Beautiful Jewels made out of Precious Glass

Getting married was the most beautiful and memorable day of my life. And there are photo's all over the Daisy Green cottage to prove it!
But, the dress is in the loft, the presents are well loved and used, and the memories fondly resurface.
So how about this for an idea. Turn your champagne bottle into a pair of earrings.
How cool is that!?!? You get to wear something from your big day, everyday. (Well, apart from your rings obviously!!)
And they are special and unique to you.

Clare Scott, based in Yorkshire, is the clever lass who recycles and reuses your glass to do this. Clever or what!?

Hopefully Clare is going to turn one of my bottles into something spectacular (and given that she is so brilliant, perhaps a pair of cuff links for dear heart...)

You can find her at beadsbyclarescott.co.uk.

Its such a cool idea, can't wait to have mine!!

Daisyx

The Observer Ethical Awards 2008 : Congratulations Natural Collection..

Bless them all at the Natural Collection they have won an award at the Observer Ethical Awards 2008.
They have a great site and more importantly a HUGE sale on their lovely ranges...
Go take a look and get some FAB bargains!!
Daisy x

Feel Good PR - feel great about Eco

You know whats been great about starting this blog and preparing to launch the magazine? The people I have talked to. There have been so many positive responses to our venture, that day by day I am convinced Daisy is going to Bloom!

Today, I spoke to a lovely lady called Kristine Nudds who has her own PR company, Feel Good PR. She deals only with like minded clients, as this (and juggling her family- not literally you understand!) is where her passion lies.

She has kindly, forwarded us a number of press releases to include in the blog and the magazine. I feel a beautiful relationship coming on.

Thanks Kristine, you have made my afternoon!

The Dark Ages

If any of you were lucky enough to read the article in the Times magazine last Saturday, I hope it made you smile as much as it did me.
Kate Muir wrote convincingly about the credit crunch and the change of mood in the country.

Don't panic, she didn't preach or grumble, but was upbeat, funny and realistic.

Thanks Kate, for the tips about bog-roll tubes and plant markers. But the best bit for me by far, was the discussion about our loss of ability to fix and mend precious clothes "forgotten in the Alzheimer's of Primark."

Fantastic, will be reading with avid interest from now on. Check the whole article out at:

http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/the_way_we_live/article4196532.ece


Daisy x

Disappointment, Daisy and the Body Shop online...

Bronzer is an absolute cosmetic staple in the summer. That little glow is as important as that new flirty frock and open toe shoes.

Well it certainly is for me anyway.

Having no time to go to town, I tried, for the first time, ordering cosmetics on line. Online, cosmetic virgin so to speak, that was me.

It was quite exciting, knowing that any day soon, a little parcel was going to be pushed through the letter box ....

Hmmm. Dream on. Look at the size of the box compared to the size of the products. Ridiculous.
And of course... it didn't fit through the letter box, so it ended up, travelling all the way to the post office sorting depot, a number of miles away.

Which meant, it had to be picked up. In the car. Arrrggghhhhh....

Eventually it was retrieved. Faced with my parcel (five days later - I could have walked into town and back the speed it was all going) I opened the box to find a bag. Under the bag was a scrunchy piece of brown paper just to prevent the bag rattling around it's enormous home.
Pull out the fair sized receipt (recycled paper anyone?) and there they were, the prized jewels, conveniently wrapped in tamper proof plastic.

In total it took around 8 days to get my parcel due to the fact that the sorting office opens between 7 - 12 daily.
Had it been put in a small padded envelope, it would have taken no more than 3. And I wouldn't have had to pay extra or cause any more CO2 emission to go pick it up.

It's all o.k. though because printed on the side of the bag there is a slogan that says "Protect our planet." . . . . mind you, you have to get through all the packaging first...

Pale and interesting this summer anyone?.


Dissatisfied Daisy.

Daisy Green, the BBC, Panorama and ...yes Primark!

Daisy Green is delighted and thrilled to be smack in the middle of the debate that still rages on regarding child labour......

An article recently published following the programme, has quoted your very own Eco Queen!!

Keep the debate rolling and check out the article at :

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/panorama/7471041.stm

Go Daisy Green!!

Daisy Green "route around town" & Fenwick Newcastle

Daisy Green is committed to tracking down and promoting companies who can offer organic, green and fairtrade products in mainstream shops. And then ... telling you. Why?
Because we are nice like that. (And also we need to know where to buy our stuff too!)

It's no use us suggesting that we all make a change, if we don't facilitate that change.
Moving on...

So, Fenwick, Newcastle was established in 1882 and has absolutely made it onto the top of the DG recommends list .... We were suitably impressed with the range of organic, local and fair trade products in the food hall. There was a wide, yeas a WIDE range of products.
Impressed indeedy.

And as for Carol in the cosmetics & toiletries, well, she was fab. She kindly gave us a number of products to test and review (she offered them too-we didn't have to beg!), but only after she imparted her considerable knowledge and training about the companies in question.

Thanks Carol you were lovely, professional, friendly and helpful to Daisy Green today.

Keep a beady eye out as the product reviews will follow x

Mr Daisy Green

is a self confessed computer geek/nerd, and very proud of it too, thanks very much. Indeed his great technical skills will be very much in demand when Daisy Green goes live.

His greatest geeky passion - playing "shooty bang bang" which to those of us that live in the real world, are those awful, kill everything in sight, games.

The point ? Well every Thursday night is "games night."

Tonight, in between all the maddening cries of "kill" and "follow me guys" and "shoot them!" this is what I heard ...

"I am wearing new socks tonight made from Bamboo. Yeah.. they are the latest thing in ethical, green fashion, and they are the most comfy thing I have ever worn. .. no, honestly bamboo, and they are lush."

"They are on the right shoot them."

"No, bamboo socks are not for posh people! What makes you think that? No, they are just ordinary, black socks made from Bamboo and they are dead comfy."

"Hacker."

He wears headphones to talk to the clan members. Its very disturbing to hear half the conversation. But I am extraordinarily delighted that between all the shooting and hacking, the Bamboo socks are so comfy, that he told everyone.

Now if only we can wean him off shooty bang bang.... No chance!

Labour behind the label

"Labour Behind the Label supports garment workers' efforts worldwide to defend their rights. We educate consumers, lobby companies and government, raise awareness, and encourage international solidarity with workers. We coordinate the UK platform of the international Clean Clothes Campaign."

A worthy cause indeed.

Visit them at www.labourbehindthelabel.org

Panorama, Primark and Pouch!

Out of badness comes goodness (and great bags).....

Thanks to Pouch for commenting on the Primark article. Of course, it's no good, simply no good at all, for the large companies to "cut and run" withdrawing orders from people who are reliant on them to make a living.

They really need the big chains not to punish them, but rather work with them to find a positive solution. The thing is, consumers are simply becoming more aware and don't want children making their clothes. The big shops will be better placed to act now rather then potentially loose custom.
Primark did comment on their efforts to sort this out at the end of the programme...we live in hope.

Pouch bags and accessories are FAB! All made from different vintage materials and so on... they are really worth a look. Am going to have a bit further nosey about on their website now...


http://www.pouchbags.co.uk

Bamboo socks @ thenaturalstore

from Bam, the Bamboo clothing company (funnily enough!!) but available from http://www.thenaturalstore.co.uk/

(Who coincidently are the kindly company who sent them to me; they have a ton of lovely products on their site...... thanks thenaturalstore x)

Well, I have a pair. And I haven't even put them on my feet yet and I am very impressed. They are super soft. I mean super soft. And this isn't the only benefit....

• highly breathable
• moisture wicking
• anti - fungal (!!!)
• wild, no pesticides or fertilizers.... being just a small sample.

Did I mention soft? As it is freezing again, am gonna put them on and road test them around the house...

daisy x

North Tyneside's First Green Festival - August 30th

On August 30th 2008 North Tyneside are holding their first ever Green Festival. The festival is known as The Big Green Seaside Station Day and is being held at Whitley Bay Metro Centre

The aim of the festival is to convince the public that whatever your lifestyle there's an easy solution to being more environmentally friendly.

Alas this is all of the information that I can get hold of but I will update when I find out more.

SS x

Calling All Top Shop Lovers

Although at the age of 32 I may be out of Top Shops target market I still love their fashion. What has made me like it even more is a little gem I have just found (by the way its 04:15am a great time to use a computer as there is less of a surge on the national grid), TOPSHOP WANTS YOUR RUBBISH.

At Topshop HQ they have been beavering away albeit very quietly on a variety of eco and Fairtrade initiatives.

Did you know that Topshop are an accredited Fairtrade retailer and are looking to bring the fantastic brand of 'People Tree' to the masses, as until 10 minutes ago I didn't.

Well this week (23rd to 29th of June) Top Shop have gone one step further and are celebrating a week of reusing, recycling, restyling. It is a fantastic idea however there is one slight snag they are only hosting events in Glasgow, Dublin, Manchester and London Oxford Circus.

Hopefully next year they will roll it out to the rest of the country. I have however found a way that we can all get involved in the reuse, recycling and restyling week and thats by making our own bags, pattern supplied by Top Shop on http://www.topshopwantsyourrubbish.com/PDF/BagPattern.pdf

I will down load a photo or two of my bag when its done...

One last thing Top Shop also have a fantastic competition to win a bike http://www.topshopwantsyourrubbish.com/pedalpower.html so get entering and good luck.

Sustainability Suezi

Junk mail....

Ages ago, I had a chat with our lovely postie about stopping all the junk mail. And then I did precisely nothing about it.

No idea why, just ... didn't get round to it. Hopeless really.

Now the other day a strange thing happened - bear with me there is a connection - someone posted some articles and magazines through my door without letting me know who it was ( I have my suspicions!!) They were all "green" articles.

So whilst having my very shallow bath, I was thrilled to stumble across the Mailing Preference Service and immediately out of the bath, whilst still dripping, I logged onto the PC and registered my address.

I really do hope, that junk mail to the Daisy cottage will now be a thing of the past. It's all very well recycling this junk advertising once you have it (you mustn't stop !!) but it's significantly better not to receive it in the first place.

Hoorah for saving the trees.

www.mpsonline.org.uk

Quail by mail...

A little while ago I wrote about http://www.quailbymail.co.uk/ , the company based in the south of England, with excellent ethical traceability.

I ordered the Lucy dress in Mallard, and I have to say I love it !! It's flattering and the correct length on my thigh (not too short - after all, I am not 17 any more !!) and its well stitched and finished.

I washed it on a 30 degree wash and it was perfectly fine and dandy. Thank you Quail, for my first, beautiful piece, of ethical clothing.

Happy Daisy all round
x

Panorama and Primark

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4466986.stm

Ok, if you are not watching the panorama programme concerned with child labour and Primark then you can read this article at the BBC which explains more.

I work with children every single day, the aim always to provide them with the best start to their lives. Nurturing and educating children is a privilege which I truly love.

It is deplorable to me, that there are children in this world who are sitting day after day, sewing, checking and preparing clothes for our high street stores.

These children are being exploited in the very worst sense and we must do something to accept our responsibility. If we keep buying these clothes, then these children will keep making them.

And if child labour doesn't make you think twice, then possibly the poison in the water, the rubbish and dirt all over the streets might.

It's up to all of us to make our own choice. Please lets hope its the correct one because there is always a consequence ... and this one is the destruction of children's lives and the environment in which they live.

I will NEVER again cross Primark's doors.

Rant over.

Distressed Daisy.

DG Girls at the Green Festival

Gorgeous and sustainable.. Suzie!


The girls! Loving the hair daisy...








The Stall ! It worked for us!












Setting up the competition.. who doesn't like to win things?!??






Outside was a scrummage for Vintage clothes....



We met a huge amount of lovely, supportive people over the weekend and we want to thank you all for helping us with our market research for the magazine. We had a winner for the candle ....
and she was actually our oldest supporter!! At the age of 75, she thought that Ethical clothes were a "brilliant idea."

Just goes to show, young or old, we can ALL do our bit x

Who said Organic couldn't be GLAM???

Having run out of bronzer (my absolute staple product for the summer) I have been on a hunt for quality cosmetics this afternoon.

I was impatient, and bought from the Body Shop. Great shop, no regrets.

And then I found this site.

Talk about gorgeous. Well it looks absolutely stunning. If anyone has tested this brand of cosmetics before let us know if its a scrumptious as it looks.

http://www.theorganicpharmacy.com/glam/

A house for the bins....

I am beginning to realise, that to live a greener lifestyle, you need to be organised. And if you aren't (or generally feel like your brain is going to explode because there is so much happening...) then it can prove to be a little bit tricky.

The recycling bins in the garden have been bugging me for a while. They were just plonked any old where and so it was really spoiling the garden. Recycling spilling out, cardboard bits blowing away. Not great.

Enter husband, stage left, and off he goes and builds the bins a little house all of their own!!

Feast your eyes...

Normal bin, Garden Waste bin, Paper bin, plastic milk bottle bit. The one we have from the council for the glass is going to be moved over too. Nice one. Thank goodness for husband (who I believe is currently building a wood store too.....)

Our first crop...

Well now,well now, have you ever seen such a fine sight? Brill eh? There are loads and loads of them! I am OVER THE MOON, to say the least.

We have had a couple that have developed a funny brown patch on the skin (boo hoo), apparantly this is common when you use grow bags; we may just use pots next year.

Will have to see if they all go bad. The thing is I have never ever tried to grow any food in my life and for the first attempt, I am pretty thrilled.

So far though, it looks promising ....will keep you posted...Daisy x

The Launch of a magazine......

And so it came to pass that the blog was simply not enough!!

There is just so much more to do!!


Daisy Green is to be launched as a full blown online women's magazine late in the Summer 2008.

How VERY VERY VERY excited we are!! The magazine will be committed to ethical/green/organic and simply kinder clothes and products. . . but in a very mainstream way.

It's about lifestyle. We can all choose to do our bit. And lets look gorgeous whilst we do it!!

Ladies get ready.. .. .. .. Daisy's a coming x x

Love Parks Week 14th to 22nd June

In my persuit on a new outdoor lifestyle I discovered that it was 'Love Parks Week' and I do love parks any day of the year. Love Parks Week was launched in 2006 and is an annual, not-for-profit, awareness raising campaign that promotes and celebrates the use of parks in the UK.

Why dont we go out and enjoy what is on our door steps... Many of us are not even aware of the green spaces near us.

Some of my favourite parks are below;
1. Saltwell Park - Known as the 'People's Park' and part of Gateshead's
heritage since it opened to the public in 1876, the Park is steeped in history. This park holds so many fantastic childhood memories for me. Its also where Daisy Green tried to teach me to roller skate in 2006, sore bottom but lots of giggles.

2. Exhibition Park (Newcastle City Centre) - The park has something for everyone. Play park, putting range and open greenland on which to watch the world go by.

3. Leazes Park is Newcastle's oldest park and is just metres away from the city centre and was the host of the recent Green Festival.

4. Jesmond Dene. This is my most local green space - only 5 minute walk from my house. Jesmond Dene offers so much - Pets corner, playgrounds, Armstrong Bridge Craft Fair (Sunday's), dedicated space for football, tennis and bowls. Its a favorite for runners and walkers. It even has a selection of food establishments - Jesmond Dene Cafe, Fishermans Lodge and Jesmond Dene House.

There are always events in your local park here are a few for you to think about;
June
Tuesday 17th June: Hidden Secrets of the Dene
July
Saturday 5th July: Presidents Day Leazes Park - try your hand at bowls?
Saturday 5th July: Family Sports Day Nuns Moor Park Play Centre.
Sunday 6th July: Picnic in the Park Near the Pavilion in Heaton
Saturday 12th July: Creepy-crawly hunt and pond dip Benwell Nature Park.
Sunday 13th July: Minibeast hunt - Millfield House, Jesmond Dene.

18th July till Sunday 3rd August (Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays)Outdoor Theatre Festival - from ‘Peter Pan’ to ’A Midsummer Night’s Dream’.

Tuesday 22nd July: Nature Trail Jesmond Dene


Get out and about and enjoy your time at your local park. If you don't know where your nearest park is try and find out or ask us and we will find out for you.

Take care

SS

Friends of Daisy Green....

Thanks to those of you have added Daisy as a friend on the facebook group and have been leaving fab, fab, comments. Sharing tips, great products and inspiring each other is what Daisy is all about - A BIG thanks. 2 to share with you...

Liz inspired

"heyup daisy

you have inspired me to make small differences and today in local supermarket I bought my first reusable shopping bag - gonna ditch the plastic from now on and get a couple more.

Thanks Daisy Green

Liz x
Thanks to you Liz for doing your bit! Carrier bags just need to be stopped.


Rosie has shared a fantastic site with us

"Hello,
Just thought I'd let everyone know where you can buy excellent ethical jeans,
just got a pair for £50 and they're the best jeans I've ever owned!                
Just go to http://www.ascensionclothing.co.uk/ and have a wee look.
Great jeans and t-shirts for really reasonable prices and all ethically made :-)
Love, rosie"


Ok, it is a GREAT site, with lovely stuff and EVEN BETTER ETHICS -
- - - take a look.

Love Daisy x

Ecotricity

http://www.ecotricity.co.uk/about/

Okie Dokie

Since our electricity was paid up at the beginning of this month, I have been looking into swapping suppliers to a green supplier, before we ran up another HUGE bill!

So, after a bit of searching, I finally filled in the forms to swap to a supplier called Ecotricity. They have been going since 1996, it's from the wind turbines, solar panels - all ecologically friendly means; have loads of news about everything they are doing and seem to know their stuff.

Filling in the application forms were no bother online, and hopefully the Daisy Household will be a far greener place in about 3 weeks time.

I feel good!!

Go take a read, if you like what they say - swap - and feel good too!

Tomatoes.........

We have loads!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am sure they have become members of our family: we talk to them, love them, show them off, write about them, are proud of what we have achieved with them and are constantly trying to make life better for them!!!

Anyway, it won't be long until we can stop paying the INFLATED prices in the supermarket and eat our very own.

Oh, as for the huge lettuce, we have eaten most of it so it's not quite so big now! Nice though.

Juicy Lucy Skin Care

Whilst at the festival, we met a veritable plethora of very interesting people, all of whom have one thing in common - the desire to do their bit.

In the very beautifully presented tent next to us, were the Juicy Lucy girls. Lucy and Lucy have, over the last year, striven to produce a BEAUTIFUL range of skin care products for both men and women which are:

Organic Natural Fair trade Vegan and the packaging is totally recyclable.

Check them out... www.juicy-lucy.net

Daisy Green have an eclectic panel (a real representation of women out there) testing some Juicy Lucy products and the outcome will follow soon!

Mouse no 2...

was caught and duly released in the field.

(But this one ran up the husband's trouser leg first!! AAAAAARRRRRGGGGG, bless him he is brave!! I think by now, you should be aware, that I DON'T LIKE MICE!)

A very HUGE thanks..

to all the people who stopped by to say hello to us at the Green Festival this weekend. We had a fantastic response to the idea of the magazine and lots of people took the time to help us with our market research. This advice is invaluable to help us launch a magazine that will really be of interest to those of us who love fashion and great girlie products, but who want to do our bit to help preserve our lovely world.

Currently, I am adding all the email addresses we gathered into the contact list and we will shortly be announcing the winner of the beautiful candle supplied to us by our friends at Pure Candles.


Keep an eye out for the launch date - Summer 2008


daisy x

Organic Farm - Rising Sun Farm

My planned visit for this week is to Rising Sun Farm.

Rising Sun Farm is on

Kings Road

NorthWallsend

Tyne and Wear

NE28 9JLT

The Rising Sun Farm lies within the Rising Sun Country Park 8½ miles from Newcastle City Centre and only 4½ miles from my house.
About the FARM

The farm is a social enterprise managed by the Rising Sun Farm Trust. Producing both arable and horticultural crops, the farm holds organic livestock from a herd of rare breed Berkshire pigs, a breed of Old English Pheasant Fowl and has a laying flock of light Suffolk hens.

The farm grows organic fruit and vegetables in the field and under cover. The vegetables are harvested daily and sold fresh from the farm gate and the Countryside Centre. The Rising Sun Country Park restaurant uses much of the organic produce. The farm also provides an area for a local growing in the community garden used by local schools and residents.

Farm diversification includes horse livery, amenity woodlands, a market garden and education and employment for adults with learning difficulties, some of which is operated in partnership with the local authority.

The Adult Social Care Day Service on the farm teaches horticulture, husbandry and craft skills - including producing fruit, vegetables and honey from beehives in the park. It also provides personal development and social skills training. The School Education Service demonstrates the process of getting food 'from the field to the table'. Children thresh and grind wheat to make flour, then prepare simple bread and bake it over an open fire. There are opportunities to purchase fresh organic farm produce from the farm and at the Countryside Centre.

I will keep you updated as to how the visit goes!!!!!

Mouse...

was duly released back into the fields up the road. Husband felt good inside for choosing not to kill it with rat poison. "It looked at me with bulging brown eyes and then scarpered off into the fields." Ah bless.

Now we just have to get the others...

Green Festival.........7th and 8th June

The Green festival is a HUGE event happening in Leazes park this weekend. Daisy Green will have her own stall to promote the launch of the on-line womens magazine this summer.

There is an absolute ton of stuff going on from fashion shows, children's play areas and how to make your house friendly.

Leazes Park, Newcastle, behind St James, 12-6 Sat and Sunday 8/9th June.

Come see us in the Green Fashion area and be entered into the competition to win launch party tickets and one of the beautiful home made candles from Pure Candles.

http://www.newcastlegreenfestival.org.uk/

mice...........caught..........aaaaaaaaggggggggg

Husband has just brought the mouse trap and rattled it to prove there is indeed, a mouse in there.

It's now outside.

Am off to lie down.

Quail - beautiful fashion...

The Lucy dress. One of the absolutely lovely pieces of clothing on the Quail by mail shop. http://www.quailbymail.co.uk/ . Quail was founded by Shauna Chapman and her partner Jason in 2006 and quite simply it represents the Daisy Green ethos.

The garments are beautiful, ethical and affordable. They are made with love and passion in the UK. There are no airmiles attached to these beauties and everyone is paid fairly! Sweatshops be gone!

Shauna is a top chick, who found a niche in the market and wanted to do something about it! It takes a lot of spirit and determination to head out against the mainstream.

Personally, I love the shape of this dress, and there is a silk top that I really really love too! Can't wait til pay day! x

Utility bills...

Husband has very kindly paid off our outstanding bills. That means that I can choose a more green supplier. (He has really topped up his brownie points with this one xx)

Mice ......aaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh

We have them. In all the cupboards in the kitchen, under the stairs, running freely throughout the bottom rooms in our house. And I can't stand them honestly, I can't.

A number of years ago when I was a scaredy cat living all on my loansome, I found out that I had mice. A lot of them. Imagine the scene if you will - me and my best mate drunk trying to catch mice in glass vases in a teeny tiny kitchen, hysterical with laughter. I nearly wet myself.

I got rid of them by pulling out my ENTIRE kitchen, removing all the decomposing mice bodies and blocking up every hole I could find. It was an upstairs flat as well - did they shimmy up the drain pipes!! (Actually they apparantly love nothing more than chasing through the lofts in old houses!!)

Now that I am all respectable and don't live on my own, my husband has very bravely taken charge. We have humane traps all over the kitchen and we will wait to see what we find. I don't know if there are little bits of cheese in the traps - I shall investigate!!

Its amazing what a difference a couple of years make. And a bit of a change of attitude. Last time I wanted to exterminate them all, but now I realise that they are tiny, fairly cute little characters who are looking for something a bit tasty to eat and somewhere warm and cosy to lay their little mouse heads.

That's all fair enough, but it's not going to be my kitchen. Glass vase and a bottle of wine here I come.

Outdoor fitness - better than a gym

Have you ever thought that there is more to training in a gym or going for a walk or run? Well there is. I was looking for that alternative to a traditional gym and have found one. I knew I wanted to train outdoors but lacked that initial push needed at the start of any fitness programme, then I found 'Precision Fitness'....http://www.precisionfitness.co.uk/ and their 'Fitness Camp' http://www.thefitnesscamp.co.uk/.
The Fitness Camp is 12 sessions over a 4 week period. It may not sound a lot but its seriously challenging and that’s what I wanted
The sessions are based in the open air, so you get the benefit of fresh sea air in your lungs. The workouts last 45 minutes and they are challenging, have a look at the website.
I am loving training outdoors with a motivational trainer, I forgot what 06:15am looked like but being up and about and having my workout finished by 07:00 is a good start to the day. Don't forget to take a cold shower/cold bath. I forgot after my first session and 2 days later I am still sore.

Benefits of the program

• Lovely fresh air and no smelly gym bodies.
• No using of electricity for machines or lighting.
• No work out equipment is needed as your own body creates all the resistance you need.
• Healthy and organic food is encouraged which is always a positive.
• I have already seen a difference in my skin from dry and scaly to soft and hydrated.
• If you attend each session and follow food plan you are guaranteed to loose a dress size.

I will keep you posted.... Sustainability Suz........

Vegetable update!!!

Tomato plants gone wild. Honestly, the conservatory is being taken over. Not that I am complaining in the slightest... there are 3 tiny little tomatoes on already!! No more paying an absolute fortune down the supermarket and worrying in case we don't get them eaten in time.







As lettuces go, is this the absolute BIGGEST one you have ever seen?!?!?!?!? Its absolutely enormous about a foot tall and still going.
Will have to chomp on a bit of it tonight methinks!

My offset receipt....

Offset Receipt Code: myclimate_10679716
date: 01.06.2008
shopping cart description shopping cart co2

Guarantee
Myclimate undertakes to use your contribution to save the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) stated above in a climate protection project validated by independent experts. All of the climate protection projects are implemented by expert partners and their performance is regularly reviewed.

They are compliant with the guidelines of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) under the
Kyoto Protocol. As well as saving CO2, they must provide an additional benefit for the local population, such as the creation of jobs, the transfer of know-how or an improvement in local environmental problems.

The portfolio myclimate supports projects in developing countries. These projects do not only mitigate global warming, but they also help people in poor countries to improve the quality of their life: Jobs are created, local air quality is improved and the projects help to build up a sustainable local economy.

myclimate is an independent Non-Profit Organisation.

Carbon offsetting

Well, having just returned from Italy (not too tanned because I am now of an age where wrinkles are more important than tan... although I do always feel better with a bit of colour!) I have offset our carbon contributions.

I have hummed and haaarrrrd over the different options but because I have always supported the W.W.F (not the wrestling I might add!!!) I thought I might as well use a company that they recommend. And so I ended up going with myclimate.

Now, whilst I know that the best thing to do is not to fly, I have already made a conscious decision to have one week's holiday in the UK this year (thus keeping carbon emissions low) and one in the heat somewhere. For me, carbon offsetting is a must - it is the only way I can feel that I have done my bit to help give something back.

I won't give all my climates' spiel as you can read that for yourselves, but the companies' that the W.W.F endorssed, seemed like a good place to start and I got a nifty certificate to prove that I have done my bit.

Besides, given that we both (the husband and I ) now furiously dislike those people at Amsterdam airport for their ridiculous attitude to sealed balsamic vinegar and the fact that his bag is still flying through the skies (even though we are comfy at home) means that we will probably be driving into France on our next holiday which will be better for everyone concerned.