living lightly in ireland

Eco Toilet Paper

Gosh, the topics on this website are so glamorous!

I had originally given this article the title ‘plastic-free toilet paper’ but after some research I realised that being plastic-free is only one way for toilet paper to be more sustainable. It could be made from recycled paper, be unbleached or bleached without chlorine, be FSC certified, be made by a B corp or a social enterprise. Who’d have thought the world of wiping could be so diverse!

Sustainable Houseplant Care 2026

I needed a nice fluffy article this week. I’ve been trying to research plastics recycling this week and last and all the contradictory information is doing my head in. So this article is a bit of down time, and being a plant geek (as well as a sustainable geek) this is my idea of fun!

First and foremost this isn’t meant to be a comprehensive ‘how to take care of your houseplants’ article. There are far better qualified people writing excellent pieces on this very topic, which I link to below.

Shopping Detox

I didn’t intend to stop shopping. It’s just kind of happened slowly over the past 5 years – with the pandemic putting a final nail in the coffin.

Do I miss it? Honestly? Sometimes. I miss the thrill of a bargain. I miss the crinkle of a glut of paper carrier bags. I miss the sparkly white lights that made everything glisten.

‘Plastic-free’ Tea in 2026

Before we start this article can we just pause and think about how crazy the title is; ‘plastic-free tea’. Who in their wildest dreams ever thought we’d have to worry about plastic in our tea? And yet here we are.

Sustainable Ethical Chocolate 2026.

I really wish I didn’t love chocolate quite as much as I do. It’s an imported, energy-intensive, non-essential food item tarnished with child labour and deforestation, but God damn it, it’s tasty.

To assuage my guilt at eating this elixir of deliciousness I’m committed to limiting my consumption to the most sustainable, ethical chocolate I can afford. I’m also hoping that by spending a bit more on each chocolate bar I’ll be better at limiting how much I eat!

So what’s do we need to think about when we’re looking for sustainable ethical chocolate?