New Beginnings

Well here I am - Blog One

I'm not sure who is going to be reading this blog, but I guess my hope is that there are a few others out there on the same journey as me. It's not easy to give up the convenience of modern life, but it's my feeling that unless some of us start to, the planet may be doomed. Dooomed, I tell ya! In some respects it's doomed already. Animals made extinct because of human 'progress' and endless others teetering on the brink. Many of my friends wonder why I put myself through the difficulties of adjusting to a more eco-sensitive lifestyle, because one person won't make a difference. That might seem true, but unless individuals start making this change, the masses certainly never will.

I guess I should introduce myself really. I am a thirty-four years old (thirty five in eight weeks!) and I work part time at a nature reserve. I'm also an artisan (noun: 'a worker in a skilled trade, especially one that involves making things by hand' ) I started painting at a young age and more recently I have had a go at a variety of crafts. It is partly this interest in making things instead of buying them that inspired me to move forward crazy idea of living a better life. Always aware that anything manufactured would likely have a heavy tag of pollution around its neck, I started getting involved in the handmade lifestyle and supporting other crafters. The more I started looking at the things I used day to day , the more I wanted to invest in reusable, yet sustainable, items. Avoid plastics where possible and reduce the amount of waste I created in the process. I have always preferred vintage and antique items over new, so thankfully I don't have a habit of buying new to overcome. 

I am also changing my eating habits. I am avoiding processed food, both because of the packaging and manufacture involved in such things, but also because processed food is unsurprisingly the most unhealthy. I have been vegetarian since birth as my parents had already made that change before I was born. In someways this makes things easier as the meat industry causes a huge amount of environmental damage in it's own right. I also already have a veg plot, so growing organically is already something I'm used to. I live  in Eastern England and we have a mild climate here. I grow in harmony with the wildlife that shares my outdoor space. I use no chemicals and over the years I've created a natural balance that I don't really have much of a problem with 'pests' . 

So there is a little introduction to my world. Over the next few posts I'll be talking more about changes I'm making and sharing some great ideas and products I've come across recently. Periodically I'll also be sharing some no fuss recipes, to show how I'm using some of the food I grow here at home.