We’ve all, at some time or another, rolled our eyes at our elders as they claim in dismay that “things just aren’t made to last the way they used to”. Clutching on to the same moth ridden coat they’ve worn since the 40s, or fervently plodding down the road at 20mph in their trusty Morris minors; our grandparents are the kings and queens of frugal living. Their dusty and unchanging homes are living museums of the “golden Years”; where purchases were made for longevity, and are generously cared for as though they were the last of their kind left on Earth. Continue reading How to remedy the environmental disaster that is Planned Obsolescence
Category Archives: General ramblings
Summer Solstice 2015
I’m getting very excited as tomorrow is one of my favourite days of the whole year; Summer Solstice! Now is the time that summer has well and truly begun, and it’s the one time of year I have an excuse to get up early and watch a beautiful sunrise.
Summer Solstice – which marks the longest day of the year and enjoys the most hours of sunlight – has been a special day for thousands of years to Pagans and non-pagans alike. Though it’s celebrated in a variety of ways, it’s usually enjoyed with feasting, dancing and basking in the sunrise of the morning of the solstice.
In keeping with its name – which comes from the Latin solstitium meaning ‘sun stands still’ – the solstice is a great time to stop for a moment and thank the life giving sun for keeping our beautiful planet flourishing. It’s no coincidence that the Solstice celebrations are symbolic of renewal, fertility and harvest.
In the past, I’ve celebrated on beaches, in my garden and at the Iconic, but somewhat overrated, ceremony at Stone Henge. Last year I enjoyed a simple camping adventure with my bestie and watched the sun rise over a sleepy Cornish village.
This year, I plan to wake up early and venture out the stunning North Cornwall coastal cliffs of St Agnes and break some breakfast bread with my loved ones, and say a massive thank you for my blessings so far this year. If its warm I may even go for a quick dip in the sea!
Even if you’re not much of an early bird, get yourself up and out of bed before 4:43am tomorrow and enjoy one of the most beautiful sunrises of the year!
Ben and Jerry’s go Vegan!
Today is an exciting day. I woke up to learn that Ben and Jerry’s have given in to millions of signed petitions and will be releasing a dairy free range next year. Vegan Ben and Jerry’s on a Friday night sounds like my idea of a lazy night in!
But my excitement isn’t just because I want to stuff my face with buckets of ice-cream (though that is certainly a contributor to my happiness right now…) I am also happy that the company, who pride themselves on caring about such issues as equal marriage, world peace, fairtrade and climate change, are finally putting their money where their mouth is.
Interestingly, Ben and Jerry’s claim they are passionate about climate change issues and have even joined forces with Avaaz to encourage people to sign a petition or action. In their own words they are “…calling on leaders of the developed nations and the United Nations to tackle climate change at the upcoming summit in Paris. Our goal is for international leaders to work towards 100% Clean Energy by 2050.” A heartfelt plea from a company whose very industry of mass exploitation and rearing of dairy cows is at the very core of our climates woes.
The WWF estimates that there are approximately 270 million dairy cows worldwide, all churning out babies they will never raise, simply to meet our growing dairy demands. Dairy cows and their manure produce greenhouse gas emissions which are greatly contributing to climate change. Poor handling of manure, which occurs in a large number of industrialised dairy farms, and their fertilizers degrade local water resources. Unsustainable dairy farming (in which standards are lowers and more land is needed) along with feed production can lead to the loss of ecologically important areas, such as prairies, wetlands, and forests.
But still, Ben and Jerrys have always maintained their passion for the planet. So their acknowledgement that dairy is not needed to make a successful and profitable business is very exciting indeed. Not just for vegans but literally for the whole planet!
Guest Blog: Activism, Meditation and Staying Optimistic.
After receiving a positive response from my recent blog post about Activist Burnout – including some lovely personal messages of support and encouragement – I found great solitude and peace in my yoga and mediation practice. Sometimes, you just need to switch off, recharge and reenergise yourself; ready to continue pursuing your passions and good intentions.
Here, the lovely Holly Ashby, from Will Williams Mediation, shares her thoughts on how meditation can be an invaluable tool for taking care of an activists mind:
Activism, Meditation and Staying Optimistic.
Taking a stand and caring about something can sometimes be really, tiringly difficult. It’s hard to live in ways that differ from prevailing social norms, and the majority of people choose to ignore information rather than accept the responsibility of acknowledging it. This is not to make a moral judgement, rather to point out that the people who can’t ignore it, and attempt in their own way to change the world for the better, face challenges that other people can avoid.
This isn’t to say that as soon as you start trying to alter your lifestyle or campaign in order to help a cause that you hand your happiness over to a mysterious crone and spend the rest of your life in nun-like self-sacrifice. I’m sure even Mother Theresa let her hair down sometimes, and activism can bring with it community, a sense of purpose, fun and satisfaction that can be hard to find in other aspects of life. You just have to remember to look after yourself, and to counter balance what you give out with some kindness directed back your way.
Meditation can be one method, along with other self care routines, to keep yourself in the best frame of mind for living life happily without compromising your principles. Here’s a few ways in which meditation can help in the life of an activist. Continue reading Guest Blog: Activism, Meditation and Staying Optimistic.
Find the Positives in Monday Morning: My Walk to Work
Happy Sunday! I hope you’ve all had lovely weekends so far, full of adventuress and relaxation?! I know the common feeling on a Sunday evening is to start gearing up for another week at work, and the preparation of the impending Monday blues.
But I like to think the best way to prevent negative thoughts sinking in – especially when something is coming up that you can’t (as much as you want to…) avoid – is to concentrate on the one thing about the situation that’s really positive.
For me, my Monday blues are alleviated before I’ve even made it to my desk, simply by enjoying the stunning 40 minute walk to work. On days I’m in a hurry I can do the walk much quicker, but on a Monday I like to take my time and soak up the nature before I hit the emails.
So I thought I would share some photos from my walk, to hopefully inspire you to search out the positives in your life tomorrow morning 🙂 Continue reading Find the Positives in Monday Morning: My Walk to Work
Activist Burnout: When being green just feels really f**king hard
I’m tired.
Not the kind of tired you experience when you’ve had too many late nights, or not enough fresh fruit and veg. Nor the kind of tired you feel at 3pm on a Monday afternoon, when all you want is a strong coffee and a whole packet of Jammie Dodgers (and yes, they are Vegan!!).
I’m talking about the kind of physical and emotional exhaustion that an undernourished salmon feels after what seems like a lifetime swimming up a very steep stream. When you’ve depleted any energy and drive you once had to be who you are – or who you want to be – and no longer have the will to lift one eye lid up to see, let alone a whole arm to do.
But this fatigue – though it is spreading fast like a virus throughout my life– is not simply a result of working too hard, playing too hard or indeed life being generally hard. Its roots lie deep within; stemming from my increasing realisation that my attempts to live a green, waste less, compassionate life is surrounded by a million and one others who simply don’t give a shit. Apparently it’s called Activist Burnout, and I’m certainly not the only one who suffers from it. Continue reading Activist Burnout: When being green just feels really f**king hard
Earth Day: My favourite spots for reflecting on the world
Happy Earth Day everyone! I know, I know there seems to be a national or global recognition day for most things, but you really can’t ignore a day which is dedicated to this beautiful planet. Even Google has a cool graphic to mark the occasion!
Today, I thought I would celebrate by sharing 10 of my favourite spots on this beautiful planet – both natural and man made – all of which inspire me to keep on my green living journey and remind me what we could loose if we don’t behave ourselves.
1. Mission Bay, Auckland, New Zealand 
Clear blue water, white sand and views out toward the volcanic Rangitoto Island – it’s hard to believe that the modern city of Auckland was build around this stunning exotic bay. Earth at its best.
2. White Cliffs, East Sussex, England
This picture was taken in Seaford, but all across this coastline the white cliffs are both powerful and serene; welcoming you to look out to the sea or back toward land in reflection. I’ve spend many a day chilling on these cliffs contemplating the world.
3. Minnack Theatre, Penzance, Cornwall
What better way to marvel at both natural and man made beauty than watching a theatre production whilst overlooking the stunning Cornwall coast? With views toward the Atlantic and to Sennen Cove (prettiest beach on Earth) this theatre was chiseled into the rocks to create a quirky place to watch the human stories we love to create and share. Continue reading Earth Day: My favourite spots for reflecting on the world
Creating human warming for the love of communities
As Most of you know, in my day job I work at a very inspiring environmental charity – the Eden Project – on a community campaign called The Big Lunch. I’m very passionate about the project, which is all about connecting people and creating a sense of community spirit locally.
I try not to harp on about my job too much, but this weekend I’m working on a very exciting collaboration between The Big Lunch and the awesome Climate Coalition on their For The Love of campaign which I think you lazy green beans might be interested in. All weekend on Twitter we want to get people talking about what they love in their communities, and seek to protect from the effects of climate change. All you need to do is share a photo of what you love about where you live, with the hashtag #fortheloveof.
But what do street parties have to do with sustainability?
The Big Lunch –the UK’s annual get-together for neighbors – encourages people to sit down together on the first Sunday every June to share food and conversation, as a means to promote community spirit. But it’s more than just a street party full of trifles, trestle tables and bunting. People are the key ingredient. Those taking part begin to create friendlier communities in which they share more; from conversation and ideas, to skills and resources.
The UK’s award winning environmental charity and tourist attraction, the Eden project, seeded the idea of The Big Lunch in 2009 with the hope of creating stronger, more sustainable communities. It’s about recognising that, whilst individual responses to environmental issues – such as household recycling and conscious purchasing – are important factors in tackling climate change, the power of collective action cannot be underestimated. When people come together to share ideas, resources and skills, they are in effect becoming more sustainable. The Big Lunch calls it human warming, and last year 4.83 million people got involved to enjoy a taste of it! Continue reading Creating human warming for the love of communities
A Lazy Girl Goes Green 