Gone shopping?

Gone shopping?
Or has no new shoes changed our habits?

Thursday 20 September 2007

In the Bag!

Okay, I don't always remember to take non-plastic bags with me to the supermarket, but mostly I do. Or I take the old plastic bags from the cupboard under the stairs (or the European used plastic bag mountain as it is also known), so they get used a few times before their 400 year wait until nature finally wins.

'Bag for Life' offers at our supermarche are a good idea - but much, much, much better is to use fairly traded jute bags, available from Traidcraft, New Internationlist and other such wonderful places.

I support the campaign to emulate Ireland and begin charging for plaggy bags - we'll soon start to remember to take our trendy fair trade environmentally friendly bags with us. And anyway - your wine bottle's much less likely to fall out of a sturdy jute bag than a thin, poorly made, environmentally disastrous carrier.

visit www.green-england.co.uk/plasticbagpetition to add your name to those who support 'old bags' (you know what I mean) or visit www.mrdf.org.uk for more ideas about tackling climate change.

Monday 17 September 2007

Please tell me this counts as ethical shopping!

How much do I LOVE Oxfam's new online charity shop!!!!

Check it out at: http://www.oxfam.org.uk/shop/

It came at just the right time for me. Friday was payday and I have been battling a serious urge to splurge. I was just wondering whether I might succumb to the cheap n cheerful lure of Primark and Matalan. Then - ahh! - came Oxfam's online shop.

It has a whole range of clothes, household items, books, music...you name it. The postage is pretty cheap, you can add a cash donation to your order and you can even Giftaid it!! I ordered on Friday and my first purchase (beautiful skirt from Kew) has already arrived.

I couldn't be a happier bunny.

Okay, it's still rampant consumerism, but the fact that it's all for charidee makes me feel a tad better...

xxx