Living a greener life
One idea can lead so far........
Our town hall clock is an important feature of the town. The clock face has occasionally turned different colours for short periods for celebrations/commemorations.. When I originally came up with the concept of creating a fortnight to celebrate all the green initiatives in the town, the clock was an important part of this idea. The idea of the fortnight was also to encourage the community to look at their lifestyle and take further steps to make it more environmentally friendly and reduce their carbon footprint. When I previously mentioned the fortnight on my blog some of my followers asked what they could do too, so here are some suggestions......
1) Reduce the miles that food is being transported by buying locally produced items. Fresh seasonal food tastes better, you get friendly expert advice from the growers, there is less packaging and it helps to support local jobs and the local economy. Just by shifting a percentage of your weekly spend from supermarkets to local businesses can make a huge difference to their livelihoods.
2) Grow your own vegetables and fruit and create a wildlife friendly garden.
3) Reduce your energy consumption when you need to buy a new equipment choose the most energy efficient models. Energy efficient light bulbs have improved so much over the years they now come in wide range of sizes and fittings and warm white and daylight versions. If you need to replace any light bulbs the LED ones are the most energy efficient.
4) Consider a car free day or use your car for one less journey a week. Going by bike or walking can turn into a pleasurable experience by bringing you closer to nature.
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| Winter storms in 2014 at Portland, Dorset. |
5) If you are concerned about the effects of climate change and want to do more consider joining a group where you can work with others to improve things in your locality too, or just find out more about the issues.
Suggested groups include :-
Transition Towns (they started in Totnes and Ireland 10 years ago and now have groups in over 50 countries.
Other environmental groups also have local groups e.g. Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth,.
A French film called Demain - 'Tomorrow' has just produced an English version. If you ever notice that it is showing in your area I would strongly recommend that you see it. It is a documentary that instead of focusing on the environmental problems highlights the positive work that ordinary people have done in 10 countries to live a greener life.
The greatest hurdle is to make that initial change to your habits and do things differently. Is there anything you think you could do to live a greener life?
Sorry for not much blogging activity here or visiting others, normal service will resume soon!
Sarah x
Well done Sarah for all your hard work. It is just a few things to change that could make a big difference. I'm certainly checking where my food comes from and buying locally if I can. My conservatory is bursting with seedlings to produce veg and salad to eat. Let's hope it gets to the production stage :) B x
ReplyDeleteA very interesting post Sarah, and love the idea that you had the initiative to turn your local Town Hall Clock green.
ReplyDeleteA very simple thing that is so easily achievable is to hang washing outside to dry - nothing smells better or fresher than washing that has been dried outside.
Don't buy more food than you need, and if you do make something with it for the freezer - so many people throw pounds worth of food away. Our council have issued us with a waste food bin, but we have never used it as we never have anything to put in it.
I do get so frustrated with the supermarkets running so many campaigns on multi- buys it just encourages us to buy more than we need. We used to have a combined washing machine and tumble drier but we rarely used the tumbler drier so replaced with just a washing machine. We have a heated clothes rail from Lakeland that costs 5p an hour to run when the clothes just won't dry! Sarah x
DeleteMarvelous ideas! I try to do things that are good for the environment but I must say that I could surely do more. I am in love with the photo of the "Winter Storms in 2014 at Porland, Dorset." Awesome photo!!
ReplyDeleteIt was quite frightening to see those waves even from such a distance away and made us appreciate that these storms are becoming a more frequent event and effecting so many all around the world.
Deletehttp://downbytheseadorset.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/battered-and-windswept.html
Although beautiful in photos it must be a frightening event to see. It looks very dangerous and so close to the residential area.
DeleteOur major change has been growing some of our own food, buying locally when possible, and preserving our own food for winter, as much as we can. This is the way our ancestors did it!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous photos, I'm so impressed by your green fortnight, well done you. I am almost thinking about taking on a second allotment, which is slightly ridiculous as I really don't have the time, but it is a plot right next to mine, and I could grass it over and plant fruit trees. Oh, I secretly want to do it. I'm very keen on local and home grown food. We walk when we can, and I avoid things like tumble driers (don't have one), irons (don't iron!) and central heating, unless we're absolutely freezing. I'm planning on putting in a wildlife pond down at the allotment, the one in the garden has been an amazing success. CJ xx
ReplyDeleteI don't enjoy ironing I hadn't thought how much energy I could save in reducing it! Your idea about planting fruit trees on an allotment plot sounds lovely. When we had an allotment we planted a pear tree, as we pass the allotment it looks huge now and must be creating lots of shade under it's branches! Sarah x
DeleteCurrently engrossed in sustainable use of water as we battle a drought.
ReplyDeleteClimate change, global weirding, our fault, yes.
I am going to have my husband search for this documentary. We both strongly agree that all of the above you have mentioned is imperative to practice! I wish big business however, here in the US was not as strong on doing things their own way. But as individual citizens, we can do our own part. BRAVO, Sarah!
ReplyDeleteI hope you will be able to see a copy of this documentary.I did a quick search to see if I could find anything in the US without much success, I did however discover a book about it that is coming out in April.
DeleteSarah x
Great ideas to help us all make small changes that add up to big things don't they. Good idea to change the colour of the clock to promote different things too.
ReplyDeleteGood for you Sarah for profiling how some simple changes in our life-style can make a difference. A few years ago, Canberra banned the use of plastic bags in supermarkets, and it has made quite a difference, and, over time people have become more aware, and therefore more positive about it. Every bit helps.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting post and well done! Let´s live a greener life...
ReplyDeleteHave a happy week too!
Titti
Steve and I are amazed at how little we drive these days - we can cycle or walk most places even the 3 miles downtown. We bought a Prius and love the gas mileage.Steve's sports car sits in the garage for sunny, top down days. And then there is his truck that we bought to transport our kayaks - its a gas hog, but we don't drive it much.
ReplyDeleteI hadn't realised that Green Fortnight was your idea so many congratulations on such a good scheme. I hope it went well. A change in the way we live seems even more relevant in this currently messed up world. I just wish our politicians showed more initiative in the green direction.
ReplyDeleteSuch an interesting post and beautifully illustrated. Well done you!
ReplyDeleteWow! That is lovely! Glad to know that you had this great idea. I love seeing the town hall clock used for bringing awareness. My hubby and I try to shop as locally as we can for our food and things, right here in Bridport. I will be following your blog from now on. :)
ReplyDeleteHi Nadia, Welcome we are so lucky to have a great town that is unique and not full of national chains. Buying locally is a pleasure not a chore here! Sarah x
DeleteI completely agree and support all your points in my daily life. I've taken it a step further favouring local entrepreneurs and domestic small businesses in all my purchases as much as I can, as I am sure you are also doing. No sweatshop clothing or other stuff for us nature lovers. I'm much rather buying less and paying for quality and ethical production.
ReplyDelete