Cumbria CVS Green blog No 13 – March 2025
March 19, 2025
Welcome back to Cumbria CVS Green!
In our thirteenth blog post, James Bevis, Service Development Officer at Cumbria CVS, is back! This time, he’s providing some handy household shopping suggestions for greener living – from loo rolls and cleaning stuff to beauty products and coffee.
If you have any suggestions about what you’d like to see in our regular updates, let us know! Contact us by emailing info@cumbriacvs.org.uk
You can find our what we’re doing to minimise our environmental impact and find details of organisations supporting positive environmental action in Cumbria on our Climate Commitment page here
Catch up on our other blog posts here
Greening your cleaning, coffee &… crapping?!
After putting out the recycling the other day — glass, cardboard, cans, and plastic, plus the green garden waste wheely bin — I headed to the local recycling centre.
There, I happily separated out electrical items, metal, and even more cardboard. A sign at the exit proudly confirmed that they were able to recycle 70% last month! Feeling accomplished, I went home and noticed that many of the products we use inside the house have been switched to greener options. I’d love to share a few of the choices we’ve made.
Who Gives A Crap – Eco-Friendly Toilet Paper
Products and Collections | Who Gives A Crap UK
There are several eco-friendly toilet papers available, but not many are made from 100% sustainable bamboo or 100% recycled paper. You can easily organize a box to be delivered every few weeks, with each roll in brightly-coloured, plastic-free packaging. The quality is fantastic — no complaints from our household — and no more giant packs of toilet paper in your shopping basket! 🤗
Why Choose Who Gives A Crap?
- Plastic-free packaging – No unnecessary plastic wrapping, just recyclable or compostable materials.
- Sustainable materials – Made from bamboo or post-consumer recycled paper, reducing deforestation.
- Charitable impact – 50% of profits go towards building toilets and sanitation facilities in communities that need them most.
- Bulk buying option – Reduces waste and shipping impact while saving you money.
- Extra products – They also supply kitchen roll and fully compostable kitchen bin bags (very strong with tie handles, available in a range of sizes).
Ecover Washing Up Liquid Buy
Ecover Washing Up Liquid 950ml | Official Site
If you’ve seen this on supermarket shelves, it might seem pricey at about £4 for 950ml, compared to Fairy at around £3 for the same amount. However, you can buy Ecover refills in 5L quantities, which cost about £2.80 per litre—making it even cheaper. It’s just as effective as traditional washing-up liquid and works perfectly.
Why Use Ecover?
- Plant-based ingredients – No nasty chemicals, just effective natural alternatives.
- Recyclable and refillable packaging – Many stores offer refill stations to cut down on plastic waste; even better, buy it 5L at a time.
- Cruelty-free – No animal testing, making it a kinder choice for the planet.
- Gentle on skin – Perfect for those with allergies or sensitive skin.
Planet-Friendly Home Cleaning Products
smol | Planet-friendly home cleaning products (visit their site for a free trial pack)
Smol offers a subscription service that delivers products directly to your door with minimal packaging and no plastic. (you will need to adjust the frequency to suit your needs.)
Why Use Smol?
- Ultra-concentrated formulas – Less waste and fewer unnecessary ingredients.
- Plastic-free packaging – Uses biodegradable and recyclable materials.
- Vegan & cruelty-free – No animal testing and no animal-derived ingredients.
- Subscription-based model – Delivered directly to your door, reducing shopping trips and emissions.
Smol Products We Swear By:
- Laundry Capsules – Tough on stains but kind to the environment, with no harsh chemicals.
- Dishwasher Tablets – Powerful cleaning performance with biodegradable ingredients.
Natural Beauty Products
Natural Beauty Products and Natural Shampoo UK | Faith In Nature
This is a new one for us, but they offer a wide range of products—shampoo, conditioner, hand wash, laundry liquid, soap, and even dog shampoo! The trick is to bulk buy 5L items and refill smaller containers. I particularly recommend the hand wash 🤗. They even sell refillable bottles, and if you order over £30, you get free postage.
Why Use Faith in Nature?
- 100% natural fragrances – No artificial perfumes, just botanical extracts.
- Vegan & cruelty-free – Ethical products that don’t harm animals.
- Recycled & recyclable packaging – Reducing plastic waste wherever possible.
- Locally made – UK-manufactured to reduce carbon footprint.
Coffee
Skylark Coffee – 😅you knew this was coming.
Skylark is the only 100 percent non-profit (it’s a charity), 100 percent transparent specialty coffee brand in the world. They also have an inclusive employment practice and fully recyclable packaging – their coffee is some of the best in the UK 🤗
Small Changes, Big Impact
Going green doesn’t have to mean overhauling your entire lifestyle — just switching to more sustainable products is a step in the right direction. By choosing brands like Who Gives A Crap, Ecover, Faith in Nature, Smol and Skylark coffee you’re cutting down on waste, avoiding nasty chemicals, and supporting ethical businesses. They all deliver to your door cutting down on those trips to the shops and the limiting range of expensive options you find there.
So next time you’re topping up your household essentials, why not make the greener choice and save money at the same time?😉
Training and Events
Great Big Green Week – Let’s Swap Ideas
Wed 26 March, online. Great Big Green Week in June seems a while away, but the time will fly by, so get prepared now for your event – or events! – that week.
CAfS’ free webinar will share funding tips, ideas for event promotion and how to to keep your activity low-carbon.
A Climate of Truth – an evening with Mike Berners-Lee
22 April, Penrith. CAfS’ patron, Mike Berners-Lee will be in Penrith in April, discussing his brand new book.
A Climate of Truth explores why, despite developments in technology and most people’s desire for greater action on the climate crisis, our global emissions are worse than ever.
Climate & Carbon Literacy
24 April & 1 May, Online. Get the latest climate science facts and grow your understanding of carbon footprints to build your knowledge of what we can all do to help restore the balance.
CAfS’s award winning Climate & Carbon Literacy course will leave you with the ability and motivation to reduce emissions on an individual, community and organisational basis.
News and Information
Top five books for climate campaigners
With 2024 the hottest year on record worldwide, it’s more important than ever that everyone comes together to demand urgent action on climate change. Here’s some top books for charity campaigners to help tackle the climate crisis.
£1.5m climate project offering support for 180 smaller charities launched
Think tank New Philanthropy Capital (NPC) has announced a £1.5m environmental project with support to be given to 180 smaller charities.
With funding from the National Lottery Community Fund (NLCF), the project will aim to amplify the voices of those most affected by climate change including disabled people, people on low incomes and people from ethnic minority communities in England and Scotland.
The project will support 180 smaller charities to represent their communities and influence policy and will be delivered through a partnership between NPC, the Race Equality Foundation, Disability Rights UK, Turn2us, Media Trust and Hope for the Future.
Tackling food waste with Guardians of Grub
Cumbria Business Growth Hub podcast was joined by Gemma Procter Sustainable Tourism Officer at Cumbria Tourism, last month.
They discussed food waste, its impact on the environment and steps businesses can take to reduce it. Learn about the national scheme ‘Guardians of Grub’ and the tools available to help your business reduce its food waste.
Four Anglican cathedrals to cut ties with major banks in climate pledge
Four Church of England cathedral charities have started the process to drop their accounts with banks that fund fossil fuel companies.
Durham, Southwark, Truro and Worcester cathedrals are the latest to have joined the wider movement among faith organisations to cut ties with high street banks that finance fossil fuel projects.
Christian Aid switched from Barclays to Lloyds in 2023, while the Greenbelt festival also moved away from Barclays to the Co-operative Bank at the end of 2023.
How the Environment Agency is assessing new nuclear power station designs
As the UK government takes forward its plans for a low carbon future, the regulators of the nuclear industry, the Environment Agency, Office for Nuclear Regulation and Natural Resources Wales are currently assessing three new nuclear reactor designs.
Nuclear power is likely to play a key role in decarbonisation, and the Environment Agency wants nuclear power to contribute to the government’s strategy in a way that embeds sustainability principles, considers the whole lifecycle of the power station, is designed to be decommissioned and protects people and the environment.
In this Environment Agency blog, Mike Webley and Andrew Pynn share their insights from a recent ‘joint regulators’ trip to the United States.
Cumbria People and Nature Network newsletter
Catch up on the Network’s news and forthcoming events, vacancies and resources, in their latest newsletter here
A free six-month communications programme for climate charities
Now in its fifth year, Communicating Climate is a free six-month strategic communications programme from Media Trust, designed for UK-based charities and grassroots organisations working on climate justice, advocacy and community action.
The programme is structured around a series of online interactive workshops, bringing you expert guidance and collaborative sessions to give you the strategic tools, practical skills and sector relationships needed to make a real impact. Applications close at 9am on 31st March.
To apply, you’ll need to provide a brief summary of your organisation and campaign goals. Successful applicants will be notified by 7th May and the programme will run from May to October 2025.
Cumbria Unites for National Week of Sustainable Celebrations: Funding Available for Community Events in June 2025
Community groups across Cumbria are set to host a series of community-focused events this June, emphasising sustainability, climate action and local food. The county’s climate change charity, Cumbria Action for Sustainability, are offering grants for two significant initiatives—the Big Local Lunch and Great Big Green Week—to support local groups to organise events which foster environmental awareness and community spirit.
Great Big Green Week is a week-long initiative which aims to raise awareness of climate change and encourage community action and takes place from 7th – 15th June. Grants of up to £300 are available to not-for-profit groups in the Westmorland & Furness Council area to host events along the theme of ‘let’s swap together for good,’. It is hoped the inspiring events will promote sustainable practices such as repair cafes, plant swaps, second-hand fashion exchanges, and knowledge-sharing on topics like insulation and electric vehicles.
The Food Cumberland Partnership is providing grants of up to £200 per project for groups across the Cumberland Council area to host events as part of the Big Local Lunch 2025, celebrated nationally over the weekend of 7th – 8th June. This funding aims to bring communities together to celebrate local food, encourage healthy eating, and demonstrate how to minimize food waste and avoid single-use plastics.
Find out more about both of these funding opportunities in this press release
