The greenest towns and cities in the UK have been revealed in new research – and Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire has been crowned the winner, thanks to its high density of parks and green spaces.
Research conducted by the holiday rental company, Holidu, used an open street maps database to closely analyse the UK cities with the largest area of parks per person. While Milton Keynes took the top spot, Warrington in Cheshire and Peterborough in Cambridgeshire took the second and third places, respectively.
Elsewhere in the study, Dundee in Scotland, Cardiff, Glasgow, and Brighton and Hove were also recognised for their sprawling outdoor spaces.
"When you live in a city, you can often find yourself feeling overwhelmed by the many buildings, constant traffic and the generally fast-paced environment," says the team. "So, where better to escape from the hustle and bustle of city life and enjoy some fresh air and tranquillity than in a local park?
"If you love to walk your dog or go for a run through the trees, have a cool drink with your friends sitting on the lawn, or read a good book under the sun, you've got miles of parks in these cities!"
Want to see how your local area fared? Take a look at the full findings below...
30 of the greenest towns and cities in the UK
1. Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire
2. Warrington, Cheshire
3. Peterborough, Cambridgeshire
4. Northampton, Northamptonshire
5. Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire
6. Coventry, West Midlands
7. Leeds, Yorkshire
8. Wolverhampton, West Midlands
9. Exeter, Devon
10. Dundee, Scotland
11. Cardiff
12. Brighton and Hove
13. Glasgow
14. Nottingham
15. Salford
16. Edinburgh
17. Bolton
18. Sheffield
19. Ipswich
20. Gloucester
21. Bristol
22. Preston
23. Sunderland
24. Aberdeen
25. Southampton
26. Swindon
27. Manchester
28. Cambridge
29. Derby
30. Oxford
Like this article? Sign up to our newsletter to get more articles like this delivered straight to your inbox.
Everything you need to buy once and for all to eliminate single-use plastic from your life
1. Big weekly shop bags
Perfect for your big weekly shop, and for those who like to perfectly organise their shopping into diary, meat and veg as they go, these trolley bags not only make the unpacking process easier, but can be wiped down and used again.
We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article.
4 X trolley bags, £22.95, Amazon
2. Grocery shop bags
More for those times when you only need to pick up a few bits, fold away bag-in-a-bags are great. In fact, you should keep one in your handbag at all times for whenever you might need it.
Reusable expandable grocery tote bag, £1, Amazon
Biodegradable confetti
Shropshire Petals, grow and harvest 100% natural, biodegradable and eco-friendly petal confetti. The flowers bloom in July and August each year and are then hand-picked, dried and carefully stored. No dye or artificial colouring is added to the petals, keeping them all natural. Along with this, Shropshire Petals’ packaging is recyclable or reusable and their confetti pops, personalised confetti cones, wicker baskets, boxes and cannons, are all carbon neutral.
10 x confetti pops, £24, Shropshire Petals
Fill your own tea bags
If you are eco-conscious, and trying to cut down on single-use, man-made materials, you may not be aware that some tea bags actually contain plastic. Several tea bag brands use polypropylene, a sealing plastic, to keep the tea bags from falling apart. So, even when you put all your used tea bags in the food waste or compost heap, it can lead to plastic pollution, as not all of it will be broken down.
These tea bags are made from a non-woven fabric and are closed using a drawstring. All you have to do is fill them will loose leaf tea.
Fill your own tea bags, £6.99 for 100 bags, tea-direct.co.uk
3. Reusable wrapping paper
Although there's nothing quite like the suspense of unwrapping a present, the paper it was neatly displayed in often just goes to waste. The team at Wragwrap have come up with a reusable alternative which is just as pretty. Made out of fabric, the material folds neatly around gifts and comes in three sizes and a variety of patterns.
Crackle wrap, £5.45 (medium), wragwrap.com
4. 100% recycled toilet paper (not wrapped in plastic)
Even if you find a biodegradable toilet paper in the supermarket, chances are it will still be wrapped in plastic. The aptly named Who Gives A Crap have created 100% recycled toilet paper which is wrapped in paper and packaged in cardboard. 50% of their profits go towards building toilets for those in need and they have an 100% money back guarantee. The only thing is that the toilet paper costs more than you're likely used to, from £36 for 48 rolls. They do, however, deliver them straight to your door and offer discounts on bulk buys.
100% recycled toilet paper, from £36, whogivesacrop.org
5. Reusable food wrap
Ditch the cling film and buy some of these beeswax wraps. They are made in Stroud using 100% cotton, pine resin, Jojoba oil and beeswax from a local bee keeper. The can be washed and reused.
Large kitchen pack, £30, beeswaxwraps.co.uk
6. Lunch boxes
If you often take food out with you to have during the day, invest in a lunch bag that not only carries your food more than once but also makes you smile as you go to open it.
Emma Bridgewater lunch/snack boxes, £10 for 4 , Emma Bridgewater
7. Biodegradable glitter
This year, some scientists have called for glitter to be banned all together, similar to the action taken against products containing microbeads. This is because most glitter is made out of plastic and the small particles are an ecological hazard.
Luckily, Eco Glitter Fun have created an environmentally-friendly glitter. The website reads: "Our biodegradable glitter is made from a certified biodegradable cellulose film. This means that once it has been used to make the world a more glittery place, it will safely biodegrade, causing no harm to Mother Earth."
£22 for set of 7 colours or £3.50 each, ecoglitterfun.com
8. Biodegradable, reusable coffee cup
Most highstreet coffee shops are now offering rewards to customers who bring in their own cup to be filled. Made from bamboo, this cup is biodegradable when buried and will last for years, according to the manufacturer.
Eco SouLife Bamboo CUP, £9.91, Amazon
9. Reusable water bottle
On the chillybottles.com website, they describe their product as, "A modern and stylish product designed to combine the convenience of a plastic water bottle, with the high performance technology and eco-friendly benefits of a traditional flask."
Bottle, from £12.50, chillybottles.com
10. Reusable straws
Instead of the standard single-use straws we're used to, these stainless steel ones are easy to clean, non-toxic, durable and eco-friendly.
Reusable straws, £4.99 for pack of 4, Amazon
11. Bamboo toothbrush
These toothbrushes are made from bamboo with natural bristles and come in a family set.
Bamboo toothbrushes, set of 4, £3.99, Amazon
12. Paper stemmed cotton buds
The common plastic cotton bud is a big offender in the contamination world, but some brands make theirs out of paper. Head to these shops instead and make sure you read the label: Sainsbury's, Essential Waitrose, Wilko, Boots, Muji, Co-op Fairtrade, M&S Fairtrade. Full list here.
13. Natural bleach
The majority of our cleaning products currently come in plastic bottles, but this clever alternative from Mangle & Wringer is both plastic-free and non-toxic. The website reads: "Our Natural Bleach, also known as oxygen bleach, is a safe and non-toxic, biodegradable alternative to harsh chlorine bleach."
Natural bleach, from £3.50, mangleandwringer.co.uk
14. Pure laundry powder
Also from Mangle & Wringer, this is their multi-award-winning best seller. The website reads: "Made with just 100% coconut oil soap, natural minerals and water softeners, it is tough on stains but very gentle on delicate skin. Our 100% natural formula is free from synthetic detergents, phosphates, optical brighteners, enzymes, fragrances and preservatives. It is the perfect alternative to biological and non-biological products that can irritate sensitive skin."
Lisa Joyner is the Deputy Daily Editor at House Beautiful UK and Country Living UK, where she's busy writing about home and interiors, gardening, dog breeds, pets, health and wellbeing, countryside news, small space inspiration, and the hottest properties on the market. Previously, she has written for Conde Nast Traveller, House & Garden and Marie Claire magazine. Lisa studied at University For The Creative Arts, where she completed a BA in Fashion Journalism.
