Recent Comments

1. Sign Up Online To Become An Organ Donor - 02 Mar 2006

   Signed up for this last night – I did have a donor cad years ago but don’t know where it went – time to catch up with technology and register online. More importantly is telling my family about it and making sure they understand my wishes.

2. Use your LOAF at the shops (Local, Organic, Animal-Friendly and Fair Trade) - 02 Mar 2006

   I tried the organic veg box scheme from a local farm but to tell the truth, the family and I really arent big veg eaters. So I am going to grow my own veg (veg that we all like and will eat!) once I have got my new garden turned over into a veg patch! Does anyone else find it difficult trying to do local organic and fairtrade in the middle of a city? Farmers markets are robably the way forward for me. As well as goodness-direct!

3. Know your local political leaders - 02 Mar 2006

   I have recently contacted my MP about fairtrade (since it’s nearly fairtrade fortnight) and my councillor and local list MSP (green party) about green cones (food waste composter). Many councils are offering these at a reducced price for local folk but Glasgow City Council weren’t. My councillor and MP both contacted me the next day (very nice to get a phone call from my councillor) So my councillor is very interested in the green cone and is going to make further enquiries and get back to me – hopefully they will start being offered at reduced rates here too!

4. Stop Taking Plastic Bags From Shops - 02 Mar 2006

   Many moons ago when I was at school I had a Saturday job in the Body Shop (guess I have tried to be earth friendly since then) I always asked if people would like a bag and if they did, would try and give out paper bags before the plastic ones. We also sold canvas and string bags and I bought a few of these – they lasted about ten years. Still try and say no to bags in supermarkets but I tend to go in and buy stuff that I hadn’t planned to. Perhaps I’d be better making a list and then seeing how many bags I needed to take with me and sticking to it. I did do the Tesco blue crate thing ten years ago but it was sometimes a pain as I lived quite a distance away so would walk there with four crates (stackable) and then get taxi home. I have a car now so maybe I should do that again. On another note shops like Kwiksave always made you put your stuff into your trolley at the other end and then you went to a packing counter which meant you could take your time and pack sensibly and into your own recepticles! Sorry this turned out soo long! :)

5. Switch To Energy Saving Lightbulbs - 02 Mar 2006

   Elizabeth I believe you can get them in Ikea (since they seem to be the sole provider of screw fitting lights in this country!)

   We moved house four months ago and half of the bulbs in our old house were energy saver. I swithered over replacing the ones in the old house and bringing the long lasting energy savers with us but decided the new folk would probably keep using them until they blew and therefore would be helping the environment further by leaving them. Since moving we have got every bulb that could possibly be changed, changed! We have four strip lights in house and shed that rarely get used but halogens in the kitchen and bathroom. But the plan is to renovate the kitchen this summer so we will be choosing a different lighting system in there that will hopefully mean we can use energy savers. Makes a huge difference on our electricity consumption – the meter doesn’t spin as quickly as it used to! :)

6. Put A Save-A-Flush Device In Your Cistern - 02 Mar 2006

   Both toilets in my house have a dual flush option and all my kids have been told when to use each! :) Interesting conversation with a three year old! Think I will get these save a flush bricks and hand them out to folk – don’t think people appreciate how much water is lost each time you flush.