So, just how much could switching to reusable nappies save your family?  I actually sat down and worked it out in January 2011 and even I was amazed – it could be as much as £12 per week!

The cost of disposables

I looked at one of the larger chemists at their branded nappy range and, based on a size 4 nappy, was shocked to find out that the average disposable nappy costs over 20p.

Working on an average of 8 nappy changes a day over 30 months, that works out to £1460 from birth to potty training (assuming 10-12 changes a day for newborn and the recommended minimum on 6 a day for older babies/toddlers).

Add into that the cost of 1.5 packs of baby wipes per week (around £2.40 per pack at the large chemist) that is getting close to £15 per week just on nappies that you are going to throw away – a total of £1941!

And just in case I had got my figures wrong, I did some more research and found a 2006 Guardian article* that quoted £14.50 per week on disposable nappies, wipes and sacks.

And in case anyone questions the fact that these figures are based on branded nappies, it should be noted that they account for over 90% of the UK disposable nappy market.

The cost of reusable nappies

You can buy a really simple to use and wash set of Flip Nappies for £125 or by spending around £300 you could have a set of premium Bumgenius Onesize V.4 Nappies that are just gorgeous to look at.

Either way, you will need to budget for another approx £20 on nappy accessories, such as nappy bucket, mesh and wet bag plus £24 for reusable baby wipes.

You need to add into that the cost of home laundry, which works out at £132 over the 2 ½ years, giving a total cost of reusable nappies of £297 to £420.

The savings

 My maths

The disposable nappies come in a range of sizes and packs.  Basing on size 4 nappy, the branded nappies cost:

32 nappies for £6.49

56 nappies for £9.99

42 nappies for £9.98

25 nappies for £4.99

That gave an average price per nappy of £20p, £1460 over 2 ½ years.

The wipes came in packs of 60-64 for either £2.40 or £2.54 per pack.  Assuming 2 wipes per nappy change, this gave a use of slightly over 1.5 packs or £3.70 per week, or £481 over the 2 ½ years.

The washing

Most studies quote an extra 3 washes a week, or 390 washes over 2 ½ years ( I know I didn’t do that many extra washes as I generally bunged the nappies in with other washing).

A 4kg tub of premium brand washing powder costs £13.37 – this is enough for 100 nappy washes (based on using half the recommended powder as nappy manufactures advise), giving a cost of £53.48.

An average B rated washing machine uses 1.15 kw of electricity per load at 60 degrees**, at an average cost of 12p kw/h, giving 13.8p per load or £53.82 for 390 washes.

WEN calculated that the average depreciation of the washing machine caused by washing nappies is £25 – I am not going to argue with their figures but I have the calculation if anyone wants to see it.

This gives a total home laundry cost of £132.30, even with the higher electricity costs of 2011.

Sources

Prices for consumer products based on online prices at large chemists and supermarkets and energy providers, January 2011.

*Details of a report commissioned by Family Circle magazine and sponsored by Maestro. Based on potty training at 30 months. Quoted in the Guardian Newspaper, 16^th February 2006.

**http://www.appliancesonline.co.uk/blog/post/2010/08/06/How-to-calculate-your-washing-machine-running-costs.aspx

The Natural Nursery is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

Design a winning reusable bag

Reusable eco-bags are a must-have for retail, fashion and the High Street. Every time they are used they’re promoting your brand, they show you care about the environment and increase revenue if sold in a retail store. That is why it is so important to choose the right bag for your company. We see many eco-bags hastily put together, with the main reason either lack time or lack of know-how. Here are my top tips for designing a reusable bag that will make your bag stand out from the rest:

1. Be organised: Pre-planning is essential to achieve the most out of your bag. Allow the most amount of time possible for design, manufacture and shipment. This will save money as well: all too often clients end up spending as much on express delivery as the actual bag cost. It takes eight weeks for manufacture and delivery which needs to be factored in on top of the time you spend selecting the style of bag and creating the artwork for it.

2. Bag your brand: This is an opportunity to extend your marketing campaign. If you have a great logo, use it. Often a simple design that encapsulates the sentiment of your brand used with your website address can be more effective than a traditional branded logo bag.

3. Be creative: This is your chance to be different. Consider having the handles, piping or gusset in a different colour to the base bag colour. Instead of being tempted for a white bag with your logo printed in your brand colour go for a Non-woven bag made in the material colour of your brand and the printing in black, white or a complimentary colour.   So many bags end up looking the same and you want yours to stand out!

4. Use colour:  The benefit of choosing a Non-woven polypropylene bag is the huge range of vibrant colours you can choose from. Non-woven material can be matched to the exact pantone colour for large orders.

5. Think detail: Increase the quality by adding poppers, a zip or pocket. Perhaps a hard base insert to improve durability? Laminating a Non-woven bag will transform it to a totally different bag.

6. Make it simple: Style is king! You want your bags to look great so they are used over and over again to get your brand maximum exposure. Avoid the temptation to print too much text. A great image, design or colour choice will create bag envy.

7. Think about your audience: Match your style of bag match to suit your target audience. If it is mainly for women think about a tote with longer over the shoulder handles. For men, a messenger style bag would be suitable while a drawstring bag would be best for youth or sports use. For supermarket shopping a heavy duty green bag with a base might be the best choice. These are only a few suggestions, but each campaign will have different considerations.

8. Choose the right material: Make sure the material compliments your brand, style and target client:

Non-woven PP: is recyclable, contemporary and versatile. It can accommodate sophisticated full colour print techniques to achieve a photo quality as well as silk screen printing or heat transfer.

Cotton: is traditional and suited to simple one or two colour screen printing

Jute: is natural, rigid and suited to supermarket style shopping bags.

rPET: is a modern and environmentally friendly made from recycled PET bottles. This might be a feature that is important and a message in itself.

9. Think print: Spend time thinking about the kind of print you will use:

Silk screen printing: is available for Non-woven, cotton, Jute and rPET. The most intricate of designs can be portrayed in perfect detail with single print colours.

Heat transfer: for a photo quality finish a heat transfer might be the ticket. Essentially a tattoo or a decal is created and with the use of heat bonded onto the bag. This method can be used for non-woven bags, cotton bags, jute or rPET.

Full Colour Process: best for woven or Non- woven bags. It is suited to graphic and digitally created art work where 100% print coverage is desired. It will guarantee a contemporary and vibrant bag and no limit to creativity.

10. Make your bag do business for you: Think about using your bag in promotions – customers spend over £50 and get a bag free or have a special environmentally friendly days when you give away a complimentary bag.

These considerations will affect the quality and price of an ecobag. It is worth the time and investment as it will result in the best bag possible maximising your brand, encouraging reuse and adding to the success of your marketing campaigns.

e: leanne@smartbags.co.uk          

w: http://www.smartbags.co.uk/

p:0208 242 4468        

Smart Bags is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

Unique set
of eco-friendly water bottles launched by Onya Bag
creators

Sleek, curvaceous and immensely practical, the newest addition to the eco-friendly Onya range is the H2Onya, a stainless steel, reusable bottle which is designed to be a constant companion – saving money and the planet at the same time.  

Available in five different sizes, from a compact 350ml through to a robust 1.2 Litre model, this reusable bottle is durable enough to last a lifetime.

Fashioned from a single piece of stainless steel, the bottle is easy to clean and free from nasty chemicals such as Bispehnol A (BPA) which, over time can leach from plastics and aluminium and contaminate the contents of the bottle.

Ergonomically designed, which means it’s easy to hold (for both big and
small hands), the H2Onya comes with a choice to two different lids; a
sipper cap or a traditional twist cap which includes a handy carabineer
clip.   

With more than 500,000 Onya reusable bags sold to date
in the UK, founder of the eco-aware brand, Dan Brousson decided to
launch the H2Onya in a bid to help tackle the growing issue of waste
from discarded plastic bottles.  

“Bottled water has become
ingrained in our culture despite its enormous cost to the environment. 
Throwaway plastic bottles account for around 10 billion tonnes of
landfill every year.  The idea behind the H2Onya is simple; carry your
own water bottle to reduce your own plastic-footprint.  It’s a simple
action which will make a genuine difference to the environment if
enough people do it.”   

Substituting a refillable bottle with a
bottled water purchase will save more than just the environment too as
Brousson rightly points out.  

“Often buying a small bottle of
water is more expensive than petrol when you consider the cost per
litre.  Carrying your own bottle of water makes financial sense if
nothing else.  A good quality reusable bottle – such as one made from
stainless steel like the H2Onya- will pay for itself over and over
again.”

With a lifespan of around 100 years, the H2Onya is
a bottle-for-life.  But even then, as stainless steel is the most
recycled commodity in the world, it still shouldn’t contribute to
landfill.  

Available from selected stockists, the Onya Bags website (www.onyabags.co.uk) and the UK’s largest independent online bottle shop ReusuableBottle.co.uk (www.reusablebottle.co.uk).

REUSABLE PACKAGING
The H2Onya is not just an eco-minded individual’s best friend….it’s also a WOMBLE’S delight!

Wasteful
packaging is a no-go area for the Onya team, therefore, the H2Onya is
packaged in a clever and practical tube which can either be recycled
or, if you have Womble-like tendencies, used in a variety of ways -
from storage container to art         project, moneybox, vase, musical
instrument, dog toy…the only limit is your creativity.  

The H2Onya Range
350ml in brushed stainless steel (RRP: ￡ 8.49)
500ml in a choice of brushed stainless steel, Lemon Green and Lilac (RRP ￡ 8.99)
750ml in a choice of brushed stainless steel, Cream and Raspberry (RRP ￡9.49)
1000ml in a choice of brushed s/steel or Midnight Blue (RRP: ￡9.99)
1200ml in a choice of brushed s/steel or Iron Grey (RRP: ￡10.99)
(Choose from two different lid options – sipper lid or twist top)

Life² presents a public talk by Julian Baggini

It’s the big question – what is life about?  What does it all mean? 
Well-known philosophy writer, journalist and broadcaster Julian Baggini
takes us on a journey through the meaning of life, exploring the views
that various thinkers have had on this topic over the ages and bringing
together some of the most persuasive answers.  He’ll also explore what
impact these conclusions might have on how we see and live our own
lives.

7.30pm, Thursday 24th September 2009
Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, London WC1R 4RL

£8 in advance, £10 on door

To book tickets, visit the shop at www.lifesquared.org.uk

Life² is an organisation helping people to ‘live well’ in the modern world.  Visit us at www.lifesquared.org.uk to find out more!

silksack is a bag designed to be always
with you, a practical alternative to acquiring unwanted plastic bags
during spontaneous and everyday shopping. Stylish and strong it folds
neatly into itself to form a palm sized pad which is comfortable to
carry in your pocket or handbag. Sumptuous to touch, reusable and tough
but lightweight it is the very opposite of a plastic bag.
Carry a silksack with you and you
may never need to use a plastic bag again.
With over 80 billion plastic bags used every year in the UK alone
silksack is the smart alternative.

silksack is made from 100% silk
and is available in a range of colours – all from natural vegetable or
mineral dyes. The bags are manufactured by a Fair Trade craft
organisation based in Bangladesh. Each bag is approximately 35cm wide x
35cm high x 11cm deep. 

The bag is aimed at spontaneous shopping and those trips out to buy the
odd item (though the bags can carry a surprising amount) – so instead
of being given a nasty plastic bag to carry your carton of milk and
newspaper or bottle of wine you can bring out your silksack.
Open the bag – use it – and then stuff it back into its pocket.

Available at www.silksack.com

Designed by award wining environmental architect Susan Venner, silksack was short listed for a BFIIN
(British Female Inventors & Innovators Network) environment award
2007 – silksack also featured in
the exhibition reDESIGN 05 during London’s Design Week.

A great opportunity to take time out to develop more confidence, energy and effectiveness in your business development

10% off for EJ Members until 20 October

We all know the amazing value of taking time out to think or plan away from the pressures of work – but we always put it off. How about a conference which offers the opportunity to learn and recharge in beautiful countryside?

Last year, Ethical Junction got involved in an extraordinary gathering for people to inspire and be inspired about moving from great ideas to great actions. Our experience made us see the idea of Strategic Awaydays in a new light. As a result, we’ve organized a special EJ discount for this year’s gathering because it so clearly advances ethical enterprise and lifestyle.

Walk Your Talk is a chance to take your business/organisation on an exceptional strategic retreat which is guaranteed to enrich and refresh both you and your work. Not only do you get the space to relax, think and plan, but you do so with around 60 other enthusiastic, energetic and inspiring people who are doing the same thing – entrepreneurs, execs, designers, artists, activists, inventors, investors and consultants.

The result is that the whole gathering acts like an expanded team which puts its energy into helping each other with advice, new ideas, partnership deals and more. It’s like having 60 talented colleagues show up in your organisation for three days. You set the agenda, you talk about what you need to talk about, and you get to meet people who share your interests and concerns.

We love figures, so we did some maths and reckon that by adding up the equivalent person hours and brain power brought to bear on a business, each day of retreat is worth about a month in the office.

So how does it work? Walk Your Talk is held in ‘Open Space’, a facilitated process in which there are no designated leaders. Instead, you steer your own course as the conference evolves, discussions deepen, and connections and realisations emerge. The dramatic Brecon Beacons provide the backdrop for three days of reflection and interaction in a warm and friendly environment, whether on strolls along the banks of the River Usk, or beside the fire with a drink. People learn by walking and talking, sharing passions, curiosities, hopes, expertise and questions. Drawing on each other’s wisdom and experience, everyone supports each other towards the creation of really good personal action plans to take back into their lives and work.

The Walk Your Talk team use a question designed to make it easier to find a common threads amongst a wide range of interests. This year it’s ‘Can we afford to work without heart?’ This question brings up lots of practical issues, like how to balance head and heart stuff, how to set a truly heart based culture and how to communicate it well.

As an Ethical Junction member, you’re entitled to 10% off the fee if you book by 20 October. Fees at individual and small business rates include accommodation, food, facilitation and all that brain power of your fellow guests. The only extras are your bar bill, and a supplement if you can’t bear the thought of sharing a twin room.

Walk Your Talk is at Buckland Hall in the Brecon Beacons from 16-19 November 2008. Full details are on www.walkyourtalk.net and to claim the EJ price, simply mention your membership in the ‘special requirements’ box of the on-line booking form and make your payment for the total shown, less 10%.

What people said about Walk Your Talk in 2007

“A wonderful clearing house of inspiration, wisdom, debate and motivation.”
Jason Elliott, Ethical Jobs

“An absolute must in a crowded diary. Although the thought of taking time out from the office caused some anxiety, the reality was worth every moment.”
Thea Allison, Brighton & Hove Business Community Partnership

“The most extraordinary experience where I felt alive, alert, and came home hopeful and zinging from head to toe. Nothing will ever be quite the same again and the only disadvantage has been that conferences with pre-arranged agendas now seem rather staid and stale.”
Anna Jenkins, Ethical Change

“It has value as a practitioners’ personal development space, allowing those engaged day to day in trying to make the world a better place to recharge, reconnect and refocus.”
Andy Middleton, TYF Group