Unpluggit

Stumbled upon this site through the Ben & Jerry's e-newsletter. It's nothing you don't know already, but it's sensible, and it's a gentle way to get doing your bit. I confess, despite all my other efforts being second nature now, I still suck at remembering to unplug our many entertainment appliances every night ('Hmmm, was it tonight I set it to record that thing...?'). But big things always start small, eh?

Flickr piccies

As usual, I've uploaded several months' worth of photos in one go, so feel free to look. As usual, I've also done something silly with them and uploaded a bunch of them into more than one set, but hey ho! Here's your sneak preview.

Do you do Coke?

This morning I went on Yahoo answers and posed this question:

From an ethical point of view, should I buy Diet Coca Cola?

'There are lots of big companies out there who exploit their work force, have their fingers in some dodgy pies, and finance arms production etc. I want to know how ethical the Coca Cola company are, and whether I should stop giving them my money to spend on things I am opposed to...?'

Most of my answers so far indicate a lack of understanding about issues like Trade Justice, and ethical business practice, in general. And of course I've had a lot of 'Buy American!' tub-thumping. After the ' just to ease your liberal guilt over everything.' answer, I decided to pose the same question, newly-worded, on Yahoo Answers UK & Ireland:

From an ethical point of view, should I buy Diet Coca Cola?

I already live as ethically as I can, buying Fair Trade as far as our shopping budget allows, reducing my consumption, etc., and I often wonder if my little Diet Coke habit in fact makes me a bit of a hypocrite?

There are lots of big companies out there who exploit their work force, have their fingers in some dodgy pies, and finance arms production etc. I want to know how ethical the Coca Cola company are, and whether I should stop giving them my money to spend on things I am opposed to...?

Interestingly, here I get more answers related to buying a cheaper Cola (yeeeuch!) and side-stepping the ethics completely. Though, it's mostly Americans answering on both sites as far as I can tell (without bothering to check profiles.)

So far, I've had scant answers regarding the genuine question, and more opinions than anything else. Obviously, I wasn't intending to make my decision based on a few comments from unqualified strangers, but I thought one or two people might at least have been able to point me towards research/magazine articles/conspiracy theories. I guess it's a symptom of our age. What I think/feel/believe has superceded the actual, often absolute, truth.

Hell, I'll throw it out there, though. What do you think? (asking your opinion) And what do you know? (asking about The Coca-Cola company)

Ouch!

Yesterday evening, while popping a few bits up in the loft, the ladder came unlatched and I ended up in a heap on the landing floor. Despite smashing a mirror on the way down, and landing partially on top of the ladder, I've not got more than a couple of bruises. Boy am I sore, though! Caleb has had the first three days off pre-school this week already, with a cold, but I just couldn't face the walk there, back, there and back again with pulled muscles and a throbbing tushie! Worst thing about it: I screamed like a big GIRL.