Sustainable waste management is something of a mantra in our house. My husband is a Chartered Waste Manager, and as a pagan, I want to do my bit to help preserve the natural world in which we live. Therefore, when I received an invitation to join Britmums and Unilever for the #brightFuture challenge, I had to accept.

When our children were born, my husband and I decided to use cloth nappies. We did not want to contribute to the billions of disposable nappies that contribute to rising landfill tonnage every year in the UK. I spent months researching online to find information and stockists. That was only six years ago, and yet I really struggled to find helpful advice about where to begin with this challenging phase of new motherhood. Still, we persevered, we tried various different kinds and styles of cloth nappy, we went through lots of wet clothes and bedding, and we settled into a routine.

Our preferred nappies are good old-fashioned Terry nappies, and we fasten them with Nappy Nippas, which are far easier and safer than safety pins. These cloth nappies need careful maintenance to keep them in prime condition. We use Persil non-bio washing liquid, and we can wash most nappies at 40 degrees on a special “baby cycle” on our washing machine. Sometimes we do wash at 60 degrees if the nappies are heavily soiled. Our washing machine is energy efficient, and we don’t own a tumble drier, preferring to dry our nappies outside on the washing line when the weather allows, because they come in smelling clean and fresh, and feeling nice and soft for our baby.

We also had the challenge of potty training our elder daughter, and are currently trying to coax our younger one, but she is reluctant. Our bathroom is now cluttered with various different toilet training seats, a potty, and the latest addition is a 3-in-1 Minnie Mouse potty and toilet seat. All of these potty training aids need to be cleaned regularly, and since my daughters can be very independent, I use Domestos bleach to keep everything suitably safe for little fingers and hands.

Finally, after all this mucky work, I need to unwind! Truthfully I am not the sort of person who likes to soak in a hot bubble bath. I get bored, and I struggle to read in the bath because my glasses get in the way and I inevitably get my book wet. So, I prefer a nice, steamy shower (more energy efficient), and some luxurious, moisturising body lotion. Dove body lotions are lovely and smooth, nourishing my dry, itchy skin, and leaving me relaxed and clean.

It’s all in a day’s work for this Mummy! Now, over to you. What little things do you do every day that help improve or conserve our natural environment?

This post is an entry for BritMums #brightFuture Challenge, sponsored by Unilever. I especially like their Dove Self-Esteem Project that is working with leading psychologists, academics and experts to help young people develop a positive relationship with their appearance. The project has now reached over 19 million young lives.

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