ecomonkey

Brigid And The Water Dragon

noreply@blogger.com (racheblue @ bAd) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:08:00 +0000

Happy New Lunar Year and Blessed Imbolc!

In Chinese tradition, the lunar year 2012 which began yesterday, is the year of the Dragon, symbolising majestic power and wisdom. More specifically this year's sign is a black Water Dragon.

This dragon is deemed special because unlike the other animal symbols of the Chinese zodiac which are all earthly animals, the dragon is a mystical creature, often composed of several other animals including the stag, snake, tiger, eagle and carp. A Dragon year is purported to bring abundance, virtue and harmony as well as a sense of increased intensity and unpredictability. Guardian of the Eastern skies, the Dragon inspires energy and activity in us.

Although Dragons have an innate fire this is calmed by the water influence. It is said that Water Dragons are able to see things from a variety of perspectives and whilst they don’t always feel a need to be right, their decisions are usually wise due to allowing others to influence decision making.

In Chinese element theory, water feeds wood and thus personifies growth and creativity. As 2012 is a yang year, the water element is not stagnant but moving fast like a flowing river so situations and events will tend also to move in this way and creativity and ideas will flow in abundance. By many accounts it is likely to be an exhilarating year.

Image Source: aindreas.com

Meanwhile, under more northern skies, the blanket of winter can no longer hide the promise of spring and many will celebrate the ancient Celtic festival of Imbolc and the Feast of Brighid. It is this time of year when the inner wisdom and personal insights gleaned over the slow winter months can be infused with the energy of coming spring to propel us into the year with renewed energy and vitality.

Also known as Bríde or Brìd (as well as Olwen, Niwalen, Gwenhyver or Blodeuwedd in traditional British and Irish legends and later changed to St. Brigit by the Christian Church), the virgin goddess Brighid symbolises this time of year as she resumes her triple goddess, cyclical role from her elder woman's form of the winter months. Ready to initiate union with the renewed Sun King, Brighid will ensure new life and growth.

Not unlike the Water Dragon, Brighid is keeper of the sacred Fire which sparks life into being, as well as having the ability to heal with her life giving waters. She also preserves tradition through poetry and song.

In her wonderful book Sacred Celebrations - A Sourcebook, Glennie Kindred explains some of the ancient mythology of this fertile period of the year.

Sacred Celebrations by Glennie Kindred

"The power of the unconscious represented by the young female is the spark of intuition from within as it joins with the intellect of consciousness (represented by the young Sun King). It is the union of these two aspects of energy which brings about manifestation and growth on all levels.

Other ancient myths reflect the same process in action. Persephone returns from the Underworld (the inner world) as herself made new, the young Spring Maiden... Clotho in Greek myth was known as the fate virgin, the fate spinner, the first of the Moerae (later called Mary) who spun the thread of destiny. Roman Pagans worshipped Juno Februata, the Goddess of the fever (febris) of love, later replaced with St. Valentine by the Church. Athene, Isis, Minerva, Dian, Aphrodite - are all similar versions of this aspect of energy...

The early image of the Virgin was very different from what we now imagine. She was seen as being full of her inherent ability to be fertile. She was honoured for her vibrant sexuality. In pre-Christian Rome, the 'Virgines' were unmarried women. They combined a natural abundant sexuality with the potential of motherhood and procreation. These free young women must have presented as much a threat to the new patriarchal Church as the old matriarchs. A marriage system was introduced which harnesses women's natural nurturing caring instincts to serve men. Her sexuality became feared by the Church and by men for its potential power over them. Virgin became synonymous with purity.

The worship of the Goddess was channelled by the Church into the worship of the Virgin Mary. It is interesting that virginity is the most emphasised aspect of her, not her motherhood, even though it was wildly inexplicable. They were well aware that the Goddess worship they sought to suppress could re-establish itself through the worship of Mary, so they had to diffuse and debase her power and the power of the female. Mary became passive, meek, subordinate, without sexuality, successfully removing her previous attributes. This complex reversal of women's natural instincts, as a method of control by the Church has, of course, had the most dramatic and far-reaching psychological and sociological effects throughout the Christianized patriarchal world. Inner reflection, the unconscious, the intuition, receptivity, the inner voice - all became synonymous with everything female and was also denied, suppressed and feared. This has meant that men as well as women have been cut off from this vital aspect of themselves.

The Church incorporated this festival into their religion as Candlemas, celebrated on the 2nd February. Candlemas is known as the festival of the purification of the Virgin Mary, a time which according to Judeo-Christian rule, a woman must be purified forty days after childbirth as she had been made unclean by the event. This removed all previous understanding of the power behind this ancient festival of Candlemas. 'Cande' from the Anglo-Saxon and 'Candali', 'Kundali' and 'Kundalini' from the Sanskrit, all bring association with the raising of sexual energy. This is the serpent which rises up the spine in sacral and sexual union, in which the self merges with the infinite. This reflects an understanding of sexuality and pleasure as a deeply spiritual experience. Eros, an older Greek phallic God and Cupid, the Roman God of erotic love, were worshipped at a time when sexuality was honoured as a primary life-force.

In Celtic mythology Brighidh was an older solar Goddess associated with the awakening hibernating serpent which was said to come forth from its hole on Imbolc eve. In pre-Christian times, serpents were associated with inspiration, aspiration, healing, the phallus, an emblem of life. The paths of Earth energy were called serpent paths and here at Imbolc their energy becomes reactivated and vibrant...

Imbolc is the time for initiation and healing, for reclaiming what has been forgotten. It is a time for invocation of the life-force and working with the dynamics of its potency. The intuitive flashes, the sparks of inspiration are needed more than ever to complement the active rational approach which dominates our western life-style. The returning active phase of the solar year brings with it an opportunity to use the Fire from within, to combine the dynamic expansive energy of the year's cycle.

We are trying in our own way to live the dreams and visions of a New Age, but we are still connected to the old ways. We each carry the seeds of a new vision, a new way of being. Each time these visions re-emerge after the incubation period of Winter, they are stronger and we are surer..." From: Glennie Kindred; Sacred Celebrations - A Sourcebook; Gothic Image Publications, 2001

Whatever you choose to be inspired by and however you choose to celebrate this new year, the promise of spring and the lengthening of days, may you be blessed and uplifted in all that you do x

Transition & Transformation

noreply@blogger.com (racheblue @ bAd) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 19:51:00 +0000

Happy 2012 dear readers! May the coming year of the Dragon bring much happiness, prosperity and wellbeing to us all. I have a feeling there will be many adventures ahead, some which have already begun. There will definitely be much to learn from and a myriad of opportunities to grow both as individuals and communities, from local through global to universal.

Just over a year ago in December 2010, fellow writer, Charlotte Du Cann, wrote one of her many inspiring posts on the Transition Norwich blog - This Low Carbon Life. A section of this particular post, entitled Changing The Frequency, inspired me so much that I copied the text out by hand and propped it up in my studio where I could refer to it from time to time. I ended up re-reading the piece several times throughout 2011 and if I felt it resonated at the end of 2010, by the time 2012 had arrived, the truths Charlotte wrote had become imbibed into my evolving psyche. (Evidence, if evidence were needed, of how blogging can change lives!)

This is the section in question:
"The world doesn’t change because you change your behavior. But because you let go. When you let go of habits and things you realise you have been living within a certain configuration, a certain frequency that keeps you trapped in an artificial empire...
There is a shift out there and sometimes you can feel it. No amount of media control, of distraction, of police brutality can cover it up. You can’t legislate against it. Because it’s invisible and intangible, something you can’t see with the naked eye. It’s a collective human feeling, in synch with all the living beings on the planet. A frequency that happens when people start to link up, share their stores, their sweetness, tune back in, start acting like bees in each others' interests. And that’s a feeling you can’t stop. And that’s the feeling I intend to take with me into the new year. 2011. A year when millions of us start coming home." Read Charlotte's full post here.

2011 was full of challenges for me, most of which were health related on the surface. Experiencing extreme pain throughout the year, there was no escaping the opportunity (although I didn't see it in quite so positive a light at first) to make deep evaluations about my life. These 12 months (and more) of enforced self-awareness and examination of how and why I live the way I do, had to result in changes on many levels - social, physical, emotional, mental and spiritual.

It's taken a long time but I'm finally learning how to let go instead of trying so desperately to change things - my life, other people, situations and thoughts. Amazingly, it seems I've spent most of my 39 years trying to change things to little or no avail and yet I kept on trying! Perhaps that shows stamina. It also shows a level of blindness to the reality of how life is.

In this Information Age, we are blessed by a million different sources of information and ideas. Amongst the plethora of inspiration, guidance and really useful advice I've listened to, watched and read over the year, one that resonated loudly was a book by Byron Katie called Loving What Is. I heartily recommend this book to anyone wanting to move forward in their lives this coming year. It seems so obvious now, but learning to accept life as it is, rather than thinking, as most of us tend to do, that it is 'all wrong' and if only this or that happened, life would be fine or at least better, was a profound revelation to me.

Once we realise that situations and people that worry or frustrate us, are the way they are only because we see them that way, we are suddenly free to stop thinking about them in a negative light. Accepting that life is the way it is because it is supposed to be this way and yet, at the same time, life can change so profoundly, simply because of the way we view it, is almost literally mind-blowing! Loving what is, may sound simple but the changes it allows in relationships and how we view and live our lives can indeed be life-changing. For me, these revelations and realisations feel and sound like a chord in Charlotte's "...frequency that happens when people start to link up, share their stores, their sweetness, tune back in...".

Living as truthfully as we can, communicating what we learn, listening to each others' stories and experiences, sharing ideas and moving ourselves forward, allowing ourselves to be transformed into the butterflies we already are, if only we'd stop to take a look. These seem like ideal tasks for the year ahead.

2011 has shown without doubt that transitions and transformations of all kinds are taking place across our world. Many of us, whether through deliberate choice or through divine circumstance are feeling the shift from an outdated way of life which no longer serves us, to another which, although perhaps as yet undefined, is becoming an almost deafening call for change. Whatever 2012 brings, my sincere wish is that we find the wisdom, strength, courage and Love to embrace life as it is, to relish in every opportunity for transformation, find our wings and find ourselves on a path that leads us home.

I leave you with a wonderful example of land transformation in Norwich where an unused tarmac plot has metamorphosed into a thriving community garden. We visited the Grapes Hill Community Garden over the summer and were thrilled to find this oasis of lushness and abundance in the city. Enjoy x

Further Info: Transition Norwich blog - This Low Carbon Life | The Work of Byron Katie | Grapes Hill Community Garden

The Winter Solstice: Time To Let Go

noreply@blogger.com (racheblue @ bAd) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 10:17:00 +0000

Whilst our Southern Hemisphere readers are celebrating Summer Solstice, our Sun ends its waning cycle in the Northern Hemisphere today, the shortest day of the year. Winter Solstice heralding the return of lengthening days, falls tomorrow on Thursday 22nd December. From then on, the days will grow longer and brighter until the height of next year's Summer.

Since Stone-Age times (at least), evidence suggests that humans have marked the winter and summer solstice as significant times of the year, the longest and shortest days. For our ancestors, these days were a vital indication of the food growing seasons and the changing of darker days to lighter periods and vice versa.

Today, many of us have lost touch with seasonal changes as our lives seem entrenched in artificial environments immersed in technologies and thought patterns that seem to negate the need for nature. Even where the Earth's provisions are relatively direct, such as for food, clothing and warmth, we tend to either ignore the source of these sustaining goods or take them for granted. How many of us or our children, for example, think and act as though our food and clothes emanate from the supermarket or the high street, rather than from the Earth! Our lifestyles allow us to forget that cotton and food are grown in the soil beneath our feet.

Reversing this conception is easy. It is simply a matter of making time to appreciate what we have. So, when sourcing new clothes, or throwing on a favourite sweater, for example, we can look at the fabric and label, think about where the materials were grown and all the people and elements that played a part in getting the items from soil to us - the sowing, caring, harvesting, designing, producing, transporting, selling and so on. And we can feel grateful. When we eat a meal, we can take a moment to think about how it was grown, who was involved in putting the ingredients together and appreciate all the efforts made by people and elements involved in the sowing, caring, harvesting, storage, transporting, selling, washing, preparing, cooking... Two simple words can change our whole outlook on Life - "Thank You"!

When asked to recall our happiest times, we tend to envision and remember people and places rather than technologies and material things. Breathtaking landscapes, fresh air, open fires, endless oceans, loved ones. These are the things that make us feel alive. Re-Membering our connection to nature and taking time out to acknowledge that we are part of the natural world, gives us the opportunity to grow, to accept the nurturing gifts provided in abundance by the Earth and use them to enhance our well-being.

When we acknowledge the influence of Nature and her seasons on our physical and spiritual well-being, we become aware of the profound links that exist between us, each other and our world. Our connection with the Earth, all its inhabitants, the skies, stars, galaxy and universe beyond run deeper than we can ever wholly know.

The return from dark days into lighter at the Winter Solstice is a chance to look back over the year and see how we have grown, the lessons learned, those we continue to learn, the changes made, what worked well, what worked out differently from how we had imagined at the start of 2011, what made us frustrated, angry and sad, what made us smile, glow and weep with laughter. It is an opportunity to give thanks for the blessings received and the hard lessons learned. It is a chance to look forward to all that we want to be in the coming year and let go of all the things, thoughts, relationships, attitudes, feelings and habits that are holding us back from being who we truly want to be. We can bid farewell to that which no longer serves us.

This article, The Winter Solstice: Honoring The Return Of The Sun | The Shaman's Well, provides some insight into the physics, history and spirit of Winter Solstice and gives some wonderful examples of how we can celebrate this magical time of year.

"...Many cultures have Winter Solstice celebrations dating back thousands of years ... The Roman Festival of Saturnalia was closely tied to the solstice and had some interesting rituals. Many scholars find this to be one of the earliest celebrations of the solstice, and later when the leaders of Christianity were looking to convert other various religious groups, they adopted this time of year to bring these traditional celebrations to the Christian tradition.
The ancient Roman festival of Saturnalia ran from December 17th-23rd. Saturnalia was particularly interesting culturally. During the last day of this festival, it was traditional for masters to change places with their household slaves. How this custom was observed varied widely, depending completely on the house...

...It is believed by many that the Yule traditions started in Scandinavia ... [where] the Norse celebrated Yule from December 21, the winter solstice, through January. In recognition of the return of the sun. It is this influence that we can see most in European Paganism. The Wheel of the Year divided into 4 parts was not that far of a leap for early European Pagans. They were already familiar with honoring the solstice periods as evidenced in The Stone Age Newgrange tomb and Stonehenge.
They recognized the Suns return and knew it meant fields would once again be ready for tilling and planting. Warmth would return to the world and darkness would fade. To the rural folk who worked hard during the year, the end of a lean winter was something to celebrate and the God of the Sun was something to be honored....

...If this year was not the year for you, sit down at sunset, take out a piece of paper and write down everything negative that happened to you during the year. Light a fire in your fireplace, your barbecue, or a place outside. Create your own ritual prayer like, “Goodbye past I let you go. I set you free. Never to return.” Burn the paper while visualizing your troubles disappearing in the smoke and setting you free.
If you don’t want to burn your troubles, find a place where you can dig a small hole. Take your paper with your troubles and bury it. Place some stones around it and say farewell...

...We release what no longer serves us on the Winter Solstice, because it is the darkest day of the year. We let go so that we can step freely into what is waiting for us, as the light begins to grow brighter with each day..." Full article here.

Happy Solstice to One and All x

Further Info: The Shaman's Well | 8 Women Dream | Pagans Path
Special thanks to Bee Strawbridge for bringing the above article to my attention and inspiring this post x

Blessing

noreply@blogger.com (racheblue @ bAd) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 11:44:00 +0000

"Beautiful words on the gentle art of blessing written by Pierre Pradervand"

Timely advice for those of us that find the impulse to judge ourselves and others too easy and need reminding of the wonderful power of blessing each other and ourselves instead. Therein lies the magic of a loving creation.

From: Joy To The World
"It seems to me that what the world needs now is our blessing – and not just the parts that we find easy to bless. From the smallest incident, with ‘that person in your street’, to the biggest – where governments/corporations act in our names and we feel we have no control – we quickly jump in to judge and criticize.
I was recently reminded – when re-reading Pierre Pradervand’s words in The Gentle Art of Blessing that to bless is important not only for those we bless but also for ourselves..."

Further Info: Jane's Joy on YouTube | Pierre Pradervand on Simon & Schuster | Pierre Pradervand on Amazon

Reconnecting

noreply@blogger.com (racheblue @ bAd) — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 08:45:00 +0000

Wise words from Brigit Strawbridge: "...Today is the first day of the rest of your life. Make it count! ... Take some long, slow, deep breaths; embrace the elements; listen to the sounds around you and know that you are a part of all that you see, hear and feel....not apart from it..."

"The world is in a big mess, but whilst we run around like headless chickens trying to 'fix' it, we very rarely take the time to look at the root of the problem which is, I believe, 'disconnection'. We have become SO disconnected from ourselves, from each other and from the natural world - that we don't even recognise the damage we're doing.....let alone take responsibility for it!

We seem to have become conditioned, on a global scale, to search for 'quick fixes' - but quick fixes never work in the long term. They don't work in personal relationships so how can they possibly be expected to work on issues as massive and on-going as declining biodiversity, climate change, deforestation, food security, pollution, waste.....the list goes on. It's really no use papering over the cracks if we don't simultaneously address the root of the problem - i.e disconnection..." Full article here

Further Info: Bee Strawbridge

11:11 on 11/11/11

noreply@blogger.com (racheblue @ bAd) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 20:24:00 +0000

This Friday morning at 11:11am GMT people across our vast planet will spend an hour or more taking part in a global meditation of positivity. Please join us.

Some will meditate as part of a daily spiritual practice. Others because the time and date signify a special place in time where dreams become possible, where spirits are uplifted and hope is transformed into reality. Others want to join in and feel part of something bigger than themselves, to take part in a worldwide act of love. Some of us will embrace the opportunity to celebrate all that is good about our lives here on this beautiful planet and send out positive thoughts, energy, wishes, prayers of gratitude (in whatever form we feel comfortable with), that will inspire and create a brighter, happier, peaceful future. Others may feel that in these changing times, we are worth giving peace and positivity a chance. We join in the experiment to see what outcomes may appear.

Whatever the reasons, we can all take some time out of our everyday routines to do something that makes us feel happy and connected to each other, to let our differences drift and celebrate all that which connects us. We are after all one and the same, not separate, but part of a whole. The occurrence of ten ONE digits in this special date and time can help us to RE-CONNECT and RE-MEMBER this reality. Whether you have ten minutes, an hour or more to give to this joint occasion, give what you can, give from your heart and we will see what changes may come.

Anael & Bradfield's Light & Love

For those new to meditation, it is simply a way of focusing on something with all of our senses, letting distracting thoughts drift by instead of taking over. Find a peaceful place, indoors or out, sit comfortably on a chair or cushions on the floor with back straight if possible, allowing the base of the spine to connect to the Earth, reaching up through the tops of our heads towards the sky. Listen to music that uplifts your spirits, if it will be helpful rather than distracting. Take a few slow, deep, cleansing breaths allowing the mind to focus on the flow of breath at the nostrils as it enters and exits the body.

As the mind, body and spirit slow down, continue breathing normally and feel a connection with all around. The earth beneath, the sky above and all that is between. Use all the senses to focus on the things that bring happiness and joy into our lives. The people we love, the places that inspire us, the smell of freshly mown grass, the colour of the sky, the taste of lemonade, the feeling of a summer breeze brushing across your skin, the exhilaration of running, cycling, climbing, hiking over a beautiful landscape... Let the images and senses of these things flow over and around you. Let them wrap you in arms of loving kindness and peace. If specific words spring to mind, such as LOVE, LIGHT, PEACE or anything else that feels positive and life affirming, repeat these words, either out loud or silently, letting the vibrations of the words ring true both inside and outside the body.

There is no need to worry about the thoughts and irritations that will inevitably come up. Simply notice them, like passing clouds, and let them be, returning attention gently to the subject of meditation. When it seems difficult, remember to relax those shoulders and smile! This is not a scholarly study. It is a way of being, to be enjoyed, have fun with it!

Ecomonkey will be meditating on love, peace and happiness between 11am and 12pm and sending out intentions for a bright, peaceful and happy future. See you there x

From: Fire The Grid
"We are inviting people to participate to this last Fire the Grid worldwide meditation and come together as ONE. We will all connect simultaneously on November 11, 2011 at 11:11 GMT. During that hour we will raise our frequency to the highest. We will meditate, pray, chant, dance our joy for life, visualizing a new world from your hearts with intense loving positive feelings. A world of harmony, joy and peace with clean water, air and soil free of pollution, where everyone cares for each other."

Further Info: Fire The Grid | Facebook Group

What's Mine is Yours...

noreply@blogger.com (racheblue @ bAd) — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 17:45:00 +0000

A ReMinder to ReMember that life and land are sacred, to be treasured and cared for with gratitude and love.

From: Survival International
"This short film, narrated by Joanna Lumley, tells the story of the Dongria Kondh’s resistance. Vedanta are intent on constructing an open-cast mine on their land and thereby destroying the tribes sacred mountain and with it everything they know."

Further Info: Dongria Tribe | Survival International

Images: Dongrial Kondh Girls (c) Jason Taylor | Lakhapada (c) Survival International

Saving & Renewing Energy

noreply@blogger.com (racheblue @ bAd) — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 13:11:00 +0000

We've posted the video below from Friends Of The Earth primarily because we found it amusing. It may also be informative for those who may not already be aware of large energy companies' somewhat unfair and unethical modus operandi. (Much like most conventional big business these days, but that's another post...)

FOE's Final Demand campaign reads: "The energy company rip-off is a national scandal. The Big Six supply 99% of households and make billions in profits by keeping us hooked on expensive dirty fuels. And they have the Government wrapped around their little fingers. It's time for our leaders to stand up to the Big Six and give us energy we can all afford."

What we think of as conventional business, the conventional production and supply of our non renewable energy, as well as our own specific use of that energy, is neither the most efficient or fair way of using, producing and supplying energy. Whilst it seems right that we do all we can to persuade those providing our energy to work in a fairer, sustainable and more efficient way that benefits us all and our precious planet's resources, there is more that we can do directly.

Firstly we can switch to a renewable energy supplier such as Ecotricity who spend the money we pay them for electricity and gas supply, on building new sources of green energy. Whilst, under the current operating system this cannot guarantee that the actual energy we receive and use is renewable, it does help to ensure that a completely renewable energy system is more of a possibility in the not too distant future and supports the endeavours of those paving the way for total sustainable energy use rather than lining the expansive pockets of those who don't care where the energy comes from, how its sourcing and use damages our planet or what effect dwindling resources have on our own pockets.

Secondly, we can start putting into action means of providing our own energy that does not rely on conventional, non renewable energy. Woodburners are a great start and a wise investment though they can be bought relatively cheaply. Ecomonkey is hoping to source an affordable burner with dedicated cooking features or simply space to place a kettle and casserole on, plus back boiler capabilities so we can heat water and radiators from it in the future.

Solar lighting is another simple way to provide sun powered lighting instead of relying on electrical lights. They are brilliant for adding ambient light to a garden or patio and can provide useful security lighting if needed. Solar lights are also perfectly placed in areas such as a landing, bathroom or kitchen which we visit or pass through often but briefly, so although we need some light we don't need to switch on full electrical lighting every time.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, wherever we source our energy from, to truly benefit from sourcing sustainably we need to be prepared to reduce our overall consumption as well. More than switching off standby items, which I'm sure we all do in these enlightened times [pun intended], reducing energy use can involve some lifestyle changes that bring far more benefits than reducing our energy bills and carbon use:

Keeping track of our energy consumption using facilities such as imeasure.org means we have a record of our usage, are provided with a calculable challenge to reduce it and we can see how our energy use compares to others and can be improved.
Insulating our homes as much as possible will ensure we get the most benefit from wood fuelled heat. If wall and roof insulation are not possible or seem too expensive right now, simpler tasks such as adding draft excluders, well placed rugs, hanging warm curtains over windows and doors and closing them at dusk can all help to keep warmth inside our homes.
Wearing warm clothing and using blankets (natural fibres such as wool are best for insulation and comfort) instead of switching on central heating or turning up the heat is a sensible way to reduce energy use.
Replacing electrical entertainment such as TV watching, video game playing and internet surfing (we are so guilty of the latter!) with less intensive past-times such as reading and story-telling, playing off-line games and practising our creativity through ways such as cooking and baking (using wood fuelled burners or ovens of course!), crafting with wood, clay, fabric, wool, paper or anything else we may have lying around at home waiting to be re-used. All these changes can increase our wellbeing as well as reduce our bills.
Simply taking time to be, to breathe deeply and appreciate life's gifts, particularly those found in nature, is one of the most beneficial ways of passing time whilst avoiding unsustainable energy use and simultaneously renewing our personal depleted energies. If star and moon gazing, flora and fauna spotting seem too outlandish, try gardening or simply going for a run, walk or cycle ride to experience nature's bounty without having to get too close! Take a tip from Brigit Strawbridge and embrace Off-Grid Sundays as a starter to a more sustainable lifestyle everyday.

If these non electrical ideas sound extreme, we can assure that they will leave us feeling more relaxed, rejuvenated, inspired and satisfied than any electrical entertainment. Wrapped up in wool blankets, gathered round a real fire with friends and family or a good book and glass of vino or cup of warming tea - what could be better or more apt for this autumn/winter season!

From Ecotricity:
"No matter where you live in Great Britain, if you’re connected to the gas and electricity mains, you can power your home with Ecotricity. Nothing obvious changes except who you pay your next energy bill to - and that’s the biggest change you can actually make.
The greenest possible outcome - Nobody will spend more of your energy bill on building new sources of green energy. Great service - Our customer service is award-winning, head and shoulders above anyone else. It’s really quite fabulous. Our fair price promise - We price match the standard tariffs of the 'big 6' energy suppliers."

From imeasure:
"imeasure is an online tool to help you accurately monitor your home energy use and carbon emissions. It calculates your energy use based on the energy meter readings that you enter. Each time you enter your readings into imeasure your results will automatically update and give you immediate analysis on your household's energy use, spend and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.
imeasure uses innovative Degree Days analysis which reconciles weekly energy use with outside temperature. Our analysis will tell you how energy efficient your building is and where you can make improves to save money."

From Bee Strawbridge:
"Mmmmm.... having just switched on again after another deliciously slow and simple off-grid Sunday, I'm feeling completely recharged and ready to take on the world. I wish everyone could tap into the kind of energy I'm filled with after a full 24 hours away from the machine. It's not like the kind of energy you need to run a 100 metre sprint; more like the energy you need to run a marathon. I feel calm, clear headed and fully recharged rather than just 'topped up' - if that makes sense? I also feel more at peace, have regained my perspective and am less likely to be flustered by the stresses and worries of everyday modern life. It really is a great way to start the week!"

Further Info: Friends Of the Earth | Ecotricity | imeasure | Bee Strawbridge

Community - How Parts Become Whole

noreply@blogger.com (racheblue @ bAd) — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 11:53:00 +0000

Here's a post I wrote for the wonderful Transition Norwich blog, This Low Carbon Life about this weekend's Magdalen Street Celebration.

Community – How Parts Become Whole
In these often suffocatingly material times, we so called ‘civilized’ people of the UK, with our impressive technological advancements, expansive collections of gadgets, personal computers, private vehicles and our consuming obsession with owning our own pile of bricks and mortar to ensconce ourselves and our precious possessions in, locked away from others behind closed doors and gates, often respond to the idea of community with a sense of dread. To a society used to shutting ourselves away the word can hold daunting connotations.

Although we might enjoy a little company now and then, we are held back by fear and our addiction to thinking of ourselves as separate beings. Why get together with neighbours when our time is so scarce and precious, we think? If we joined a community we might have to change our routines, perhaps work fewer hours, perhaps commute less often, perhaps even give up some precious TV or internet time! How can we possibly meet people when we have social media profiles to update?!

In a society that has been based on individual gain, material wealth and consumption for so long, it may feel like a huge ask to relax the tight reins with which we constrain our lives and start to dismantle the barriers between us, in our cosy TV lit homes, and them, the people we live near to on a physical level but rarely communicate with on any other level. On the other hand, it might seem like a blessed relief!

Paradoxically, many of us secretly dream of being part of something bigger than ourselves, bigger than our immediate families, social or work groups. We crave the companionship, ideas and support of people who may be different from us in many ways but who also share the vast and varied experiences of our local environments. People who walk the same streets as we do, who visit the same parks, use the same local shops and services, who breath the same air and drink the same water, meet in the same pubs, attend the same churches, school and colleges and eat in the same restaurants as well as perhaps work in the same area.

These shared experiences and the issues, challenges and benefits that arise from them can be ours for the taking. All we have to do is step into it. To shift our mindsets away from ourselves as individual separate beings, ensnared in our own personal bubbles and the tangled web of stories we tell ourselves to keep us there. To, instead, embrace ourselves as a whole, part of a larger unit of beings, free to live the human story we are designed to embody.

Becoming part of our local community simply means taking and giving time to share our experiences rather than keeping them to ourselves. The extent to which we allow ourselves to shed personal barriers and embrace our oneness with the community already waiting for us, is up to us, of course. Yet, like most values in life, the more we give, the more we have to gain.

The sharing is not only cathartic but can enable us, as a community, to build on ideas, change the systems and things that could work better for us and generally improve life for us as individuals, families or households and as a functioning community. The benefits can be overwhelmingly positive – new friends, improved facilities, new ideas, shared resources and experiences, better services and the simple, often forgotten pleasure of knowing that there will always be someone to greet and be greeted by with a cheerful ‘hello’, to return our heartfelt smile and pass it on as we traverse our local streets.

One of the greatest benefits of accepting our roles as members of our local community is the opportunity to celebrate together. Whether this is at the end of a hard worked project, a recognition of passing time, marking the changing seasons or to raise awareness and resources, community celebrations can be a wonderful time to take a break from our everyday routines, slow down the pace of life and revel in all that is good and positive about our shared environment, including each other.

The 2nd annual Magdalen Street Celebration, taking place on 1st October this year, was born from a simple desire to celebrate all that is wonderful about the area. Its diverse community, wealth of creativity and passionate drive towards sustainability – making good use of what we already have.

Over the decades, the various communities of Magdalen Street and its surrounding roads have, like many communities, experienced a variety of highs and lows: the devastating effects of war-time, poorly designed architecture and planning, inefficient resources and attention as well as more positive design and planning decisions, the influx of new community groups bringing fresh culture, the determination of residents, traders and regular visitors to keep the streets alive commercially and spiritually, and the resourcefulness of newcomers and old timers alike.

Walking around Magdalen Street, peering through lovingly displayed shop windows, rummaging miles of pre-loved clothing racks, searching for treasure in a jumble of donated and recycled goodies, perusing shelves stacked high with spices and foods from around the globe, picking up fresh fish for supper, enjoying good coffee and cake whilst people watching or sharing delicious curry with friends, it is easy to see why the Magdalen Street area is so loved.

The plethora of hard working charity shops, vintage furniture and clothing emporiums, fabric and craft stores, curry houses, the antique pawnbrokers and fishmongers, well used cafes and coffee shops, music stores, health and wellbeing providers, tattoo, hair and beauty parlours, colourful galleries, pop-up art and creative spaces and the wide variety of food stores sit happily in and alongside historical buildings and sites. Beautiful flint churches, ancient remains of the city walls, secret alleyways with intriguing homes at the bottom and half-hidden courtyards all embed and enhance the magic.

Amongst this profusely rich variety, you and I wander. Using the local independent stores and services, valuing the lack of soul-less chains, exploring changes, discovering treasure, meeting new and familiar faces, getting to know each other, the people and places that make this area much more than a collection of streets and places to spend money and travel through. As we involve ourselves in Magdalen Street’s magic, we find ourselves in the heart of a community, vibrant, diverse, historical and sustainable. A community with much to offer. And we may just discover that community isn’t that scary after all!

Come help us celebrate our community on 1st October and every day after until the next time. Have fun getting to know your community better and remember to pass on that smile! x

Original post here
Further Info: Transition Norwich blog, This Low Carbon Life | Magdalen Street Celebration

Choice Point - Be The Change...

noreply@blogger.com (racheblue @ bAd) — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 15:06:00 +0000

From: Choice Point
"The Choice Point community offers a profound message of hope, empowering each of us to be the change – to make the choices that can not only transform ourselves, but also the world around us.
The goal of Choice Point is to inspire people and to motivate them to examine their own lives and begin the journey of personal transformation, so that they too can reach out to make meaningful contributions to the world..." More here

The Need To Know

noreply@blogger.com (racheblue @ bAd) — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 17:59:00 +0000

I gave up the habit of listening to so called 'news' on the radio a long time ago and make a point of switching the radio off or turning down the volume during the too frequent interruptions to whatever programme it is I'm listening to. I don't watch live TV so am rarely subjected to televised 'news' programmes and I read news'papers on a very infrequent basis. The reason? I realised that the only thing I was gaining from these forms of media was fear. And quite frankly, I don't need that! Who does?!

Just yesterday, whilst washing the dishes and listening to the lovely Lauren Laverne on 6Music, I took long enough to dry my hands when the news came on to hear the preview clip. One sentence, about 5 seconds of air time, with the presenter introducing three of the stories and all I heard was "...the death of so and so..., 5 dead in..., police investigating the murder of..."! I couldn't get to the off button quickly enough!

Please don't misunderstand me, I have what I consider to be a very comfortable relationship to the phenomena of death, seeing it as an essential and necessary part of life's mysterious cycle, something we all experience and something to be welcomed rather than feared, preferably at the end of a productive, happy, meaningful life. But the thought that darted back and forth in a frenzied dance through my mind, attempting to shake off what I'd just heard, asked 'Why do I need to know this? What positive difference will it make to my life or anybody else's life?' The answers are 'I don't' and 'None'. There is no need for any of us to hear such negative stories of what may or may not be taking place in the world, repeated so often, sometimes every half hour throughout the day, without our specific request for it.

Perhaps, like me, you would rather forgo the unwelcome mug of despair, helplessness, anger and fear served regularly and cold. Perhaps the pursuit of happiness and well being with a dash of education that can be put to positive effect, is more your cup of tea. If this is the case, I can highly recommend avoiding conventional news at all costs.

Of course, many of us may have an interest in particular kinds of news that perhaps might affect us personally, relate to our work or local community or we may have some other vested interest in knowing what is taking place in a particular field of study or area of the world. It is easy to obtain this information. We can subscribe to relevant magazines, journals and websites, search for specific news on a subject we're interested in, perhaps tune in to a news related radio show, buy or pick up a relevant newspaper or publication if we want an overview, or check out the latest news, general or specific, online as well as share information in person, via SMS, telephone or social media. So why, with all these and more methods of keeping up to date with what we feel we need to know, I wonder, are radio listeners still subjected to a constant plethora of negative, non-educational, 'feel-bad' stories chosen by someone without knowledge or care of our specific interests? Could it be that someone, somewhere wants us to feel miserable and afraid?!

It seems we have allowed ourselves to be swallowed up in the mindset that tells us we need to know how many people have died from starvation today or that thousands were killed in a violent war or how the inquiry into a murder of someone we don't know in some place we've never been or heard of is progressing, or what the latest political spin is. The premise given is that if we don't want to know, it means we don't care. Investigating this thought - that we need to know every gruesome detail of everything upsetting that takes place in our world in order for us to care about our world - allows us to see that it is not just far from the truth but is in fact the opposite of it. When our minds are full of fear, despair, misery, frustration and anger, we may be able to talk about the devastating things we've heard until the proverbial cows come home but we also become incapable of acting in a way that will make things right, that will help make all the bad things go away.

As Yoda so wisely pointed out, fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering. The powerful nature of fear causes and allows suffering because it paralyses us into doing nothing. Remove the fear, and we are able to contribute towards improving our world. On a personal, local and global level we can be part of the transformation of our world into the peaceful, productive, welcoming, pleasant, effective, healthier and happier place we always dreamed it could be.

Removing the fear is a simple process. All we have to do is walk away from it. Stop listening to it. Turn the volume down or off. Listen to something else instead. Fill our lives with positive news and practice the art of not allowing the miserable news we do hear, affect us in a negative way.

Like the supermarket myths about how terribly expensive food would be if supermarkets didn't exist, there is no need to fear that such a drastic change to our listening, reading and viewing habits, to what we allow to infiltrate our minds via our eyes and ears, will leave us stranded and alone without a clue about the important things that are going on in our world. This is far from the truth as I discovered some months ago. Instead of being bombarded with information that is neither wanted or needed, with stories that repulse and frustrate, make us feel bad about ourselves and others, leave us confused with a huge weight of someone else's responsibility on our shoulders, we may just find ourselves in a place that is free of constant negativity, where we feel happy and positive, energised and motivated to seek out the news and information we actually want to hear. News that will give us ideas, support, inspiration and encouragement to be the change we want to see instead of merely accepting whatever is thrown our way.

With all this extra positive space in our lives and the energy and ideas to use it, who knows what we can achieve.

There Are Times...

noreply@blogger.com (racheblue @ bAd) — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 15:52:00 +0000

Written & narrated by David Ault
Music: "Melt into Nothingness" by Jack Fowler
Created by All Good Creatives
Copyright © 2010 the Conscious Company

The Amazing Forest

noreply@blogger.com (racheblue @ bAd) — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 11:54:00 +0000

Are you sitting comfortably? Then, let's begin...

Once upon a time, four boys called Rodrigo, Ben, Manuel and Florian realised that our planet was in need of help as much of the rainforests had disappeared and the Earth was having a hard time breathing.

"I know", said Rodrigo. "Let's buy some land and start to plant new trees on it."
"What a great idea!" agreed Ben. "We can help the forest re-grow."

So they decided to replant as much of the Amazon Rainforest as they could. Manuel and Florian were very excited when they heard Rod & Ben's plans and they were very keen to help out. They found some land near Boa Vista in North Brazil which had once, long ago, been forest, covered in beautiful carbon holding, oxygen giving trees. But this piece of land had long since been devastated by cattle ranching and logging and now all the trees had disappeared leaving dry, tired, arid soil.

"This looks like a good place to start." said Rodrigo and the other boys agreed. And so, the task of re-nourishing the land by planting native trees began and before too long, with a lot of hard work from the boys and their friends, out of the tired soil began to spring an Amazing Forest of new trees. Ipê-rosa, Louro-Freijó, Jatobá and Copaíba appeared everywhere and the boys' dream to re-forest the Amazon was well underway.

But that's not the end of the story! There are more trees to plant and more devastated land in the Amazon to re-nourish. To help the boys make their plans come to fruition and help our Earth to breathe again, visit the Amazing Forest website here.

Heart & Hope

noreply@blogger.com (racheblue @ bAd) — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 15:32:00 +0000

From: Nathaniel Tapley, 10Aug11
"...The last few days have revealed some truths, and some heartening truths. The fact that the #riotcleanup crews had organised themselves before David Cameron even made time for a public statement is heartening. The fact that local communities came together to keep their neighbourhoods safe when the police failed is heartening. The fact that there were peace vigils being organised (even as the police tried to dissuade people) is heartening.
There is hope for this country. But we must stop looking upwards for it. The politicians are the ones leading the charge into the gutter.
David Cameron was entirely right when he said: “It is a complete lack of responsibility in parts of our society, people allowed to think that the world owes them something, that their rights outweigh their responsibilities, and that their actions do not have consequences.”
He was more right than he knew..." Full article here

Further Info:Riot Clean Up

People's Assembly

noreply@blogger.com (racheblue @ bAd) — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 15:47:00 +0000

People's Assembly in Clapham Junction, August 2011. Flip Life TV have captured a telling portrayal of how real people are feeling following the recent disturbances across the UK. Passions run high, there are varied opinions and many different experiences, but underneath there is also a lot of understanding and willingness to comprehend each other's situations and reasons for acting in the ways we've seen recently. The video lasts 40 minutes and is well worth watching through to the end. The overriding desire for positive change and understanding alongside effective action from an inert government, shines through and brought hopeful tears to the eye.

We live in a society in which some people are treated with respect and laden with luxuries whilst turning a blind eye to those who seem to have been dealt a harsher hand. But it is not 'life' or 'fortune' that has bred such vast inequality so much as those who are in a place of privilege and who benefit from keeping the inequality afloat. It seems obvious to many ordinary people that the cause of the problems we've been seeing lies less with the young people running riot on the streets as with those who have the power to change society but continue to pretend the problem lies elsewhere.

In conventional news media, it is sad to see politicians and newspaper editors perpetuating their myths of inevitable inequality and continuing to cast blame without taking any responsibility. Meanwhile, for the rest of us, it seems obvious that the anger and frustration mixed with greed and an obscure sense of 'justice' we've been seeing, is an inevitable symptom of a society based on consumerism rather than community.

It is heartening instead to hear the voices of those who are aware of what's happening, want to understand without condoning and want to make a difference to bring about solutions through positive change. Some of the thought provoking quotes include:

"We need people to stand with us, not just stand on the other side of the bridge and hope we can make it across the river..."

"The starting point is listening... it's humbling yourself, it's having the patience, it's having the heart to listen and to ask 'What is the problem? What do you want us to do?'"

"...there's an unhappiness and unrest in everybody... they're starting to see the corruption and the system that they believe in, isn't as genuine as people want to believe... Londoners as a whole are feeling that, but it's just the kids that are representing it..."

"...we need the same quality of teaching and the same quality of health care and the same quality of services that you get in the richest boroughs, in the poor..."

From: FlipLifeTV on YouTube
"This began when we started filming Swiss in Clapham to hear his views on the riots that have been happening in the UK. We ended up in a debate with members of the community that raised many issues that the media are currently failing to portray. It went on for quite a long time and we actually filmed until our battery died but please take the time to watch this video and take on board the important issues that are discussed..."

Insight on Inlight

noreply@blogger.com (racheblue @ bAd) — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 17:16:00 +0000

Over the coming weeks and months, Ecomonkey plans to provide readers with reviews of services, organisations, books, ideas and products that we either use on a regular basis or have recently discovered. We hope that by giving a glimpse into the eco-led thought processes, influences and actions that take place in the Ecomonkey home, we might inspire similar ideas and lifestyle choices. We also love to be inspired so feel free to share your own methods and means of living ethically and sustainably.

To begin, we will review three products by Inlight that we have had the pleasure of testing over the past few months. Inlight is an organic skin care company producing a wide range of delightful, Soil Association (Organic UK 5) certified, therapeutic products designed to nourish and cleanse skin whilst enhancing our true health and beauty from within.

The Inlight range is the result of a partnership between the Spiezia team – Loredana and her husband Dr Mariano Spiezia – and the Centre for Homeopathic Medicine in Naples (CeMON). Dr Spiezia formulated the Inlight products drawing on over 25 years of research and skills as a medical doctor and homeopath and an in depth knowledge of skin functionality, to create a pure, effective skin care range.

Created using only 100% certified organic ingredients, Inlight products, which include Restorative Body Butter, Night Balm, Face Cleanser, Body Oil with Arnica as well as specific treatment ointments, are full of Nature’s gifts. Oils, herbs and flowers work their magic with natural health giving properties and wellbeing enhancements.

We love that Inlight Face and Body products come in beautifully simple and environmentally friendly packaging, are super concentrated to last a long time providing good value for money, are free of water (except the Floral Face Tonic), alcohol, any synthetics or GM ingredients and are suitable and safe for all skin types.

We tried the Lip Salve from the Face range, Joint-Easy from the Ointment range and Firm & Tone Oil* from the Body range.
*This product was tested as part of The Green Parent magazine’s Natural Beauty Guide 2011 which is available free with the latest issue of The Green Parent, Aug/Sept 2011.

Organic Lip Salve, 7ml, £6.10 RRP – 8.5/10
(9.5/10 as emergency moisturiser)
[Effectiveness 7/10 | Value 9/10 | Packaging 10/10]
When it comes to lip balms and salves, Ecomonkey is particularly fussy, being partial to ferocious lip biting at times. The perfect balm for me is thick enough to thoroughly coat the lips for at least an hour whilst also being soft and penetrative enough to sink into the skin. Burt’s Bees Beeswax Balm is my all time favourite lip protector scoring 9.5/10, and whilst the Inlight Salve performs well, scoring 8.5/10, it couldn’t rival Burt’s Bees for my picky lips. However, as an always-keep-one-in-my-pocket/purse/handbag - emergency facial, hand or body moisturiser, this little tub of Inlight goodness has proved an indispensible wonder, melting into the skin leaving dry areas softly nourished and smelling divine!

Organic Joint-Easy Balm, 45ml, £14 RRP – 9.5/10
[Effectiveness 10/10 | Value 10/10 | Packaging 8/10]
Having suffered from Rheumatoid Arthritis flare ups for many years, I was keen to try a new product that might ease the frustrating, sometimes excruciating, joint pain naturally. Joint-Easy has left me suitably impressed. It is jam packed full of deliciously fragranced organic ingredients such as rosemary, ginger, St John’s Wort, thyme, frankincense, cinnamon, evening primrose and lavender extracts in olive, sunflower and coconut oils with beeswax so the balm smells not only delicious but is therapeutically soothing too.
In addition to olfactory delights, the ingredients hold powerful anti-inflammatory and anti-rheumatic properties as well as the ability to promote wellbeing. Frankincense in particular, helps prevent inflammation of the joints and supports healthy circulation. I found the product to be very effective and soothing used on its own for minor to medium flare ups, reducing swelling and stiffness within a few hours. For more intense bouts of pain, I applied Joint-Easy in conjunction with Comfrey and Eucalyptus oils for added relief.
I can thoroughly recommend Joint-Easy balm to anyone suffering from joint or rheumatic pain and will definitely be using this product regularly.

Organic Firm & Tone Oil, 100ml, £35 RRP – 8.5/10
[Effectiveness 8/10 | Value 8/10 | Packaging 9/10]
Some years ago I decided to actively avoid conventional skin products to limit the damage caused by synthetic chemicals to my skin and holistic health. Instead, time, research and energy have been invested into making many of my own products so I know exactly what is going on and into my body. This research has led to an obsession of sorts with oils, liberally moisturising my skin with a variety of fruit, root and seed oils blended carefully (and sometimes with wild abandon!) with suitably therapeutic organic essential oils. Whilst this experimentation in homemade alchemy provides great satisfaction, I also enjoy discovering pre-made oils that someone else has put love, care and attention into creating.
Inlight’s Firm & Tone Oil is one of these with its super delicious scent and lasting aroma. It is readily absorbed and wonderfully soothing after a warm bath or shower. Although the bottle could benefit from a pump or spray top to help avoid spillage, excessive pouring and rapid depletion of the precious contents, this is a delicious treat for tired skin, helping to tone body and mind.

For further information on Inlight skin care and to purchase products visit Inlight-online.co.uk

Further Info: Inlight Organic Skincare / Burt's Bees / The Green Parent

Stupermarket Break Out!

noreply@blogger.com (racheblue @ bAd) — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 18:04:00 +0000

It's been over 13 months since we shopped in a large, intense, brightly lit, empire of grocery consumerism and I'm happy to report that life sans supermarket is not only viable but quite wonderful! With no intention of going back, I hope you will consider quitting too!

The thing about supermarkets is that there's really nothing super about them. Ripping off farmers and producers both here and abroad, selling cheap products at huge cost to suppliers, tricking us into buying far more than we need, producing tonnes of unrecyclable waste, filling our landfills, upping CO2 emissions, encouraging detrimental consumer habits, grabbing land from local ownership, promoting unhealthy over-processed crud disguised as 'food', destroying local communities and values as well as our own farming industry, I mean really, what's super about any of that?!

To ensure that farming can continue in the UK as part of our sustainable present and future and that we can feed ourselves instead of relying on other countries for our nutrition, we need to stop supporting supermarket shopping. It has proved to be an unhealthy, unsustainable and unethical method of putting food on our tables.

So, what can we do? Firstly, we would do well to ignore the outrageous lies that supermarkets and their affiliated corporations put out about alternative shopping and feeding methods being more expensive, too time consuming or just not practical for such busy people like us (funny how we're so often told how terribly busy we are by people who want us to buy their unnecessary convenience items).

There are many options to supermarket slavery and whilst they make take a little time and effort to put into action, as change of habits always do, they are possible. And affordable. Improved health, real community interaction and support, increased awareness of what we consume at little or no extra financial cost. All these benefits are possible. And you truly are worth it!

Secondly, research your options - box schemes, farmers markets, local shops, direct from farms, generous friends with gardens, landshare and allotment produce swaps, growing your own or preferably, a combination of all these. Some box schemes, for example, are cheaper than others, some offer standard seasonal fare whilst others provide more of a choice including fruit and other food and non-food items. Take time to find the option that best suits your lifestyle, pocket and family needs.

If home grown produce sounds a tad scary, start small with a tomato plant, 'cut and come again' lettuce and some herbs on a windowsill. There is heaps of growing advice online, in libraries as well as within community projects. Keep persevering even if crops don't work out the way you expect. Once the basics have been mastered and you've been enchanted by the magic of growing food you will feel able to turn that unused lawn into a veg patch, a tiny courtyard into a vertical feast machine, find a local allotment or join a landshare project.

Thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, enjoy the lifestyle changes and don't give up. Once you get used to ordering fruit and veg online, make popping to the farm or market at the weekend a sociable habit, spend invaluable time on the allotment or garden, experience the joy of picking your own raspberries, lettuce leaves etc you'll wonder why you spent so long traipsing zombie-like through aisle after aisle of processed stuff you didn't need, pushing trollies full of items just because they were 'on special', coming home with reams of plastic bags, unrecyclable packaging, and that familiar feeling of emptiness that constant consumerism brings.

There are alternatives to the stupermarket madness and we need to take advantage of them now, before our ability to feed ourselves, both as a nation and as individuals, disappears. Once you walk out of the supermarket for the last time, I can promise you won't look back and your life will feel much better for it.

From: Alex Renton, Guardian, 2July11
"...as shoppers reach for that quintessential summer treat, they should perhaps ponder the fact that it is the farmer, not the supermarket, who is paying for the generous discount.
The farmer may well be making no profit at all, with no choice in the pricing and little or no idea, when he picked and shipped the raspberries, how much he would get for them. Or that the packaging would be paid for by the farm, but done by a company chosen by the supermarket – at up to twice the cost of it being packaged independently.
Farmers do not talk about these things. Many of them, during a month-long investigation, told the Observer that in the midst of the downturn they dare not risk annoying the big processors and shops. There is a "climate of fear" – the National Farmers Union's phrase – in the monopolistic world of modern food retail: small producers are too frightened to speak out about the abuses that are impoverishing them because they risk "reprisals", which may mean losing the only customers there are. Very few felt able to speak to us on the record..." Full article here

Further Info: Alex Renton, Guardian / Tescopoly / Independents Day 2011 / Wedge Card / Farmshop / Self Sufficientish / Veg Box Recipes / Big Barn / Garden Organic / Landshare / Rocket Gardens / Allotment UK plus check our sidebar for UK Markets and more.

The Inevitability Of Resistance

noreply@blogger.com (racheblue @ bAd) — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 16:24:00 +0000

Whilst reading about the recent E-Coli outbreak, I came across a statement by Maryn McKenna in the Guardian on how our overuse of antibiotics fuels resistance to disease. In light of current events and these changing times we are living in, I found myself reading the passage as though the bacteria mentioned were us, humans and the resistance our need, desire and propensity for change. Here is the altered extract (the original is linked below).

'Where are these resistance factors coming from? The development of resistance is an inevitable biological process; it's what human beings do to protect themselves against deadly situations, whether those situations occur naturally (a force of nature), are made by other humans to appear natural or inevitable, or are artificially created in a situational-development lab such as a tabloid/popular media outfit, bio-tech industry, a mega-corporation, governmental propaganda or a combination of these.

Excessive exposure to purportedly helpful processes (e.g. mass medication (water fluoridation, routine antibiotics and vaccinations), nuclear energy reliance, coercion into GM food production, war, conservative political strategies, and so on) and attempts to enforce them (such as heavy-handed 'law' enforcement and mind-numbing TV programmes) only hastens the process of resistance and makes its results unpredictable.

That excessive exposure happens any time we apply conventional 'solutions' to problems for which they are inappropriate, such as boredom, fatigue, despair and purposelessness as well as health and well-being. It happens even more when low-dose 'solutions' are deployed by the tonne via large-scale methods such as energy sapping TV or governmental decrees to keep fuelling a failed fiscal economy, without any effective surveillance to report back to us which bugs and human malfunctions are emerging.'

Food for thought? Hmmmmm, back to E-Coli...

From: Maryn McKenna, 5Jun11
"The reason why this deadly E coli makes doctors shudder: It is past time for health authorities to curb the antibiotic misuse that created the resistance of this aberrant E Coli strain... One aspect of the epidemic, though, has received little notice: this aberrant strain is resistant to multiple classes of antibiotics. Among all the urgent issues raised by this outbreak, that drug resistance should ring the loudest warning bells – and prompt serious consideration of curbing the vast overuse of antibiotics that has created it..." Full article here

and from: Mike Adams, Natural News, 6Jun11

"So how, exactly, does a bacterial strain come into existence that's resistant to over a dozen antibiotics in eight different drug classes and features two deadly gene mutations plus ESBL enzyme capabilities?

There's really only one way this happens (and only one way) - you have to expose this strain of e.coli to all eight classes of antibiotics drugs. Usually this isn't done at the same time, of course: You first expose it to penicillin and find the surviving colonies which are resistant to penicillin. You then take those surviving colonies and expose them to tetracycline. The surviving colonies are now resistant to both penicillin and tetracycline. You then expose them to a sulfa drug and collect the surviving colonies from that, and so on...

Although the actual process is more complicated than this, the upshot is that creating a strain of e.coli that's resistant to eight classes of antibiotics requires repeated, sustained expose to those antibiotics. It is virtually impossible to imagine how this could happen all by itself in the natural world. For example, if this bacteria originated in the food (as we've been told), then where did it acquire all this antibiotic resistance given the fact that antibiotics are not used in vegetables?

When considering the genetic evidence that now confronts us, it is difficult to imagine how this could happen "in the wild." While resistance to a single antibiotic is common, the creation of a strain of e.coli that's resistant to eight different classes of antibiotics - in combination - simply defies the laws of genetic permutation and combination in the wild. Simply put, this superbug e.coli strain could not have been created in the wild. And that leaves only one explanation for where it really came from: the lab." Full article here.

Further Info: Guardian: World: E-Coli / Natural News

London Bicycle Music Festival 4-5 June

noreply@blogger.com (racheblue @ bAd) — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 15:30:00 +0000

This weekend as part of the London Greenfair, Regents Park will host the second London Bicycle Music Festival. This pedal powered event is brought to you by the Hackney Bike Workshop and Film Society in association with the London Greenfair and Camden Cyclists.

The sound system will, of course, be powered by steady pedalling cyclists enabling a variety of bands to play from 1pm till 7pm. There will be something for everyone so, cycle over, tune in and hang out this weekend.

Info source: Bikeworks
Further Info: London Bicycle Music Festival, Facebook event / London Greenfair / Bikeworks / Hackney Bike Workshop / Camden Cyclists

Weathered Warning

noreply@blogger.com (racheblue @ bAd) — Tue, 31 May 2011 12:42:00 +0000

The long overdue precipitation rains down from bright white skies onto glistening streets and thirsty soil as I wonder exactly what momentous event or catastrophic sign our 'leaders' are waiting for.

Today feels rather melancholic and I find myself wondering how we will look back at this moment in time from any future vantage point we might be blessed enough to reach. As yesterday's sages and today's scientists predict a montage of prolonged and increasing disaster for human life on this, our only planet, governments and officials continue to turn a blind eye and leave us stranded in the mode of business as usual. The status quo may be visibly collapsing around our ears, many ordinary people seeking, choosing and living a different less resource driven lifestyle, yet governments keep ploughing our precious resources (money, time, energy etc.) into the charade that we'll be alright just as soon as we get the economy moving again.

If decisions made by those whom we have been forced, given or allowed into positions of power, didn't affect so many to such a profound degree, perhaps more of us would happily ignore them and get on with ensuring sustainable, life supporting, positive changes are made for us as individuals, families, communities and nations and let the rest go to pot. But this is not the case. Every decision has an outcome that affects us all, locally, nationally, globally, in one way or another. And as long as those decisions continue to be negative in terms of sustaining lives and caring for our planet, that positive future, for today at least, seems like an awfully long way away.

From: Fiona Harvey, Guardian, 29May11
"Greenhouse gas emissions increased by a record amount last year, to the highest carbon output in history, putting hopes of holding global warming to safe levels all but out of reach, according to unpublished estimates from the International Energy Agency.

The shock rise means the goal of preventing a temperature rise of more than 2 degrees Celsius – which scientists say is the threshold for potentially "dangerous climate change" – is likely to be just "a nice Utopia", according to Fatih Birol, chief economist of the IEA. It also shows the most serious global recession for 80 years has had only a minimal effect on emissions, contrary to some predictions.

Last year, a record 30.6 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide poured into the atmosphere, mainly from burning fossil fuel – a rise of 1.6Gt on 2009, according to estimates from the IEA regarded as the gold standard for emissions data.

"I am very worried. This is the worst news on emissions," Birol told the Guardian. "It is becoming extremely challenging to remain below 2 degrees. The prospect is getting bleaker. That is what the numbers say."

Professor Lord Stern of the London School of Economics, the author of the influential Stern Report into the economics of climate change for the Treasury in 2006, warned that if the pattern continued, the results would be dire. "These figures indicate that [emissions] are now close to being back on a 'business as usual' path. According to the [Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's] projections, such a path ... would mean around a 50% chance of a rise in global average temperature of more than 4C by 2100," he said.

"Such warming would disrupt the lives and livelihoods of hundreds of millions of people across the planet, leading to widespread mass migration and conflict. That is a risk any sane person would seek to drastically reduce."

Birol said disaster could yet be averted, if governments heed the warning. "If we have bold, decisive and urgent action, very soon, we still have a chance of succeeding," he said." Full article here

Further Info: Guardian, UN Climate Talks, 29May11 / Guardian, Inconvenient Truths, 31May11

Just Do It!

noreply@blogger.com (racheblue @ bAd) — Mon, 30 May 2011 07:39:00 +0000

From: Just Do It!
"Just Do It – a tale of modern-day outlaws , a feature documentary by acclaimed filmmaker Emily James offering a behind the scenes portrait of UK climate activists. The individuals in the film have picked up the mantle of civil disobedience and direct action – chaining themselves to Parliament, super-gluing themselves to bank trading floors, and attacking coal power stations en-mass...

...Allowed unprecedented access, Emily James filmed the clandestine activities of several environmental direct action groups across the UK for more than a year. Always in the thick of it and with ever her trusty camera to hand she saddled up with The Climate Rush “Bike Rush” as they brought Westminster to a standstill, pitched up with The Climate Camp as they occupied Blackheath, masked up with The Great Climate Swoop as they stormed the fences at Ratcliffe-on-Soar coal power station, and then accompanied them all to wintry Copenhagen as they took their protest to the streets outside the UN COP 15 climate talks. And those are just the headlines!..." More here

Further Info: Just Do It

All Watched Over By Machines Of Loving Grace

noreply@blogger.com (racheblue @ bAd) — Fri, 27 May 2011 23:01:00 +0000

The other day, whilst browsing iPlayer for something worth watching, I glimpsed a grainy, washed out, pink hued image of an old black & white TV set with a huge 'Big Brother' style eye in the middle of the screen. 'Interesting' murmured the almost-always-alert aesthetic and nostalgic nodules of my brain. Dropping tired and slightly screen worn eyes down towards the title, I spied 'All Watched Over By Machines Of Loving Grace'. 'Oh!' my immediately riveted yet understated imagination picked up a bell and started ringing whilst proclaiming to my hands, 'Hey! Hold up there browsing fingers, let's tarry a while and see what's going down here.'. The fingers, who seem to have developed a life quite distinct from my thought faculties of late, obliged only long enough for those eyes to briefly scan the two lines of text underneath the image and click on the favourites button to come back to later.

A few days later, this time in the company of my humanoid partner, it was time to watch. And what a watch! 'All Watched Over By Machines Of Loving Grace' is the latest feature from documentary film maker, Adam Curtis and is quite the jaw dropper. It is filmed in the aforementioned grainyness (technical term there), sometimes black & white, sometimes the deep pastels of original 'Glorious Technicolour', giving an immediate nostalgic feel which alongside the fast paced, recent(ish) historical content, soon sends one reeling into a timeless confusion. For the first half of Part 1, I was convinced the film had been made in the early eighties and wondered why it had taken until now to be released/aired/for me to hear of it.

I realised my mistake once we got to the events of the past 10 years and was astonished how quickly recordings of the past had dated. Alongside some potent scenes from September 2001 and other memorable political and social moments of the decade which add to the whirlwind effect, the documentary film utilises some interesting camera techniques such as flicking back to a recent image unexpectedly and the clever if somewhat bewildering trick of keeping the camera fixed on an image or subject for more than slightly too long, instigating in the viewer a frustrating feeling of discomfort. Does one look away or keep watching? What if we miss something, it's all moving so fast? Eugh, I can't watch, yet I have to...'

The content is as intriguing as the visual aspects but somehow less memorable in great detail (for me, at least - perhaps because there is so much to take in). It covers computers, greed, the cult of Ayn Rand (no, I'd not heard of her either), global capitalism, silicon valley and much more. Rather than risk increasing any confusion, we'll skip to a longer preview followed by the BBC iPlayer Information and I'll leave you with this advice - WATCH THIS SERIES! Part 1, at least, is essential viewing but strap yourself in for a riveting rollercoaster ride.

From: BBC iPlayer, All Watched Over By Machines Of Loving Grace
"A series of films about how humans have been colonised by the machines they have built. Although we don't realise it, the way we see everything in the world today is through the eyes of the computers.

This is the story of the dream that rose up in the 1990s that computers could create a new kind of stable world. They would bring about a new kind global capitalism free of all risk and without the boom and bust of the past. They would also abolish political power and create a new kind of democracy through the internet where millions of individuals would be connected as nodes in cybernetic systems - without hierarchy.

The film tells the story of two perfect worlds. One is the small group of disciples around the novelist Ayn Rand in the 1950s. They saw themselves as a prototype for a future society where everyone could follow their own selfish desires. The other is the global utopia that digital entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley set out to create in the 1990s. Many of them were also disciples of Ayn Rand. They believed that the new computer networks would allow the creation of a society where everyone could follow their own desires, yet there would not be anarchy. They were joined by Alan Greenspan who had also been a disciple of Ayn Rand. He became convinced that the computers were creating a new kind of stable capitalism - "Like a New Planet", he said.

But the dream of stability in both worlds would be torn apart by the two dynamic human forces - love and power."

Further Info: BBC iPlayer, All Watched Over By Machines Of Loving Grace, Part 1 - Love & Power / Adam Curtis - The Medium And The Message

Letters: Greenest Government Ever?!

noreply@blogger.com (racheblue @ bAd) — Fri, 27 May 2011 17:33:00 +0000

I recently contacted my MP in regard to the Committee on Climate Change report and recommendations for future targets. Despite claiming to be the "greenest government ever", the PM et al was considering rejecting the report and I wanted my MP to relay her constituents' concerns.

I received a fairly standard response to my fairly standard email so replied in greater detail the same day (17th May) and am still awaiting a response. Perhaps things have moved on (I try not to keep too politically updated - it gives me a headache and gets in the way of real life) but I thought I'd repost the correspondence here:

MP to me:
"Thank you for contacting me about the Committee on Climate Change’s report on the fourth carbon budget.

I welcome the advice from the Committee on Climate Change on setting the fourth carbon budget, which will set a cap on the total quantity of greenhouse gas emissions emitted in the UK over the period 2023-27. The Prime Minister has made absolutely clear that this will be the greenest Government ever, and that is why Ministers have rejected the status quo to ensure that the UK sufficiently reduces its carbon level.

In December last year, the Government introduced proposals to radically reform the electricity market, which could largely decarbonise electricity by the 2030s with £110 billion of investment in low carbon electricity infrastructure over the next decade.

The Green Deal will radically overhaul the energy efficiency of homes and small businesses and will bring the UK’s homes, which are the oldest and least efficient in Europe, into the 21st century. The Energy Bill, currently being considered by Parliament, will provide for the Green Deal.

You might be interested to know that The Green Investment Bank, which aims to catalyse investment in green infrastructure, will be initially provided with £3 billion of funding, as announced in the 2011 Budget. The Bank will also begin operation a year earlier, in 2012-13, and will leverage an additional £15 billion of private sector investment in green projects over this Parliament.

I have confidence that the Committee on Climate Change’s report will be carefully considered. The Climate Change Act 2008 requires the Government to set the fourth carbon budget level in law no later than 30 June 2011. It is likely that the Government will produce its report on delivering the Fourth Carbon Budget by October 2011, and I look forward to receiving its findings.

In the meantime, there is plenty of other work to do for the Government and for the rest of society in continuing everyone’s shared ambitions to tackle climate change and secure a low carbon future.

Thank you again for taking the time to contact me."

Me to MP:
Thank you for your prompt response.

Whilst you may have confidence in the Committee on Climate Change (CCC)'s report being considered, all the evidence so far leads one to believe that the report's findings will not be followed in full by the Prime Minister. To lower UK emissions to the level scientifically agreed necessary to avoid the detrimental effects of climate change, it is imperative that CCC's advice is accepted in full including future target recommendations. I therefore ask you again to write to the PM, on behalf of your concerned constituents, expressing the urgency and importance of following the CCC recommendations.

The PM may have stated that this coalition government will be the greenest ever but such statements mean very little unless they are backed up with evidence and action to ensure such statements are valid. Your email mentions ministers rejecting the status quo but what real changes to reduce UK carbon has this government actually made?

The Electricity Market Reform which you mention, may have potential but will prove too slow and ineffective if the government continue to show an unhealthy obsession with nuclear rather than renewable energy systems. Despite pre and post-election promises that we would not be funding a new generation of nuclear stations, it has recently been revealed (despite attempts to hide the facts) that the Electricity Market Reform will provide substantial subsidies to the nuclear industry.

The 'Green Deal' and specifically the Energy Bill currently under scrutiny also hold potential but the bill is neither detailed, practical nor far-reaching enough to ensure adequate reductions in fuel poverty or reduced carbon emissions on a national scale. There needs to be significant improvement in policy regarding tenants and financially poor home-owners and families as well as an extensive strategy for ensuring all UK homes (not just homes belonging to those who can afford improvements) are efficiently and sustainably insulated and heated within a shorter time frame than that proposed.

You are right, I am interested to know that the 'Green Investment Bank', which is neither a bank or green, will be provided with an initial £3 billion funding whilst the £450 billion sum for renewable energy and installation of a vital low carbon infrastructure, remains untapped. I am interested and disappointed that a proportion of the allocated funding will go towards subsidising the nuclear industry (see point above). The 'Green Investment Bank' demonstrates once again that the coalition is more concerned with rhetoric than significant and effective green action.

In addition, the apparently sudden decision to renege on FITs for large scale Solar PV is an utter disappointment which I hope the consultation will positively address. At a time when support for renewable energy such as Solar PV is vital, why we are still fighting just to get it off the ground in a viable and effective way? Small scale and private PV FITs was a step forward but a small one given the struggle we face to reduce the UK's carbon emissions.

The 'rest of society' continues to do what we can to ensure a low carbon society and there is much here (outside of government) to be positive about. However, without real, forward-thinking government backing and support, our small positive steps are made increasingly difficult and less significant to overall UK and global well-being.

If the government want us to believe claims to be the greenest government ever, we will need more than rhetoric. We need to see real, proactive, radical change that actively encourages, promotes and supports: renewable (not nuclear), local energy systems; local, sustainable (not GM) food production and consumption systems; sustainable and affordable public (not private) transport; controls on aviation and shipping carbon emissions; and green industries and jobs.

I wish I could share your confidence in the upcoming Carbon Budget report, its findings and PM's careful consideration of the CCC report. For the reasons stated, I cannot so I again urge you to relay your constituent's concerns to the PM.

Yours sincerely,

Further Info: Committee On Climate Change / Guardian: Green-o-meter

Bike & Walk, New York

noreply@blogger.com (racheblue @ bAd) — Fri, 27 May 2011 09:45:00 +0000

From: Clarence Eckerson, Jr., Complete Streets: It’s About More Than Bike Lanes, Streetfilms, 9May11
"Over the last four years, New York City has seen a transportation renaissance on its streets, striking a better balance by providing more space for walking, biking, and transit.

As with any departure from the status quo, it can take a while for everyone to grow accustomed to the changes. So Streetfilms decided to look at three of NYC’s most recent re-designs — Columbus Avenue, First and Second Avenues, and Prospect Park West — and show how pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers benefit from safer, calmer streets. We talked to transportation engineers with decades of experience, elected leaders, community board members, people on the street, and business owners to get their take on the new configurations..." More here

Source: Change Your Life. Ride A Bike
Further Info: Streetfilms / Living Streets

Large Scale Solar PV & FITs

noreply@blogger.com (racheblue @ bAd) — Tue, 17 May 2011 14:38:00 +0000

Recent 'news' regarding government plans to restrict the tariffs paid to organisations planning large scale Solar PV systems, seemed to indicate that this was a sensible move. It implied a fore-stalling of the many greedy companies who were all set to take advantage of the governments generous FIT (Feed In Tariff) payments scheme, simply to make a financial profit, rather than to benefit the renewable industry and thus UK carbon reductions.

It now seems foolish to have fallen for this ungrounded myth, particularly having read the response by Ecotricity founder, Dale Vince, to the government consultation on fast-track review of FITs. Of course it makes sense to have barriers restricting any possibility of the above greedy scenario, but to halt large scale solar projects and all the wonderful benefits they entail, because of this minimal and hypothetical risk, smacks of cutting off one's nose to spite one's face and more intrinsically of pro-conventional media spin!

As Dale explains in his response to the consultation (which closed 6 May 2011), the governments proposed plans seem set to prevent large scale solar energy systems at huge cost to our green energy security. The reasons behind these plans are unclear.

From: Dale Vince, Zero Carbonista, 6May2011
"...Our own research informs us that the potential for large scale solar projects coming forwards in the next 12 months has been greatly exaggerated by the media, and to some extent by developers themselves. As we write this we are the only developer in the UK that has started work on a large scale solar project. We have talked to most, if not all, of the other developers that have planning consent – they number only 14 – and without exception none of them have finance in place and the other project essentials, such as grid connections and EPC contracts (for the supply and build of the project). The Government’s widely announced intention to reduce PV tariffs and do so very quickly has undoubtedly had an impact – but this situation (set out above) existed before that announcement was first made. Large scale PV is a new technology to the UK and potential developers of it are finding for themselves that it is considerably harder to deliver then it may appear. Banks in particular are wary of the technology risks.
We believe the government has been misled as to the extent of the uptake of large scale solar tariffs..." Full Ecotricity response here

Further Info: Zero Carbonista / Department Of Energy & Climate Change, FIT Review