We’re the Guardian “Live Better” Blog of the Week! @GdnLiveBetter

Filed in Blog by on March 7, 2014 1 Comment
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Rachelle strauss Guardian Live Better Blog of the Week How excited am I?

The Guardian have launched a seven month digital project called “Live Better” which is focused around sustainability.

Each month, they’ll focus on a different area of sustainability and over the course of the project they are running a feature called Blog of the Week.

My Zero Waste is proud to be the Guardian’s Live better first “Blog of the Week!

So I’d like to welcome Guardian readers to the site and tell you a little bit about us…

Back in 2004 we were on holiday in Boscastle when we were caught in flash flooding – over 100 people had to be airlifted to safety as torrential rainfall caused two rivers to break their banks at the same time as the tide came in.

At that time, as I was standing there holding my daughter in my arms – wondering whether I’d ever see my husband again – I thought “This is it. This is climate change. All the stuff I’ve been reading about that will happen in 50 years time isn’t happening in 50 years time; it’s happening right now!”

Now, whether or not that’s true isn’t really the point.

The point is…

That event changed my life.

It made me think about the impact of all the choices and actions I take.

Over time we decided as a family to be part of the solution rather than part of the problem.

So we did little things such as giving up disposable plastic carrier bags, using our kerbside collections and starting a compost heap.

It wasn’t about an overnight lifestyle change or massive overwhelm, it was about taking one small step at a time to see what we could achieve.

In 2009 we set ourselves a goal and accumulated just one dustbin of waste for the entire year. Everything else was recycled, reused, rejected or composted.

Our bin was emptied live on Breakfast television – as you do!

Now we’re in more of an advisory role and we simply do what we can at home with the facilities that are currently available to us.

We decided we could have MORE impact by inspiring every household to reduce their landfill waste by a small fraction than we could by being ‘the one bin family’.

Plus our daughter is now a teen and as every parent knows, there comes a time in every child’s life where they need to break away from, and even rebel against, everything their parents stand for!

We’d love you to join us; whether it’s to read about our adventures or challenge yourselves to reduce your waste.

Why not sign up to our mailing list? I send out monthly emails and you’ll have the opportunity to join in with our annual awareness campaign – Zero Waste Week – in September.

Now tell me – are you inspired to reduce your landfill waste or don’t you think it matters?

guardian live better blog of the week

About the Author ()

I am a long time supporter of the Green and Sustainable lifestyle. After being caught in the Boscastle floods in 2004, our family begun a journey to respect and promote the importance of Earth's fragile ecosystem, that focussed on reducing waste. Inspired by the beauty and resourcefulness of this wonderful planet, I have published numerous magazine articles on green issues and the author of four books.

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  1. thank you for sharing your experience, high and low points and everything in between.
    and a big puff of pride from those who have followed the Green path behind you, alongside you, with you. i am ever so grateful and increasingly happy for the changes you have inspired where most needed.

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