Have you created any ripple effects during this challenge?

Unfortunately I don’t think I inspired anyone else to try environmentally friendly cleaning products. But I experienced a ripple effect within myself. I started switching to chemical free cleaning and have now also started to switch my skincare products, shampoo, deodorant and even toothpaste products to more environmentally friendly products. Yes they are more expensive and harder to source but I am looking on it as an investment into my health now and the health of the planet. I will invest less in coffee to balance out the expense.

– Have you learnt something new about how change happens?

I think I have relearnt that small changes do matter and can lead to bigger changes. 

Think about what you believed when you started this challenge. For example, what did you think was possible or not possible? Have your beliefs changed since you started?
I thought I would need to make some homemade concoctions but fortunately I was able to source a lot of sustainable cleaning products from farmers markets, online or supermarkets. 
2.  Do you notice that you favour some «background conversations» over others as you go about your day?

I find the background conversations go hand in hand with my mood or energy levels. If I am tired or feeling frustrated it is easier to give up and go for the more convenient options 

3.  Do you still have any beliefs that stop you from trying to make larger changes? It is easier making changes if you are doing it as part of a group as opposed to making these changes alone.

What are the best and the most challenging moments of your challenge so far?

The best moments were finding a good selection of environmentally friendly products and the most challenging moments were not being able to use wipes. I had to plan more in advance and it took more time to complete some of the cleaning tasks. 

What have you learned from the other participants?

It is great how enthusiastic all the other participants have been. I don’t think I will be eating insects anytime soon but I will definitely try some of the vegetarian recipes.  

Could you do things a little differently, could you stretch a little outside your comfort zone? I could talk to more people about my challenge and try and source more products made in Ireland.

How is your challenge going? Are you tired or finding it difficult, or is it going well?

It is going well. I am now thinking of other areas in my life that I can make switches to more environmentally friendly products. I am looking at skincare and personal hygiene products. I was talking to a couple at the farmers market on Saturday who run a no waste business and I mentioned how I started this journey to help the environment but it is also helping the health of my family using less chemicals in the house. They said they came at it the other way around and started to use natural products for their health first. The more I think about it the crazier it is that all of my intelligent, caring friends are choosing to use chemicals in their home without looking for alternative options if not for the health of the environment but for the their own health. Yes it does take time to research the best products, ingredients and price but for the health and wellbeing of the planet and ourselves I think it is worth the effort!!

– Have you ever stood up for something you believe in? Did anyone join you?
I always remember in primary school standing up for a girl in school who was being bullied for wearing glasses. I was neither popular nor unpopular in school. The bullies backed off and the girl was grateful. Nobody joined in to back me up though. My motto in school was it is cool to be uncool. 

– Have you ever wanted to stand up for something, but didn’t? What stopped you and why did you give up?

Yes I am.sure there are plenty of times I wanted to stand up for something but didn’t like asking for a pay rise!! Like in TED talk video you showed the lone leader needs to have guts and confidence to stand out from the crowd. Personally I like to work away in the background not draw too much attention to myself. I would not classify myself as a risk taker. It is easier to go along with the crowd.

Ok so I have made some more cleaning product switches. I was already using the eco ball instead of laundry detergent. It has an initial outlay of e24 but you get up to 1000 washes so works out cheaper than the tesco own brand  capules.  I did find the clothes stiff and a bit smelly coming out of the machine so I am now also using an environmentally friendly softener with a nice vanilla scent. I don’t use the dryer unless it is raining for a number of days. I have switched to the dryer eggs again there is an initial cost of e16.99 but it claims to reduce the drying time by up to 28%. Plus I can now reuse the water from the dryer in my garden now I know there are no chemicals being used. I have switched from the biodegradable wipes to the cheeky panda bamboo wipes. These wipes can be put in the compost bin. I know even using these wipes are not ideal but for those emergency situations they are better than using chemical versions of wipes. 

The question I am asking myself now is what will I do with all the products i had been previously using and have not been used?

To be honest I tend not to talk too much about sustainability and my challenge with my friends. When I do I can feel.the invisible eyes rolling and the conversation doesn’t last too long. You must remember environmentally conscious people back when I was 18/19 years of age were considered hippies and tree huggers. Generally they were not considered with a huge amount of respect or positivity. 

I have spoken.with my family and they are supportive but have not shown any interest in trying it themselves.

I am definitely looking at other areas of my life that I can make switches since starting this challenge. I agree that the more people who make switches the more normal living sustainability will be. But do we have the time to wait until this happens naturally? Or do we now need the leaders to make some difficult and uncomfortable decisions for us and help to accelerate this change.

The experiment so far has been what I expected in terms of switching cleaning products but I didn’t expect to be thinking about it so much and in such detail. I am also finding myself thinking about what other areas in my life I could make more environmentally friendly and more sustainable. 

I tend to follow the crowd when I don’t feel.too strongly about something and it won’t be harmful.or dangerous. I don’t like being awkward so will usually go with the flow in most situations. 

I really like the film ALIKE and how he went outside his comfort zone. But as a parent myself I know you will do things for your children that you normally would never dream of doing. There needs to be a strong enough catalyst to get a person to move outside of their comfort zone even.if it will benefit it them in the long run.

I have been thinking what would persuade me or any other ‘convient’ cleaner away from using wipes. I came up with the idea of having a similar campaign to the stop smoking campaign. Instead of black lungs and diseased hearts have a picture of the actual effects these wipes have on the environment.on the front of each packet. Governments around the globe took immediate action when human life was threatened by corona virus. We need Governments and all people to see the environment as a living thing that deserves the same immediate action to be taken. Where there is a will there is a way. Humans are very adaptable. The last 18 months have proven that. If the right direction was given from the top I am sure most people would get behind doing their bit for the right reasons.

So far I have not gone into autopilot and completely forgotten about my challenge. To be honest I am not the greatest fan of cleaning…so have been using this challenge as a way of avoiding the activity!! But I am also conscious of how excess cleaning can result in unnecessary water and chemical usage and therefore only partake in necessary cleaning ; ) 

One pattern I have noticed is that I have developed a very bad habit of relying on wipes for the quick and easy cleaning of surfaces. I had recently switched to the biodegradable wipes. But obviously these wipes are still causing more waste material than other methods do. So I am working on a finding a suitable replacement for these wipes during this challenge. 

What has surprised me so far during this challenge is how much I am thinking about it. I am thinking about what has stopped me switching to ‘greener’ products in the past. I am taking more time to look at packaging and what ingredients are in different cleaning products and where they have been manufactured. From there my thoughts go to where these chemicals and packages end up…why are there so many different products on the market that are harmful to the environment when we are now lucky to have more convenient safer alternatives and then my mind goes back to consumer habits.

I was surprised that the chemicals in the dishwasher tablets were not consdered as being harmful to the environment so I decided to tackle the toilet. The traditional ‘white and shine’ bleach contains sodium hypochlorite and chlorine based bleaching agents among many other chemicals. Now these chemicals ARE harmful to aquatic organisms. However the risk to the environment is low IF the chemicals are processed through a proper treatment plant. The temptation is to accept this and carry on using cheaper more convient products BUT are water treatment plants around the world reliable. 

This is an extract from the irish times newspaper’The Ballymore Eustace plant, which serves 877,000 customers in the greater Dublin area, produced unsafe drinking water for a period of up to 10 hours on 20th-21st August, due to the loss of a cryptosporidium treatment barrier compounded by inadequate disinfection, the EPA said.

At Gorey, the recent incident arose from a power failure and a chlorine pump failure, resulting in water leaving the plant and entering the public supply without the appropriate level of disinfection for a five day period (August 19th-24th)’

This is just one example of malfunctions happening in water treatment plants in one country. Also the issue was highlighted because it affected the health of humans. This makes me even more motivated to avoid using the chemicals in the first place. Prevention is better than cure!!

Well I have finally done some cleaning!! We are a family of five and the dishwasher is used once a day. I had been using whatever dishwasher tablets were on special offer. My local supermarket stock alot of ‘eco-friendly’ products so I decided to take a look at what dishwasher tablets they had. To begin this challenge I am going to try and make easy switches to products that are still convient but more environmentally friendly. I bought ecover dishwasher tablets in a nice green and white box. They cost e6.49 compared to e1.49 own brand dishwasher tablets. This is a huge price difference. I looked at the main ingredients in both. The phosphonates and polycarboxylates that are in the own brand tablets apparently are in such small quantities that they are not harmful to the environment. Unfortunately spending this much on dishwasher tablets is not sustainable for our household. So I am going to look for cheaper alternative options. On the positive side the dishes came out as clean as any of my previous dishwasher products…sparkling.

In the past I have tried to change the habit of smoking, biting my nails, eating less rubbish. I have also tried to introduce new habits like regular excersise, a consistent skincare routine etc. I have had varying degrees of success but if I am being honest none have being 100% successful. Why? I am sure there are many reasons, lack of motivation, being too flexible and not stubborn enough maybe?? I have never found changing a habit fun. Maybe that is another reason for my lack of success? I am slightly embarrassed to admit that I am actually thinking about my challenge alot. I get excited at the start of a new project but then the novelty wears off. Let’s hope this challenge will be different.

I chose this challenge because I have become more aware of the chemicals in the cleaning products I use at home. There are more wipe products on the market and I must confess I have used them when in a hurry to clean the house. After studying ecology last year I am.more aware of how these chemicals get into our water table and the wipes end up sitting in landfills. So this challenge is the perfect opportunity to research different environmentally friendly cleaning products and to start taking action to.implement changes at home. I think it might be difficult to find good affordable products that work. I admire the following qualities in people: honesty, tenacity, loyalty and kindness. I guess honesty and tenacity will help me with this challenge. To be honest with myself and in my blog sharing both the good and bad experiences with the others in the group. To be tenacious and keep on track if the going gets tough and I am tempted to reach for those wipes !! Best of luck everyone…