Evolved

2011-11-11T07:39:00.001Z

The Compassionate Shopping Guide

2010-11-13T11:02:00.000Z

I have recently purchased The Compassionate Shopping Guide and posted my progress so far on my main blog, In The Pink. I have however decided that recording my progress with changing products and suppliers may be better off posted here. Here are the posts I have written so far:

The Compassionate Shopping Guide

Over the past few years I have been trying to buy personal care and house hold cleaning products that are environmentally friendly and are not tested on animals. I use Ecover household products and have, for the most, purchased personal products from The Body Shop. Even Mr Dancin has been a willing convert to The Body Shop.

However he returned from town last week saying that he had seen a notice on a stall calling for a boycott of The Body Shop. He was a little reluctant to tell me as The Body Shop is my favourite shop and I love going there to treat myself.

Anyway I looked it up online. The Body Shop was sold to L'Oreal in 2006 and at the time I checked with The Body Shop to ensure that their animal friendly status still stood to be assured it did however it has been speculated that the profits from the organisation are not ring fenced and are used to suppliment L'Oreal who do not maintain an animal friendly status as of yet. There is a lot more to is that this and I recommend if you are interested you have a read of available information, of which there is much online.

For myself it has raised a dliema which has lead to me purchasing a copy of The Compassionate Shopping Guide from Naturewatch which is a difinitive guide to cruelty free, eco-friendly personal care and household cleaning products.

The guide has a wealth of information which I am currently working my way through. If this is an issue close to your heart I recommend you buy a copy of this very reasonably priced book however I will also detail my findings and purchases here as I go.

I am loathed to leave The Body Shop but at the same time I really cannot justify the testing of what are non essential cosmetic products on animals, and believe that we know enough now about household products to cease animal testing.

The Compassionate Shopping Guide - Post 2

Well that was the best thing I have read in ages! So I am afraid it is goodbye to The Body Shop, goodbye to Ecover and goodbye to Dove, another old favourite, but I feel better for making the decision. Obviously the issues do not only relate to animal experimentation but to detrimental practices in order to obtain some ingredients which damage and reduce valuable wildlife habitat.

There is a wealth of knowledge in this book which will help me promote wildlife habitat, reduce harmful bi-products and actively support the abolition of animal experimentation. I am excited to be making a change!

As suggested in the Guide I will be writing to the companies I will nolonger be using explaining my decision and urging them to bring about the changes necessary to gain the Naturewatch Approved Status.

Image Credits: Naturewatch

Blog Action Day

2010-10-17T13:00:00.003+01:00

See my Blog Action Day Post HERE

Blog Action Day 15th October 2010

2010-10-02T17:33:00.001+01:00

Well Blog Action Day is almost here again and this years topic is Water. I am starting to research my post and have chosen my particular topic which is going to be the oceans. The Blog Action Day website has lots or interesting information including suggestions for posts, banners to put on your blog, a registration page so that you can register your blog for participation, information on fund-raising, and a petition which indicates your support of the UN's efforts to improve water and sanitation for billions of people around the world. You can also sign the petition by clicking on the banner at the top left of my blog and it only takes a few seconds to complete.

I usually post the Blog Action Day You Tube clip to help promote the day here but frankly this years clip has some annoying music as an accompaniment (sorry guys but it really does) and so instead I thought I would post this, a splendid song written and performed by the folk musician Benji Kirkpatrick. The song is called Wallbreaker and is all about water. It is very thought provoking.

Tiger Update

2010-06-07T17:22:00.002+01:00

Check out the update on Kamrita the Sumatran Tiger HERE.

Could You Give Up Your Mobile Phone?

2010-06-05T13:27:00.027+01:00

Further to my last post which revealed the possibility that mobile phones may be contributing to the decline of Bees in recent years I have been thinking about all of our modern day gadgets and whether I would be willing to give them up.

Mobile phones for example have been around for what is still a relatively short period of time. I am 38 years old and can easily remember a time in my personal and working life where mobile phones were not common place, and barely in existence.

Today mobile phones are a huge part of our lives and valuable to us for a multitude of reasons.

Children have them to keep in touch with friends and even as a safety aspect.

This can be for parents who want to know where their children are, therefore able to contact them at any time, so long as they answer the phone!

It can also provide them with a method of emergency communication if needed. Similarly many adults have them solely for emergency use to provide that instant method of communication with their loved ones, signal permitting!

We use them in the work place exhaustively. I have a mobile phone for work and now accept that if someone wants to speak to me for a non urgent issue they will call me on my mobile. They may have called the office or have received an automatic email from my work computer telling them that I am working on site and will return to the office the following day however, they will call my mobile, and if I do not respond will continue to call it until they reach me thinking nothing of the effort or intrusion. In turn I think nothing of the intrusion or their persistent efforts, being use to instant access to people myself.

Mobile phones also provide an instant mode of contact with loved ones simply for the purpose of expressing our affection. A small text to convey the message 'thinking of you' can mean so much and is something we treasure being able to do.

Furthermore with IPhones and such devices extending the use of the mobile for a huge variety of applications we are becoming more dependant on them and used to their benefits.

So what if we were asked to give them up for the betterment of the world we live in, would you be willing to do this?

To use Bees as an example, were the research proved conclusive, Bees have the following benefits:

Bee Facts Text Credit:
Wiki Answers
BNET UK

One mouthful in three of the foods you eat directly or indirectly depends on pollination by honey bees. Crops from nuts to vegetables and as diverse as alfalfa, apple, cantaloupe, cranberry, pumpkin, and sunflower all require pollinating by honey bees. In fact most food crops are pollinated by bees, and if the bees disappeared the crops would fail.

But the bees' importance goes far beyond agriculture. They also pollinate more than 16 percent of the flowering plant species, ensuring that we'll have blooms in our gardens.

I have posted a poll at the top of this page on the right hand side and would be most grateful if you could give this topic your consideration and then cast your vote. I will be reviewing the results and posting my findings at the beginning of July 2010.

Please be honest, I am not here to judge anyone and greatly appreciate your opinion.

If you wish to leave a comment regarding your vote, this post or this blog I would be very interested in hearing your thoughts. Thank you for your time.

Image Credit:
Urban Bee Gardens
Deakin University

The Price of Technology?

2010-06-04T18:06:00.003+01:00

I came across this article on the Daily Telegraph website and thought it was worth spreading around. Do we really have a full grasp of how our life style affects our environment? And given the immense and rapid technological advances that are being made can we afford to ignore these possibilities?

The growing use of mobile telephones is behind the disappearance of honey bees and the collapse of their hives, scientists have claimed.

Dean Nelson in New Delhi
Published: 8:00AM BST 29 May 2010

Britain has seen a 15 per cent decline in its bee population in the last two years.

Their disappearance has caused alarm throughout Europe and North America where campaigners have blamed agricultural pesticides, climate change and the advent of genetically modified crops for what is now known as 'colony collapse disorder.' Britain has seen a 15 per cent decline in its bee population in the last two years and shrinking numbers has led to a rise in thefts of hives.

Now researchers from Chandigarh's Punjab University claim they have found the cause which could be the first step in reversing the decline: They have established that radiation from mobile telephones is a key factor in the phenomenon and say that it probably interfering with the bee's navigation senses.

They set up a controlled experiment in Punjab earlier this year comparing the behaviour and productivity of bees in two hives – one fitted with two mobile telephones which were powered on for two fifteen minute sessions per day for three months. The other had dummy models installed.

After three months the researchers recorded a dramatic decline in the size of the hive fitted with the mobile phone, a significant reduction in the number of eggs laid by the queen bee. The bees also stopped producing honey.

The queen bee in the "mobile" hive produced fewer than half of those created by her counterpart in the normal hive.

They also found a dramatic decline in the number of worker bees returning to the hive after collecting pollen. Because of this the amount of nectar produced in the hive also shrank.

Ved Prakash Sharma and Neelima Kumar, the authors of the report in the journal Current Science, wrote: "Increase in the usage of electronic gadgets has led to electropollution of the environment. Honeybee behaviour and biology has been affected by electrosmog since these insects have magnetite in their bodies which helps them in navigation.

"There are reports of sudden disappearance of bee populations from honeybee colonies. The reason is still not clear. We have compared the performance of honeybees in cellphone radiation exposed and unexposed colonies."

"A significant decline in colony strength and in the egg laying rate of the queen was observed. The behaviour of exposed foragers was negatively influenced by the exposure, there was neither honey nor pollen in the colony at the end of the experiment."

Tim Lovett, of the British Beekeepers Association, said that hives have been successful in London where there was high mobile phone use.

"Previous work in this area has indicated this [mobile phone use] is not a real factor," he said. "If new data comes along we will look at it."

He said: "At the moment we think is more likely to be a combination of factors including disease, pesticides and habitat loss."

The UK Government has set aside £10 million for research into the decline of pollinators like bees, but the BBKA claim much more money is needed for research into the problem, including studies on pesticides, disease and new technology like mobile phones.

According to the University of Durham, England's bees are vanishing faster than anywhere else in Europe, with more than half of hives dying out over the last 20 years. The most recent statistics from last winter show that the decline in honey bees in Britain is slowing, with just one in six hives lost.

This is still above the natural rate of ten per cent losses, but a vast improvement on previous years.

Image Credit: Adkins

The Year of the Tiger

2010-03-31T15:51:00.004+01:00

I created this video to highlight the plight of the wild Tiger. 12 years ago Nick Harper released this song, one of the lyrics being 'There's Only 5,000 Tigers Left', today it is estimated there are as few as 3,200 in the wild.

Here are some facts as provided by the WWF, an organisation fighting to protect animals in danger worldwide such as the Tiger.

There are six living sub-species of tiger; the Amur (Siberian), Bengal (Indian), Indo-Chinese, Malayan, Sumatran and South China.Three other sub-species, the Bali, Caspian and Javan, are now extinct.

Location:From India to south-eastern China and from the Russian Far East to Sumatra, Indonesia

Habitat:Wide ranging - from evergreen and monsoon forests, to mixed coniferous-deciduous woodlands, and mangrove swamps

Wild population:As few as 3,200

The threats to tigers:

Poaching for skins and body parts used in traditional Asian medicines

Habitat loss due to farming, forest clearance for the timber trade and human development

Decline in natural prey numbers

Conflict with humans

The Chinese Year of the Tiger started on 14 February, and we're doing our bit this year to help save this magnificent cat. Our long-term aim is to double the wild tiger population by the next Year of the Tiger in 2022.

Our plans for saving the tiger include equipping and training more anti-poaching patrols and working with governments to ensure stronger laws against the illegal wildlife trade. We also want to double the protection of wild tiger habitat in 13 areas by 2020.

For a very small financial contribution you really can make such a difference. Can you imagine the day they announce that there are no Tigers left in the wild? I do not want to. Adopt an animal today or join the WWF here and show your support. Thank you for your time.

15th October Blog Action Day 2009 - Calling all Revolutionaries

2009-10-14T22:52:00.004+01:00

I have thought long and hard about this post. I have put different Blog Action Day posts on all of my blogs in an attempt to reflect their purpose. This is my blog for straight talking, hard truths, strong beliefs and shared solutions.

On my other blogs I have tried to provide a means of action for people that are realistic and beneficial to the cause however I believe that stronger and more direct action is required.

Whatever forecasts can be made about our planet, the effects of our presence, man made climatic changes, conflict between nations, natural climatic changes aggravated by our actions, or a combination of them all, I believe that our planet will ultimately survive in some form, I do not believe that mankind will.

I believe there is a inevitability to our own self destruction. We are capable of change however seem to need a stronger reason than currently exists to globally unite. I believe that necessity is the mother of invention and we do not seem to feel that action is necessary enough on mass.

We simply do not have the inclination to bring about the change I feel is required in the time required.

It is not a pleasant thought....the question is what are we going to do to prove me wrong?

Image Credit: Mirza

To see other Blog Action Day posts on Climate Change click here.

Blog Action Day 2009 - 15th October, Climate Change

2009-09-26T09:10:00.003+01:00

The 15th October 2009 is Blog Action Day, powered by Change.org. In their words:

‘Blog Action Day is an annual event that unites the world's bloggers in posting about the same issue on the same day on their own blogs with the aim of sparking discussion around an issue of global importance. Blog Action Day 2009 will be the largest-ever social change event on the web. One day. One issue. Thousands of voices.’

I have taken part in Blog Action Day for a couple of years now along with my Sister and Mum and it really is an amazing event. This year’s topic is climate change.

I have begun to notice over the past few years while attending seminars and courses that we can be very good at getting together, uniting to a cause and planning action however a period of time elapses, nothing happens and then before you know it we are all sitting there again discussing the same issues and noticing that we didn’t actually take any action.

This day to me is a day of communicating the wish for change on mass across the blogosphere, but it must be followed up by action.

Please take the time to register you blog for this important day, make a post for the 15th that discusses an aspect of climate change that concerns you, and then take a moment to follow the other links and help bring about the change we need, TODAY!

Register Your Blog Here

Promote Blog Action Day on Twitter, Facebook or by Grabbing a Badge for your Blog Here

Take Action Beyond Blogging Here

Slurry II

2009-09-20T12:59:00.004+01:00

Following on from my last post I heard back from DEFRA. There was no mention of using animal carcasses in slurry however I gather it is not permitted, they did however reiterate the information I had already found out regarding use of fertilisers and manure adjacent to water courses and such.

I am aware though that farmers are also able to purchase human waste from sewer farms to spread on their fields, hence the change in smell for the worse in recent years!

Anyway I am continuing to investigate so I can get a comprehensive list of what is legal and what is not. I know the human waste is legal although I don't think it should be!

Not wishing to be judgemental if there is anyone visiting here that is involved in agriculture that can give me any additional information I would be very grateful.

Slurry

2009-06-21T19:54:00.004+01:00

One of our dogs recently poisoned themselves after eating something on a dog walk through agricultural land. Dogs being dogs we pay a lot of attention to them during walks however this incident slipped through un-noticed until an hour after being home when she took very ill.

I am very happy to report that she is now on the mend following a few very scary days however the vet mentioned that in addition to the poisons that game keepers use, farmers slurry utilised for muck spreading over crops can contain animal carcasses which are rotting and therefore can cause issues. He said it passes down the food chain from the raw product to rabbits and foxes but if ingested by a cow can be strong enough to kill it.

I have since contacted DEFRA to ask what is legal for slurry as I found this a little concerning. Manure is one thing but this is another altogether. I look forward to their reponse and will post my findings.

What to do about Wrapping? (2)

2008-04-12T13:36:00.007+01:00

I posted about cellophane a while ago as the last remaining refuse that I cannot recycle and my very good friend Tom at Wiggers World kindly told me this!

"Cellulose belongs to a class of compounds known in organic chemistry as carbohydrates. The base unit of cellulose is the glucose molecule. Thousands of these glucose molecules are brought together in the plant growth cycle to form long chains, termed cellulose. These chains are in turn broken down in the production process to form cellulose film used in either an uncoated or coated form in packaging.

When buried, uncoated cellulose film is generally found to degrade within 10 to 30 days; PVDC-coated film is found to degrade in 90 to 120 days and nitrocellulose-coated cellulose is found to degrade in 60 to 90 days.

Tests have shown that the average total time for complete bio-degradation of cellulose film is from 28 to 60 days for uncoated products, and from 80 to 120 days for coated cellulose products. In lake water, the rate of bio-degradation is 10 days for uncoated film and 30 days for coated cellulose film. Even materials which are thought of as highly degradable, like paper and green leaves, take longer to degrade than cellulose film products. Conversely, plastics, polyvinyl chloride, polyethene, polyethlene terepthatlate, and oriented-polypropylene show almost no sign of degradation after long periods of burial."

He also left me this link which lead me onto the following bit of information.

How is it made?

Unlike the man-made polymers in plastics, which are largely derived from petroleum, cellophane is a natural polymer made from cellulose, a component of plants and trees. Cellophane is not made from rainforest trees, but rather from trees farmed and harvested specifically for cellophane production.

Cellophane is made by digesting wood and cotton pulps in a series of chemical baths that remove impurities and break the long fiber chains in this raw material. Regenerated as a clear, shiny film, with plasticizing chemicals added for flexibility, cellophane is still comprised largely of crystalline cellulose molecules. This means that it can be broken down by micro-organisms in the soil just as leaves and plants are.

So next to find out who is using degradable cellophane and start shopping there. I will let you know what I find out.

Thanks again Tom!

Image Credits: Wfages, Rabrabrab's, Jeffrey Carrie

By the way in case you were not sure all images in this post are things made of recycled items. Hover over them to see text explaining what they were and are.

Earth Hour

2008-03-29T09:40:00.006Z

Today is all about Earth Hour.

'On March 29, 2008 at 8 p.m., join millions of people around the world in making a statement about climate change by turning off your lights for Earth Hour, an event created by the World Wildlife Fund.

Earth Hour was created by WWF in Sydney, Australia in 2007, and in one year has grown from an event in one city to a global movement. In 2008, millions of people, businesses, governments and civic organizations in nearly 200 cities around the globe will turn out for Earth Hour. More than 100 cities across North America will participate, including the US flagships–Atlanta, Chicago, Phoenix and San Francisco and Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver.

We invite everyone throughout North America and around the world to turn off the lights for an hour starting at 8 p.m. (your own local time)–whether at home or at work, with friends and family or solo, in a big city or a small town.

What will you do when the lights are off? We have lots of ideas.

Join people all around the world in showing that you care about our planet and want to play a part in helping to fight climate change. Don’t forget to sign up and let us know you want to join Earth Hour.'

I find it very reassuring that new ideas emerging about what we can do to improve our planet, express support and really make a difference take off so quickly. An event that began just last year has now attained global awareness. Well done to everyone who is taking part today in Earth Hour. All you have to do is switch your lights off for one hour, 8pm local time. To find out more click here.

(Italic text article credit: Earth Hour US / Image Credit: Jasper322)

Creatures of the Night...

2008-03-29T09:40:00.001Z

The poll for this post is now closed. My thanks to everyone who took part.

Is Nuclear the Answer?

2008-03-01T09:46:00.002Z

The poll for Nuclear Power is now closed however if you do have any comments to make please feel free to leave them here or on the original post. My thanks to everyone who took part.

Creatures of the Night...

2008-02-23T14:54:00.004Z

Following the recent conviction of Steve Wright for the murder of 5 prostitutes in Ipswich debate has been prompted once more regarding the pros and cons of legalizing prostitution.

Some would argue that it is an ugly truth that we cannot ignore or prevent and that a legal and regulated system would at least provide a safe, disease and drug free industry for people who chose to work in it.

Others would argue that it is an unacceptable truth that must be eradicated without exception.

I have never met anyone who convinced me that it was exactly what they wanted to do and that they could cope with all of the consequences, but I cannot say that ‘that’ someone does not exist.

I would be very interested to hear your thoughts on this, please feel free to leave me a comment or vote on the poll, all of your opinions are welcome.

What to do about Wrapping?

2008-02-19T20:30:00.006Z

Can anyone advise me what I can do with this stuff...the last remaining portion of my rubbish that is not being recycled, cellophane? Having got to the stage where all food waste is being home composted and all heavy plastics, tins and glass is being recycled by the local authority (hoorah for them by the way) I am annoyed that my very small bin offering consists of a bag of plastic. I know it's possible to recycle but only on a very large scale. Any advice or ideas would be gratefully received!

Cyber Government

2008-02-07T11:51:00.000Z

I have recently signed a petition on the 10 Downing Street website to have an additional bank holiday each year.

The petition was created by Robert Warner and reads:

'We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to create a new
public holiday, the National Remembrance Holiday to commemorate
The Fallen and our Nation, with the holiday falling on the
second Monday in November each year, the day after Remembrance
Sunday.'

If you wish to sign follow this link.

I have come across various petitions on the Downing Street website now. Here is the official introduction to e-petitions.

Downing Street is working in partnership with the non-partisan charitable project mySociety to provide a service to allow citizens, charities and campaign groups to set up petitions that are hosted on the Downing Street website, enabling anyone to address and deliver a petition directly to the Prime Minister.

mySociety is a charitable project that runs many of the UK's best-known non-partisan political websites, like HearFromYourMP.com and TheyWorkForYou.com. mySociety is strictly neutral on party political issues, and the e-petition service is within its remit to build websites which give people simple, tangible benefits in the civic and community aspects of their lives. For more information about mySociety and its work, visit its website.

The e-petition system has been designed to be transparent and trustworthy. For legal and anti-spam reasons this site cannot host every petition submitted, but the rule is to accept everything that meets the terms and conditions of use.

No petition will be rejected unless it violates these terms. And even when petitions cannot be hosted No10 will still publish as much of rejected petitions as is consistent with legal and anti-spam requirements, including the reason why it could not be hosted.

If you have any questions about the service, you can email either the Downing Street web team at webmaster@pmo.gov.uk or mySociety at team@mysociety.org.

I think it is a fabulous service and about time is was expanded to permit the public to vote on issues being considered within Government, having a direct say in policy creation. I think the publics vote should be considered as a percentage vote for any policy under debate. It would also permit consultation with relevant industries throughout this country, and where relevant other countries. This could even extend to the UN!

What are your thoughts?

I am going to try and draw up a statement that effectively expresses this and post it as a new petition on the Downing Street website. Any thoughts or contributions will be gratefully received. I will let you know when it's up in case you want to sign it!

Image Credit: Phoenyxx - Government Palace

Not Everybody's Cup of Tea

2008-02-05T19:01:00.000Z

So Nuclear Power; it is a subject filling up my email inbox at present. The Government want to build more power stations but their independent watchdog on sustainable development, the Sustainable Development Commission, say Nuclear power is not the answer to tackling climate change or providing security of supply.

I would be really grateful to hear your views and thoughts on this subject, even if it's that you are just sick to the teeth of hearing about it. Are you doing your bit, like many people you know, but feel our economies, at home and abroad, do not yet support the cause?

Please also feel free to vote on the adjacent poll and see the original post: Is Nuclear the Answer? for some more useful links and information.

2008-01-31T19:08:00.000Z

I got some good news via the WWF Newsletter which I wanted to share.

'Cuba offers lifeline to endangered turtles

WWF applauds the Cuban government's decision to ban the hunting of all marine turtle species and products from its beaches and seas for an indefinite period.

Conservationists around the world believe that the Cuban Ministry of Fisheries' resolution is a lifeline for the Caribbean's endangered marine turtles and the communities that coexist with them.'

For More Information, and to Subscribe to the WWF newsletter, click here.

Image Credit WWF

Is Nuclear the Answer?

2008-01-19T21:16:00.000Z

Ok, not a huge amount of Mel Gibson fans out there, I thought even guys had to admit this man is a looker!

Anyway, apologies for the late start to the year for Evolved. I have lots of issues to explore this year and as ever am grateful for your time and participation.

To get us started I have been reading about the governments recent support of another generation of Nuclear Power Plants.

I hear arguments for and against although I have my own opinion I would like to explore others thoughts.

If you would like to find out more about Nuclear Power there are some useful links below, supporting a variety of viewpoints. Have a look and let me know your thoughts or register your vote on the adjacent poll.

I will forward the results of the poll to the Government and relevant agencies and charities.

World Nuclear Association

Greenpeace - Nuclear Power

Nuclear Power, and Other Energy Resources

Sustainable Development Commission - Is Nuclear the Answer?

Image Credit: Picture Newsletter

2008-01-16T20:57:00.000Z

I noticed there have been no pictures in recent posts and thought there should really be one to brighten things up a little. I have therefore chosen this lovely photo of Mel Gibson for you to enjoy!

Image Credit: Huge Reviews.

Apple Cider Vinegar

2008-01-16T20:42:00.000Z

I have been perusing my book: Vinegar 1001 Practical Household Uses, and have been reading about Apple Cider Vinegars' many, many health benefits. I was going to list them but there are frankly too many! Apparently it has been used since around
3000 BC because of its excellent healing and remedial qualities.

Anyway, while in search of a website that would elaborate further I came across this: Earth Clinic, Folk Remedies and Holistic Cures - Apple Cider Vinegar

Have a look if you have a moment, it's very interesting.

Morsbags

2008-01-05T12:19:00.000Z

I came across a great site over at Bowledover called Morsbags. It's a website that hopes to encourage the demise of plastic shopping bags and explains just how much damage they can do to our environment and ecology. Here is their artical:

Let’s do something positive to reduce the hideous number of plastic bags being used -1 million are consumed per minute globally - of which hundreds of thousands end up in the oceans.

The idea is to get together with people in your local community, drink wine and make reusable cloth bags (from old duvet covers, curtains from charity shops etc) and hand them out to the unsuspecting public for free on specified dates outside different supermarkets.

Meet new people, do something marvellous for the planet and beat other pods (groups) of baggers with your morsbag tally.

Go to www.morsbags.com to be a part of a wonderful thing!

P.S. non-commercial/ non-profitable - just full of beneficial things for everyone, especially whales!

The idea is to form groups of people or pods to combine social get togethers with a good cause. You can set up your own pod or join an existing one and there are many worldwide. Follow this link to view locations of existing pods.

The Morsbags website includes simple instructions for sewing your own bags. I have begun eyeing up prospective morsbag material around the house already. If you have a moment have a go, perhaps your local shop could distribute them to shoppers and help spread the word?

For now, simply....

2008-01-04T20:20:00.001Z

Happy New Year!

Tip 1 - Healthy Homes

2007-12-10T20:49:00.000Z

'A third of the household water we use goes on flushing the loo. Each flush is around 10 litres. The average family uses the equivalent of two baths of water per day just to flush the toilet.

To save water you can install a professional water saving device or simply fill a one litre bottle of water, screw on the lid and carefully place in the water system. This will save one litre of water per flush.'

Healthy Homes - Easy Ideas for Greener Living, ECOVER

Survey Says...

2007-12-07T20:32:00.000Z

Earlier this year I took part in a survey by ECOVER regarding ecological products, recycling, and general attitudes to the environment, that my sister put me onto. As I completed the survey some time ago I could not remember how long they were keeping it open for.

Well yesterday I received a letter thanking me for my participation and announcing me one of the lucky winners of these books! I am still reading at the moment but am looking forward to sharing the little gems they no doubt contain with you soon!

In Charge For a Day

2007-11-03T09:04:00.000Z

Greetings. Well I am due to publish my next post and poll immanently. I have many, many ideas however would really appreciate some feedback regarding which issues are close to other peoples hearts.

If you have a moment have a think about what issues concern you, what would you like to see changed about the world, and leave me a comment about it. Or maybe you don't think anything needs changing? Either way I would really love to hear your thoughts and will post about any point raised however far fetched or unrealistic it may seem.

Put yourself in the position of world leader for the day and let rip, if you turn out to be Zaphod Beeblebrocks, embrace the extra head and think big!

Just leave me a comment, anonymously if you wish, or make a post on your blog and leave me a link to it, and as always thanks for all of your time and effort. (Image Credit: Nancy Metz) As a final note, I have not created a blogroll on this site as I thought bloggers should have the choice as to whether they wanted to be linked here. If you visit this blog and are happy to be linked to it let me know and I will add your blog to the blogroll.

Eco Ethics - Cosmetic and Household Products Concluded

2007-11-03T07:55:00.001Z

My thanks to everyone who participated in the poll for the Eco Ethics - Cosmetic and Household Products post. The poll is now closed however if you have any comments please feel free to leave them either with the original post or the most current one.

Blog Action Day - 15th October 2007

2007-10-15T17:30:00.000+01:00

Greetings! Well Blog Action Day is here! I am very excited and am looking forward to going off to other participants sites however first need to complete my own postings! My apologies for the lateness in the day but I had an early night last night, due to an early start this morning and this is the first moment I have had to blog.(Much to my disgust!)

So, blogging about environmental issues...I have given this a lot of thought. There are so many things I could write about: don't leave your TV on standby, unplug the phone charger when the phone is not charging, turn the tap off when you are cleaning your teeth, but we all know about these by now don't we?

The environment is pretty much a daily issue in the UK and I expect in many other countries. We now all know there is an issue, we may debate whether we are responsible but surely we must all agree that whether the changes we observe are as a result of our actions or not we live in a wasteful society with room for improvement.

We have identified a problem and it is our duty to try and fix it. Maybe the Earth's environment is changing as part of a natural trend but is burying tonnes of non degradable rubbish in a hole in the ground as a method of waste disposal really a great idea?

Ok, lecture over. My recommendation to mark this event is this: try and eradicate one chemical from your household to mark this day. There are so many eco ethical products on the market, pick one and use it from now on. If it doesn't turn out to be the one for you then pick another. Any change is good change and small changes by many people make a big difference.

My personal recommendation would be ECOVER who produce a brilliant variety of household cleaning products that really do work. They are a worldwide company and can deliver refills thus saving on containers! Or, just type eco ethical products into your search engine and see what comes up. I have found a whole heap but many of them are UK only so it is perhaps better if you look for yourself.

I do not believe that looking after our planet has to be totally life changing for the individual, but if the individuals make the small changes the results will be life changing for the planet. Thank you.

Social Screening Concluded

2007-10-13T09:32:00.000+01:00

My thanks to all participants of the poll for my 'Social Screening' post. The poll is now closed however if you have a comment you would like to make please feel free to leave it either with the original post or the most current one.

Blog Action Day - 15th October 2007

2007-10-13T09:30:00.001+01:00

I came across this via Macs Niece at Caged Minutes. The idea is as follows:

'On October 15th, bloggers around the web will unite to put a single important issue on everyone’s mind - the environment. Every blogger will post about the environment in their own way and relating to their own topic. Our aim is to get everyone talking towards a better future.Blog Action Day is about MASS participation. That means we need you!'

If you are interested please follow this link, or click on the button. My thanks to Macs Niece.

Eco Ethics - Cosmetic and Household Products

2007-10-01T14:11:00.000+01:00

For this post I want to explore environmentally friendly and ethical cosmetics and household products; I hope to encourage debate regarding their effectiveness, benefits, cost comparisons and availability.

For a number of years now there have been environmentally friendly cleaning products available using natural and sympathetic ingredients that are not detrimental to our environment in their original or processed form.

In addition several companies produce cosmetic products that are also of natural sources and both markets have achieved BUAV approved products, or are against animal testing.

So why are we not all using them?

'The following companies are all approved under the Humane Cosmetics Standard (HCS) and/or the Humane Household Products Standard (HHPS). This means that they no longer conduct or commission animal testing for their cosmetics and/or household products.' (Ref: Go Cruelty Free)

21st Century Health, Afrumos, Alba Botanica, Allens Naturally, Ameleon, Anna Marie's, Aromatherapy & Massage, Arbonne International, Aroma Bella, Aroma Crystal Therapy, Ashambri Skincare, Astonish, Aubrey Organics, Aunt Bee's Skin Care, Auromère, Austin Rose, Avalon, Natural Products, Beauty Without Cruelty (Visage International Partners Ltd), Belisama Bath & Body, Better Botanicals, Bio Pac, Bio-D Company Limited, The, Biogime Skincare, bioKleen, Blooming Lotus, Body Bistro, Body Butter Factory, Body Shop, The, Bonica Natural Body, Care, Bronzo Sensuale, Bug Off, Cactus & Ivy, California North, Camocare, Caswell Massey Co Ltd, Christine Valmy Inc., Citra-Solv, Clear Conscience Inc, Clearly Natural, Clearspring (Faith Products Ltd), Co-op (The Co-Operative Group (CWS) Ltd), Color My Image, Comforts for the Mind, Body & Spirit, Cuccio Naturalé, Daisy Blue Naturals, Dena Corporation, Deodorant Stones of America (DSA), Dermalogica, Desert Mermaid, Devita Natural Skincare Systems, Dickinson Brands, Dolma Vegan Perfumes (Dolma), Dr Ken's (Floss & Go), Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps, Dr. Goodpet, Duchess Marden, Earth Alive, Earth Dance Botanical Bodycare, Earth Friendly Products, Earth Solutions, Earth's Beauty, Eco-Dent Elara, Elemental Herbs, Elizabeth Van Buren Aromatherapy, ELON Nail & Skin Essentials, EO Products/Small World Trading Co, Essential Oil Company Ltd, The, Essentially Yours, Face Atelier, Faith in Nature (Faith Products Ltd), Faith Products Ltd (Clearspring/ Faith in Nature), Fleabusters, Forever New International, Freeman Cosmetics, French Transit, Gabriel Cosmetics, Glad Rags, Good Home Company, The, Gourmet Body Treats, Grateful Body, Green Girl Basics, Greenridge Herbals, Greenwood Natural, Grime Eater, Halo Purely for Pets, Hard Candy, Hawaiian Resources Company, Healthy Times Baby's, Herbal Garden, Heather's Natural & Organic Cleaning Products, Hemp Company Ltd, The Herbal Secrets, Hoke 2, Honesty Cosmetics Infinite Aloe, Inky Loves Nature, Innersense, ISH Ionic Rescue, J&D Black Ltd (Hollytrees), Jacki's Magic Lotion, Jason Natural Cosmetics, Jess' Bee Natural Lip Balm, Joe Blasco Cosmetics, JR Liggett, Juice Beauty, Kingfisher Natural Toothpaste, Kirk's Naturals, Kiss My Face, Kobashi Essential Oils, KPL Cosmetics Ltd (Liz Earle Cosmetics), KSA Jojoba, Lakon Herbals, Lather, Lip-Ink International, Little Forest Natural Baby Products, Liz Earle Cosmetics (KPL Cosmetics Ltd), Lobob, London Oil Refining Company Ltd, The (Astonish), Lotus Moon, Louise Bianco, Love The Planet, Maggie's Pure Land Products, Magick Botanicals, Make-Up International (Face To Face), Marks & Spencer, Mary Kay, Max Green Alchemy, Meadowsweet, Medical Express (UK) Ltd (Montague Jeunesse), Mère Cie, Method Products, Mi Amore Skincare, LLC, Mia Rose, Montagne Jeunesse, Montague Jeunesse (Medical Express (UK) Ltd), Moor Spa International Ltd (Moor), Mountain Ocean, My Lip Stuff,
Mystic Wonders Inc, Nadina's Cremes, Naikid, Nail Aid, NakedHerbs, LLC, Naturade Inc, Natural By Nature Oils, Nature Clean, Nature's Gate, Nature's Soap Dish, Naturopathica, Neal's Yard Remedies, New Vision, Nick & Milly, NutriBiotic, ONLY YOUR Skin Care, Oracle Organics, Orange Mate, Organic Health and Beauty, Organic Make-up Company, The, OrganixSouth, Orjene Organics, Osea International, Parissa, Paul Mitchell, Pittstown Soapworks, Planet Inc., Pro-Tec Pet Health, Pure Touch, PureOlogy, Queen Helene, Quinessence Aromatherapy, Rachel Perry, Recycline, Red Star Hand Crafted Soaps, Rejuvi, Renée Rouleau Skin Care, Saltworks, Sappo Hill Soapworks, Scandia Spa, Sea Chi Organics, Sedona Spa Products, Seventh Generation, Sewing Expressions, Shaman Earthly Organics, Shikai, Simplers Botanical Company, Simply Soap, Soap Opera, The, Sombra Cosmetics, Sonoma Soap, Sound Earth, LLC, Spring Rain Botanicals, St. John's Herb Garden, Strong Products, Suki, Suma Foods (Triangle Wholefoods Collective Ltd), Sunfeather Natural Soap Company, The Co-Operative Group (CWS) Ltd (Co-op), Tom's of Maine, Too Faced Cosmetics, Triangle Wholefoods Collective Ltd (Suma Foods), Un-petroleum Lip Care, Unicure, Urban Decay, V'TAE, Vermont Soapworks, Visage International Partners Ltd (Beauty Without Cruelty), W.S. Badger, Warm Earth Cosmetics, Well In Hand, Whole Spectrum Aromatherapy, Wholefood Farmacy, Xeno Company, ZuZu Luxe.

To find out more about these companies including their websites follow this link.

In addition there is a wide range of companies promoting fair trade and environmentally friendly products. For examples please see The Green Providers Directory and the Living Ethically Website.

Please take a moment to view the poll questions relating to this post and indicate your point of view by marking any or multiple statements that apply to you, or if you wish leave me a comment. I am keen to explore points of view and perception of this issue.

I intend to publish the results of this poll to BUAV and the WSPA; the information will be statistical data only and not relating to any one particular individual.

My thanks for your time and consideration.

Social Screening?

2007-09-12T19:00:00.000+01:00

Ok, here's the first topic, I'm starting simple.

We have all at some point been subject to one form of social screening, whether it is our car insurance company upping our premium on receipt of our postcode, or our bank or credit card company rating our risk as a fraudster or potential debtor by means of our housing type, marital status or income.

My topic for discussion today sees this system taken one step further.

Call centres have begun to tag particular numbers within their customer databases in order to differentiate between 'less desirable' and 'more desirable' customers. Callers who are deemed to be more affluent are often dealt with as a priority.

You as the customer are being assessed, classified and dealt with accordingly.

Britain has already been subdivided into 17 groups categorised by the likelihood of that area having high levels of 'financial services fraud', based on social profiles of each area, by Leeds University Credit Management Research Centre. The Mosaic system developed by Experian has divided the UK into 61 distinct postcode types ranging from 'corporate chieftains' to 'low horizons'.

These systems along with call tagging via caller line identification allow companies to discriminate between customers they wish to treat as a priority, customers they are happy to keep waiting, and customers they wish to ignore altogether; and they are doing so.

What is your opinion of this technological development which has received mixed reactions from the business world? Please take a moment to consider this and either complete the poll in the side bar or if you wish leave me a comment, or follow the references links below to find out more.

I intend to forward the results of this poll to the Office of Fair Trading although no personal data will be forwarded, simply statistics in relation to questions posed. Feel free to be as extensive or brief in your answer as you wish and thank you in advance for your time.

Data Sources: Andrew Bibby 'Left hanging on the line as call centres prioritise the wealthy' ,
CRMC Credit Supplement - Using Postcode Data to Predict Fraud Risk .

Calling all Revolutionaries

2007-08-29T20:01:00.000+01:00

Greetings! Welcome to my new blog, inspired by a long standing desire to speak up! This blog is my shout, my vehicle to share information, and most importantly to evoke responses. I seek discussion, and alternative opinions and solutions in a desire to satisfy my need for change.

There are many things in this world that we have influence over for the betterment of us all. I believe that if you identify a problem that you cannot live with you have to try and bring about change for the better. I know I do not have all of the answers but I believe that between us we do.

I invite you to pass comment on any topic discussed and hope that this blog evolves into a tool that may just make this world a better place, if only very slightly. I have to try. I ask nothing of anyone other than to read, consider and share their opinions. I welcome you all.

Thank you.