Time to get eco-friendly, GAFFers. We are spending a little more time being mindful of what we use and what we waste in our GAFFs every day. Not only do we need to keep an eye on our hard earned cash, we also want to be as kind to the earth as possible. There are loads of easy, Insta-worthy ways to make your home more waste-free and earth-kind. Check this out.
Embrace Bamboo
You might have noticed your locals bars have stopped offering plastic straws with your cocktail. That’s because there’s a massive global campaign to lower our use of the toxic material, that is hurting sea turtles like this little guy. IKEA has taken the lead this week by announcing their plans to remove all single-use plastic straws from its product range and restaurants by October this year.
According to a US journal Science magazine report last year, eight million tonnes of plastic are dumped into the Earth’s oceans and seas each year. There’s an easy way to replace your straws and that’s with bamboo. You can do good AND still get that perfect smoothie Insta shot thanks to these ingenious inventions. Check them out here.
Find your perfect coffee cup
One of our favourite ideas is to treat yourself to a gorgeous new keep cup. Instead of having your name scribbled (incorrectly) on a paper cup bring along your own reusable number. Some cafés charge less if you bring your own, too! Here are a few of our favourites.
For the Pinterest fanatic, these heatproof coffee and tea keep cups cost €19.99 each here.
For a cool, glass take on your coffee chain cup, €22.99 each here.
This keep cup comes in every colour you could imagine. We love this pink version, €30 each here.
How about your own personalised keep cup? From €16 each here.
Plant power
The next time you go to buy an air freshener pick up a plant instead. We are always banging on about the power of plants and flowers, and they work as the perfect tool to absorb toxins and clean your air. Flowers will give you a stunning, fresh home scent rather than a fake air freshener.
Love Linen
Colourful napkins are fun when you’re hosting dinner or a party, but try swapping these disposables for linen napkins instead. Linen is having a total moment right now – it’s elegant yet rustic, it elevates any table setting and the best part is that you can wash and reuse these time and time again. Cotton is a gorgeous alternative too, just FYI. See below for further proof. We spotted these beauties at Spartan Shop.
Eco-Cool Candles
Have you ever been burning a candle and noticed that black smoke staining the jar or, even worse, ruining your paint job? Toxic chemicals in candles can ruin your GAFF and even cause headaches. Swap these cheap and nasties out for Soy candles instead. Soya wax is renewable and free from pesticides and herbicides, will burn longer and much cooler, too.
The Field Apothecary Peat candle is one of our faves, €35 here.
We love the Soilse collection from The Irish Design Shop, too, €18 each.
Try Tech
A new pop up shop coming to Brown Thomas next week called Soda is set to sell some pretty nifty eco-conscious inventions. This Veritable Smart Garden, €150, allows you to grow four different herbs, edible flowers and baby vegetables at the same time from the same planter. Each pod contains organic seeds, soil and nutrients essential for each plant and provides four to six months of continuous harvest. So you can save on the grocery bill and help keep your kitchen green in the one go.
This is their Nanopresso Yellow Patrol, a coffee machine dispenses with pods and has a chamber for loose coffee, so it’s super earth kind. From €70.
Whatever your budget and lifestyle, we want to make living sustainably easier for you. Stay tuned for more Gaff Swaps, and follow us on Insta for your daily GAFF dose.