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coaching, counselling and training in Worthing (UK) and online with Pat Spink

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recycling

What is a Toy?

I was fascinated this week when I saw a report on BBC Breakfast about a ‘back to basics’ experiment in a UK nursery which, it’s reported, has stimulated creativity and improved communication amongst the children involved (especially the boys, apparently) – and decluttering the rooms in the process. I also found an article about it in the Mail Online (published back in March of this year).

Matt Caldwell, the Head of the nursery was, apparently, inspired by similar schemes in Germany which replaced plastic toys with everyday items and real size objects – so, for example, instead of a miniature/child-size/toy version of a musical instrument, they would have an adult-sized, real one to explore.egg-carton-575692_1280

lavender ovalOther items were day-to-day objects such as kettles, bottle tops, egg boxes, corks, pine cones, conkers, lavender and pots.

The backs were taken off electrical items so the children could see how they were constructed. Continue reading “What is a Toy?”

Attenborough on Plastic at Glastonbury 2019

I wasn’t at Glastonbury this weekend, but I did see a recording of Sir David Attenbourough’s spot.

He’s amazing – so respected – able to hold the attention of such a large crowd, many of whom were 70 or more years younger than himself – that’s no mean feat!

He’s lost none of his energy and passion – yet, I think he delivers what he says in an understated but serious manner – without talking down to anyone.

A great role model, not only for what he’s doing for us all and the planet, but also for any of us who might be wondering how we might be/behave in our own later years perhaps ..?

If you missed it, here’s a recording I found – it’s less than 4 minutes:

Plus a great comic-style article which a friend sent me recently which you might like, too – click here.

use, re-use, recycle or mend…

single-use

Very pleased to hear Sir David Attenborough and others speaking out at the UN climate summit in Poland last week.

I’m also glad to see ‘single-use’ as the Collins Word of the Year, highlighting our throwaway mentality which needs challenging for the sake of our planet – aimed, particularly, at our use of plastics. Continue reading “use, re-use, recycle or mend…”

Waste Not, Want Not, Tie The Knot!

I just want to share another great example of frugality and recycling that I read about in the Express recently – and all done without losing any of the joy and celebration in life:

wedding-rings-150300_1280.pngA couple, Cherie Harris and James Mainwaring, approached their wedding arrangements in a rather different and heartening way.

Instead of paying the usual cost of a wedding breakfast for their 140 guests, they spent a mere £6 a head by sourcing a delicious meal from food that would otherwise have gone to landfill via The Real Junk Food Project.

Other eco-friendly touches included home-made invitations and decorations, a wedding dress lined with bamboo pulp and gifts of seeds as wedding favours which their guests could then plant afterwards…

Doesn’t this just show what can be achieved with a touch of imagination, ingenuity and co-operation. winking-face_1f609

‘Life Stripped Bare’ – another chance to see it

movers-24403_640I wrote about this UK Channel 4 Series back in 2016 in my blog How Much ‘Stuff’ is Enough? The Naked Truth!.

If you missed it and you’d like to see it, it’s being repeated – starting tomorrow, Monday 28th May, at 11pm.

Enjoy!

All Her Possessions Fit into One Carry-on Suitcase?

suitcase-2148812_1920.jpgI smiled when I heard the author Amanda Prowse on TV recently, plastic boxhaving been asked if it were true that all her possessions could fit into a carry-on suitcase, reply:

“… all of my possessions can fit into a 2.5 litre plastic box.”

As if this weren’t impressive enough, she then went on to say that when she travels anywhere she takes only 3 outfits with her:

“… one in the wash, one to wear and one spare …” Continue reading “All Her Possessions Fit into One Carry-on Suitcase?”

How Much ‘Stuff’ is Enough? The Naked Truth!

The UK Channel 4 programme ‘Life Stripped Bare’ which was broadcast in July created some debate as to whether the nakedness of the participants was necessary or gratuitous.

movers-24403_640The premise was “… What happens when three young households have all their belongings taken away?…”. It’s still on All 4 at the moment, and various clips from the programme can also be found on YouTube (see links below). Continue reading “How Much ‘Stuff’ is Enough? The Naked Truth!”

Hugh’s War on Waste: The Battle Continues

In the latest episode in the series broadcast last night Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall updated us on progress since last time and is now targeting the big coffee shop chains for using cups that aren’t recyclable (even though many of us thought they were – I did) and the amount of packaging used by Amazon. Continue reading “Hugh’s War on Waste: The Battle Continues”

War on Waste

Organic Rice Field With Dew Drops

I loved these two programmes on the BBC – presented by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall but it was shocking to see the amount of fresh, nutritious food that is thrown away in the UK because it’s not ‘pretty’ enough for our supermarket shelves – and the businesses who produce it who are struggling or, worse, shutting down. Continue reading “War on Waste”

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