Last month I introduced you to my 2021 green challenge.

For this month I am sticking with small changes and tackling the washing up.

We aren't luck enough to have room for a dishwasher in our kitchen, so all of our washing up is done the old-fashioned way in the sink. Usually our sink has a disposable plastic sponge (the type with a green scourer on one side), wire wool and a dish brush along with a bottle of washing up liquid.

At the moment the scrubbing brush is still going strong, so I will keep that until it needs replacing (no point cluttering up a landfill with a perfectly serviceable brush) but in due course I intend to replace it with a sturdy wooden brush (like this one) which can have a replacement brush-head when necessary. However, I have found sourcing a cost-effective and practical replacement for the sponges more of a challenge. In the past I have tried loofahs, and while they tick all the boxes in terms of price, I have found that their cleaning ability is somewhat lacking. Instead this month I've tried a couple of alternatives, including a cellulose sponge and a coconut husk scourer.

In addition to dealing with the disposable washing up kit, I had hoped to also trial alternative detergents, however the existing bottle of washing up liquid that we have is still half full, so again, I'll have to try an alternative when that's all used. When I get there I would like to try an alternative liquid, such as the postal refill washing up liquid available from Bower (their grapefruit detergent sounds particularly good); or a solid washing up bar (although the one I've had my eye on from EcoVibe has been sold out since Christmas). I am also becoming more aware of different washing up powers, which seem to be a bit more of a departure from what I'm used to, but I would be happy to give them a go. I'll let you know how I get on, but if you have any suggestions I'd be very happy for your guidance.

Pros: The cellulose sponge is much bigger than the standard size plastic sponges that I have used in the past, which means that it holds more water, so it is much better at it's basic job of washing and rinsing dishes. My first sponge is still going strong, so I haven't needed to dispose of it yet, but it is reassuring to know that this can be composed at home when the time comes. Another positive is that these sponges are in the UK from wood pulp, so there aren't huge transportation concerns compared to other products.

As for the coconut scrubbing pad this has also been useful. It does the job on baked-on grease, however as the pad is quite new it is still rather stiff when getting into the corner of baking tins and pans. I assume that it will loosen up with further use, which would help get into those tricky areas that really need a good scrub. I was impressed that the scourer did not shed lots of fibres (which is something that I've found with other products) and that it did not become too soft when wet (an issue for the loofahs I've used before). Compared with the sponges, the scourers are not sourced or made in the UK (as we don't have the climate for industrial coconut production!) Instead the coconut husk fibre is sourced from independent farmers who are registered with the Coconut Development Board in India. This inevitably means that there are more travel and transport concerns, but as the husk would otherwise be an unused by-product of coconut farming, putting it to good use it seems like a positive step.

Cons: At £3.99 for 2 sponges, and £2 for one scrubbing pad (plus postage) these products are not a like-for-like replacement for standard plastic sponge/scourers on a cost point. For me this is not a deal breaker and as I am trying to make better decisions I am happy to spend a little more to be happier with the products I'm bringing into the house. I understand that this is a position that won't be acceptable or possible for everyone, but hopefully the more frequently people chose these alternative products, the more they will be produced, bringing the cost down. I also wonder if I need to re-frame the cost in my mind. With this product it is made from a renewable source in the UK and can be home-compostable, so the costs seem to be built in. In contrast cheap disposable plastic sponges come from supply chains with unclear sourcing, so their environmental and social impacts are less clear, and once I am finished with them they go in the bin and off to landfill, which surely must have future costs attached to it - not the type of legacy I'm pleased to leave behind me.

Also, as the sponge does hold a large volume of water it is easy to squeeze water all over your trousers when washing up (this has happened to both me and my husband on multiple occasions)!

As mentioned above, the scourer is quite stiff, so it makes it a little difficult to get into the corners of certain banking trays, but a scrubbing brush often gets into those areas, so I haven't been left with any dirty dishes.

Verdict: Despite the price-tag, I would happily buy both of these products again. The sponge in particular is an improvement on the plastic variety in terms of function, which seems to be a pretty good result to me.

Next Month:

March brings month 3 of my 2021 green challenge. With the change of the seasons I'm going to try to do all of my food shopping on foot. This will include visits to the supermarket, but I am hopeful that this will prompt me to make better use of the local market and smaller independent retailers near me.