Recent Comments

1. Sign Up Online To Become An Organ Donor - 31 May 2007

   I wanted to get off to a good start by doing one action right away. As this is something I have been meaning to do for ages, and as being able to do it online makes it a doddle, it seemed the obvious one to go for. I feel good – and ready for the next challenge.

2. Stop Taking Plastic Bags From Shops - 13 Jul 2007

   I managed to get to the last day of the month before I had to accept a plastic carrier bag (two actually!). I needed to remember to take a cloth bag with me when I went shopping or to carry a spare plastic bag in my pocket/handbag for impulse purchases, but otherwise the only real difficulty was persuading shop assistants that I really, really, really did not want one of their lovely bags!

3. See An Inconvenient Truth. - 13 Jul 2007

   I saw this film when it came out and was very moved by the content and the presentation. Then, in response to a request from Oxfam, I bought a copy of the DVD to share with friends. We had 5 friends round to see it this week and it’s now on loan to another friend.

4. Know your local political leaders - 13 Jul 2007

   As a political activisit I know my MP and local councillors personally and find that this is an enomous advantage when it comes to lobbying them on issues such as peace, justice and the environment.

5. Turn Off The Tap When Brushing Your Teeth - 13 Jul 2007

   I first heard of this action in a dramatic presentation in the primary school where I work. It seemed so simple and the very act of turning off the tap as I brush is a twice daily reminder of the need to conserve our natural resources.

6. Compost Your Leftovers - 13 Jul 2007

   We only have one compost bin so we would have run into problems had our council not introduced a brown bin collection before our compost bin was full. The other advantage of the council scheme is that we can compost cooked food which we could not have done with our compost bin. There has been a lot of negative press about our council scheme but we are delighted with the reduction in the amount of waste that we now send to the landfill site.

7. Sign the Flight Pledge - 13 Jul 2007

   I signed the gold pledge last November and have so far only taken three domestic flights for a family emergency. This summer we are travelling to Italy by train. For those interested in exploring the world by land log on to www.seat61.com for a comprehensive guide to travelling by train.

8. Give Your Unwanted / Unworn Clothes To Charity - 13 Jul 2007

   I tend to wear my clothes until they are falling apart and no longer of any use to anyone else so most of them end up in our council’s black recycling box. The few that are still presentable go to one of our many local charity shops.

9. Shower More, Bath Less - 13 Jul 2007

   I can’t remember the last time I had a bath!

10. DIY vegetables! - 13 Jul 2007

    We are into our second attempt to work an allotment. The first one failed when I had to go back to work full time for a while and could not find enough time to make it work. The jury’s still out on whether this second attempt will be any more successful.

11. Get Rid of Your Car - OK, ambitious, but... - 13 Jul 2007

    If it is possible to give up what one has never had, then I have fulfilled this action. I have never owned a car and, although I took driving lessons at a time when I thought they would be useful, I have never driven since the day I passed my test. We are a family of two adults and two teenage daughters and the reason it has worked for us is that we have never organised our life around car ownership. It has not always been easy but I can honestly say that I have never regreted or been tempted to reconsider our decision.

12. Recycle Your Greetings Cards - 24 Jul 2007

    Although I love giving and receiving cards I have made a conscious decision to cut down and now only send cards to people I will not see on or around Christmas. I have cut old cards into gift tags for several years now but would like to try making them into new cards this Christmas.