GoodLiving Tips

Tip of the Week

My tip of the week this week is have a clear out of your bathroom cabinet.  How many medicines have you got that are well, well past their date?  Whilst you are at it, read the ingredients and see if there is more natural alternative.  Have you tried Chinese herbs?  We use them for all colds etc.

I am away working for a week so may not get a chance to update the blog much.  The week includes my first trip on the Eurostar (having worked for an airline for so long you tend not to use it!) which I am looking forward to.  To Brussels with a lower impact to the environment!

Alternative Therapies

I am studying hypnotherapy with The Quest Institute and loving it.  The more I explore alternative therapies the more I see wondrous results without any drugs and chemicals.  Being a Christian a lot of Christian friends say I 'should be careful' as many see alternative therapies as 'not of God'.  My experiences and understanding is that (with the ones I have an understanding of) they utilise our own God given resources for the healing, there is nothing external going on or entering you.  E.g. acupuncture is helping the energy flow within the body, cranial sacral therapy/massage does similar with the cranial sac fluid.  Have you thought about or experienced alternative therapies?

Great art, great reminder...

Thanks to Jonny for this link on some great art that is also a poignant reminder on how much we consume.

Tip of the Week

I know everyone is banging on about recycling, but do you recycle all you can?  Can you recycle more with a little bit more effort, another trip to the recycling centre?  I have just walked the dog and it is bins/recycling day here.  I was still amazed at how much rubbish is still being put out - 7 bags at one house (OK, it may have been all their rubbish for the entire year, but I doubt it, there was no sign of any recycling out) that is in a borough where the council are good at recycling most things.   Have a look at the recycling page, perhaps it will prompt you with something else you can do. 

Guide to Green Electronics

Greenpeace have issued version 7 of their guide to green electronics.  Details here.

That's the way to travel....

Got the train to a meeting yesterday. Travelled from the fab new St Pancreas (the midlands mainline goes from their along with the Eurostar),  did some work on the train, caught up on a TV programme with BBC iPlayer, no worries about getting stuck in traffic, low impact to the environment.....that's the way to travel!

Fun Garden Pest Contol

The company that distributes water blasters in the UK contacted me to say that a customer said they were using theirs to keep pests (particularly cats) off their garden in an environmentally friendly way!  Having told them that I only recommend things that I have tried and tested or know someone that has they sent me one to test.  Well I can summarise the test in 5 words - fun, successful, value, fun & fun!  To be honest I was a bit skeptical.  It is basically a huge plastic syringe (I know it is shame it is plastic).  You fill it with water and off you go - one HUGE jet of water to over 60ft!  I am a lover of all creatures, but I am also a dog person.  I have given a home to the odd stray cat that has won me round, but I am a dog person so my wife had to remind me that it is probably too powerful to aim it right at the cat.  I had to admit she is probably right but just as effective aiming next to it. 
So it is now a new tip in the garden section.  If you have kids they will love it in the summer as well.  It beats throwing a garden fork at the cat to scare it away and ending up with a cat kebab (and then burying it to hide the evidence) - as a friend of a friend did (or perhaps it is one of those old wives tales?!).   So, I do recommend a water blaster to keep pests off your garden and have a whole load of fun. I'm sure it will work with squirrels and other pests. Oh, you can use it to blow balloons up as well! I'm not sure if they want this one back, but they'll have to come and get it and it will be loaded!!

Deeply Worrying....

Glaciers suffer record shrinkage...see the BBC article. 

One of the most awesome experiences I have had is being on Franz Joseph glacier in NZ (and bumping in to old uni friends I hadn't see for nearly 10 years - how weird is that!!)

Tip of the Week

Back in the land of the web.... 

My tip this week is to move to rechargable batteries.  I know there is quite a high initial outlay for the batteries/charger but you will save shed loads over time as well as stopping harmful chemicals polluting the land when batteries get disposed of incorrectly.  I did quite a bit of research before making the leap, more details can be found in the living room section.

Away this week

Just to say I am away this week so may not get much time to blog.  Hope you all have a good week and do not get too blown away!

Envelopes

Why don't companies use plain envelopes so we can reuse them?  Why can't I learn to open envelopes more carefully so we can re-use them?! 

Food Miles v Fairtrade

It is not easy be green & ethical!!  See this guardian article.

More cars, more lanes, more care, more lanes......

So there is a belief that the trial of using the hard shoulder on the M42 as an additional lane at peak times as been a success so may be rolled out on other motorways.  Where do we stop.  We started with 3 lanes on the M25 now some sections have about 6.  There are too many cars so let's use the hard shoulder as an additional lane.  Then what?  What about the emergency services needing to get to accidents?  I am sure they have been consulted but it just doesn't sit right with me.  What next 10 lane superhighways?  I really believe we need radical measure to curb the number of cars/the amount cars are used.  We had family living in Bermuda where there was a 1 car per household rule.  I am not saying that is the answer but I think we need something as radical.  What would make me use the car less?  I guess making it much more expensive to use.  More expensive enough to mean public transport is cheaper, even at peak times, but so much cheaper that the additional journey time is worth it. (I originally said time & hassle but in my experience it takes more planning but is actually more relaxing).  What would make you use the car less?

Thank you

Just a note to say thank you to those that have left comments.  It is a real encouragement for me to know there are people out there that find the site/blog useful.  Feel free to comment even if you disagree with what I say!

Tip of the Week

My tip this week is to take the time (20 mins) to watch the Story of Stuff.  What do you think of it?  I think it is one of the most clear communication on the issue of consumerism I have seen.