15 May 2026

Reducing food waste: the first step towards a more sustainable food system

Advice, Change, Do

When we talk about food waste, composting often comes to mind first.
And composting is a great habit — an essential one.

But in a truly circular economy, there is an even more powerful step before treating food waste: preventing it in the first place.

Reducing food waste means acting at the source. It’s good for the planet, good for the climate — and good for our wallets. Most importantly, it’s something we can all do, without radically changing how we live.

Food waste in France: the reality

Food waste remains a major issue in France.

According to the ADEME (the French Agency for Ecological Transition), around 10 million tonnes of food are wasted every year in France.
That’s about 150 kg per person, including nearly 30 kg of food that is still perfectly edible.

And while supermarkets and restaurants often get the blame, households are far from innocent. Around one third of food waste in France comes from households themselves.

Which means our everyday choices really do matter.

Why reducing food waste is so important for the planet

Throwing food away doesn’t just mean wasting a finished product.
It also means wasting all the resources used to produce it:

water for irrigation
energy for processing and transport
agricultural land
human labour

Globally, food waste is responsible for around 8–10% of greenhouse gas emissions, according to the FAO.

In other words: if food waste were a country, it would be one of the world’s biggest CO₂ emitters.

Even when food waste is composted, most of its environmental impact has already happened.
That’s why prevention is always the most effective solution.

Reducing food waste also saves money

Cutting food waste isn’t about deprivation.
It’s about making better use of what we already buy.

Again according to the ADEME, food waste costs between €100 and €160 per person per year in France.

In everyday life, wasting less food means:

buying less but buying smarter
avoiding forgotten items at the back of cupboards
cooking with what you already have

The result? Less stress, fewer unnecessary expenses, and often more creativity in the kitchen.

Simple, practical ways to reduce food waste at home

The good news is that perfection isn’t required.
Every small step makes a difference.

1. Plan — but stay flexible

A simple shopping list helps prevent impulse buying.
You don’t need a rigid meal plan — just a rough idea of the week ahead.

2. Understand food dates

Best before dates (DDM – Date de Durabilité Minimale in French): relates to food quality, food is often still safe to eat after this date
Use by dates (DLC – Date Limite de Consommation in French): these are about food safety but many experts advise you can still use common sense to look at it and smell it before deciding.

A lot of food is thrown away simply because dates are misunderstood.

3. Make friends with leftovers

Leftovers aren’t a failure — they’re a resource:

tired vegetables → soup or curry
stale bread → breadcrumbs or French toast
rice or pasta → next-day stir-fry

4. Adjust portion sizes

We often cook “just in case”.
Serving slightly smaller portions and going back for seconds if needed naturally reduces waste.

5. Organise your fridge

Keep food that needs to be eaten soon at eye level so it doesn’t get forgotten.

Reduce first, compost second: a coherent approach

Composting is essential for unavoidable food scraps.
But in a truly circular system, reduction always comes first.

Less food waste means:

less pressure on natural resources
less waste to manage
a more meaningful relationship with food

And above all, it’s a positive, progressive and collective transition.

Every effort counts — perfection is not the goal

Reducing food waste isn’t about going zero-waste overnight.
It’s about moving forward step by step, with kindness towards ourselves.

And once we’ve reduced food waste as much as possible… composting truly makes sense.

Food Waste Reduction Checklist

Small habits, big impact

Use this checklist as a guide — not a rulebook.
You don’t need to do everything at once. Every tick counts.

🛒 Before shopping

☐ Check the fridge, freezer and cupboards
☐ Make a simple shopping list
☐ Plan meals loosely (leave room for flexibility)
☐ Avoid shopping when hungry
☐ Choose loose produce when possible (buy only what you need)

🧊 At home: storing food better

☐ Keep “eat first” foods at eye level in the fridge
☐ Label leftovers with the date
☐ Freeze surplus food before it goes off
☐ Store fruit and vegetables correctly
☐ Keep the fridge at the right temperature (around 4°C)

📅 Understanding food dates

☐ Check if the date is best before or use by
☐ Use your senses: look, smell, taste
☐ Remember: many foods are still fine after the best-before date
☐ Trust yourself — not just the label

🍽 Cooking & eating

☐ Serve smaller portions (you can always go back for seconds)
☐ Cook the right amount when possible
☐ Use leftovers for lunch or another meal
☐ Turn “sad” vegetables into soup, sauce or curry
☐ Transform stale bread into toast, crumbs or French toast

❄ Freezer habits

☐ Freeze leftovers you won’t eat within 2 days
☐ Freeze bread, herbs, cooked meals and ripe fruit
☐ Label frozen food with the date
☐ Do a freezer check once a month

♻ Last step: compost what can’t be avoided

☐ Compost unavoidable food scraps
☐ Keep composting simple and accessible
☐ Remember: composting is great — but reducing comes first

26 January 2026

Why Repairing Your Clothes Matters: A Simple Step Toward a Healthier Planet

Change, Do, Think

In a world of cheap, fast fashion, repairing a torn seam or replacing a button might seem old-fashioned. But clothing repair is one of the simplest and most impactful ways we can all reduce our environmental footprint. Every time we mend instead of replace, we help keep valuable materials in use longer—and take a stand against overconsumption.

The Hidden Cost of Fast Fashion

Globally, the fashion industry is responsible for around 10% of annual carbon emissions—more than international flights and maritime shipping combined. It also uses 93 billion cubic metres of water each year, enough to meet the needs of five million people.

Most of the clothes produced today are not built to last. Fast fashion encourages constant buying of low-cost, low-quality garments—many worn only a few times before being discarded. The result? Around 92 million tonnes of textile waste end up in landfills annually, with synthetic fabrics taking hundreds of years to break down.

Repair, Reuse, and Rethink

Repairing clothing is a quiet act of resistance against waste. By fixing a zip, sewing on a button, or patching a hole, we extend the lifespan of a garment—sometimes by years. This reduces demand for new clothing, cuts emissions, and saves resources that would otherwise go into producing and transporting replacements.

Even small changes make a big difference. Extending the life of clothing by just nine extra months can reduce its carbon, water, and waste footprints by 20–30%. That’s a powerful impact from a few stitches.

Investing in Longevity

When we value and care for the clothes we already own, we shift away from the disposable mindset that fuels overproduction. Choose quality over quantity. Learn a few basic repair skills—or visit local repair cafés, tailors, or community mending events.

Repairing doesn’t just keep clothes out of landfill—it reconnects us to the things we own and to the effort, materials, and people behind them.

Choose Second-Hand First

Of course, sometimes we do need something new to us—a winter coat, hiking gear, or a special occasion outfit. When that happens, buying second-hand is the most sustainable option. Op shops, vintage stores, and online resale platforms are full of quality pieces waiting for a second life. Buying pre-loved keeps clothing in circulation, reduces demand for new production, and often saves money too. Every second-hand purchase is a small victory for the planet.

A Better Fashion Future

Change doesn’t have to start with big brands or global policy. It starts with us—choosing to repair, reuse, and rewear. Together, we can keep clothing in circulation longer, reduce waste, and build a more sustainable relationship with what we wear.

How to act locally

If you’re living in or visiting the Haut Chablais, then check out details for Montagne Verte’s sewing group. You can join us to help repair items for our second hand shop and/or repair your own using our machines. The second hand shop is also a great place to find fantastic pre-loved clothing and sportswear rather than buying new!

17 November 2025

Why we should Compost Food Waste (Instead of Throwing It Away)

Advice, Change, Do

Every year, millions of tonnes of food scraps end up in rubbish bins — and that’s a big problem. While it might seem harmless to toss leftovers in the trash, what happens next has major environmental consequences. Food waste in the EU accounts for about 16 % of the greenhouse gas emissions of the EU food system. And in the Haut Chablais we produce 2275 tonnes of food waste each year, 3 x the national average.

Composting is a simple, powerful alternative.

1. Food Waste in Landfill Creates Methane

When food waste breaks down in landfill, it decomposes without oxygen — producing methane, a greenhouse gas over 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide. Incineration requires a huge amount of energy as food waste is 80% water. Composting, on the other hand, allows food to decompose aerobically (with oxygen), dramatically cutting methane emissions. The average french person creates 81kg of food waste each year, and in a holiday destination it’s often even more.

2. Composting Returns Nutrients to the Soil

Food scraps are full of nutrients that plants need. When composted, they turn into rich organic matter that improves soil health, boosts fertility, and helps retain moisture. Throwing them in the bin wastes those nutrients and increases the need for chemical fertilisers.

3. It Reduces Waste Disposal Costs

Local authorities spend millions transporting and managing landfill waste. Composting food scraps — at home or through council collection — reduces the volume of waste going to landfill and helps communities save money. Following the January 2024 law in France that everyone must sort food waste, these costs are set to increase.

4. It’s a Simple Climate Action

Composting might feel small, but it’s one of the easiest climate-friendly habits to adopt. Each household that composts helps cut emissions, build healthier soils, and close the loop on our food system.

5. It Builds a Circular Economy

Instead of treating food waste as “rubbish,” composting turns it into a resource. That shift — from linear (take, use, dump) to circular (reuse, regenerate) — is key to a sustainable future.

Bottom line

Food waste doesn’t belong in landfill. Composting is a simple act with huge benefits — for the climate, the soil, and our communities.

What can I do?

Step 1 is always to reduce your food waste. Only buy what you need and make sure you don’t let your food go off. Globally, about one‐third of all food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted. Save money and help save the planet by reducing this waste!

If you run a food business, join Montagne Verte’s BioCylette scheme. We’ll pick up your food waste on an electric bike and it will be taken to a methaniser and turned into biogas.

If you’re an individual living in the Haut Chablais contact the local Communauté de Communes for a reduced price compost kit. For €30 you’ll receive a sturdy wooden compost bin, a small bin to keep in the kitchen and a mixing stick.

20 October 2025

5 ways to have a sustainable winter holiday

Change, Do, Inspiration

Travel by train

For your winter holiday, it can be tempting to fly. But, did you know that train travel is significantly more eco-friendly than flying, with up to 96.5% fewer CO2 emissions per passenger-kilometre? At Montagne Verte, we make travelling by train easy and affordable. Our AlpinExpress scheme offers you even more perks! We partner with restaurants, accommodation, and summer activities in the Haute Savoie to offer you discounts if you travel here by train. To find out more, check out our website, and get your AlpinExpress pass today! To make travelling by train a breeze, you can also consult our easy to use online information guides .

Use second hand ski gear

If you are going on a ski holiday this winter, you can significantly reduce your carbon footprint, and save money, by using second hand ski gear instead of buying new. If you are coming to Morzine, Les Gets or Avoriaz, Montagne Verte has it’s very own stock of high quality outdoor wear and ski gear, perfect for your winter break. Come and pay us a visit at 162 Rue du Bourg, 74110 Morzine.

Eat responsibly

Eating responsibly, in a manner which has minimal impact on the environment, means eating locally and seasonally during your holiday (and at home too!). Food that is out of season is forced to grow when it’s not necessarily a natural time of year for it to. This also uses more energy and resources, as out of season food must be shipped across the world. To see which foods are in season in France, you can use this helpful guide.

Save energy and water

In the colder months, it can be tempting to turn the heating up and leave it there until the spring months. However, this produces excess energy which in turn produces a large carbon footprint. Instead of excessively heating you holiday home or rental apartment, remember to bring lots of warm clothes and blankets to wrap up instead!

Gift experiences rather than products

The winter months are often a time for gift giving. But this Christmas season, try gifting experiences rather than products – which are often packed full of plastics which are not biodegradable.

Written by Maddy Gordon-Finlayson

8 July 2025

Drought alerts in France: what should we do about it?

Change, Do, Think

Spring of 2025 saw Northern France and much of Northern Europe experiencing an exceptionally early drought. Unusually hot conditions have persisted into summer. Sixteen departments in France have been placed on red alert, as the heatwave persists into early July. The country braces for what could be a summer of water shortages and restrictions. Drought conditions, as well as negatively impacting agricultural industries, can cause issues in your local community including an increased risk of fire, a lack of drinking water and a drying up of waterways. In Haute Savoie, we have already been placed in Level 2 restrictions. In practice, Level 2 means that water restrictions may be put in place locally, but will vary according to the department or commune. They may include reduced water allowances for farmers, watering gardens, swimming pools and car washes.

In these conditions, we all have a responsibility to understand our environmental impact, and take action to ensure our communities remain sustainable. Here’s what we can do about it:

General

Consult the VigiEau website, to check which level of alert applies to your area.

House:

Avoid flushing toilets unnecessarily
Do not keep the tap running when you are brushing your teeth.
Consider taking short showers over baths.
Ensure that when using the washing machine, you have put a full load of clothes in, to avoid unnecessary washes.
Operate dishwashers only when they are fully loaded. If you have a “light wash” setting, apply that.
If you are washing your car, use a commercial car wash that recycles water.
Replace your showerhead with an ultra-low-flow version.

Garden:

Collect rainwater to water your garden, rather than using garden hoses.
Avoid leaving hoses unattended.
Water your lawn in short sessions, rather than one long one. This allows the soil to absorb it better.
In extreme drought, it is better to leave your lawn to die, to preserve trees and shrubs instead.
If your lawn does need watering, water it in the early morning or in the evening, when the temperatures are cooler.

Pool:

Install a water-saving pool filter.
Cover pools and spas to reduce water evaporation.

All of these actions, big and small, contribute to saving water and mitigating against extreme drought conditions, so we can get back to enjoying our summer. And, remember, it is important to make water saving part of your daily routine and equip your homes and gardens with sustainable infrastructure, not only during a drought!

Written by Maddy Gordon-Finlayson

7 May 2025

Convincing Myself to Consume Less Fast Fashion

Change, Do, Inspiration

Fast fashion is a tempting trap. It offers us cheap, on-trend clothing at lightning speed, easily ordered from our phones and delivered to our doorsteps, feeding our desire for newness at the touch of a button. But, and it’s a big but, behind the appealing price tags lie environmental destruction, exploitative labour conditions, and a cycle of overconsumption that leaves us with wardrobes bursting at the seams but never truly satisfied. I can almost hear Marie Kondo saying “But does it spark joy…?”

According to the UN Environment Programme, the fast fashion industry is the second-biggest consumer of water and is responsible for about 10% of global carbon emissions – more than all international flights and maritime shipping combined.

Fast fashion can be likened to FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). The industry convinces us that we need the latest trend, that if we don’t buy now, we’ll be left behind. But what if we flipped that mindset? What if, instead of FOMO, we embraced JOMO (Joy of Missing Out)? Slow fashion invites us to revel in the joy of thoughtful choices, appreciating quality over quantity, and curating a wardrobe that reflects our values rather than fleeting trends.

Reframing Second-Hand Fashion

Reducing our reliance on fast fashion is a shift in mindset as much as a change in shopping habits. One of the biggest barriers is overcoming the perception of second-hand clothing. Words like “charity shop” and “thrift store” can conjure up mixed feelings – some people think of hidden treasures, while others imagine musty racks of discarded goods. A shift in language and attitude can transform how we approach pre-loved fashion.

Instead of seeing second-hand clothing as “charity” or “cheap,” consider it vintage, curated, unique. The fashion industry itself has long embraced the term “vintage” to elevate older pieces to sought-after status. Apps like Vinted and platforms like Depop have rebranded second-hand shopping into an exciting, treasure-hunting experience, where shoppers can find high-quality items at a fraction of their original cost.

Find our favourite apps here

Meanwhile, organisations like Emmaüs, found across France, offer an ethical way to shop, ensuring that your money supports social and environmental initiatives rather than fuelling exploitative supply chains. They even have an online shop now, if getting to one of their stores during their opening times is not feasible for you. Vintage shops such as Montagne Verte in Morzine isn’t just a place for bargains – it’s an opportunity to find pieces with history, personality, and sustainability at their core.

Embracing the Joy of Slow Fashion

Shopping in person allows us to try things on for size, ensuring a better fit and reducing the need for returns. Online shopping often results in multiple sizes being ordered from thousands of miles away, with many items sent back in the post, adding unnecessary carbon emissions to the fast fashion cycle. By choosing to shop locally and second-hand, we minimise our environmental footprint while making more intentional purchases. Trying things on often helps us decide whether a piece truly deserves a place in our wardrobe, whereas adding it to an online basket can feel like a throwaway thought.

When you step away from fast fashion, you give yourself permission to invest in quality. Slow fashion is about choosing timeless, well-made pieces that last, rather than chasing micro-trends that will feel outdated within months. When you buy second-hand, you’re also participating in a circular economy, reducing demand for new production and saving garments from landfill.

Slow fashion is the embodiment of JOMO – the joy of missing out on the frantic chase for the next big thing with the added benefit of knowing that your choices support sustainability rather than waste.

Read my article on FOMO vs. JOMO

How to Make the Shift

Change your mindset, in the same way as we’re taught how to retrain relationships with food and exercise. Think of second-hand shopping as an adventure. Whether you’re browsing online resale platforms or visiting local shops, approach it with curiosity and creativity.
Curate, don’t accumulate. Instead of impulse-buying, build a wardrobe of versatile pieces that reflect your style. If building this kind of wardrobe requires a sort out first, see our green ideas page for where to start with your surplus items. Unsure where to start? Look to places like Lookiero for creating mix and match styles for your particular shape and style. Looking for an outfit for a big event? Think of renting rather than buying, with sites such as Une Robe Un Soir
Support ethical and local. Look out for local charity shops and community initiatives that reinvest in social causes.
Repair and reimagine. Instead of discarding clothes at the first sign of wear, learn basic repair techniques or upcycle old pieces into something fresh. Check out Montagne Verte’s repair initiatives.
Educate yourself. The more you know about the impact of fast fashion, the easier it is to make conscious choices. Read more in Montagne Verte’s post on fast fashion.

At Montagne Verte, we encourage the Morzine community and beyond to think differently about clothing consumption. There’s joy in finding something pre-loved, in knowing your purchase doesn’t cost the earth, and in wearing a piece with a story. Fashion should be an expression of creativity and individuality—not a race to keep up with an unsustainable industry.

Are you ready to make the change? Your wardrobe (and the planet) will thank you for it.

EJ Casburn @ tinytravelrebel

28 April 2025

Want to make a positive impact by making just one small change?

Change, Do

That will also cost you nothing!

Montagne Verte is now a partner of the french search engine lilo.org!

Your Internet searches generate lots of money. With Lilo, you can take back control and use your searches to support Montagne Verte. First, make sure you use the link below to connect to Lilo via MV.

Support MV for free with Lilo search engine

Instal Lilo as your preferred search engine and simply search the web as normal using Lilo.

Every time you search, you’ll gain one water drop. More searches = more water drops.

Lilo gives the money corresponding to the drops of water to the projects you choose.

Browsing in solidarity on Lilo is a method of support that is 100% free to you and respects your privacy on the Internet (Lilo does not collect your data and its servers are based in France). Some of the projects supported on Lilo have already raised tens of thousands of euros! So we’re counting on you to help our fund-raising campaign shine.

Install Lilo and share the link with family and friends so they can do the same!

17 April 2025

Why compost?

Change, Do, Think

Our waste, and especially food waste, is not always the most exciting topic of conversation. It’s something many of us prefer not to think about and keep our head in the sand – or maybe out of the dirt. However, reducing food waste and composting what we can’t avoid is not only good for the environment, but is a great way to save money, improve soil health and have less rubbish going into the bin.

In France, as in the rest of Europe, we currently waste a huge amount of food. The French government estimated that in 2021 8,8 million tons of food waste were produced in France, which is an astonishing 129kg per personne !*

The UN says food loss and waste generate around 8% of all human caused emissions annually. Reducing this waste and properly dealing with what we do generate can have a huge impact on the emissions we all cause.

First and foremost we can all work on reducing our food waste, which will also help save us money! We throw away an incredible amount of food through over buying and not using leftovers: around half of the 129kg of food waste per person is estimated to be leftovers and food that’s been bought but not consumed before it’s gone rotten. Montagne Verte produced a handy guide to help with ideas on how to reduce your food waste that you will find here.

However, you’ll still have some waste such as vegetable peelings and egg shells to deal with. You may be wondering, why shouldn’t you just put these in your general waste bin.

The simple reason is the impact that organic waste has on the human caused emissions that are leading to climate change.

Bio-waste is 80% water, so incinerating it is unnecessarily energy-intensive.

The alternative, burying it in landfill, generates methane, a gas whose global warming potential is 25 times greater than that of CO2.

However, this waste can become a valuable resource when composted or methanised.

Since the 1st of January 2024 it is a legal requirement for all businesses and individuals in France to sort organic waste. France is a leader within the EU in implementing compulsory recycling, but in some regions local authorities are struggling to put municipal collection points in place. While we await a solution to be put into place in the Haut Chablais, those of us that have the space can start home composting.

If you have space at home, you can home compost and use this compost to strengthen the soil health in your garden, giving essential nutrients to your plants and reducing the need for pesticides and synthetic fertilisers. You can transform your garden waste and food waste into a nutrient rich matter that once added to your garden, improves the soil’s structure, aeration and biodiversity. It can also help hold moisture in the soil and slow down evaporation, helping protect your garden in the ever hotter and drier summers we are getting.

Reducing food waste and composting is an easy win for both the environment and your bank balance.

And if you use that compost to start growing some of your own vegetables it gets even better 😉

If you have space of your own then you can find our ecoguide on how to compost here.

If you live locally you can also go to the CCHC for a reduced priced composter, find info here.

If you don’t have a garden, do you have a friend that does and you could team up on your organic waste?

And if you run a restaurant, hotel or catered chalet you can join our BioCyclette scheme. We’ll come and take away your kitchen scraps and have it turned into biogas. You’ll even get a reduction on your Redevance Spéciale waste tax.

Find out more here

Evidence

*https://www.statistiques.developpement-durable.gouv.fr/les-dechets-alimentaires-en-france-et-dans-lunion-europeenne-en-2021

https://www.euronews.com/green/2024/01/02/france-implements-compulsory-composting-heres-how-it-will-help-slash-emissions

5 March 2025

Think before you buy : the environmental impact of fast fashion

Change, Do, Think

Montagne Verte started our second hand shop in 2021 as one of our first concrete actions on the ground. We chose to do so because of the huge environmental impact of the textile industry, creating more emissions than both flying and shipping combined. Montagne Verte, inspired by the actions of OneTree in Bozel, aimed to find a way to reuse unwanted clothing locally to save it going to landfill or incineration.

Just a few years later we are finding ourselves inundated with donations, many of which are impossible to sell due to their quality. The fast fashion industry is creating huge amounts of low quality items and is having a massive impact on the second hand market.

Refashion reported that in 2022 in France alone 3,3 billion items of clothing were put on sale, this is around 50 items of clothing over the year for every member of the population. Do any of us need a new item of clothing each week?

Fast Fashion retailers have changed the way we shop, pumping out huge quantities of cheaply produced garments, copying the latest catwalk and celebrity looks, resulting in 85% of all textiles going into dumps each year. So much of what is produced is responding to a short term style and after a few wears is discarded by its purchaser. Even if it is donated to a charity shop, it is often neither desirable enough or high quality enough to have success on the second hand market. Sadly many of these items end up in landfill or incineration after just a few wears. We now wear on average each item of clothing purchased, just seven times.

The dumping is not the only problem. Most of this clothing is made from synthetic fibres, which now accounts for 1.35% of global oil consumption. This exceeds the annual oil consumption of Spain. When we wash these clothes they release micro fibres, polluting waterways and oceans.

A huge amount of water is used to create this clothing as well, with about 2000 gallons of water needed to produce a pair of jeans. Dr Sarah Gray, lead analyst from the global environmental NGO WRAP has stated that the water footprint of our textiles is enough water to provide over half the world’s population with drinking water. Textile dyeing is also the second biggest water polluter as this wastewater is often dumped into streams and rivers.

The impacts of this industry go further than the environment, creating societal problems in the countries that produce these items. Garment workers are often underpaid and working in dangerously overcrowded conditions, something that was highlighted in international media after the 2013 collapse of a factory building in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Fashion Checker found in 2023 that 93% of brands they surveyed were not paying garment workers a living wage.

The time to act is now, these garments are produced because we are buying them, and it lies within our power to stop this polluting exploitative industry.

So what can you and I do about this?

Buy less – consider whether you really do need another new top or pair of trousers
Buy second hand when possible, and pass on anything you no longer wear
Buy only good quality items you love, especially if you are buying new. Check what materials the garment is made from and use tools like Fashion Transparency Index to see how the retailer is rated. Keep clear of any fast fashion brands.
Look after your clothes: wash them less and in cooler cycles, and mend when needed
If you have a special occasion consider renting or borrowing your outfit
Organise a clothing swap with your friends

3 June 2022

5 baby steps towards a plastic-free kitchen

Change, Do

We all know by now that our planet is drowning in plastic. And yes, just thinking about how much plastic surrounds us in our daily lives, is enough to cause us eco-anxiety (read more on exactly what this is here). Although at times it can seem like an insurmountable issue, we each have the ability to make small, manageable and easy changes in our daily lives to help, even if it’s just in a small way.

Our kitchens in particular seem to be breeding grounds for plastic items. Though a lot of this is not an individual’s fault. According to the Henrich Boll foundation, packaging represents 45% of France’s plastic consumption. A welcome law was introduced at the beginning of the year meaning over 30 fruits and vegetables are no longer allowed to be sold in plastic. There are simple changes we can make too (if you haven’t already, that is).

To quote Nathaniel Branden, known for his work on the psychology of self-esteem,

“The first step towards change is awareness. The second step is acceptance.”

So, just knowing that change is necessary is already starting the process. There, that wasn’t too hard, was it? Let’s take a look at a few more baby steps we can take towards making our kitchens plastic-free.

Watch out Tupperware: your scratched, stained and sometimes smelly days are numbered. A first very simple, and free, step is to change the way you store your leftovers. That’s not to say throw any perfectly usable Tupperware away of course. Do keep using it. The key is not to buy any new plastic for your kitchen. So when you’re next looking for food storage solutions, look towards food jars which, incidentally, come free with the food you’re buying inside them! They’re easy to clean, it’s easy to see what’s inside, and they have very effective lids which aren’t at risk of coming loose on your commute. So your pasta sauce jar can quickly become your leftover pasta salad take-to-work jar. Bonus: no chance of that dark, tomatoey sauce staining the glass jar. Double win!

The evil that is cling film! We move onto this devil, also known as glad wrap, saran wrap, cellophane… if only Ralph Wiley hadn’t accidentally created it back in 1933 when trying to create a spray to protect military planes from salty sea spray eh? Yep, true story. He wasn’t actually looking for a terribly wasteful film for protecting food so don’t blame ole Wiley! But alas, since then it has been a kitchen staple. But now is the time for change, and there are at least three easy options out there. Though not great in terms of resource use, our first option, similar in shape and use, is foil. Unlike cling film it is widely recycled and easier to re-use. Our second option is as old school as they come! The history of waxing fabric for various uses dates back as far as the Egyptians. Beeswax was first used to coat fabric and help protect food, ironically, around the same time as cling film was invented! Almost a century later and beeswax wraps are now taking Instagram by storm. You can make them yourself or buy any of the countless patterns (and vegan alternatives) available online. And our third option is reusable stretchy silicone lids. Unlike cling film it’s not a one size fits all solution, however they do stretch far and investing in a few different sizes should cover all of your covering needs.

Wake up and smell the coffee. Or the tea, as preferred. There’s no doubt that the way we consume tea and coffee, along with its advertising, has evolved a lot in recent years. For many, gone are the days of a teaspoon of instant coffee in a mug. So many private homes now have coffee machines with capsules (a certain Mr Clooney may have a lot to answer for in this respect) to produce everything from ristrettos to skinny caramel frappuccinos. Unfortunately a lot of these capsules can’t be recycled. The same goes for individual tea bags which (and this blows my mind) still sometimes come in individually wrapped plastic cases, before then being wrapped in a cardboard box and then, if you’re extra unlucky, another cellophane wrapper around that! ***link for letter to complain to a company about its packaging*** While that plastic is clear to see, some tea bags can also contain invisible microplastics. One easy swap is to invest in a stainless steel (and therefore good for life) tea ball brewer. Simply fill this with loose leaf tea, dunk it in your favourite china and Bob’s your uncle, a plastic free cuppa! The same goes for coffee. Instead of plastic capsules and a chunky machine taking up valuable workspace, how about a simple French press or Italian Moka pot and Fair-trade coffee bought from your local coffee shop (such as Satellite coffee)?

Dontcha just love to hang loose on the weekend? No stiff ties niggling your neck, no push up bras irritating your rib cage? Well, spare a little thought for fruit and vegetables. Maybe they don’t like to feel suffocated either? Instead of buying fruit and veg that is unnecessarily wrapped in extra plastic (especially when nature has so kindly provided natural casings already in many cases), either buy loose things and bring your own reusable bags to transport them in, or support your local community by shopping at your local farmer’s market and buying everything loose. Incidentally, the same goes for cheese and bread: the local weekly market in Morzine sells cheese wrapped in paper and bread totally naked or in brown paper bags! If you want to be bang on trend you could even shop there with your very own wicker basket (why not weave it yourself?!), a totally plastic free and extremely Instagramable shopping experience! There are plenty more local food options to explore here too.For extra brownie points consider the carbon footprint of the produce you’re buying and try to shop for produce which is in season (bonuses being it’s cheaper at that time of the year and you get to eat a wide variety of dishes throughout the year). You can see more packaging options on our green pages here.

Whose turn is it to do the dishes? What a welcome question, not! Fun fact: did you know that dishwashers actually use less water than washing up by hand? Whether you’re hand-washing with washing-up liquid or using dishwasher tablets, easy changes can be made. Similar to the tea bag scenario above, dishwasher tablets often come individually wrapped in single-use plastic. Avoid this by choosing brands which stay clear of unnecessary plastic. Similarly for washing-up liquid, why not buy in bulk and refill into an elegant glass dispenser, thus reducing the number of bottles (or rockets as some advertisers would like us to identify with them as) you use immensely? Check out our green pages here for more info on eco-friendly cleaning products.

Ease into these baby steps and who knows, you might want to make even bigger steps in the not-too-distant future.