Friends of the Earth
Action Briefing Feb 2000/Mar 2000
|
Birmingham Friends of the Earth Action Briefing Feb 2000/Mar 2000 |
After last year saw me move house, study for qualifications and eventually change jobs, I had a lot to reflect over this New Year. For once though I started to come up with a New Year's resolution. I want to put my money where my mouth is, invest ethically & buy shrewdly from suppliers who hold some of the values that I have. It's a long term plan really, as I can't change every thing at once, but when renewals of bills etc. come up through the year a new approach is well worth a try.
The deregulation of Electricity and Gas utilities has made it possible to buy the fuel that heats your home from any supplier. The best part of this is that wherever you live you can change to a company that produces energy environmentally. The big companies are also starting to offer specialist packages to suit those who care about where their power comes from, so before you jump ship, see if they have what you want. Better still, it may encourage them to try harder. Whilst thinking about power consumption, insulation is very important - a point well made in the recent Warm Homes actions taking place across the country: see our article inside this Action Briefing.
Moving onto the subject of recycling I think for once I'm doing quite well. Visits to the bottle bank etc. are frequent from our house, but then we are fortunate that it's on our way to work, so piles don't accumulate to the proportions that take over the cupboard under the stairs and refuse to be shifted ever again. The other way we have dramatically reduced our refuse is to start a compost heap: now anything that can be composted is saved instead of being carted away by the bin men. Hopefully the first compost heap can be emptied this spring, just in time for the garden. Which brings me round to organic food. This year we will try to use some of the garden to grow our favourite vegetables chemical free - which in my opinion is the way all food should be produced. Most of our food now comes from shops selling organic produce and we are fortunate in Birmingham to be able to exercise the choice. It is also worth remembering that the farmers' market is run on the first Wednesday of the month.
But your big chance to change the future for the better is to have your finances with ethical investment companies or banks that don't allow the funds to be used to harm the environment. It's a personal decision whom you use, but Friends of the Earth can guide you in the right direction with addresses and contacts for the above. Remember that you could also join LETS: the Local Exchange Trading System is a network of people who exchange services etc. within the local community.