelling, insulated ones for drinking one (s'well and qwetsch) so i can drink cold drinks in summer and hot drinks in winter, i have a 260ml qwetsch one for one cup of coffee not too heavy. But having so many bottles is hardly green, it's a sort of shopping-hoarding-ocd thing. I found the kleen kanteen style wide-neck bottle impossible to drink coffee out of on the bus (in rural hills, they're like a rollercoaster ride, and it slops out round your mouth, you need a narrow neck bottle).
I WOULD LOVE A POLITICAL IMMY!!! I’m American, so I understand that our systems are different, but I feel so lost when it comes to being politically vocal about how important it is for communities to adopt more earth friendly practices. I’d love to hear about what you do to make your voice heard and create a green impact in your community.
Unfortunately most places in my area still haven’t gotten back to letting us use our own cups. I think Starbucks is the only coffee shop that has & I prefer the smaller more local shops if I’m going to get coffee.
Hello! I have an interesting question for you :) I started to think about this yesterday: food waste vs plastic waste. So I usually go to Tesco for my shopping after 7 when a lot of thing is reduced... so I can buy perfectly edible food for very cheap, but it almost every time comes in plastic. So I started to think about it, because I usually try to avoid plastic as much as I can, so if I focus on this, I shouldn't buy it. But on the other hand, at the end of the day they waste what they have left, so that means plastic and food waste too. So from this point of view it is probably better if I buy it and I eat it... Anyway, I would love to know your ideas about this topic :)
In the Netherlands in my home town its almost impossible to buy food that is not packed in plastic. Especially fruits and vegetables are packed in plastic. Supermarkets say this is because of food preservation. Otherwise a lot of food would be wasted. How do you assess this claim Immy? Thank you!
You could save the plastic items you had to acquire over a year and make a mixed media art piece. Also could you please make a video about the health implications of plastic?
Hey Immy ! My dream is to be able to travel through Europe, in order to discover and share zerowaste initiatives and how other countries tackles waste management, food waste or socio-environmental issues. But even if I can't make it happen,. I'm trully interested by how UK (and America!) tackle environmental issues 😊 Do they implement voluntaristic politics ? Or do the citizens and activists feel more concerned ? This deeply interesting debate could be an other video idea 😉 Thanks for what you do, enjoy your holidays and..excuse my english ;)
I just love this video! I'm trying to go plastic free / low impact and am in the UK too. I'm gutted that my local bulk buying options are more expensive than the plastic wrapped alternatives in Morrisons. 😭😭 Do you have any advice? Thank you ♥️
Charlotte Hayes Have a walk around your local area as i found a local shop that sells loose fruit and veg and i found a big retail shop that sold some vegetables like potatoes and carrots loose. I found that when the shop is health based it’s more expensive than if it’s just sold loose in a food shop.
I try where I can. When I learn about a particular items that is not good for the environment I try to change. Water bottles have silicon or plastic linings. Yep I use envelopes too. Good ideas.
I didn't do plastic free July but I did buy a stainless steel razor :) I had no idea that food waste makes up so much landfill. Makes me feel lucky that we have space to be able to compost:)
Love your easy tips! What's your opinion on those Addidas recycled trainers? Do you think they're as "green" as they claim to be? I know they'd come with loads of packaging too xx
The Source Bulk Foods is a great store , I'm from Perth , Auz and used to shop there from time to time before I left in 2016! With your radio speech , how did this happen for you ? (Did they contact you or did you contact them?)
I really wish i could go to one of your meetups... unfortunately i am currently living in France... without knowing french, which is why it’s a bit hard for me to participate in such a community... maybe I just need to do some more research about like-minded english speaking expats here :D
Can you do a video of you talking about your long distance relationship? I’m currently in one and my partner doesn’t consider us in a full relationship because I live in Florida and he lives in Germany. We have plans to see each other but that’s not until a while. He said he’ll wait for me for a while but not forever and I’m stuck. 💔
I would love to attend a Meetup , I live in South Wales yet coming to London from the 30th of Aug till Sept 3rd and staying in Southwark , would it be around that time ?
i am wondering how the product arrives to these bulk stores, what kind of packaging is it in? i assume just a big plastic bag full of e.g. walnuts as compared to 50 small plastic bags like in most shops? also, what are the prices like in bulk stores are they a bit more expensive?
Just wanted to chime in and say if you do buy a plastic water bottle, check the number inside the recycle symbol. If it has a '1' on it, it's not safe to re-use as carcinogens will leak into your water. Great video, though!
Hey guys! Sorry for the late upload, hope you enjoy the video and let me know how you got on if you did #plasticfreejuly ! Don't forget to check out Rejuce on insta, and if you want to hear me chatting about low waste on BBC1 Xtra the link is in the description. Thanks again xxx
We have a group called Refill Ireland here, they have a Facebook page which you might like to check out. I managed to fly through Dublin airport with no water purchases as a result of their page 😀. Maybe there's a similar group in the UK?
its ok and this was quite the journey and experience u had!
You can use the plastic straw to keep necklaces from getting tangled while traveling
I love how honest you are and how you don't try to portray yourself as perfect. You are my favourite low waste/ compassionate living vlogger. Thank you for sharing. I have been feeling disappointed in my results from plastic free July. I have realised that I can't suddenly change overnight. I do better when I break down my goals into small achievable steps. I am not plastic free but slowly switching plastic out of my life one item at a time.
Chnae Alisha another great low waste blogger is going zero waste. She's very realistic and positive, once again not trying to portray herself as perfect
In Australia we have a tv series called the war on waste. It is intense how plastic straws and e waste are killing our planet. Not sure if other countries can find it on the net but it is worth a watch 😊 #banthebag
Yeah isn't it great! Not sure if people can access iview in other countries but both series are on it!
At the start of plastic free july I was inspired to do something out of my comfort zone, so when I ran out of shampoo I decided to try out a shampoo bar from lush and I took my own tupperware to put it in. I approached the staff member at the till and really politely asked if it was ok to put it in my tub to avoid the unnecessary sticker and paper packaging and she (obviously) said yes! We had a small chat and I think I maybe got her thinking about waste too! Something I would normally be too scared to do, but I'm glad I did it as it was a bit of a confidence boost.
Lush is actually a pretty good brand for that kind of stuff. Not explicitly eco-friendly and deff not zero waste, but they try and their stuff is all-natural and biodegradable.
@@AnaGfit23 if its biodegradable isnt that zero waste. ? I mean I know it takes some things a long time to biodegrade but still
Your hair has been looking incredible!! So glad you're embracing your natural curls... So inspiring!
One thing I'm really glad about is that in australia, all cafes with a form of running water have to fill up your bottle if you ask.
Also the source is brilliant!! So proud of the aussie brand 😊
I love how happy and positive you are right now! The message is getting through, even my 85 year old Dad asked me how to recycle his Costa cup. We go for coffee every week but this week he was under the weather so I took coffee to him. I used my Hydro Flask but had to get his Chai Latte (yes, he’s a cool 85 year old) in a take out cup. Fortunately Costa will recycle so we’ll take it back next week (he’s feeling much better now 👍). Hearts and minds are changing. Keep on keeping on xxxx
Linda Tait i bought my dad a keep cup for christmas last year for his weekend espresso & he uses it regularly! maybe you could try that?
Rosemary Bruce I never thought of getting him one! Even though it would be used infrequently it would totally be worth it. It’s funny how I think of my footprint but not his. Thank you 🙏
Linda Tait such a cool comment!
Honestly, I think it's more than ok to buy a plastic water bottle when there aren't any other options, and when it's necessary to keep you healthy. We're human and we can't be perfect. Especially, like you mentioned, when supermarkets, restaurants, etc aren't doing their part. Thanks for sharing your experience with this!!
I agree, I always keep the plastic bottles though since I find them helpful in my garden for seed starters to plant plots , even made a scarecrow from them , as long as you buy them only when necessary , it’s ok
@Loose leaf. Plastic makes people sick and so does babies . it also causes diabetes cancer etc etc. Do your research.
@@ameliaglendinning8855 BS. They save money and appeal to the zero waste market. Besides, i dont care for packaging . I care for the contents and if they are my taste. Also if you write a letter to your favorite brands i am sure they will want to make you happy. Your money talks so open your trap and tell them????
Who puts straws in wine glasses!? That was shocking to me, but I appreciate your honesty and talking about the struggle. I think it’s not about being perfect but about attempting each day to make progress.
I was shocked too, wine never need straw :(
I had an alcohol free cocktail, and i wasn't avare about that is coming with a straw. I was sad, first time pregnant, so alcohol free stuff still comes with straw. :(
I don’t think I’ve ever been given a straw with Sangria
I was on a holiday in Valencia and they gave my mom two (!) straws in her sangria ... 😅
Ashley Colley yes, because it's considered a cocktail or something like that... that's why they put decoration (straws)
In restaurant in France they put straws too, it's because of oranges slices.. This is why but they shouldn't...
You and Blue have inspired me so much on my plastic free journey. Some things are very difficult here in parts of the USA. Bulk is so hard to come by. I envy your stores in Britain and other parts of Europe. Europe seems to be more on board with the movement. I count the successes more than the failures. That is what keeps me and my family going. I think if everyone visits their local dump, they will be moved to action. It was a turning point for me. I was overwhelmed with the enormity of waste. I try to inspire others, even though I am not completely successful every day. It’s a goal. Love what you are doing. Love your videos.
Ugh yes the US sucks with bulk availability! I feel for you here in rural MD.
Beautiful video love ❤️ I deeply admire how transparent and honest you are with yourself and your low impact lifestyle. This is a motto I feel we all need to see to really grasp the low impact mindset and way of living.
Much love from your waste free babe in California.
Marina
Thank you you beauty
Hello! I thought I'd share something since I am from a developing country. I am so proud to say that there are lots of online shops on eco-friendly living starting their businesses this year! I've already found 3 online shops and 2 local shops that even metion zero-waste, and it made me so happy to see awareness spreading even when there's economic hardship! Also I'm so proud of you and what you are doing! Thx for everything
Yasmin Fragomeni ah amazing!! So so happy to hear it. Thank you so much for sharing, I really appreciate it 💚
BTW, If you don't want to throw a plastic bottle away, but don't want to use it for water consumption, you can always use it to store some detergent or softener or soap in a more pour-able/manageable quantity than the bulk packaging might allow.
Very true, it's dangerous to drink out of refilled plastic bottles. Even in new plastic bottles they found micro plastic
Hope Kitten Totally right! The solution presented by AirAri24 is pretty good. Reusing without harming yourself :)
Well actually strictly speaking the soap will only make the plastic release more toxins and if there wer microplastics in it, the soap will contain the micro plastics aswell... So it wouldn't be safe to use on yourself and if you would use it on something else it still would release micro plastics in the water. 😳
AWeerheim True. I prefer to store everything in glass or metal containers
Yes me too, although not all plastics are the same and I do use or reuse safer plastics (no use throwing them out)
I've been self-isolating because I don't want to contribute to this coronavirus pandemic (as much as i can help it at least) so I've been spending my extra time at home researching into this. I thought I knew some stuff, this isn't the first time I've looked into living more sustainably, but I have learnt so much in just a few days. I'm pretty sure the average person out there has absolutely no idea about the extent of how much we need to all be aiming to live as low waste as possible. I think I've found my true calling, I don't think I've ever felt so motivated and excited about anything like I do with this. Thank you for inspiring and spreading the message! What you do is important work!
there's a great store called FareShares in Elephant and Castle that's a community not-for-profit project that has bulk bins, lots of teas, and some other eco-related stuff. It's not entirely plastic free, and is pretty small with only a few opening hours but it's been going for years and years and is so great! no permanent staff so you just add up and weigh products yourself -- it's got a really nice atmosphere and could definitely do with some publicity! not sure where you are in london but it might be closer than chiswick!
I'm going to attempt straw/plastic cup free august. Small step but i feel like its a step towards reducing waste. 👊
I feel like so many people around me are talking about this issue now! The hotel i clean at started recycling much more hardcore and got biodegradable shower caps... the other day an older gentleman saw my bag with recycling on the bus (I have no recycling bin so I take it all to my bf 😂) and chatted to me about how strongly he feels about avoiding excess waste.... there’s just talk of this subject everywhere, so much more which is epic!!
I just wanted to say thank you for posting these videos! They have been super helpful and inspiring!
Thanks so much for taking the challenge and for being part of the solution!
Thank you for making these videos. You're really inspiring, do not doubt that. I am really happy that the efforts you make in your work are effective and that it seems to make you happy. Of course, we do not know each other, it's the whole thing about the online community, if I may say it that way, but I appreciate what I know about you. I've been watching your videos for a while now, but I think today is the first time I've realized how great what you're doing really is. What I mean is that right now, I feel like I'm not reaching all the expectations I've set for myself, but looking at this video, I found the spark that I had in me that motivates me.
I want to thank you for making your content available, because it reminds me how important my journey also is. Let's say this is how I return the favor.
Even when you ask for no straw, they often give you one anyway :/
I really appreciate what you do and will try to do this challenge :)
Thank you for talking about accessibility! Many places don't even give you the options you need for recycling and composting is much worse. If you don't have a car in some places there's just no way to do some of this. Then there's the problem of car emissions. It's just so daunting sometimes.
I loved that video, I’m Italian an I live in Lincoln uk, we don’t have a bulk shop here, the only one I’ve found is plasticfree pantry online, and also the council don’t give you an option for food waste
This video was recommended to me, and I am so happy to have found it???? How does RUclips read my mind like this ha! I love your approach, will definitely have to truck it to Chiswick to do some zero waste grocery shopping, and will be trying this challenge myself! Thanks for showing your failures as well as your successes!
I think that all of your videos are so eye awakening! You've helped me realize how much we waste and how devastating it is for the environment. Thank you so much for these! My journey in a waste free lifestyle has started because of you :)
This was really inspiring! Even your failures. I've made so much progress in lifestyle changes since finding your channel!
I need a button: Please don't give me a straw!
You can ask to not have a straw in most places I know of.
Thanks for this!!! I'm working on going plastic free because of my health and it's intimidating
I think its very important for the low waste and minimalist people to get on bigger stages. I have only just started and am so encouraged so I would love for the people who have fully emmersed to get out to the people and educate and excite people
Awesome video
Asking for no straw has literally just become part of my ordering process. I totally understand the frustration of forgetting or getting one because they have forgotten.
Love to see how community reenergized you! Keep up the amazing work- your activism is so encouraging!
So excited for this video. Great job! You made plastic free July seem so approachable. Thanks for being so honest with your videos! ❤️
I just started living plastic-free. Thank you for your inspiration. Greetings from Illinois!
Beautiful Immy! Keep up the amazing work. And opphhh dat intro doe 😊
We really enjoyed your video you should be proud of yourself you did a good job. Sometimes when we go out to a restaurant and order something to drink we also forget about the straw. Thanks for sharing.
This may be a Canadian thing but the size of your reusable coffee cup is TINY!! I’m boggled by it! My husband and I take coffee to work everyday from home and our mugs have to be at least 3 times as big! And I don’t even drink as much as many people I know!
As beautifully spoken as ever on a wonderful topic❤
Darn it, Lewisham Council! Where is my food waste bin at??
Excellent video :) Love learning new things from you.
you can go to the council website and request for one!
I have been teaching my family about not taking what we have for granted and not being wasteful. My son and I go for a walk everyday and pick up garbage we find along the way. Some can be composted, some cant but I love teaching him to not be okay with garbage being thrown in a hole in the ground.
We recently got our first zero waste bulk shop in Falmouth down here in Cornwall which is super exciting. I wanted one for ages!
Amazing I'll have to come down and check it out some time ! xx
You're fantastically talented!
this video made me so happy! i live in northern california and though there is a lot of people who try to live zero waste, there's not many resources or groups that do events! this inspired me to start events 😊
Artistry By Sonny if you do start them in SoCal also 😭💕💕💕
hi thanks for the video. That such a awesome picture of you and that dj.
Well done; I've been buying my toiletries, cleaning & dry foods such as pasta, gravy granules etc as zero waste refills - Sara who runs my local refill store says I've refilled / re-used over 200 items of packaging! When I went to Buxton I refilled my water bottles at the Pump Room drinking fountains; even the plastic bottles of Buxton water I got in my hotel room were refilled! I've got a reusable cup for take out drinks & I've cut out plastic packaged crisps, biscuits, chocolate, sweets, tobacco etc. As well as being the unhealthiest items these are also the worst offenders for plastic packaging & most frequently found when litter picking.
This is great! Good for you and thank you for your efforts this month and in general. I'd like to do much more eco-orientated content over on my channel too. Wish there was a no waste shop near me that I could get groceries from but sadly in rural North Wales there's nowhere really like this. x
This is a great challenge. The capacity of water bottles is a big deal. When I go out, I want to take a full 2 litres with me (every day is muscles day), so I don't have to worry about running low. I liked the Big Bottle Co. but they're made of hard plastic. There are so many cute steel bottles with a 500 ml capacity, but I want more XD
Celt & Kiwi swell do larger sizes than 500ml! Definitely going to invest in one soon 😊
My sister just purchased either a liter, or 2 liter YETI bottle I believe, maybe check it out?
My travel silverware is all bought from the local thrift store, after I lost my To-Go Ware bamboo set I've had forever. For less than $1, I have a knife, fork, and spoon. I made a cloth napkin with a snap that has slots for all my silverware and my reusable straw, so I have everything wherever I go, and the napkins are (of course) machine washable.
What would be your approach to someone going into the healthcare field, where plastic waste is IMPOSSIBLE to avoid?
JabuJabule i was a nursing student and thought about this a LOT. My feelings/not quite solution were just that i’d try even harder in my personal life.
I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought this!! I currently work at a pharmacy, and I start nursing school in a month! Both are so wasteful and it stinks. But at least there's more sense to it than your average everyday plastic waste. I'm more motivated to be less wasteful in my every day life!
I've thought about this too! But I think it's necessary waste that you can't (and shouldn't avoid) cause how can you reuse medical equipment for different/the same patient? No way haha but if that were our only waste it wouldn't be such a problem for the environment.
I’ve thought about this a lot!! I take a lot of medications and I feel horrible about all the plastic pill containers i have and birth control, etc. I think the healthcare industry is a huge stress on the environment because we don’t really think about “how can this be environmentally friendly?” since it’s for our health. wish there was an eco-friendly solution because it’s something i can’t change.
I work in a residential care facility (resthome). Single use plastic use is everywhere. Disposable gloves are required for assistance with toileting, handling bodily fluids, etc. Plastic bags are used to storing used incontinence products, especially smelly ones need double bagging. Plastic straws, plastic spoons for medical administration. Disposable plastic cups used for giving out water and juice. Plastic wrap used in the kitchen to cover food.
And because its the facility's policy and procedures, these are rules staff are expected to follow.
So much plastic use, I try to make up for it, by minimising plastic use at home.
Oh! I used to live in Chiswick so much fun that they have a bulk store there now!
in the old days, 'bulk buying' was a normal type of shop in the dirt-poor markets where poor people bought food, back when supermarkets were expensive and shut at 5pm and ethnic shops and markets were where poor people went. They were usually pretty filthy! The food bins had all sorts in and people were constantly dropping the scoops on the floor, where that floor might even be the normal walkway of the market or the street. I really couldn't do that now, i'd be too aware of germs...
I really enjoyed this, I’m in the north east of England and there is hardly any plastic free or waste free initiatives here- hard to even fill up your water bottle. I’m trying to forgive myself for only being able to be as plastic free as I can, within these limits.
I love your passion about this topic. It's making me even more aware of the amount of plastic around me.
When there is no water to refill the bottle I buy a soft drink in a recyclable packagen, like diet coke or sparkling water or whatever is available in glass or can instead of the plastic bottle. It happens rarely enough so I don't worry about it too much. Of course sometimes you just want water and it's okay to buy it if there is no other option!
Thanks for being so honest🙈 Last time I was buying fruit I tried to convince my mum to put all our fruit into one bag, but she told me that they wont accept it that way and we have to use one for every single fruit.. any suggestions what I could do? (I‘m from Italy btw)
second time i have watched this and today I REMEMBERED TO SAY NO STRAW PLEASE - thanks Immy !
I have had this situation in trains and it infuriates me! I have never understood why trains don't have taps where people fill water.
I am so happy to hear you are in Southwark. Can you do a video with info on where you shop and so on? I would love to know where you shop so I can follow!
Great video!
Tip: grab a reuseable bottle and put a small set of silverware! Napkin and a straw and put it in the bottle for easy use
the plastic free store looks amazing!
Anna from Australia here. You don't leave the house without a water bottle here. It's cute seeing you brits cope with 20 degree heat!
When it comes to coffee, just sit down and drink it in the restaurant! If you don't have the time to sit to enjoy a coffee, you may need to admit to a coffee addiction!
Yes the next step is educating ourselves to get a voice in politics - great video thankyou🌱💚🙏🏻👏🏻✨
It’s only the first minute of the video and I already know I’m going to love it! I love all your videos! Please don’t stop!! ❤️❤️❤️
A little late, but you could upcycle the plastic bottle by cutting it into half and turn it into a "plant/seedling pot" and hang it up somewhere by the window! :D Or use it to water your plants with! Or maybe turn it into a bird feeder for your garden? :P
I've asked for no straw for my iced coffee before, but still received a straw in it. Q.Q" I just low-key take the plastic straw with me, and either upcycle it for art or recycle it off with a neighbourhood recyclers on whenever their recycling collection day is cause they take in plastic straws as well. But I've got the knack of whipping out my rainbow metal straw right after I order my iced coffee at the till before they can move onto the next customer. xD
You're doing awesome, and I'm trying to do better! I just ordered $87 worth of Stasher bags. I also have been using mesh shopping bags for produce. Do you have any recommendations as to what I can do with a box of plastic straws that I have? TIA.
I really like what you do❤
Hey! I've just recently moved to the UK from Australia so I'm trying to find places to source my plastic free food. I've recently gone vegetarian so that has helped me but I'm struggling to find vegetables plastic free. Things like spinach, corn and cucumber that I could easily get at home I can't find anywhere! Do you have any recommendations for places in London that sell plastic free? I live in Kent but it's worth the train trip for me haha
I’m having this dilemma.. I’ve been trying to live as low waste as possible. I bike to work, bring reusables anywhere I go, cook my own food, make homemade stuff to use at home such as toothpaste, laundry soap etc but my struggle is I work in the hospital as a RN and we use a lot of disposables of course for health reasons. I just can’t quit my job just because it does not live up to my goal. I’m just glad my hospital believe in a vegetarian/ vegan lifestyle which makes me feel less guilty? LoL but still it’s a struggle for me.. anybody living the same kind of dilemma as I’m having?
Ring Miester I now what you mean.... I worked at a place where we had a lot of food waste and it was a big challenge for me to be not able to change that. But after a time I recogniced that the people were just used to it and due to that they did't thought about it anymore. So I'm sure that I anoyed a lot of them with my questions and remindings... but at the end we all did grow on these challenge.
At the places with big problems, it's often most important to spread awarness and to open up the people. :)
ya its my struggle right now ...its hard throwing lots of plastic gloves everyday and all those wastes we are using. and I know that we have to do it coz its pretty what the options are for now. But my hospital has a pretty good system in living a healthy lifestyle since its a 7th day adventist hospital they kinda adopt veganism so most of patient's food menu are vegans unless they insists on wanting to eat meat.
I'm a health care assistant in an aged care facility, and I feel your pain.
All the waste!!!
Incontinence products, plastic bags for waste, plastic cups for giving out water, plastic spoons for medical administration, disposable gloves, and the list goes on.
At home, where I don't have to follow my organisation rules, I'm much more eco friendly. But I do like my job, helping all the residents, what can u do?
You are doing your best, it's okay to not be able to win at all time. You are strong love ❤️
Really dug this video! Really inspiring 🙂
This is really helpful and motivating. I have been trying to live plastic free lifestyle for couple of weeks now and I can relate to your struggles so much! 😅💕
so enjoyed ,Thank you😍❤️
i have so many waterbottles, i have 1 & 2 litre ones for travelling, insulated ones for drinking one (s'well and qwetsch) so i can drink cold drinks in summer and hot drinks in winter, i have a 260ml qwetsch one for one cup of coffee not too heavy. But having so many bottles is hardly green, it's a sort of shopping-hoarding-ocd thing. I found the kleen kanteen style wide-neck bottle impossible to drink coffee out of on the bus (in rural hills, they're like a rollercoaster ride, and it slops out round your mouth, you need a narrow neck bottle).
I WOULD LOVE A POLITICAL IMMY!!! I’m American, so I understand that our systems are different, but I feel so lost when it comes to being politically vocal about how important it is for communities to adopt more earth friendly practices. I’d love to hear about what you do to make your voice heard and create a green impact in your community.
Love the new logo!
I really want to try plastic free August since I missed July. Thank you for sharing and inspiring! :)
Unfortunately most places in my area still haven’t gotten back to letting us use our own cups. I think Starbucks is the only coffee shop that has & I prefer the smaller more local shops if I’m going to get coffee.
Hello! I have an interesting question for you :) I started to think about this yesterday: food waste vs plastic waste. So I usually go to Tesco for my shopping after 7 when a lot of thing is reduced... so I can buy perfectly edible food for very cheap, but it almost every time comes in plastic. So I started to think about it, because I usually try to avoid plastic as much as I can, so if I focus on this, I shouldn't buy it. But on the other hand, at the end of the day they waste what they have left, so that means plastic and food waste too. So from this point of view it is probably better if I buy it and I eat it... Anyway, I would love to know your ideas about this topic :)
In the Netherlands in my home town its almost impossible to buy food that is not packed in plastic. Especially fruits and vegetables are packed in plastic. Supermarkets say this is because of food preservation. Otherwise a lot of food would be wasted. How do you assess this claim Immy? Thank you!
if you do a meet up, count me in! XXX
You could save the plastic items you had to acquire over a year and make a mixed media art piece. Also could you please make a video about the health implications of plastic?
Hey Immy ! My dream is to be able to travel through Europe, in order to discover and share zerowaste initiatives and how other countries tackles waste management, food waste or socio-environmental issues. But even if I can't make it happen,. I'm trully interested by how UK (and America!) tackle environmental issues 😊 Do they implement voluntaristic politics ? Or do the citizens and activists feel more concerned ? This deeply interesting debate could be an other video idea 😉 Thanks for what you do, enjoy your holidays and..excuse my english ;)
Totally get how you feel about hypersensitivity to plastic
I just love this video! I'm trying to go plastic free / low impact and am in the UK too. I'm gutted that my local bulk buying options are more expensive than the plastic wrapped alternatives in Morrisons. 😭😭 Do you have any advice? Thank you ♥️
Charlotte Hayes Have a walk around your local area as i found a local shop that sells loose fruit and veg and i found a big retail shop that sold some vegetables like potatoes and carrots loose. I found that when the shop is health based it’s more expensive than if it’s just sold loose in a food shop.
I try where I can. When I learn about a particular items that is not good for the environment I try to change. Water bottles have silicon or plastic linings. Yep I use envelopes too. Good ideas.
I didn't do plastic free July but I did buy a stainless steel razor :) I had no idea that food waste makes up so much landfill. Makes me feel lucky that we have space to be able to compost:)
Love your easy tips! What's your opinion on those Addidas recycled trainers? Do you think they're as "green" as they claim to be? I know they'd come with loads of packaging too xx
Thank you so much. More people realize how bad r those plastic trashes all around us .
Another hack for the reminders: the night before write in ur notes the reminder then screenshot it and make it your background
I love your tattoo! Which tattoo artist did you get in done by?
The Source Bulk Foods is a great store , I'm from Perth , Auz and used to shop there from time to time before I left in 2016! With your radio speech , how did this happen for you ? (Did they contact you or did you contact them?)
I just made a video on plastic free july as well! Mine is about all of my fails haha 😣
I really wish i could go to one of your meetups... unfortunately i am currently living in France... without knowing french, which is why it’s a bit hard for me to participate in such a community... maybe I just need to do some more research about like-minded english speaking expats here :D
andelikaaa I'm a 17 years old French, living in Paris and English speaking ;) I'm staring my journey in a low impact lifestyle, if you wanna share !
Can you do a video of you talking about your long distance relationship? I’m currently in one and my partner doesn’t consider us in a full relationship because I live in Florida and he lives in Germany. We have plans to see each other but that’s not until a while. He said he’ll wait for me for a while but not forever and I’m stuck. 💔
I would love to attend a Meetup , I live in South Wales yet coming to London from the 30th of Aug till Sept 3rd and staying in Southwark , would it be around that time ?
I buy whatever I can from my local Source shop in Sydney. They have the loveliest rose soap.
my failure taught me, i need to ask, when buying hot pasties etc out, to ask 'please can i have it in plastic-free wrapping?' or similar
i am wondering how the product arrives to these bulk stores, what kind of packaging is it in? i assume just a big plastic bag full of e.g. walnuts as compared to 50 small plastic bags like in most shops? also, what are the prices like in bulk stores are they a bit more expensive?
Just wanted to chime in and say if you do buy a plastic water bottle, check the number inside the recycle symbol. If it has a '1' on it, it's not safe to re-use as carcinogens will leak into your water. Great video, though!
Can't wait to meet you at the No Planet B event in August! :)