Life as I Know It: Josie and Juliette Crabtree

04/08/2019 | by Lori Delaney

In the latest in our Life as I know it series, the founders of Eco-Age Brandmark brand Planet Warrior, Josie and Juliette Crabtree, share their journey in sustainability so far and the impact it has on their career and daily life. As sisters, we grew up in a family that spent our childhood playing on the beach, and we went away for weeks over the summer to explore Europe in our VW camper in the hunt for the best sandy beaches and clear waters. From a young age we have been lucky that our parents helped us to grow fruit and vegetables at home, and educate us on living on local produce, with Dad often taking us foraging to find delicious goodies. Our Dad is a dive instructor who did his degree in environmental sciences so spent lots of time explaining the ocean, and creatures within in. Our local area has an amazing range of wildlife which we were lucky to see in rock pools and on the beach. This appreciation and respect for the wonderful ocean has been embedded in us. We wholehearted love our oceans and still spend much of our time on the beach and in the water. We love being outdoors, we often do cliff walks, ocean swims and boat trips.

Having an eco-friendly business means that we are constantly learning new ways to lead an eco-friendly lifestyle. We always carry a reusable water bottle, it is amazing how many places will happily refill this for you now. We are also obsessed with our fabulous glass thermos cups, which avoid having to buy take away coffee or tea, and keep it lovely and hot. Where possible we buy local and avoid plastic packaging, being in Devon we have lots of delicious local options! We carry out cliff cleans which are a great way to stop plastic entering the ocean, whilst enjoying wonderful views.

Two top tips from us! 1) If you are getting an ice-cream this summer ask for a cone not a tub to reduce waste. 2) Buy a bar of soap rather than a bottle of shower gel, it lasts longer and you don’t have the waste plastic bottle.

The wonderful thing about having an eco business is that is opens the door to so many other independent brands that are being sustainable that we can purchase eco friendly items from.

We have several wonderful farm shops nearby that not only have delicious local produce but also stock local products and gifts which is great option for us. We often make home-made gifts such as paintings or gorgeous hand-picked bouquets from the garden which are always well received and have minimal impact on the planet!