'High-end hand-me-downs (the smart set calls them vintage) are more ecologically sound than new clothes. Why? Buying a shirt the second time around means you avoid consuming all the energy used in producing and shipping a new one and, therefore, the carbon emissions associated with it. Every item of clothing you own has an impact on the environment. Some synthetic textiles are made with petroleum products. Cotton accounts for less than 3% of farmed land globally but consumes about a quarter of the pesticides. One quick way to change your duds: invite friends over for a closet swap, to which everyone brings a few items they want to trade. It's easy on the environment—and your pocketbook'.
By Coco Masters.TIME magazine. 51 ways to reduce global warming. April 9th 2007.
Tuesday, 10 April 2007
Friday, 2 March 2007
Key2Giving
Check this out as a great idea - keeping your keys safe and giving to charity at the same time - for only £5 a month. I love this because someone has had a creative idea and put it into action with great results. I usually have the idea and it doesn't get any further. Anyone else feel like that too?!
www.key2giving.co.uk
'Key2Giving is an easy way to give to charity that gives added security for your keys. As well as supporting your chosen charity, you get peace of mind knowing that if your keys are lost they are more likely to end up in safe hands – yours! If someone finds them, they can simply drop them in any postbox and we will return them safely and securely to you'
www.key2giving.co.uk
'Key2Giving is an easy way to give to charity that gives added security for your keys. As well as supporting your chosen charity, you get peace of mind knowing that if your keys are lost they are more likely to end up in safe hands – yours! If someone finds them, they can simply drop them in any postbox and we will return them safely and securely to you'
Monday, 5 February 2007
Free, interesting, easy-to-read MAGAZINE on real issues
Well the title says it all! This is a magazine that you really will find yourself reading from cover to cover...and you'll learn a whole load of new stuff about the world, poverty and what is being done to tackle it in the meantime.
An extract:
'Somewhere in one of the world’s poorest countries right now a teenager is starting her first job, a farmer is putting a roof on his first home, a young mother is taking her son to be inoculated against a killer disease, and a village is preparing to open its first ever school. By the time you have read this issue of Developments, a women’s co-operative will have counted their monthly revenues and decided to expand their small business…' (www.developments.org.uk)
So sign up now! - www.developments.org.uk
An extract:
'Somewhere in one of the world’s poorest countries right now a teenager is starting her first job, a farmer is putting a roof on his first home, a young mother is taking her son to be inoculated against a killer disease, and a village is preparing to open its first ever school. By the time you have read this issue of Developments, a women’s co-operative will have counted their monthly revenues and decided to expand their small business…' (www.developments.org.uk)
So sign up now! - www.developments.org.uk
Tuesday, 16 January 2007
A school for brick kiln children workers, Pakistan - £4 a month per child
Interview with 2 men working in Youhannabad No.2. Brick Kiln Village, outside Lahore, Pakistan:
How much do you earn? 300 rupees (£2.50) for 1000 bricks
How many bricks can you make in a day? A family can make 1000 on a good day.
What do you do in the monsoon when it rains? We cannot work
How do you live? The brick kiln owner is always happy to lend us money
How much do you owe him? More than 10,000 rupees (£100). It will take many years to repay our debts.
Do you like work? If we could only pay off our debts we would run away from here
Do your children go to school? There is no school for them to study. they work with us to make bricks
Education is one of the keys for these children and this community to escape their cylcle of poverty. Starfish Asia is working with local partners in Pakistan to start a school. All the planning has been done and it is due to open this month. It only costs £400 a month to run this primary school for 100 children. So far £220 per month is committed to...
Is this something u would like to contribute to?
If it is go to http://www.starfishasia.com/
(Any questions feel free to ask them in the comments section or by email (see the Free Pocket Guides post). I visited the Brick Kiln in July and have been involved in the planning process)
How much do you earn? 300 rupees (£2.50) for 1000 bricks
How many bricks can you make in a day? A family can make 1000 on a good day.
What do you do in the monsoon when it rains? We cannot work
How do you live? The brick kiln owner is always happy to lend us money
How much do you owe him? More than 10,000 rupees (£100). It will take many years to repay our debts.
Do you like work? If we could only pay off our debts we would run away from here
Do your children go to school? There is no school for them to study. they work with us to make bricks
Education is one of the keys for these children and this community to escape their cylcle of poverty. Starfish Asia is working with local partners in Pakistan to start a school. All the planning has been done and it is due to open this month. It only costs £400 a month to run this primary school for 100 children. So far £220 per month is committed to...
Is this something u would like to contribute to?
If it is go to http://www.starfishasia.com/
(Any questions feel free to ask them in the comments section or by email (see the Free Pocket Guides post). I visited the Brick Kiln in July and have been involved in the planning process)
Tuesday, 2 January 2007
Be eco-friendly after Christmas!
It's simple but its so easy not to do it - recycle your Christmas tree and your Christmas cards!
'London produces 10% more rubbish at Christmas than during any other time of the year and Christmas tree recycling is an environmentally friendly, convenient way of getting rid of your real Christmas tree' (www.viewlondon.co.uk).
Many local councils have special arrangements for this and the easiest way to find out about them is to google them.
As for cards, well if you haven't got access to a recycling collection which most people have as part of their rubbish collection (or if you keep forgetting!) take them to Tesco with you when you next go shopping. WH Smith is also accepting them for recycling.
Or of course there's the old trick of cutting out the pictures and using them as tags for next year's presents. If you've got the time go for it!
'London produces 10% more rubbish at Christmas than during any other time of the year and Christmas tree recycling is an environmentally friendly, convenient way of getting rid of your real Christmas tree' (www.viewlondon.co.uk).
Many local councils have special arrangements for this and the easiest way to find out about them is to google them.
As for cards, well if you haven't got access to a recycling collection which most people have as part of their rubbish collection (or if you keep forgetting!) take them to Tesco with you when you next go shopping. WH Smith is also accepting them for recycling.
Or of course there's the old trick of cutting out the pictures and using them as tags for next year's presents. If you've got the time go for it!
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