Category Archives: Green Living

Green fashion, Green Living, Sustainability, What to buy, Where to shop

Is Cornwall a new hub for ethical fashion?

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I think we’ve all experienced that feeling of excitement, which quickly turns to anxiety, when a special invitation leaves us freaking out about what to wear. It’s one of the oldest and most unavoidable situations, no matter how comfortable and confident you feel within yourself. Whether it’s a party, wedding, conference, or simply meeting someone new for the first time, we all want to make a good impression and visually represent who we think we are inside.

So, when I was recently invited to attend the Observer Ethical Awards, with the scary sounding dress code of “Sustainable style”, I experienced this vain but natural freak out. If I could even claim to have some form of style in the first place, I would feel a little less nervous. But unfortunately, my outfits usually consist of charity shop hauls and friends hand-me downs. Naturally due to my “make do and mend” approach not simply  that I’m a complete fashion-phobe!

However , determined to at least attempt some kind of eco sophistication, I did some digging to see if I could find my own unique sustainable style, without spending more money on one outfit than I would normally spend in a year at the Cats Protection charity shop!

The good news is, my search was easier and closer to home than I thought. It turns out Cornwall is already a bit of a hub for eco fashion, so I don’t have to roam too far to kit myself all green and shiny!

cornwallmap

Like many counties across the UK, Cornwall has always been extremely proud of its own home-grown produce; not least because down here we see ourselves as a county within itself! From clotted cream and pasties, to tin mining and the iconic surf culture; Cornwall naturally and seamlessly balances both its historic and modern identities. So it shouldn’t really be any surprise that 5 of the best ethical fashion brands happen to be Cornish… Continue reading Is Cornwall a new hub for ethical fashion? →

Facts and Stats, Green Living, Vegan, Where to shop

10 Common Vegan Myths Busted

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1. You Lose Weight

Unfortunately this isn’t always the case. I lost half a stone in my first vegan month. And then I put it back on again…

My weight loss was less about being vegan and more about making healthier choices when my world was opened up to a 100% plant based diet. The fact is, whilst the vegan diet is generally lower in fat, cholesterol, sugars, calories etc. its not an instant weight loss program. You still need to exercise and eat well.

Jammie Dodgers are vegan. Enough said…

2. You miss out on treats

I’ve lost count of the amount of times cake or chocolate has been passed around the office to tempt me. It’s true that by going vegan at first you might notice more what you’re losing, than what you’re gaining in terms of treats and choices. But you soon learn to get prepared and plan ahead. And once you do a bit of digging, you’ll be surprised how much is accidently vegan (see above!)

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3. All vegans are activists

So you’ve made the switch and feeling inspired. Does that mean that you now have to become an activist and recruit more vegans? The answer is not if you don’t want to. Veganism is a personal choice and there are many ways you can inspire people without shoving horrific images of animal cruelty or deforestation in their faces. In fact, if you want, you don’t even have to label yourself as vegan, and just make discreet choices.

4. It’s expensive

It’s true that fancy imitation products like vegan cheeses, meats and treats are a little more than your average grocery shop, but these are not essential for a vegan diet. Vegetables, fruit, beans, lentils, tofu, pasta, rice, spices….well just about anything else you can eat is just the same price and you’re saving money (and lives) by avoiding meat! Plus, as demand rises, so the prices get lower.

local grocery shopping

5. You have to go to special shops

As above, your vegan staples aren’t dissimilar to what you normally buy, and even supermarkets and local stores are now getting wiser and stocking more “specialist” items. Asian markets, or even  world food sections of supermarkets, are full to the brim with vegan delights. Explore if you want, or stick to your fav shop and do some digging!

6. You’ll need to change friends

Yes, it can be hard when your friend chomps into a bacon sandwich, but you need to live and let live; and friends and family are no exception! In fact, you will find that without even trying you might just inspire some vegan friendly changes in your friends anyway!InstagramCapture_c8cc8b34-1dc9-4fa7-8ce1-00e6d7398abd_jpg

7. All Vegan products are soy

It does seem like the world is being taken over by soy these days, doesn’t it?! But there’s no need to worry, as there are plenty of alternatives. Sunflower spreads, nut milks and cheeses, and banana “nice cream” are all delicious options if you don’t want to turn into a soy bean! Plus, you really really don’t need soy for protein, there are a million other plant-based options!

dal and chapatti recipe

8. You’ll need to reply on supplements

Hmm I think I summed this up quite well here .

9. You’ll have to throw everything out

Because I hate waste, I didn’t go out and buy a brand new wardrobe as soon as I turned vegan. In fact, I still wear my old leather belts and shoes, and will continue to do so until I have 100% used them up. Switching lifestyles doesn’t have to result in further landfill!

10. You’ll feel happier, healthier and better about life

Can’t argues with this one, its complete FACT!

 

 

 

Green Beauty, Green health, Green Living, Green news, Reviews, Vegan, War on waste, What to buy, Where to shop

Natural, Vegan, “designer” Perfumes

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Last weekend I was in vegan heaven, when I popped up to the annual Bristol Vegfest; an extravaganza in all things vegan friendly! I tried the yummiest Pad Thai, stocked up on way too much dairy-free chocolate, and met some awesome like minded people.

But the highlight of my day (aside the vegan ales which got me a little tipsy…) was discovering a perfume company, called Eden Perfumes, who make a huge selection of natural, vegan friendly perfume, which perfectly imitate designer favorites.

For years I have been in a perfume rut. I’ve long, and uncharacteristically for a “hippy”, been a Calvin Klein Euphoria wearer and have never quite found anything else I like. But a huge amount of designer perfumes don’t really hold green credentials, and even fewer are vegan friendly. You may find some perfumes are vegan, but as I’ve found, they are rarely the ones I want!rsz_img_3940-2

So, when I ran out of CK a couple of weeks ago, I vowed that I wouldn’t buy another perfume until I found a greener option. Here ensued 2 weeks of experimenting with essential oil spritzers, all which left me smelling more like a walking pharmacy than a sophisticated lady!

The discovery of Eden Perfumes, then, couldn’t come sooner. Their stall at Vegfest displayed a line of big refill units, and smaller bottle to fill with your chosen scent (of which can be sent back to be refilled!) and each were labelled with the “designer” version it was similar to. Everything from Armani, Marc Jacobs and Burburry, to your favorite Chanel can be found in a botanical and natural form!

Eden only use organic & vegan ingredients (jasmine, vanilla, passionfruit, musk, saffron, oud, sandalwood and many more) and contain no nasty synthetics, parabens or phthalates. The best thing is, by saving on fancy packaging and marketing, all the perfumes are just £15!

eden-perfumes

You can order online, but when I next get the chance I’d love to travel to their store in Brighton and stock up in person! Oh, and after 1 week of testing I can confirm its long lasting and smells just like the real thing 🙂

General ramblings, Green health, Green Living, Nature

Guest Blog: Activism, Meditation and Staying Optimistic.

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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. →

Facts and Stats, Green Home, Green Living, renewable energy, Sustainability

Are new builds the smart choice for energy efficiency?

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Now, I am by no means in a position to be buying a home any time soon – I mean, I’m just about to give up all my worldly belongings and go gypsy for a while across the world! But I know many of my more sensible peers are increasingly looking to settle down and jump onto the property ladder. Most of them are going for the cheaper option, of something older which needs a little bit of work; then putting the hours and money in to make it their own. But when it comes to investing in your first house, is this approach really the most affordable, and green way to go?

My dream, if I’m honest, is to build my own Tiny House, Grand Design style. But If I had to purchase an existing home, I would always go for the old Victorian house full of character, over a shiny new build, with little history or soul. However – for the sustainably conscious – recent innovations are showing that new homes might actually be the smarter choice; not only for the pocket but also for the green credentials of your home.

In recent years there have been major changes in the way new build homes are designed, to make them more efficient for both the environment and the customer; resulting in hundreds of pounds being saved each year on energy bills. Continue reading Are new builds the smart choice for energy efficiency? →

Green ideas, Green Living, Green news, Reviews, Sustainability, What to buy

Book Review: The Sustainable Design Book

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Ok, I’m just going to go ahead and put it out there. I’m a bit of design geek. Well, specifically an architecture and furniture design geek (and yes, I do include my love of Ikea and Grand Designs in this description…); though I also  have respect for anything that is a little quirky, practical, and more importantly, sustainable. 

But don’t assume this geek love equates to intellectual prowess, no Sir! Not to be confused with someone who actually knows something of substance about a particular subject,  a geek is in fact characterized as someone who is (I quote the Oxford dictionary…) “extremely excited or enthusiastic about a subject, typically one of specialist or minority interest” and that’s me with design. I love it with a creepy, stalker-like passion, but am rarely invited to it’s parties. 

It is because of this interest, but lack of knowledge, that I jumped at the chance to take a look at a brand new book on this very subject: The Sustainable Design Book by Rebecca Proctor.

First impressions suggested that this was a dream book for arty, designer types with a profound knowledge of design. For those who would pretentiously ponder techniques, or simply leave around for friends and acquaintances to admire. A coffee table book if you will. But a curious thing happened. As I begun to flick through its beautifully laid out pages, I realised first impressions can be very deceptive indeed…

Continue reading Book Review: The Sustainable Design Book →

Events, General ramblings, Green Living, Green news, Sustainability

Creating human warming for the love of communities

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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.

BIG LUNCH, SPLOTT, CARDIFF, 01/06/2014The 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 →

Green fashion, Green Living, Sustainability, Vegan, What to buy, Where to shop

Bourgeois Boheme: From Shoe Apathy to Shoe Passion

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For those of you who have ever met me in person, you’ll know that I am the least fashionable person out there. I take the ethos of reduce, reuse and recycle to heart when it comes to clothes; and prefer a rummage in a charity shop rather than a credit card binge on the highstreet. This serves three main purposes:

Firstly, I don’t contribute to the throwaway fashion economy, in which you can buy a whole outfit for less than the person who made it earns in a year. Secondly, and rather vainly, I don’t have to feel old and frumpy in the latest fashions; choosing instead to stick to my 90s grunge look which has served me well for the majority of my 20s. Lastly, and most lazily of all, I don’t have a clue when it comes to “ethical fashion” and prefer to hide away from having to actively research the rabbit warren which is the clothes and shoe industry.

If only Vivienne Westwood could come shopping around Truro with me, and help me find a bargainous green outfit which makes me feel 3 stone lighter. But alas! The trains getting down here are a bloody nightmare. But even the most clueless of us occasionally fall in love. And when I fall in love, I can become pretty wistful and dreamy. Meet the Amanda Blue – the most beautiful shoe I have seen in my life. Continue reading Bourgeois Boheme: From Shoe Apathy to Shoe Passion →