I’m sure we all know by now that we should be doing more to try and save the environment, but it can seem so overwhelming. What does “save the environment” mean? How can I, one measly little person in a planet of billions, save the planet?

The reality is that the real impact will come from the big players in industry, but if lots of us make one small step then it all adds up to something. Hopefully if those big companies see lots of their target audience fighting the good fight then they might be inspired to join the good fight too – we can but hope, right?

I know that this post is in no way original and you can probably find a million posts like it on Google, but there might just be something on it that ignites something inside you or some reason that you stumble across this post when you haven’t read similar posts.

So without further ado, here are five ways that I’m trying to do my bit to save our lovely planet:

• I’m giving the Moon Cup a go as an alternative to more traditional period products. I can’t say for sure that it’ll become a permanent part of my routine, but trying is better than not trying.
• I recycle where ever I can. It actually feels kinda wrong to not recycle nowadays, doesn’t it? I also know, however, how tempting it is to just want to throw everything in one bin sometimes and be done with it, no faff…then I realise just how much stuff is going in the recycling bin instead of going to landfill, and it makes me feel pretty good to be honest. Have you ever looked to see what can be recycled at your local recycling centre that isn’t part of your kerbside collections? You might be surprised by some of the extra things you could be recycling with a little extra effort. A lot of groups are now collecting crisp bags and Tetra-Pak packaging for recycling now as a fundraiser, so it’s definitely worth keeping an eye out to see if anybody near you is doing that!
• I’ve replaced cotton wool pads with re-usable ones. For me this probably isn’t quite as big a change as it might be for some people, as I don’t wear make up every day, but even the smallest of changes add up. I got mine from Flamingo Fluff, who also makes a whole other bunch of ‘re-usable’ swaps!
• Sometimes I say no to my receipt. This is a fairly new one to me, and it doesn’t always work but it definitely makes a tiny difference. Do I really need my receipt when I take money out at the ATM? Not really, because I will be checking my balance online later that night anyway. Obviously some shops automatically print your receipt, in which case it makes sense to take it so that you can recycle it instead of them just throwing it into landfill, but some of them only print a copy if you ask for it/ say ‘yes please’ when asked so it’s worth considering if you really need a receipt for that pint of milk!
• I chose the green energy option. Most suppliers nowadays have a green energy option on their tarriff list because they are realising how important it is for consumers, so when my bills came up for renewal I was more than happy to choose the green one! There are also companies who specialise in green energy, so it’s worth shopping around to find what suits you best (although this is just general good advice for life and not just saving the planet!).

What kind of changes have you made in your life to try and save the planet? Let me know in the comments below! Upon writing this I realise I have made more than five changes, so there might be a part two coming soon!