features
february 2007
topic
Spencer likes to do it shopping
He:
- buys quality products that last for a long time
- shops for second-hand items and recycled clothing
- repairs broken items
- borrows books and CD’s from the library
- buys less STUFF!
Why does buying local goods matter? Locally produced means less fuel is used to transport the product from the factory to the shop, equalling less transport pollution.
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Shirley likes to do it anywhere"I recycle all the water from the shower, kids baths, washing veges and dishes to put on the veg garden, use cloth nappies cleaned without nasty chemicals, breastfeed my babies and buy 2nd hand or freecycle everything I can. I have a baby clothes sharing network with friends. We walk to school or shops most days rather than drive and buy locally.
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Andrew likes to do it in the bathroom"I save water by adding a brick into the toilet cistern to reduce the amount it can flush.
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Gainore likes to do it at home"I bought a largish plastic tub to stand in when I shower. The water I catch I decant into a bucket and use that to flush the toilet or on the garden. A good trick is to use it in the wash cycle of the machine, which has been hooked up for grey water recycling using the hoses that are available at most department/hardware stores - so you get to use the water to wash yourself, wash your clothes and water the garden.