"The average 100% cotton T-shirt contains only 73% cotton. The rest is made up of chemicals and resins that were used to grow and make it."
27% is chemicals and resins?? really?? No I didn't know that at all. Erm....And now that I know that I think I will try buy organic cotton.
Tuesday, 29 April 2008
John Masters Organic Zinc & Sage shampoo
What can I say.. I was totally seduced by the smell of this shampoo with built in conditioner. To me, it smells like American cream soda and took me right back to being a kid!
My hair was shiny, shiny, shiny all day long and I couldn't stop touching it!
Both of the samples from the John Masters range I would recommend... will see if I can get my hands on any more...
Daisy x
My hair was shiny, shiny, shiny all day long and I couldn't stop touching it!
Both of the samples from the John Masters range I would recommend... will see if I can get my hands on any more...
Daisy x
MTF
Well this is for all you techies out there. Which I most definitely am not, but my husband most definitely is. And those of you who know him will certainly vouch for this.
He is currently supply teaching at a very local school. And seemingly its going well (no brick has bounced off his back car window - but there's time yet.)
He's working in the ICT department and has been astonished to find out that they leave all the PC's on day and night - they are simply not turned off.
Now I know that this happens regularly, mainly in schools with old technology. If a PC takes - oh lets see about 3 years to log on - and you have 30, 6 year old kids sitting in front of them, you want them to come on quickly. Believe me. So you leave them on. Because it makes your life much much easier.
So off he went on his little mission to turn them all off. Thats a bit bigger than a small step - he turned 60 PC's and monitors off tonight!!
You may be wondering what MTF stands for. Well it's "Mean time to Failure" ie the average time a part will take to wear out (as long as those parts are left turned on.)
Really hoping you are still with me!
Basically, if you leave parts running all of the time they wear out far sooner. Net result: costly bills, high and unnecessary electricity waste levels and high costs replacing all the parts that need not have worn out.
A suggestion. Turn them all off. Well, get the kids to. Teach them why it's important to take care of our equipment, save electricity and save money all at the same time.
Simple.
(But make sure that you remember to switch them on before all those 7 year old's get there....)
Big up my hubbie x
He is currently supply teaching at a very local school. And seemingly its going well (no brick has bounced off his back car window - but there's time yet.)
He's working in the ICT department and has been astonished to find out that they leave all the PC's on day and night - they are simply not turned off.
Now I know that this happens regularly, mainly in schools with old technology. If a PC takes - oh lets see about 3 years to log on - and you have 30, 6 year old kids sitting in front of them, you want them to come on quickly. Believe me. So you leave them on. Because it makes your life much much easier.
So off he went on his little mission to turn them all off. Thats a bit bigger than a small step - he turned 60 PC's and monitors off tonight!!
You may be wondering what MTF stands for. Well it's "Mean time to Failure" ie the average time a part will take to wear out (as long as those parts are left turned on.)
Really hoping you are still with me!
Basically, if you leave parts running all of the time they wear out far sooner. Net result: costly bills, high and unnecessary electricity waste levels and high costs replacing all the parts that need not have worn out.
A suggestion. Turn them all off. Well, get the kids to. Teach them why it's important to take care of our equipment, save electricity and save money all at the same time.
Simple.
(But make sure that you remember to switch them on before all those 7 year old's get there....)
Big up my hubbie x
Monday, 28 April 2008
Living Nature ... manuka honey nourishing day cream
Again plenty of cream in the little snap pak. Rich and creamy with a more ....herby ..... type of smell. Am going to check out what manuka honey actually is because my face has certainly been nourished.
2 products tested, 2 happy experiences. Would recommend.
2 products tested, 2 happy experiences. Would recommend.
The Red response....
It troubled me some, so I wrote back. And this was the response. Thanks to Sam the Editor for your time.
Dear Daisy,
Many thanks for your response.
Next time we do a relevant feature, we will be sure to include a reference to Oxfam’s policy of recycling clothes in instances where they are unable to sell them.
With very best wishes,
Sam Baker
Editor
Dear Daisy,
Many thanks for your response.
Next time we do a relevant feature, we will be sure to include a reference to Oxfam’s policy of recycling clothes in instances where they are unable to sell them.
With very best wishes,
Sam Baker
Editor
Saturday, 26 April 2008
carrier bags
They drive me crazy. They do. I hate them. They are going to be lying around the planet far longer than we are. They are messy and nasty and such a huge waste of resources.
Anyhoo, I started to decline carriers about 2 months ago. People have looked at me like I was about to slap them in the face. One lady working in a very large department store in the Metro Centre actually started to argue with me that the security guards might think I had stolen goods in my bag!! ( I thought that receipts were proof of purchase enough. Silly me!!)
So now I just explain that I don't do carrier bags. And where ever possible I don't. There have been a number of teething problems; the number of times we have a trolley full of shopping at the check out and husband has to leg it out to the car to get the bags out of the boot is comical. But we are getting better at remembering.
Links to alternatives provided below.............
www.recoup.org/business/default.asp
Anyhoo, I started to decline carriers about 2 months ago. People have looked at me like I was about to slap them in the face. One lady working in a very large department store in the Metro Centre actually started to argue with me that the security guards might think I had stolen goods in my bag!! ( I thought that receipts were proof of purchase enough. Silly me!!)
So now I just explain that I don't do carrier bags. And where ever possible I don't. There have been a number of teething problems; the number of times we have a trolley full of shopping at the check out and husband has to leg it out to the car to get the bags out of the boot is comical. But we are getting better at remembering.
Links to alternatives provided below.............
www.recoup.org/business/default.asp
Response from Sam Baker, Editor, Red magazine
Dear Daisy
Many thanks for your emails, which we have read with interest. Thank you also for contacting Oxfam with your concern that donations of clothing are being turned away and forwarding the charity’s response.
The remark in my editor’s letter was based on an interview with an Oxfam spokesperson for our August 2007 issue. Around that time we had heard persistent rumours that Oxfam and other charity shops (‘Oxfam and co’ in my letter) were concerned by the extremely poor quality of some fast fashion clothing and were having to turn away or recycle some donations because the quality was too poor to sell on. A spokesperson told us: ‘[Oxfam] like to provide some intrigue in [their] shops and [the shops] would be no good if they were full of the same clothes available everywhere else.’ (p.123). Giulia Biasibetti, quoted below, seems to concur when she explains that clothing that cannot be worn again is sold for its fibre content.
As a personal aside, I have, in fact, been turned away from charity shops with bags of my unwanted clothing on several occasions – although this has not been to do with the quality of the clothing, necessarily, but to do with them having too many donations. (Indeed, when I lived in Muswell Hill, North London, one charity shop had a sign on the door turning away donations!).
I agree wholeheartedly that charity shops do amazing work, the point I was trying to make (and which many readers have responded positively to) is that in buying large quantities of disposable fashion, ie clothes that are designed to be thrown away, we are making their incredibly important job harder not easier.
In answer to your second question about the number of pages of advertisements in our magazine: as I’m sure you’re aware, advertising pages generate revenue which funds the production of the magazine. Without this revenue we would have to charge a much higher cover price than we currently do. However, I’m sorry to hear that you find the advertisements get in the way of the articles because we hope reading Red is an enjoyable experience for all our readers.
I do hope this answers your questions. You are welcome to publish this reply on your blog.
Finally, I sincerely hope that you continue to read and enjoy Red.
With very best wishes
Sam Baker
Editor
Many thanks for your emails, which we have read with interest. Thank you also for contacting Oxfam with your concern that donations of clothing are being turned away and forwarding the charity’s response.
The remark in my editor’s letter was based on an interview with an Oxfam spokesperson for our August 2007 issue. Around that time we had heard persistent rumours that Oxfam and other charity shops (‘Oxfam and co’ in my letter) were concerned by the extremely poor quality of some fast fashion clothing and were having to turn away or recycle some donations because the quality was too poor to sell on. A spokesperson told us: ‘[Oxfam] like to provide some intrigue in [their] shops and [the shops] would be no good if they were full of the same clothes available everywhere else.’ (p.123). Giulia Biasibetti, quoted below, seems to concur when she explains that clothing that cannot be worn again is sold for its fibre content.
As a personal aside, I have, in fact, been turned away from charity shops with bags of my unwanted clothing on several occasions – although this has not been to do with the quality of the clothing, necessarily, but to do with them having too many donations. (Indeed, when I lived in Muswell Hill, North London, one charity shop had a sign on the door turning away donations!).
I agree wholeheartedly that charity shops do amazing work, the point I was trying to make (and which many readers have responded positively to) is that in buying large quantities of disposable fashion, ie clothes that are designed to be thrown away, we are making their incredibly important job harder not easier.
In answer to your second question about the number of pages of advertisements in our magazine: as I’m sure you’re aware, advertising pages generate revenue which funds the production of the magazine. Without this revenue we would have to charge a much higher cover price than we currently do. However, I’m sorry to hear that you find the advertisements get in the way of the articles because we hope reading Red is an enjoyable experience for all our readers.
I do hope this answers your questions. You are welcome to publish this reply on your blog.
Finally, I sincerely hope that you continue to read and enjoy Red.
With very best wishes
Sam Baker
Editor
Thanks for your help...
Lucy Aitkenread. Your advice has been very helpful and thought provoking. I fully support the work that Oxfam does and have learned a little more in the last 2 days. Good on yer!!
Your blog has some scary stuff on there... but I will keep reading. Thanks Daisy x
Your blog has some scary stuff on there... but I will keep reading. Thanks Daisy x
Check this out......
hundreds of small ways we can make a difference........
http://www.wearewhatwedo.org/
http://www.wearewhatwedo.org/
Free Cosmetic Samples....
Ladies (and gents)
There is a company called Naturisimo and until the 30th June they are letting everyone claim 5 free samples on all sorts of different cosmetics. Naturally they are all organic and free from all the nasties, parabens and so on.
There is a £1.99 postal charge but there are loads of different things to choose from and so I happily typed in the number from my little plastic card and ordered some a range of shampoo, conditioner and so on
Suffering from a slight hangover this morning the little parcel was a very welcome distraction (quick too I only ordered them late on Thursday night).
So far I have tried and tested one of the little sachets of moisturiser. There was enough to cover the whole of me and it was gorgeous! It's by John Masters organics - blood orange and vanilla body milk.... fabby fabby fabby!!
The husband thinks it smells like love heart sweeties but it's very subtle and the smell lasts for a good long while. 4 hours after using it, I am as soft as the day I was born so it definitely works. Would throughly recommend and am definitely going to buy some. Also they sent a voucher for a fiver off if you spend £50.
Go get some !!!! www.NATURISIMO.com (please type this is correctly!)
There is a company called Naturisimo and until the 30th June they are letting everyone claim 5 free samples on all sorts of different cosmetics. Naturally they are all organic and free from all the nasties, parabens and so on.
There is a £1.99 postal charge but there are loads of different things to choose from and so I happily typed in the number from my little plastic card and ordered some a range of shampoo, conditioner and so on
Suffering from a slight hangover this morning the little parcel was a very welcome distraction (quick too I only ordered them late on Thursday night).
So far I have tried and tested one of the little sachets of moisturiser. There was enough to cover the whole of me and it was gorgeous! It's by John Masters organics - blood orange and vanilla body milk.... fabby fabby fabby!!
The husband thinks it smells like love heart sweeties but it's very subtle and the smell lasts for a good long while. 4 hours after using it, I am as soft as the day I was born so it definitely works. Would throughly recommend and am definitely going to buy some. Also they sent a voucher for a fiver off if you spend £50.
Go get some !!!! www.NATURISIMO.com (please type this is correctly!)
Thursday, 24 April 2008
Full response from OXFAM re Red Editor comments
Thank you for your email about the Editor’s letter in this month’s
issue of Red magazine.
Oxfam does not turn away clothing donations, and Oxfam shops
work hard to sort, price and sell as many donated items as
possible.
However, as you say, some of the items that shops receive may
not be saleable in the UK market because they are damaged or
worn out.
Clothes and shoes that fail to sell in Oxfam shops are collected
and taken to Oxfam Wastesaver, Oxfam's own fully integrated
processing operation in Huddersfield. A specialist team of
trained and experienced sorters at Wastesaver grade the clothing
by quality, fabric composition and garment type.
The sorters are always looking out for gems such as retro and
vintage items, which have the potential to raise money
in the UK: they are set aside for specialist Oxfam shops
and stalls at music festivals.
The clothing that is good enough to be worn again is sold
for export. There is a global trade in second-hand clothing,
just as there is in new garments. Wastesaver operates in an
ethical and sustainable way, following Oxfam Export Policy, and
sells only to accredited companies, based in countries where
second-hand clothing is freely available, and where it can
be demonstrated that there will be no negative impact on local
manufacturing.
Clothing that cannot be worn again because it is ripped, torn
or worn out,is sold for its fibre content and is shredded for
uses such as mattress filling or industrial wiper cloths.
The proceeds from these sales fund Oxfam's projects in more than 70
countries around the world.
I hope this has given you sufficient information in answer to
your query,but if you do have any further questions, please do not
hesitate to contact us again. We are happy to see this email
published on your blog.
Finally, we would like to thank you for the valuable support that you give
to Oxfam’s work in over 70 countries around the world.
Kind regards,
Giulia Biasibetti
Shop Support Team Advisor
4, 5 & 6
I think we all know about these but.....
Change your light bulbs - energy efficient all the way.
Turn off the standby lights....... what a waste!
And how about this one....
If you are downloading from the internet and its going to take a while then make sure the monitor is switched off.
Change your light bulbs - energy efficient all the way.
Turn off the standby lights....... what a waste!
And how about this one....
If you are downloading from the internet and its going to take a while then make sure the monitor is switched off.
The Hard Rain Project
Having been so utterly moved by the Hard Rain Project, I emailed Mark Edwards who is one of the main people instrumental in bringing it all about. My thoughts were that if they had anything prepared to use in school, then it would be gratefully appreciated.
How excited was I when I received a reply asking me to contact him!!?!?!?
Although at present the slide show isn't appropriate for younger kids it was fabulous to speak to Mark and hopefully give pause to thought about reaching a younger audience.
I was very grateful for his time and advice.
How excited was I when I received a reply asking me to contact him!!?!?!?
Although at present the slide show isn't appropriate for younger kids it was fabulous to speak to Mark and hopefully give pause to thought about reaching a younger audience.
I was very grateful for his time and advice.
Teabags....
Apparently, they aren't all suitable for the compost. Honestly, there I am collecting them from school and from one of my lovely colleagues' home (she is also going to give me all her veg peelings too!) and my husband informs me that in some bags there's a type of mesh thingy that doesn't compost.
Does anybody out there know anything more about this??? Please do post a reply and let me know the crack.
Does anybody out there know anything more about this??? Please do post a reply and let me know the crack.
Tuesday, 22 April 2008
small steps.........2 & 3
At work today I re-introduced a paper bin in the office. At the end of the day, the rubbish bin was empty, the paper bin was full. There was no need to change the black plastic bag. And all that paper is waiting to be recycled. Brilliant.
Put a dish in the staff room asking all the staff to put their teabags into it. Am going to bring them home to put in my compost bin.
(Wrote on the notice that I would collect the tea bags everyday and clean out all the mess. I forgot and its the first day!! Ha ha they are small steps after all. Best remember to get them first thing in the morning.)
Put a dish in the staff room asking all the staff to put their teabags into it. Am going to bring them home to put in my compost bin.
(Wrote on the notice that I would collect the tea bags everyday and clean out all the mess. I forgot and its the first day!! Ha ha they are small steps after all. Best remember to get them first thing in the morning.)
Small steps .........
Its good to share. Thats what we tell the small ones everyday. Share and the world will be a nicer place. Small steps to making Daisy Green greener.
A little bit of a diversion first.....
Following the magazine ripping exercises of the previous day, we went off to have a little wander about in the countryside. As you do.
Stumbling across a most beautiful botanical garden near Dunoon in Scotland, off we went meandering to our hearts content.
And in the middle of all the beauty around us was an exhibition called Hard Rain put together by Mark Edwards and Lloyd Timberlake. It is a series of fabulous photo's depicting the changes in the world over the last few decades. You know the type, the photos that really pull on your heart strings and make your stomach churn. Well all I can say is that I was grateful for the sunglasses. They really got me.
They stopped me in my tracks and made me think I should do more to try and make a difference. It seems that that there are one or two people out there who feel the same as me. Which makes me smile.
Small step one - - check out www.hardrainproject.com - it's worth a look. It will make you think. I promise.
A little bit of a diversion first.....
Following the magazine ripping exercises of the previous day, we went off to have a little wander about in the countryside. As you do.
Stumbling across a most beautiful botanical garden near Dunoon in Scotland, off we went meandering to our hearts content.
And in the middle of all the beauty around us was an exhibition called Hard Rain put together by Mark Edwards and Lloyd Timberlake. It is a series of fabulous photo's depicting the changes in the world over the last few decades. You know the type, the photos that really pull on your heart strings and make your stomach churn. Well all I can say is that I was grateful for the sunglasses. They really got me.
They stopped me in my tracks and made me think I should do more to try and make a difference. It seems that that there are one or two people out there who feel the same as me. Which makes me smile.
Small step one - - check out www.hardrainproject.com - it's worth a look. It will make you think. I promise.
Oxfam.....
I wrote and asked them if they routinely turn donations away.. will see if there is a reply....
Monday, 21 April 2008
oxfam....
Do you know they are doing SWAP IT parties this weekend?
Take all unwanted stuff, swap for other stuff, and donate whats left to Oxfam.... FAB idea!!
Take all unwanted stuff, swap for other stuff, and donate whats left to Oxfam.... FAB idea!!
Letter to the Editor of Red magazine
Hi,
I read this months magazine and I have to say I liked what I read. I really did. The stories, articles and tit bits were clearly aimed at me. But I am in my 30's, married but totally self sufficient and with enough disposable income to buy some of the items that you promote.
I too, like your editor, worry about the buy now, throw away immediately and then buy something the month after to replace it, world we live in.
But I was dismayed to read that you claimed a charity shop - was it Oxfam ? - had refused donations. Dismayed.
So I have written to them as well as yourselves,for clarification on this point.
I understand that they only want us to donate goods that they can re-sell otherwise the extra waste they are left with, adds to their own costs. And thats fair enough. But I have always been welcomed gratefully with my bags of goods at all the charity shops I have donated to. Also, the charity shops have sales, and 2 for 1, to help clear their stock.
On a slightly different note, please can you tell me why nearly 45% of your magazine is adverts?? Thats a lot of wasted paper. A huge amount of trees. Once I had pulled all the adverts out, your magazine was sooooo much more appealing. The articles were informative and helpful.
Obviously all the adverts went in the paper bin to be recycled.
I await your response with anticipation.
Yours
Daisy Green
PS can I publish your response in my blog please?
I read this months magazine and I have to say I liked what I read. I really did. The stories, articles and tit bits were clearly aimed at me. But I am in my 30's, married but totally self sufficient and with enough disposable income to buy some of the items that you promote.
I too, like your editor, worry about the buy now, throw away immediately and then buy something the month after to replace it, world we live in.
But I was dismayed to read that you claimed a charity shop - was it Oxfam ? - had refused donations. Dismayed.
So I have written to them as well as yourselves,for clarification on this point.
I understand that they only want us to donate goods that they can re-sell otherwise the extra waste they are left with, adds to their own costs. And thats fair enough. But I have always been welcomed gratefully with my bags of goods at all the charity shops I have donated to. Also, the charity shops have sales, and 2 for 1, to help clear their stock.
On a slightly different note, please can you tell me why nearly 45% of your magazine is adverts?? Thats a lot of wasted paper. A huge amount of trees. Once I had pulled all the adverts out, your magazine was sooooo much more appealing. The articles were informative and helpful.
Obviously all the adverts went in the paper bin to be recycled.
I await your response with anticipation.
Yours
Daisy Green
PS can I publish your response in my blog please?
Where was I...
Oh yes thats right. 40%. Adverts.
What about all the magazines? Do they all have such enormous amounts of advertising to keep them going? And are any of them made out of recycled paper? I naturally assumed so but had no idea. And then, what about the contents, do any of them have any links or sponsors to any more ethical organisations or articles to read?
There I was lying on the mattress on the floor (you may be wondering about that, but quite simply the bed was too short for the man in my life. And he needs no encouragement to have more mad, frantic, very active dreams. Banging his head and trapping his feet in a strange bed are a BIG NO NO) and all these questions were charging around my head.
So, I flicked through the other magazines we had brought with us to see what else I could discover.
About an hour later, with a couple of bed sores, my very brief conclusion was that the bigger glossy fashion mags, and a mens magazine, all had at least 40% advertising, whilst the more specialist magazines, had significantly less advertising - about 25%. (This obviously was just my own conclusions from the mags that were strewn on the floor in front me.)
What a waste of trees, ink and time. Tell me, do people really, honestly rush out to the nearest shopping centre and buy something promoted in these adverts. I cannot remember one single time an advert like this had ever effected me. Surely they must or why are they there???
I was pleased to read that somewhere in the mag, the reader was encouraged to recycle (to be honest I thought that was a given) but, unless you were specifically looking for the recycling logo, you wouldn't ever know it was there.
Oh, and non of the mags were printed on 100% recycled paper but were approved by the Forestry people. Hmmmn. Why not?
A familiar feeling of my brain going into overdrive began to creep into my body. There we were, looking for a relaxing break. Get away from it all. Chill. Stop worrying about all the little things in life. You know how it is. And instead I was getting that niggling need to start a rant.
So what was I to do? Well, roll over, have a cup of tea and read my new advert free magazine seemed a great place to start. I was over the moon with it. It was half the weight for a start. And my reading pleasure wasn't interrupted by those bloody girls all sprayed gold and assuming very strange poses. But.....
Shame there weren't more articles about gorgeous clothes that had a few ethics. You know, no sweat shop labour and a guily conscience when you buy them. And well, funky designs using organic materials perhaps. How about funky designs using recycled materials?
Beauty products that were vastly expensive and very glamorous, but didn't have thousands of chemicals chucked in for good measure. Sexy shoes and bags made out of alternative products to those dead animals.
I am not saying a hippy chick, earth mother, ram it down your neck type preaching kind of magazine, but one which would raise consciousness and provide people like me with options.
Wouldn't that be cool? Well I thought so...
What about all the magazines? Do they all have such enormous amounts of advertising to keep them going? And are any of them made out of recycled paper? I naturally assumed so but had no idea. And then, what about the contents, do any of them have any links or sponsors to any more ethical organisations or articles to read?
There I was lying on the mattress on the floor (you may be wondering about that, but quite simply the bed was too short for the man in my life. And he needs no encouragement to have more mad, frantic, very active dreams. Banging his head and trapping his feet in a strange bed are a BIG NO NO) and all these questions were charging around my head.
So, I flicked through the other magazines we had brought with us to see what else I could discover.
About an hour later, with a couple of bed sores, my very brief conclusion was that the bigger glossy fashion mags, and a mens magazine, all had at least 40% advertising, whilst the more specialist magazines, had significantly less advertising - about 25%. (This obviously was just my own conclusions from the mags that were strewn on the floor in front me.)
What a waste of trees, ink and time. Tell me, do people really, honestly rush out to the nearest shopping centre and buy something promoted in these adverts. I cannot remember one single time an advert like this had ever effected me. Surely they must or why are they there???
I was pleased to read that somewhere in the mag, the reader was encouraged to recycle (to be honest I thought that was a given) but, unless you were specifically looking for the recycling logo, you wouldn't ever know it was there.
Oh, and non of the mags were printed on 100% recycled paper but were approved by the Forestry people. Hmmmn. Why not?
A familiar feeling of my brain going into overdrive began to creep into my body. There we were, looking for a relaxing break. Get away from it all. Chill. Stop worrying about all the little things in life. You know how it is. And instead I was getting that niggling need to start a rant.
So what was I to do? Well, roll over, have a cup of tea and read my new advert free magazine seemed a great place to start. I was over the moon with it. It was half the weight for a start. And my reading pleasure wasn't interrupted by those bloody girls all sprayed gold and assuming very strange poses. But.....
Shame there weren't more articles about gorgeous clothes that had a few ethics. You know, no sweat shop labour and a guily conscience when you buy them. And well, funky designs using organic materials perhaps. How about funky designs using recycled materials?
Beauty products that were vastly expensive and very glamorous, but didn't have thousands of chemicals chucked in for good measure. Sexy shoes and bags made out of alternative products to those dead animals.
I am not saying a hippy chick, earth mother, ram it down your neck type preaching kind of magazine, but one which would raise consciousness and provide people like me with options.
Wouldn't that be cool? Well I thought so...
Sunday, 20 April 2008
This is how it all starts......
So there I was enjoying a relaxing holiday with my husband. We had decided to drive up to Scotland to get some air, exercise and just loll about ... it's all been a bit of a whirlwind with one thing and another. (More of that later).
Whilst lounging about, I hear "I don't know why you read this, its all bloody adverts." Muffled speech. Coming from another room. The bathroom - obviously.
There he was sitting on the toilet, reading the glossy mag that my mam had bought me as part of my birthday present (it had a very nice free bag on the front - the type that folds up small enough to fit in your handbag so you don't have to use those HORRIFIC plastic bags that are constantly forced on us.....), and he just couldn't contain his outburst!
"It's just all adverts. Adverts. And more adverts. There's nothing interesting in it all." And so it was discarded and his full concentration was once again returned to the toilet.
And so it got me thinking.
I never, ever, buy the big name glossy magazines. Ever. Firstly, they are FULL of adverts. All cleverly placed at the front so that by the time you are 10 pages in you have lost the will to live and throw it down in disgust.
Secondly, who has enough money to pay £1000 for a new handbag and then discard it 4 months later because that is what we are told to ??
Thirdly, they just make me rant! Rant about airbrushing, values, our society, skinny, fat, getting old, trying to stay young and whats really important in the world.
But the free bag was lovely and useful and fits in my handbag ever so well.
In the spirit of the moment, and because I was very comfy lolling about on the mattress on the floor, I started to pull the adverts out of the magazine. Just rip them right out. It was great!
They drive me crackers you see, and there they were lying on the floor (ALL over the floor) and what was left, was actually a more attractive read.
So how many were there?
Well, I will just digress a little and explain the criterion for my wild experiment.
I only pulled out the adverts that didn't have an article on the other side. Which left a few inside the magazine that needed to be counted. And I didn't pull out the couple of pages that the magazines were advertising themselves on ( I thought that was fair enough). And for some reason I didn't pull out the directories at the back as they don't seem so ... erm ...offensive to me.
So, out of about 320 pages (ish) 130 were adverts. About 40%. That's right .... 40% or so of the magazine was adverts. ADVERTS. Bloody adverts. The magazine was ALL adverts. But neraly half of some of them were. Which seems to me to be a terrible waste of trees.
And so started my mission and this blog.
Whilst lounging about, I hear "I don't know why you read this, its all bloody adverts." Muffled speech. Coming from another room. The bathroom - obviously.
There he was sitting on the toilet, reading the glossy mag that my mam had bought me as part of my birthday present (it had a very nice free bag on the front - the type that folds up small enough to fit in your handbag so you don't have to use those HORRIFIC plastic bags that are constantly forced on us.....), and he just couldn't contain his outburst!
"It's just all adverts. Adverts. And more adverts. There's nothing interesting in it all." And so it was discarded and his full concentration was once again returned to the toilet.
And so it got me thinking.
I never, ever, buy the big name glossy magazines. Ever. Firstly, they are FULL of adverts. All cleverly placed at the front so that by the time you are 10 pages in you have lost the will to live and throw it down in disgust.
Secondly, who has enough money to pay £1000 for a new handbag and then discard it 4 months later because that is what we are told to ??
Thirdly, they just make me rant! Rant about airbrushing, values, our society, skinny, fat, getting old, trying to stay young and whats really important in the world.
But the free bag was lovely and useful and fits in my handbag ever so well.
In the spirit of the moment, and because I was very comfy lolling about on the mattress on the floor, I started to pull the adverts out of the magazine. Just rip them right out. It was great!
They drive me crackers you see, and there they were lying on the floor (ALL over the floor) and what was left, was actually a more attractive read.
So how many were there?
Well, I will just digress a little and explain the criterion for my wild experiment.
I only pulled out the adverts that didn't have an article on the other side. Which left a few inside the magazine that needed to be counted. And I didn't pull out the couple of pages that the magazines were advertising themselves on ( I thought that was fair enough). And for some reason I didn't pull out the directories at the back as they don't seem so ... erm ...offensive to me.
So, out of about 320 pages (ish) 130 were adverts. About 40%. That's right .... 40% or so of the magazine was adverts. ADVERTS. Bloody adverts. The magazine was ALL adverts. But neraly half of some of them were. Which seems to me to be a terrible waste of trees.
And so started my mission and this blog.
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