I HATE ECO-FRIENDLINESS!!!

Yes I'm writing in caps. For a reason. I'm shouting (can't you tell?)

I have long been a quiet non-supporter of eco-friendliness but I have just reached my limit. Eco-friendliness as an alternative lifestyle which many support is great. But when Government-enforced eco-friendliness encroaches on my life and the ability to lead it as I want, that’s where I get angry!

Example 1: Inhalers
Back in the day I used a dry powder inhaler which worked really well, and a preventer which, while it contained CFCs, worked equally well. Even Asthma UK says CFCs are not harmful for ashmatics. Then about two years ago they changed my prescription and now I no longer have the powder inhaler which I loved, and my preventer doesn’t work as well and tastes different. The powder one is because of NHS economy not being able to afford Ventolin that’s not eco-friendliness, but the other one is because CFCs are being phased out to protect the environment. But they don’t work as well. So my question is IS SAVING THE ENVIRONMENT MORE IMPORTANT THAN MY HEALTH?

Example 2: Fabric Softener
I have been quite happy with Lenor Blue Non-Concentrate for many years. It kept my clothes nice and soft and smelling nice. My friends in Primary School used to sniff my coat when it got washed because of this (but that’s a different story). About a year ago I stopped being able to buy Lenor in the shops. I thought this was just big corporations not selling my favourite brand. I tried everything else and my clothes just felt hard all the time. Then I spotted Lenor Non-Concentrate in Woodsides and bought two bottles. I thought great I’ve found a supplier. Then I went last week to buy more and was told it’d been discontinued and Lenor only produced the concentrate version TO SAVE ON PACKAGING. The concentrate version is no good –I’ve tried it. So my second question is COULD THEY NOT ADVERTISE THE CONCENTRATE VERSION, PUT IT ON OFFER, STOCK MORE OF THEM, BUT STILL GIVE PEOPLE OPTIONS?

Example 3: Recycling collections
I say ‘great’ - give us the option of recycling and please pick it up for us. I am actually a big supporter of recycling paper, I waste so much of it I’m only glad to put it to some use. I keep an old Xerox box top for putting my scrap paper into.
But to force us to do it, to stop our weekly bin collections so we have no choice, and to make us WASH OUT MILK BOTTLES – YUK! That’s where I draw the line. There is only so much watered-down milk I can take without being sick. Maybe if they let us put dirty milk bottles, tins etc in I wouldn’t mind so much – I’d like to think they still did their own washing of the containers before recycling them anyway!
Oh and to FINE someone for getting it wrong? That’s going to stop us even trying!!!

Example 4: Paper
Recycled paper is crap and the ink bleeds through. That is all.

Shopping Trip

So I went shopping this evening, and I got a few bargains. This is what I bought ...

Dress that I thought of buying at £50, reduced to £25 (score - planned purchase!)
Hareem pants that I thought of buying at £25, reduced to £15 (score - planned purchase!)
Topman Boys' T-shirt (they're really comfy especially for PJs!) which was £6, reduced to £2 (okay so this wasn't planned but the price excuses it!)

And some Avoca Scones and Tomato Chutney (this probably cost more than what I saved above LOL!)

I promise not all posts will be as boring as this if you thought this was boring!

Easter Sunday Video

And... just to finish my trilogy of videos... one to remind us all of why we're eating eggs today.

It's Friday ... but Sunday's comin'!

Last year I was at Easter Camp in New Zealand and they played several brilliant movies related to Easter. This was the first one, for Good Friday, and although it's a little late, I thought it would still be worth putting up here to share with you!

I'm Back!

So I'm sure that most of you have realised that I am not, in fact, in New Zealand anymore and that I am back in the Home Country of Norn Iron. For those that haven't, I'm just letting you know that I have been back for 9 months (eek!) and it's only now that I have got around to switching my blogs around and to updating this one. If you didn't even realise that I was in New Zealand for six months last year, then visit my NZ blog (http://laurainnewzealand09.blogspot.com) to read about my work and travels there.

I really do plan to keep this blog more up-to-date as I am finding Facebook status updates a little unsatisfying right now and would like a forum to express my ramblings! Therefore keep checking back or add it to your RSS feed and prepare to hear some interesting/not very interesting/random/useful/useless/funny/serious/work/leisure banter.