Comments on: Fessing up – my failures at ethical consumerism http://louisebolotin.com/2008/08/27/fessing-up-my-failures-at-ethical-consumerism/ Fri, 10 Sep 2010 15:21:42 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Reluctant Blogger http://louisebolotin.com/2008/08/27/fessing-up-my-failures-at-ethical-consumerism/comment-page-1/#comment-23 Reluctant Blogger Fri, 05 Sep 2008 20:05:28 +0000 http://louisebolotin.com/?p=13#comment-23 haha no I don't waste it - I run it from the tap and then put it in the fridge. I don't drink it from the tap simply cos it isn't cold enough. I don't run any off first, it's warmish when it goes in the fridge. I found keeping a jug in the fridge meant my children didn't run water off either - they just pour it from the jug. Glad to hear you are not altogether wholesome. That might be a little dull!!! haha no I don’t waste it – I run it from the tap and then put it in the fridge. I don’t drink it from the tap simply cos it isn’t cold enough. I don’t run any off first, it’s warmish when it goes in the fridge. I found keeping a jug in the fridge meant my children didn’t run water off either – they just pour it from the jug.

Glad to hear you are not altogether wholesome. That might be a little dull!!!

]]> By: Craig McGinty http://louisebolotin.com/2008/08/27/fessing-up-my-failures-at-ethical-consumerism/comment-page-1/#comment-22 Craig McGinty Wed, 03 Sep 2008 08:51:05 +0000 http://louisebolotin.com/?p=13#comment-22 <strong>The importance of time, your time...</strong> I WAS recently tagged by Louise Bolotin who wrote an interesting piece about the 'embarrassing' products she uses, despite having a keen eye on the environmental side of things. I must admit that I don't use a great deal of... The importance of time, your time…

I WAS recently tagged by Louise Bolotin who wrote an interesting piece about the ‘embarrassing’ products she uses, despite having a keen eye on the environmental side of things. I must admit that I don’t use a great deal of…

]]> By: louise http://louisebolotin.com/2008/08/27/fessing-up-my-failures-at-ethical-consumerism/comment-page-1/#comment-21 louise Mon, 01 Sep 2008 11:09:35 +0000 http://louisebolotin.com/?p=13#comment-21 Dom, we still have so far to go here in the UK (although not as far as other industrial nations). My attitudes were coloured firstly by having a parent who had experienced WW2 rationing and deprivation so I grew up in a household where nothing was wasted. My time in the Netherlands was a real eye-opener - everyone recycles there and if you want plastic bags in the supermarket you have to pay for them (I arrived in 1995 and even that long ago, paying for bags had been in place a long time). It took very little time to adjust to separating rubbish so there is absolutely NO reason or excuse for us not doing the same here. It does help to provide incentives, though - Tesco gives you extra points on your loyalty card if you bring your own bags, for example. We all need to do more. Much more. And not just individuals, but industry too. Dom, we still have so far to go here in the UK (although not as far as other industrial nations). My attitudes were coloured firstly by having a parent who had experienced WW2 rationing and deprivation so I grew up in a household where nothing was wasted. My time in the Netherlands was a real eye-opener – everyone recycles there and if you want plastic bags in the supermarket you have to pay for them (I arrived in 1995 and even that long ago, paying for bags had been in place a long time). It took very little time to adjust to separating rubbish so there is absolutely NO reason or excuse for us not doing the same here. It does help to provide incentives, though – Tesco gives you extra points on your loyalty card if you bring your own bags, for example. We all need to do more. Much more. And not just individuals, but industry too.

]]> By: Dom http://louisebolotin.com/2008/08/27/fessing-up-my-failures-at-ethical-consumerism/comment-page-1/#comment-20 Dom Mon, 01 Sep 2008 08:38:41 +0000 http://louisebolotin.com/?p=13#comment-20 Hi Louise, Thanks to you and Sally for resurrecting the meme, which was threatening to die a slow and inauspicious death. It's really nice to know that there are some fellow ecologically minded peeps out on the interweb. Hi Louise,

Thanks to you and Sally for resurrecting the meme, which was threatening to die a slow and inauspicious death. It’s really nice to know that there are some fellow ecologically minded peeps out on the interweb.

]]> By: louise http://louisebolotin.com/2008/08/27/fessing-up-my-failures-at-ethical-consumerism/comment-page-1/#comment-19 louise Sun, 31 Aug 2008 22:40:32 +0000 http://louisebolotin.com/?p=13#comment-19 Hello, Reluctant Blogger! Can I ask why you won't drink straight from the tap? Do you run it first and thus let litres of water rush straight back into the sewers? ;) Funnily enough, I'd rather drink straight from the tap than drink chilled water - that's mainly because my teeth are really sensitive to cold but also because it's not like we have to worry about lead piping these days... You're in good company when it comes to coffee and wine - I must have my morning pot of coffee when working and, in the evening, a glass of something with a good vintage is pretty much essential. As for Cillit Bang, the name sounds like the title to a really bad east European porn film and when I first moved back my attitude was something with a name that bad couldn't possibly match up in performance. Sadly, I was proved wrong. I still worry about the fishes and the purity of the water table but at least my bath is gleaming! And don;t assume my life is wholesome - it's probably anything but, but I'm blogging under my own name here so I'll take the fifth. Hello, Reluctant Blogger!

Can I ask why you won’t drink straight from the tap? Do you run it first and thus let litres of water rush straight back into the sewers? ;) Funnily enough, I’d rather drink straight from the tap than drink chilled water – that’s mainly because my teeth are really sensitive to cold but also because it’s not like we have to worry about lead piping these days…

You’re in good company when it comes to coffee and wine – I must have my morning pot of coffee when working and, in the evening, a glass of something with a good vintage is pretty much essential.

As for Cillit Bang, the name sounds like the title to a really bad east European porn film and when I first moved back my attitude was something with a name that bad couldn’t possibly match up in performance. Sadly, I was proved wrong. I still worry about the fishes and the purity of the water table but at least my bath is gleaming!

And don;t assume my life is wholesome – it’s probably anything but, but I’m blogging under my own name here so I’ll take the fifth.

]]> By: Reluctant Blogger http://louisebolotin.com/2008/08/27/fessing-up-my-failures-at-ethical-consumerism/comment-page-1/#comment-18 Reluctant Blogger Sun, 31 Aug 2008 16:45:01 +0000 http://louisebolotin.com/?p=13#comment-18 I too used to drink bottled water. I think for me it was a coldness thing and just a feeling that it was fresh and pure somehow. Basically I was just addicted to it. But I broke the habit. I did have to keep a jug of tap water in the fridge (I never drink straight from the tap - stupid I know) and if it is more than a day old I won't drink it. But when I come down to make my first coffee of the day I fill my jug from the tap, put it in the fridge (it's a big jug) and I do drink from that all day. And I drink a lot of water (with a twist of lemon). It felt good to me - like I had broken a bad habit. Just coffee and wine to go - oh and my Thursday night takeaway curry and all the packets of Doritos I eat. But one thing at a time eh? I couldn't buy Cillit Bang though - the name is just too awful. One must have some standards. You sound as if you live a pretty wholesome unembarrassing life to me. I too used to drink bottled water. I think for me it was a coldness thing and just a feeling that it was fresh and pure somehow. Basically I was just addicted to it.

But I broke the habit. I did have to keep a jug of tap water in the fridge (I never drink straight from the tap – stupid I know) and if it is more than a day old I won’t drink it. But when I come down to make my first coffee of the day I fill my jug from the tap, put it in the fridge (it’s a big jug) and I do drink from that all day. And I drink a lot of water (with a twist of lemon).

It felt good to me – like I had broken a bad habit. Just coffee and wine to go – oh and my Thursday night takeaway curry and all the packets of Doritos I eat. But one thing at a time eh? I couldn’t buy Cillit Bang though – the name is just too awful. One must have some standards.

You sound as if you live a pretty wholesome unembarrassing life to me.

]]> By: louise http://louisebolotin.com/2008/08/27/fessing-up-my-failures-at-ethical-consumerism/comment-page-1/#comment-17 louise Sat, 30 Aug 2008 04:15:15 +0000 http://louisebolotin.com/?p=13#comment-17 That raises another interesting dilemma. I do have a Co-op very near by. Unfortunately, while it's within walking distance it's too far to lug 12 litres of water home on foot. And I don't drive. Options: 1. Walk to Co-op to buy water and support ethical water campaign in Africa, take cab home - the short car trip is really bad for the environment and probably cancels out the good of supporting the campaign. It's probably greener to donate to Oxfam. 2. Walk to Tesco (2km away) to do weekly shop, including water, take cab home for £3.50. 3. Order online and get Tesco to deliver. Fee: c.£4-5 depending on delivery slot. Option 2 is cheaper and may possibly incur less food miles, plus I'm not reliant on someone selecting my shopping for me. There are no easy answers (apart from drinking tap water again). I shop local fairly regularly - my neighbourhood has a proper, old-fashioned shopping parade with a butcher, fishmonger, deli, bakery, greengrocer and post office, plus another 20-plus shops including the Co-op. It supplies most of my basic needs but not all. Walking into the city centre enables me to pop into other shops too before doing the supermarket run and taking a cab home. That raises another interesting dilemma. I do have a Co-op very near by. Unfortunately, while it’s within walking distance it’s too far to lug 12 litres of water home on foot. And I don’t drive.

Options:
1. Walk to Co-op to buy water and support ethical water campaign in Africa, take cab home – the short car trip is really bad for the environment and probably cancels out the good of supporting the campaign. It’s probably greener to donate to Oxfam.

2. Walk to Tesco (2km away) to do weekly shop, including water, take cab home for £3.50.

3. Order online and get Tesco to deliver. Fee: c.£4-5 depending on delivery slot. Option 2 is cheaper and may possibly incur less food miles, plus I’m not reliant on someone selecting my shopping for me.

There are no easy answers (apart from drinking tap water again). I shop local fairly regularly – my neighbourhood has a proper, old-fashioned shopping parade with a butcher, fishmonger, deli, bakery, greengrocer and post office, plus another 20-plus shops including the Co-op. It supplies most of my basic needs but not all. Walking into the city centre enables me to pop into other shops too before doing the supermarket run and taking a cab home.

]]> By: stardotboy http://louisebolotin.com/2008/08/27/fessing-up-my-failures-at-ethical-consumerism/comment-page-1/#comment-16 stardotboy Fri, 29 Aug 2008 23:24:46 +0000 http://louisebolotin.com/?p=13#comment-16 Your thoughts about bottled water reminded me of the co-op's ethical water campaign (http://www.co-operative.coop/food/ourproducts/One-water/) which aims to fund clean water projects in Africa using the proceeds of bottled water sales. A good one to consider if you have a local store perhaps. Your thoughts about bottled water reminded me of the co-op’s ethical water campaign (http://www.co-operative.coop/food/ourproducts/One-water/) which aims to fund clean water projects in Africa using the proceeds of bottled water sales. A good one to consider if you have a local store perhaps.

]]> By: louise http://louisebolotin.com/2008/08/27/fessing-up-my-failures-at-ethical-consumerism/comment-page-1/#comment-15 louise Fri, 29 Aug 2008 22:31:20 +0000 http://louisebolotin.com/?p=13#comment-15 I've been following the Month Without Plastic blog on the BBC site (http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/monthwithoutplastic/) with interest. I'm not doing badly at all in the plastic stakes. I separate so much rubbish that what goes to landfill every week would barely fill half a Tesco (plastic) carrier bag. It would be even less if I could compost here (which I did in my last abode). At least I don't spend £3 a bottle on water and I never buy water from outside the UK because of food miles. Clarins is tricky. The products are mostly natural which is good but they are so heavily overpackaged, which isn't. My guilt is at the expense rather than greenness or lack thereof. And BFB is as essential as toothpaste in my book. I'm doing very well compared to most Brits in the eco-stakes after my years abroad, where I learned well, but we all have our weaknesses. I think my biggest eco-plus is the lack of a car, but I suspect that I might have one if disability hadn't deprived me of my licence. But actually, I've now lived almost 20 years without driving and it's doable if you live in an urban setting, as I do. I’ve been following the Month Without Plastic blog on the BBC site (http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/monthwithoutplastic/) with interest. I’m not doing badly at all in the plastic stakes. I separate so much rubbish that what goes to landfill every week would barely fill half a Tesco (plastic) carrier bag. It would be even less if I could compost here (which I did in my last abode). At least I don’t spend £3 a bottle on water and I never buy water from outside the UK because of food miles.

Clarins is tricky. The products are mostly natural which is good but they are so heavily overpackaged, which isn’t. My guilt is at the expense rather than greenness or lack thereof. And BFB is as essential as toothpaste in my book.

I’m doing very well compared to most Brits in the eco-stakes after my years abroad, where I learned well, but we all have our weaknesses. I think my biggest eco-plus is the lack of a car, but I suspect that I might have one if disability hadn’t deprived me of my licence. But actually, I’ve now lived almost 20 years without driving and it’s doable if you live in an urban setting, as I do.

]]> By: Alison Gow http://louisebolotin.com/2008/08/27/fessing-up-my-failures-at-ethical-consumerism/comment-page-1/#comment-14 Alison Gow Fri, 29 Aug 2008 12:38:42 +0000 http://louisebolotin.com/?p=13#comment-14 So good to know someone else shares my Tesco bottled water dependency - and for exactly the same reason! Also, refiling plastic bottles with tap water is bad for you - chemicals in the water cause the plastic to release toxins (which you then drink) apparently. I did support the Tap into Water campaign for as long as I could... but I backslide and there's a bottle of Perthshire on my desk now. Mad love for Clarins BFB too ;-) So good to know someone else shares my Tesco bottled water dependency – and for exactly the same reason! Also, refiling plastic bottles with tap water is bad for you – chemicals in the water cause the plastic to release toxins (which you then drink) apparently.
I did support the Tap into Water campaign for as long as I could… but I backslide and there’s a bottle of Perthshire on my desk now.
Mad love for Clarins BFB too ;-)

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