Your Clothes’ Water Footprint

Aside from needing to fuel ourselves every day with food which includes a very changeable amount of virtual water, another of our quotidian actions consists of wearing some sort of clothing. A couple of recent extracurricular activities shifted my attention back to virtual water within this context.

I Wish Every Day was VegFest Day!

Yesterday, 27th September, I went to Kensington Olympia for the London VegFest event. I was very excited to be going for the first time and rightly so: it was great!!!

VegFest is a 2/3-day vegetarian & vegan lifestyle show that takes place in London in September, in Brighton in March and in Bristol in May.

There were more than 200 stalls with great food, beauty products, clothing, cooking tools, tons of delicious samples offered by the food stalls, talks about vegan food, lifestyle, vegan raw diets and campaigns, book signings, performances,

Swap Before You Shop

It’s not a secret that in what is considered to be the First World we are actively and constantly encouraged to buy and consume as much as possible.

This “use-and-throw” disposable culture is very damaging for the planet and its resources – just think of the water cost everything has – and instills a frame of mind where as soon as there is something wrong, or a slight malfunction with any object “It’s broken” and therefore “You might as well get rid of it, it’ll be more expensive to try to fix it anyway!”.

In some cases this unfortunately is true, however with a little effort we can first of all prevent damage, then we can also try to fix things such as clothes etc.

100 Ways to be More Sustainable – 100th Post

Hello everyone, this is my 100th post! 🙂

I started this blog on 5th February 2012, over 2 years ago, and have finally got to the 100 mark.

As I started off with the idea of writing a blog that would show that acting more sustainably can be easy and have benefits such as saving energy, money and pollute less, I thought it would be a good idea to write about 100 ways to be more sustainable for the 100th post 🙂

 

First, though, I would like to thank you.

Thank you if you are reading this, thank you if you have been following me since the start, since last year or if you are a new follower.

Thank you for every “like”, comment and share. Thank you for supporting me in my little mission.

 

Now, to the more practical side of things.

Everything we do has an impact on the environment, this impact can be more or less sustainable, if we think of it as “capable of being maintained as a steady level without exhausting natural resources or causing severe ecological damage”.

So, here we go, just over 100 tips on how to be more sustainable! Click on the links to discover more about these eco-tactics 🙂

 

Less energy-hungry food (16)

• Eat less energy-demanding meat. It only takes a few seconds to look at this World Food Clock and realise how we produce, consume and waste every single second. (Thank you for sharing, Janina). Here are some ideas to get your newly recommended 7 (or even more) a day! 10 Ways to 10 a Day from KHGS.

• Eat more lentils! They are an excellent sustainable source of protein and easy to grow too.

 

Lenticchie di Norcia – Italian Lentils

 

• Buy sustainable fish – fish which isn’t in dangerously low numbers and not caught in a way that damages the ocean environment. Here is the Greenpeace Sustainable seafood page and the Marine Conservation Society guide to sustainable seafood to find out what the most sustainable options are.

• Eat organic food which has been produced without harsh pesticides. What is organic food? – Soil Association.

• Eat out – sustainably! The Sustainable Restaurant Association.

• Store food properly. By doing so, it will last longer and you will waste less. Did you know spring onions last longer in a glass of water in the fridge? 🙂

• Plan meals ahead and let frozen meals thaw in the fridge. This will save you energy because the fridge will need less electricity to keep the temperature low, plus you won’t need to defrost the meal in the microwave either. Guide: How to defrost safely.

• Eat food that is in season and enjoy the benefits for your health and the environment.

• Buy locally, go to farmers’ markets or local farms – you will be supporting smaller producers and you can save money too.

• Have a look at supermarkets’ reduced to clear sections.
  You can find amazing bargains, especially towards the end of the day (loaves of bread for 20p), and purchase food that would otherwise go to waste. You can then consume it as soon as possible or freeze it for future use and save a lot of money.

 

Amazingly cheap but still perfectly fine reduced food

 

• Invest in a slow cooker to save time and energy.

• Create your own green space and grow your own herbs and food, no matter how limited your space may be. Permaculture for Urban Homes and Small Spaces.

• Grow food from food scraps. I encouraged my Nan to compost her vegetable and fruit peels and since then she’s been growing potatoes! 16 foods that grow from food scraps.

• Use vegetable scraps to make your own 0 waste vegetable stock.

• Understand the difference between “best before” dates and “use by” dates. Look at the Ultimate Shelf Life Guide to avoid wasting food unnecessarily.

• When you go out, try local produce and products. From craft beers to wine, from pies to vegetables and fruit: give your local producers a try!

 

Less Pollution (22)

• Try to fly less. 30 no-fly holiday ideas.

• Ditch harsh chemicals: how to get really white clothes without using bleach.

• Try natural alternative to laundry detergents, such as affordable soap nuts.

• Opt for natural beauty products with less chemicals, which is directly better for you too, not only the environment. Try brands such as Green People, Lush, Dr Organic, Heavenly Organics, Bare Naturals, there are so many to try. Have a look at Laura’s article on natural and organic beauty products.

• Purchase eco-friendly sun cream. Guide to eco sun creams.

• Give car sharing a try. Try sharing rides with colleagues, share a taxi or simply use public transport or start cycling.

• Learn to drive consuming less fuel: Cut your speed and petrol bill.
  As a pedestrian, if you see a single car coming along, and you’re not in too much of a rush of course, let it drive past so they don’t need to break and re-depart after, which would use more fuel.

• Walk more. Ramblers is a website that shows many walking routes, or you could simply walk more and use your car less.

• If you need to pack a parcel, reuse bubble wrap or – even better – use strips of waste paper and ask the receiver to reuse or recycle them after.

• Use plants to filter air naturally. Here is a list of the best air-filtering plants.

• Try purchasing less plastic and buying reusable items made of less toxic materials. You can start by taking a reusable bag when you go shopping. Life Without Plastic.

• When you are eating out, ask for tap water rather than bottled water (in areas where it is safe, of course). Why Tap Water is Better.

• To freshen your home, use essential oils rather than chemical-filled air fresheners. You only need a few drops in a burner or in a spray bottle.

• Instead of sponges which are not recyclable and harbour bacteria, use cloths which can be washed and reused.

 

Reusable Material Cloth and Ecover

 

• If you are organising a wedding, have a look at 10 tips to have a green wedding.

• Switch to online billing rather than paper billing, some companies offer discounts for the switch too.

• To get rid of oil stains, rub chalk on the affected area before washing rather than using harsh chemicals.

• Take your own lunch to work, you will cut down on a lot of packaging and also save around £1,000 per year!

 

Take a packed lunch to work 🙂

 

• When changing the oil for your car, make sure you dispose of it properly as it can pollute waterways and kill wildlife. Find your nearest UK oil bank.

• Recycle your old mobile phone ethically.

• Try to purchase products that don’t rely on batteries, and if they must, use rechargeable ones. Look for solar power chargers for an extra sustainable option.

 

Make, repair&fix (12)

 

 

 

• Mend, don’t spend.

• Not many of us try to fix things anymore, but discover how easy it can be to make things last longer, for example by using products such as Sugru. Here’s how it works: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fOSo_EN-y4

• Turn used trousers into shorts or skirts.

• Get to know your neighbours, they may need something you can offer and they may be able to offer something you need.
  My flatmate designed the website for the restaurant next door to us.

• Try some easy DIY – 31 DIY Projects.

• Make your own cleansers and home remedies using sustainably sourced honey, 40 handy honey tips.

• Make your own body scrub, for example by mixing olive oil with a bit of ground salt and sugar. Simple!

• Make your mirrors, windows and glass objects sparkle by using white vinegar. Add some in a spray bottle (you can dilute it with 1:10 vinegar to water up to 50/50) and apply with scrunched newspaper to leave no traces or marks.

• Make your own natural oven, drain cleaners and more using few natural ingredients. DIY household cleaners.

• Make a wood cleaner by mixing two parts of vegetable oil with one part lemon juice, use with a cloth.

• If you prefer purchasing cleaning products, choose eco-friendly ones such as Ecover.

• To freshen up smelly shoes, try filling them up with scrunched newspaper overnight or sprinkle the insides with bicarbonate of soda or talcum powder and shake them out the day after.

 

Buy less, use less and buy better quality (9)

 

• Dress consciously: buy less and better quality, read about 6 Things You Need To Know About Clothes.

• Do a little research about brands you may want to purchase: do they pay sustainable wages to their workers? Labour Behind the Label.

• Use less plastic and more natural or oil-free materials, have a look at alternatives from Life Without Plastic.

• Grow your own herbs: 5 easy Summer herbs.

• Reuse things: for example, jars can be used as containers for more food or other objects.
  Here are 40 ways to reuse newspaper. Take a reusable coffee cup, like a Keep Cup, to the coffee shop instead of using disposable ones. Some places give you a discount if you bring your own cup too!

• Buy second-hand books, they can be so much cheaper! Or borrow reading material from your local library.

• Have your shoes resoled once they need to and keep on using them. I have had my boots for 7 years and they’re great!

• Dye clothes that have faded and give them a new life.

• Buy ethical jewellery such as second-hand accessories, jewellery made from recycled material or produced by companies with fair working conditions. Guide to buy ethical jewellery and accessories.

 

Bank Better

 

• Triodos Bank is “a global pioneer of sustainable banking.” Their mission is “to make money work for positive social, environmental and cultural change.”

 

Lend

 

• Give someone the opportunity to create a sustainable business and alleviate poverty with the Kiva project, you can lend as little as $25 to someone who needs it and who will give it back to you when possible.

 

Save Energy (15)

 

• Turn off your PC every day. Look at this quick and effective video.

• Invest in an energy-saving product such as Energenie in order to save energy and money.

• Clean your fridge coils once a year to ensure it can work effectively.

• When charging devices, unplug them once they are fully charged, avoid leaving them plugged in unnecessarily or overnight.

• Reduce draughts in your home and save energy and money.

• Look for energy-efficient domestic appliances.

• Buy rechargeable batteries and replace your batteries rather than replacing your whole phone.

• Turn off the oven a few minutes before the time is up, the heat remains in the oven for a long time after you switch it off.

• Try to use the oven as its full capacity when you use it, you can add meals to eat later in the week or use it to make croutons out of stale bread, for example.

• Switch to a green energy supplier.

• Wear warmer clothing and adjust your central heating to avoid wasting energy and money.

• When you dry your clothes indoors, avoid putting them on radiators as this will stop the heat from reaching the room, create damp and good conditions for mold to grow.

• Cook in bulk and therefore save energy. You can freeze additional portions.

• More tips to save energy and money.

• Cook food in a steamer, you can cook different things on each level at the same time.

 

Recycle and Reuse (11)

 

• What you think is rubbish can be someone’s treasure. Give away your unwanted tools to Tools with a Mission or Tools for Self Reliance.

• Save paint from going to waste, Community Repaint collect reusable paint and distribute it to those who need it, helping them and avoiding waste.

• Recycle your shoes at a collection bank.

• Clear your cupboards of old electronic equipment, sell it or recycle in appropriate centres.

• Consider going to charity shops first to find what you need. It could be a frame, and even if you don’t like a picture you may love the frame. Give things a new life.

• You can recycle all sorts of things, even ink cartridges. Check before you throw.

• Donate, don’t throw. If you have unwanted furniture, give it to a friend or donate it to a charity.

• Borrow instead of buying, Freecycle.org can help you find what you need with no need to buy it.

• Share more. You will save money, use fewer resources, meet new people… 10 reasons to share.

• Use recycled paint. I discovered Newlife Paints on Miss Thrifty’s article, this not only is better for the environment, it will save you money too.

• Use carpets in many ways to avoid them ending up in landfill. Use them to line cupboards, cars as mats, pet beds,  as doormats and even under plant pots.

 

Waste Less (9)

 

• Compost food and tea bags to fertilise the soil which you will be able to use to grow your own herbs, vegetables, food or plants.

• Reuse timber material from skips.

• Control portion sizes so you avoid cooking too much and being tempted to waste it: Food Portions for Love Food Hate Waste.

• Learn how to use up leftover food or food that’s gone past its best but it still ok  fine to be consumed. Have a look at How to upcycle old salad, Love Food Hate Waste, BBC Good Food Leftovers, 40 ways to use lemons.

• Take your own suit bags to the dry cleaner’s rather than having them give you flimsy plastic ones and take back the hangers for them to reuse.

• Reuse tea bags – when you make tea in a cup, you can often reuse it for another cup as their strength is usually enough for a few cups. Or use loose tea leaves and then compost them if possible.

• Buy in bulk or buy refills.

• When you go to a restaurant, if you cannot finish your meal, ask to take it away in a doggy box. It’s a compliment to those who took care to source and prepare the food, and you have paid for the whole portion, don’t be shy! Too Good To Waste Campaign.

• 40 ways to use stale bread.

 

Save Water (5)

 

• Here are 10 ways to save water, did you know eating less meat is one of them?

• Choose a dual flush system or put a water-saving device in your loo tank to use less water with every flush.

• When you are waiting for cold water to turn hot, collect it rather than letting it go down the drain and use it to water flower and plants, wash fruit and vegetables, fill the kettle…don’t waste it!

• Use a tank to collect rain water. It’s ideal to water plants or wash the car.

• Wash your vegetables in a bowl rather than under running water and use that water for plants and flowers.

 

What do you like to do to be more sustainable?

Do you have any additional tips?

 

*Special thanks to my amazing flatmate G for continuously contributing to ideas for this post*

H&M Conscious Collection S/S 2013

H&M have brought out yet another Conscious Collection for Spring Summer 2013 and it looks as exotic and colourful as last year’s Conscious Collection.

It is yet another part of H&M’s work towards a more sustainable future in fashion.

The New Collection includes a variety of pieces such as tropical print blouses, trousers and tops, bright dresses, jackets and shorts beautiful peach, lime, black, crisp white, khaki and mixed colours and prints made with more sustainable materials such as organic cotton, recycled polyester and Tencel.

The prices range from £7.99 for a necklace to £29.99 for a pair of heeled sandals. Just look out for the green label. There are also several men’s items made from organic and recycled materials.

French actress, singer and model Vanessa Paradis is the new face for this Spring’s new campaign which is currently abundantly advertised at Oxford Circus Underground Station.

Here is the advert…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYWlg95muI4

…And you can also watch a “behind the scenes” video with Vanessa’s comment on making sure not to waste clothes, electricity, water…

 

Vanessa Paradis H&M Conscious Collection 2013

 

I think it’s really exciting to see that the Swedish company has launched another campaign that draws more attention on fashion’s sustainability and eco-friendliness. In my opinion it sends a positive message of a forward-thinking, conscious business.

H&M are also the “first fashion company to launch global clothes collecting initiative”.

As much as 95% of the tons of clothes that go to landfill every year could be reused or recycled and H&M want to find a solution to avoid this waste.

As you can read on their sustainability press release from February, customers can take used / unwanted clothes in any condition and from any brand in H&M shops as part of H&M’s attempt to reduce the impact of clothes on the environment and to avoid textile waste. The customers receive a discount voucher for 15% a new H&M item for each bag of used clothes they take which are then reprocessed for new use.

There is more information at hm.com/longlivefashion:

–Long live fashion! – reduce fashion waste and get money off your next purchase. The goal? Zero waste

–How it works – a visual look on how they your unwanted clothes can be reworn, reused, recycled or produce energy

–Question? – Questions and answers on why H&M are doing this, what sort of clothes can be handed in…

–H&M Charitystar – for each Kg of clothing, Euro 0.02 will be donated to a local charity organisation chosen by H&M. More info on hm.charitystar.com.

 

 

Vanessa Paradis H&M Conscious Collection 2013

 

Vanessa Paradis H&M Conscious Collection 2013

 

You can also find H&M’s Exclusive Conscious Collection, offering really gorgeous and glamorous red carpet and wedding numbers made with sustainable materials. Prices range from £12.99 for hair accessories to £149.99 for a tulle dress.

Have a look online to see which dresses haven’t sold out yet.

 

H&M Conscious Collection – Exclusive Tulle Dress

 

H&M Conscious Collection – Exclusive Top with Flared Hem and Grosgrain Trousers

 

H&M Conscious Collection – Exclusive Dress with Beaded Embroidery

 

H&M Conscious Collection – Exclusive Satin Dress with Train

 

I think this collections is stunning and so tempting because it’s sustainable!

 

Do you like H&M’s Conscious Collection 2013?

What do you think of H&M’s moves for more sustainable fashion?

How to Sell on eBay – Be Sustainable, Make and Save Money

Do you own anything that you do don’t use or need? Make money and be sustainable, sell it on eBay! 🙂

eBay is a brilliant, easy and sustainable way of disposing of things you no longer need or use and make money and also to purchase new or used things that others no longer need or want at affordable prices.

It encourages to make the most of something and using what’s already there rather that letting it gather dust and take up space or buying more new things from. I love how it simply connects the demand and supply of an item so cleverly.

I have bought many things on eBay such as lovely dresses, our table and chairs and our coffee table.

If one of your new year’s resolutions is to de-clutter your home or make some extra money, get selling! 🙂

I became a member in November 2009 at a time when I really needed money and could not find a part-time job while studying and have occasionally sold (and bought!) items on eBay ever since.

I have gained experience on how to successfully sell and send items efficiently and have a few useful tips for you that I’d like to share. I have embedded many useful links so simply click on the keywords to go to their web pages.

Please note these tips are all gathered from my personal experience as an occasional seller and buyer, there are different rules for business sellers and you may be able to change some settings to suit your particular needs, so please use my tips as guidance and refer to the exhaustive information on eBay.com for unequivocal facts.

 

So, to get started:

1. Register on eBay

I remember it was really straight forward, I just followed the directions from the site.

 

2. Create a Paypal account

If you haven’t already got one, create a Paypal account. Paypal is a “safe, fast and easy” way to make and receive payments online and you will be able to use it on many other sites to pay and receive money securely.

The fees eBay takes off my sales are automatically deducted from my Paypal account, I think this is the default method, so after logging onto your Paypal account you will be able to see how much the buyer pays for each item you sell and how much is deducted from it to go to eBay.

They actually withdraw the fee from your Paypal account 10 days after sending you a monthly invoice that you will receive on both you e-mail and on ebay in the “Messages” section.

From time to time Paypal make minor changes to their user agreement policy, when they do so they send an e-mail where you can easily follow the link showing the changes so you can always be up to date with everything.

 

3. Create an eBay folder in your e-mail account

I  find it very useful to keep track of important e-mails and also to store the receipts of payments from buyers or receipts of payments I make for any future reference.

 

4. Buy your P&P essential kit

Avoid buying expensive P&P equipment from places such as the Post Office or WHSmith, their prices are seriously inflated. If possible go somewhere such as Poundland or perhaps a more affordable stationery shop or to a supermarket to buy reasonably priced brown wrapping paper, sellotape, and different sized envelopes.

If you need bubble wrap to pad something fragile, there’s no need to buy some: simply go to any shop that sells items which might be transported in bubble wrap (a supermarket’s crockery department, a shop that sells vases, frames or glasses etc.), and ask a member of staff if you could have some of their bubble wrap. All they do is (hopefully) recycle it so there shouldn’t be any problems. I have bags full of bubble wrap and didn’t spend a penny on any of it!

eBay Essential Selling Kit

-Thin paper: got it for free from shops or kept it from previous padded items ready to reuse

-Sellotape: strong, thick one from Poundland, very efficient

-Scissors: when using brown paper!

-Normal pen: for writing addresses on small size packets

-Big felt tip pen: for writing addresses on bigger items or boxes

-Pre-made padded envelopes: they are more expensive but they save time and hassle, if you receive items in them you can often reuse them by covering the old address with a piece of paper with the new address on it

-Brown paper: cheapest way to wrap items, from Poundland

-Bubble wrap: got it for free from shops or kept it from previous padded items ready to reuse

-“Postage made easy” leaflet: got it from the Post Office to have an idea of postage charges, nationally and internationally

 

5. Gather the items you’d like to sell

• The items that are easier to sell are those that stand out for something: the brand, the popularity of the item, the colour/print etc.

It will be hard to sell a really plain grey T-shirt as most people input brand names or certain characteristics in the search box. On the other hand, if it has sequins or it’s ’80s style or it’s of a certain brand it will come up on more searches and will be viewed by more potential buyers.

• First of all ensure that what you intend to sell isn’t a prohibited item and familiarise yourself with the list of restricted items.

• If you have a few items to sell, save time by taking good, clear pictures of them all at once. If possible choose a place where the items can be seen with a natural light. Have a look at how other people take their pictures and suss how you’d like to see something before buying it, the more pictures the better.
•  There are 2 main selling methods, “Quick Sell”  allows 4 pictures (1 or 4 pictures can be uploaded for free according to what it is, clothing has 4 free pictures available); the “Advanced Sell”  method offers more detailed listing options and you can upload 12 pictures for clothing and other items. Many people who sell designer items prefer this options as it can really showcase a piece properly.

• Check each item carefully and look for any faults. To avoid any problems after the sale, make sure you list and describe if the item has any particular fault, a stain on a top, a chip or scuff…the buyers have to know what to expect to avoid risking any sort of complaint. If something is used buyers know if won’t be exactly how it’d be straight off the shelf, however if there is a particular fault let them know and take a picture of it to avoid any misunderstandings.

• Title and describe the items properly: you have an 80-character allowance for your item’s title so use it! I sometimes see items listed as “red jumper” and nothing else. Describe it more to appear on more relevant searches, for example: “Topshop Red V Neck Cotton Jumper with Pockets Size Medium Great Condition”. Describe it well in the description window too, write about the material, its condition, whether it’s machine washable, if there are any faults, what season it’s best for, even suggestions on what occasions to wear it if you want. It will save you time to add as much information as possible since the beginning rather than having to answer buyers’ questions such as “What is it made of?”.

• If you are selling an item but not sending it, therefore selecting the “Collection in person only” make sure to include this in the item description too in order to avoid misunderstandings.

• If you would like to sell something with a starting price higher than 99p, it’s better to wait the special “Free Insertion Fee Weekend” so once the item sells, you don’t have to pay them.

• If you want to sell something valuable at a certain price you can also select a “reserve” of minimum £50 to ensure the item will not sell unless the final price is above your reserve price.

• If you would like to sell something that buyers can buy straight away, without the need to wait for the end of the auction, select the “Buy it now” option for a small fee.

Start selling!

• There may be times when a certain buyer will ask you to end the auction early or if you can send the item through a different postage method to the ones you have listed etc. Such requests are usually extremely straight forward and easy to handle, and eBay’s site is full of helpful articles to help you with anything at any time.

• Be sure to be around once the auction ends as you’ll have to dispatch the items as soon as possible, make sure you are not on holiday!

• Pack things carefully, especially if using brown paper as it can tear more easily than some pre-made padded envelopes,  and write the address very clearly to avoid delaying the delivery of the item. I usually write “From: (my address)” in case there are any problems and the item has to come back to me (hasn’t happened yet though).

Additional information and links:

• Have a look at the eBay selling basics 
• eBay 1-2-3 of selling
• How do I sell on eBay?
• Money saving expert eBay tips

 

I hope these tips are useful and will show you how easy it can be to part with something you don’t need (rather than waste it) so someone else can use it and make money too!

 

Have you used eBay or similar sites before?

Are you planning to do so?

The Art of Upcyling: Mr Brainwash and More Inspiration

Upcycling is an art. It’s the art of seeing potential in something that seems to be useless.

I have written a D.I.Y. Upcycling post about my little upcycling projects, but last week I went to Mr Brainwash’s exhibition at The Old Sorting Office in New Oxford Street in London and it really inspired me to see everyday objects in a completely new form and environment.

I first saw that there was something going on in New Oxford Street a few weeks ago, the dazzling wall paintings on the corner of the street kept adding up every time I walked past there to go and meet my friends in the West End.

Mr Brainwash’s take on The Queen and The Beatles

It was a pleasure to see more and more images and colours appearing

Inspiring Message and Kate Moss

I told my boyfriend about it and he said “It must be that man’s exhibition, the man who was in the Banksy film we watched”. He was completely right, Mr Brainwash was the street art lover in Banksy’s film “Exit Through the Gift Shop“, a film we watched together the night I made my vegan baguettes, sitting on the carpet together, watching how street artist operate and thinking “wow…..”.

I was really happy I went to the exhibition with my friend last week and breathed in inspiration.

Mickey Mouse made of Coca Cola metal plates

This Mickey Mouse was taller than me! Just nearby there was a massive Darth Vader sculpture made of tyres…!

Michael Jackson Record Portrait

If you look closely not only the hair but also the shirt’s shadows in this portrait are made from whole or fragments of records.

As far as records and CDs are concerned, I only ever thought of reusing them – if scratched and not working properly anymore – as funky coaster or to hang up outside as I once read that their reflection keeps birds away, making it useful if you have a vegetable patch.

I would never have thought of making art with them! This is really motivating.

There were many other vinyl records portraits, I loved Billie Holiday’s…

Mr Brainwash’s Billie Holiday Portrait

and David Bowie

Mr Brainwash’s David Bowie Portrait

Contemporary Madonna Pop Art

In my quest to find more ways to upcycle this exhibition was very stirring, making me realise there aren’t as many limits as we may think when we want to reduce waste and make something beautiful out of something unlikely to be useful.

Mr Brainwash’s work not only provided a most welcome contrasting and stimulating diversion after a hard week at the office, at the end of the exhibition there was a chance to make a donation to Great Ormond Street Hospital and a free poster gift, I chose the “Follow you Dreams” poster.

I have also found inspiration from other blogs: being more sustainable and saving money often go together, and on Miss Thrifty’s blog I found great uses for old maps ideas, using them as wrapping paper, to make lampshades…

After posting my D.I.Y. Upcycling post I received an amazing comment: a very kind reader told me: “I upcycled a disused gold brocade curtain that had been slapped over a junked old fridge at our old flat into my beautiful gold brocade wedding dress”.

I could not believe it, I had to see it! So she very kindly posted a picture of her beautiful upcycled wedding dress on her blog, chrysaliswithaview. Take a look by clicking on her blog name, didn’t she do an astounding job?

Her incredible intuition, motivation, vision and skill enabled her to make something as precious as a wedding dress from something that someone else had carelessly discarded. This is the best example of upcycling I have ever seen! Thank you so much for sharing it!

If everyone made a tiny effort to use their imagination and reuse more and throw away less I’m sure the results would be absolutely worth it, the Earth would be cleaner and its resources under less stress.

There are more upcycling examples on the Crafty Beggars website too.

Do you have any upcycling ideas?

Are you inspired by these examples?

Sitting on Stools Slurping Soups

Happy Saturday readers! How is your week going?

This has been a pretty busy week for me so far, Monday started off with work but I had the afternoon off and went to Covent Garden – I love Covent Garden!- for a haircut and to try some of H&M’s Conscious Collection pieces.

In case haven’t had a chance to read my H&M Conscious Collection post, this is H&M’s new collection made using organic cotton and recycled materials as part of the Swedish company’s efforts to have a more sustainable fashion future.

I was a bit disappointed that the Covent Garden shop didn’t stock some of the dresses that I wanted to try on, but I tried on a few pieces and liked the pink lace dress the most:

Pink Lace H&M Conscious Collection Dress

I love the way this dress fastens at the back with a side zip and the V shape, it’s made of 97% organic cotton and costs £24.99. I didn’t buy it because I am currently trying to use the clothes I already own as much as possible and disposing of what I don’t need in the most ethical way (giving it to someone, selling it on Ebay or taking it to charity shops).

I was really lucky because Monday was a really sunny day and I had my homemade lunch in the park

Grilled aubergines, olives, parsley and spicy cous cous lunch

I thinly sliced and grilled the aubergines in a griddle pan with a tiny bit of oil and had them with cous cous, spicy chilli sauce, olives and more of my fresh parsley for a really tasty vegan lunch.

Oh, and here is me after the haircut:

My new haircut with a side fringe!

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On Tuesday I met up with my cool language mate, she’s from Taiwan and we practice speaking Chinese and French together.

We go to a different cafe’ each time we meet up and this week she recommended Monmouth, which specialises in coffee.

I don’t really like or drink coffee, I probably drink less than 10 cups of coffee per year, but I CANNOT LIVE without tea (I am sipping Longjing Green Tea as I blog) so I usually drink that, like when we went to Yumchaa.

Yumchaa Chilli Chilli Bang Bang Rooibos Tisane…

…with cinnamon, ginger, red thistle, sweet red pepper corns, chilli flakes and a rooibos base (spicy!)

But as we stepped in Monmouth Coffee shop  the lovely coffee aroma made me really fancy a cup of coffee and I had one of their flat whites, made with freshly ground Colombian coffee beans – they buy their coffee beans from farms, estates and cooperatives and only use organic whole milk-it was utterly delicious!

I wanted to take a picture but unfortunately I left my phone at home

They had big pots of what looked like sand on their narrow tables: it was the tastiest and most delicious sugar I have ever tasted in my entire life! ! ! Pure raw cane sugar, which you can buy from them together with their wide variety of fair trade coffee.

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On Wednesday afternoon I once again made my way towards the West End and met my beloved mate and fellow The New Journalist blogger A whom I hadn’t seen in over a month.

We met in Soho and then decided to go to eat at Wagamama‘s, one of my favourite restaurants ever! The informal atmosphere, the stools you end up sharing with other people and the friendly staff add to the dining experience.

We both had my favourite dish there, the Yasai Itame: a scrumptious bowl of flat rice noodles in a spicy green coconut and lemongrass broth with yummy fried tofu, beansprouts, chillies, red and spring onions, bok choi, peppers and mushrooms garnished with a touch of coriander and a wedge of lime.

SO TASTY.

Wagamama Yasai Itame

It shows a V = vegetarian sign on the menu so it’s vegan too, when I still used to eat meat I once had it with chicken and remember thinking it was a lot better with the fried tofu!

The tofu version is not only more sustainable but cheaper too: £8.20 VS. £9.35 for the chicken version, and considering green tea is FREE at Wagamama’s, it certainly deserves golden stars in abundance 😀

The Wagamama site has a new section called “Our Food” showing the dishes’ nutritional values and ingredients people may be allergic too, including whether the dishes include meat or fish.

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On Thursday I came home after work so I finally had a chance to blog, and yesterday after work I once again -you guessed it! made my way to the West End and met up with my boyfriend N at Leicester Square.

We had dinner in Chinatown at the Baozi Inn, a very authentic Chinese restaurant recommended by A where I enjoyed the sitting-on-stools-slurping-soups combo for the second time this week – how lucky am I?!

I had egg and tomato noodle soup, with Chinese Tea of course!

Baozi Inn Tomato and Egg Noodle Soup

My boyfriend N had Dan Dan Noodles and said they were very tasty and meaty, so when he tasted my soup he remarked on how fresh it tasted in comparison to his rich dish.

When my friends and I were in China for our year abroad in 2008-2009 we often had tomato and egg on its own or with rice, it’s very popular in canteens and restaurants.

Here is a recipe if you would like to try it (you can add chopped spring onion to it too, we often ate it like that) use free range or organic eggs for an extra ethical and sustainable dish:

After dinner we went to the theatre to see The King’s Speech play and we sat at the very front row! (we could see up the actors’ nostrils!)

I haven’t seen the film yet, although I’d really like to, but the play was fabulous!

Photo from gethampshire.co.uk

Jonathan Hyde (who starred in films such as Richie Rich, Jumanji, Titanic, The Tailor of Panama and The Contract) played the charismatic Lionel Logue, the Australian speech therapist who helped Bertie – King George VI – (played by Charles Edwards who starred in Mansfield Park and Midsomer Murders) overcome his stammer with the help of his wife Elizabeth – the Queen Mother – (played by Emma Fielding) at a time when he had to deliver several speeches to millions of people in Britain and overseas when a reassuring word meant everything: on the verge of WWII.

It’s amazing to see people perform at the theatre, live, breathing the same air.

The actions and lines have a tangibility and warmth that is rarely conveyed through a screen.

I could stretch my arm and touch the stage they were performing on and the whole experience of being so close to such talented people made my have an even higher respect for theatre performers, as it’s sometimes easy to forget about them and focus solely on the wide-screen Hollywood stars.

I have had a great week so far and I am very excited Monday is a Bank Holiday, do you have any plans?

Have you done anything exciting this week?

Unmissable Tips: 3rd Instalment

I like how some things in life just go together: saving energy saves you money and produces less pollution and damage to the environment, disposing of things sensibly encourages recycling or upcycling or can make you money…I love these win-win situations, they positively make sense. 🙂

After my Waste Not Want Not and my Energy and Money Saving Tips  posts I have gathered many more unmissable tips, especially from my beloved Friends of the Earth newsletter:

• At this time of the year, Car Boot sales are starting up again after the Winter break: give your unwanted items a new life and get yourself some great bargains, find your nearest one on the Car Boot Junction website – whenever I’ve been to a car boot sale I’ve always seen tons of children’s toys in great condition and also really cool home accessories and objects;

Great jar: 25p at a car boot sale

ECO CLEANING:

• If you need to freshen up and remove odours from carpets or rugs without using chemical-filled products, sprinkle with bicarbonate of soda, leave for a couple of hours or overnight and then vacuum;

ECO FASHION:

• Recycle your bra: 29% of British women wear the wrong bra size, so if you own any wrong size bras join the Big Bra Hunt like celebrities such as Helen Mirren and donate them to Oxfam and help women in Senegal earn a living to support their families.
• 1.5 million tonnes of unwanted clothing and textiles end up in landfill each year in the UK, or 30 kilos of waste per person. Have a clear out this weekend, and donate clothes you no longer wear to your local charity shop or sell them on ebay!

ECO GARDENING:

• Grow your own tomatoes, salad, carrots, courgettes, leeks, French beans, broad beans and spinach with these lovely tips;
• Cut kitchen waste and start composting: have a look at the guide to composting in 7 easy steps;
• Create a greenhouse by cutting plastic bottles in half and placing them over seedlings as individual greenhouses that will also protect them from slugs and snails;

ECO WORKPLACE

• On a team night out I was appointed the honourable title of “Queen of Ambiance” of the office. If my title maintains any of its drunken-night power then I will definitely set forth several ideas to green the workplace, from cutting waste, to recycling, only printing what’s really necessary, using less energy and turning computers and monitors off, saving water and more! You could even save your company some money so it’s well worth trying;

ECO BABIES

• If you have a baby or know someone who has a bundle of joy, try out real nappies! Real cloth nappies can not only reduce waste but save you hundred of £$€! Have a look at the Real Nappy Information Service for more info on their comfort, econess, easy use and super funky designs 🙂 my Nan always says it was a great source of pride to hang lovely clean cloth nappies on the washing line…

Real Cloth Nappies – Picture from Ebay

ECO DIY

• Replace leaky taps and save litres of water each day, if installing new taps, consider using spray head taps which can save up to an amazing 80% water;
• Have a look at the DIY guide for green tips for your home, there is so much interesting info!!
• Recycle your paint: Community RePaint is a UK network for reusing paint and redistributing it to those who cannot afford it;

ECO FOOD

• Shop from a list: reduce food waste and save money by planning your meals and writing a shopping list. It will help you avoid impulse-buys of food that will otherwise go to waste.
• When you use lemons for any recipes, such as my lemony halloumi pasta, use any remaining lemon juice for any of the 40 lemon tips or to clean your chopping board by rubbing the lemon pulp on it and leaving it overnight-

• 

  Rub the lemon onto your chopping board to clean it

  -you can even add a little salt for a real scrub effect, and then rinse with warm water.

ECO BEAUTY

• Use up your beauty products in a tube to the last drop by cutting them up:

Apparently empty face wash tube

Cut the tube in half to be able to scoop out all the remaining product (you’ll be surprised by how much there is left!)

Cut the tube in half

Re-seal for future use

Re-seal the tube to use it up gradually

By re-sealing in onto itself you make sure the product doesn’t dry up and you can use it up gradually until there actually isn’t any left and avoid wasting it.

What are your favourite energy and money-saving habits?

H&M Conscious Collection Spring 2012

They are doing it again!

After H&M‘s beautiful Spring 2010 Garden collection, with pieces made from organic cotton, linen and recycled materials, they are coming back with this year’s version called The Conscious Collection as “part of H&M’s actions for a more sustainable fashion future”.

This collection includes items made from Tencel, a type of cellulose and eco-friendly recycled polyester made of PET bottles and textile waste.

H&M are really taking a step towards sustainable fashion, they saved 300,000,000 litres of water in denim production, donated 2.3M garments to charities in 2011 alone, they are the biggest users of organic cotton in the world and in addition to that they educate their workers in Bangladesh and India on their rights at work.

The Conscious Collection looks absolutely gorgeous:

H&M 2012 Conscious Collection

and it has already been worn at Red Carpet Events by celebrities such as Amanda Seyfried:

Picture from Getty Images and H&M

and Michelle Williams

Michelle Williams in H&M Conscious Collection

Stunning H&M Conscious Collection Dress

Go to the H&M website to view the rest of this amazing  and affordable collection, in stores now.

With so many dazzling dresses to choose from, in addition to many casual items, it’s very tempting to think of this collection for upcoming Summer weddings outfits…

Let me share with you a really good website for clothing bargains (£3 Lipsy dresses or £15 House of Fraser dresses) called Samples London where you can search for bargains or choose clothes and be notified when they go down in price!

Are you excited as I am by this new eco collection?

Have you / are you going to buy anything from H&M’s Conscious Collection?