Turn electric appliances off at the mains. A DVD player uses 85% of its energy when it’s left on standby. Once your laptop or mobile is fully charged – unplug it from the mains – otherwise it keeps drawing down the energy – notice the warmth of the plug? You can now buy solar powered mobile phone chargers, bike lights and battery rechargers. Stockists include the Centre for Alternative Energy in Wales, www.cat.org.uk

Fit energy efficient lightbulbs. They last up to 12 times longer than traditional bulbs and save money. We have just installed omicron lights as recommended in the Ethical Consumer magazine issue 95 (available in all good libraries, subscription details on www.ethicalconsumer.org).

Don’t splurge money on brand new items. Make the old ones last by repairing them, then recycling them – perhaps at the council recycling centre or on freecycle (a web group for each area all over the world, giving and receiving items for free – www.freecycle.org), and then buy good quality second hand.

Often a lot cheaper (eg for clothes, furniture, bicycles etc) – it reduces landfill, saves energy and the Earth’s resources in making something new, and proceeds often go to charity.

Regenerate a sense of community in your local area – Fiona suggests volunteering at a local wildlife project, joining a LETS scheme (where people pay for your skills or services with credits which can then be exchanged for other services or goods in the same scheme) or simply start by greeting your neighbours in the street.

Search

VACANCIES

Advocacy Officer for the African Biodiversity Network. Full-time, based in Africa. More detail.

Gaia Learning Centre

2008 Programme of Events.

A range of workshops and evenings, to inspire and strengthen our relationship with the natural world and influence the choices we make in our daily lives.

** BOOK NOW **
Wild Law Workshop - 26-28 September - with the Environmental Law Foundation and the UK Environmental Law Association.

Earth Ethics Series

Summaries from recent Gaia Evenings.

Zero Carbon Britain - by Peter Harper

Restoring the Mythological Paradigm - by Jules Cashford

The Colombian Amazon: An Indigenous Peoples' Journey - by Dr. Martín von Hildebrand

Changing America's Environmental Laws - by Andrew Kimbrell.

Science's Changing Myth - by Prof. Brian Goodwin.

Countdown: Life on a Hotter Planet - by Mark Lynas.

A New Relationship with the Living Earth - by Dr. Rupert Sheldrake.

Get Involved

Other events and links to inspire you:

The Age of Stupid - the unmissable new climate change documentary for the big screen. Documentary footage, drama and cutting-edge animation asks "Why didn't we stop climate change when we had the chance?"

Earth is Community - DVDs
For anyone who was not able to make our Earth is Community event, celebrating the vision and path of Thomas Berry. A set of DVDs with the main presentations, now available.

Earth Community Network

Schumacher College and Bija Vidyapeeth offer residential courses on Earth democracy and sustainable living. Visit the Earth Community Network for more opportunities in experiential learning - in Brazil, Kenya, India, UK.