Global Warming

Global warming is one of the biggest threats to our known world.
Because it feels long term, people take little notice of it.

Last night, the TV news presented a report with shock value explaining how the
ice caps are melting & which cities such as London & Bristol will be covered.
This was followed by a few words from James Lovelock. Sadly his report suggested
it is too late now to do anything to help & we had better prepare for the
problems instead.

In a few minutes, James could have taken away decades of good work by thousands
of people trying to help this problem. The whole mood of the piece made apathy
seem the only option.

We CAN help, & what we do now will help our children, grandchildren
& generations to come as well as ourselves.
Here are some simple easy things to do:

Take action!

Visit The Big Ask http://www.thebigask.com/ and tell your MP to support
annual cuts in carbon dioxide emissions.

Replace ordinary light bulbs with longer lasting, energy saving ones.

Get a vegetable box delivered or buy from your local farmers market.

Share the school run with other parents or walk / cycle your children
to school.

Install loft insulation – this can cut up to 20 per cent off energy bills.

Turn off appliances and light bulbs when leaving a room - avoid leaving
TVs and computer screens on standby.

Recycle aluminium cans, bottles & paper.

Compost kitchen and garden waste - contact your local council for details.

Go by train instead of plane - pick up a copy of the Green Holiday Guide

For more green cash saving ideas - sign up to receive
Friends of the Earth's Tip of the day
http://www.foe.org.uk/living/tips/

Also see:
www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,3604,396534,00.html#article_continue

These are from the excellent Friends of the Earth website here:
http://www.foe.org.uk/resource/faqs/questions/help_planet_2006.html

You can make a difference. Start acting today for all our futures.

Nottingham incinerator expansion

Waste Recycling Group Ltd. have applied to expand the Eastcroft incinerator near Trent Bridge with what is an outdated design.

The current incinerators don't operate in the terms of their IPPC Licence already frequently breaching authorised emission levels 28 times since 2001. The proposed new design is based on an obsolete design from the 1960s

I know the council have plans to improve that whole area & make it a better place to live after the many problems in the area. Opposing the expansion would help that cause by improving the local air quality.

As you might know, councils have to increase their level of household recycling by law. Doing this would recycle around 80 % of household waste.

Please make your views known of your councillors:
http://www.writetothem.com/

Here is the local campaign:
http://www.nail.uk.net/

Local Greens
http://www.torty.org.uk/green/

What do you think? Why do we want more pollution? Why can't we recycle more?

Do you have a similiar thing going through your local council? Let them know what we all think too!

~~~ Peace ~~~

Nuclear weapons - replacing trident

The UK government is now discussing ways of replacing the trident nuclear missile system with even more powerful nuclear weapons.

Nuclear war is wrong, it kills millions of innocent people.

Email your MP here: http://www.parliament.uk/directories/hciolists/alms.cfm

The world has changed since trident was introduced, USSR no longer exists.

The replacement is due to cost AT LEAST 25 billion pounds that would not be spent on children, the poor & sick.

The threats to Britain are now poverty, terrorism, global warming, sickness.

A nuclear weapon will help none of these.

Replacing it will make it harder to argue that other states should not build them.

They are illegal. Under the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, UK agreed to phase them out.

Let us work for peace & discussion between nations rather than resorting to killing the innocent.

~~~ Pray for Peace & Let your views be known. ~~~

HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL DAY

TODAY IS HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL DAY

LET US ALL LIGHT A CANDLE
OR LIGHT ONE IN OUR IN OUR HEARTS & PRAY FOR PEACE IN THE WORLD

LET US PRAY PEACE IS NOT FOREVER TO BE JUST AN ASPIRATION BUT A REALITY

LET US WORK FOREVER FOR PEACE IN OUR OWN COMMUNITIES

LET US WORK FOR PEACE IN OUR FAMILIES

LET US SPREAD THE LIGHT OF PEACE AROUND THE WORLD

Holocaust Memorial Day
http://www.hmd.org.uk/default01.asp

What was the holocaust?
http://www.yahoodi.com/peace/holocaust.html

Peace Pledge Union:
http://www.ppu.org.uk/

Peace Prayer Society:
http://www.worldpeace.org/

~~~ PAX ~~~

Vegan Diet

Have you thought about the food you eat? Did you know there is no need to eat meat or any animal products? Did you know it will make you healthier?

I have now lived for 13 years on a vegan diet! I feel healthier, and am happy that I'm not harming any animal when I eat. So you can see there's no need to eat animal food.

In this country its easy to be vegan, there's more & more available from all the supermarkets to eating out places that will always make something up for you!

Its better for you, for animals & the planet.

Advice from a doctor

http://www.vegsource.com/klaper/index.htm

UK Vegan Society

http://www.vegansociety.com/

US Vegan Society

http://www.americanvegan.org/

Eating Vegan

http://www.vegan.org/going_vegan/eating_vegan/index.html

UK Vegan Village

http://www.veganvillage.co.uk/

Vegan Ethics

http://www.veganforlife.org/ethics.htm

UK Vegan Society

http://www.vegansociety.com/

US Vegan Society

http://www.americanvegan.org/

Advice from a doctor

http://www.vegsource.com/klaper/index.htm

**********************************************
Have Fun & Live Long! Blessings!

Joan Baez

There's an interview with the amazing inspiring Joan Baez in the Guardian today here:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/arts/features/story/0,,1693520,00.html

Here is her own website:

http://www.joanbaez.com/

What an inspiring woman, she has done so much to promote peace, equality & justice in the world.

Quakers

Quakers (Friends) are good people.

They meet & feel the spirit in silence.

They are actively working in justice, world development, education, homelessness, prison reform and challenging prejudice of all kinds.

They try to live in loving, caring and non-violent way.

Why not find out more? Here is the information:

UK:

http://www.quaker.org.uk

Local meetings here:

http://quakersmeeting.live.poptech.coop/mappages/findq.html

International:

http://www.quaker.org/


Let us work together for a spirituality of Peace & Justice for a better world.

Racial Equality

We are one world. We are one family. All peoples are related.

The UK campaign for racial equality is launching a free newsletter.

Why not subscribe to it & learn more about their important work?

Here it is:

http://www.catalystmagazine.org/catalyst-index.html

Here is the Campaign for racial equality:

http://www.cre.gov.uk

Help promote peace & equality amoung all the peoples of our world.

No more nuclear power

Nuclear Power is dangerous, dirty & expensive. It is NOT a solution to global climate change.

The government is asking your views on it & how to deal with climate change.

You can tell them what you think here:

http://www.dti.gov.uk/energy/en_consult.shtml

or email Alan Johnson here:

johnsona@parliament.uk

For more details, see these pages:

http://www.foe.co.uk/campaigns/climate/issues/fossil_fuels/index.html#nuclear

http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/climate/climate.cfm?UCIDParam=20060105170136

http://www.greenparty.org.uk/news/2376

Save grey squirrels

I think its outrageous that the UK government is threatening the grey squirrel population.

Obviously the wildlife population goes through many changes, this is natural, and its been proven that they are not directly responsible for the reduction of red squirrel population.

If you agree, email: jimknightmp@parliament.uk

(he is the minister responsible) with your views.

Also see these sites:

http://www.squirrels.info/uk/in_uk.htm

http://www.animalaid.org.uk/press/0601squirrel.htm

http://www.quaker-animals.org.uk/

http://www.peta.org.uk/

Viva

Here is a fun youthful site about vege matters:

http://www.viva.org.uk/


Have fun!

Peace!

Spirits Within

Wonderful sunny day!

Watching film: Final Fantasy, The Spirits Within
Highly recommended, about alien ghosts on earth in the future. Still good four years after it was released.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0173840/

Big brother news, Pete is in trouble for wearing what he claims is a gorilla skin coat. How anyone can wear the skin of a dead animal is hard for me to think about. Of course what he claims is illegal so the police are involved now.

Traci is definitely a vegan, she won't eat eggs either.


Did you know you can lose weight on a vegan diet? See here:
http://www.vegansociety.com/html/people/health/weight.php

Organic food.

Today was stopped in the street by a film crew who wanted to ask my opinions about british farming & food!!! I explained I always look for British Organic food first and if something isn't available then I look for fairtrade food.

They asked what I would do to increase buying of british organic food, I suggested subsidising it would help as currently its always more expensive. I think most people see the price first and if that side of it could be improved, sales of organic food would increase a lot.

I explained I am a vegan and my grandfather was a farmer!

All this was filmed! So it has to help the cause of organic food in this country.

A beautiful sunny day today but cold (8'c).

Nottingham

Come into the city today. It looks like typical England, gray skies, paving stones.

Faria left the BB house yesterday. Not surprised after her burst of paranoia, she said she had some anger to address.

On Big Brother, looks like they are buying Alpro soya milk! Not very well concealed!! I bought some the other day too.

On Big Brother's big mouth, the announcer always says 'Hare Krisna' to round off and Rula in the house is a Buddhist! Is this a sign of religious diversification? The Wiccan in the previous series came out first & was just treated as a weirdo.

POLITICS
David Cameron yesterday asked the Shadow Cabinet to switch from gas to renewable energy suppliers. This is a good idea, but is it a stunt?
Example: http://www.energylinx.co.uk/green_energy.htm

What do you think?

Martin Luther King.

PEOPLE

Martin Luther King day. This was the other day, he is a modern day saint.
Here is the centre following on his work:
http://www.thekingcenter.org/

I want to recommend a wonderful book I bought last year, 'Open my Eyes, Open my Soul' all about celebrating the wonderful diversity of people on our planet. Its a collection of heartwarming short true stories by people from Maya Angelou to Stevie Wonder.

Sections in the book are: Realizing our Oneness, Celebrating our diversity, One in spirit, Chosen children, Love beyond boundaries and Creating the beloved community.

Here it is on the web:
http://www.openmyeyesopenmysoul.com/

'Open my Eyes, Open my Soul' is created by Yolanda King & Elodia Tate and is
ISBN 0-07143886-6


ENVIRONMENT
In the Guardian today, Joshua Blackburn makes a good point that the environmental movement may make things harder by making the message a negative one, eg 'Don't do this or that' instead of emphasising the positives as has been done with movements such as LIVE8 that seek to increase trade justice in the world. Good point.
Here's the article:
http://society.guardian.co.uk/societyguardian/story/0,,1688254,00.html

TODAY
Today had a strange atmosphere, so silent, almost like a dream or the otherworld. When I got to the library here, all the PCs were busy! So people were around after all!

Last night bought some great food!

Crazy Jack Organic Sultanas
http://www.crazyjack.co.uk/crazy_range.htm

Mornflake Organic Oats
http://www.mornflake.com/Pages/aboutmain.html

Fairtrade Bananas
http://www.fairtrade.org.uk/

Let me know what you think of any of the above by adding a comment!

People, animals & ecology

I believe we should make our priority People, animals and the environment.

Here are some of my favourite charities that do that:

People
http://www.amnesty.org/

http://www.nspcc.org.uk/

http://www.ppu.org.uk/

Animals
http://www.pdsa.org.uk/

http://www.drhadwentrust.f2s.com/

Environment
http://www.foe.co.uk/

http://www.greenpeace.org/

All of it
http://www.greenparty.org.uk/news

Early day.

Early start for someone today so awake at 5:30!

Went back to trying SIMS2 its a great game! Non violent & quite creative,
check it out here: http://thesims2.ea.com/

It has been pointed out that it isn't Paris in the pic, but Bologna, will change it when I have time.

Interesting answer from Nottingham council about recycling, they plan to increase the amount done at the door soon as they will have to by law. Good idea!

Also interestingly the SUMAC Centre is mentioned in the Guardian today about a meeting on eco living in Feb (I think its the weekend of the 11th Feb).

Here's the article:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,,1687906,00.html

Sumac Centre
http://www.veggies.org.uk/sumac/

Guardian
http://www.guardian.co.uk/

Any comments?

Organic or Fairtrade?

Organic or Fairtrade?

Interesting question I've seen discussed recently.

I think that if any food can be bought locally and organically then do so.

If it has to come from overseas, buy Fairtrade wherever possible.

Organic Food
www.soilassociation.org

Fairtrade
www.fairtrade.org.uk


This is what I think. What do you think, and why?

Nottingham

Finally got back at 1:30am. Was up awake again at 6:30!

Miss the lovely log fire of Wimborne, and of course Millie & the people!
Today started raining but is now just very cold.

It was lovely to see the cousins & my aunt again. I think as time goes by you appreciate family and people more.

Had some good conversations about all sorts including family trees with one cousin and autism with another. Interesting!

Today Big Brother people feel something is going to happen but they don't know what. Seems Jimmy Saville visited at the weekend. Missed it all!

Alone until 8 today, but only until 2 tomorrow. A long day but it goes fast.

Cousins, Aunt, Millie

Had nice day. Met up with my Cousins Kate & Sue from the Isle Of Wight.
Also my Aunt Beryl Allen was there with her friend.

Had traditional lunch in lovely place called 'Towle's Inn' near Brokenhurst, highly recommended! Traditional lunch for a vegan was roast veges, but was half price of the regular sunday lunch!

Walked the dog for a short while near a beautiful stream in the new forest.

Finally as usual only just got them back in time for the ferry back to the island.

Driving back to Nottingham tonight, a long way!!

Peace.

Free Software

Free Software

Downloaded the latest versions of this good quality Free Software for Windows

Office Suite:
http://www.openoffice.org

Compression:
http://www.7-zip.org

Web Browser:
http://www.mozilla.com/firefox/

Graphics:
http://www.gimp.org

Saturday, Poole.

Visited Poole. Met Dad. Somer has been working all night so was about to go to sleep so she didn't come out. Also Dom had been up late so she stayed at home too. As Dom does illustrations she might go to Bologna to the Book fair later in the year.

Reading Spike Milligan's fourth memoirs book. He is a very good writer.

Went to Ottakers bookshop. They had lots of good books on ethical
living from the FOE book "Save cash, Save the planet", http://www.foe.org.uk/pubsinfo/pubscat/living.html#save_c
one on ethical living published by the Guardian, and numerous other ones.
In Poole Falkland square, go upstairs and turn left for the books.
Wish I had the money to buy them all.

Tonight Mum has an open fire, nice! Ensured all living things were out
of the logs, Mum said they have none from that place.

Earlier I helped her move large plants in tubs around the garden.
Also made a new stepping stone path my moving some round slabs.

Picked up some compost & ericacious compost from a certain nearby
garden centre.

Tomorrow meeting my cousins from the Isle of Wight and my aunt in Lymington.
Lovely town, worth a visit anytime. Then driving back tomorrow night.

Visiting & dogs

Visiting mum down south.
Millie the dog was ecstatic to see me jumping around.
Aren't dogs lovely! Always loving and faithful.

You forget what a long drive it is. Still played a recent album by Joan Baez on the way down. What a great woman she is. So aware & intelligent, check her out!

Ice, jobs, coop, radiators!

Ice on the cars today. Only 1 degree!

Visited a jobs fair by mostly just recruitment agencies and training. Oh well.

Reading The Guardian takes ages, so much interesting to read! Particularly like the

occasional ethical consumer articles. Good to see there are other right thinking people out there!

Got some leaflets on the coop bank, but don't know when I'll ever manage it. Coop bank have a good ethical policy though.

Managed to get the radiators working. Two of them only heated at the base. Bled them & adjusted the pressure of the boiler. All without a use guide! Glad I didn't explode the boiler!!

Peace & Love All!

Ahimsa Philosophy of Life

My philosophy is Our World is a continuum.

All Life is sacred & has a right to exist, so I don't believe in killing at all. I disagree with the death penalty & killing in wars. So naturally I am a Vegan, it helpd preserve & protect life. Also I believe in the protection of all life, born & unborn.

Our world is a circle. What we do affects us all. We need to live a green life to preserve the ecology of our planet. She protects & gives us life in a way, and we need to respect the planet.

I believe in non-violence. Gandhi is a saint in explaining how to put over a message.

So lets all do what we can to preserve life, promote peace, protect the planet for us & future generations. Its the only way to live.

Green Living:

Friends of the earth UK
http://www.foe.org.uk/

Green Party UK
http://www.greenparty.org.uk/news

Healthy Eating:
http://www.vegansociety.com/html/

Peaceful living
http://www.ppu.org.uk/indexa.html

Definition of Ahimsa
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahimsa

What do YOU think?

Live in Nottingham? Are you an alternative or vegetarian or vegan type of person?

Checkout this amazing place:

http://www.veggies.org.uk/sumac/welcome.html

Will go and see what I can find. Details in a later posting.

:)

Politics

The other day, (23/12) I was very disappointed to hear that the recent EU Commission regulation on organic food allows for up to 0.9% or Genetically Modified food in organic food. Sent an email to David Cameron. They replied instantly but not since:
The House of Commons is now in recess until 9th January 2006.During the holiday period David Cameron's emails will be checkedregularly, but you may not receive an immediate response.We do very much appreciate you taking the trouble to write and thanksonce again for your email.
So they're obviously on the ball! Still its better than the EU president who hasn't even replied yet.

So Kennedy has resigned from the Lib Dems, looks like it might be a shoe-in for Cambell unless someone else can come forward.

Very interesting to see Galloway in the Big Brother celebrity house. Seems to have kept the peace so far, but I don't think he's comfortable with his new constituency!

For fun & excitement, why not visit:
http://www.greenparty.org.uk/news