Dig for victory

Modern day green living for the far-from perfect

A stark irony faces us as modern women, many of whom may have been raised by parents who experienced the tail end of a rationing regime which continued well into the 1950s. As the offspring of ‘war children’, who have rebelled for years against the 'make do and mend' philosophy - working hard for career autonomy and financial independence, we now find ourselves faced with an uncomfortable truth. With rising fuel bills and food prices, the threat of impending environmental catastrophe and a population whose diet is leading increasing numbers of adults and children into obesity and ill health, did mother know best after all? We investigate the modern version of the 'Dig for Victory' mantra?

Enough of the excuses

We all know we should do more. Sometimes we really do try to make a change, but there’s never enough time, and it hurts to give up the nice things in life, and anyway what’s the point? Will one person really make a difference?

But enough of the excuses – nobody is expecting every lawyer to buy a wind turbine and move to a smallholding, jogging to work in their fair-trade organic hemp suit. Well, not straightaway anyway… What then are the fun, healthy, hassle-free, money saving methods to adopt a leaner, greener approach, which fit around work and the requirements of modern living?

Top Ten Tips to be Leaner and Greener at Home

1. Switch it off - Saving energy is perhaps the most important thing you can do. If you find it hard to remember try an energy usage meter. This records electricity consumption and converts it into the monetary equivalent, so now you can see just how much it is costing you to leave the tv on standby.
2. Water saving – A Water Saver is the simple, low cost water saving device to help conserve water in household toilet cisterns. Every time a toilet is flushed the Water Saver saves approximately 3 litres of water. When installed in the average home they provide a saving on your metered bills of approximately £20 per annum, with a pay back on your initial investment within 8 - 12 weeks. Of course, if you're really tight like me, you could just fill a plastic milk bottle with water and put that in the cistern. FREE money coming your way - I love it!
3. Garden Vertically – No garden? Unless you live on a houseboat or in a tepee, you must have a wall? Try growing beans, squash or passion fruit in pots up walls using netting for support.
4. Rainwater butt. Now you are growing veg up the wall, why not save rainwater to water them with? And save water and money at the same time. Simple kits for use with plastic drainpipes are available from all major diy stockists.
5. Bike to work – cheap, healthy and time efficient! Works your exercise routine into your commute, and gives you all-important clear-space between work and home. Why not get your employer to sign up for the government’s cycle to work scheme? Cost-neutral to the employer, it gives you the opportunity to purchase the bike of your dreams tax free to ride to and from work. For more details on tax breaks for cyclists see the Department for Transport website
6. Use Public Transport – Everybody moans about public transport in their area – it’s too dirty/crowded/old/doesn’t run when I want it. But when did you last actually check? And even if it doesn’t work for everyday, can you take the train instead of flying?
7. Compost – it’s no more difficult to put your used tea bags in a crock pot next to the kettle to go on to the compost heap, than to walk to the bin. Many councils offer subsidised composters - have a look to see if there is a scheme currently operating in your area
8. Freecycle – The freecycle network is made up of many local groups all giving and receiving free stuff, rather than throwing it away. The scheme matches people who have things they want to get rid of with people who can use them. The goal is to keep usable items out of landfill. So, if you have (or want) an old freezer, roll of chicken wire, or pretty much anything else that is safe and legal, this could be the place for you.
9. Free food (1) – when was the last time you went blackberrying? Make a day of it – pack a picnic, take the kids and forage. Try to find sites away from busy roads, and wash the fruit before use. You may find apples growing in hedgerows too - only a crumble-topping away from the perfect pudding.
10. Free food (2) - for the fridge mismanager.

• Garlic bulbs, potatoes and can be grown from the produce you have overlooked and left to start sprouting. You may get slightly less disease-resistance than buying new stock, but nothing to lose - why not plant them out and see what happens? No garden? You can grow potatoes and garlic in a bucket.
• Butternut Squash – simply collect and dry some seeds to grow your own.
• Tomatoes - choose a very ripe tomato that’s lurking in the bottom of the fridge and scoop out the seeds. Put them in a jar, half fill it with water and leave at room temperature for two days - the good seeds will sink to the bottom. Drain the good seeds on kitchen roll and then dry outside in direct sunlight. The seeds can then be stored for planting next year.

Of course there are lots more ideas, and as soon as you start you'll develop your own.

Whilst it is a good place to start, there is no need to confine the leaner, greener mentality to the home.

1. Print on both sides.

2. Stop using staples - according to Friends of the Earth "if every one of the UK's 10 million office workers used one less staple we would save 120 tonnes of steel a year". Either use and more importantly reuse, paper clips or get a paperless stapler.

3. Recycle all your paper. If your company does not recycle then why not ask them to start.

4. You can also reuse envelopes and packaging, especially for internal post.

5. Use email or the internet whenever you can to try and cut down on the need for paper.

1. If you are one of the people that 'do lunch' and always end up in a pub, cafe or restaurant ask yourself where the food came from and how ethical it is. Buy local and think global - Is the coffee fair traded, is the food locally produced?

2. use fair trade tea/coffee and sugar in the office

3. Tea bags and coffee grounds can be composted. Talk to your boss about setting up a collection.

4. Only boil the water you need – don’t just fill the kettle up to the brim.

5. If your company has a water cooler, don't keep using a fresh cup every time you need a drink - bring in a glass from home. If you are feeling generous you could bring in a few for visitors.

6. Get another bin or two to collect everyone's cans and bottles for recycling.

1. Switch off your computer when it is not in use.

2. Also switch off the printers, faxes, photocopiers and other electrical equipment. In offices where lots of equipment is shared make sure that you have cleared this with the rest of your team - the majority of calls to the IT department are due to equipment being switched off!

3. Mobile phone chargers still use electricity even when not in use, so do make sure that you have unplugged yours when you are not using it.

4. Ask your employer if you can switch your company's energy to a green supplier.

Thinking outside the office block is the job of those fully committed to being leaner and greener. Why not turn your underused office balcony into a vegetable haven? Of course at first you might be seen as the office weirdo - but maybe that happens already? Or maybe given time those who mock and poo-poo your efforts most vehemently will be turned around and you will have a queue of willing helpers for times that you are off sick or on holiday.

If you have the nerve to give it a try, the office can be the ideal place to start off your seedlings or to grow some herbs. In open plan offices there is much more space than in the average flat and you should have a choice of which way the window faces. This means that sun loving plants can get as much light as possible. Get lean and green, and give it a go...