getting greener every day

Which brings me to my compost bin.  Because I am really happy about it.

My blog is really all about  finding happiness.  And for me, this is a lot about aligning what i do, what I say and what I think into one.  I am definately about manifesting dreams, and working towards goals and getting stuff done.  And I had this aim, generally.  To be Greener. 

Over this summer I have made a few little shifts and switches that have made some real changes. 

I switched to Ecotricity (with their 100% green tarriff)  We now have 100% footprint free energy in our home.  I know that Good Energy are excellent as well.  And we may try them next year. Or swap our money between them on alternate years.  This will be more expensive ( hopefully not too much!!) but I hope to off set this with being more careful with energy use!! Perhaps an unexpected benefit of the change which will help us use even less energy!  But a side benefit has been with the customer services.  When I ring Ecotricity,  there is no 20 minute wait to speak to someone. And the folk on the phone sound happy to help.  I like to think that they are working there because it matters to them, the aim of their company.  This is suppositiion, but I think I will ask next time I ring up!  I know that Good Energy have won awards for being a great place to work.  I like this. 

We signed up to a veg box scheme.  I went with Abel & Cole, mainly because I got home one day and there was a flyer been put through the door with a good offer on it.   I felt a bit that I ought go to a more local one, but have been told that Abel & Cole are really very good with sourcing from local farmers and directly and so on.  I hope this is true.  Likewise this matters to me.  I HATE that the supermarkets drive down the price to the farmers and treat them so badly.  I like that there are companies that don't operate like this.  Again, yes it IS more expensive.  We are not 100% avoiding supermarkets yet.  But it also has some unexpected side benefits. 

I had read a blog called The Rubbish Diet.  Where one woman set out to reduce the amount she sent to landfill.  By various means.  Recycling, composting etc.  And the Veg box scheme, where by the boxes and even polythene bags get sent back to be re used.  Where the packaging, if any, is compostible  or recyclable.  And this has reduced our bin bags - really remarkably!  Its amazing actually.  About 1-2 bin bags less PER WEEK! 

 And as from today,  we have (a part of) an allotment.  And a compost bin.  And so I reckon we will be down to 1 bin bag a week pretty soon.

And lastly.  Banking.  Perhaps the last word in bad ways to be in the world. (though a speaker at the Meaning Conference- I forget who - Said that perhaps one day we will THANK the bankers for f8cking it all up SO very badly.  BEcause it has made us THINK of other ways of doing things.....

Because you tend to think that there is nothing you can do in this area.  We all need money.  We need banking.  But we can still make choices.  And so I am making progress in terms of switching where our money goes.  We are mainly with the Cooperative Bank for day to day banking.  I am closing down my rate whore accounts which got me into Tesco Banking etc.  I will be selling my shares (gains from the sell off of building societies - am SO against that now!) And our savings will be in Triodos.  I reckon I will be working up to putting investments into funding circles and such (when we have more money!!)  And in general looking at the alternatives.


All these things are something I have been thinking about for a LONG time.  It is most gratifying,, Enjoyable and happy making to be DOING something about them all.