Brabantia’s 30 Day #LoveNature Challenge

You may remember a little while ago I wrote a post about the joys of drying washing outdoors after I was lucky enough to receive a selection of beautiful laundry products from Brabantia. Well as the weather gets warmer and (touch wood) less wet, it’s finally time to start getting the washing out on the line again. And it couldn’t come too soon for me. Matylda has just started potty training and while she’s done amazingly well so far and surprised us all, there are still the odd little accidents to contend with and consequently a few more changes of clothes. This has coincided with Milly starting on her baby-led weaning journey and the inevitably yukky nappies that this entails. Having said that she’s always been a master at pooping and almost always manages to squirt it up her back and out of her nappy. So combine that with a number of sick incidents every day and I end up changing her clothes about four times a day. You can imagine how much washing I have to do right? So being able to stick it all on the line is a godsend and means my house isn’t full of laundry draped everywhere. It also helps save some pennies as I don’t have the tumble dryer running constantly.

Unfortunately though, during the winter storms my neighbour’s fence was blown down and the force of the wind carried the fence panel into our garden and it landed on my washingline snapping it clean in half. Luckily, Brabantia kindly came to my rescue and offered me a brand new rotary dryer for my garden. I couldn’t be happier, not only because it means I can get my washing out on the line again, but it also means I can take part in the 30 Day #LoveNature Challenge whereby I pledge to dry my washing outside for 30 days. (Fingers crossed that the weather co-operates, right?)

Brabantia launched the #LoveNature campaign back in 2015 in collaboration with WeForest, an international non-profit organisation dedicated to bio-diverse tree planting. Brabantia is the head sponsor of the campaign and for every Brabantia Rotary Dryer or Indoor Dryer sold across the globe, Brabantia donates one tree. Since the start of the campaign, WeForest has planted more than 500,000 Brabantia trees. But it doesn’t stop there. Over the next 12 months Brabantia plans to plant a MILLION more trees. I really love this campaign and think that Brabantia’s involvement is so commendable. Encouraging people to #LoveNature, dry their clothes outdoors and help save the planet is such a worthwhile endeavor. Round of applause for Brabantia please!!!

Recently Brabantia, together with WeForest, planted the 10 millionth tree in Machakel, a small town in Ethiopia.

We are delighted to be responsible for planting the 10 millionth tree in Ethiopia. To celebrate and remember this milestone we have planted a special tree at our head office in Valkenswaard. In 2016, Brabantia will continue with our Love Nature campaign. Working with consumers and WeForest to protect and restore the world’s environment, we’ve set a goal to plant more than one million trees.

Tijn van Elderen, CEO of Brabantia

Some of the stories that result from this amazing campaign are really heart warming too as local communities get involved by collecting seeds and caring for the trees. They are helping to transform the previously bare land into fertile, biologically diverse and productive forests. The newly fertile areas have an increased grass production meaning that there are now improved grazing areas for cattle to use. The local women are also able to use this grass for traditional craft making, creating mats and baskets to sell at the local markets.

I think this is such a wonderful campaign and I for sure will be taking the #LoveNaturePledge and committing to drying my laundry outside for 30 days and well into summer. I’m happy to report that my new rotary dryer provides so much more space to dry my laundry than I previously had. I used to have to dry a load of washing in two lots but now I can easily dry a whole load and more in one go. My only issue is that I don’t have enough pegs to use it to its full capacity.

So why don’t you join me and take part in the 30 day challenge? What have you got to lose? It’s good for you, good for the environment and good for your bank balance! If you’re taking part don’t forget to use the hashtag #LoveNaturePledge on social media so we know you’re joining us!

Disclosure: This post has been written in partnership with Brabantia who provided the product for me to review. However, all the opinions in this post are my own and I stress that I only collaborate with brands and companies that I genuinely like and believe that my readers will like too.