This is not my... Week 37
12/10/06 - Good at some things
This Section; Background; The point
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Never let it be said that I don't write about anything exciting... |
Got a mug from work.
Not a normal mug.
One of those metal things that keeps the heat in. It was on my desk the other day as a 'green' gift since I had turned my monitor off.
Naturally I was very excited.
Last time I got anything free it was a random selection of things from my Gran's cupboards. Not to say that I was ungrateful but just that the napkin holders and 'in-fashion designer' T-shirt (luminous, enormous and bootleg) weren't all that handy.
A shiny mug on the other hand...
How much nicer does tea taste!
The tiny little plastic ones that the machine dispenses are a skill unto themselves. I am sure they must be a health and safety issue. They are flimsy little things. Reusing is basically a way of ensuring you burn your finger tips off.
Handy for budding criminals but not so handy for those who need to spend the rest of the day typing.
Despite this, a lot get used.
The need to get a caffeine fix before particularly laborious meetings makes many throw caution to the wind. And - despite the fact that I (somewhat irritatingly) go around turning monitors off - there were not enough shiny cups to go round.
So I am going to investigate - dun dun nun nun nun nun nahhhh - SAVE A CUP.
(The daring sounding name is somewhat lost after the - not quite so dynamic tag line- "Playing our part in discharging the vending industry's responsibility towards a sustainable environment".)
Will let you know how I get on if you want to tackle the plastic cups in your office though (have visions of people attempting rugby moves on their coffee makers - which is quite amusing - if a clear indication that I need to get out more....)
Anyhow - just washed up my shiny mug (will the excitement never cease?) and so thought I would ponder its wonder.
Probably time to move on...
What else.
Oooh more on the campaign to get the Government to include a climate bill in the Queen's Speech.
Got an email the other day that said according to someone who spoke to someone else who knew an inside source (so nothing tenuous then..) this is very much a possibility.
The pressure seems to be working so keep it up and - if you haven't had chance to sign up to the Big Ask - there is still a couple of weeks to do it. (It only takes 90 seconds.)
Right - will go and see if I can do something more scintillating to write about.... can't be hard.
Have a fabulous day! x
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No crazy antics this weekend I'm afraid.
But... |
very excitingly I did finally get to natter with This is not my's Lara who is still over in her native Canada.
We have managed to keep missing each other for about 2 months!
Very excited too to confirm that she is still doing her best to minimise her impact on the planet... as she hasn't got any clothes so is reusing the ones she left there when she was 11.
Oh my.
She is insisting that she is looking really cool and really British (which is soooooo 2006 in Montreal).
She did though also mention that she is flaunting the short sleeve look and that she had just spent half an hour removing the hoops from her jacket...
It got me thinking though.
The kindest thing that you could say about my wardrobe is that it is 'tired'.
I have been wearing the same clothes on rotation for the last couple of years occasionally being dragged to the shops to buy the vitals (holes in jeans - ok, holes in knickers - not so good).
But I just detest shopping.
I mean if there was a shop with all the things I like, in my size, that were really cheap and flattering - that would be another thing - but sadly no one has opened a shop based entirely on my taste and measurements. Damnation.
But perhaps customisation is the way forward?
Taking the clothes that already fit and making them better without braving Oxford Street would be amazing.
Going to have a proper look through Craftster.org for inspiration.
Not convinced that it will be up to the standards of Junky Styling but no harm in trying.
Anyhow - have been working on a Problems 'v' Solutions page for the site but (of course) haven't finished it. Or - if I'm being honest - haven't started it. I know what it WILL look like though...
Gave up on it in favour of popping over to my brothers for some tea and scones (told you it wasn't the craziest of weekends)!
Missed his birthday and so took him over a cook book. Got a nice local / seasonal one and found out from his wife - the lovely Rach - that seasonal food is not only better on air miles but also better for us in general.
I guessed that it would be healthier as it is fresher but didn't know that seasonal food has the nutrients we need at the time of year they grow. I.e. more vitamin D in winter foods.
How amazing is that.
Ain't nature clever.
Rach had just read it somewhere. I went in search of a link and could only find one. On the Saga website...
My brother may laugh at me for general immaturity (I know - shocking slander) but those guys are getting old before their time!
Anyhow - best be off but have a lovely start to the week x
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Why, why, why?
At what point was it a good idea to... |
Drink a bottle of wine last night?
Oh my head!
Have been so good of late. Been running about and doing loads of fun things so I haven't really had time.
But we had a meeting last night on building a new database for the site with our friend Matt - a wonderful man who inadvertently offered his help and is now rebuilding the whole thing! (If any other technically clever people want to get in touch...)
Sadly this was complemented by dinner at Ollie's.
Not - I should stress - because Ol is a bad cook but because it also involved wine.
Far too much wine. Though specifically from Europe to keep the air miles down!
Which means that the run into work isn't looking likely.
In fact - being capable of doing basic things that don't involve physical exertion is going to be a struggle.
Went in search of a good home made hangover cure and found that.... you should drink water. (Going to be so jealous if someone got paid for coming up with that!)
Anyhow - would love to regale you with exciting facts and investigations but it is going to be far more productive and entertaining if I focus instead on eating as much toast as possible!
So really this is just to moan about my useless lack of will power and to wish you a happy weekend.
Oooh and to tell you about a great site I came across which promotes produce from the UK and gives local / seasonal recipes.
So if you find that you are making dinner for friends (an occasion at which you may or may not force them to drink against their will...) then check out The Great British Kitchen for some ideas.
Right - off to find a darkened room... or an eye mask...
Have a good one x
12/10/2006 - Good at some things
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Bad at some things... |
Lara has been trying to work on our newsletters but (evil evil computers), since she is in Canada, is having trouble sending them.
But never fear - for I can add some of her musings in here while we assess the problem.
(As it's a technical problem that will really mean - while we find someone else who can assess the problem...)
Anyhow.... over to La
So being in Canada at the moment there are a few difference that I have noticed between the two countries namely:
1. We don't use sponges in the kitchen. We use flannels that you can wash and reuse! - Simple.
2. COMPANY RECYCLING. Every individual that I know here who works has a recycling bin either at their desk beside them or on their office floor. It is crazy that this is not the case in the UK too. There is just no excuse for it.
3. Get proper recycling bins...the bins here are almost as tall as me and get collected every two weeks. People here generate so little waste, everything is recycled and it is so easy. (NB - to be fair Lara is very short!)
4. Not technically from Canada but just over the border... Dell Computers have launched free recycling in the US. They are being hailed as one of the most environmentally friendly conscious gadget makers and are offering free computer recycling to anyone owning a dell - whether or not you are buying a new one. Come on Dell...don't just stick to the states...go for the world!
5. We have car pool lanes! Driving into the city in the morning there are three lanes, two of them are PACKED the third is almost empty. I did not get it at first as we sailed past all the traffic legally but my father explained it to me that if you have more than two people in the car you can use the car pool lane. Genius.
6. We don't have the fair trade / organic food / organic clothing craze over here... please send it! We also call organic things biological things, which technically means a living organism...a bit gross to think about when you are buying your thanksgiving turkey.
No fair trade / organic clothing you say... I know a little old directory that might help...?
No seriously it so interesting to see how much is going on all over the globe that we can learn from - or help out with. Lots to think about.
Our plan is to find some more great ideas / things that are going on around the globe but for now I'm running late (surprise) so will leave that for another time.
In any case - it is such a gorgeous day in London the least time spent wasting energy inside the better!
Enjoy it x
11/10/2006 - Time is on my side
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Yes it is... |
Perhaps not a lot of time I admit - but there is still time.
Popped into a lecture yesterday by James Lovelock as part of St Paul's - Costing the Earth? The Quest for Sustainability.
Obviously time was not on my side right then as I couldn't stay for the questions (which I had hoped would lead to discussion on nuclear power and carbon sequestration) but I enjoyed it.
Primarily as I had been told that James Lovelock had predicted a fairly gloomy outlook for humankind. The planet, he rightly claims, has endured far worse than the temperature rises we are inducing.
Sadly though - it tends to get rid of things that it doesn't like and can't sustain.
Things like us...
Anyhow - I mention all this for the simple comment that he gave - "Of course there is hope" and the explanation that we need to start fighting to save ourselves.
Basically, the perfect statement for an eternal optimist who grew up watching Star Wars and wanting to be in the Rebel Alliance (come on - save the universe, get light sabers and join a group with very few women and men who look like Harrison Ford...)
Time though is limited. Scientists suggest that the actions we take over the next 10 years to reduce our carbon emissions will be vital if we want to stop catastrophic climate change.
So we'd best get a move on.
As luck would have it there are loads of things we can do.
On an individual level the action pages on here (surprise!) list quite a few easy places to start. The whole - efficient light bulbs, buying local food, changing to a renewable energy supplier - type thing.
We do though need to get everyone else to as well.
Asking our MP's, employers and the companies we use to take action can help. Plus talking to our friends, family and people we meet on the tube (check out the latest idea from Hannah's cafe - brilliant).
The march to ask the Government to commit to emission reduction targets on the 4th November will also provide a great opportunity to have a say.
Lovely.
Lots to be getting along with though.
So - if time does start to look a bit thin on the ground - it is nice to hear that we might be able to buy ourselves a bit more with a massive global sunshade.
Admittedly, it is an expensive distraction when we can just make ourselves more efficient and use cleaner energy supplies but - as an idea - it's kind of fun!
See - there's always hope.
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 debates, downloads, fun stuff and plenty more to lure you back to the site on a regular basis.
We’d love you to get involved with some curious antics to keep important issues in the public eye – and provide us with much entertainment and amusement at the same time.
So - take a look. Explore… investigate… probe away.
We hope you like it; we hope you use it.
