Ice is challenging bloggers to take a step towards a greener summer in their Grow Your Own Competition. Ice runs a customer reward programme partnered with a range of retailers who are doing their best for the environment, making a one-stop shop for customers where points can be earned and redeemed. One of their partners is The Organic Gardening Catalogue. Together they promote sustainable living and keeping things organic, encouraging more people to grow their own fruit and veg in the garden.
I have taken up this challenge to grow and use some home grown produce that I have lovingly nurtured with my own green fingers...well that's the plan!
Armed with a selection of seasonal organic seeds supplied by Ice, the plan is to sow them and grow my own salad leafs and vegetables.
Unfortunately I am not blessed with a big, sunny garden. In fact my outdoor space is rather small, shady and monopolised by my outdoor loving children and their play paraphernalia. However, that doesn't mean I can't grow my own produce. Using pots, tubs and troughs, I can plant up a variety of seeds successfully. This year I have already started on my mission to be greener and save cash by subsidising our diet with homegrown produce. I have potatoes growing in a tub, rhubarb in a pot and strawberries that have broken free from their planter and taken root in my lawn!
Gardening is an activity that I enjoy doing with the children as it helps them to learn about nature and teaches them about where their food comes from. As we are a family of vegetarians, I think that growing our own and trying to live more sustainably is something that complements our lifestyle perfectly and sets a great example to my kids - the next generation.
Now all I need to do is wait for my seedlings to grow and reap the rewards of growing my own! I am looking forward to some freshly picked baby leaf salad very soon!
Find out more about the free to join reward programme for ethical shoppers at myice.com
Throughout the month of June I have gone greener than I've ever gone before! Thanks to the lovely people at e-cloth, who provided me with a selection of their cloths and natural cleaning products, I have not had to use any nasty household chemicals in my home at all! I am so surprised at how easy it has been to say bye-bye to bleach and ta-ta to toilet cleaners. E-cloth unleashes the ionic cleaning power of water which is perfect for lots of household tasks. The concentration of special fibres make the cloths able to pick up and hold grease and grime more effectively than other cloths. 480,000 fibres per square cm provide a huge surface area of cleaning edges, picking up germs as well as visible dirt. Other jobs can be taken over by using environmentally friendly alternatives, whether that is a purpose made cleaner or by using salt, vinegar, bicarbonate of soda or lemon juice. I've learned tricks and tips to save time, money and the planet. I have revolutionized my housework!!
One of the most impressive cleaners that I discovered over the four weeks is vinegar. It has disinfectant and deodorizing properties so is useful for drains and toilets when used neat. In a solution, it makes an excellent spray cleaner for most surfaces, windows, mirrors, taps and sinks. It is as good as anything I've ever used before, and that includes the top brand sprays that claim to clean everything in a single spray. The best bit though is just how cheap it is. Economy Malt Vinegar works just as well as the more expensive vinegars and it costs pennies. The smell disappears as soon as it is dry. Using it with the e-cloth makes surfaces smear-free clean with ease. I can't recommend the General Purpose e-Cloth and the Glass Polishing e-cloth enough when used in conjunction with a light spray of vinegar solution for surfaces and windows.
Oven Cleaning is a horrible job but using the Hob and Oven Pack and a bicarbonate of soda and vinegar paste certainly did the trick. I found it actually worked better than a top brand chemical oven foam cleaner that I had previously used. Not only was the end result better, the green way also did not smell for hours or destroy the skin on my hands. In fact, when my son Joe and his girlfriend Jade moved house last weekend, I used my new found green oven cleaning technique to get their oven clean. I used environmentally friendly Astonish and the oven cloth to scrub the oven after scraping off the layer of grease with a plastic pan scraper. Jade had actually bought an expensive chemical oven cleaning kit, but it went unused...I am that much of a convert to going green! Glass doors on ovens and microwaves polish up a treat with the glass cloth.
Laundry products have been replaced by environmentally friendly versions that are readily available and similarly priced to top selling brands. They are just as good yet kinder to the planet. Vinegar can even be used as a fabric softener, although I didn't try this myself.
We have laminate and stone tiled floors in our downstairs rooms. The e-cloth Deep Clean Mop is excellent for both surfaces using just water. The large mop head is very absorbent and works quickly and easily to clean hard surfaces. It breaks down, picks up and holds the dirt and grease which can then be rinsed away. It worked really efficiently and the telescopic handle made it height adjustable to avoid back breaking mopping issues!
Washing-up is so easy with the Washing-Up Pad which at £2.99 is a real must have. It is big, thick and has two different textured sides to tackle both grease and dried on food. It is very robust and after a few weeks shows no sign of deterioration at all. For lightly soiled washing-up I use just water and the pad. For greasy dishes I do like to use a squirt of environmentally friendly washing-up liquid. A dash of lemon juice or a sprinkle of salt in hot water can also be used to assist in washing-up the green way. The E-Towel is a drying up phenomena, drying four times better than ordinary cotton. I love how efficient it is to use, no more smearing damp cloths over my plates! And glassware comes up streak free and sparkling. It is an excellent addition to my kitchen.
Overall, going green was not difficult at all. In fact some jobs were much easier and quicker thanks to the brilliant e-cloth products that are designed for specific cleaning jobs. I loved the fact that all my cleaning jobs were safer for my household and the planet. The money saving aspect of not buying in chemical cleaners was a real eye opener. Every year over £100 is spent per household. Investing in a selection of e-cloths will prove cost effective over time. E-cloths outperform and outlast ordinary cloths.
E-Cloths can be kept clean by regular rinsing, but can be washed in a washing machine with a little detergent according to individual washing instructions. This maintains their performance at its best. They can be washed 300 times without losing their effectiveness!
Taking the green plunge really is a win-win situation. Your family is protected from the chemical residues from cleaning products that can trigger asthma, allergies and skin problems. The planet is saved from the disposal of harmful chemicals. Not using impregnated wipes and cutting down on shop bought bottled cleaning products reduces the impact on landfill sites. Money is saved in the long run by using just water to clean. Your house will be hygienically clean and many tasks will be made quicker and easier.
Whether you want to make one small difference or whether you want to go completely green, every step you take has benefits that positively impact both personally and globally. Take a look at the e-cloth website to peruse the purpose designed cloths, mops and pads. You will also find more information on how e-cloths work and advice on their care and use. Delivery is free on orders over £10.
I am not one of these women who dons a pinny and headscarf and effortlessly floats around the house making everything sparkle and gleam with a smile on my face. I am instead someone who finds housework a necessary evil! I hate the idea of using gallons of chemicals to keep my home spick and span. Everytime I pour some harsh cleaner down the loo or down the plughole, I wonder where it is going to end up and what effect it is having on the environment. I also suffer from psoriasis on my hands which flares up whenever I so much as look at a bottle of bleach!
Last year I discovered e-cloth and was impressed that I could clean my home using nothing more than the power of water! 99% of germs can be removed without having to use chemical cleaners. Using my e-cloth to clean up the bathroom sinks and polish the taps has been my contribution to green cleaning. I feel like I am doing my bit, I'm saving money on cleaning products and it is quick, easy and effective on everyday messes. However, I've not been brave enough to completely turn my back on the off the shelf products that temptingly promise to turn your greasy kitchens and limescale ridden bathrooms into sparkling clean spaces.
This year however, my dedication to going green is being tested further with the e-cloth Green Cleaning Challenge. Can I say good-bye to chemical cleaners for a whole month? Using a range of e-cloth products along with a host of natural alternatives to chemical cleaners, can I keep my home hygienically clean?
E-Cloth have sent me everything I need to go clean and green for the next four weeks. Using some everyday items such as lemon juice, salt, bicarbonate of soda and vinegar, alongside some eco-cleaning products and my e-cloth collection, I'll be testing just how easy it is to go green.
Coming Clean and Going Green!
I'll be sharing some hints and tips on how you can clean your home naturally. I'll also be interested to see how much I could save from my weekly shopping bill by making the switch. Apparently we spend on average £109 a year on cleaning products. The initial investment in e-cloth products could soon pay for itself several times over! So wish me luck as I embark on this challenge!
Take a look at e-cloth's website to see the range of products specific to different household cleaning needs and maybe do your bit in coming clean and going green.
Another part of my amazing day with Harveys at the Ideal Home Show was having the opportunity to interview George Clarke, the architect and interior designer behind the remodernisation of 1 Coronation Street. I asked him to explain to me what he considered to be the best advice for us in order to be more eco-friendly in our homes.
George was very passionate about the concept of sustainability. He said that although the highly aspirational carbon neutral new build eco-homes on Grand Designs are fantastic, they are clearly out of the reach of the average person. In Great Britain there are 25 million homes, many of which are unsustainable Victorian terraces such as the Barlow home on Coronation Street. Using this iconic old house as an example for what could be done to make your home more eco-friendly gave out an important message.
He said that although homes like the Barlows' are steeped in nostalgia, they are generally hugely ecologically inefficient. This is costly to the homeowners and to the planet. But George said that there were simple steps that could be taken which are affordable and which will improve your carbon footprint and reduce your household bills.
His first piece of advice was to double glaze. Not only would it make your house warmer and quieter, it also reduces the heat lost through the windows.
If you have a boiler that is over 10 years old, get it changed for an energy efficient model. Old boilers are unsafe and can cause carbon monoxide poisoning in some instances which can be fatal. Only 40% of the gas used is actually converted into heat. They are very wasteful to both your pocket and to fuel reserves.
Use energy saving light bulbs. The old style bulbs use electricity to produce only 10% light to 90% heat. The heat is just wasted...you are paying for something that is not even used!
Insulate your loft as thickly as you can! George quite rightly said that you wouldn't go without a nice, warm, thick coat in the winter...so treat your house the same. Do as much as you can afford...it saves cash in the long run.
If you do any modernisations, take advantage of the situation and add cavity wall insulation wherever you can. It keeps the heat in and makes your heating work more efficiently for you.
Sound advice from George indeed. Remember there are grants available to help with these some of these costs in some instances. (Just Google Energy Saving Grants for more information.)
Another step you can take is to install Solar Panels. Even if it just tops up heating your water, it is a great step towards more sustainable living. The government's Feed In Tariff gives you payment back for any excess energy created that is returned to the grid. This could provide a fixed tax free income and save money off your household bills.
George talked me through a couple of his favourite features in the modernised, sustainable Corrie House. The kitchen and dining room had been knocked through to create a larger, airier living space. The glass frontage allowed the light to stream through and made a wonderful architectural feature to the terrace.
The worksurface in the kitchen was made of recycled glass bottles from London's pubs and restaurants and from Tube Train windows. The effect is a sparkling, unique design that adds real magic to the kitchen.
One of George's favourite pieces of furniture was a desk and chair in the revamped bedroom. It was made using timber from sustainably felled trees and a material made out of compressed recycled coffee grounds sourced from coffee houses around the country! What a fabulous use of Starbuck's waste!
It was an absolute pleasure to hear George enthuse about his work at this year's Ideal Home Show. I'll certainly be thinking long and hard about any areas where I can make my home more sustainable. We might not be able to make our houses completely carbon neutral, but we can certainly make differences that will be beneficial to us and to the environment.
When we were offered a bucket of PlayMais to review, Tiny Tester Kizzy couldn't wait to get her hands on it! She loves arts and crafts! Usually, this equates to her ending up to her neck in glue, cardboard, sellotape, loo roll tubes, paints, tissue paper and felt tips, but having no real direction as to what to make. She tries to replicate what she sees Mister Maker knock up, but it never really works and we end up with some soggy lump of sticky goo which we admire for a couple of days before making a gift of it to the bin men!
When the big bucket of PlayMais arrived I was impressed to find out that it was 100% bio-degradable, completely harmless, made from non-modified maize and coloured with non-toxic food dyes. So it is safe for both my children and the planet! The pieces stick together with water so you need no glue or sticky tape to make a model. The pack contained 500 pieces along with an absorbent cloth and a bio-degradable modelling tool. The pieces can be easily cut, rolled or torn into shapes before sticking together with a tiny drop of water. The natural starch content of the maize makes a glue when it comes into contact with water on the moist cloth.
We made the decision not to let Freddy lose with the PlayMais today. Although I'm sure he would have loved to have played with it, he also would have thrown it, eaten it and generally smooshed it up. I know it would be harmless, and that the dyes are washable from clothing at 30 degrees, but I thought Kizzy would have much more fun playing without her toddler brother interfering! So while he enjoyed a film with his Daddy, me and Kizzy got stuck into the PlayMais.
Kizzy loved the colourful bricks and thought they "looked, felt and smelt like Wotsits!" She quickly got to grips with cutting pieces to size and using just a touch of water from the damp cloth to stick them together.
The instruction leaflet had lots of ideas for different things to make and she diligently cut and stuck to make a range of animals, people, plants and bugs. The pieces are easy to manipulate into whatever shape you can imagine.
It was so simple to make things without worrying about glueing or waiting for it to dry. The pieces stuck together instantly which meant Kizzy could create whatever she liked quickly and simply, which was very satisfying for her. She let her imagination run wild and created her own little world of PlayMais characters. PlayMais can be as simple or complex as you want it to be. At 8, Kizzy was able to mould the pieces to create what she wanted to make. It gave her a real sense of accomplishment (unlike when trying to emulate Mister Maker and his unachievable 30 second makes!!)
Here is a video of her demonstrating how to make a PlayMais person and showing some of her finished models!
She really did love it and it was nice to be able to compost the offcuts knowing they are completely bio-degradable. We had no trouble with running dye as she was old enough to understand about not using too much water. There was no mess on her hands, clothes or the table after we had finished playing. As far as I am concerned, it is an excellent arts and crafts product...it was not too messy, it was quick and easy, it didn't frustrate her because it did exactly what she wanted it to do and the waste can be disposed off into the compost bin. The bucket keeps it all contained and stores it away nicely. It's eco-friendly, green, versatile and a lot of fun!
She made a little film using some of the characters we made. It really fired her imagination!
PlayMais originates from Germany where it is an award winning favourite. It is now taking the UK by storm. It is available from John Lewis, Amazon and from good toy shops. Prices start at just £2.99 for a small themed kit. It is recommended for ages 3 and up, but really does become as complex as your child's needs.
I give it a big thumbs up...I really can't fault it!
