Mandy's Eco Journey in Retirement

As senior members of the population it is easy to avoid changing the habits of a lifetime

Mandy is a retiree who has found a love of eco-living, and acknowledges that now we as a society know better, we can all do better! Read her incredible story and be inspired by all of the different ways Mandy helps to reduce waste and help the environment. 

Mandy Says

Why and when did you make the decision to live in an eco-friendly way?

After retirement and when I became a serial painter and gardener.

What do you and your household do in your day to day life to protect the environment?

We have solar panels on the roof and have five water tanks and four pumps so that we can rotate our water from tank to tank to catch as much rainwater as possible when the rain comes.

We run two worm farms, three large compost bins and mulch all our leaf litter and clippings for use on the garden.  We are currently part of a council pilot plan to recycle all the other food waste that is unsuitable for worm farms.  Although there are only two of us, it was a surprise to realise how much more we can recycle and how little waste goes into the landfill bin. 

I always carry an eco cup, and my latest move was to buy a paper shredder.  I am astonished at how much paper we used to throw away each week and it is great for the worms and stabilising the compost. I have changed to biodegradable plastic bin liners and carry shopping bags everywhere.  I have ask my organic greengrocer not to pack his goods into small polystyrene trays with cling-wrap over the top, but this is still a work in progress!  I avoid supermarkets and support local producers whenever I can. 

We are sponsoring work to save the Koala.  We have two Burmese cats but they roam in a large garden enclosure with trees, shrubs and climbing ramps so they cannot hunt native animals.  We have recently begun putting in plants that will attract bees and are always looking for new ways to make a difference.  As senior members of the population it is easy to avoid changing the habits of a lifetime, but we have found our efforts both rewarding and fun.  Thank you for your products - I am still hoping for a clothes-peg holder one day.

Which of the Activated Eco products do you own, and how do they help you to reduce plastic waste?

We own both the Stainless Steel Pegs and the Silicone Wraps. It's great to use no more cling wrap, and no more plastic pegs.

What's the trickiest part of green living?

Remaining conscious about it all the time and not being complacent.

Thank you to Mandy for sharing your journey, and for showing us how much can be achieved with the right mindset! 

Would you like to be featured as our next Activated Eco Warrior of the month? We love to share our customer's stories on our blog and in our newsletter. Click here to submit your eco story!