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Going, going, gone green!
For a long time now I have been the first to argue the corner of the skeptic when it comes to the green brigade. Global warming - pah! Ice age dawning - what dross! I don't think the last ice age was caused by one too many dinosaurs piloting a Boeing 747, do you?
It wasn't so much that I didn't believe that environmental changes were afoot but I had difficulty believing that mere mortals could be at the root of the problem. After all, 2% of the world's adult population have over 50% of the world's wealth and half the world - nearly three billion people - live on less than two dollars a day. I don't know about you but I don't imagine that they are creating much non-biodegradable waste or using many fossil fuels.
Money and energy usage go together so, to my mind, how could just 2% of the population cause such a catastrophe? Or even 10%, as that's the number that has over 85% of the world's assets.
And so it went on, or at least I did. But with last week's news emerging from the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) and Sir David Attenborough's voice joining in the fun, I started thinking or, more accurately, rethinking. Over 2,500 scientists, 130 countries and the inimitable Sir David can't all be wrong. There's increasing evidence that we, and particularly little ol' me, can make a difference.
Previously, even on the rare occasions when I admitted that environmental damage was man-made, I still forthrightly placed the responsibility at the door of big business. 'It's their fault, not mine' I would say.
And it is. I stand by my words but who is in control of what big business does? We are. 'Supply and demand' is a long-accepted economic principle. If we want it, they make it. If we want it made differently, they will make it differently. If we don't buy, they can't sell. It's that simple.
That said, I am not about to don my sandwich board to tell my neighbours that 'the end of the world is nigh'. I am simply going to do a little bit under the premise that if we all do the same little bit, a big difference will ensue.
So, with this in mind, this week's Web Watch has gone green.
Selling items ranging from battery chargers to chocolate cake and from greetings cards to picture frames, allthingsgreen.net is a marketplace that is exactly what it says it is - green - organic, eco-friendly, recycled, sustainable and natural products and gifts all sourced directly from UK-based small businesses so there's no air travel involved!
There is only one downside to this site - I don't often comment on the design aspects of a site but I am going to make an exception here. I don't think green has to look 'green'. In fact, it puts me off a little. The problem is the same with the clothing range, I don't want to look like a hippy throw-back. I want to look like me without the environmental price tag. If you get past the picture of a women looking like she is about to hit you with an eco-friendly recycled log-maker, you are greeted with a rather limited range of green clothing. With the exception of a very few items, I can't see myself making that leap but there are still some great products here.
Nappies, toys, body and skincare products, organic meats, wine, chocolates, mobile phone chargers and self-sufficient FM/AM radios (which look particularly good) are all included in the range. For the really green amongst us, the aforementioned 'waste logmaker' does exist so you can recycle your household waste into logs for burning on your eco-friendly open fire.
And, with Valentine's Day just around the corner, the site has not forgotten the love-lorn or the loved-up, you can find the perfect green gift for the apple of your eye; Champagne, Truffles, Roses, Soothing Body Lotions and a delicious-looking organic chocolate cake which I might just have to try... for research purposes only you understand!
Oh, just in case you are feeling particularly generous, any of the above would be gratefully received on the 14th, just send to me c/o Radio Berkshire. That would be lovely, thank you!
Local Council Recycling Links:
Reading
Windsor and Maidenhead
West Berkshire
South Oxfordshire
Jacqueline Alexander
Let Web Watch know what you think of the site... the article... the world... life... love... anything really!
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