Sustainable living

Bettina (aka @plasticfreehackney), mother of 2 small children, tells us about her plastic-free family life. It's not easy, but it can be done.

So disposable “paper” coffee cups have plastic in them, and loads of them are not being recycled. What can be done? We answer your questions.

An alphabetical list of helpful links on wood use and tree protection – from campaigns to recycling and sustainable building.

If you can't find reused or recycled wood for your woodworking projects, the next best environmental choice is local FSC-certified timber.

Rather than buying brand new wood for a DIY or building project, it's much better for the environment to find timber that's been used before. Here's why, and how...

Have a heart this Valentine's Day – avoid adding to the plastic choking our oceans and sea life. Check out our plastic-free ideas for the most romantic gifts on the planet.

If repairing or re-using old wood isn't possible, here's an A to Z guide to buying new timber. Find out if it's from endangered trees, or from a sustainable source.

Since the 5p charge, we’ve reduced plastic bag use in England by a massive 85%. Let's get a charge on coffee cups too.

The UK government thankfully introduced a ban on plastic straws and cotton buds in October 2020. But there's still tonnes of pointless plastic in everyday items such as toothbrushes, coffee cups and even tea bags. So, how can you avoid it? Read our quick tricks to reduce your plastic consumption.

As we campaign to reduce unnecessary packaging and beat the scourge of plastic waste, a seven-year study of Cornish beaches shows the harm this kind of pollution is doing to our natural environment.