Category Archives: Sustainability

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 →

Events, Green Home, Green ideas, Green Living, Green news, Nature, Recipes, Sustainability

Green Activity Ideas for Earth Hour

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Tonight I’m really looking forward to my first WWF Earth Hour experience. This year, the global annual event will see hundreds of millions of people switch off their lights, for one hour, to demonstrate their love of our wonderful planet. I love the idea that for just a short amount of time, millions across the globe are partaking in something so simple but symbolic; in a bid to raise awareness for environmental and conservation issues.

So between 8.30 and 9.30pm, I’ll be switching off all my lights, TV and music; and showing my love to the Earth!

But an hour with no electricity can actually be very long and boring if you’re not prepared, so I thought I’d share some of my green ideas for entertaining yourself during Earth Hour: Continue reading Green Activity Ideas for Earth Hour →

General ramblings, Green Home, Green ideas, Green Living, Green news, Reviews, Sustainability, War on waste

Tiny Green Living

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Earlier this month I made a step to downsize my outgoings, and belongings, by moving into a small but cosy studio apartment. I spent hours in the lead up to the move sorting through my stuff; posting onto Streetbank, donating to charity shops and recycling where they had completely given up the goat. It was surprisingly cleansing to get rid of so much, even the things I had kept onto for over 10 years. But surprise, surprise, when I moved into my new studio flat – which is literally a room with a bathroom attached – I realised that my many attempts of de-cluttering was simply not enough. I still have far too much stuff! Continue reading Tiny Green Living →

Green food, Sustainability, War on waste

Waste Free Dining With Doggy Bags!

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Doggy bags are the best. That is, if you’re brave enough to ask for them! We are all guilty of having eyes bigger than our bellies from time to time, and ordering way more than we can possibly consume when eating out. But when it comes to sending plates of food back to the kitchen, the dreadful waste can be a little too much to stomach. But I for one am always a little shy just to ask for a doggy bag. If eating at a restaurant that also offers a takeaway service it can feel a little less cheeky asking for a tub to take any leftovers home. But even then the food often sits in our fridge for a few days before being thrown into our bins at home!

This weekend we were faced with this dilemma when we went out for Sunday Lunch at the Offshore Bar and Bisto in Cubert. A couple of sides of steamed seasonal veg were ordered, but with such generous main portions, they were barely touched. After forcing a carrot or a sprout into our mouths, we all admitted defeat. It felt like a complete waste to send it back to the kitchen, but we all seemed unsure if it was good etiquette to ask for a doggy bag. Luckily, one of the most braver, resourceful member of the group just asked and the staff were happy to oblige. Easy! Continue reading Waste Free Dining With Doggy Bags! →

Sustainability, Upcycling, Zero Waste Week

One Big Reason to Start Stamp Collecting

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If, unlike me, you were inundated by Valentines cards last weekend, you might have a backlog of stamped envelopes at home. If not, there is no reason you shouldn’t start  the age old tradition of stamp collecting for one big reason: charities can make money from them.

Until not long ago, any old paper items went straight into the basket next to our log burner for bulking up our winter fires, or straight into the paper recycling box. And it never really occurred to me that peeling stamps off envelopes would be of any use to anyone. But, perhaps 10 years after everyone else, I discovered that charities like oxfam, PDSA and RNIB all raise funds through the collection of stamps. All you have to do is cut them off your envelope, save in a pot and post over to your chosen charity using the address’ below. What a great way to recycle, reuse and fundraise!

Charities who receive Stamps:

RSPB: Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
Send loose stamps to: RSPB Stamps, PO Box 6198, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, LU7 9XT

PDSA: People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals
Send used stamps to: PDSA Stamp Appeal, PO Box 9191, Wishaw, Lanarkshire, ML2 0YB

Hearing Dogs for Deaf People
Send to: PO Box 6198, Leighton Buzzard, Beds, LU7 9GW

Animal SOS Sri Lanka o Send to: Animal SOS Sri Lanka, 64 Fair Acres, Prestwood, Great Missenden, Buck, HP16 0LE RNIB: Royal

National Institute of Blind People
Sort into UK and foreign and send to: RNIB Stamp Recycling, PO Box 185, Benfleet, SS7 9BH

OXFAM
Donate to any shop, email jawhitaker@oxfam.org.uk for more info

MS Trust: Multiple Sclerosis Trust 
Send to: MS Trust, Bridge Road, Letchworth Garden City, Herts, SG6 4ET

You can see a comprehensive list, including local charities here .

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

Book Review: Green Moxie’s Guide to Sustainable Living

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This weekend, I’m a bit of a kid in a (vegan) candy shop. I’ve managed to get my hands on one of the most exciting green books of the year: Green Moxie’s Guide to Sustainable living, and I’ve been dying to share my thought with you all!

I’ve been a massive fan of Toronto based Nikki Fotheringham and her website Green Moxie ever since I began A Lazy Girl Goes Green last year, and have be fortunate enough to do a few blog swaps with the sustainability legend. What struck me from the outset was how honest, funny and down to earth Nikki was with her approach to sustainability. Though she specialises in environmentally-friendly building technologies and renewable energy, her cheeky and stylish approach to green living makes it a more accessible, and in fact desirable, way to live.  Continue reading Book Review: Green Moxie’s Guide to Sustainable Living →

Green Living, Green news, Interviews, Sustainability

Your Green Life: Elsie Bryant (Development Truths)

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I’m sure I have said before that sustainability is not just about recycling, organic food and solar panels. It’s also about all of us wonderful human beings, and how we treat each other and the world around us. I choose to be an optimist when it comes to the intentions of others, and believe that deep down we all want the best for the world; and will do anything in our power to make it fair, safe and enjoyable for everyone in it. But as we all know, information spins around so freely these days, conflict and confusion can happen; and we are often unsure what to believe when it comes to “making a difference”.

Well, let me introduce a very inspiring young lady, who happens to be one of my nearest and dearest friends: Miss Elsie Bryant! Having worked in many areas of sustainability – from Start UK and UK Green Building Council, to  awesome events such as Bristol’s Big Green Week – Elsie has worked her communications & campaigning magic across the UK green world. But her true passion lies in people; and her interest in international develop has lead to her fabulous work as an inspiring Humanitarian and environmental entrepreneur. Her personal blog, Development Truths, is an honest and frank look at the world of international development; which seeks to challenge, but not judge, our perceptions of the world around us.

And from a personal, extremely biased perspective, I simply love this chick!!

Continue reading Your Green Life: Elsie Bryant (Development Truths) →

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

Understanding: Fracking

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I’ve been seeing an increase of stories in the news recently about ordinary people rising up, and standing up against plans for fracking in their local area. Using assertive, yet relatively peaceful, campaigning method; I’ve seen everyone from passionate, student activists to concerned, middle-aged housewives taking to the streets with placards, or writing forceful letters of objection to their MPs. This subject is a hot bed for debate in the UK right now, and everyone’s in on it.

But I must admit, until not long ago, I had largely been oblivious to what fracking actually was; simply relaxing into the view that it was something that was bad for the environment but too technical for me to understand. I’m guessing I’m not the only one to shy away from the more industrial side of sustainability, so I thought a “Fracking in a nutshell” post might be helpful! (plus I’m a massive Battlestar Gallactica fan so have been dying to over use the word Frack for years!)

Continue reading Understanding: Fracking →