Sally Brown - Sustainable Sal - Your Go-To Guide For Greener Living: Tips and Advice For A More Sustainable and Eco-Conscious Lifestyle (The Eco-Pal)

Unfortunately, we are living in a time where a linear economy is the norm - where raw materials are transformed into single use products and thrown away. It is estimated that around 50% of plastic is used just once before being discarded (Plasticoceans.org, 2021). This 'throwaway' culture has been causing destruction to our wildlife, our waters and our health, and yet we are still being convinced that convenience is what we need.

If we watch the adverts on television and see the ads that pop up when scrolling through social media, nine times out of ten they are telling us we need something because what we have already isn't good enough. We NEED the latest new gadget, even if our old one is working perfectly fine because the new model has a few more megapixels on the camera, or we NEED to have disposable cutlery at our party on Saturday night because washing up is an inconvenience.

What we are failing to realise is that 'away' does not exist. When we throw something 'away' it has to go somewhere. And the problem is, where things are constantly being made, used and put in the bin, we are piling up a HUGE amount of waste - more than the planet can handle. The majority of this waste doesn't get recycled, but ends up in landfill, or worse, in the sea where it kills our marine life, damaging the environment for many years to come.

It has also become normal for us to use products that contain harsh chemicals in our homes and on our bodies. This not only has an adverse effect on our health, but is also damaging to the environment and our precious ecosystems; the consequences of which are yet to be fully understood.

Here are some scary facts about plastic waste: ( Plasticoceans.org , 2021)

• Less than 9% of all plastic gets recycled
• 10 million tons of plastic are dumped in the ocean every year
• 1 million marine animals are killed annually by plastic pollution Humans eat over 40 pounds of plastic in their lifetime

A lot of people have the opinion that there is "no point trying because one person on their own is not going to make a difference". I can completely understand this mindset because I used to have it myself. The truth is, there are so many others out there that are facing the same dilemma. If everyone made a small change here and there, change would happen!

There is also a misconception that living an eco-friendly lifestyle will break the bank. The truth is, a lot of the alternatives out there don't have to cost a penny and can actually save you money in the long run!

I have written this ebook to show you how easy it can be to make changes to your lifestyle; changes that not only help the environment, but which I am confident will also have a positive effect on you and your family's health.

This is your go-to guide which you can refer to whilst on your journey to greener living. It is, in effect, your 'Eco-Pal'.

As much as I'm sure we'd all like to, we won't go straight to being 100% plastic free overnight. It is a journey which isn't always an easy one. There are likely to be hurdles along the way, but we can do this! Every small change makes a difference. Below are some tips to help you get started on reducing your usage of single use plastics:

• Start with the easy stuff - things that don't affect your habits at all.
• Look at rooms inside your home and see where you use single use plastic (check out the rest of the book for things you can change in each area of the house and other areas of your life). Check out The Ultimate Plastic Free Project if you want a tool to help you do this.
• When you've established your list, you don't have to go out and buy replacements for all of it straight away. Start small and work your way up.
• The most important one - Don't throw away all of your plastic items that can still be used to buy a plastic free alternative!
• Before you swap, use up what you have or reuse/repurpose, before buying new wherever possible.

In this book, I have included links to a variety of product examples and relevant websites for your reference. I hope this helps. Enjoy reading!