It’s Plastic Free July and it’s no secret that we here at Treehouse Club embrace nature whenever we can. We love growing our own veggies and fruit with the children, getting into the forest to use it as our classroom, and making eco-friendly switches that help us shrink our carbon footprint wherever possible. By making these small changes we can collectively make a huge difference, so to kickstart the plastic free mission, here are some easy ideas we can all get on board with…
Reusable coffee/tea cups: We parents NEED our coffee and tea to get us through the day, but all those takeaway cups are adding to the landfill issue. Britain alone uses a whopping 2.5 billion takeaway cups every year, the majority of which can’t be recycled. That’s enough cups to stretch around the world five and a half times! Bringing your reusable cup to the coffee shop is a simple solution that will really help the mountainous takeaway cup issue.
Beeswax storage wraps: Bees are literally nature’s best friend and switching out plastic sandwich bags and plastic food storage bags for beeswax alternatives is an easy swap to make AND also happens to be better for your health. According to the World Health Organisation, dioxin, a toxic chemical found in the plastics used in food storage bags, can cause all sorts of health issues: eek! Beeswax alternatives are the way to bee more eco-friendly and healthier for sure!
Bamboo/washable or plastic-free, bio-degradable baby wipes: We get it: as parents we get through a LOT of wipes, but with 90% of blocked sewages pipes in the UK being caused by baby wipes, these not-so-eco-friendly discarded wipes are a serious issue for the environment. By making the switch to bamboo wipes, washable wipes, organic cotton balls or plastic free, bio-degradable wipes you’re instantly on your way to becoming a plastic free guru. Don’t forget to also swap out the make-up removing wipes too for reusable face cloths!
Plastic straws and single-use cutlery alternatives: There’s just no need to have a pointless piece of Earth-damaging plastic in your drink, and there are plenty of excellent alternatives to those hideous plastic straws. Bamboo, stainless steel, pasta tubes and compostable paper are all types of straws we’ve tried and all work an eco-friendly treat. The same goes for single-use cutlery: pop an eco-friendly, reusable set in your bag for when plastic is offered to you.
Reusable shopping bags: From snazzy tote bags to washable canvas bags, there are so many choices when it comes to reusable shopping bags that there really is no excuse to be using throwaway, plastic ones. It can take hundreds – thousands even – of years for plastic to disintegrate, so the damage to the environment is long term. And, like the sandwich bags, those nasty toxins can find their way into the food chain which means our families can end up ingesting them.
By making simple switches – including ditching cotton tips for organic versions, plastic toothbrushes for bamboo ones, and using reusable bottles for water – we’re not only teaching our children to be eco-conscious, but also, hopefully, doing our bit in helping our planet heal for future generations.
To find out more about The Treehouse Club’s eco-stance, holistic curriculum and Forest School ethos, get in touch today either via email on adventure@thetreehouseclub.co.uk or call us on 01277 402 018 and we’ll be happy to answer questions or arrange a tour of our Forest and countryside settings.
