What is 350?  It is the number (in parts per million, or ppm) scientists say is the highest level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere where we will be able to avoid human and natural disaster due to climate change.  At the moment the level of CO2 in the air is 390ppm, which is way too high.  To bring this down to safe levels we need politicians to take action now, to switch our energy supplies from fossil fuels to renewable energy.

To find an event near you, go to http://www.350.org/map.

• BBC Climate Change is a great introduction to climate change from the BBC Weather Centre.  It explains the science and evidence, the possible effects and what we can do.
• The Royal Society has more on the science behind climate change as well as an exploration of controversies.
• For more in depth information try the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
• You can get the latest news on climate change at The Guardian, The Independent, or BBC News.

What is being done about it?

• Check out TckTckTck and Countdown to Copenhagen for information on the UN summit of world leaders in December 2009.
• Find out what the UK Government is doing at Act on CO2.

Want to take action?

• Commit to cutting your carbon footprint by 10% in 2010 by joining the 10:10 campaign.  If you sign up you can win an eco-makeover for your home, worth at least £15,000!
• The Energy Saving Trust have lots of advice on how to save energy – and money.
• Greenpeace have a handy guide on How to Save the Climate.
• There are various actions you can take to show your support for a strong climate agreement in Copenhagen.  You can add your name to campaigns from the WWF, Oxfam and the UN’s own Seal the Deal, or join the Friends of the Earth demonstration The Wave on the 5th December.

Blog Action Day

So what can you grow when it gets cold and rainy?  If in doubt head down to your local garden centre and see what vegetable seedlings they have for sale.  If they are selling it now, it is safe to assume that you can plant it now!  This is fantastic if you are a bit disorganised like me and didn’t think to start planting these seeds in the summer.  These are some of the types of seedlings you are likely to find at the moment:

• Broccoli
• Spinach
• Cabbage
• Cauliflower
• Kale and chard (a bit like spinach)
• Leeks
• Winter salad

I have planted some purple sprouting broccoli which I will leave over the winter and harvest in the spring, and while the plants are still tiny I have interplanted with spinach which can be harvested in as little as 4 – 8 weeks.  I am also going to plant some of the garlic that I grew last year which is currently hanging in the shed, but that probably won’t go in the ground until November at the earliest.

Purple Sprouting Broccoli

Autumn is also a great time to start preparing for next year.  The easiest way to do this is by applying a mulch like compost or well-rotted manure – just spread a nice thick layer over the soil and let the worms and the rain do their thing.  You can put mulch around trees and perennial plants, or just put it all over any empty beds you’ve been using for annual plants.  I’m using my first batch of homemade compost this year – it looks compost-y so I think it’s ready to use!  You will also need to keep on top of the weeds unless you want to be faced with a jungle next spring.

So don’t despair, autumn’s arrival does not mean months of wistfully staring out of the window at an empty garden!  There is still plenty to keep you busy.

Next I headed through North Laine towards the seafront, where I found an Oxfam Boutique. It was lovely with wooden hangers and everything, but strangely none of the clothes seemed to be labelled with their sizes so I got a bit fed up. I headed to the back of the shop where I found this fab handbag!

Then I turned towards the main shopping area, where all the usual high street shops are, and to my great excitement discovered a People Tree shop. I looked longingly at the Terra Plana shoes but decided that they were a bit out of my price range. I saw some gorgeous Soul of Africa loafers but they only had them in brown and red – if they had had black I would have snapped them up. Finally, I popped across the road to the Banardo’s shop and picked up this long-sleeved t-shirt, which Chris says is “very me”, whatever that means!

By this time Chris had finished his 50-mile bike ride so I had to conclude my tour of Brighton. I was very happy to get so many bargains in one shopping trip, and Brighton is now my new favourite place to go shopping. Unfortunately it is a 2-and-a-half hour drive from where I live so I won’t be visiting too often!

I would also like to say sorry for the looooooong gap between blog posts. My excuse is that it has been summer and when it is sunny I like to be outside enjoying myself rather than tapping away at the keyboard. However, as the evenings get darker I will probably do more writing, so watch this space!

If you are fed up of reading the nutritional information labels on food packaging, and trying to figure out what “superfood” you are supposed to be eating this month, then this book is for you.  The final section of the book has some simple, practical guidelines that will help you to rediscover eating.  It’s about investing a bit more time, effort and money in what you put in your mouth instead of buying cheap convenience food.

We have been redecorating recently, and being a bit of a treehugger, naturally I decided to spend some time researching eco-friendly paint options. I discovered that most paint contains something called Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). These are chemicals which can cause indoor air pollution that is bad for the environment and bad for your health. Once you have painted your walls, the chemicals can continue to affect the air in your home for years. VOCs are also what make paint smell, so low-VOC paints are more ‘breathable’.

Luckily the British paint industry seems to have cottoned on to this problem, and they have come up with a 5-band classification scheme: Minimal, Low, Medium, High and Very High. B&Q have also developed a logo (right) which can help you to make an informed decision. While I was shopping for paint I noticed that most brands seemed to be labelled Low or Minimal, which is encouraging.

You can also go one step further and buy paint that is completely natural. These paints contain zero VOCs. The only compromise you have to make may be on colour. Natural paints tend to be available in more muted, natural shades. They can also take much longer to dry. At the moment there are no mass-market natural paint options, so unfortunately you can’t just pop down to your local DIY store and pick up a few cans, you will have to plan in advance and order your paints online (although many suppliers offer next-day delivery).

My Sustainable Gardening Tips have also been featured on Be More Eco.

All in all, a very busy week for my little blog!

Recycle Week 2009 starts on Monday 22nd June. This year’s theme is ‘Let’s waste less’ and you can make a pledge at http://www.recyclenow.com/. It wasn’t hard for me to pick my pledge as I already do all of them except one: I pledge to go waste free for a day, or I will cook all the dinners for a week!  I’m not quite sure how I’m going to achieve it, and I haven’t got long to get ready, but I’ll do my best!  I think I will have to make at least one exception, which is cat litter, although I am looking into a flushable alternative.

Several eco bloggers are getting involved and have set themselves special challenges.   For example, The Rubbish Diet, who I read regularly, is such an expert waste reducer that she is going to be helping other people in her community waste less.  For one week in 2008 she managed to throw away just one plaster.  One plaster!  In a whole week!  And she has a family!!!  Read more about her and the other bloggers at http://www.recyclenow.com/recycle_week/blogger_challenge.html.

If you haven’t already, why not mosey on over to http://www.recyclenow.com/ and make a pledge.  You don’t have to go the whole waste free hog like me, there are several options including reusing carrier bags, taking leftovers for lunch, and recycling newspapers and magazines.  Let me know what your pledge is!

Plant Pots

We all know that we should try to avoid using plastic bags – but what about plastic pots?  Plastic plant pots are actually very difficult to recycle because of the variety of different types of plastic that they are made from, not to mention the number of different colours that are available.  This is where the three R’s come into play.  Firstly, instead of trying to recycle pots, simply reuse them, as many times as you can.  Plastic is quite tough and long-lasting, which is one of the reasons why it is such a problem when it ends up in landfill, but when it comes to reusing, this makes it ideal.

You can also reduce the number of plastic pots you use by buying biodegradable pots like these fibre pots, or even making your own.  For example, this year I am using loo roll tubes as seedling pots.  They are an ideal size, you can write what you have planted straight onto the pot (instead of using plastic labels) and you can just plant them straight into the ground, as the cardboard will rot away, which will minimise root disturbance for the plant.  Plus, you will already have a free supply of them, and if you need lots you can always ask your friends to save theirs for you.  It’s a win-win situation for you and your plants!  Just make sure you press the compost in well so that it doesn’t all fall out the bottom when you pick it up!  Alternatively, you can use a loo roll tube and some newspaper to make your own Newspaper Plant Pots, which do have a bottom.

In addition you can also reuse any type of tray packaging as seed trays.  In the picture shows I have used a tray from a ready meal and the lid from a punnet of fruit.

Composting

If you are growing anything in your garden, you will need compost at some point, either to fill containers and raised beds, or to use as a soil improver.  Making your own compost is a great way of turning your garden and food waste into a valuable resource.  It also requires minimal effort and it all happens a bit like magic!  I chuck all my fruit, veg and garden waste into my compost bin, along with crushed eggshells, teabags and a bit of shredded paper (take that identity thieves!).  I have a two bin system (pictured) which I have just set up.  I have one bin to fill up and one bin to use up.  Once the second bin is empty, I will empty the contents of the first bin into it, as a way of turning the compost.  The only downside is that it does take a long time to get anything useable, but if you can be patient it is well worth it.

Tibits restaurant celebrate National Vegetarian Week with body painting!

Ok, so I’ll start with a confession: I am not a vegetarian. However, I do like to dabble in a bit of veggie cooking now and then, and I am taking babysteps to reduce the amount of meat I eat. My reasons? It is greener, healthier and cheaper. This week is National Vegetarian Week (18 – 25 May 2009), so it is an ideal time to find out more and experiment with some new recipes.

Most people’s understanding of vegetarianism is that it means not eating any meat or fish, but the term ‘vegetarian’ is not one size fits all. There are actually several different types of vegetarians, from fruitarians (the strictest) to partial vegetarians (the most tolerant). So you can find a set of guidelines to suit you, or make up some new ones and suit yourself!

Greener

If you’ve ever driven past a field of cows then you’ll know that livestock produce methane. But did you know that methane is a greenhouse gas 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide? In addition, producing meat uses up far more water than producing vegetables or grains. Meat production also needs a lot of land, making it one of the leading causes of deforestation.

Healthier

A well planned vegetarian diet can actually be healthier for you. Studies have shown that vegetarians have a lower risk of a whole range of diseases including obesity, heart disease, type II diabetes, some types of cancer, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, gall stones and constipation. Note: this does not apply if you live on chips and chocolate!

Cheaper

Because of the amount of water and land needed for meat production, as well as various other costs, switching to a meat free or reduced meat diet can actually save you money. One Australian experiment found that it was around 20% cheaper to go completely meat free.

So, to celebrate National Vegetarian Week, why not try a new vegetarian recipe? Feeling ambitious? You could even try a whole day meat free. There are lots of recipes and meal ideas on the Vegetarian Society website, like this selection of Meat Free Made Easy dishes, so get stuck in!

For more info: Vegetarian Society