Meet the Expert: Eco for All!

Lifestyle Sustainability Coach, and shop regular, Lyn Lapworth, talks to us about all things eco

Hi Lyn! So, tell us, what exactly is a Lifestyle Sustainability coach?

Essentially I help anyone who'd like to live in a more eco-friendly way. I host a series of online themed sessions, covering such topics as cleaning and laundry, energy saving, reducing food waste etc, and I will suggest easy swaps, brand recommendations and money saving tips.

What made you start living more sustainably?

I've always been an animal lover, turning vegetarian when I was 17 (back in the days when it wasn't so easy) but what really pricked my conscience was hearing about the massive gyres of waste floating in the Pacific, around 15 years ago. After my daughter was born things really ramped up. I used cotton nappies, passed her clothes on to friends that also had baby girls and made sure she grew up appreciating nature. 

Who inspires you?

Naturally, my children are my biggest inspiration. Starting my business, changing how we live - it's all for their future. And it goes without saying we all love Greta, particularly her sense of humour and the way she deals with her detractors. 

How did you get started?

I started by religiously recycling, before we really understood the pitfalls in the recycling industry. At the start of 2018, I set myself the challenge of not buying new clothes for me or my children for the year - and haven't looked back since. I've also gradually reduced our waste over the last 2 or 3 years and now only put our general waste bin out 2 or 3 times a year, something I'm really proud of. It really is possible just by making a series of small changes to your shopping habits.

With the effects of climate change fast catching up with us, what gives you hope?

Others who are just trying to be a bit more conscious about how they live. I've had one lady halve the amount of clothes washing she does, and another is saving herself £15 a week on her food shop following our food waste session. Their commitment fills me with hope. Every week I will put a good news post out, as we all need to hear some positives amongst all the doom and gloom, and thankfully there are a lot of great people doing a lot of great things! 

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Lyn's Top Tips to help save both the planet, and your wallet...

Spot washing!

One of the best tips I can give is to wash your clothes less, spot washing wherever possible. We've all been programmed to wash our clothes more than we need to, jeans can go a couple of weeks easily. Washing less has so many benefits - reducing water consumption, saving energy, (and time!) prolonging the life of your clothes as washing actually degrades them slightly - and potentially reduces microplastics as these are shed from clothing with man made fibres in.

Put a lid on it!

Popping a lid on your pan when cooking is another easy win. The water boils quicker which means you're using less energy - and you can even turn the power off a couple of minutes before your food is ready - as it will continue to cook in the boiling water. Even saving 5 minutes a day equates to 24 hours over a year.

Refill not landfill!

Another top tip is to look for your local zero waste store! They're more affordable than you realise and you won't get better customer service anywhere! 

(editor: and no I didn’t make Lyn say that!)