THE LIBRARY
PLANET-FRIENDLY HACKS
The latest book releases for curious minds
SAVE MONEY, SAVE THE PLANET
AUTHOR ELIZABETH AJAO
ILLUSTRATOR JULIE GOLDSMITH
PUBLISHER OCTOPUS PUBLISHING GROUP
PRICE £9.99 (APPROX. $11.55)
RELEASE OUT NOW
In 1861, Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management was published to roaring success. Packed with recipes, tips and tricks for managing a quintessential Victorian household, it became a bestseller practically overnight, with dozens of new editions published over the next 150 years. We’re not making a direct comparison between Planet-Friendly Hacks and a vintage cookbook containing the likes of beef wellington and suet pudding recipes, but there’s something about the rustic 19thcentury ethos that rings true here: it’s an era before society got thoroughly addicted to cheap mass production and industrial chemicals, when people turned to homespun solutions that called largely for the use of natural ingredients and leftovers, not because they were trying to reduce their carbon footprint, but because that was their only choice.
“Routines and recipes here could be way to cu t bills”
Elizabeth Ajao’s book of sustainable living has the same kind of domestic alchemy about it that made Mrs Beeton’s so popular, but taps into the eco-conscious zeitgeist of the 21st century. With everything from kitchen cleaning hacks and simple meals to DIY and gardening, there are dozens of practical and cost-effective alternatives to off-the-shelf products: homemade whitening toothpaste, carpet cleaners, tips for a more sustainable wardrobe, upcycling ideas, vertical gardens and more – all designed to maximise your wallet, minimise waste and eliminate toxic chemicals, plastics and other a good environmental nasties. It’s not all lemon juice and bicarbonate of soda, although these ingredients are very common in alternative cleaning products. Planet-Friendly Hacks includes ideas for attracting insects that will act as natural pest controllers or pollinators in your garden, like lacewings and bees. There’s a section on eco-conscious travelling, too, although this feels like a smaller afterthought to the extensive and comprehensive compendium of home solutions that make up the rest of the book. With the UK and many other countries heading into the thick of a cost-of-living crisis, adopting the routines and recipes here could be a good way to cut bills, let alone help save the planet.