Back to the green lifestyle index

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INSULATION:

Assuming you do not wish to heat up your local environment, with a huge heating bill as a 'reward' - you might wish to improve the insulation of your home, or your business. Cavity wall insulation is worth considering as well as ensuring your loft has at least 9 inches of insulation. Advice on insulation, grants, assistance can all be obtained from the Kent Energy Centre: www.kentenergycentre.org.uk

INSULATING HOUSE PAINT:

Reduce heating and cooling costs and energy use: http://www.insuladd.com

IRONING:

Buy clothes which do not require ironing to cut your energy bills and save time for other activities.

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JUMPERS:

This is what you put on to keep warm instead of using your central heating or turning up the temperature. This advice does not apply to the elderly, to those with young children or to those in need of warmth due to a medical condition.

JUNK MAIL:

The Mailing Preference Service and similar bodies dealing with Faxing and Emails can be found on the internet. These bodies can help you to reduce the flow of unwanted materials heading in your direction every day.

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KIDS:

Can't afford them, can't recycle them.....But you could try getting them to join the Woodcraft Folk, which will provide education and activities with a strong environmental theme. See www.woodcraft.org.uk for details. Do put away a bit of money each month towards your child's Higher Education or house/rental deposit, from the time they are born. Accounts for children are not subject to tax.

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LIFE LONG LEARNING:

Improving your lifestyle and making your money go further requires continuous attention throughout your life. It also requires a flexibility of mind. "We've always done it this way" is one of the most expensive phrases in the English language, there are even people who don't use:

LOW ENERGY LIGHT BULBS:

Low energy light bulbs use less electricity and last for very long periods. Every home and business is wasting money if it does not have them.

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MOBILE PHONE RECYCLING:

Check out www.emc-recycle.com

MONEY:

Ethical savings and investment ideas can be found on the internet: advice about them can be found on the WHICH - Consumers' Association - website.

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NAPPIES:

The UK population throws away 3 billion nappies a year. You can get Velcro fastening cotton nappies which can be washed and re-used. See www.earthwisebaby.com or www.eco-babes.co.uk

NIGHT WORK:

We strongly recommend that those undertaking night work regularly pay special attention to their health and relaxation. Night work is associated with increased stress levels, sleeping disorders, poor mental health and high propensities to addictions. If you can move into work which does not involve working at night, then consider doing so.

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OIL:

Oil is running out fast. Bodies as different as the Association for Peak Oil, Exxon, the Oil Depletion Analysis Centre and oil specialists in the City all offer pictures of oil supplies peaking as early as 2006 with a decline in supply and increasing prices in the future. There are allegations that Middle East oil producing states such as Saudi Arabia have exaggerated the size of their oil reserves. So what can you do to protect yourself, your household and your business from the effects of 'Peak Oil'? (See CARS above). A start is to be aware that all goods you buy have an 'oil component' - they have been transported from somewhere. It follows that buying locally grown food (See FOOD above) and locally-produced goods is likely to become ever more necessary. This will also serve to help small and medium sized businesses in your area to weather any future recession. Buy local whenever you can!

ORGANIC:

Make as many aspects of your lifestyle organic as possible. This can include: organic beverages, clothing, foodstuffs - and play your part in cutting the use of pesticides and artificial fertilisers globally.

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PARTICIPATION:

Join the Green Party and support its activities: see membership details on this website. Regular donors are also welcome!

PEACE:

Our country, in 2004, was the 2^nd largest arms spender in the world and the 2^nd largest exporter of arms in the world. Our Government permits the sale of arms to a wide variety of states, including many dictatorships. It has also engaged in needless wars - including both Iraq wars. The Green Party supports self-defence - not making war which inevitably leads to thousands of deaths. Do consider joining or making regular donations to the Campaign Against the Arms Trade and to the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament. [websites]

PENSIONS:

We suggest simply doing an internet search on ethical investment to see what options are currently available. Bear in mind that rising fuel bills means energy conservation and renewable energy for your home is investment worth making, or your pension income may be whittled away by increases in fossil fuel bills - whilst stocks last: ALL fossil fuels are becoming scarce rapidly and they are increasingly expensive. Within the next few years, oil will be both scarce and considerably more expensive, with coal and gas also being seriously depleted over the next couple of decades. NONE of the fossil fuels or uranium are likely to be available in quantity or affordable beyond about the middle of the century. Fortunately, the country in Europe with the best environment for the generation of electricity from the wind is the UK. But energy conservation comes first: see under Energy Saving above.

PETS:

Do not buy canned pet foods: they are costly to transport and you are paying too much for small quantities too. Always get dry pet foods and try to get these in bulk to save money and packaging.

PERMACULTURE:

http://www.seedinternational.com.au http://www.tagari.com http://www.attra.org/attra-pub/perma.html  http://www.permaculture.co.uk  http://www.berg-en-dal.co.za  http://www.permacultureinternational.org  http://www.permaculture-hawaii.com http://www.permacultura-es.org  http://www.permacultureactivist.net  http://www.permaculture.org.au  http://www.permacult.com.au  http://www.permacultura.org  http://permakultur.dk  http://www.permaculture-steve.net  http://www.permacult.com.au/noosa  http://www.permaculturemelbourne.org.au  http://www.permaculture.biz  http://www.tortuga.com/permacultura  http://www.3.telus.net/permaculture  http://permaculturevisions.com  http://www.permaculture.net  http://www.openpermaculture.com  http://www.permaculture.org.nz  http://www.permacultura-bahia.org.br  http://www.permacultura-montsant.org  http://www.permacultura.org.br  http://www.tierramor.org  http://www.ecohabitar.org  http://www.ecocentro.org  http://www.pacificos.org 

http://permacultura.freeservers.com  http://www.permacultura.cl  http://permacultura.no.sapo.pt  http://www.utopie.it/ecovillaggi/permacultura.htm  http://www.gaia.org.ar/cursoperma.htm  http://www.vidasana.org  http://www.ufpa.br/permacultura  http://www.mutantia21.com.ar/permacultura.html http://www.permaculture.org.uk  http://colombiaenhechos.org/permacultura.htm  http://www.permacultura.it  http://www.ipemabrasil.org.br  http://www.brightonpermaculture.co.uk  http://www.torri-superiore.org  http://www.agrorede.org.br/curso-permacultura  http://www.ybytucatu.com.br/permacultura.htm  http://www.amazonia.org  http://www.permacultura-rs.org.br  http://www.mmrfbz.org  http://www.permaculture.org  http://www.moa-inter.or.jp/english/naturefarm/nf-contents.html

Permaculture Farming-Gardening Methods for Europe and Temperate Countries:

book- The Earth Care Manual, Author: Patrick Whitefield  http://www.permaculture.co.uk/erc/erc2.html#ECM  http://abebooks.com

PLASTIC BAGS:

Carry a sturdy bag or rucksack and refuse plastic bags when offered. Shopping at supermarkets generally means a lot of packaging and plastic bags, making it far better to shop elsewhere. Farmers' markets and local farm shops supply fresher veg and fruit in bulk and organic veg box schemes also bypass the supermarket. Massive supermarket trucks are moving 24 hours a day in the UK: cut pollution by getting more of your food from local suppliers.

POLITICS:

Giving up on politics, or never voting, does not make politics better. Political parties in Britain are tiny in relation to the size of our population (about 59 million in 2006) and their active members are extremely few. Join the Green Party and change the other parties for ever: the countries in Europe with the best range of environment-related policies are those with the strongest Green parties. Green parties have participated in coalition Governments in 9 countries in Europe to date.

PONDS:

A new pond, or a renovated old one, can add appreciably to the biodiversity of you garden - or your local park, or your childrens' school. There are many books available to help you do this well. Try getting your local residents' association or school involved, to share out the work.