Our Team
Kate Hardcastle MBE is a TV business and consumer expert who has created and featured on BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, Sky, CNN and Forbes.
She is also known as TV’s The Customer Whisperer™ and regularly shares her tips and expertise to help consumers save money and live better, on shows such as ITV’s Eat Shop Save and BBC’s Rip Off Britain.
Kate knows that now more than ever, UK consumers care about making choices which are not only right for themselves and their purses, but also for the planet and communities too – so Kate and her team have created Buy Smarter, Buy Greener to help empower customers to make their own, informed and often better choices.
“As a Mum of 3 young children, I want to make the best choices for them, whilst saving time and money wherever possible.
Like many families with children, I also want to ensure that the future of the planet and communities everywhere are safeguarded both now and for future generations.
We can’t all be perfect but we can all do our bit and show we care through the products and services we buy and use – hopefully I can help make the steps on that journey a little bit easier for you all.”
Laura
Hi, I’m Laura – I’m a busy mum of 2 and passionate about our planet and doing the right thing, however like many of us, I often don’t have the time to make the most informed choices with convenience and ease taking the win on some everyday purchases. That’s why I want to help others like me to make small changes and quick switches to help our environment and save our planet.
My favourite quick switch is ditching single-use wipes from our house, I invested in a handful of flannels for the kitchen and bathroom – by far one of the best switches, saving us money and being better for the planet!
Kayleigh
Hello, I’m Kayleigh. I love the outdoors: beaches, national parks and mountains and feel really strongly about preserving these amazing spaces for future generations.
There’s so much we can all be doing to go about our daily lives in a more sustainable way, but more often than not you have to search for the information and it’s always in different places. I’m passionate about Buy Smarter Buy Greener as it’s a one stop source of information on making simple, affordable and informed changes every day that will make a difference.
My favourite quick switch so far has been my ‘Chilly’s bottle’s’, I use them every time I leave the house, take two on days out hiking (big one for me and a little one for the dog) and I love that they can be used hot or cold! I’ve just discovered and ordered some ‘Ecoegg bamboo kitchen towels’ too which I can’t wait to try!
Sara
Hi, I’m Sara and I love being part of the Buy Smarter Buy Greener team. I’m a huge fan of fashion, makeup and beauty and the past couple of years I’ve become increasingly aware of the impact of what I’m buying and will always try to do my bit where I can.
There are so many kinder alternatives to many of the products we buy, it’s becoming easier to make good choices. I’ve recently started avoiding leather products as there are some amazing replacements out there now (I love Veja for cool and comfy vegan/sustainable trainers which go with anything!). I’ve made some small switches over the past couple of years including swapping bottled water for a Chilly’s bottle when on the go (their 200ml size is also perfect for smaller handbags!).
As a total beauty fiend I do like to try different products, and I love Beauty Kitchen and Lush for the most sustainable products within my budget. Superdrug own branded items are really good value and are cruelty free too. I’ve also swapped cleansing wipes for a hot cloth cleanser, cotton wool pads for a reusable cotton pad and I also use bamboo cotton buds too. I find that buying in bulk makes them all a lot cheaper too. I’m really conscious of single use plastic but it’s something that we can’t always avoid, however, if I’m out shopping at the supermarket I’ll try and choose things like large bags of frozen berries instead of fresh berries in plastic cases.
Each little thing we do can help and I can’t wait to see more people get involved in the Buy Smarter Buy Greener revolution!
Kelsey
Hello I’m Kelsey! I’m a designer and illustrator who is always conscious of ‘doing the right thing’, but sometimes the information can seem conflicting and confusing. That’s why I love being a part of Buy Smarter Buy Greener, who suggest green switches based on independent research!
My favourite quick switch is my shampoo bar, not only does it last longer than a regular bottle of shampoo, it also doesn’t come with any plastic packaging.
Emily
Hi, I’m Emily – I am always keen to learn about new easy switches I can make at home and how I can be more green. I recently renovated a house with my partner and noticed how many products are single use, come in plastic and are damaging to the planet. Now we have finished renovating we want to make informed decisions about what we buy so we can help look after the planet.
The easiest switch I’ve made is using biodegradable bin bags, it made no difference to me but I know it makes a big difference to the planet. My favourite switch is my reusable makeup remover pads, I used to always forgot to buy them and ended up running out, now I never have that issue, I just pop them in the wash and they are good to go.
Zak
Hi everyone, Im Zak. I am an Environmental Scientist and through my work I review the impacts of human and business activities on the environment and identify ways to manage them, reduce or eliminate any negative impacts and maximise any positive impacts. I am passionate about helping businesses and consumers to become more sustainable in their everyday lives.
The project I am most proud of is independently planning a sustainability campaign and raising sustainability awareness as part of the Child Community Heros day which involved engaging child residents in how to adopt pro environmental behaviours and lifestyles to improve the environment within their community.
I am excited to be a part of the Buy Smarter Buy Greener team to help others be more sustainable everyday.
Emily W
Hi I’m Emily, a few years ago I changed career path from visual merchandising management in fashion retail to being a self employed yoga teacher. Change isn’t always easy and can seem extreme but when you know it’s right somehow you find a way to get there. Sometimes it cut throat and other times small and relatively simple alterations make a huge difference all round.
Sustainability and a cleaner, calmer way of living have been become really quite important to me. If I stop and think about the impact we have on the planet for too long it can be overwhelming. With this in mind it is a pleasure and privilege to be involved with Buy Smarter Buy Greener. Let’s be realistic we all know the fast paced, consumer driven world that we live in and ss individuals we’ll never be perfect but collectively if we each make even the smallest conscious decision to change a buying habit we can have a positive effect.
I’m no expert and researching information for Buy Smarter Buy Greener is educational and certainly an eye opener. It is inspirational in reinforcing a need for awareness, accountability and a passion to create change.