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BGI Newsletter |
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Issue 15 - February / March 2010 |
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From the Editor…
Many people start thinking about their summer breaks around this time of year. If you’re wondering where to go this year, Jim’ll’s article ‘How Green is your Holiday?’, comparing carbon emissions for different holidays and modes of transport, is a must-read. If you’re feeling crafty, you’ll also be interested in the new BGI patchwork quilt project. Read Judy’s article to see how you can get involved. We are also very pleased to have an article by award-winning environmental journalist Johann Hari with his views on the Copenhagen Climate Conference. The eagle-eyed and impatient among you will have noticed that this newsletter is a little late! This is because we have made the decision to send it out every two months from now on, which will give us more time to collect together really interesting articles for you! Jo x P.S. - You can now follow us on
Would you like to be part of a wonderful project to make a beautiful, unique patchwork quilt to raise funds for the Big Green Idea? This could be the perfect project for these long winter evenings, whether you are a beginner or expert sewer… more
How Green is your Holiday?
Johann Hari (the award-winning journalist who writes twice-weekly for the Independent, one of Britain’s leading newspapers, and the Huffington Post) reports back from the Copenhagen Climate Conference. What, if anything, was really achieved? more
It’s Never too Late to Go Greener
We probably all know that printer cartridges and mobile phones can be recycled, but did you realise that they can raise £1 per inkjet cartridge, up to £5 per laser/toner cartridge, and up to £30 for a mobile phone for your favourite charity? more
Book Review - Time to Eat the Dog?
Keen birdwatcher Fiona couldn’t wait to indulge her favourite hobby after having her hip operation. Just how much of a challenge was it to negotiate nature reserves and hides while ‘armed’ with a crutch? more
Bushcraft
Our gardening guru, Jimll, shares his thoughts and inspirations for deep winter work on the plot. There’s always plenty to be getting on with if you want to be ahead of the Joneses come the spring… more
Seasonal Recipes
Green Tip of the Month Margaret from Bristol suggests ‘If one of your socks wears out, don’t throw it away – instead throw convention to the wind, dare to be different, and wear odd socks!’ If you have a green tip you would like to share, an idea for something you would like to read about or any comments on this newsletter please email me: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) To unsubscribe from our newsletter click here and type ‘unsubscribe’ in the subject line © The Big Green Idea 2010 - Content Editor: Jo Barlow The Big Green Idea registered charity no. 1123650 Disclaimer: All views expressed in the content are those of the relevant author or sources they draw upon, and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Big Green Idea or its Trustees. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of any information in this publication, readers should not rely upon it and should verify the detail for themselves before acting upon it.
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About Us The Bus How You Can Help The Big Green Idea - Events There are still a few places left on our ‘Everyday Green’ Workshop to be held on Sunday 14th March at ‘The Fold,’ just outside Worcester.’ This ‘hands-on’ day will be packed full of useful information and advice - and promises to be a lot of fun too! More details here… more A free lunch?
Margret Thatcher famously said, ‘There’s no such thing as a free lunch.’ She was so wrong, as Mark Boyle proved when he organised the ‘Freeconomy Freastival 2009’, feeding over 750 people without a penny being spent…
Thoughts from Brigit as the 2010 season kicks into gear. Other blogs we think you may like: The Comfort-Lover’s Guide to Going Green Our best ideas sheets: A little Green thought… ‘If someone is too tired to give you a smile, leave one of your own, because no one needs a smile as much as those who have none to give’ Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch Websites We Like!
2010 has been declared the International Year of Biodiversity (IYB) by the United Nations. This is the website of IYB-UK, which is the UK partnership supporting IYB. Biodiversity is the variety of life on Earth. It is essential for sustaining the natural living systems or ecosystems that provide us with food, fuel, health, wealth, and other vital services… more Affiliate shopping
Important Notice: Although The Big Green Idea does not encourage consumerism, we do appreciate that everyone shops for essentials and the occasional treat they cannot create themselves. If you choose to shop with any of the merchants via the links above, they will donate between 7% and 10% from the sale to us. This does not affect the price you pay. |
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Hello, and a belated Happy New Year! The theme for this edition is ‘Fresh starts’, so if you’re feeling like you need to kick off the post-holiday blues, I hope you can find something to inspire you to make 2010 your greenest year yet! 
Announcing the Big Green Idea Patchwork Quilt Project
Are you wondering where to go on holiday this year and worrying about the impact of your travel? How do you even begin to compare the different options? Well, you can’t make a better start than reading Jimll’s investigative article… 
They didn’t Seal the Deal, they Sealed the Coffin
BGI volunteer Juliet has decided that 2010 is the year for seeing just how green a 50-something single woman who lives halfway up a Welsh mountain can go. If she can do it, so can you! 
A Great Green Business : 
Jimll reviews ‘Time to Eat the Dog? - The Real Guide to Sustainable Living’ by Robert and Brenda Vale. This book shows you how to assess the impact of your lifestyle in terms of our ecological footprint, or how much land we need to supply the energy we consume. 
Metal Menaces… or Wildlife Watching on Crutches
Bushcraft, the art of survival in our natural environment, is growing in popularity. But is it green, and what relevance does it have for people who don’t have a handy wood on their doorstep? Judy tells us 
February and March in the Garden
Hearty, warming food is the order of the day and Tanya has dipped into her recipe book to bring you just that… 
