‘I stopped throwing away plastic’
Mum-of-three Jeanie Bird, 40, was horrified by how much waste her family made, so she decided to take action
‘Like many of us, although I had good intentions when it came to the environment, I hardly ever acted on them. Because I was just one person, I didn’t think I would make a difference, and that my bad habits wouldn’t have much of an impact.
Working in London, I’d go for convenience over sustainability. Every time I needed a caffeine fix, I’d get a coffee from Starbucks and throw the cup in the bin instead of bringing a reusable one. When out shopping in the supermarket, I’d buy products covered in plastic without thinking twice. I would rationalise these choices to myself – I was busy, and they were the easy option.
It wasn’t until my family started to grow that things changed. My husband, Charlie, and I moved to the Berkshire countryside, just outside Reading, in 2013. We had our son, now six, and soon after, our twin girls, now four. With three young children, it dawned on me just how much waste we produced. I threw countless wet wipes and disposable nappies in the bin every day, and I felt as though we were surrounded by plastic, with everything from toys to baby bathtubs and changing mats. It overwhelmed me.
When I began to research what effect our household waste had on the environment, I came across a shocking statistic: the UK throws away around 3bn nappies each year. I also read something that really struck a chord: “When you throw something away, there is no ‘away’.” It got me thinking about how much rubbish ends up in landfill, and just because it’s out of sight doesn’t mean it should be out of mind. I decided to challenge myself to make better choices, starting with easy swaps. I bought biodegradable nappies and wipes, and chose loose fruit and veg at the supermarket. If I did have to buy a plastic-wrapped item, I made sure it was recyclable. With cleaning products, I opted for those that you could refill. Conscious of the pollution caused by importing food from all over the world, I started going to a weekly local farmers’ market for our meat and eggs. Meanwhile, if a hole appeared in the kids’ clothes, I’d mend it rather than throw them away, and I scoured charity shops and online to buy secondhand. When I found a chest of drawers for £10 on Facebook, I painted it grey and added shiny new handles – it’s now in the twins’ bedroom and they love it!
I was so inspired by my eco journey that, two years ago, I decided to leave my job as a freelance writer and set up a business. The Gilded Bird sells beautiful but durable nursery products – manufactured in the UK and made to last.
Getting greener isn’t always easy. It can be a daily tug-of-war between ease and sustainability. But no individual has an excuse to do nothing. If we all do our bit, it will make a real difference; it’s never too late to make a change.’ • thegildedbird.co.uk
‘If we all do our bit, it will make a real difference’