Christmas waste (Jan08)
One of the most striking things about Christmas is the amount of waste we all produce. Waste heat, waste light, waste food and most of all waste packaging. Actually, quite a lot of presents are wasteful too. I wonder what percentage of gifts are actually appreciated and how many of those are useful. I have […]
Battling for recycling (Oct07)
When I agreed to oppose the motion that ‘Recycling is a waste of time’ it didn’t occur to me that most of the audience would be actively hostile to my position. Set up by the Institute of Ideas, the Battle of Ideas was a whole weekend of debates covering topics as diverse as ‘What’s the […]
Food Advice (Oct07)
In 2007 I was asked by M&S to help them in developing their food strategy, thinking creatively about what innovations they might consider. Clearly, sustainability issues relating to food are becoming increasingly important. And, as M&S says, they may need to think the unthinkable. Topics covered included climate change and food crops, vegetarianism, local sourcing, wild […]
Gay Times – I interviewed Kristin Digby (Sep07)
One of three interviews I did for the Gay Times – Kristin Digby . See also Peter Tatchell and Paul O-Grady “I don’t even know how to read a f***ing fuel bill”, Kristian admitted when I asked him to tell me how much electricity and gas he was using. I arrived at his house somewhere […]
Gay Times – Peter Tatchell (Sep07)
One of three interviews I did for the Gay Times – Peter Tatchell. See also Paul O-Grady and Kristin Digby With piles of paper balanced precariously almost to the ceiling (it reminded me of Dr Seuss’s Cat in the Hat), Peter’s flat is not only his home but his campaign headquarters too. Animal rights, human rights, […]
Waste disposal is not for seagulls (Jun07)
I love the Brighton buses. Every stop has a sign telling you how long it is before your bus arrives. I also rather liked the sound of seagulls when I woke in the morning a stone’s throw from Brighton beach. But I discovered that residents are not so keen. I had thought that bird-related complaints […]
Live Earth in Frome (Jul07)
Soon after the last chords of the Live Earth concert had died away I went to another green event on a very different scale – the Green Fair at the Frome Festival. Opened by Kevin McCloud (of Grand Designs fame) who has a Madonna-like status in the area, the event was a huge success, with […]
Interior designers be damned (Jun07)
I stayed the night with friends in Holland Park. Only a year ago they had completely stripped their house to the bone and refurbished it from top to bottom. I wish they hadn’t! Interior designers, builders, architects and I’m afraid to say my friends too have managed to create a family home with an energy […]
On Air and Hair (May07)
After 10 consecutive radio interviews I began to wonder whether I was talking complete gibbberish! The BBC regional stations phone into the studio in 10 minute slots – some for pre-recorded interviews and some live. They were all interviewing me on the publication of The New Green Consumer Guide but coming at it from different […]
Green Funerals Exhibition (Apr07)
My sister is so amused by the fact that I was the key note speaker at the Green Funerals Exhibition that she says she’ll put it on my tomb stone. But I’ve had to tell her that tomb stones are not very green! I’d prefer to have an internet memorial site and to have my […]
Easter holidays (Apr07)
Juggling Easter holidays with work commitments is a lot easier with an au pair! Alex is Australian and only with me until mid June but she’s wonderful. Had lunch last week with Arthur Llewellyn (www.hfhmanagement.co.uk), who worked with Green Spirit fuels until December last year, promoting bio-ethanol. He introduced me to a nearby pub, the […]
Marks & Spencer (Mar07)
I first started working with Marks & Spencer in 2002 when I was commissioned to do a report on sustainability issues relating to the food sector. The brief was to look at the broad drivers for change, to prioritise the key issues affecting food, identify the key organisations shaping the debate and make recommendations on […]