Derry woman shares how 'going green' is harder than it looks but worth all the effort

Christine said: “Like everyone else, I believed that I was good at avoiding waste and conscious of what I bought - ‘I’ll not buy anything wrapped in plastic’, I thought. For a start the bins don’t lie. Looking at the contents of my own black bin indicated that I had a serious crisp habit and that multi-buy packs are not exactly environmentally friendly.

“How hard can it be to get to a zero plastic waste outcome? Harder than it looks. From February and with the onset of Lent, my mission has been to see how long I can go with one bin bag before I have to put it in the bin. Almost 6 weeks in and that bag (sadly plastic) is nearing capacity. Despite the challenge, it has made me think about packaging in a new way. It has often, but not always, put a brake on shopping. If it’s wrapped in plastic or too much packaging then it is a no.

“Buying individual vegetables has been great. There is no longer the food waste from those prepacked carrots or spuds that never got used before they went off. Buying what I need has definitely paid off for me. Cleaning products and bathroom products still proliferate with whole cupboards full of very niche items. Here, my approach is refill laundry soap and dishwashing bottles. Switch to the kind of stuff your granny would have used; vinegar and bicarbonate of soda and reuse, reduce those containers.”

Christine has found that Ethical Weigh, a co-op located in Eglinton, has helped her reduce her plastic usage around the home. Operating on the principle of zero plastic waste, the shop provides fresh unwrapped fruit and vegetables, spices and allows you to refill all your staples using reusable bottles and containers.

“In my bathroom,” she said. “Shampoo bottles are lined up for refilling. Hand soap has made a come back and moisturizer is largely coconut oil. Despite these good intentions, it may take some time to use up all the existing lotions, potions and gift sets that have come to roost on my shelves.

“So if you fancy trying to honour St Patrick with some greener credentials, why not try to reduce your waste that doesn’t decompose easily. Go the refill route – it will reduce plastic container waste. Be kind to your endocrine system and discover household cleaners that won’t cost the earth or your health. Share your leftover food with community larders available outside Eglinton Community Centre and at the Play Trail in Pennyburn.”

“I will be following the greener Ethical way this year. Will it be possible for me to get down to zero waste even one week? Watch this space and try out refill shopping for yourself. Ethical Weigh also runs a vegetarian vegan café and take-away using the produce available in the shop.”

For more information on Ethical Weigh, visit www.ethicalweigh.com