GoodLiving Tips

On ya bike

Got on my bike for the first time in a few months last night.  Got out of the habit of using it.  It was great to get the exercise and be carbon neutral and I am sure the journey was quicker than by car given the bad traffic (it was rush hour).   How about it?  Cycling is fun and safe as long as you have good lights and wear a helmet (took me a long time to convince myself this made sense, I always wore it off-road but didn't bother on the road until a friend had an accident off road and the helmet saved him -  now I do) and ideally a reflective top/tabbard. 

Loft Insulation & Cavity Wall Insulation

We applied for loft insulation grant/discount through one of the schemes running in our area. (Yes I know I have been telling everyone to do this in the summer and not leave it until it gets cold - but with a new baby we just didn't get round to it!)   We went through the Energy Saving Trust.  Just pop your postcode in and they give you a list of schemes running in your area.  We are in a rented house and were doing this with the owners permission.  We contacted two and they came round to survey.  One said £170.  It would have been £100 if we didn't  have any insulation currently  but we have a small amount.  It is funny you pay more for less, but it is because the grant is lower as the grant is based on the amount of saving it would provide.  The second company came round.  They represented a group including DEFRA and the local council.  They said it would be about £140 but it turns out if you have children and are receiving child benefit you get it free.  Fantastic (for the landlord, she was paying)!!  We would have also go cavity wall insulation free as well except we don't need it as we have solid walls!  So, we'll have to wait a few weeks for the grant to be approved but let me encourage you pursue it if you haven't.  Start by looking at the the grant info available for your area on the Energy Saving Trust site.  There is an added benefit with the introduction of Home Information Packs as they include a measure of the energy efficiency of your home.

So, another benefit of having children - but not as good as being able to park in parent and child parking spaces at shopping centres (we benefited big time with that one on Saturday!!)

British Gas Customer?

If so, have you signed up for paperless billing to save paper and get the incentive of 4 free low energy light bulbs?  If not, you only have a couple of days left so sign up here.  Of course, if you are not a British Gas customer most energy providers (and telephone providers) have a paperless billing scheme - have you signed up?  Of course, you don't have you electricity with British Gas or anyone else other than The Good Energy Company do you?   They are the only provider to provide 100% renewable electricity.  See the Utilities section for more details.

The next time you get in the car....

...stop and think - can you do that journey by public transport.  I thoroughly recommend it.  I got the tube & train to a meeting yesterday.  A year ago I would have driven (1hr - assuming traffic OK, then there is finding somewhere to park...).  It took 1.5 hours but tube/train but I sat back, relaxed, read, finished off the presentation and had a 2 min walk the other end - no worries about finding somewhere to park.   OK, it may have taken an extra hour (the chances are it is far less than that with traffic etc.) but it was hassle free and had a much, much lower impact on our environment.

Tip of the Week

My tip of the week is buy your Christmas tree now!!  Most trees are cut down at the same time and from now on are left lying around drying out.  So, buy it early, chop a few inches off the bottom and then leave it in a bucket of water in the garden - that way it will stay fresher for longer.   Ideally buy a tree that is in a pot, you can then leave it in the garden through the year, keep it watered and it will last for a good few years.  We had one we had for about 3 years until we neglected it one summer...  Christmas Forest looks like a good source of Christmas trees.  They say they cut fresh, the source mainly in the UK to reduce carbon emissions and donate a tree to Tree Aid for every one sold. Check out their website for your nearest source.

Charity Christmas Cards - belated Tip of the Week!

I saw an article on TV on charity Christmas cards.  Apparently if you buy them from a high street store such as WHS, M&S or such like as little as 5% could be going to the charity.  If you buy them from the charity store (e.g. Oxfam) or from a dedicated charity Christmas card sale that pop up in town halls, churches etc. then more like 80% goes to the charity.  Or do what we do and make your own!

Christmas Lights

I flew in to heathrow over London this evening and could not believe the number of houses with Christmas lights all over them already.  They caught my eye as a whole area seemed to be flashing on and off and I thought perhaps the street/area had power problems!! I then realised it was flashing Christmas lights I could see.  I wonder how much energy they take?  I was in a pub last night and they played Christmas music!!!  It is far too early - stop it!  (Anyway we wanted the sound on for the football!!)

Great Sign

Saw this in a bookshop in Great Yarmouth - why can't more shops do this instead of putting your things in a bag before you can blink.  A group at church are thinking about engaging with the local traders to made the local shops a voluntary plastic bag free zone. 

Good to see Gordon Brown talking about plastic bags and the UK's commitment to climate change.

Train

Since changing job I get the train far more frequently and I love it.  I used to travel around the country by plane or car now I use the train far more.  London to Great Yarmouth £22 return - can't be bad.  TIme to do some work and relax.  No jams to get caught up in.  I know trains sometimes get delayed - but not as frequently as cars get jammed!   So, next time you plan a trip give it a go, try a train.

Plastic Fantastic

Today our council started taking plastic in the door to door recycling collection scheme.  It's great.  It saves us taking it to the local tip/recycling centre.   Do your council collect it?  If not why not email/write to the head of your council.  You will find their details on the council website. 

Positive Pause

I find that when thinking about being more environmentally friendly and ethical there is always more we could do or more we 'should be doing'.  How about taking a pause to think about how much you are doing, maybe compare it to a year ago.  Congratulate yourself for how much you do rather than thinking about how much more you could be doing.  It doesn't mean don't do any more, just being positive for a moment might inspire you to do more. 

What are you eating/drinking?

This makes me laugh so much.  Have some vitamins or anti-oxidants with your phosphoric acid, aspartame, citric acid -potassium benzoate and caffeine.  Why bother?!!  I used to be addicted to diet coke so I know what it is like trying to give it up.  Thankfully I managed it.  I had one 3 months later and had the shakes and was hyper at work for about 2 hours!!  Scared me so much I haven't touched it since.  I bought a sandwich the other day that had a detailed breakdown of the ingredients. 

• Bread - blah, blah, blah
• Mayonnaise - blah, blah, blah
• Sweetcorn - sweetcorn, water, sugar!!!!

Next time you eat something, read the ingredients, you might be surprised!  Makes you think.

Christmas Presents

I had a very interesting chat about Christmas presents last night at our 'Creation Care Team' at Church.  Can you remember what you were given last year?  (Bevan is so organised she has it written down!)  I cannot without checking the list.  So, why do we keen giving each other presents that often the recipient doesn't need or want and are soon forgotten?  Well, we decided what we needed to do now is make an agreement with friends/family that normally you exchange presents with that either:

• you don't exchange presents this year or
• just do the children if you have them or
• agree a small budget limit (need to be more creative with a smaller budget of say £5)
• give alternative gifts (see Presents)
• give just food products that you can enjoy
• give something homemade

Instead of having to do the pleased look as you open them when inside you are cringing set the agreements now.  You have to be brave and initiative the discussion but I bet they are relieved you have.  Go on, be brave you won't regret it.

Free Rice

Freerice is a great little website involving a vocab quiz and donating rice to people that need it (paid for by advertisers on the site).  You donate 10 grains for every question you get right!

Amen to That!

Another great post on the Howies blog.

'tis the season of cr*p in the shops

Excuse my french but I get so angry when you see this rubbish in the shops at Christmas (and its not even Christmas yet!). It is not just Christmas stuff either, suddenly at Christmas all this 'stuff' appears in the shops you never see at any other time of the year.  Who needs it?  What wants it?   We are wasting the earths resources with this junk whilst people around the world die of starvation and dehydration.   Sorry, I'll get  off my soap box. Have less, you'll enjoy what you have more.

Tip of the Week

How many times have you been out and bought something or picked up some shopping  on the way home and because you don't have a re-usable bag on you, you have to use a plastic bag from the shop?  I found I was frequently in this position until I got an Onya bag - because it is always onya!  They are not the most stylish but they are small and very strong.  It stuffs in to a small pouch and cab be clipped to a bag, I leave mine in my coat pocket.   Check out their website. 

They do different styles and you can buy online.  I notice they have gone up in price quite a lot since they were first available, so they must be popular!!  They do new products such as compostable poopa-scoop bags and bags for your loose veg in the supermarket instead of collecting lots of their plastic ones.

Recycled Wrapping Paper

The most popular search on Google that leads to this site is people looking for recycled wrapping paper.  It is hard to find but I know that Natural Collection does recycled wrapping paper, Christmas wrapping paper and gift bags.   The World Wildlife Fund also sell recycled wrapping paper.  Other ideas can be found in the Presents section.  Does anyone know of any other good sources?   

Have a DVD Clear-Out

I notice at Blockbuster yesterday they have an scheme running until the end of the year where you can drop in any unwanted DVDs and console games and for every donation Starlight Children's Foundation gets a donation.  Donate four or more and you get a discount of your next Blockbuster rental.   So, is it time for a clear-out of the DVDs you never watch?  Make space before Christmas!   For more details see www.donate-a-disc.org.uk.   We find we have DVDs that seem a good idea at the time but we do not have time to watch and if we fancy watching a DVD we want to see something we haven't seen before.   

Horray!

M&S to charge for plastic bags lets hope the rest follow their lead.  Is 5p enough?