Christmas has always been a time for feasting and bringing people together. Sharing food and often filling our bellies with a bit more than we need. There’s nothing quite like the smell of mince pies and the anticipation of the Christmas roast...but what about the left-overs? I personally love Boxing day because of the left-overs. I am a huge fan of a cold roast potato smothered in mustard mayo!
Storing and using what we have is a great way to extend the festive feasting but also reduces our food waste. It is estimated that 270,000 tonnes of food are wasted in the UK each Christmas including 74 million mince pies! So what can we do to help?
Well the most obvious is to eat what we buy! If you have cooked too much? Freeze it for a meal another day, all our Mintie Lunchboxes and Snack Pots are freezer safe making them perfect for leftovers.
Here are some great ideas for using up the leftovers from Delicious Magazine
and the Jamie Oliver website. And check out Left over veg pie from Vegan Food and Living
You can also just pop a plate on top of whatever you are storing too for a super simple no fuss way to keep your leftovers in tip top condition until you are ready to feast again!!!
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It will come as no surprise that sweets often arrive wrapped in layers of plastic - from Mars Bars to Quality Streets - but this plastic detritus after demolishing the contents can be a little shocking.
If possible this Christmas, choose sweets wrapped in foil instead which can be recycled. They may be less obvious and probably won't be in huge stacks when you walk into the supermarket but they are out there, such as chocolate by Ombar, Divine and Seed and Bean, or chewing gum from chewsy gum. Or how about visiting a sweet shop in real life and getting some sweets in a paper bag?
When recycling foil, the trick is to gather all the foil together and screw it up into a ball, otherwise it can get rejected and put into landfill. Don't be fooled by the plastic films with metal in them either, these are not recyclable.
If there is no better alternative, choose treats that come in a larger packet and that you divide and share at home as larger things generally means less packaging, for example a bar of chocolate will have less packaging than the same weight of chocolate individually wrapped.
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Christmas dinner with ALL the trimming is the best meal of the year in my opinion, but it needs to be loaded with heaps of veggies, and yes, brussel sprouts too.
One way to support your local growers, reduce food miles and get the best seasonal vegetables is to invest in a veg box scheme. Often delivered to your door and guaranteed to pay the farmers and food producers fairly, these boxes are more pricey than the supermarket, but tend to be more tasty and also make a perfect gift at Christmas. To yourself and others too.
So why not look up your local veg box scheme and see if you can test out their wares in your Christmas feast, they will taste amazing and you will be supporting your local growers and farmers this festive season.
The Soil Association have a great website which allows you to search for box schemes in your area and also has heaps of other useful and helpful information on buying organic, including eating organic on a budget.
]]>Why not use paper instead? A little less gaudy but much more environmentally friendly. Making paper chains is a fantastic relaxing (even mindful) activity that everyone can get involved in.
Here are some great resources to give you a kick start
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There’s no doubt that the twinkling of lights hanging from a tree or welcoming doorway really make it feel like Christmas. And with the average household having 100 lights adorning their homes each year that's a lot of energy consumed...in fact, according to a recent survey by Which magazine, the electricity costs the average home £9 a month. This eco-swap to move to LED lights instead will also save you around £8 as LEDs use only 10% of the electrical energy of filament bulbs. Using less energy than the standard like LED’s are definitely the more energy efficient choice. The difference between LED bulbs and standard bulbs is LED emit no heat and are made with light-emitting diodes instead of a filament. This makes them not only more energy efficient but safer too as they don’t burn out like regular bulbs. They also have a much longer lifespan with the LED version lasting for up to 25 times longer!
However here at Mintie HQ we are always about using what you have to hand first, so if you have a set of regular Christmas lights that are working and good to go - stick with them first. Invest in LED lights when the need arises and you will have a longer lasting, lower energy set to last you for years to come. Most importantly - check what you have already before succumbing to the impulse to buy a new one!
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It is estimated that 100 million Christmas cards are sent each year in the UK, wowsers - that is staggering. And although some of us are ditching the real life card for an email or e-card version it would seem that many of us are not. Sending a Christmas card is a great way to catch up with old friends, perhaps write to a relative you don’t see very often and a seasonal tradition I don’t think is going anywhere fast. But with 100 million cards being received and then by January being thrown out theres no doubt that its important to think about the most considered eco way to give the gift of a card. Henry Cole the first Director of the V&A Gallery sent the very first Christmas card in 1843 and we have been doing it ever since!
There are lots of eco-conscious ways to give a Christmas card this year, for example why not have a go at making your own? I love these print ones or you could try these wreath cards.
For handmade cards Etsy is a good shout and our personal favourites https://looploop.co.uk/
For charity Christmas cards have a look at RSPB, Amnesty or our favourites this year - polar bear cards from Oxfam
Another way to reduce the impact and cost of Christmas cards is to reuse those you received last year. People have been doing this for years and I can remember as a kid, cutting out the cards to use as tags.
For some other great ideas to reuse your Xmas cards have a look at the reduce - reuse - recycle website here
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There’s no doubt that it's an exciting time of year when the box of Christmas decorations comes down from the loft each year. There is nothing more lovely than walking into a home that feels festive and full of cheer. Our children love to decorate the Christmas tree, their bedrooms and the rest of the house.
So what are we spending on Christmas decorations each year and is there a more eco friendly way to deck the halls? We did a little online research and the statistics vary wildly on what our average spend on decorations in the festive season is - with estimates from £32 up to £185 per year! We clearly love to bring some bling and sparkle during this festive season.
One way to do that a little more sustainably is to have a go at making your own. I love DIY Dried Citrus Ornaments for adding to a tree or just hanging around the home and if you have little ones, making these together is a great activity.
The sparkly baubles we hang on our trees today have a long history dating back to 16th Century Germany where people would hang red apples to signify the forbidden fruits from the book of Genesis. Often baubles these days are made from plastic and less often glass and if broken or no longer needed are hard to recycle.
So how about this year have a go at making your own, buying from charity shops or using what you already have. Perhaps if you are looking for a change-up of decorations you could swap your Christmas box with another family or friend.
https://www.handmadecharlotte.com/painted-nut-ornaments/
https://liagriffith.com/diy-paper-house-christmas-ornament/?sscid=a1k4_49fkg
https://thehousethatlarsbuilt.com/2018/12/printable-retro-ornaments.html/
https://www.countryliving.com/uk/create/craft/a25388677/handmade-christmas-paper-wreath/
http://webloomhere.blogspot.com/2011/12/pinecone-gnomes.html
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/features/how-to-make-pine-cone-christmas-decorations
Citrus ornaments look almost like stained glass when the light shines through them. To string your own strand, all you need are navel and blood oranges, parchment paper, two cookie sheets, jute or natural twine, a skewer or nail, and decorative hooks.
Make the Ornaments:
Love them or hate them they are here to stay I think - Christmas jumpers. Whether you are looking for that understated neat Nordic style or an all out gaudy number there are a few ways to make your Christmas jumper wearing more eco this year.
First and probably the most obvious is to use and wear what you already have - let's face it, it's in the cupboard for 11 months of the year so most people won’t even remember you wearing it last year! So have a root around your cupboards to find the most gaudy bad taste item you have and wear what's already there. If you are looking for a change up - swap your Christmas jumper with a pal or other family member.
We’ve found a couple of gems on depop too which is a great place to buy and sell second hand clothing and has heaps and heaps of Christmas jumpers on offer. Many charity shops are now selling online - try Oxfam or Thrift
If you are looking for something a bit more vintage or retro head over to Beyond Retro as they have a heap of super stylish jerseys, jerkins and jumpers full of Christmas spirit just for you.
Of course eBay and Facebook marketplace are good options for buying second hand.
Did you know that 11th of December Christmas Jumper Day? Support Save the Children and wear a silly jumper and get every single person you know to do the same! Then donate £2 – it’s for the kids, people!
You can talk to schools and businesses to sign up and celebrate Christmas a little early together.
Over the coming weeks Mintie the Mindful Hedgehog will bring you helpful tips and reminders to make the Christmas season a little more sustainable.
Let us enjoy the best parts of Christmas with a little less waste. Pause a moment before buying something that will end up in the bin in the new year. Take a breath to stop and think of others in the community that may need a little boost. What does Christmas mean to you and what would make it memorable this year?
Today Mindful Mintie shares this super easy but really important plastic free swap.
The humble cotton bud...we’ve all seen the images of the baby seahorse wrapped around a plastic bud tip, and I’ve found my fair share of these whilst doing beach cleans. Like plastic lolly sticks, cotton buds or cotton swabs as they are sometimes known are the perfect size to be ingested by animals & birds and definitely shouldn’t be flushed down the loo!
They are often made of the lightweight polypropylene making them float which helps them to edge their way through the filters in sewage systems. This makes them easier to get out and then back into our seas and waterways.
Swapping to a bamboo bud is the way to go, don't worry you still get that dreamy feeling when you gently clean your ears and you can then compost or dispose of your bud knowing they will decompose safely. Better for the waterways and wildlife. Better for the environment.
I like the buds from Greener Habits Co. and Barnes & Binns General Store. Have you made the swap yet? What are your favourite brands?
As always a massive THANK YOU and shout out to the talented @pedrakimou for his fabulous Mindful Mintie illustrations.
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Mindful Mintie is back! As we are a good way through Second Hand September we thought it fitting to bring you a post from Mindful Mintie with this little gem.
]]>Mindful Mintie is back!
As we are a good way through Second Hand September we thought it fitting to bring you a post from Mindful Mintie with this little gem.
One way we can all reduce what we use & need is by buying our clothes pre-loved, secondhand + vintage. We know that fast fashion sucks, according to Oxfam every week 13 MILLION items of clothing ends up in UK landfill..
Let that sink in a moment - as this statistic truly blew my mind 13 MILLION?!?!
So if you need some new threads think before your part with your cash. Shop second hand where you can, preloved and vintage clothes stores are fantastic too and with a growing number of increasing brands looking for ethical materials and production methods over fast fashion we have many more options out there when choosing what to wear.
Check out Oxfam's online second hand store a place to shop from the comfort of your sofa whilst making a real difference.
Big Thank You as always to @pedrakimou for images of Mindful Mintie
Mindful Mintie is back, this time having a little spruce up! One of the easiest plastic free swaps you can make is ditching the plastic shower gel bottles and using soap bars instead. Making bath and shower times zero-waste again, did you know that the plastic used to house shower gel are often only partly recyclable, meaning some or all of the plastic bottle has to go straight to landfill or incineration. Even if it can be 100% recycled this will only be for a certain number of times before the plastic is deemed too poor a quality to be used and then dumped.
The Guardian quoted that a million plastic bottles are bought around world EVERY MINUTE! Isn’t that staggering? What is worse is that is set to rise by a further 20% by 2021 if we don’t start taking action now. Much of the plastic waste is from drinks and other consumables but by making this simple swap in our bathrooms we can take small steps to bring this number down.
We are lucky that there has been a recent boom in ingenious people making natural and wonderful smelling soaps, with a huge choice there is really no excuse not to make the change. As a kid of the 80’s I remember the super strong, slightly overbearing smell of the Imperial Leather bar skulking on the side of the sink but thankfully this is no more. We can get soap bars of all guises, including detoxing and moisturising leaving us silky and smelling divine!
Here are a few of our family favourites, we hope you like them too...
Activated Charcoal Soap from KiteNest , perfect for a deep-detox wash.
We also love the sweet smelling Orange and Grapefruit bar from the Greener Habits Co.
So make this easy swap today, sack of your shower gel and swap back to a bar instead. Plastic-free & with no waste the change couldn’t be simpler. Also you don’t need to bin the last bit of the bar, just pop it in a soap pouch and you have a fantastic exfoliating soap-sponge combo too. We love this one from KiteNest. Have you swapped back to the bar? I’d love to know your favourites, let me know below or any other easy cosmetic changes you have made which are better for you and your planet.
Why not print out the Mindful Mintie Graphic to remind you? Or share with your friends and family.
BIG THANKS to the very talented Pedro @pedrakimou
for designing these images and making Mintie come to life. Please credit the designer when distributing
Why use a bamboo toothbrush?
Normally, toothbrushes are made from plastic - a material made from oil. In most areas, you cannot recycle a toothbrush as it is difficult to separate the bristles from the handle.
A bamboo toothbrush handle is made from the fast-growing bamboo plant, which is sustainable and will bio-degrade without any special industrial equipment. So whether you compost at home or toss in the landfill, they will have decomposed in a a year or so. The bristles are likely to be made from the same nylon material as the plastic version so make sure you remove them before home composting, which you can easily do by pulling them out with a pair of pliers.
More importantly, it is a very simple and low cost change you can make and one that will give you a gentle reminder twice a day when you brush your teeth to make more changes to help the planet.
Why not print out the Mindful Mintie Graphic to remind you? Or share with your friends and family.
BIG THANKS to the very talented Pedro @pedrakimou
for designing these images and making Mintie come to life. Please credit the designer when distributing
It’s an easy peasy swap to make and with 281 Refill Points in Brighton & Hove alone there is no excuse for single use anymore. With an estimated 7.7 BILLION plastic bottles used each year in the UK alone there is no better time to make a swap.
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