Eco Worrier news alert!

Between the worms, the garden (or more accurately, my slug and snail slaying mission, which has become my sole agenda out there), this blog and my Body&Soul column, I admit there have been moments when I’ve felt greened-out. I start glazing over at supper when someone brings up whether Live Earth has saved us all or the benefits of organic farming. Instead I find myself thinking about Big Brother. A bad sign indeed.

But passing waves of pea-green nausea have never hung around and I’m soon back to my old self, bullying my boyfriend about his lights-left-on habits and waxing lyrical about composting. This last month, I have had no trouble getting fired up about green living. I have never felt more inspired. This is largely because I have a new focus. A book. I have teamed up with Transworld and will be publishing an Eco-Worrier inspired book next Spring. It is currently title-less but I shall keep you posted.

Among other things, it is a chance to reassess the past two years of columns and blog postings and think not only about the advice that I have given out but also the tips and comments that have come from you. There are recommendations on every imaginable subject from cat litter trays to cycling equipment. Such is the importance of this feedback, I’m working out how to incorporate it. To make this easier, I would be grateful if those of you who have commented on this blog in the past could let me know if it is ok for me to quote you. I will be using first names only and am quite happy to use a pseudonym if you fancy confusing your identity.

In the future, I will assume that if you post up a comment on this site, you won't mind if I refer to it in the book. I hope this won't deter anyone writing comments and revealing their darkest eco sins and secrets.

Comments

[Warren]

I am very appreciative of your hard work (and that of those who trouble to comment). Recently it was pointed out to me that there is a major gap in most discussions of what we can do to minimize our "carbon footprint"--that is, what is the amount attributable to our share of the national budget for military activities? The US Pentagon by itself uses more oil than all but 35 of the 190 nations on the Earth. Military machinery is very capital and energy intensive to manufacture. It is often armored, but even when not, it is "heavy equipment." It is notorious for inefficient use of fuel, especially older equipment kept running under harsh conditions (think US military trucks left over from the first Gulf War or older, running around in Iraq). Add in the fuel used to deliver the equipment (and the people to use it) to those foreign locales. And realize that does not include the carbon cost of constructing massive military bases in hostile lands.

No one expects national defense to worry about fuel efficiency in military vehicles in the event of an attack on our nation--but pre-emptive warfare on flimsy exaggerated excuses is not just a moral wrong having enormous human consequences in the immediate time period, it is a vast ecological wrong as well, whose impact will be felt for centuries. Long after Blair and Bush are faded memories, the damage done to the environment and the vast contributions they have caused to be made to global warming will continue to plague our world. And the saddest thing is that this is on-going, with no end in sight. That is, unless we, the people, act in concert to close at least our part of the war in Iraq down.

[Heather Wallace]

Hey Greenies!

I'm assuming most of the followers of environmental issues have an opinion about Live Earth, which happened last weekend...

I think it's important to listen to the skeptics in order to make informed decisions about climate change. This man makes some interesting points, even if they're just points to bounce opposite ideas off of:

Celebrity Earth?
http://www.orato.com/node/2974

what do you guys think?
www.orato.com

[greendemon]

Eco Worrier, it's fine with me if you use anything that i've said on this blog in your book. Just call me bob or somehting!

[auntiegrav]

My best suggestion to the Live Earth people is to change the format from "Spectacle" to "Community". The first was important to get people's attention, but now, the concerts should be local 'walk-to' events, with local musicians and no TV. The overall effect should be a Negative Carbon footprint by getting people to get out of the house, turn off their air conditioners, TV's, and computers, and be human again.

As for Greenie burnout, I experienced that at the first Organic farming conference I went to.

The difference IMHO between Organic and Local is the price. If something costs more money, and you need a System to monitor it, then it will use more resources by forcing people to work more and consume more in order to have more 'disposable' income.

If you want Change, keep it in your pocket. 'THEY' have power because we buy it for them with every purchase we make.
"First, you've got to get ANGRY!"
"I'm MAD AS HELL and I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANY MORE!!" --"Network"

[oddball dove]

I saw on an ECO type show how large cities are putting green houses on top of their skyscrapers. I mean, to me it seemed like a headon fight against the effects of smog. I thought that was a really cooool idea. Pass-it-on. Oh yeah, good luck w/the book.

[igmuska]

I commiserate with you...I feel that today's society would rather use concerts and other public gatherings to meet people instead of focus on the issue or cause.

but don't be disheartened, this lull you feel is only temporary, I guarantee you that your spirit will return to you and reinvigorate your writings.

PEACE ON EARTH and SOMETIMES ON YOUR FOREHEAD

[annediamond]

biodegradeable cat litter is a good enviromentally friendly solution that more people should be using. For example:

http://freecatlitter.weebly.com/