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Julia Hailes MBE

Sustainability Pioneer

"When I started as an environmentalist nearly 40 years ago it felt like we were making a real difference. Now it's clear we haven't done nearly enough. We need to take a more radical approach. My mission is to change current thinking and change mindsets."

Our 3rd and final Wilding Weekend was held on 15th & 16th of June, 2024. Find out more about wilding and see my interviews with Isabella Tree - Queen of Wilding - and Rene Haller, a wilding pioneer in Africa.

I am a Director of Rubbish Ideas. We are a mission-driven company aiming to create a waste-free world by promoting the circular economy.

"Inspiring, Challenging Provocative, Informed, Amusing, Humorous, Passionate, Insightful, Experienced, Brilliant, Thought-Provoking, Educations, Personal, Energetic, Imaginative Fresh, Controversial, Fantastic, Superb, Warm, Incisive, Interesting, Opinionated."

Rainforest Trust UK

If there’s one issue I care about more than any other it’s the destruction of the rainforests. Join me in supporting the Rainforest Trust in doing what we can to preserve what we've got.

Find out more about books, videos, articles, podcasts and anything else that I recommend.

Have a look at my YouTube channel for videos about our wilding weekends, our scything day, interviewing Isabella Tree, Sky TV, archive footage of my TV appearances in the 1980s and 1990s and much more! There’s even one with my mum’s funeral - she was the first person in the UK to be buried in a mycelium coffin!

"When I started as an environmentalist nearly 40 years ago it felt like we were making a real difference. Now it's clear we haven't done nearly enough. We need to take a more radical approach. My mission is to change current thinking and change mindsets."

René Haller – an inspirational man (Mar25)

René Haller transformed a lifeless quarry into a vibrant, flourishing ecosystem. This blog explores his groundbreaking work on the Kenyan coast and how it led to the creation of the Haller Foundation. Together with René,

My Instagram Feed

Have you been scammed by fast fashion? I have. And

Have you been scammed by fast fashion? I have. And I’m not alone.
#FastFashionFraud #FakeProducts

Lila’Boutiq advertises on @facebook and @instagram Their products? Nothing like the ads. Flat, synthetic tat — not the beautiful knitwear shown.

Here’s what I found:
🧵 Fake product images
📦 Misleading returns policy
💸 You pay for tracked shipping, customs, insurance — and they won’t refund if the parcel “goes missing”
📍 Return address in China doesn’t exist on Google Maps
⭐ Fake reviews (Trustpilot score under 2, but they claimed 4.5)
👤 “Lila Gomez” — the supposed founder — appears to be fictional
🚫 No way to report any of this to @meta

This isn’t just about being conned. It’s about real environmental harm — cheap, disposable clothing dumped into landfill.

At @RubbishIdeas, we promote the opposite: smart reusable systems and waste accountancy software — real solutions for a circular economy.

🛑 Let’s call out this kind of scam.
📣 Share your experience or repost to help others avoid the same trap.
#CircularEconomy #Greenwashing #MetaFail #RubbishIdeas

Many of you know that I love insects. This one is

Many of you know that I love insects. This one is particularly special. I think he’s gorgeous. Look at the feathery feelers. I found him on my show but put him back in the hedge in the hope that he wouldn’t get trampled. Oh to glorious May bugs! Aka. Melolontha, may beetle and doodlebug

My friend Clare is as keen on colour as me. And h

My friend Clare is as keen on colour as me. And here’s Ziggy our dog making himself at home on her sofa.

Our fallen tree has become a wonderful place to si

Our fallen tree has become a wonderful place to sit and look at the pond. Dappled sun at most times of day. And now we have a nest so I can take my bean bag.

A new spot for a picnic by our pond in the embrace

A new spot for a picnic by our pond in the embrace of a fallen tree.

Not built by Monsieur Eiffel himself, but by one o

Not built by Monsieur Eiffel himself, but by one of his disciples – and rather splendid it is too. We strolled along the lower deck this morning, then followed the river Douro all the way to the sea, where we stopped for a delicious lunch. Later, we returned to cross the upper deck, with sweeping views and a warm breeze. Mocktails, tapas, and buskers rounded off the day as the sun dipped below the horizon – a perfect end to a perfect day.

Beautiful hair with a muscled body is a bit of a t

Beautiful hair with a muscled body is a bit of a thing in Porto.

I have never seen someone with tattoos all over he

I have never seen someone with tattoos all over her face and so dense on the arms. Isn’t she amazing?

Are you tempted to do a detox? We’re starting o

Are you tempted to do a detox? We’re starting one on 5th April and I’m rather excited. You can sign up too - and you’ll get all the support you need through WhatsApp and emails. See the attached brochure for more details.   Dena, who is running it, is great on health and lifestyle, but she’s also a superb cook and so I’m sure she’ll be coming up with some amazing recipes to follow. She says the benefits include improved energy, weight balance, skin clarity, mood, immunity, sleep and liver cleansing. What’s not to like?

We’re doing the full whammy version from 5th to 13th April - it costs 150 Euros. But there’s a Beginner Detox version too from 5th to 7th April at 75 Euros. Email Dena for more information. mailto:dena@andrenawoodhams.com

Have you ever marvelled at the beautiful rainfores

Have you ever marvelled at the beautiful rainforest stretching into a deep blue horizon. I’ve been talking at the Rainforest Trust about my recent trip to Guyana,Suriname and French Guyana. Over 80% and 90% forested but under threat from mono culture crops, burning, mining, hunting wildlife to extinction and the discovery of oil with ask that entails. The brilliant thing is that @rainforesttrustuk they have a campaign to save over 2 million acres of forest. ( with their US counterpart) if you contribute to this now your money will be doubled!!!! Here’s the link. https://www.justgiving.com/page/julia-hailes-1 The Guyana forests are part of the Amazon. We learnt how urgent this campaign is because that huge forest is getting close to a tipping point. If we deforest over 20% it is thought that it will start emitting carbon rather than capturing it - currently we’ve reached a frightening milestone of 17% destroyed. Crikey. Join me in doing what we can to help and meanwhile bring some hope to the Guyana forests and their indigenous people many of whom are fighting for their survival in the land of their ancestors.

Have you ever heard of Rene Haller. @hallerrene W

Have you ever heard of Rene Haller. @hallerrene Whether you have or you haven’t you might find it interesting to read my two recent blogs about this inspiring man, the pioneer of Wilding in Africa. He has spent the past 6 decades transforming the landscape on the Kenyan coast just north of Mombasa. When he arrived at Bamburi the cement factory was surrounded by a moonscape of mined coral. Now you can see large areas where he started planting trees and which have become lush and fertile ecosystems. I won’t tell you the full story because I hope you will read my blogs. The photos are from the 20th anniversary celebration of the Haller foundation last year now known as Haller. It was co-founded by @louisepiper and myself and is now run by @chloefordwelman. Also included in the photos are @hallerdany and @guido.haller as well as one of the former Haller chairs, Charlie Middleton. I can’t find him on Instagram but he was a former CEO of @triodosuk at one point. https://juliahailes.com/how-rene-haller-became-a-wilding-pioneer-in-africa-mar25/ And. https://juliahailes.com/rene-haller-an-inspirational-man-mar25/ @thehallerfoundation

@bertie.clark and @johncolfox have done an amazing

@bertie.clark and @johncolfox have done an amazing job converting our barn from a workshop to a totally recycled bedroom and utility room. They have used lots of old wood that was lying around, a trunk top as a splash back to the sink, curtain rings as door handles, a spirit level, an old door and many other quirky objects. Thank you for doing such a marvellous job. If anyone is interested in having some work done it needn’t be as quirky as ours. Let me know if you’d like contact details.

Wonderful to see the sun inside too. Such a contr

Wonderful to see the sun inside too. Such a contrast to the constant rain.

Do you know any 12 year olds? If so, you'll want t

Do you know any 12 year olds? If so, you'll want to listen to this wonderful podcast. It's an interview with my husband, Jamie Macdonald's grandson, Ewen Macdonald, about books.

I can't believe how on the ball he is. He talks about a wide range of books and his favourite genre which is dystopian fiction! And, yes, he not only knows what that means but is able to describe it too!

If you'd like to buy a book for a 12-year-old, or if you simply want to be amazed, please listen to this wonderful podcast.

It's a family affair because it has been created by Jamie's daughter, Fleur (Ewen's aunt), who is incredibly knowledgeable about books. However, that part doesn't run in the family because Jamie is the opposite of a book worm!!

Fleur's podcast is called @__shelflife

Here is the podcast
on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/shelf-life/id1744399638

on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7pAcgE2ZxDAAhtNtg3AC99?si=53294a2f2aab496d&nd=1&dlsi=dcd68dee97984ee6

I have to admit that I’m quite glad to be home.

I have to admit that I’m quite glad to be home. I’ve still got some posts from our trip and lots of thoughts and ideas. Very pleased to see Ziggy. But a big change in temperature.

I’m sure I’m not alone in loving fruit and veg

I’m sure I’m not alone in loving fruit and veg displays. This one was by the side of the road as we were leaving Paramaribo, Suriname. I couldn’t buy anything except a coconut as we weren’t cooking. @desmonddaytrips_ @wilderness.explorers

A peacock doing its stuff in front of the peahens.

A peacock doing its stuff in front of the peahens. It was strange to see such a beautiful thing when we were witnessing the horrors of times past. It was the penal colony islands where Papillon was sent. What they did to the convicts was truly awful- disgusting.

As we all know the Dutch are expert at land draina

As we all know the Dutch are expert at land drainage. What most of you may not know is that they put their expertise to good use in their colony of Suriname ( independent since 1975). Another interesting thing about Suriname is that there’s an incredible mix of races who have arrived at different times and for different reasons. One of them is the Indonesians. At Rust and Werk they have formed an idyllic community along side the canals. No cars and children playing on bikes. Warm climate. One not so appealing part of it is that like many others here the men enjoy capturing and competing with song birds, which they keep in cages. Sadly they don’t breed them but capture them from the wild where many of the most tuneful species are becoming extinct. @desmonddaytrips_ @wilderness.explorers

You can clearly see this mother and baby squirrel

You can clearly see this mother and baby squirrel monkey jumping through the trees in this series of photos and a video too. Also taken at the Peperpot National park with @desmonddaytrips_ and @wilderness.explorers

Another gloriously coloured reptile! What a beaut

Another gloriously coloured reptile! What a beautiful green. Surinam. @wilderness.explorers

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Green Consumer Compilation – TV Clips with Julia Hailes from 1988-90

Many people will be surprised to know how much interest there was

TV Clips of Julia Hailes – Green Consumer Compilation from 1988/1989/1990 (posted Nov20)

Many people will be surprised to know how much interest there was

The Green Consumer Guide & Week Green Consumer Week TV Clips with Julia Hailes 1988

Published in 1989 ‘Green Consumer’s Supermarket Shopping Guide’ was written by John

TV Clips of Julia Hailes talking about The Young Green Consumer Guide published in 1990

One of the things that surprised us was that the style of

1989 Video of Julia Hailes on BBC Nine O’Clock News launching ‘Green Shopping Day”.

Green Shopping Day was organised by Julia Hailes and John Elkington from

TV clips CFCs and the ozone layer – 1988/89 Julia Hailes campaigning for ozone-friendly aerosols etc (Posted Nov20)

The campaign to remove CFCs from aerosols was one of the most

Julia Hailes talking about organic produce (1989 Approx)

Organic produce was quite a niche market in the 1980s. I remember

TV Clips – Fashion & Environment 1989 – Julia Hailes, Paul Smith and others interviewed.

Gosh – this video is actually quite funny. The lady from Next

Clip from TV-AM with Anne Diamond 1989 – Julia Hailes interviewed about green supermarket products

Anne Diamond was very enthusiastic about green consumerism. On her programme again,

TV Clip from Gloria Live 1990 – Julia Hailes and Bernadette Valleley debating dark and light greens

One of the themes that emerged after we wrote The Green Consumer

Green Matters 1989 – mini series in Richard & Judy’s This Morning programme – Julia Hailes on Waste.

I presented Green Matters – a mini series within the ITVs This

TV Clips compilation of Julia Hailes talking about waste and packaging – 1988-1990.

Recycling was probably the most popular green consumer issue because people could

TV Clips tropical hardwoods and destruction of the rainforests – Julia Hailes 1989/90.

If there was ever a moment when I decided to dedicate my

Scorched earth in Sicily (Oct20)

What a beautiful time of year to come to this island perched

Wilding week 2 (Jul20)

The diggers are in their element The water meadow is now looking

Wilding has started… (Jul20)

Yesterday, the diggers and dumpers arrived, along with the wonderful Andrew George

ANIMALS TURN HUMAN…(May20)

A role reversal. Imagine humans behaved like animals and vice versa. What

How Covid-19 is Changing the world (Apr20)

The Covid Crisis is sowing the seeds of division – young vs

COVID 19 MAY BE THE BOILING FROG WE NEED (MAR20)

I remember referring to the boiling frogs analogy in speeches about 20

Simply switching from plastics to other materials could actually increase carbon emissions. (Mar20)

This is the conclusion of a new report from the Green Alliance:

Turning the Big Yellow green

I’ve just been appointed a board member of FTSE 250 company The

Getting beds (Sep19)

I received an email last week giving me some shocking information about

SMART METERS ARE SMART (Sep19)

My son, Monty, has worked out how we can save over £2,000

Going wild in Dorset (Sep19)

I’m tremendously excited about our new landscaping project… The central idea is