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What to bring

All your food, crockery and cutlery are provided by Green & Away, but please bring the following to make your stay with us a happy experience:

• Tent (see the Accommodation section if you don’t have one and want to book a sleeping space in one of our tents, yurts or domes)
• Sleeping bag
• Torch
• Paper and pen
• Warm and waterproof clothes and footwear
• Environmentally sound soap and shampoo (see below)
• Your sense of fun!

The wonderful atmosphere we work to create is also based on a few don’ts. Please don’t bring dogs, computer games or radios. Please don’t smoke in the structures and tents – there is a special smoking place provided for smokers. Please don’t bring your car further than the site entrance. Thanks!

Toiletries and the Environment

When we use toiletries and cosmetics the surplus is usually washed off and disappears down the drains and sewers to be processed at the local sewage works before the water is released into the environment. We assume that the local sewage works is able to remove all harmful residues before the water is let into streams and rivers again and yet in practise this is rarely so and a small amount of harmful chemicals are let through. These chemicals are often poisonous to fish and other aquatic life and the more robust chemicals can be concentrated higher up the food chain in larger marine creatures with fatal results. The detergents we use to wash our bodies and hair, shave our faces and moisturise our skin will all eventually end up in the environment.

At the new Green and Away site we do not have any drains or sewers and the effluent from the showers and washing areas passes into the ground. The field is on a flood plain and every two years or so floods to a depth of one to two feet. This gives an opportunity for any chemicals in the field to be washed into the river and to affect aquatic life. Rain falling on the field will also wash chemicals out into the river.

In order to minimize the damage from harmful toiletries we will be providing eco-friendly soap, shower gel and shampoo for all participants to use. If you bring your own toiletries or use shaving foams, hair conditioners etc, please ensure they are as environmentally friendly as possible.

Toxic chemicals act as hormone disrupters, interfere with the endocrine system in humans, and affect immune function as well as interfering with general metabolic processes in animal life and humans.

Chemicals to avoid include: Phthalates, synthetic musks including nitro musks, polycyclic musks, musk xylene, Nonylphenol ethoxylates, formaldehyde, alkylphenols. Not all of these chemicals are declared on the ingredients lists for products.

The following brands are eco-friendly and can be used: Faith in Nature, Green People, Ecover, Spezia Organic Care, Urtekram, Duchy Collection, Dr Haushka, Logia, Sante Naturkosmetik, Jason, Lavera, Logona, Botanicals, Ciel d’azur, Weleda, Laboratoire Gravier, Primarvera, Melvitacosm, King of Shaves, Naturaleza y Vida, Body Shop and M&S. Most of these brands are available from Health Stores.

The brand Organics is not eco-friendly and is not recommended. The following brands are also not recommended: Pantene, Head and Shoulders, Pro-V, Wash & Go, Oil of Olay, Wella, Palmolive, Pure and Simple, Avon

Don’t forget that if it is better for the environment it is better for you!

For more information and a full report on the toxic home download this Greenpeace article.