Last week I went to a fantastic and inspiring Warrior Women event in Cardiff, the theme was Environmental with an excellent panel made up of an ethical blogger, a Vegan cafe entrepreneur and a ZeroWaste shop owner. Having a personal interest in being more environmentally aware I found the talks very interesting, full of positivity and hearing each ones story and journey was empowering. The only (tiny) disconnect I had is that none of these women were mothers, now being an independent woman who doesn't appreciate being put into the box of "motherhood" as a single summary of my life and interest and insist on being seen as a Woman, Sister, Daughter, Parent, Business owner and Freelancer, I also cannot deny the massive impact having children and a family have on a household and one's ability to be more eco-conscious.
I also know from personal experience that one cannot even surmise the impact without going through it first hand, believe me I was one of those who felt parenthood would have minimal change on how I choose to live and the kids would just have to tow the line, no matter how sure you are of that fact (and I was sure!) it's simply never going to the case - compromise is something you have to learn to deal with. While the panel was very knowledgable and inspiring & I in absolutely no way want to diminish that, it would of been nice to hear from someone juggling not only with work, modern womanhood, low-waste living but also everything that goes along with the never ending, exhausting (but also rewarding) job of being a parent and how with severe lack of time, balances it all because frankly I really need some tips!
I also feel with the constant barrage of pressure on parents to do things the right way - breastfeed, make your own purees, feed your kids only organic food, ban screens, be present, but still be independent and work, be presentable (on zero hours sleep), opt for wooden toys not plastic toys (easy to say until your kids is having a fit because they want a superzing toy), school runs, life admin, after school activities, play dates, cook meals from scratch for fussy eaters, constantly look after and pick up after not only yourself but the kids, be exhausted from morning to night and on top of that try and live as low waste as possible in a world that doesn't make it easy to do so. Gone are the pre-kid days of being able to do your weekly food shop at 4 different stores (which I used to do) because you have the time and the money instead you have to rush around the supermarket in 25 mins because the last thing that a toddler wants to do is food shopping and he is happy to share that dislike with the whole store! No wonder we don't have time for self care! Also because of these society pressures I have moments of feeling like a failure on a weekly basis - crazy because it shouldn't be that way but sadly true.
I'm in no way saying that living a lower waste life isn't possible and yes we should be prioritising it as it's something we should aim towards it but the one thing I've learnt from being a parent is you cannot do it all and you have to choose your battles wisely otherwise you will burn out. Another big factor is budget, most parents simply do not have the disposable cash they did pre-kids and it's something that is often overlooked because we feel pressure to purchase the more expensive eco product because its the right thing to do despite the possibility of it causing financial pressure and stress. I'm not saying for a second that there are not cheap alternatives but on the opposite scale as with everything there are expensive ones too.
So I wanted to share 5 small and budget friendly ways to lower your waste and be more ethical that I truly feel are doable without causing you any more work, stress or cost to your life.
1. Ditch the Straws
I can't even remember the last time we had a straw in the house, it was at least 6-7yrs ago. Its the one plastic item you can ditch all together without a need for a replacement - I know they have steel and paper options but to be completely honest kids (and adults) do not need straws at all! Also when eating out, unless they have a paper straw option simply ask for no straw! This is a completely no cost change that anyone can do.
2. No More Plastic bottles
The biggest change we have made as a family over the past few years is ditching fruit juices and squash and opting for just water, in a reusable water bottle. This has also saved me bucketloads as the kids never ask for drinks when we are out and about anymore and know I always have water in my bag. Again prices have dropped and you can pick up reusable water bottles for as little as £1
3. Get yourself a reusable coffee cup
A few years back there was less options on the market when it came to reusable coffee cups and while I love my KeepCup is was the slightly more expensive option but these days places such as M&S, The Works and outdoors shops sell decent ones for £3-4 and you save money at many high-street and independent coffee shops when you use your own cup!
4. Mix it up with Charity Shops finds
This is a great option for saving money and recycling clothes and it's something we have started to do more and more. Children grow at a rate we struggle to keep up with so popping into your local charity shop and seeing what they have on offer can save you a lot of money and stop you using those budget fast fashion retailers on the high-street. Again it comes down to compromise as sometimes you simply cannot find what you need but it's worth checking our your local stores first before opting for new clothes.
5. Always carry a shopping bag
The worst thing is having to pop into the local shop for something and realising you don't have a bag on you! Always having one or two reusable shopping bags can not only save you money but reduce your plastic waste. The same goes for when you do your big weekly food shop, leave your jute bags in the car or by the front door so you don't forget.
The main thing is to simple do what you can with the time you have and not to beat yourself up about it if things don't always go right. I think as a society we all have to make some changes to ensure the wellbeing of the Earth for generations to come which is why I am asking parents to make a pledge to try do the 5 things above - which to be honest are very low-cost, save you money and don't add any extra to your to-do list. If you are looking to take it a step further than watch my vlog below about 10 ways to be more zero waste and it's worth a watch - it covers these steps and 5 others. On another note if you are Cardiff or South Wales base I also encourage you to check out the Warrior Women Events, you won't be disappointed and I have always come away with loads of ideas, inspiration and new friends.
*I purchased my ticket to the Event and this is in no way affiliated with anyone
