About us
‘Is this another one of your bloomin’ eco things…?’ – Mike
I had always tried to avoid waste in what I considered obvious ways, such as reusable nappies and washable wipes, but I started my journey to zero waste in 2015 after watching the TED Talk by Lauren Singer (see video on this page). There was so much waste I had never even thought about! I started making changes and every few days I’d hear my husband go into a cupboard or drawer and say ‘Is this another one of your bloomin’ eco things?’ In a totally supportive way, of course.
The problem with starting this journey is that once you’ve noticed waste like single-use plastic, you see just how much of it there is EVERYWHERE. It’s overwhelming. Supermarkets are just rows and rows of planet polluting plastic. Roadsides, grass verges and hedgerows are strewn with discarded packaging. Good and strong bottles are emptied and tossed into the recycling, using energy to be broken down into something new, when they would work perfectly well doing the same job again…
When we set up BLOOMING ECO we knew we wanted to create as low an environmental impact as possible while still providing a convenient product for customers. Our products are ecological and biodegradable and all our liquids are formulated for us a 10 minute drive away from our depot by another family business, reducing the carbon footprint when we go and get our large tanks filled every few months. But our main target was being able to reuse our packaging over and over, saving resources, energy and money – a saving we could pass on. Plastic bottles are durable and light and refilling them makes them sustainable too, (especially now we have some made from recycled plastic). We pitched our bottle return service to our first stockist, Claremont Farm, in 2016 and since they and their customers embraced the products and concept wholeheartedly, we’ve been refilling like crazy ever since.
We also started a Facebook group for other local businesses and individuals striving to reduce their impact. ‘Zero Waste North West‘ has grown into a huge, supportive community with new businesses inspired to be the change popping up in our directory all the time.
– Sheena