Since 2021, the European Union has banned a range of single-use plastics such as straws, cutlery, and some food packaging. Four years later, change is visible, but progress remains uneven across countries and sectors. Where do things really stand in 2025?
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For years my mornings followed the same pattern: alarm, capsule coffee, quick shower, car commute. Efficient, but far from sustainable. Capsules piled up, hot water ran endlessly, and fuel burned in traffic. One day I decided to slow down just a little. To my surprise, the small tweaks I made saved money, cut waste, and gave me calmer mornings.
Every autumn it’s the same story: rain returns, the air cools, and drying laundry becomes tricky. Hanging clothes outside is no longer an option, and using the tumble dryer quickly inflates the electricity bill. Luckily, there are simple ways to keep clothes fresh and dry without wasting energy.
Europe is pushing hard on electric cars: purchase incentives, more charging stations, and carmakers announcing the end of combustion engines. But in daily life, drivers remain hesitant. Price, range, real ecological impact — does the promise really hold up?
By late September, evenings get cooler across Europe. Before the heating stays on full-time, there are easy steps to cut consumption and avoid unpleasant surprises on the energy bill. A few simple habits can make winter more comfortable and much cheaper.
Every time I throw food away, it feels like I'm tossing money straight into the bin. And I'm not alone: the average French household wastes 20 kg of food a year, including 7 kg still in packaging. That's about €240 gone. But there are simple ways to cut this waste without turning daily life into a strict routine.
I notice it every mid-September: the sun slips away earlier and my flat feels dim by dinnertime. That's when the lights go on—and when the electricity bill starts creeping up. The good news is that lighting is one of the easiest things to optimize. With a few small changes, I've cut mine almost in half without living in the dark.
For years, gas was the obvious choice in French kitchens. It was linked to convivial meals, flame precision, and sturdy equipment. But in 2025, the rules are shifting: induction is taking over, and rising energy bills remind us that cooking isn't just about taste. I've tried both, and here's what I learned.
With rising electricity prices, more and more households are turning to solar. But new installations are expensive, and a new trend is emerging: buying second-hand or refurbished solar panels. I looked into it and compared the promises with reality.
After two boom years, France's heat-pump market slowed sharply in 2025. Friends in Haute-Savoie received quotes 20–40% higher than in 2023, with longer wait times. A shortage of installers, reduced subsidies, and grid concerns have made the equation tougher.
Each week, a French household throws away about 2 kilos of food. I tested several solutions in my own kitchen and managed to cut my waste by four. Here are the simplest habits to adopt.
My first electricity bill in Marseille shocked me: €89 a month, with €35 of that from laundry and drying. Two years later, I'm down to €12 a month—and my clothes last longer. The switch? Cold-water washing, smarter loads, and almost no tumble dryer.
My partner's respiratory sensitivity made us rethink cleaning products. After testing more than fifty recipes, I kept five ingredients that cover almost everything: effective, safe, and budget-friendly.
A €20 plug-in power meter revealed a hard truth: 127 watts, 24/7, with devices “off.” Over a year, that's more than €250. Here are the seven usual suspects I found at home and in friends' flats.
When you live in a small apartment, composting seems impossible. Yet even in 35 square meters, I managed to turn my organic waste into something useful. Three years later, I've diverted over 200 kilos of food scraps from the trash.