This is not my... Week 18 - 07
10/05/07 - As far as excuses go...
This Section; Background; The point
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for something to do in the next couple of weeks... |
You might want to check one of these out.
If you feel like the climate change debate has passed you by you can immerse yourself in the Campaign Against Climate Change weekend of lectures over the weekend (well it’s gonna be raining and there may be a cute speaker…), if you’re into Fashion, then the Fashion Made Fair sample sale starts next Thursday and if you like sex well – it’s the Sex and Climate Change event on the 21st.
As a friend pointed out, sex in the Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club – who could want for more?!
Anyhow – off to Scotland to enjoy the delights of rail travel once again. (I really do love it. Almost a little bit too much. Starting to worry about it actually… ‘must not sit in raincoat on Doncaster station, must not sit in raincoat on Doncaster station, must not….’)
So – from me and Ol and La – have a fabulous weekend and see you next week.
(And hopefully in Bethnal Green too... Oooer)
Susie x
10/05/07 - As far as excuses go...
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It's a pretty good one... |
Trundled off for a parkour class yesterday.
Since a big run last month I have been slacking a bit but I had eaten a lot of toast (for energy of course - and nothing to do with the fact that I was working from home and took half hourly tea breaks...) and figured that burning it off would probably be a good idea.
And so it was that I found myself leaping gracelessly over walls and railings when I remembered something I had read.
Well I say read - more exactly I should say - was forced to look at as my friend repeatedly jabbed a magazine with a "see, see, you're really bad for the environment!"
It was an article on heavy breathing leading to a greater exhalation of CO2.
The article itself was relating to sex and whether it is good for the environment: if you do it with the lights out - or bad: if you do it enthusiastically burning up calories and breathing deeply.
Since I have been horrifically virginal of late, in my case, I could only asume that she was referring to exercise.
Anyhow - back to the Parkour and we are mid muscle up 26 (I'd like to pretend that I can do these but I had my foot in a sneakily appointed groove so was basically just standing up and down).
I stop.
It's all a bit like hard work.
And I am, after all very concerned about the environment...
Ah the things we do for the greater good!
x
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is a curious thing... |
Was reading an article on the train the other day. In fact, reading quite a number of articles, full of interesting facts*, which I then regaled to my friend, continuously, till she nearly cried... (it was a long journey and we only had the one magazine!)
Anyhow - the particular article in question was about poo. Cow poo to be precise. (As I said, long journey...)
It was suggesting that the best way to combat climate change is to avoid eating beef. I had heard a similar argument before but in relation to meat. Since I don't really eat chicken and am addicted to houmus I was convinced I was a pretty virtuous in my low-meat diet.
But I do - ever so often - get a craving for a big burger.
Hmmmmm.
And the thought of not having one was distressing.
You see - cows tend to be windy animals. They burp and fart and produce lots of methane which is far more detrimental to the atmosphere than CO2. And they take up quite a lot of space to graze. Much of which is now in large fields where rain forest used to be.
Oh dear.
But - there is hope for environmentalists and the lowly burger yet.
The capture of poo!
Yes, rather than cause harm, cow poo could - in fact - be our saviour
All over the developing world, dung is used as fuel. In Germany there are over 3000 farms with 'digesters' and the US is now turning to poo for power too.
Back in the UK, the Department for Environmental and Rural Affairs are also trying to establish the possibilities for this type of energy source in Britain. It will be interesting to see their findings as, if there is one thing we are never short of....
Much more to the point I need there to be hope for the burger yet, after all, have you tried Quorn substitute? Really...?
x
*Did you know that the harvest mouse has the largest penis of all rodents? (Even so, I reckon the frog's out of its league...)
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Sometimes things are sent to test our resolve.... |
Usually it'll be an extra bit of chocolate cake/new top/Hollyoaks omnibus on a Sunday morning etc
This time though - it was the super fast lifestyle of the rich and famous.
Yes, an email pinged into my inbox.
It was a friend of mine who works in PR. Her office was looking for a new account manager and so she was asking about.
The account was a dream job. Hard work I am certain. But a dream job... fast cars, international travel, hobnobbing with the tanned and beautiful....
The Esso sponsorship of Formula One!
Anyhow - clearly my ethics (and the fact that I can only tell cars apart by colour) meant that it wasn't totally ideal for me. But it did get me thinking. So I googled Formula One. (Just curious, you know, research...)
And was surprised.
Despite the massive amount of pollution motor racing causes, they are talking about going green.
Honda have scrapped their sponsors in order to create an 'Earth car' and the sport as a whole is looking to be a model for new technologies.
Pretty unsure where I stand on it all and how much of a 'greenwash' it is for a sport that by nature churns out so much CO2 but it is interesting none the less.
Guess it is all a step in the right direction.
Which just leaves Esso How bad can they be.... you know, really...?
Ha ha - anyhow - hope you all had lovely bank holidays!
Susie x
This section will be a daily, well - Monday to Friday daily, editorial. (Have to keep some time aside to keep up the ritual wine drinking / dancing as if being chased by bees.)
I promise to make it my mission to investigate something each day on exciting forays to find new stuff, fun stuff, ethical stuff and anything involving break dancing men with extremely toned physiques.
Let me know if you think of something I should go and visit or if you have any great ideas or information. (Any dodgy suggestions will be politely declined... or not so politely, depending entirely on what they are!)
For today, though, please just have a look below to find out how this whole thing came about. I hope that you are having a lovely morning.
See you tomorrow,
Susie x
Background to This is not my...
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What is this site all about?
Well, as all good ventures do, it started in the pub with the ominous words "I know, why don't we...?" |
What was different, though, was that it still seemed like a good plan in the morning (and somewhat less injurious than trying out extreme ironing, the other suggestion...)
Anyway - once again we had been supping beers and putting the world to rights when someone mentioned the unmentionable, despite our disaffection with the state of the world, none of us was actually doing anything positive to change it.
Whether this was complacency or apathy, who knows - but we were definitely leaving it to others to make decisions and take action for us on issues about which we felt strongly.
We live in a free society, but often things seem to happen as a fait accompli. The war in Iraq, ID cards, the fact that we will eventually succumb to watching some of Big Brother no matter how hard we try...
And we just go along with it. But that is ok, right? I mean, we aren't exactly encouraging the abuse of others - are we?
Ok - so maybe my new top might have been made under less-than-perfect conditions and I suppose that means I am supporting those conditions, but - I have to buy something to wear, so what other choice do I have?
And that was the problem. What - and where - are the choices?
So we decided to investigate. Surely in this free society we have other options; we just need to know how to find them.
So we went online. There are some great directories already for ethical and/or environmentally friendly products, but for us these didn't go far enough. We were on a bit of a roll and decided that these products deserved more active promotion.
We wanted to make as many people as possible aware of the practical things they can do to live life in a better way.
So on this site we will provide information about easy, positive and ethical consumer choices. These are choices that won’t necessarily cost you more, either.
In our directories you will find environmentally friendly and ethical companies and products across the following categories:
Clothes
Energy
Food and Drink
Health and Beauty
Home and Garden
Office
Recycling
Restaurants
You will also find plenty more to lure you back to the site on a regular basis. So come back to have a wee look.
Plus we will be working on video's, events and curious antics to keep important issues in the public eye – and provide us with much entertainment and amusement at the same time.
Give us a shout if you want to get involved!
Anyhow - take a look. Explore… investigate… probe away.
We hope you like it; we hope you use it.
