Recent Comments

1. Stop Taking Plastic Bags From Shops - 24 Jan 2006

   I would love to get some cloth bags – that ‘say no to plastic bags’ one sounded like a good idea. Had a look at the greenbelt website (never heard of it before) and if I can save enough money might try and go. I’ve been re-using bags for as long as I remember but now that I don’t have a car, and like others sometimes find myself shopping spontaneously, it is increasingly difficult to remember to take them with me – when I feel unbearably guilty I buy (yet another) bag for life, and I think my collection probably stands at about 15 now (for a household of one). Now that I’ve found this great website and I can see that I’m not the only one trying to ‘live generously’ I’ll try and make more effort.

2. Turn Off The Tap When Brushing Your Teeth - 24 Jan 2006

   I’ve always done this – my parents used to have a chart by the back door where they would chart our daily water and electricity use, so we were always very conscious of every drop of water we used: how full we filled the tub, how many times we flushed etc…

3. Become A Blood Donor - 24 Jan 2006

   Been a donor since I was 19 but haven’t been able to give much since then as I’m sometimes bording on slightly anaemic. Still, I do try and go now and then, but I haven’t been for a while so this is one of my actions for this month!

4. Commit random acts of generosity - 24 Jan 2006

   Sometimes I bring random baked goods into the office for no reason other than that I’m feeling generous that day, but sadly what is intended as an act of sharing is often viewed by some with great suspicion and I can’t help but feel hurt when people are suspicious like that. I don’t know if this counts but the other day I bought a homeless guy a sandwich – I’ve wanted to do that for years since I don’t give money to homeless people, but I got quite nervous about offering homeless people food after I offered a man some rolls 3 years ago (he was begging for money with a sign saying “Hungry and homeless”, and he was almost venomously angry when I gave him the rolls, as he apparently wanted money, not food…)

5. Get Rid of Your Car - OK, ambitious, but... - 24 Jan 2006

   I sold my car in 2003 after the guilt got too much for me, and I haven’t looked back since. In 2004 I thought I’d try something a bit different, and in November 2004 I took delivery of a Reva G-Wiz (electric vehicle). I no longer have it, but it was a great little car and I had no guilt at all over petrol, and nor did I have to feel guilty about the emmissions from the electricity source, as I switched to Ecotricity in 2003, and more recently to NPower Juice, both of which supply only wind power into the National Grid.

6. Shower More, Bath Less - 24 Jan 2006

   I haven’t had a bath for almost 3 years!

7. Shower More, Bath Less - 24 Jan 2006

   (perhaps I should have added that the reason is that I use the shower)

8. Slow Down, Calm Down (Stick to the speed limit) - 24 Jan 2006

   Got rid of my (electric) car this month, but when I do drive, I am always very careful to stick to the speed limit, but I can’t tell you how annoying everybody else seems to find it. I read somewhere that 60% of the British public admit to speeding, but I think that’s a massive understatement. When I’m on the road I find that almost nobody seems to respect the speed limit. Everybody’s always in such a hurry. Personally, I’d rather arrive late and in one piece, than not at all. The way I look at it is: ‘is it worth risking death for?’ and if the answer is no, it’s not worth speeding for.

9. Have A Fairly Traded, Ethically Sourced, Especially Tasty Dinner - 24 Jan 2006

   I am hosting a (very, very belated) Christmas 2005 dinner for my family in March 2006 (I couldn’t quite afford Christmas in December), and although I already try to purchase much of my food from ethical/fair trade sources, I have now decided to commit to making the entire affair completely fair trade. The event will be challenging enough since most of us eat meat but one of my brothers is a vegetarian and one is a vegan, and I always insist on making everything myself if at all possible, but I’m excited! I’ve got my oxfam alternative gifts calendar at the ready, too, for all their pressies.

10. Have A Fairly Traded, Ethically Sourced, Especially Tasty Dinner - 24 Jan 2006

    calendar=catalogue

11. Slow Down, Calm Down (Stick to the speed limit) - 15 Aug 2008

    I have another G-Wiz (max speed 50mph), and 2½ years since my original comment nothing’s changed (and I can see from other comments that others experience this too):
    As long as it’s safe, I always travel at the speed limit, but I’m overtaken constantly even though the majority of roads I use have a 20, 30 or 40mph speed limit.
    In fact, I think the realisation that they’re travelling behind an electric car actually brings out the venomous side in some people, and one angry speeder actually hung out of his window to yell at me that I should get a real car (I omitted the obscenities) – despite the fact I had kept up with him without speeding for the last 4 miles (built up area, so traffic lights etc)…

12. Shelve The Bottled Water - 17 Aug 2008

    Not really been guilty of this much – I always make a point of asking for tap water if I have to eat out – but now it’s official!

13. Become a micro-financier - 09 Feb 2010

    Is there a UK-based microfinancier that anyone has used and can recommend as trustworthy?