29 January, 2008
· Filed under Activism, Culture · Tagged dom joly, fare strike, fgw, trains
When a cause comes around that really means something to you, you have to grab it with both hands. Which is why I hauled myself out of bed at 7am yesterday morning (on a day off work) to go down to Bath Spa station and take part in the Worst Late Western fare strike, organised by MoreTrainLessStrain.
The verdict? Media attention was hot – cameras, interviews, reporters, even Dom Joly of Trigger Happy TV was outside Bath station in the rising light. I caught his attention for a moment, and asked Mr. Joly what brought him to the fare strike. And then immediately wished I’d said something matey and funny like “I’M AT A STRIKE!”. Or something like that. Sigh.
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25 January, 2008
· Filed under Green, Knowledge · Tagged coffee cups, Green, pret a manger, recycling
You’ve just had soup for lunch, or perhaps coffee for breakfast. You’re left with an empty cup, seemingly made out of cardboard, which can’t be used again. So what do you do with it?
If you’re like me, they stack up on your desk, a wavering tower of guilt. It’s about time I did something about them, actually, so rather than spout another ream of green-tinged paragraphs, I thought I’d investigate if there’s an environmentally friendly way of clearing these cups from my desk…
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20 January, 2008
· Filed under Green, Knowledge · Tagged recycling, writing
I’m an eco-worrier. What mainly plays on my mind is that – in reality – changing to a greener lifestyle is far easier than people think. Example – recycling. It’s all about habit forming, not huge effort. I’ve chivvied my housemates, who initially didn’t know you could recycle newspaper, into recyclers who even wash out the bean tins before dumping them in the box.
The biggest problem isn’t doing it, it’s knowing what and how to do it. And it worries me that we – and by we I mean all the weeping eco-obsessed Guardianista liberal lefties – can’t expect people to get on board unless there’s enough information to make it simple and straightforward. Which is why I’ve been writing a feature called Everything you ever wanted to know about recycling, but couldn’t be bothered to ask. Snappy, eh?
I’ve attempted to get it published in Bristol/Bath Venue magazine, but to no joy – admittedly, it is a bit long winded, though I’ve really worked to keep it simple and straightforward as possible. Perhaps Big Issue is more suited, though it’ll need less of a Bath/Bristol focus. But here’s an extract as an example of how I think we need to broach the issue – lighthearted but informative, not smug or overwhelming.
So what else can I recycle?
More than you’d think! The basics are simple – clean white paper, clean kitchen foil, newspapers, magazines, etc. But here are a few that aren’t so obvious:
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17 January, 2008
· Filed under Change, Green, Knowledge · Tagged clever, Green, m&s, plastic bags
Simple, easy and kind on the wallet. That’s what every green drive should aim to be. You can’t expect people to change just by endlessly banging on at them about landfills or how even biodegradable waste just festers inside black plastic bags. Believe me, I’ve tried, and all you get is a sore throat.
So my hat be doffed to M&S, and its Plan A campaign. This month in Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Dorset and Gloucestershire, M&S is handing out free Bags for Life to customers. Then, from the beginning of February, it’ll start charging 5p for regular plastic bags (while the BfL go back to 10p). Cue punters abandoning the endless cycle of grabbing a new plastic bag with every lunchtime KitKat purchase. (Other chocolate bars are available)
Simple, easy and kind on the wallet.
16 January, 2008
· Filed under Green · Tagged about, eco, Green
…Aside from being a self-indulgent lexical mashup, that is.
I’m trying to live green. To be as environmentally friendly as possible. I’m also trying to solve pressing problems like “What the hell do I do with this leftover paper soup cup?”, “How can I compost when I don’t have a garden?” and “Who’s going to stop the buggers who let their dogs poo outside my front door?”.
But living green isn’t easy. Not because it’s a lot of effort – it’s more a matter of habit than anything else. But because, unless you’re a bit of an ecowarrior, the whole task of making your life greener can seem pretty confusing. I know what I can stick in my recycling box, but does everyone else? And, actually, sometimes I don’t know what I can and can’t stick in my box.
So, since I’m too gentle to be an ecowarrior and too fond of cups of tea and biscuits to be a Swampy-esque frontline activist, I’m an econaut. The Econaut, if you like. An explorer in the world of going green. (And the less appealing world of stopping dog mess being left on doorsteps). And if you’re nice, I’ll bring you back a souvenir.
