Local opportunities for reducing waste.
Dorset Council suggests ... Read more
Dorset Council have a page on Facebook and X with lots more eco tips and info - if you have a social media account just search for them.
They also have advice on their website about:
You can also sign up for their e-newsletter for up to date news.
Growing your own fruit and veg.
Holly and her children, Evie and Hugo, have enjoyed building their own raised veg. bed this year and write to say... Read more
We used some wood that was leftover from another garden project and were kindly donated some compost from a family member who was emptying their compost container. We went to the garden centre and chose some seeds to plant. We decided on Carrots, Beetroot and Parsnips. These were planted 10 days ago and we look forward to seeing the little green shoots poking out of the ground soon. Meanwhile, our wild strawberry plants that self-seeded in the front garden are producing jewel-like fruit, which each morning Hugo thoroughly enjoys picking and eating.
We would encourage anyone to try growing your own fruit and veggies, you do not need a lot of space to do so, it is great to be outdoors in the fresh air, and we will enjoy the reward of harvesting those first few crops. This reminded me of 2 Corinthians 6 “whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously” and this message of being workers together with God.
Do you like spending time outside?
Baby Laura Hardie asks ... Read more
"Could you plan an event in your garden or at your local park and invite your community to come and enjoy some outdoor fun in God's creation? If you've managed this would you share a picture with the Creation Care team? It does much to encourage others to try!"
Could you try re-filling?
Rachel and Roland suggest reducing your plastic waste by refilling your plastic bottles. Read more
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1. Why do you do it?
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"Our main aim is to save the waste of single-use plastic.
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2. How do you do it?
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"We take our empty bottles of washing-up liquid, body wash, hand wash, washing liquid and fabric softener to our local Wimborne health shop Spill the Beans for re-filling. The shop provides large containers of these products from which to re-fill our bottles, with a 10% reduction of the price of a new bottle of the same quantity.
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3. What would you advise to someone who wants to give this a go?
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"Be prepared to pay more, as only certain brands are available for re-filling and independent shops often charge more than you might expect to pay at larger supermarkets. We also like the idea of supporting local independent shops and making use of the facilities they offer. When a bottle empties in your house put the bottle in your shopping bag ready to take for re-filling next time you shop (so you don’t forget)! Try with one product first and see if it works for you. If it works well for you with one product, try more. You can also re-fill several other products, see what’s available."
Have you ever considered all the internet searches you make?
Baby Laura Hardie asks ... Read more
"Would you consider switching from Google to Ecosia? This green search engine plants trees to absorb the carbon emissions from your website searches. Hallelujah!"
Could you try going organic?
Alistair, Joanna and their baby Laura Hardie switched their groceries to organic for three months. This is what they have learned. Read more
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1. Why did you do it?
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"We did it because organic food champions better farming that protects soil health. This will mean there's a better chance of our next generation growing crops successfully. Our baby Laura and her generation would hopefully benefit from our choices.
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2. How did you do it?
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"We dramatically reduced what we bought weekly (36 items to 10 items) because we had to keep to a strict budget. We had to cook from scratch, plan every meal and repeat meals.
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3. What would you advise to someone who wants to give this a go?
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"Give it a go!
Try making the experience of planning, shopping and cooking really enjoyable. We love going to the shops in Wimborne and getting to know the shopkeepers.
Maybe start with a few first? Pick a few organic ingredients so it's more affordable and see what sticks?
It requires a lot of our time to plan, shop and cook. However, we have developed such a deep appreciation for our food. We really enjoy our carefully planned meals and drastically cut our food waste.
After our three months of trial, we now buy a mix of organic and non organic due to our budget. We continue to shop organic dairy because we just really enjoy them."