When people ask us how we’ve gone in what’s been our first year of trading as The OTHER Bag, Abi and I often reply, “We’ve learnt ALOT!” About being an online business, and what it means to be an ocean friendly, sustainably designed and ethically produced business. As well as the nuts and bolts of online retail like Google Ads, analytics and SEO. And we’re still learning!

But also as part of that journey of wanting to make a responsible product we’ve learnt tonnes about what we can do to live in a more conscious way so that we leave a lighter impact on our environment. Some of it has been easy to adopt, others trickier to make part of our everyday. But we’re trying, little by little.

And as we’re at the start of a new year - and just have a little inkling that you might be looking for some eco inspiration to make part of your everyday - here’s a rundown of what we did last year, and our eco resolutions for 2020.

In 2019 we…

Swapped shampoo for shampoo bars

Swapped hand soap with a pump for a bar of soap

Ditched facial cleansers in a bottle for a cleansing bar

Swapped to bamboo toothbrushes

Started using natural deodorant in a tin

Swapping to recycled toilet roll

Bought a metal safety razor - which just needs a change of blade

Started using beeswax wraps for food

Started using silicone food pouches for kids snacks

Always took a keep cup for coffee - or drank in if we forgot

Never buying bottled water and always taking a reusable bottle

Never leaving home without our reusable bags

Making more snacks for the kids, rather than buying

Shopping at bulk food stores

Shopping at local markets for package free fruit and vegetables straight from the growers

Taking soft plastics back to supermarkets

Collecting plastic lids for recycling initiatives

In 2020 our eco resolutions are…

To grow our own - herbs, veggies, fruit - whatever we can

Plan meals to cut out food waste

Cut back on takeaway food. It’s going to be hard to give up our pizza habit, but it’s time!

Recycle more food waste, compost more, throw less.

Shop more consistently in package free stores for food. Yep, there are days where we end up in Woolworths…

Eat less meat, and improve our range of veggie recipes

Get involved in community growing initiatives. We love the burgeoning network that is Grow it Local.

Good luck with your eco resolutions. Let us know what’s on your list. We’re always looking for eco inspo too.

Abi and Claire

xx