Blog

Blog

by Christina Hawkes

Is it possible or ideal to have a 100% plastic-free home? Most of us will have seen videos of the damage caused by plastics and microplastics in our oceans and plastic accounts for around 60% of the waste found in canals and rivers. In our towns and cities, litter is...

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Cleaning products and your breast cancer risk – what you need to know

by Christina Hawkes

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK and around 150 women are diagnosed with it every day. We are now able to diagnose breast cancer in men and in 2017, 390 men were diagnosed with breast cancer too. Overall, this means that 15% of all newly diagnosed...

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What do you send down your drain?

by Christina Hawkes

It is not always easy to remember where all our water waste will end up but we know for sure that it can cause problems. Shocking footage of plastics in our waterways and seas is not always linked with the baby wipe or period product that was flushed away in haste....

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Understanding your carbon footprint

by Christina Hawkes

COP 26 is underway at last and there have already been some headline grabbing pledges including the news that 100 countries have committed to halt and reverse deforestation by 2030. This is all essential stuff to set the world on the path to lower global temperature...

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Is vegan better for the environment?

by Christina Hawkes

We have heard a great deal about a plant-based diet and the benefits for the environment. It has been said that avoiding meat and dairy is the ‘single biggest way’ to reduce your impact on Earth (Guardian, 2018). The argument goes that while meat and dairy provide...

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Learning to love your loo

by Christina Hawkes

If you are anything like me, you will think about your toilets as little as possible but if you have ever had a loo that fails to flush then things change! Here in the West, we are apt take basic facilities for granted rather than enjoy the benefits they bring. Not so...

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Let’s go full circle and make waste redundant

by Christina Hawkes

No one really likes waste. You know you have paid for something you really don’t want and it is a pain to get rid of. But our economy has been based on the production of waste for too long – the ‘take-make-waste’ system is destroying our planet. With this week being...

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Healing our soil

by Christina Hawkes

In this blog we are sharing some ideas about the importance of soil health and the problems of adding chemicals to the soil. World Soil Day is celebrated on Sunday 5th December and it is a good opportunity to shine the spotlight on the earth beneath our feet. If you...

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Have yourselves a merry little (sustainable) Christmas

by Christina Hawkes

The festive season is a wonderful time of year and during the darkest days of winter, there is nothing better than planning for a very happy Christmas. However, this year more than ever, it is important to celebrate with friends and family safely and sustainably. No...

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Banish moulds from your home

by Christina Hawkes

The damp, cool weather we experience in the UK in winter is ideal for the formation of mould. We have all seem it – the black goo that forms around cold window frames and covers walls near showers or tumble driers. There is also that musty smell we can recognise...

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Provenance and the fight against Greenwashing

by Christina Hawkes

What is Provenance? Provenance is the history of the ownership and transmission of an object. The term comes to us from the art world, where provenance includes the auction houses, dealers, or galleries that have sold an item, the private or institutional collections...

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Protect the Planet with your Choice of Household Products

by Christina Hawkes

We all want to protect the planet but often we just don’t know where to begin. Many environmental issues are out of our control but we can make a real difference with our shopping choices. Voting with our wallet is one of the most powerful ways we can influence what...

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Refillable eco cleaning products are the future

by Christina Hawkes

Plastic Free July is an important month in the sustainability calendar. It reminds us to ramp up our efforts to remove single use plastic from our lives and enjoy the benefits of a zero waste lifestyle. Now is the time to switch to refillable eco cleaning products!...

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Microplastics from laundry – meet pioneers PlanetCare

by Christina Hawkes

Mojca Zupan, Founder and CEO of PlanetCare In recognition of Plastic Free July, we meet Mojca Zupan, the founder of PlanetCare, a company who is tackling the problem of microplastics from laundry ending up in our seas and harming marine life. Can you tell us what...

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What is Castile Soap and why is it so versatile?

by Christina Hawkes

Castile soap has been around for over a thousand years and is still as useful today. It is prized because of its mild but effective formula and it can be safely used in so many ways. The formula has been adapted over the years, but it has always been vegetable based...

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What is grounding? Seb Francis explains

by Christina Hawkes

We're really pleased that Seb Francis, Director & Co-Founder of Groundology, and a loyal Greenscents trade customer has taken the time to talk to us. With a background in electrical engineering and having studied physics, he has some fascinating information to...

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Refill shop, Juniper, tells us what’s involved in running their business

by Christina Hawkes

Vickie and Victoria in front of one of their refill stations for grains, pulses and pasta At Greenscents we are working with increasing numbers of refill shops. This means we can support our customers who find it difficult to buy or store our large containers. This...

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Organic is better for wildlife – every time!

by Christina Hawkes

Skipper butterfly, both the small and Essex varieties, on the ARC 2031 list of UK species at risk of being lost in the next 10 years As we head into autumn, Organic September is a month-long campaign designed to encourage more people to try organic products and...

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Doctor Seaweed Sustainable Supplements Interview – “It isn’t weird…it’s wonderful!”

by Christina Hawkes

Meet Dr Craig Rose, founder of Doctor Seaweed who make sustainable supplements. He is passionate about utilising seaweed, the forgotten food, in a sustainable, organic way. Craig aims to educate people on how to utilise one of the most abundant sources of natural...

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Celebrate World Animal Day and share your love for creatures great and small!

by Christina Hawkes

World Animal Day aims to raise the status of animals to ensure higher welfare standards. It doesn’t matter where you live in the world, what political system you live with or whether you have a religion or not – you still have a role to play. There are so many events...