ECO-SAL VALUES

Why you should reduce your plastic waste and work towards a plastic-free life

We are living in a time where a linear economy is the norm - where raw materials are taken, transformed into products and then thrown away. This 'throwaway' culture has been causing destruction to our wildlife, our waters and our health, and yet we are still being convinced that convenience is what we need. We NEED the latest new gadget, even if our old one is working perfectly fine, and we NEED to have disposable cutlery at that party on Saturday night because of the convenience of not having to wash up.

What we are failing to realise is that 'away' does not exist. When we throw something 'away' it has to go somewhere. And the problem is, where things are constantly being made, used and put in the bin, we are piling up a HUGE amount of waste - more than the planet can handle. A large majority of this waste doesn't get recycled (only 9% of plastic actually gets recycled), so ends up in landfills (or worse, in the sea affecting our marine life) where a lot of it unfortunately will remain for thousands of years.

So, what can I do about it?

Ultimately, we need to work towards a more circular economy where we get as much use out of everything we use before recycling it into something else. Something simple such as refusing a plastic bag at the supermarket, or not buying that disposable cutlery for your party can make a huge difference. I understand it's hard to see the big picture when you feel like it's just you making these changes or that one plastic bag is not going to change anything. Believe me, I've been there! But there are a lot more people out there on the same journey as you, and it's totally worth it! Environmental benefits aside, I find it completely empowering!

For example, if every person on the planet changed a small everyday item in their life like their toothbrush from a plastic one to a more eco-friendly alternative, that is over 7 billion plastic toothbrushes we have avoided from being left on the planet for thousands of years!

As much as I'm sure we'd all like to, we won't go straight to being 100% plastic free overnight. It is a journey which isn't always an easy one. There will be hurdles along the way, but we can do this! Every small change makes a difference. Below are some tips to help you get you started on reducing your usage of single use plastics:

Start with the easy stuff - things that don't affect your habits at all (i.e. picking loose fruit and veg at the supermarket instead of pre-packed)
Look at rooms inside your home and see where you use single use plastic
When you've established your list, you don't have to go out and buy replacements for all of it straight away. Start small and work your way up
The most important one - Don't throw away all of your plastic items that can still be used to buy a plastic free alternative! Before you swap, use up what you have or reuse first where you can.

Why is Eco-Sal different?

At Eco-Sal, I wanted to create a place where people would feel comfortable asking questions and could find everything they were looking for in one place for their journeys to a plastic free life. Below are the values that Eco-Sal strongly believes in:

VISION

To create a one-stop shop for plastic free products where it's affordable and accessible to all to make more eco-friendly choices.

I only work with companies that have the same ethos as me, most of which are small UK businesses.

PACKAGING

All orders are packaged in either a 100% paper envelope or a reused cardboard box. Any inner packaging is also reused. I try to reuse anything I have first before using new. This could mean that your order arrives in a cat food box!

Packaging tape is 100% plastic free and recyclable and only used when required. Check out the 'Packaging' tab in the footer for more information.

ANIMAL FRIENDLY

All products in the shop are cruelty free and are vegan wherever possible.

It is clearly noted on the product descriptions if the product is suitable for vegans.

Eco-Sal gives a monthly donation to WWF.

JUST ONE TREE

I am very proud to be a business partner of JUST ONE Tree; a not for profit who plant at least one tree for every £1 donated.

For every one of your orders, I donate £1 to this lovely charity to plant a tree for every order!

You can also now add extra donations to your order to plant more trees!

PALM OIL FREE

Wherever possible, I try to source products that are free from palm oil.

If the product is made with a palm oil derivative, it is only with RSPO certified palm oil and I have put this in the product description for clarity.

TOXIN FREE

All products are free from SLS and parabens, and are organic wherever possible. I only like to stock the most natural products I can find on the shop.

This is noted on the product descriptions for clarity.