Ideas do world of good
WORLD leaders are discussing climate change this week at COP26 in Glasgow but we can all do our bit for the planet by choosing homeware with care. From rugs made of recycled T-shirts to vacuum cleaners designed to be fixed, the first steps towards sustainable living are increasingly available.
British designer Mark Howells is so passionate about living an ethical lifestyle that he’s recycling broken umbrellas to make lamps that use just 5 per cent of “virgin” materials.
Nylon canopies, which may take 1,000 years to biodegrade, are made into lampshades and there’s a “take back” scheme so lamps can be recycled when you’ve finished with them.
“We only create products that have a circular life cycle, using waste products and turning them into desirable objects,” he says.
More everyday solutions include Nookary, an online store set up by two friends in Surrey to make it easier to find eco-products such as compostable kitchen sponges.
Now they have launched their first ownbrand all-purpose probiotic cleaner – N002 – which uses beneficial bacteria to reduce harmful bacteria in a cleaning spray scented with essential oils.
Developed and made in the UK, it keeps all household surfaces germ-free between cleans.
This Christmas, sustainable decorations are a must, according to British trading company Sass & Belle: “Smart shopping is high on Santa’s list,” says marketing manager Daisy Coombes, “from sending plantable Christmas cards, using an LED ‘twig’ tree and even renting a Christmas tree, to using recycled glassware and reusable crackers.”