Here’s our recycling and environment policy, which is a work in progress. We are always looking for ways to be as environmentally friendly as possible, and will regularly update this as we work smarter.
UDDATE May 2019: We are very proud to announce that we are now a carbon neutral company – this means we have offset our carbon emissions by putting money into a reforestation scheme in Kenya. We worked out what our carbon footprint is (how much carbon we use in heating, lighting and petrol) and have replaced this by planting trees.
All the packaging we currently use (glass and aluminium) is fully recyclable via your roadside collection. We have now completely removed plastic containers from all our products. We have also developed a range of zero waste products that come wrapped in biodegradable paper.
Returning your Empties for Recycling
By popular demand we are now taking back your glass LJ empties. This is really easy for those of you who pass by our headquarters in Wilmslow (34 Altrincham Rd, SK9 5ND). There is a box at the back of the building by our door where you can safely leave your empties at any time convenient to you.
If you are not local but still wish to send back glass empties, then we are more than happy to receive them but we cannot cover the cost of the postage (returning them Freepost would mean increasing all of selling our costs, as we don’t think this is what customers want at present, but we can review this at a later date). Please post to LJ Natural, 34 Altrincham Rd, Wilmslow, SK9 5ND.
We do not take back your aluminium jars – these are fully recyclable in your roadside council recycling collection so please just put them in there.
Loyalty Points
If you would like loyalty points adding to your account for the empties bottles and jars you return, please make sure you leave your name with the empties. Then allow one week for the points to be allocated. You will need to have an LJ account to take advantage of this. Loyalty points will be as follows:
Glass jars and bottles: 30 points
If you have any questions about any of the above then please do not hesitate to contact us. We would also love to hear any ideas you have about how we can improve.
Our Other Environment Policies
We don’t agree with beauty products that are individually boxed. We have never done this, as it is a waste of resources and money. When you would buy the product, take the product out of the box and immediately bin it.
Our paper bags, gift boxes, tissue paper and raffia ribbon – 100% recyclable and biodegradable
Our padded envelopes – FSC approved
LJ leaflets – printed on recycled paper and 100% recyclable and biodegradable
Our packing tape – plastic-free and fully compostable and biodegradable
Bubble Wrap – we now offer bubble wrap which is from recyclable paper and is fully biodegradable/compostable.
Packing Nuts – we currently re-use packaging, including nuts, that we receive when we place orders for glass bottles and jars. Some of these nuts are compostable (made of cornstarch) and some are not. The way to find out if they are is to run one under a tap, if it dissolves, then it’s compostable. If they are not the compostable ones, here’s a list of things you can do with them.
All boxes and containers that we receive our ingredients in are repurposed into my local community. Those that live in Wilmslow will have seen my continuous messages on local Facebook pages offering out the boxes and containers out for re-use. Those moving house come and collect boxes, those with allotments and doing school projects collect the large plastic containers.
Basically nothing is put in the bin.
Being Carbon Neutral
We are now a carbon neutral company. But what does that actually mean?
Carbon emissions are generated by all business’s energy consumption, such as the heating and lighting generated by fossil fuels, as well as petrol/diesel used for travel, water usage and waste disposal. To be carbon neutral, according to the UK government’s Department of Energy and Climate Change, involves a process of measuring your carbon emissions, then reducing them and offsetting any remaining emissions so that your ‘net calculated carbon emissions equal zero’.
A Refill Station – reducing single use plastic in the community
As a family we are very involved in reducing plastic waste, not just at home, but in our local community – my daughter is the Refill Champion for Wilmslow, and LJ Headquarters is a designated refill station. This means if you are passing by and your water bottles is empty, we will refill it with tap water for free, to encourage people NOT to go out and buy a new drink in a single use plastic bottle. This Refill scheme is available everywhere in the country – just download the refill app and wherever you are, you can find a shop or café or office near to you that will give you free tap water. If everyone in the country did this, we would massively reduce plastic waste.
Climate Justice
As an individual, I am totally committed to fighting to reduce climate change; my daughter and I attend the monthly Fridays for Future climate change protests in Manchester, and we passionately strive, at home, and in this business, to do everything possible to minimise climate and environmental damage. I am also an active member of the Green Party. My belief is that we all should be working much harder to reduce carbon emissions and pushing the government to achieve carbon neutral status well before 2050. There is no PLANet B.
Read my blog about climate change to learn more.
