Thank you to all the readers that have contacted me to say how much they've enjoyed Confessions of an Eco-Shopper. I've had some lovely emails and I'd like to share them here. They all make interesting points and I would like this blog to provide a forum for readers to discuss their own experiences of green living. So here are three (and my correspondence with them) to give you a taster. Keep them coming!

From Alissa McBride:

Just to say thank you for COAES.  I found it in my local library and have much enjoyed it.  (In fact I sent round an e-mail to some friends to tell them about it.)  It has inspired me and given me useful information as well as entertaining me.  I have ordered an organic vegebox and will be buying two Bokashis.  I also bought two organic cotton school shirts from M & S, as you had raised my awareness about non-organic cotton growing.  I will be looking for non-Teflon school trousers too.

I was a bit disappointed on receiving the two Pitrok deodorants I had ordered from Amazon.  I expect you will have heard this by now (I haven't seen the latest edition of your book - perhaps you mention it there), but though you said Pitroks were aluminium-free, they actually contain quite a lot of aluminium.  That's probably why they're effective.  . . .

I have been green for 30 years, but had become jaded during the long time when the earth's problems were becoming worse and hardly anyone seemed to care.  When people did start to care I felt quite indignant - why couldn't they have seen it before, when it would have made more difference?  . . .Your book and its sense of fun re-enthused me.  Best wishes, Alissa McBride.

Hi Alissa
. . . I was doing a workshop on beauty products and personal care products the other day, so in light of your comments I did a bit of Googling.

Pitrok, as you know, is made of ammonium alum (alunite) which isn't an irritant like aluminium chlorohydrate and aluminium zirconium chlorohydrate. I understand that while ammonium alum does contain some alumimium, it is bonded in to a molecule that is physically too large to penetrate the skin, hence avoiding the concerns raised about any carcinogenic potential. This explanation is on the Green People website (www.greenpeople.co.uk/info_features_deodorants.aspx) because the Green People deodorants are made from the same stuff. But they use a few additional ingredients, namely zinc ricinoleate, extracted from seeds of castor oil plants and floral waters.
Professor Robert Thomas, who I quote in Eco-Shopper, is a leading Oncologist and he is very anti-aluminium in deodorants, so I think we're safe with Pitrok. Having said that, I admit that when I first bought a Pitrok and looked at the ingredients my reaction was the same as yours. So I'm glad you made me check.

Great news that you're doing Bokashis and vegeboxes. sounds like you're doing fantastically well. I'm so pleased to have re-enthused you! Kate

From Rachel:

I picked up a copy of your Confessions of an Eco-Shopper in my local
library on Monday this week, and have almost finished it already - it is
un-put-downable!  Fantastically written and so accessible.  I'm all
fired up with enthusiasm for trying many of the challenges myself! 

I was particularly excited to read about the Udder Cream as it sounded just
what I'm looking for - but I was very disappointed to see on their website
the full list of ingredients which include, wait for it, methylparaben and
propylparaben (see link attached).
http://www.udderlysmooth.co.uk/aboutus.htm  I'm sure you must already be
aware of this by now - you probably get lots of similar e-mails about
it!

Thank you for such a brilliant and stimulating read . . . I am determined to make immediate changes for the better based on your experiences. Best wishes, Rachel.

Dear Rachel

Thanks for your email. It's always good to get feedback from readers - and especially when it's this positive! . . . I did subsequently find out about the Udder Cream thing - too late for publication first time around - so I put a full update in the revised edition, which came out a couple of months ago. . .

. . . I'm so glad I've inspired you. ... Keep up the hard work. Kate

From Andrea McCulloch:
 . . .  I just got "Eco-shopper' out of the local library, thoroughly enjoying it and I  intend to post a suitably favourable review on Amazon. :0)

 One very packaging- friendly method of shopping that you didn't mention is the self -service "weigh and save" shops, where dry foods are kept in barrels with scoops. Our dedicated Food Weighouse shop here in Newton Aycliffe shut a few months back, but a limited selection of goods is available within a local cafe. I strongly suspect that tea, coffee, cocoa and sugar are not Fairtrade (though Fairtrade is served in the cafe) but it is a very eco-friendly way of shopping as regards packaging as each product is placed in a small  polybag. You do have to trust that the products aren't contaminated by others, though I suspect worse things happen in factories that we don't know about. 

. . . I'll be looking to drag a few more hints and tips out of your book to put into practice!
All the best,  Andrea McCulloch.

Hi Andrea
Thanks for getting in touch. . . . You're right about the 'Weigh and save' shops being a good way of reducing excess packaging, but as you also point out, the provenance of the goods is an issue. I don't use them because of my daughter's allergies - too high a risk of cross-contamination - but that's not a problem for most people.  . .  I assume it's a cheaper way to shop, too!
 Good luck with everything. Little changes lead to bigger changes - you'll be surprised where the journey can take you! Best wishes, Kate

Hello Kate,
 ... Re the Weigh and Save shops - where 'barrel shops' do work out cheaper is that you can tailor the quantity you buy - if you need just an ounce of ground almonds for a recipe that's what you can have, no questions. For me it's greatly reduced the number of packets I have in the cupboard containing things I barely use from one year to the next. . . . Incidentally, I've never had an issue with the quality of any of the barrel shop products, all has been up to scratch. 
 
Kind Regards, Andrea McCulloch