Tag Archive | "Shopping"

Could Shopping Save the World?

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We love to shop – no economic crisis is going to dampen that urge. Even primitive villagers in the most remote jungles love to “look good” and put plenty of time and energy into gathering the goods to make themselves look and feel pretty, powerful, important. But didn’t the buying frenzy get us into this mess? What to do?

Commerce is really just trade between people, and trade is the force that knits people together, that forms relationships of importance, and creates interdependent communities. Countries that have a healthy trade relationship with others, secure themselves against war with those countries. It is a major strategy in peacework to lift impoverished nations into the trade community so that they are better protected from the crisis of war.

Business – trade – commerce, is also the place that the damages have been done to our planet and our people. In the drive for the most profit, corporations have been willing to exploit, and even destroy communities and ecosystems all over the world. They were only able to go that route because we so vigorously supported them with our buying.

These days, the media has indulged themselves in the image of an economic crisis and lured us to withhold our cash from flowing through the marketplace. When we do spend, following the media’s encouragement, we’re encouraged to put aside ideals, and buy the cheapest we can find to meet our needs.

I’d like to argue that these purchases further support the exploitation and destruction that has gotten us in so much trouble in the first place and that by “voting with our dollar”, we can support and strengthen a new economy to take hold.

The marketplace is incredibly simple. When one group does well, the others follow. When we support  those who are developing sustainable business practices, who demonstrate human rights and earth rights as important, we have the opportunity to help them succeed. And you can bet, that when they succeed, others will follow. The chain reaction has already begun, and the more we feed it, the more it will grow.

When sustainable business practices begin to flourish, so will the underdogs, the smaller communities, the poor nations, the farmers, the laborers, the people who are being hurt most in the economic slowdown. We have a big influence, even in our smaller budgets, to impact the flow of capitol and life blood into new pathways for a better future for all of us.

I know that your cash flow is down to a drip these days, mine is too. But I believe that we can reinvigorate the economy, and stimulate a new type of marketplace, if we use what we have to support those who are paving new roads. Getting the cash flowing is like getting the blood flowing when you’ve been sick or out in the cold – it’s the first step to health and vitality. The more we keep it moving, the more we stimulate life and new growth. If we pour it into sustainable practices, we fertilize a chain reaction of alternatives that will develop into trends.

And the rewards are there – the new organic cottons are luscious, bamboo makes amazingly soft sheets, towels and clothing. Organic foods, as well as housewares and clothing are healthier for our bodies, and our families as well as the planet. Buying fair trade supports small family farms all over the world, and often gives you a direct photo, video or story about the people providing your goods. And more often than not, the products are superior, because they were created by people who care, rather than by conglomerate machinery.

Let’s break the myth – withholding your cash flow is not going to make anything better – for you, for the economy, for our future. Now is not the time to deny yourself the joy of shopping. Certainly be responsible to your bills and your family, but it’s an ideal moment to be a revolutionary, and use your tiny cash flow to prime the pump for a future we can be proud of. When you do spend, take action! Enjoy the moment, bring home goodies that are healthy for you and the planet, and help build a better future too!

Saphir Lewis is founding editor of www.GirlPoweredPlanet.com

Buying green forces the global economy toward sustainability and supports those who are creating new roles for business. Get the style you love at Girl Powered Planet and make an impact too!

Two Shades of Green

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When is green about the state of our planet, or about capitalism? And how can you tell the difference? For the young budding “greenzers” out there, it can be difficult. Being eco friendly is becoming more and more mainstream, and that is a great thing! But, in our country where capitalism and free market makes the popular more marketable, the path gets a bit prickly if you do not watch out for the thorns.
Here are a few things to think about when buying a product, or purchasing from a business that promotes itself as “Green” or “eco-Friendly”

1. Where is the product made?

It is important to consider the source of the item. If it is mass manufactured in a country with little or no concern for the environment, then it really does not matter if the material it is made from what appears to be a better source. An example would be Bamboo- if it is a mass produced product from a country with no ecological concern for the harvesting of forests, or the emissions from their production- then go ahead and use your mom’s old plastic bowls! On the other hand, if it is a Certified Fair Trade product you can be assured it was produced by local artisans using local material- a much better choice!

2. Who is making the product?

Thinking about making our world a better place means that we have to consider the people living on our planet. Importing goods from countries that have no concern for the environment, or buying goods that have produced enough carbon emissions to counteract anything positive about them is not really helpful! Look for things that are Certified Fair Trade, or members of the Green Business Network. It takes time to get these certifications, so if they are not present you should at least see clearly stated makers and places of origin, assuring you that the products are made by people that are being directly impacted in a positive way by your purchase.

I founded Earthlovershopping.com with the belief that we could offer quality items to people that are made of recycled and sustainable materials- and made by people who directly benefit from the sale of these items. We choose items in the US and around the world that we feel bring eco friendly options to our customers, and help others at the same time! We invite you to visit us, and take the time to read the stories of the individuals who make our goods, and the details of why they are good for our planet.

And watch out for the Green Capitalist! There is Green and then there is a Green Dollar. We hope these tips will help you watch out for the difference, and that you will visit us at www.Earthlovershopping.com for a true eco friendly experience.

Products on earthlover.com

Some of our Favorite Products: Hand loomed silk scarves from Afghanistan, Hand Batik laptop case from Ghana, Tuaga Petal Bracelet from the Rainforest

Article by Tammy Wilson
www.earthlovershopping.com

What’s your ‘everyday eco?’

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I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how being busy everyday can affect how green you live. If I’m strapped for time then I take short cuts I wouldn’t take if I could be a bit more leisurely and those short cuts are not always eco friendly.

I guess they key is to work green habits into your daily routines. I’m not talking about grand gestures like buying a hybrid car or holidaying in an expensive eco-retreat, that’s not realistic for most of us. I’m talking about those things that we can do all the time in our own home and garden.

Here’s a quick run down of 10 of the things we do in our house. I’d love to learn more so do share your everyday eco habits with us.

Tin can with no label1. Benevolent Brands?
I’ve put this one first because I think its the most important here and I’ve been doing this since I could spend my own pocket money. Get to know which brands are lacking in positive eco & ethical credentials and show them that you don’t approve by avoiding their products in your weekly shop. I’m a great believer in consumer power and there’s nothing easier than not doing something, not buying something. Online ethical shopping tool Gooshing can help you know the score.

2. Keep it Fresh
Instead of buying foil, cling film or plastic sandwich bags which will just get thrown away, wash out and save a couple of ice cream and margarine tubs to keep food fresh in your fridge.

3. White Vinegar is Your Friend
I have always been a bit dubious about eco cleaning products but one that is a definite winner and as cheap as chips (tastes good on chips too!) is vinegar. There’s nothing like white vinegar to get rid of grease and make surfaces lovely and shiny. I use it on stainless steel, windows and mirrors and I don’t have to worry about breathing in nasty chemicals when I’m using it.

Marigold4. Nature’s Bodyguards
Instead of using pesticides to keep aphids from munching on your beloved tomatoes and cucumbers, let nature do the work for you. For some reason a lot of creepy crawlies that like your veggie plants hate marigolds so plant them alongside and let them protect the fruits of your labours.

5. Home Made Labels
Whilst we’re talking gardens, here are a few ways you can recycle bits and bobs from indoors to use outdoors – Keep bottle tops to put on the end of garden canes to protect yourself (especially your eyes) from the sharp edges. Cut yoghurt pots into strips and use them as washable plant labels. Keep a tub or container handy in your kitchen to chuck in tea bags and veg peelings, ready to take out to the compost bin.

6. Old Fashioned Washing
I love hanging washing on the line – I think it’s because it’s one of those jobs that tells us the fine weather is finally here. Although, as us UK based folks know, fine weather is elusive here. So rather than heading to the tumble dryer (we don’t own one), get yourself a clothes horse to dry your washing indoors when it’s rainy outdoors.

Potpourri7. Sweet Scent
There are so many air fresheners on the market right now I couldn’t possibly name them all. They’re so sophisticated too, spraying out a smell on a timer or whenever you walk in the room, but they’re just unnecessary. Goodness knows what chemicals they’re spurting at you and the amount of plastic that must go into making them makes my head spin. We keep a pretty wooden box (recycled from a wine case) near the front door with a handful of potpourri in it. When the smell fades, just sprinkle a little of your favourite essential oil in there. You could even get some lemon juice or sprigs of lovely smelling herbs like Rosemary. Hmmmmm…

8. Cut Down on the Meat
Until I met Sophie from Food For Change I thought I knew the implications of agriculture, especially farming for meat. I knew nothing. The amount of resources that go into feeding and keeping animals for food is mind blowing. It’s a devastating industry, not only for the animals but for the environment and humans too. Cutting down or cutting out animal products from your diet truly can help relieve this. Read my interview with Sophie or visit www.foodforchange.org.uk to find out more.

Second hand furniture9. Make Second Hand First
This is my favourite tip because its about shopping – shopping and feeling good about it. OK, let me just spit it out. If you have hang-ups about second hand get over it! Antiques are second hand and no-one has issues with that. Whether looking for large items like furniture or small things like tea cups or clothes I always go for second hand first. Lots of the furniture in our house is second hand, was very cheap or free and, after a little restoration, beautiful. Buying second hand means you are not using more of the world’s resources to get something that’s new for you. Charity shops are the best because they are full of hidden gems and buying them contributes to something really worthwhile. Why line greedy companies’ pockets only to buy the same old beige, uniform items? Get creative, mix and match and have fun.

10. Take Your Time
I have to confess, I’m working on this one. Rushing around causes me to take short cuts and make decisions that aren’t good for the environment, like driving to the shops because its quicker than walking and grabbing a take-away rather than cooking a home made meal.

I’m far from perfect on the green front but I’d like to learn more. Share your ‘everyday eco’ and let’s make a habit of it.

Happy Holidays!

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Here’s a message from the GGG team to wish all of our readers a merry and peaceful festive season and a happy New Year!

If you’re celebrating over the next couple of weeks here’s a look back at some 2008 Green Girls Global articles to help you have a greener Christmas….

January – Junk Yard Challenge
Get creative with your holiday waste.

February – Going Green on Love Products
Treat someone special with this green gift

March – Eco Sins
This time of year often leads to over indulgence. Reflect on your eco sins and repent!

April – Big Green Purse Review
Shopping, shopping, shopping! Make sure your purse is a brighter shade of green.

May – Balloon Litter
We love the colours and glitter of the festive decorations but don’t make nature pay for them.

June – In the Closet :: Know your Clothing
Searching for that perfect party frock? Get familiar with the labels.

July – Are you doing bokashi?
What do do with all those veggie peelings from your Chrimbo dinner? Bokashi!

August – Downsizing for the Environment
Think twice before you ask for more prezzies.

September – 7 Eco Tips to Beat the Credit Crunch
If you’re going to feel the pinch its at this time of year. Use these tips to help you through/

October – A Hand Made Statement
Try making some gifts by hand and create your craft manifesto at the same time.

November – Discover your Local Country Market
If you really must buy brussel sprouts, get them from your local farmers market

December – Breathing Spaces Christmas Song
Take a moment to think about the wildlife and do your conservation bit.

Have a good one!

Eco Chic Weekly – 8th Dec ’08

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ECW was absent from our blogs last week as it seems we were all distracted by Thanksgiving holidays, snow and other exciting things.Eco Chic Weekly

However, this week we’re back with some great posts. Enjoy!

Alternative Consumer
Look and feel great while delivering that eco message.

Eco-Chick
Eco-Chick tells you how to keep away the stink-the natural way!

Fashion, Evolved
Fashion, evolved is drooling over the 100% sustainable and ethical jewelry by Dawes Design.

Fig+Sage
Amala Beauty :: An Intersection Of Purity & Luxury {+ $152 Giveaway!!!}

Green Grechen
How to truly shop eco-friendlier this holiday season

Green Glam Girl
Green Glam Girl loves to make her own eco soap!

The Green Girls
The Green Girls.tv has a fun video that teaches you how to make cute sandals out of an old bicycle tire!

The Book of Rubbish Ideas… Review & Interview

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Book Review and Interview with Author Tracey Smith

As I took an over-ripe pepper and nearly full bag of mushrooms out of the fridge and set them aside for the compost bin I thought about the first few pages from Tracey Smith’s Book of Rubbish Ideas. I don’t feel good about wasting this food but at least I know it will decompose in a matter of weeks and will, in the form of home made compost, go towards growing my own next year.

Book of Rubbish Ideas coverBut what about the other things I’ve thrown out today? A plastic bag from the celery, the coffee packet, a chocolate bar wrapper and how many other people in this country, in fact in the world, have thrown away similar waste today? I need to think more creatively around the products that come into my home and how I deal with the waste from them and this is exactly what this book is about.

How we got where we are today
Tracey starts by educating us about how waste was dealt with historically and why some methods of getting rid of our rubbish might, at first, seem sensible but is in fact wasteful in itself. She describes the steps which have led to to the dire situation we’re in today and addresses the serious issues around waste (energy consumption, landfill, pollution and climate change) whilst giving solutions at the same time.

Room-by-room waste
The bulk of the book takes you room by room (and outside) through the home and shows us how to deal with our waste in a very practical way. Its not all about recycling but thinking about how we can reduce waste in the first place. Tracey highlights that its not all down to the individual but that other parties such as manufacturers, sellers and local authorities have a great responsibility too. Throughout the book she provides excellent example letters to help us give supermarkets, local councils and other bodies a nudge in the right direction.

This environmental book is very different from others I’ve read recently which have focused on telling us which green alternative products to buy. This book questions why we have to consume in the first place and guides us in looking after the things we already have. And, in the current economic climate, that’s not only relevant for the environment but for our piggy banks too.

Full of practical ideas
With the ‘Project Box’ sections interspersed throughout Tracey provides creative tips which make you go “Oh that’s a good idea” and get exercising your crafting skills, which gets a big thumbs up from me! For further motivation the case studies give real life waste dilemmas which we all face and shows us how others have dealt with them. We also get insight into the habits and views of a few celebrities in the ‘Star Struck Celebrity Questions and Answers’ section.

GGG readers can buy the book at a discounted price from www.bookofrubbishideas.co.uk. Check out the website too for even more ideas, tips and reasons to cut the rubbish out of your life!

Interview with Tracey

Tracey SmithNow I’m an extremely lucky GGG editor because I not only got a sneaky preview of the book but I also have an interview with the lady herself, Tracey Smith…

Q – Tracey, thank you for taking the time to talk to us. The first thing I wanted to ask you is about your inspiration. The book is absolutely jam-packed full of really useful, do-able ideas; Where do you get your inspiration and where did you learn all of these wonderful tips?
Hi Vicky – you’re welcome mate – thanks for asking me and I’m really pleased you’ve enjoyed the book! Moving onto your question, it’s 8.30pm here so I can safely say, my inspirations are all tucked up in their beds asleep! I dedicated the book to my kids and at the front of the book I say, ‘It’s for your children and your grandchildren; they are the leaders of the future’ and I meant every word. They are going to face so many sociological changes and perhaps even further climatic chaos in their lifetime. It’s our duty to help get them into the right, green groove long before they step into adulthood, so they are best prepared to lead themselves into ‘their’ future. The tips have been picked up from friends who know their onions and derived from some good old-fashioned common sense; it’s my mission to make it sexy and funky again and to get everyone leaning towards the green!

Q – Its surprising actually how much you can do to reduce, reuse and recycle in the home and really make a big difference. For those starting out, which 3 areas would you say they could focus on reducing waste first in order to have the most impact?
Well the most obvious room to pick on and have an immediate and positive effect on, would be the kitchen. Food waste still remains an enormous problem, despite the best efforts of organisations like the Love Food Hate Waste campaign. We are far too anal about sell by dates too – it’s ridiculous. The food isn’t going to explode if you go a day or two (or MORE) over that bloomin’ date! Cooking will kill anything dodgy, which is very unlikely to be residing on your newly expired food, so stop worrying about it and shove it in the oven! The BOGOFs are part of the problem though. We cannot resist a bargain and go all ‘hunter, gatherer’ and hog the other pack even if we have no intention of eating it. The best way to get over this is go shopping with a friend or neighbour, share the petrol, enjoy the experience a bit more and share those BOGOFs. You can also buy larger quantites of things and split them too, another great money saver. Of course, an extension of the Kitchen is the Garden and if you are able to make use of a composter/wormery or Bokashi, then do so! You’ll cut your bin down dramatically by doing so and you can also sling in loo roll holders, cereal boxes, hair from your brushes, cut up cotton tee shirts that are too knackered for the charity shop and much more besides. Then if you think about your cleaning materials that lurk under the sink you find another area where you can really make a difference. Ditch the chemical options and go for soda crystals, borax, bicarbonate of soda, lemons, salt, eco balls, soapnuts and essential oils, to name but a few. They are all multi purpose cleaners that will eradicate the need for the cornucopia of squirty guns that all bear the ‘X Caution Irritant’ sign on the back of the bottle…

Q – As well as giving individuals and families the tools and inspiration to reduce their rubbish you recognise the responsibilities of those in charge to make big changes too. If you could pass one law in relation to waste what would it be and why?
Oh, that’s a chunky monkey missus! I don’t know about a law, but I would like to change the constitution somewhat. I’d like to see sustainable living lessons be part (a fully integrated part) of the National Curriculum, from nursery age upwards! Kids should be learning how to cultivate and cook some delicious organic fruit and veg. They should understand and respect the importance of composting and recycling and on a scientific point, they should embrace sustainable forms of energy and be tackling the many other layers and levels to living in harmony with our volatile and beautiful planet. That would be a fantastic achievement.

Q – I really liked the celebrity ‘Q and A’ section because it gave us a little insight into how they deal with the less glamorous part of life, their rubbish. If you could ask any celebrity in the world any question about the environment who would it be and what would you ask them?
I don’t think they come under the remit of celebrities (in fact I’m quite sure they don’t) but I would like to see all our emminent politicians and leaders telling us what ‘they do’ to make a difference and they should also show us how they do it! More to the point, there should be a national telly, radio and written media campaign showing us what they and all the ‘stars’ are doing. There’s no doubt about it, the world of the A lister has enormous influence on our more humble existence and it could effect a very positive and almost overnight change on our immediate, local and global environments too.

Q – The book itself is absolutely full of so much useful advice and there is the website too. What is the future for ‘The Book of Rubbish Ideas’ and all that goes with it?
Good question. Well I’ve just started making a few short films for the website and am enjoying doing them very much. I doubt there’s a BBC series on the horizon, but hey, never say never… There will certainly be a daily entry on the website to look forward to and I’m really enjoying doing a few talks and demonstrations extolling the virtues of a bit of simple, green living and rubbish reduction. It’s great when you meet people and you see that penny dropping for them – a whole new world of green opens up which is very exciting and I love being a part of ‘their’ transition.

Tracey, thank you for your detailed and energetic answers. I look forward to seeing your short films and more in the future!

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Downsizing for the environment

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How many material possessions do we need to be happy?   How much space do we need to live comfortably?   As a society can we escape from the western vision of what the perfect life should be, thus improving the environment? These are some of the questions I have been thinking about lately whilst I have had to downsize my life.

In general over the years I have been going through a slow and steady downsize, from getting rid of unnecessary clothes to getting rid of my TV (as I wanted to stop wasting my life watching other people’s lives).

Now I have had to downsize from a spacious three bed roomed house (which I was living in my own in the end – not good for the environment) to a cosy, compact one bedroom flat which I am sharing with my fiancé.

Warning big house for not many people, big problems to environment

The downsizing process 

During the downsizing process I had to review all my personal belongings, as they would not be able to fit into my new place. Whilst over the last couple of years I have not exactly been a shopaholic, especially as I pledged at the start of 2008 to not buy any new clothes, somehow I had accumulated many items. Many of which had been kindly given to me as gifts from family and friends (honestly – when I say please don’t buy me anything for birthday / Christmas etc – I really mean it).

No more gifts please santa!

How many books?

My large collection of books was the first thing that I reviewed and whilst I sold some at a car boot sale, many of my fiction books went to charity shops to raise money for good causes. Now I only have specific reference books that I refer to on a regular basis, otherwise I am only going to use the library – thus saving space, money and in theory reducing the amount of books that need printing.

Overall I reviewed everything that I owned and I took into consideration of what items I could not live without, such as the essential; clothes, cooking equipment, useful furniture etc. All unnecessary items were either sold via Ebay, car boot sales (my mum’s car as I don’t own one), Realcycle and charity shops. 

So how many material possessions do we need to be happy?

The downsizing process was very cleansing and I felt that my life was less cluttered. Overall I felt  happier getting rid of materialistic items that clever marketing and western values had convinced me (or convinced others to purchase for me) that I should own.

Now don’t get me wrong, my fiancé and I are not living pre-historic style! However we have cut down on electrical items. We no longer have a microwave or freezer. Still no TV and we only have one CD player as we do not need music in every room (in fact the walls are very thin in the flat so you can hear the music quite easily in the next room).

We have basic cooking items, as who actually uses a million cooking gadgets? (ok I admit many years ago I went through a phase of having cooking gadgets such as a breadmaker, steamer etc but sold them awhile ago as they were only collecting dust)

So overall we are currently living fairly clutter free and happy. Note to my family out there “Please, please its very kind of you to buy me presents but don’t or else there will be so space for me to sleep!” 

Big house, little house………….

I have never done compact living before especially in a flat. Now I am not saying I lived in mansions, but living in the East Midlands where property prices were never that ridiculous I managed to grow up in a good sized family home.

Typical family house, well from a childs perspective

When I left the family home I moved about quite a bit and rented a variety of reasonably priced and decent sized houses in Yorkshire, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire. So recently when the time came to move down south, I was initially shocked at the rental fees and the only realistic option was a small flat.

My fiancé found a flat for us to rent and I am ashamed to admit that I was very pessimistic when I saw photos’. As whilst being a ‘Green Girl’ and aware of the environmental benefits of not taking too much space – I am also a country girl at heart and always wanted a farmhouse with lots of land. So when I saw photos of the compact flat, I was initially thinking “How can I live there comfortably?

However now that I have been in the flat a few weeks I have grown use to it and also very fond of it. In fact I don’t think I want to live in a house again, as I never have the problem of walking upstairs and thinking “What did I come up here for”. Also the flat, is quicker to clean ;-)

How much space do we need to live comfortably?

If everyone in the world lived the typical western lifestyle and for example opted for a three bed roomed semi detached house etc we would require 3 planets to support us. 

We only have one earth not three!

In fact I think if everyone in the world lived in properties, which are too big for their actual realistic needs, there would be no natural spaces left. Just house, after house, after house. We would have to extract a lot of the Earths resources to build those houses and the planet would be in a worse state than it already is.

Recently in the UK there was a huge sudden increase in building houses (though the current economic climate in the UK has caused many new developments to not be completed). 

From my understanding the government advised that there was a shortage of housing in the UK, thus encouraged building companies to develop new housing estates including creating eco-towns (which I will talk about in a future post). Whilst some people say immigration created the housing need, I believe that a change in modern lifestyle and the western vision created the need.

As a society can we escape from the western vision of what the perfect life should be, thus improving the environment?

Society has tried to dictate that in order to be happy and to fit into society, you need a posh house (keep up with the Jones), a car, a great big television (ok so I won’t go into the list like they did in the film Trainspotting)

Also the structure of families has changed, so the housing need has increased. Once upon a time you would live with your parents until you were married. Whilst you lived with your parents the average child would have to share a room or even a bed with a sibling (my mum had to share with her sister). When you got married, most likely you would stay with your parents or in-laws until you saved up money to get a deposit to rent a house (like my grandma did). Or as a married couple you took lodgings and rented just a room from someone.

However now many people leave home young (I did), may rent with friends (I did), get fed up of living with friends (I did) and get their own place, which is probably too big and is really meant for a family (ok embarrassed to admit I did).

Also, families split up and one parent might live with the children, another might live on their own.

Children leave the nest and parents for nostalgic reasons keep the family house, which is big and empty without the children.

Grandparents too for nostalgic reasons keep large houses, their partner may die and then they are living alone in a large house with spare bedrooms, which could be used to house other people.

You get my drift. For many reasons we are all taking up too much space and thus new houses need to be built to accommodate our modern ways.

So many houses, so many people

Changing bad habits

I think that as a society it is time we changed our bad habits, before we completely destroy the planet. Up and coming nations want to live the western lifestyle – which after years of living in poverty who blames them. However the whole world cannot live like we do, so we must now downsize to offset the up and coming lifestyle of other nations.

Believe me downsizing your life will not make you unhappy, so please consider it – and don’t worry about what the Jones think, they will be bankrupt soon as they wont be able to sustain their competitive lifestyle!

If you liked that post, then try these...

5 Tips for Crafting Green by Vicky on October 6th, 2009
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Earth Day, Ocean Day...Mayday by Lee on June 4th, 2009
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Recycled Filofax inserts by Katie on February 26th, 2009
Every year my resolution is to get organised.

declaring myself an anti-consumerist !

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august is my first “no consumption month” for me – I have taken up a challenge from a book I bought so I can’t get any more stuff in august at least (I bet my husband is real happy for that).. I will however get the normal stuff to keep the household going =)

and I have a couple of IRL events to attend – but no more ebay or vintage dresses or shoes or books – Im tired of consumption and it doesn’t make me happy and what the world needs now is less consumption so people in less developed countries can afford to eat proper food again… – I will keep you posted if I can keep this up

NB: just a thought: this provokes the same feeling that i got when I became a vegetarian – it’s a little thing to do to make the world a better place…

Im not a vegetarian anymore – but maybe im the first declared anti-consumerist ? at least that I know of…

crossposted on henrietteweber.com

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Fuzzy Logic for Green Rewards?

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Yesterday I popped to our local supermarket to stock up. Usually I would avoid shopping on a Saturday at any cost but after a really busy week I realised that I wouldn’t be able to make much of the carrots, apricots and butter which was all we had in our fridge. So off I went to Sainsbury’s with my usual collection of (cotton, canvass etc) tote bags.

Shopping trolleyWhen I was paying at the checkout the lady on the till asked “How many bags have you recycled?” At first I thought this was polite chit-chat and wasn’t sure that I’d heard her correctly. Then she pointed to my bags and said again “How many bags have you recycled?” So I answered “3″ – which I had. Then she said “Well, you get points for not using carrier bags you see. It’s a new reward scheme” and handed me 3 mini fold-out leaflets, which turned out to be vouchers for days out to various UK attractions and theme parks. “Also, you’ve got some money off fuel on your receipt which you need to use within 7 days”.

I can see the positive side to this, really I can. And you could say that shopping at the supermarket isn’t the greenest option, I know that (I talked about this a little in my ‘Is is safe to go back to the supermarket?’ post). However, wouldn’t a really great way to reward recycling be to help customers do another green thing? So, instead of money off fuel, give money off train tickets. Instead of vouchers for theme parks give vouchers for organic treats.

Personally I don’t think that people recycle in order to get some kind of reward. Additionally there is probably some economic reason that Sainsbury’s have chosen the particular scheme that they have but to me it just feels like one step forward, two steps back. Is it just me?

Oh, by the way, the vouchers are printed on FSC paper. I thought it only fair to mention that.

Courtney Webster – Why the Internet is our Best Resource for Going Green

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For an invention that has been around for less than a century, the Internet has quickly risen to be one of the most innovative developments of the 20th century. Most businesses have their own websites, most adults have their own email addresses, and even most children have their own computers.

Web buttonsWhether we like it or not, the Internet has become an integral part of our lives, and its prevalence can be used to our advantage. Instead of going to the store, you can shop online, and instead of picking up the phone, you can shoot someone an email, all with the click of a few buttons. With all the convenience the Internet provides, you’d be hard pressed to come up with even more reasons why we should reap its benefits.

But I have at least one more reason to add to the list, not just saving us time, but helping save the planet. As an entirely online resource, the Internet can be used to share information across the world, without ever having to waste natural resources. Online bank statements reduce corporate mailings, while websites like www.photobucket.com allow us to share our pictures without making eco-costly prints. When shopping online, using credit cards and online order confirmation, we save the paper and ink that would other wise be used to print cash and receipts, and without making the trip to the store, we’re reducing our carbon footprint in the process.

So with the prevalence of the Internet, it was only a matter of time before someone came up with an entirely Internet based company, almost completely eliminating any environmental impact. Enter businesses like Nvohk (pronounced “invoke”), the first eco-friendly clothing company managed entirely online! And this company can do one better, providing a chance to become part of a team working not only to manage their own clothing line, but also for the greater good of the planet, with 10% of the proceeds going to an eco-friendly charity of the members’ choice!

Nvohk home page image

With the prevalence of the Internet, and newly formed Internet-based companies like Nvohk, we can make a significant impact on the environment right from our own homes. As an advocate for going green, whether it’s driving a hybrid car, or switching to more energy efficient light bulbs, I’m always looking for ways to lower my impact on the environment. And as more and more companies like Nvohk are going entirely online, I’m finding it much easier to reduce my impact, and get my fashion fix at the same time.

Nvohk Co-Founder TeeAbout Nvohk: Recruiting since December 2007, Nvohk now boasts over 2,800 Members worldwide, and the company will officially launch its site this June. The cost of membership is just $50, and using sustainable materials like bamboo, and allowing its members to take the drivers seat in all major business decisions, Nvohk is prepared to bring their eco-conscious viewpoint to the fashion industry. Benefits of membership include a limited edition Nvohk co-founder t-shirt designed by Robb Havassy, an exclusive member sticker, and a “plant-a-tree” seed pack. For more information, or to become a member, please visit www.projectnvohk.com.

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