Yay, only four days left of our Buy Nothing Month and then we can unleash ourselves on the shops and buy loads of, urm, organic coconut oil and selotape. Wild – huh? This week I am working on sourcing amazing clothing and accessories for our Ethical Fashion special edition of The Green Parent magazine and I have got to admit to a haze of avariciousness enveloping my desk. Hunting down inspirational stories of women creating beautiful recycled items and speaking to key people in the ethical fashion industry whilst musing over their gorgeous designs, it has been hard to keep a lid on the “I want” mentality. I have subconsciously created about a zillion wish lists.
One positive aspect of this is that it has inspired me to get crafty and start making some garments of my own … for the girls’ Sylvannian characters rather than proper people sized clothing. But it feels good to sit around the fire in the evening with needle in hand and a bevvy of small woodland folk to clothe.
I have also discovered the Handmade Pledge for the holidays and am delighted by its ethos. Encouraging consumers to make gifts or purchase homemade presents for giving this festive season, Pledge Handmade has collected over thirty thousand signatures to support its cause over the last couple of months. That means over thirty thousand people who are going to steer clear of shopping centres and give one-of-a-kind meaningful gifts this year. They say, “The ascendancy of chain store culture and global manufacturing has left us dressing, furnishing, and decorating alike. We are encouraged to be consumers, not producers, of our own culture. Our ties to the local and human sources of our goods have been lost. Buying handmade helps us reconnect.”
Reconnecting through crafting sounds like something to aspire to!
By the way, the picture is of the Freeform Crochet Necklace by Irregular Expressions at Etsy.
Just wanted to share a quick post on today’s new moon which is in the sign of Sagittarius. Both the sun and the new moon are in the same sign so it will be a warm fiery time with plenty of optimism floating around. It’s a great time to begin projects that are focused on spiritual or educational endeavours.
However, it is also a time to shine a light on the truth as Sagittarius embraces honesty. It provides the chance to listen to our own truth and to hear what others have to say without judgement. The power of Sagittarius can help us see past our own limitations, let down defences that block the light and help us to realise new adventures and explore new pastures. It is after all the sign of travel and exploration. At this time of year I plan to use this as a focus for inner travel and exploration as the wheel of the year is in its darkest phase.
Today I have done some really useful emotional clearing and felt really in tune with my need to look after myself during the new moon. I sought and found solace in a large mug of peppermint tea, a big blanket and the chance to sew tiny chicken finger puppets as gifts. Bliss!
Wishing you a joyful and optimistic exploration of your inner truth
The RSPB have just released results from the first year of their Homes for Wildlife campaign and have reported that 300,000 actions have been taken to create habitats for garden creatures. Apparently, more than 25,000 gardeners have done an average of 12 things each that help frogs, toads, bats, insects, hedgehogs and birds.
Providing seed mixes, growing flowering nectar-rich plants and planting dense thorny bushes are just some of the top actions people have taken as part of the project. Alongside the campaign the RSPB is offering free, tailored wildlife gardening advice to help people transform their homes and gardens into mini nature reserves. The RSPB’s Richard Bashford, said: “Wildlife is increasingly reliant on our gardens for food, water and shelter so it’s fantastic that people are so committed to making their homes and gardens wildlife friendly. “Through Homes for Wildlife, we’re trying to reverse the alarming declines of familiar birds such as house sparrows, starlings and song thrushes. Large numbers of these birds make their homes in our gardens. The time committed by people in taking actions will help create a better future for them and other wildlife in the not too distant future.†One of the most popular activities in the project – growing plants in tubs to attract insects – shows that regardless of size or shape of garden everyone can take part. More than 4,000 people took action on balconies or in gardens smaller than squash courts. In even a tiny space, you can make a real difference for wildlife. On average, 60 bugs were seen in each garden. Snails were most common with an average of 12 per garden. Ladybirds were seen more often in the south and east than the north and west. Other results show that three-quarters of gardens surveyed had frogs, more than half had bats, a third had hedgehogs and newts and a quarter had toads. Richard added: “We’ve made a fantastic start but it’s really important that more people get involved. Now is a great time to think longer term about turning your garden into a haven for wildlife. The more people who sign-up and take action, the bigger effect we will have. By taking simple wildlife-friendly steps in our gardens, collectively we will make a real difference for many of our birds and other wildlife.†To get involved you can sign up on the Homes for Wildlife site and you will receive seasonal advice sheets and surveys that the whole family can take part in.
You may be aware that the government is considering making vaccination compulsory in order for our children to attend UK schools & to claim child benefit. This link will take you to a Downing Street petition if you want to record your opposition to it. This will only take a minute.
More and more parents are looking into the safety and effectiveness of vaccinations. Greater knowledge enables parents to have the confidence to exercise their right to an informed choice. To be forced into vaccinating our children so that they can attend school or that we can receive child benefit would be ridiculous.
A useful starting point for parents keen to find out more about vaccinations is The Informed Parent website and newsletters. My children are not vaccinated because I believe that inoculations can cause more harm than good. I think that bolstering their immune system with a healthy diet, plenty of fresh air, dirt and a little homeopathy when they need it is a better course for us in achieving complete health.
Wowzer, can’t believe that we only have a week to go. We are now thinking about how to roll this out into our lives beyond Buy Nothing Month. It’s surprisingly liberating.
And whilst the kids have a yearning to take some hard cash into our local town to splash out, when we asked what they wanted to buy they explained that they wanted to get each other a Christmas present at the bookshop. Bless!
They have gone to their beloved aunt and uncle’s house for a sleepover and are looking forward to butter with their bread and a chance to go to the shops (not to buy but just to look), as well as lots of love and silly games as well I’m sure.
A friend is organising a bring and buy sale in the village in aid of Blue Peter’s Mission Nutrition and I felt a bit churlish when I remembered that we wouldn’t be able to purchase anything. Surely this is the sort of consumerism that we should support regardless. Jury’s out on this. Sale is this afternoon so I’ll keep you posted what decision I come to.
Food around here is getting decidedly weird – cabbage soup anyone? But essentially apart from an ear infection, chest infection and a few sniffles we are all fairly fit and healthy! For medicine we have relied completely on the kitchen cupboard and a bottle of amazing tonic from the marvellous Nancy Makin of Barefoot Herbs, who is really our family doctor.
In the office we have run out of recycled paper envelopes and tape so have been more careful than usual about opening envelopes to ensure that they can be re-used and using old stickers to seal mail.
I have not experienced the spiritual effects that I thought that a buy nothing month might bring. I expected small moments of epiphany. I expected to discover greater clarity and and a sense of lightness. Perhaps I have experienced this but on a smaller scale than I envisaged. Perhaps I need to step away from the computer and my day-to-day life to realise that on a grand scale?
Anyway, although we did this for political and environmental reasons, I expect that the economical effects won’t have hurt either. And now, I’m off to make a few felt toys for the advent calendar, which will be hung expectantly in just six days time!
Welcome to the new blog from the Green Parent office. Here we'll talk about what's going on in the small and quite leafy headquarters of the UK's leading green lifestyle magazine. We'll share news that interests us and talk about green issues and natural parenting. We'll share advice and information from our own experiences of living a green lifestyle. And we'll even tell you what we are reading, eating, drinking and thinking. Hope you get plenty of food for thought here.
The Green Parent is the UK's leading green lifestyle and natural parenting magazine. A truly inspiring read, TGP is like nothing else on the newsstand, with insightful intelligent journalism covering topics from babywearing and attachment parenting to home-education and alternative medicine. Each issue features regular columns on Organic Gardening, Seasonal Food and Drink, Green Travel, Ethical Fashion and lots more. Read more about Green Parent »
Copyright © The Green Parent 2009 | Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Site by Erskine Design
