Green Stuff
It was my birthday in October. It was a day when my dad was not here, or my mum. One of those – I really hope they phone days. The kind that make death very confusing.
Of course they’ve gone. But maybe they could visit.
I got a tree dedicated to Dad. If he’d had his way, he’d have repopulated forests.
His commitment to challenging Green Issues niggles in my mind.
This year, I have started collecting stuff to recycle again. Boxes, and kitchen rolls and cardboard can go to schools and afterschools to turn into junk modelling. Glass can accumulate till I get it to the bottle bank. It’s a mixture of beginning to save stuff and also think more aware.
The next year I think I’ll go greener in choosing an electricity supplier. I have started reading the labels of where my food comes from. I would love to buy food with less packaging. I’ve started thinking about where my clothes are bought – how do I go more ethical, but still afford them?
I asked at Dad’s funeral that people remember his ideals, and make changes. If you have, in any way whatsoever, even a little bit, please can you let me know? I want to have a long-term commitment to changing my lifestyle as far as it can go.
My goal is to start making crafts to sell on the internet that long term would be make from as many recycled materials as possible. The media I like to use are wire, beads, felt, silk and paper. This year I’m learning more silk painting. One day I’d like to make paper from scrap paper by hand. My company will be called Little Fires, and thanks to J, already exists even though I haven’t sold a darned thing. Further details will follow.
Of course they’ve gone. But maybe they could visit.
I got a tree dedicated to Dad. If he’d had his way, he’d have repopulated forests.
His commitment to challenging Green Issues niggles in my mind.
This year, I have started collecting stuff to recycle again. Boxes, and kitchen rolls and cardboard can go to schools and afterschools to turn into junk modelling. Glass can accumulate till I get it to the bottle bank. It’s a mixture of beginning to save stuff and also think more aware.
The next year I think I’ll go greener in choosing an electricity supplier. I have started reading the labels of where my food comes from. I would love to buy food with less packaging. I’ve started thinking about where my clothes are bought – how do I go more ethical, but still afford them?
I asked at Dad’s funeral that people remember his ideals, and make changes. If you have, in any way whatsoever, even a little bit, please can you let me know? I want to have a long-term commitment to changing my lifestyle as far as it can go.
My goal is to start making crafts to sell on the internet that long term would be make from as many recycled materials as possible. The media I like to use are wire, beads, felt, silk and paper. This year I’m learning more silk painting. One day I’d like to make paper from scrap paper by hand. My company will be called Little Fires, and thanks to J, already exists even though I haven’t sold a darned thing. Further details will follow.
Labels: bereavement, birthdays, ecological, recycling
posted by Miss Fairy Sparkle at
3:12 AM
4 Comments:
I've been meaning to email you with ethical shopping tips for ages! Marie Claire magazine are big on ethical shopping, so they regularly run articles with ideas .
Some suggestions that I've picked up:
- Always buy the best that you can afford; the idea is that it should last you for years so there's less waste.
- Avoid the really cheap shops, it will have been made in a sweatshop and will fall apart very quickly, so you'll only have to go out and buy more anyway!
- In particular, Primark has a *terrible* reputation for using sweatshop labour and when questioned about it by Marie Claire they said that they were improving conditions but failed to give a single concrete example of how. Out of the cheaper shops, New Look and H&M scored slightly better, although you'll need to bear in mind that the quality won't be that great so stuff may not last.
- Don't follow this week's trends, instead by classic pieces that are timeless and will last you for years. You can update them with accessories to make it look like you've got something new (jewellery, scarves, belts, tights etc). This was the thinking behind that expensive but good quality and timeless black shirt dress I wore to your party.
- Buy things from vintage shops (there are loads in the West End), charity shops and eBay. That way you're getting new stuff and recycling all at once :-)
- Revive old clothes with Dylon. Old greyish-white T-shirt becomes new red one...
- Get a sewing machine and try making your own clothes! Ask Claire for advice about this, she's made a couple of things.
- Several high street shops now have organic or fair trade lines; try M&S or Topshop.
- Have a rummage party! :-) I'd be up for doing that, once our flat move and your wedding are out of the way...
For recycling, Freecycle is fab, I've got rid of all manner of mad stuff that way. Also, if you're starting a business making crafts from recycled materials, then it's a great source of bits & pieces. I gave some Lush tins recently to somebody who does exactly that.
If money permits, then The Reclaimer will collect and recycle lots of things that the Council don't - including tetra packs and most plastics.
Re. electricity suppliers, we're going with Scottish Hydro Electric in the new flat, they do a 100% renewable tariff that is not massively more expensive than usual. We were actually pleasantly surprised by how little extra it cost!
Other general greenness tips are:
- If you end up getting a car, avoid using it for unnecessary journeys, especially short ones.
- This is obvious and you've probably already done it, but make sure all your light bulbs are energy savers!
- Buy things like washing up liquid, fabric conditioner etc in bulk from Goodness Direct and refill empty bottles. Saves money and plastic.
- Cut the ends off of 'empty' tubes of toothpaste, moisturiser etc so you can get to the last little bit inside. Again, saves waste and money.
I expect there was lots in there you already knew, but hopefully there's something new! Thought I might as well put it all in for the benefit of other readers.
PS - Look out for Government grants for things like cavity wall insulation for your home - I think they will contribute a lot of the cost, especially if you are on benefits. We had a leaflet through the door the other day.
For ethical products and gizmo's, as well as the best carrot cake I've ever had, Entrading at 88 West Regent Street is well worth a look.
And as for small and effective ethical changes, Morag's covered most of the ones I can think of, but it can be amazing the amount of electricity (and money) that can be saved by always switching things off at the plug when not in use.
Thank you for feedback, esp clothes stuff, which I recently have felt quite challenged on. Have you seen the Oxfam website they now have - they have clothes, and clothes revamped by designers. And the electricity tip is great as I have to escape Scottish Gas any way, as they could drive a person insane.
Today, I registered with MPS to stop junk mail - will post about how effective that is.
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