Hippyshopper how-tos
A hefty chunk of our carbon footprint originates at home, particularly during the winter months, so now's the time to look behind your front door and find out how it's all looking. Is your home part of the problem or can you do a bit of tinkering so that everyday your life actually has a positive impact? A few changes you might consider making include:
• Switching to a greener energy tariff like Good Energy's 100% renewable option. This is helpful because not only are you avoiding relying on energy derived from C02-producing methods, you're also investing in renewable energy, which will ultimately make it available to more people and drive costs down.
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Recycling
Are you anticipating an influx of gadgets this Christmas? Many people will be ditching their old kettles, toasters and radios when relatives helpfully gift them new ones, while no self respecting teenager would keep hold of his or her old stereo when a new one appears under the tree.
This could all lead to a terrifying mountain of toxic rubbish, but fortunately there are plenty of ways to deal with e-waste, and we've summarised a few for you after the jump. There are money making options, good recycling karma options, options for those with a crafty finger - we've got it all.
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Hippyshopper how-tos
Buying new furniture is not a fun experience. You can either go down the IKEA route; herded through a vast warehouse full of people and myriad identikit shelves, cupboards and tables, or seek out more unusual pieces, navigating between the fiendishly expensive and the decidedly naff.
If you've got pots of money, it's a different story, of course. But these days that's unlikely to be the case, and the green and thrifty world of repurposing starts to look very attractive. You could buy ready-repurposed furniture from Baileys, whose range is well worth checking out. But for inspiration, follow the jump for some creative ways that internet dwellers have spruced up old junk to make unique and useful furniture.
Related: Hippyshopper guide to the repurposed home: lighting
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Green News
If you're a bit of a lingerie lover, you'll probably have picked up on the fact that underwear seems to have become more cheaply produced in recent years than many other products, using poor quality, mass produced fabrics you'll be hard pressed to do anything with but junk at the end of their lifespan. I know I have: all shop-bought knickers seem to look exactly the same and shrink in the wash.
It's probably no coincidence then, that I've seen loads of classes and tutorials for knicker-making recently, as so many others are clearly drawn to hand-made, sustainable undies.
Follow the jump for a cheeky list of knicker-making patterns and classes!
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Green News
Determined not to be out-done by our American friends, we've really upped the stakes on Halloween here in the UK, and what was once no more than a bit of fun for the very young has now become a major highlight of the year. And like any other event on a large scale, that means a lot of potential for waste.
Follow the jump for a few tips on greening up your spooky celebrations without losing any of the fun.
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Hippyshopper how-tos
We're used to skincare being presented as a complex science, so at first glance, making your own potions and lotions sounds like a daunting idea. But skincare is really very simple, and you can make a very versatile day to day moisturiser using just three ingredients. In an age of ruinously expensive skincare products and obscure additives, there's no surer way to avoid putting unneccesary junk on you skin than going down the homemade route, so here's a basic 'recipe' to get you started.
Follow the jump for instructions.
Related: How to make an all-natural headlice remedy | How to make your own natural cough remedy
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Green News
In most corners of the media, money-saving has already eclipsed planet-saving, which has suddenly become yesterday's news, leading many to believe that the two concerns are worlds apart. But they couldn't be more wrong, because being green is all about resourcefulness, economy and frugality -- and not necessarily about buying expensive organic chicken. Follow the jump to find out some really useful ways of saving money and the environment at the same time.
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