Considered choices

With the cost of living rising, making environmentally friendly choices has unfortunately become less of a concern. A poll by Ipsos Mori showed 38% of people said it was more important for their household to cut costs than make choices that are better for the environment.

But Paul Moore, of If You Care and nonexec director of the Organic Trade Board, looks at how you can be eco at home while still keeping on track with your budget.

“When buying items for cleaning and cooking in your kitchen,” he says, “consider investing in good quality durable products.

“For example, sponge cloths that are made of a mix of pure cotton and cellulose can be used then washed over again without degrading. At the end of their life, quality cotton-based cloths can be home composted.

“Kitchen foil is expensive but people tend to use it once to cover food then throw it away. A tip for baking food in the oven is to put parchment paper over the dish then place foil on top. This prevents the foil from getting dirty, which means you can re-use it. The parchment can then be composted.

“In the supermarket, try to buy seasonal wherever you can. Foods that are not in season in the UK often have a huge amount of air miles associated with them and are usually expensive.

“When buying meat, a cheaper option is to invest in a whole chicken or joint of meat. You could cook this on a Sunday and make a roast, then the leftovers can be turned into various meals for the week such as curries, pies or casseroles. The bones and carcass can be boiled with carrots, celery and onion to make a stock for a soup.

“Try a cooler setting when using your washing machine. According to Which, washing at 30°C uses 38% less energy than washing at 40°C, so not only will you be kinder to the planet you’ll also be saving money on your energy bills.

“Once you’ve washed your clothes, consider ditching the tumble dryer as these suck up a huge amount of energy and therefore cost. Now it’s warmer, simply take the time to hang your clothes outside.

“Before buying anything new, it’s worth taking a step back and considering whether you could either borrow that item or buy it second hand. Buying second hand is becoming the new normal – brilliant news for both the environment and your pocket.”

Recognise this? Reader David Sorley used this slide rule at school in the late 1960s. Read more in the column above.