Consumer Power
I see poisoned rivers and I think of the Garden of Eden
October 20, 2018I often wonder what traditional religions have to say about how we treat the Earth. It sometimes seems they miss the point about conservation and focus instead on how we should treat each other, our relationship with God, or the meaning […]
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A beautiful sustainable bathroom – no wall tiles
September 23, 2018Is it possible to design a bathroom you don’t have to destroy just to replace the units? A sustainably-designed bathroom, in other words? I’ve got my own bathroom issues. We moved into a five-year-old house in 2015 and it didn’t take long to realise we’d want to replace the bathrooms. I know I’m spoilt but […]
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Is economic growth that great? Ask the Planet.
August 9, 2018We take something beautiful that isn’t even ours and trash it. We steal the Earth’s resources that are meant to provide for not just us but all generations. We poison the Earth without a thought for our children and grandchildren. Why modern economics is the oldest – and most inappropriate – thing I have in my house […]
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Knowing when it’s time to give up and buy a new one
June 30, 2018It’s all about knowing when your possessions have had their day. Everyone has their own line to draw. Others would no doubt have got it repaired. On Sunday our 13-year-old TV packed up and I had to face the fact it was never going to work again. This was after several weeks of carefully rearranging […]
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What if I refuse plastic bags for my fruit & veg?
April 22, 2018No one’s noticed a million rolls of plastic bags in our supermarkets? And why I like Lidl Everyone knows about plastic straws, everyone knows about plastic bags, but no one seems to have noticed about a million large rolls of plastic bags the supermarkets want us to wrap our loose fruit and veggies in. I […]
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I love my brand new 1940’s shave
April 2, 2018Also featuring “how not to cut yourself shaving” Last month I decided to go back to the safety razor, the same thing my father used, and quite likely his father before him. I stopped using plastic razor blades supplied by Gillette. The blade is stainless steel, and has been since 1965. Did my face become […]
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L’Oréal aims to be carbon neutral by 2019
March 6, 2018Great to hear some positive environmental news from the cosmetics industry. L’Oréal USA has announced it plans to achieve carbon neutrality in 2019 for all 21 of its U.S. manufacturing and distribution facilities by using renewable natural gas (RNG). The company currently has 17 renewable energy installations across the country, including large on-site solar […]
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10 billion recycled water bottles and a heap of trash
February 6, 2018In search of zero waste … sports gear Last week I looked at fashion, in particular my business shirts, and what was available in zero waste. This week I pick five zero-waste sportswear candidates. I was shocked to discover how plastic-based fibres like polyester find their way into our oceans just by washing them. So […]
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Five ways to make your wardrobe zero waste
January 29, 2018In search of zero waste There usually isn’t an aisle in the store marked “zero waste business shirts”. Every time I go clothes shopping I find myself facing lots of choices – all the wrong ones. I only buy new clothes when I feel my wardrobe is genuinely short, like I don’t have enough business shirts […]
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Nine eco-friendly things you can do with your broken laptop
January 26, 2018You might not realise it, but the whole world is transitioning to a zero-waste economy, when items like laptop computers will be made from responsibly managed parts and waste will be more or less eliminated. We’re not as far from that as people think. In future we probably won’t even own the laptops, just pay […]
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