The aim of Envirolution is to to increase understanding, connection and engagement with the natural world, helping us transition toward a more sustainable future for us all.
It is generally accepted that there has been a tendency for people to wait for a top down, international solution for the environmental crisis. However, a lot can be achieved through local action. In the absence of top governmental or international decisions, local action can bridge an important gap. Actions taken by a community can produce a cumulative global effect whilst improving the immediate environment. Additionally, with councils increasingly experiencing budget cuts, there is a bigger incentive to maximise efficiency to minimise the effects this austerity policy has on the community. It’s a win-win situation to implement environmental policies.
Directing funds towards energy efficiency
A Local Government Association report found that
potential savings for low cost, quick payment energy efficiency measures alone
range from £60,000 to £2.4 million a year for an individual council’ (2015,
p,4). Many councils have already begun to take energy-saving measures but there
is still massive, untapped potential. Such measures include, upgrading boilers,
lights and air-conditioning in council owned buildings e.g.in a school.
Improving
energy efficiency helps to reduce emissions helping to mitigate climate change.
Pollution reduction
Air pollution can have both long-term and short-term
impacts upon public health and healthcare. Exposure to pollutants can cause and
increase the risk of numerous illnesses. ‘The Environment Audit Committee
estimated that excess mortality due to air pollution costs between £8.5bn and
£20.2bn a year’ (Public Health England, 2018, p.9). Therefore, implementing air
pollution reduction policies will not only help the environment but save public
money in the long run.
What can you do to help this happen? Lobby your local
council and MP to be more environmentally minded and voice support when they
do. Support when due is as important as criticism.
This can be done through writing letters/ e-mails, signing petitions or speaking
directly to an official figure. At the end of the day your representatives are
exactly that, they are there to represent you, make them aware that you care
about environmental issues.
References
Local Government Association (2015). The
potential for energy efficiency and renewable energy – a guide for councillors.
London.
Public Health England
(2018). Estimation of costs to the NHS and social care due to the
health impacts of air pollution. Protecting and improving the nation’s
health. London.
However hard we work to make a plastic or waste-free home, going out to eat or drink can be a minefield. Thanks to Blue Planet II, plastic straws are often no longer given by default but plastic cutlery, disposable plates and hard-to-recycle cups are still common.
SeaStraw are a local project encouraging pubs, bars and restaurants to avoid single-use plastic and look for sustainable alternatives. They’re doing a great job of encouraging city-centre businesses to change away from plastic and also have places signed up further afield, in Sheffield, the Lake District and beyond.
So if you’re going out, why not check out the SeaStraw map to find somewhere nearby. If you run a food or drink-based business and are still using disposable plastics, they can guide you on replacing them.
I’ve been so thrilled with how many eco-friendly and zero waste-friendly businesses I’ve been able to find in Manchester with just a little bit of digging. It just goes to show that there are plenty of businesses striving to make a positive impact, and we should keep our eyes open for them and support them when we can!
In today’s installment of the Zero Waste Guides to Manchester, we have a beautiful organic grocery, an art gallery with a fab cafe and bookstore, a unique charity shop, and an old fashioned general store. Read on for details!
Unicorn Grocery
Unicorn Grocery in Chorlton is one of my favorite places in Manchester. Though it’s not super convenient for me to get to (about 20 minutes from the city centre by tram), I make the journey about once a week.
Why? It has the most extensive offering of loose (not packaged!) produce I’ve found in the area, and it’s ALL organic. In fact, most of the pantry products in the store are organic as well, and all are plant-based, including a variety of vegan meat and dairy substitutes.
Though they don’t offer dry goods in bulk, they do offer larger volume bags of dry goods so that you can buy more at a time, which is a good option if you want to save on packaging (and price). They also carry bulk-sized containers of everyday things like washing up liquid and olive oil.
Unicorn Grocery is a one-stop shop for the eco-conscious shopper, where you can pick up produce, dry goods, pantry items, household products, personal care products, kitchen tools, prepared food, wine and beer, and even baby clothing! Not everything in the shop is plastic free, but the majority is organic and made with natural ingredients.
At the counter at the end of the till, there are two boxes, one for used grocery bags, and one for used glass jars. Both are free for customers to take and use as they need them. Below the counter there are stacks of cardboard and plywood boxes up for grabs as well. My favorite feature of the shop: next to the exit door there is a book exchange shelf, where customers can pick up and drop off second hand books to share with the community.
This grocery with a conscience walks the walk in every way, and the community appreciates it – they are busy every day of the week from the time they open their doors until they close (except on Mondays, when they are closed all day).
Manchester Art Gallery
This gallery in the heart of town is worth a visit for its cafe and gift shop alone, to say nothing of its exhibitions or historic architecture.
Cafe
This cafe is a beautiful, cheery little space, with big windows and high ceilings, and is a wonderful spot to sit and have a slow lunch. The food is sourced from local producers, and there are several vegetarian options on the menu. The chef maintains a mini allotment in the garden just inside the gates of the main gallery, which grows herbs and veg exclusively for the cafe. They even use the flowers from the garden in their cake decorations!
What I love most about the cafe, however, is that they source ingredients from The Real Junk Food Project, whose aim is to reduce food wastage in the UK. This enables them to offer a “pay what you wish” scheme for children who visit the cafe, which creates an inclusive community atmosphere for families with children, while helping to prevent food wastage.
Shop
This is not your average museum gift shop. It’s a beautifully curated collection of books and gifts, including handmade jewelry and home wares. Most of the goods come from independent makers, and many of them are plastic-free. Notables are the mini cacti and decorative planters, loose graphite pencils, scented candles, and hand-made cushions. It’s the perfect spot to find unique gifts for the creative people in your life.
Goodstock
There is really nothing in the United States to compare to the ubiquity of charity shops in the UK. When I first moved to the Manchester area, I became obsessed with scouring the shops in my neighborhood, always on the hunt for a deal. Mat and I completely outfitted our kitchen (and most of the rest of our house) from the 5 charity shops in our vicinity.
The charity shops in my neighborhood, however, are somewhat lacking in the apparel department, so when I’m on the hunt for second hand fashion, I come in to the city centre. Goodstock is one of the largest and best curated charity shops I’ve come across in Manchester. It’s a big, open space with well chosen selections of women’s and men’s second hand clothing, as well as pre-owned shoes, accessories, house wares, books, DVDs, and even vinyl. I was tempted by the black leather Mulberry handbag I spotted, on sale for £200!
Proceeds from the shop support vInspired, an organization which helps young people ages 14-25 to find volunteering positions in causes that are important to them. Since its founding in 2006, vInspired has created more than 1 million volunteering roles across the UK!
Deadstock General Store
I stumbled upon Deadstock General Store quite by accident as I was wandering the Northern Quarter, and I was drawn to its front window by the sign advertising “alterations and repairs”. When I walked in, I was pleasantly surprised to find a beautiful front table display of zero waste friendly goods: hand-milled organic soaps, wooden brushes, enamel flatware and safety razors.
The owner, Liam, was in residence, working on repairing a pair of trousers himself as I shopped, while an industrial sewing machine hummed a pleasant white noise through the shop, which has a vintage industrial vibe.
There was almost no discernible plastic in the products on offer, and most seemed to be sourced from small scale, independent makers, including a range of wooden graphite pencils in vintage-looking boxes, made by the smallest pencil factory in Portugal!
This is not a place to look for a bargain – this is a place to find quality products that are worth their price tag, and that will last a long time.
With kind credit to Small Shop for reposting their content.
As promised in Part 1, I’m bringing you another installment of my favorite eco-friendly businesses in the Manchester Area. In today’s roundup: organic food, vintage and second-hand finds, and handmade goods from local artisans. Without further ado, let’s get into it!
Eighth Day Co-Op
The Eighth Day Co-Op is a Manchester institution that has been around in some form since the 1970s. Though it’s had several permutations and locations, today it’s located on Oxford Road in the city centre and is part cafe, part grocery, and totally vegetarian.
The grocery sits on the ground floor and is filled with a wide variety of vegetarian, vegan, organic, and fair trade foods, including loose produce and fresh baked bread. What makes Eighth Day worth a visit, in my opinion, is its robust cosmetics counter which offers an array of natural and organic skincare, makeup, and personal grooming products. Next to the cosmetics counter is the nutritional and herbal supplements section of the store, with an impressive selection and an expert on hand to help customers find what they need.
Eighth Day also stocks natural and biodegradable housekeeping products, and, to my delight and surprise, they offer refills on Ecover laundry liquid and washing up liquid, as well as Faith in Nature shampoo, conditioner, and shower gel. This is the first place I’ve come across refills of this kind of product in the Manchester area. Eighth Day are leading the refill revolution!
The cafe sits on the basement level and is a great place to grab a healthy and delicious vegan or vegetarian meal. They also serve tea, coffee, fresh juice, wine and beer. You can get your drink to stay and save a disposable cup, and if you ask for your fresh juice without a straw, they’re happy to accommodate you. Bonus: there’s a tap at the bussing station where you can refill your water glass or bottle.
Pop Boutique
If you’re looking for a few second hand pieces to spruce up your wardrobe, look no further than Pop Boutique. This meticulously curated vintage shop (with a few rails of new mixed in) in the Northern Quarter is a thrifter’s dream come true. The shop is comprised of two floors of retail space offering men’s and women’s clothing, shoes, and accessories, a small selection of furniture and housewares, including second-hand records.
You’ll find everything from loud printed blouses to chunky cable knits, flat caps to military jackets, boots to sneakers. I picked up a black mock neck rib sweater for a tenner that my husband now refers to as my “boss jumper”.
In need of a sparkly party dress? They’ve got you covered. A kimono? A jean jacket? A pair of leather shorts? It’s all here.
Manchester Craft & Design Center
The Manchester Craft & Design Center is a gallery located in the norther quarter, with two levels of studios opening onto a central hall, in the middle of which is a cafe and bar. Each studio is part workshop, part retail space, with owners and artisans at work in the back while they sell their goods in front. There’s something for everyone here, from ceramics to jewelry to home accessories. It’s the perfect place to find a unique handmade trinket.
My personal favorites are Katherine Lees’ ceramics in Studio 25. She does lots of small jars, vases, plates, and hanging planters, which she fires right there in the studio, in a small kiln she has stashed away in a cupboard! Her pieces are screen printed, which I didn’t even know was possible. She keeps her secret printing technique quite close to the vest, and I don’t blame her! The result is beautiful subtle patterning, and a uniqueness to each delicate piece.
RSPCA Charity Shop Northern Quarter
As you leave the Manchester Craft & Design Center, pop in and have a look at the RSPCA charity shop on the corner. Though it’s small in size, it has a unique range of men’s and women’s clothing, shoes, and accessories, as well as a small selection of books, DVDs, and home wares. For its size, it’s quite well curated – each piece is unique and has a reason to take up valuable floor space. You don’t have to do much hunting to find a gem on the rails.
With kind credit to Small Shop for reposting their content.
Moving to a new city is always an adjustment. Moving to a new city while trying to fine tune a zero waste lifestyle is something else altogether.
It takes time to develop a routine around avoiding and eliminating waste, and it requires a lot of research and legwork. You have to know your go-to spots, and work up the courage to chat with the staff and ask them to accommodate you, whether it’s having a cheesemonger wrap your cheese in a napkin instead of plastic, or getting your local cafe to fill up your reusable coffee cup.
I had just started to get my routine nailed when we were living in India, so when we left I pretty much had to start from scratch. But I’ve been in Manchester for almost four months now, and with a little exploring, I’ve found quite a few businesses with zero-waste-friendly practices or products. I’m pleased to say, there are too many to cover in one post, so stay tuned for further eco-friendly recommendations! Today’s favorites:
Village Greens
Village Greens is a lovely little organic grocery tucked away in Prestwich, a 20 minute tram ride from Manchester Piccadilly. I knew I’d love the shop by the sign in the window, bearing the eternal words of Margaret Mead, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
Just inside the front window, I found the holy grail of zero waste in Manchester: bulk food bins! Granted, the selection is limited (9 bins offering oats, seeds, and lentils), but I was thrilled and grateful to find them, since I’ve had such trouble locating bulk dry goods elsewhere in the area. The staff told me they are planning to add more in to their selection in the near future. Yay!
Next to the bulk bins, or “hoppers” as they call them, is a beautiful array of loose produce, including loose herbs and some loose greens. All their fresh foods come from within 300 miles of the shop, with the exception of some European-sourced produce (like oranges and avocados).
Though they do offer a small selection of meat and dairy, they also offer lots of meat and dairy substitutes for plant-based eaters. Their pantry section was robust, with organic canned vegetables, nut butters, oils, and vinegars, and even some artisan beer, wine, and soft drinks.
At the front counter is a selection of organic eggs, and behind it is an enticing variety of fresh baked bread. My favorite feature of the store: they sell off day old bread at a discount so that it doesn’t go to waste.
The staff at Village Greens were super helpful and friendly, and kindly accommodated my wish to use my own produce bags, rather than the paper and cellophane bags they provide. (It’s worth noting that both paper and true cellophane are biodegradable.) In fact, this month they’re working on adding more zero waste and plastic free products to their assortment.
Earth Cafe
Earth cafe sits next door to the Manchester Buddhist Centre, and has an exciting menu of vegan dishes that changes daily, depending on the freshness of ingredients available at market. All food in the cafe is made from scratch, including their dairy-free cake! They also serve fresh pressed juice, and organic tea and coffee (with your choice of dairy-free milk).
I like to sit in and have an organic Earl Grey tea, which is served in a personal sized pot with a metal mesh strainer (no teabag waste!), and oat milk on the side. I also help myself to a glass of water from the communal glass jug.
I rub the wooden buddha’s belly and give the prayer wheel a spin on my way out.
Neal’s Yard
At first I was hesitant to include Neal’s Yard in my roundup of zero waste friendly stores, since they’re an international chain and I wanted to focus mainly in independent local businesses. But I stopped in one morning and chatted with the lovely staff of the store on King Street in the city centre, and was pleasantly surprised to discover what an amazing organization they really are. I had no idea, for instance, that Neal’s Yard is a carbon neutral company. They are, in fact, the first high street brand to earn this accreditation.
Neal’s Yard use 92% certified organic ingredients, and they never test their products on animals. Much of their range is packaged in glass and metal, and their small plastic bottles are made of 100% recycled plastic. Their “4R” policy helps keep waste low (reduce, reuse, recycle, and recover energy) and in 2016 only 1% of the waste from their entire business went to landfill.
The staff are veritable herbal experts, and can mix you up a custom herbal blend from their bulk herb bins, depending on your ailment or health goal. They carry gorgeous loose soaps, free of packaging, as well as a number of grooming tools made from natural materials: wooden nail brushes, organic cotton facial cloths, and natural pumice stones. You can even sip on some fresh herbal tea (in a beautiful ceramic tea cup!) while you shop.
Manchester Book Buyers
This quirky little book stand on Church Street in the Northern Quarter has a personality all its own – one that you certainly won’t find in a big chain bookstore. It’s a veritable jumble of second hand books, but with a little digging you can find some real gems, and at a bargain. Multiple placards pasted to the walls bear the command, “Kill the Kindle, buy a book!”
While I appreciate the Kindle’s place in the world, I also appreciate the shop owner’s sentiment. If you’d rather turn real pages than digital ones, pop in to this shop and have a look through the many books stacked on tables, shelves, and in boxes. Come prepared with a little bit of patience, as there doesn’t seem to be much rhyme or reason to the displays!
With kind credit to Small Shop for reposting their content.
