It is one of my missions to get up to Bucks to meet the folk at the Low Impact Living Initiative at some point in the near future. I have just received a course list for 2009 and the breadth of workshops on offer is quite incredible. Fancy trying your hand at straw bale building or making your own natural beauty products? How about unearthing the secrets of tree bogs? Or discovering how to make your own pedal powered generator. It makes me feel so good to know that there are such passionate people out there busily actioning powerful positive change.
Here are some ideas from LILI about how we can make a difference:
First of all, take a deep breath - there are so many things you could do, but you can't do them all at once. Doing things slowly, one at a time until you get used to them will probably increase your chance of success, and help you stay sane.
Energy: make sure your home is well insulated, and that you have energy-efficient appliances, and low-energy light bulbs. Then you can think about installing solar hot water, photovoltaics or even a wind turbine; or you can switch to a renewable energy supplier.
Transport: walk or cycle to work or school; use public transport; work from home; car share; use biodiesel.
Housing: use eco-paints, lime, linseed oil putty and other environmentally friendly materials; if thinking of self-build, consider natural materials like straw-bales, wood, rammed earth or cob; join a community/housing co-op.
Food: grow your own; keep chickens or bees; eat less meat; buy organic; use farmers’ markets, veg boxes and local suppliers (reduce food miles).
Water: install water-saving facilities such as rainwater harvesting, greywater recycling, and a compost loo.
Waste: start a compost heap; recycle; re-use or repair things instead of throwing them away.
Consumerism: you have the ultimate power of deciding where or whether to spend your money. Don’t believe the hype. Research tends to show that populations with an average income of around $10,000 (eg Portugal) are happiest – basic needs are met, communities and traditions are intact, and there isn’t an emphasis on fulfilment through making more money and buying more consumer goods.
Local/small-scale: join a LETS scheme; use your local farmers’ market and credit union; reduce the distance that the things you buy travel, and keep money in the local economy; DIY is of course the most local of all!
Saturday 11 October 2008
learn all about it
It is one of my missions to get up to Bucks to meet the folk at the Low Impact Living Initiative at some point in the near future. I have just received a course list for 2009 and the breadth of workshops on offer is quite incredible. Fancy trying your hand at straw bale building or making your own natural beauty products? How about unearthing the secrets of tree bogs? Or discovering how to make your own pedal powered generator. It makes me feel so good to know that there are such passionate people out there busily actioning powerful positive change.
Here are some ideas from LILI about how we can make a difference:
First of all, take a deep breath - there are so many things you could do, but you can't do them all at once. Doing things slowly, one at a time until you get used to them will probably increase your chance of success, and help you stay sane.
Energy: make sure your home is well insulated, and that you have energy-efficient appliances, and low-energy light bulbs. Then you can think about installing solar hot water, photovoltaics or even a wind turbine; or you can switch to a renewable energy supplier.
Transport: walk or cycle to work or school; use public transport; work from home; car share; use biodiesel.
Housing: use eco-paints, lime, linseed oil putty and other environmentally friendly materials; if thinking of self-build, consider natural materials like straw-bales, wood, rammed earth or cob; join a community/housing co-op.
Food: grow your own; keep chickens or bees; eat less meat; buy organic; use farmers’ markets, veg boxes and local suppliers (reduce food miles).
Water: install water-saving facilities such as rainwater harvesting, greywater recycling, and a compost loo.
Waste: start a compost heap; recycle; re-use or repair things instead of throwing them away.
Consumerism: you have the ultimate power of deciding where or whether to spend your money. Don’t believe the hype. Research tends to show that populations with an average income of around $10,000 (eg Portugal) are happiest – basic needs are met, communities and traditions are intact, and there isn’t an emphasis on fulfilment through making more money and buying more consumer goods.
Local/small-scale: join a LETS scheme; use your local farmers’ market and credit union; reduce the distance that the things you buy travel, and keep money in the local economy; DIY is of course the most local of all!
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