Stepping Past Our Carbon Footprint

I have been hearing a lot lately about the Government's decision to make retailers charge shoppers for carrier bags.

Many people seem to be scandalised that supermarkets and shops are now charging 5p for a carrier bag, but considering the changes that this will implement and the money that will be donated to charity, I think that this is a good and necessary change that will also help our carbon footprint. 

The figures speak for themselves.  8.5 billion carrier bags are given out on average each year.  Carrier bags are a huge problem for the environment, taking around 1000 years to break down in landfills and can be harmful to animals.

I read a few years ago about a Minke whale that was stranded on a beach in Normandy.   Whilst investigating the cause of death, it was found to have had 800g of plastic bags in it's stomach along with other packaging.

I came across the below infograph which tells us not only how to reduce our carbon footprint, but also save money too.

4imprint has a range of reusable and recycled products that could help you and 

your friends reduce your carbon footprint

In an effort to reduce my carbon footprint, I have now bought some personalised, fun and environmentally friendly bags to carry my shopping, a water bottle that I can refill instead of constantly buying bottles.  

On the more technical side, I have also invested in a bulk buy of Stylus Pens for my phone and the touch screen on my laptop.  Buying in bulk is far more environmentally friendly and can save you money in the long run too.  I cannot count the amount of pens that I have lost over the past few years and have had to replace.

How do you try to reduce your carbon footprint?

* As a result of this post, environmentally friendly bags will be donated to my local girl's football team

Simple Solutions for a Happier Life

With the modern world presenting us with longer working hours and many increased financial outgoings, it can sometimes feel like life is an uphill struggle. However, I've found that it's easy to put a little bit of balance back in my life by following a few of these small life changes.

Getting out and about

Simply going out and meeting people is one the best ways to put the spring back into your step. Whilst it can be hard to find the energy sometimes, I find that simply meeting a friend for lunch and discussing day-to-day activities can do wonders for my mood. This is because it seems that our actions determine our moods, not the other way around.

And this is why getting out the house can do so much in making us feel better, as it gives us a subtle shake-up to stop us getting too lethargic and dull. A little walk can be a good and quick way to refresh our minds, and it's been shown that somelight exercise can do much in making us feel better, so you can improve your mood without necessarily sweating it out at the gym!

Environmental concerns

As well as taking care of yourself, it's also important to spare a moment's thought for the state of our planet too. Without getting overly spiritual about it, I find that it's important to realise how connected everything is, so anything we can do to lessen the impact on our planet can do much to make us all feel better.

Whether it's eating a little less meat, or even taking public transport to work, environmentally-friendly habits all seem to have the dual function of caring for our planet, and helping us live better quality lives too. Our consumer choices also factor into this, which is why buying environmentally-friendly products such as electric radiators from the likes of Verismart, or even ethically-produced mobiles from companies such as Fairphone, can do much in helping us look toward to future.

Get creative

The power of positive thinking can do so much in improving the quality of our lives. I find it's a great idea to try and keep learning new things as a way to keep things interesting. Whether it's taking a dance lesson, or even learning a new language, keeping the brain active with new activities is key to lifting our moods.

I love checking out craft blogs like And Who Says You Can't which provide a great source of ideas to keep your hands busy and your mind inspired. It's all about making sure that we all spend our time doing what we want and cherishing each new day that comes to us.


*Written by Jess Walters

Layering Up for Autumn

Autumn.  The time of year when the weather likes to play tricks with us.  It could be freezing cold in the morning, only for gloriously warm sunshine to appear in the afternoon.  We dress for one type of weather and on many occasions end up getting another.

So how do we combat this mercurial weather?  The answer is layers.  A mix and match combination of your Summer and Winter wardrobe that will work with any weather combination.  For me, as always, that starts with a dress.

I am still clinging frantically to all my Summer dresses, not yet willing to give them up just yet to be packed away for next year.  So at the moment, my go to combination is a light summer dress, with a cardigan, tights and ankle boots.  Whether the day starts cold and goes warm or visa versa, the outfit can be adjusted to suit the temperature.

Here is what I was wearing today:

Floral Print Sleeveless Dress *
Black cardigan - old
Tights - New Look
Flat Ankle Boots *

I have to make a special mention of the boots that I am wearing in these photographs as they are an absolute bargain at £19.99 and are so comfortable.  Your foot is completely cushioned and it feels like you are wearing slippers.  The dress is also a bargain at £19,99 and can easily be worn with sandals for those warmer days.