Browsing: Get Involved!

It would probably be fair to say that the majority of the population are familiar with the notion of Pancake Day, but how many people actually think of it as Shrove Tuesday, the final day of reckoning before Lent is upon us?

Giving up an indulgence for the 40 days between Shrove Tuesday and Easter Day can be thought of as a personal challenge as well as religious tradition, and a quick whip around the EthicalSuperstore HQ has revealed that there are a fair number of people stepping up to the test.

The most popular item that staff here are giving up is chocolate, followed closely by coffee, crisps, alcohol and fried takeaway breakfasts. Excluding such junk food items from our daily diets is sure to make us healthier, and the achievement of completing a challenge is always a nice buzz too. And if you don’t want to cut certain food items out completely, changing your habits and only buying Fairtrade and organic as Helen has described in her Fairtrade Fortnight Challenge blog is a great idea.

We’d love to know whether the rest of you are giving anything up for Lent – are you joining us in cutting out the unhealthy foodstuffs, or do you have other inspiration and challenges for us?

Pearl Jam

Whilst self-destruction is at the beating heart of rock n roll, planetary destruction is seemingly off the agenda nowadays, with more and more musicians and bands jumping on the biofuel powered eco-bandwagon, and doing their bit for Mother Earth. Cynics might claim that it’s just another ploy to raise profiles in an increasingly tough business, but whatever the motivation, the message is certainly getting through.

1. Pearl Jam
In terms of putting their money where their collective mouths are, few bands come close to the eco-awareness of Pearl Jam. In gifting $100,000 to various eco projects during a recent world tour, it was more than a donation, it was a call to arms. The activism section on Pearljam.com makes for great reading, and offers an insight into the lengths the band will go to in order to ensure their impact on the planet is kept to a minimum.

2. Radiohead
When Radiohead recently snubbed Glastonbury, it wasn’t because of the mud, the distinct lack of sanitary toilets, or a sudden dislike for Indonesian nose harpists. Nothing so trivial would keep Thom ‘Smiler’ Yorke and his merry band of men away. ‘Glastonbury’s spiritual houseband’, as the 2003 programme called them, disappointed legions of fans for one reason, and one reason alone – the lack of a green transport system to the site. The message was clear – the biggest greenfield festival in the world just isn’t green enough.

Read the rest of Top 5: Green Thinking Bands »

All of us here at Ethicalsuperstore.com want to extend a heartfelt thank you to all who bought from us, all who told a friend about us, and all who gave us feedback about our service – the excellent bits and not so excellent.  We are a team of people who are always ready to serve you.  Without you there would be no us, and our 2009 pledge has at it’s core one key purpose – to  provide you the best possible service the UK (and for the matter the world) has to offer.

As we sat down to write our pledge for 2009 we intuitively knew that we needed to hear from you.  You are our best gauge for what matters most.

Throughout the year many of you gave us feedback on our service – please keep it coming.  Right now you have the chance to further influence the service we offer to all our customers.  It doesn’t matter if you tell us over the phone, send comments through the post or write on our blog.

Whatever your preferred method of communication, we’d love to hear from you.  Really truly this isn’t just marketing speak.  Talk to us please.

Read the rest of Our 2009 Pledge To You »

It’s amazing how quickly I fell in love

Firstly this isn’t my first time as an ‘owner’, I grew up with pets (mainly dogs because my mum wasn’t a cat fan) but this is the first time I’ve rescued one.

For the past several months I’ve been going on and on about getting a dog. I talked about it so much I think my friends and colleagues were getting rather bored with me not taking the plunge and just doing it.  Frankly I was getting fed up with myself.   However I did have good reason for taking so long to make up my mind.  The decision to add an additional member to any family – well, it’s a big deal and ultimately I had to convince my partner who wasn’t 100% sure it was a good idea.  We both work full-time which means we’re not home during the day for at least 8 hours and even with a dog walker to take it out – it wouldn’t be fair.

Whilst intellectually I knew getting a dog was a bad idea, this didn’t stop the emotions of really wanting one, so much so, I had even picked out the breed.  Several years ago I came across a Vizsla and immediately fell in love, it was a chance encounter in London’s Portobello Market, which I still remember vividly.  I won’t bore you with all the details but I have to say I met the most beautiful and well behaved creature that day.  The dog and owner appeared to be made for one another, something rather enviable in its own right.  The owner and I had a chat and from that point on my dog of choice was Vizsla. Similar such encounters would follow, all serving to reinforce my feelings.

Keeping logic on hold I began to research and went looking for my Vizsla.  It would take me nearly two years to come to an acceptancethat it would have been wrong for us to take on the responsibility of a dog while working full-time. I was gutted but knew it was the right decision.

and then along came Charlie. Just when I’d given up looking, he found me thanks to a friend who was trying to find a new home for him.  Charlie’s previous owner was no longer able to care for him – she was unfortunately in hospital.  My friend had her own cat and he wasn’t taking kindly to the new lodger.  Without nearly as much thought as I put into getting a dog, Charlie was welcomed with open arms.

It’s amazing how quickly I fell in love with not only another breed but another species all together.  What can I say about Charlie, he loves to sleep, is very cheeky, playful, loud (nothing ninja about him), always hungry and likes his cuddles.  The best part about Charlie is that we rescued him.  But we’re the lucky ones. He wasn’t going to have a problem finding a home, not with that face.

Read the rest of Something about Charlie »

they loaded their skewers and coated it all in melted fair trade chocolate.

Last Thursday, over 50 people visited my house between 4pm and 8pm. Some stayed a few minutes; others a few hours. The lure? Not merely the opportunity to wish me a very happy birthday (which it was by the way, much to the relief of my husband!). No, they came for a dip in the chocolate fountain. Choosing from a wide range of fruit (fair trade or organic, of course), sweets and biscuits, they loaded their skewers and coated it all in melted fair trade chocolate. The ultimate guilt free treat.

For many there, it was the first time that they had considered the impact of their chocolate choices on those that grow the cocoa beans. The long hours, dangerous conditions, little or no pay, regular beatings – enough to put you off even your favourite brand.

Stop the Traffik organised the world’s largest fondue party to raise awareness and funds.

Read the rest of Retraining my taste buds – Fondue Follow Up »

Researching brand loyalty last week set me thinking. I would not consider myself a victim of brand loyalty. As any member of my family would tell you, I always buy what’s on special offer or stick to the supermarket’s own brand – which is sometimes boring and sometimes rather unusual, depending on the offers that week!

I guess chocolate is my main weakness. The main weakness for the majority of women, if my friends are anything to go by. Actually, it’s not that I often overindulge; it’s what I choose when I do. I already know all the arguments, but I still reach for the brands I grew up with. It’s just something about the taste.  A lick of a Cadbury’s crème egg takes me back to the tin of goodies under the driver’s seat in my Dad’s car. The first bite of a Double Decker prompts a flashback to my teenage years. The unwrapping of a Galaxy bar has Proustian reminders of waiting for the first signs of labour with my first child.

This week, Stop the Traffik(1) is organising the world’s largest chocolate fondue party. Stop the Traffik is a worldwide movement dedicating to raising awareness of and campaigning against the trafficking of people. Didn’t that end with the abolition of the slave trade? And didn’t we celebrate the 250th anniversary of that a couple of years ago?

Read the rest of Retraining my taste buds »

and the winner is...

The trouble with arguing with myself is whilst I often win, I almost certainly lose too.
This morning’s argument was simple, bike or car.
The bike has much to recommend it; I’d arrive at work more alert and energised.  I’d have saved on the cost of fuel, both in terms of cash and environmental impact.  I’d have been able to smile at the folk at the bus stop without worrying about looking smug.  My heart would thank me in the coming years and I’d hopefully reduce the amount of fabric I’d someday be forced to consume.
The car however offers protection from the elements (and potentially from other, less conscientious, road users) and, until recently at least, some entertainment too.  I say until recently not because the car radio has malfunctioned, or been stolen, but simply because I’ve lost the will to tune in.  The constant cycle of credit crunch assessment rotated with outrage over licence payers’ money squandered on a poor excuse for comedy leaves me cold.

Read the rest of Go One Better! »