Eco-Tips: How To Be A More Eco-Conscious Shopper in 2021

Posted on January 29, 2021 by Louis Watton

Here at Shiply, one of our founding goals has always been to provide a framework for deliveries that benefits not only the customer and the drivers but also the environment.

As a company we take great pride in the amount of CO2 saved by our platform since 2008 (nearly 173 million KG!), but, we also acknowledge that there are so many other ways we as individuals can help the environment. We’d also like to think that our customers want to help out too!

We’ve put together a little list of things to try to help you become a more eco-conscious shopper this year.

Buy Less Plastic

The most obvious, but still one of the most important ways to be a more eco-conscious shopper is to try and cut down on how much plastic you buy. We all know how bad plastic is for the environment (very bad) so I won’t hammer the point home, but here are some great tips for cutting down on your usage:

Bring your own shopping bags to the supermarket
Buy a reusable water bottle
Buy a reusable coffee cup
Say no to plastic straws and cutlery (there are alternatives such as bamboo straws) – also, dine in more to cut down on takeaway packaging
Don’t buy fruit and veg sealed in plastic – get your own mesh bag

There are many more ways to save plastic not covered in this list, so I do encourage you to do further research. Also, I will add an obligatory reminder to RECYCLE to the end of this. Really, it’s so important.

Cut Down On ‘Fast’ Industries

I’ve owned many jackets in my lifetime. I’ve also owned many bedside tables and foldable desk chairs. No, I’m not trying to create the most boring list of facts about myself that has ever existed, I am emphasising that items like these should not be bought as often as they typically are. Sure, a new Winter coat every few years is fine, but if you find you are in need of replacing one every year, you should think about buying something that may be a bit more expensive but will definitely last longer.

The same goes for furniture. Whilst certain brands offer an extremely appealing price point, you have to remember that they are able to offer this price for a reason, and that reason is that the quality is likely significantly worse and you will need to replace the item in the not-so-distant future.

So many of these types of ‘fast’ products end up in landfills either 6 months after purchase, or sometimes just as a mountain of unsold stock, that cutting down on demand for them would prove to be a big step towards cutting down excess waste in general.

Whilst the option of buying more expensively is obviously not readily available to everyone, the consideration of quality is, and this is something you can question with every single purchase you make – ‘how long will this last?’.

Buy More Items Second-Hand

New isn’t always better! Following on from cutting down on the ‘fast’ fashion and furniture industries, you can go all-out and instead decide to simply buy something second-hand! This can be especially handy when the price of higher quality items is simply too much for you but you still want to avoid ‘fast’ industry companies.

For clothing, this can actually be a lot of fun. Throwback vintage looks have been in style for a few years now, and you may actually find that often the quality and fit can be preferable to newer designs. For example, I personally buy Levi’s jeans second hand as not only is it cheaper but the quality and fit are both superior to what you can buy nowadays in my opinion.

In the same vein, antique or second-hand furniture can often bear designs and quality that you wouldn’t find in your high street furniture store. Plus, upcycling can be really good fun if you know what you are doing and the item requires it.

One downside you may be thinking is that, especially during the national lockdown, it is much more difficult to look for second-hand items that would usually be found in brick and mortar stores. However, there are so many second-hand auction sites to browse (and so much time on our hands at the moment) that you are sure to find something you like, and if you need help getting it to you, you can always use us!

Cut Down On Meat And Consider Meat Alternatives

Ok, so this one really isn’t for everyone, but if you’re like me then you have watched enough documentaries featuring a sad David Attenborough that you are willing to give anything a go. I’m not saying you have to become vegetarian, but even just trying to not buy and eat meat for one day a week would be hugely beneficial to the environment, and you may find some added benefits to your health too. Win-win!

You can have fun discovering new foods and learning new recipes to cook, all whilst knowing you are making Attenborough smile (and helping the environment of course). If you really can’t bear the thought of an all-out veggie meal, why not try some meat alternatives? You can really get everything from chicken nuggets to mince these days – it’s definitely worth a try.

I hope you have found this list useful, and remember, if you do need something shipped for up to 75% less than usual rates (and want to consider the environment when doing so), use Shiply!

What you can do this World Environment Day

Posted on June 5, 2018 by admin

Today is World Environment Day (5th June 2018). If you’re not sure what you can do to reduce your impact on the environment, we’ve put together some tips to keep you busy til the next World Environment Day and beyond!

Stop throwing away single-use plastic

Image Source: mauitime.com

Single-use plastics are a huge threat to our environment, so if you are buying plastic you should make sure it’s not intended to be thrown away after just one use. You may have noticed already that many bars and restaurants are now supplying paper straws, or adopting a policy where plastic straws will only be provided when asked for.

There are also things you can do at home. You may need to pay slightly more upfront to invest in a more durable plastic water bottle for example, which will last much longer than one use (and can get you discounts in coffee shops including Pret a Manger!), or invest in reusable non-plastic food wrap for packed lunches rather than cling film or sandwich bags.

Take a look at items you routinely buy and how much plastic packaging they arrive in and whether it’s necessary in case there are alternatives that can easily replace them. For example, there are several companies now that make more eco-friendly toothbrushes out of wood or bamboo. Take a look at Humble Brush or Brush with Bamboo to see if you could make the switch.

Reduce your waste

Image Source: sensorysmart.co.uk

Cut your bills with an Eco Egg – unlike your typical washing powder or box of tablets, an eco egg lasts for hundreds of washes. All you need to do is top up the beads inside to keep the freshness going. This could save you money on your water bill as well as preventing you throwing away the plastic bottles/packaging that normal washing powder comes in.

You can also invest in a Hippo Bag to put in your toilet’s cistern that prevents the whole tank from emptying with every flush, so saving you water and keeping your water bill down!

Car sharing

If you drive to work along the same route as a colleague, why not discuss whether you could alternate driving throughout the week and share a car? There are even a few places in the UK where car sharing could make your journey a lot faster – Leeds, Birmingham and Bradford have car sharing lanes which would speed up your journey to work!

Try renting a bike

You may have noticed some rental bikes popping up around your area. Companies like Ofo and Mobike have introduced dockless bikes that can be parked anywhere. To use a bike, download the app and it’ll show you where they are located. To unlock a bike, you use the app to scan the bike’s code and off you go. You pay via the app for the total duration of the rental once you’ve finished with it.

What changes have you made for World Environment Day?

Have a Green Halloween

Posted on October 27, 2017October 27, 2017 by admin

Halloween is a time for fun, but the costumes, pumpkins and sweet wrappers can make it a breeding ground for waste. If you’re worried about contributing to the amount of plastic filling our bins this halloween, there are a few things you can implement to keep waste (and cost!) down without affecting the fun.

Shiply blog image

Image Source: avogel.co.uk

Walk, don’t drive

When you’re trick or treating, stay close to home and avoid getting in the car. Take a walk in your area instead – try and organise trick-or-treating in a group so you feel safe and can have fun chatting on the way round the houses.

Make or borrow your costume

If you’ve got some time, why not try making costumes from materials you have in the home? This obviously takes some time, but don’t be afraid to keep it simple and work with what you have. If you’ve not got time to make a costume, try visiting eBay for second hand costumer or visit a local charity shop. As well as reusing a costume, it’ll probably save you money, too!

Use up the pumpkin

Many of us buy a pumpkin to carve for a window display and typically throw most of it away. Next time you’re digging out a pumpkin’s insides, have a think about how you can prevent throwing it away and putting it to good use. You can make soup, or use the pumpkin in the same way you would use butternut squash in recipes, and you can of course roast and flavour the seeds how you’d like for a healthy snack!

Make treats

If you’re going to a halloween party, consider baking something to take with you rather than purchasing cakes. By doing this you can cut down on sugar and cater to dietary requirements, and you’ll have fun getting creative in the kitchen. An added bonus is that you’ll know exactly what ingredients you’ve used so you know there won’t be too many nasties in there!

Avoid plastic bags

When you’re trick-or-treating, consider taking a reusable bag for collecting your treats rather than purchasing a plastic halloween-themed vessel, only to be thrown away days later once the sweets have gone. You can decorate your bags to make them fit the theme (hint: an orange Sainsbury’s bag is a very convenient colour for halloween!)

Happy Halloween!