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.

I’m a consumer - get me out of here!

It’s true, I love to shop til’ I drop, especially if the trip to the shopping centre includes lots of breaks in trendy coffee shops. There’s a great sense of satisfaction in taking part in the most popular hobby in the UK today - but just what am I buying into?
Prawns caught in Scotland get flown to Thailand, shelled by hand and then sent back to the UK for sale - how mad is that? Clothes are made in sweatshops, food is processed beyond all recognition and hours are spent online hunting down the latest bargain. There are times when it all feels like a roller-coaster and I want to get off.

Here comes the mad idea…..

46 days without shopping for anything but essentials.
Replace hours of rampant consumerism by

• going for a walk,
• flying a kite,
• buying only fairly traded stuff wherever possible
• reading the stack of unopened books bought over the last year
• marking Lent by refocusing on spiritual well-being
• reducing our carbon footprint
• using the car less
• living more generously
• making bread
• spending time with loved ones

You can do it too! Get down to what is essential this Lent and let us know how you get on.

Lent is from 21st February - 7th April.