Just day one and already this seems impossible! The no plastic bags rule? Already broken!!! We walked down to the village to the local greengrocer, to buy village grown asparagus and leeks, and English everything else. This was all carefully planned, unlike the normal get there and grab something, so I know exactly what we're using when, and nothing should be wasted. Unlike the supermarkets, the greengrocer does not always tell you where things are from, whether they are fairtrade or organic so I found myself asking. "Don't know" was the reply. Whilst I could get reasonably local veg, there was no 'ethical' fruit at all. And then I went to pay and my husband and I looked at each other and realised we'd forgotten the plastic bags. So 2 acquired on day 1.
It is interesting that when you start trying to shop ethically you start realising where the gaps in the market are. Which I suppose brings up the next question of lobbying for an ethical choice to be provided. Which feels a little uncomfortable in the friendly greengrocer shop, but does raise the question of if no one does it, then how will the demand be created to force the supply. At this time of year fairtrade fruit is the main aim as fruit is not seasonal in the spring (though berries will be in soon), so I aim to write a terribly polite letter (I don't do confrontation!) requesting this at the greengrocers.
Then I started thinking about other places such letters could be used. Later in the day, at a children's party, when the party bags are given out there are polystyrene gliders as gifts. Naturally my kids want to open them then and there and I find myself saying "don't be upset because they'll probably break before we get home today." Which they do in a non recyclable, non biodegradable kind of a way. Party bags! The essence of non green living but every parent feels compelled to provide them (the ethical ones are pretty rubbish - I looked for my daughter's last birthday). There is such a niche for cool ethical bags or a new concept to be found by someone far more creative than myself e.g. giving out tickets for entrance to a local (cheap) attraction would probably cost less than a bag full of plastic and sugar.
I could write letters to the (frankly scary) hospital canteen which I am certain adopts none of the principles (they don't even butter your toast before they put the beans on - 'not policy' apparently - how then can I get them to adopt any ethical policies when they won't even butter toast? Or serve breakfast at 2 minutes to 9AM!). What about the cinema, restaurants? Coupled with the failed plastic bags goal it all suddenly it seems overwhelming and precipitates a fit of grumpiness and despondency. I worry I'll turn into one of those people who phones 'Jeremy Vine' or writes into 'Points of View'. Or worse, the Daily Mail.
But then my husband reminds me of the starfish story. For those who don't know, it goes like this: A man walks along a beach where millions of starfish have been stranded. He meets another man who is picking up starfish, individually, and throwing them back in the sea. "What's the point?" the first man says, "How will this make any difference?" The second man throws another starfish back in the sea, "It makes a difference to that one" he replies.
So, fairtrade fruit at the greengrocer is my first starfish.
I later go the the farm shop, whose motto is 'local, seasonal, traditional', and get my butter, cheese and meat. Not much meat, enough for four days of the week only, and chicken instead of beef for the roast as chickens have less carbon footprint than cows (this gets confusing, chickens are 2 times veg, beef is 8 times veg, not sure of the units but I get the principle! Feel like this is more demanding than my degree was).
I'm also going to next work out the non veg/meat things I need for the month, and try and do a whole month ethical bulk shop, either from ethical superstore, or ocado, which sounds v posh and expensive but has won green retailer of the year. And I'm hoping that if I'm buying bulk and once a month only, this will cut down the cost. I've often found that an online shop is less expensive than a supermarket shop because you don't pick up all the things you 'just fancy this week'. So maybe this will work. If it does, and I'm in profit at the end of the month, I'm going to give half to charity. If not, well, try, try again, as the saying goes.
Because, as one high street retailer says, "there is no Plan B".
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