It’s ages since I’ve put together a post with ideas about how we can do our bit for the planet, support our communities and generally save the world, so here goes…
We can fix things:
Mr Snail, hard at work
Mended
Darn!
A bulging mending box
All soled up
Iron-on mending tape
I hope this will work
Splint in place to repair my swift
Mr Snail attaching the new base plate onto our original DC01
We can see value in what’s around us, in what others might consider waste, and we can turn it into something useful or beautiful, or both:
From the stash
Storing a chilli glut
Gradually filling the raised bed with old paperwork, boxes… anything that will compost
Peach seeds… growing not throwing
Elf hat – from scrap yarn
Mosaic from a broken bowl
Multi-coloured hat from scraps
Two 330l compost bins
Roses from scrap yarn
We can support local business, small producers and community activities:
Yarns from small producers
Yarn bowl, yarn and table from small producers
Our corner of the market place (photo: James Taylor)
Sociable and creative
Loyalty card and vouchers
Handmade shawl pin and shawl made from British wool
Each hook is unique and handmade
A busy market day
Market for the people
Hand-thrown soup bowls (by my friend Joe Finch)
A local organic farm that sells direct
We can make thoughtful choices when we spend our money:
Soap without palm oil in a coconut dish
Organic and fair trade
Trying to reduce packaging
Non-plastic toothbrush
Non-plastic vegetable brush
Washing up brush with replaceable heads
Local wool, bought in Norway
No plastic in my tea
Bulk purchase
Mother of pearl buttons – not plastic
Envelope reuse labels
We can grow and cook our own… that way we know what’s in what we eat:
Mr Snail rolling the dough
Apple pie
Two different sorts of apple cake
Bottled apples
Indoor courgettes
A few of my current apple collection
Stewing
Beefsteak tomato
Salad leaves in a planter measuring 40cm x 60cm
Planting amongst the greenery
Tea!
Ladder allotment
Rhubarb
Seedlings
Home-grown eggs
Broccoli ready for harvesting
Making cheese
Carving the squash
Chickens
Cooking
Soup-making
And we can share our stories:
I have no idea what I was talking about at this point!
The Snail of Happiness 
Born To Organize
/ November 22, 2015What an upbeat and inspiring post. There is so much goodness here. I love the photo of you in front of the beautiful quilt. You’re enjoying life and making a difference.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ November 22, 2015I love that photo too… people seemed to enjoy my presentation and it look like I did too!
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Born To Organize
/ November 26, 2015It does indeed! 🙂
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itwasjudith
/ November 22, 2015I very much enjoy reading your posts with ideas on how to make this world better and healthier.
I also appreciate you taking the time to research topics and environmentally-friendly alternatives (like the loose-leaf tea instead of the tea bags containing plastic). I try myself to have a life-style with a smaller impact on the planet, although it’s difficult at times to do on your own, especially when time is limited and one lives in a large city (less access to grounds etc).
Thank you!
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katechiconi
/ November 22, 2015I’m happy to say I can tick some of those boxes!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ November 23, 2015Hurrah – and chickens soon 🙂
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katechiconi
/ November 23, 2015I guess in our case it really is slowly but surely…
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thecontentedcrafter
/ November 22, 2015Way to go Dr Snail – you are definitely saving the world one post at a time!! I think you would be bowled over if you could ever see how your example filters out and influences the world 🙂
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The Snail of Happiness
/ November 23, 2015I firmly believe that we will change the world through little acts, so I just want to spread inspiration… ripples in a pond!
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nettyg
/ November 22, 2015I tick a lot of those boxes too. And you influenced me on the “buy bigger/bulk” front too. We…being myself, dog and chickens with cats having a small dollop…… all eat yoghurt, the good gut natural stuff, and it was a ‘duh’ moment when I saw your post on buying bigger to save having lots of smaller containers. So I do now, a big 2kg that comes in handy little buckets that I can re-use for all sorts of things, and share around to friends and neighbours as well. 1 bucket every 10days/2 weeks compared to 4 maybe 5 little ones……they get re-used too, never thrown away. And I love your ladder allotment, is that an upcycled pallet? and which camellia have you planted for tea, I was just thinking recently I’m going to try growing tea when I move. Thankyou for a joyful post.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ November 23, 2015The ladder allotment was bought as a kit some years ago (before we discovered the joy of pallets!) but if I was to make another one it would be from recycled wood.
The tea id Camellia sinensis – it was given to me as a gift. It should do OK outside, but I want to get it rather bigger before I risk that, so I’m growing it on in a pot indoors at present. Fingers crossed that it thrives.
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anne54
/ November 22, 2015Your posts always remind me that there is something I want to change for the Fella and myself. This time it is a reminder that I want to find some healthy soap — healthy for us and the planet. Thanks for your inspiration on walking a little lighter in this beautiful planet
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The Snail of Happiness
/ November 23, 2015It’s a pleasure. I found changing soap relatively easy as it’s something made by quite a lot of small, local producers. The additional benefit is that last time I bought some I went to collect it and it was completely packaging-free – just cut from the block 🙂
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anne54
/ November 23, 2015Yep, time to make the change.
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davidprosser
/ November 23, 2015So happy to say I do some of these things naturally and some because of you. Well done !
xxx Huge Hugs xxx
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The Snail of Happiness
/ November 23, 2015If everyone did just one thing, what a difference we would all make!
xxx hugs xxx
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KerryCan
/ November 23, 2015I like how practical and utterly do-able your ideas are–and I like that you practice what you preach–good role models!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ November 23, 2015My problem is that I can always think of more to do… but I guess that’s true with everything. Little steps are manageable, huge ones don’t get done because they are too daunting.
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