I will occasionally update this, but for the most part I'm on Blogspot now.

There were a couple of articles in this weeks Guardian that discussed the apparent failings of those who considered themselves to be ‘good greenies’. The first, by Kate Connelly discussed a study by Canadian psychologists Nina Mazar and Chen-Bo Zhong, that revealed those who were environmentally conscious were more likely to cheat and steal, and less likely to be kind to others. The second article by Julian Bagginni, sighting the same study (talk about recycling stories Guardian) highlighted the hypocrisy of those who feel that going green in some areas gives them rights and privileges to skimp in others. In both cases, responses to the article included much baiting and scoffing by those quick to criticize the green community for its apparent double standards and supposed ethical failings.

Personally this touched a nerve, as the message of an environmentally conscious lifestyle is genuinely important to me and the prospect of having that message clouded by those who want to jump on the green hating bandwagon is not one that I relish. Greens are becoming an increasingly easy target for this kind of scrutiny, and in some respects the preachy, self righteous attitudes of some within the community itself have done little to help, having hoisted themselves onto very wonky pedestals from which many would like to see them fall. Perhaps a dose of humble pie would do us all a little good? Perhaps.

However, merely admitting that we’re not perfect doesn’t seem to be enough of an apology for some people, who rather we choked on that humble pie to boot. Wanting to be or purporting to be green is a veritable minefield these days. The new whipping boy de jour for those who want to vent against those loopy lefties and unshaven hippy types, there seems to be criticisms levelled at environmentalists at every level; some sensible, some cynical and some down right idiotic. Firstly the idea that those who a greener can be meaner, or guilty of double standards at least; I imagine this is true for some, but I would doubt that this is across the board or exclusive to the environmental sector – rather something you’ll find apparent in all walks of life as who can honestly say that they’ve never been guilty of such failings at one point ?

Then there is the argument often thrown in, that so called small efforts such as recycling, domestic energy saving etc, are effectively pointless in the face of the devastating environmental actions of globalised business. Now this truly does make my heart sink a little every time I hear it. Of course for any major impact to be made in this respect we do need to significant and lasting commitments to the likes of carbon emissions and waste management from our governments, CEOs and law makers, and we should exert the necessary pressures and campaigns to achieve this. But surely one way of going about proving our own commitment to change is in our everyday lives. Being greener in our domestic and social lives, and particularly by instilling this attitude in the younger generation, it cannot help but leek into our politics and business practice eventually. Certainly dismissing the effectiveness of small changes completely will stand to do more damage than good, and as for those who deny we even have a problem, just don’t get me started, I’ve not enough space on this blog.

Thirdly, and perhaps the one that irritates the most as it often comes from within, is that you’re simply not doing enough, or that you should feel guilty for what you are or are not doing. So you recycle, but you own a car? You try to save energy but you dare to take your family on holiday, on an aeroplane? You eat meat? You’re a vegetarian but not a vegan…? Spare me. These kind of judgmental observations, often voiced by the very people who have come under such criticism by Mazar and Zhong, can be just as devastating to the cause as the cynics or just plain haters. They also give us greens a reputation that many of us could do very well without.

Sometimes making small efforts can have wonderful, unexpected and far reaching consequences and that has been my main motivation for this blog. We know we can do better, because you can always do better, but even taking a little time and effort to change certain parts of your life can educate and inspire others to do so. In that vein I am choosing for this weeks Mighty Web, some of the best sites dedicated to bringing about or simply accidentally inspiring change:

Crunchy Domestic Goddess lifestyle advice and features, including yearly Ditch the Disposable Challenge

Earth Hour 2010: Symbolic switch off to inspire energy appreciation and highlight our dependency on energy consuming technologies, campaigned by the WWF, with global, national and regional focus options.

Bike Darlington, blog of the Darlington Cycling Campaign, currently actively campaigning for a 20mph speed limit for the town and to ensure cycling continues to be allowed in the Pedestrian Heart.

Bean Sprouts: Woman after my own heart Melanie Rimmer, sums it up best when she says "We grow some of our food. We keep chickens and bees. We try to be "green", whatever that means.

Make Stuff: Does exactly what it says on the tin, only afterward you use the tin to make something really cool.

November can be a bit of grim month. Colder, wetter, the drone of Christmas music in shops before you’re ready to get into the spirit - this can all can all contribute to a growing sense of Boo! You’ll find yourself spending more time indoors, and as a result higher energy bills as you crank up the heating, stick on the TV and find yourself in a self imposed winter coma. Before the Shugmeister came along, things were a little different. I didn’t need the heating on at all, a few extra jumpers and a duvet cocoon would quite easily see me through to spring. In my student days I was powered almost entirely by alcohol, which meant that even if I was ball freezing I’d barely notice. Now things are a little different, but I’m still trying to save energy and the pennies it requires, without compromising the comfort and health of my family.

            Essentially this means a certain level of creative carbon accounting on my behalf. Swapping non essentials for essentials. If the heating is on, something else goes, such as the tumble dryer. If the house is warm enough, clothes can be dried on the clothes horse. Common sense really, you just have to ensure that you’re not waiting on anything urgent. If I’m charging my phone, another appliance is unplugged or if I’m babysitting the Bethster and it’s a rainy day, there are plenty of Makey-Do things that I can keep her occupied with, rather than TV. Even having the radio on rather than TV makes a difference.

These little things are all well and good, and a great way to encourage good habits in the kids, but for energy saving ideas in the home that make a bigger impact, it’s important to remember one thing – It’s all about keeping the heat in, rather the cold out. There are tons of ways to do this, from simply keeping doors and windows closed, having cavity insulation fitted and having double glazing installed (or if you’re renting or can’t afford double glazing at the moment, you can duck tape over gaps and cracks – a tad scummy, but as a temporary measure not bad). Energy Saving Trust has great ideas on how to save around the home, and also information on grants available for home improvements. However, my favourite idea, and a triple whammy as that as it provides you with a great Makey-Do project and recycles old material, is to make your own draft excluder. CraftyCrafty has a useful design and method, though that’s not to say that you can’t add your own unique twist to it. When the Great House Move of 2009 TM is over, I’ll be having a crack at this myself and I’ll post the pictures here for you see.

Finally though, despite my original moan about November, it’s still a great time to get out and about when the weather permits. There are some amazing sunsets to be seen, like the one pictured below that I captured a few weeks ago, the parks, albeit very muddy, are still vibrant with squirrels, robins and other wildlife, and many places are seeing the start of Christmas Markets and Craft Fairs. So wrap up warm, arm yourself with a brolly and a pair of Wellies and enjoy what’s left of this relatively tranquil month before the madness that is December.

Reb x

As Christmas breaths ominously down our necks, here’s a selection of some of the best eco-friendly children’s toys and gifts on the web, to suit a range of budgets and age groups:

Wishbone Bike (pictured above, around £150)         

Recycled Cardboard Teepee     Fairtrade Cuddly Elephant     PlayMais Blocks         

Potato Clock     Solar Robot Kit     Bramblings Wood Toys            

Animals in Art Book     Sigg Drinks Bottle     Butterfly Garden Kit

I'm a little late with this, but Sesame Street turned 40 last week and it would be travesty not to mention it here. I remember watching Sesame Street as a child and and I can't really begin to express just how much of a lasting impact it has had on me. I credit it with being able to say the alphabet and write my name by the time I went to nursery school and still to this day I pronounce Z the Americanised 'Zee', rather than 'Zed', (it just makes more sense as it rhymes with 'T'). I regularly visit the Sesame Street website and play the videos for the Shugmeister, inclusing classic clips, and can't wait until he's old enough for the online games and activites.

       We’re moving from our 2 bedroom city centre (ish) flat to a three bedroom (ish) house in the burbs at the end of this month. I’ll miss the relative convenience of being walking distance from town and being on the door step of the Ormeau Park, but the new place is much more child friendly (or I should say pram friendly as I’ll no longer have to lug the Shuggie Buggie up two flights of stairs) and more importantly, it has a garden.

Now I have big plans for that garden in the near future (watch this space), but first we have the joy of moving. And I don’t mean that in a sarcastic way. I love moving house. I love going through all my stuff, finding things tucked away in cupboards that I’d forgotten about and thinking up new uses for them if I can. On the flip side it also gives me that much needed push to get shot of things that I simply can’t use and are gathering dust in various corners (as an amateur hoarder, living with a professional hoarder, we seriously need that push). An epic clear out is on the cards, and I’ll be getting rid of the mountain of grown out baby items that have been steadily building up. But what to do with it all, that is the question?

A lot of the things I have were initially given to me by other people, so it doesn’t seem right to flog them. I’d rather pay the favour forward. But as I don’t know anyone else with a new born, or due to have a baby anytime soon, I’m going to make use of one of my favourite initiatives - Freecycle. For those who aren’t familiar with it yet, Freecycle is a world wide network where people offer up items they no longer have use of, to others in their local area. The basic idea is to keep useable items out of landfill, on the condition that what’s on offer is free of charge and can be picked up at the givers convenience. Over the years I’ve found this to be an invaluable way of ensuring that the things I no longer need go to a good home, and I’ve also picked up a few useful items from other people (it’s also handy for workplaces on a tight purchasing budget, such as charities and public sector, as you’ll often find office equipment on offer when others upgrade).

          So while I’m packing up over the next week and smugly advising the significant other that I always knew I’d make use of those bags of shredded paper I brought home on a whim, you can find your local Freecycle group by following the link below:

 http://www.uk.freecycle.org/

Reb x