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Ethical living

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Original poster

Living 'green', finding it a bit wearing.. anyone else?

69 replies

Yarrow · 05/02/2007 19:55

My dh, dd nearly 3 and ds 6mths moved to small cottage in rural area. Living a green lifestyle as in woodburner for central heating, rayburn for cooking/hot water, real nappies, composting , recycling, growing veg, no supermarket shopping, only eating local and organic. have slip ups from time to time but totally passionate and comitted to the planet so feeling good MOSTLY... but it is bloody knackering with small baby, keeping fires going to be warm etc AND cos we live rurally I have to drive to get any where. need some sympathy! please...

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frogdelalune · 05/02/2007 21:06

Yarrow,CAT have loads of great info on compost toilets and all things "alternative". Well worth a visit if you are ever nearby.

Original poster
Yarrow · 05/02/2007 21:07

that would be just the ticket mousiemousie but dont know how to get any? is everybody shy nowadays? or is it just me and recovering my brain from pregnancy / childbirth? dont know how to meet people...

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Original poster
Yarrow · 05/02/2007 21:09

we went to cat but they didnt seem to have example of 'inside' composting toilet in house setting that we would work with

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mousiemousie · 05/02/2007 21:11

my recommendations would be local conservation volunteer projects or through the local organic veg / health shop? Maybe there is a local lets scheme for babysitting?

frogdelalune · 05/02/2007 21:12

Ah, right. Ours is in a shed outside ( we trek out there with a torch, and use candles inside it)

LadyMacbeth · 05/02/2007 21:13

Yarrow, just to say I think you are remarkable, much respect

Perhaps you can take some consolation in the grim prospect that one day when we are all forced to live without the luxuries we take for granted so much these days you will be blazing a trail for us all!

Original poster
Yarrow · 05/02/2007 21:14

we live in very cold and social reserved, dare i say conservative part of north east scotland so 1- outside loo ok is summer and not winter and 2- cant find any greeny peoples!

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Original poster
Yarrow · 05/02/2007 21:17

thank you lady mac- i am a bit worried about how we will all be when seas rise & oil runs out. hope everyone wont get really nasty over resources/land?

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frogdelalune · 05/02/2007 21:18

We're in Scotland too . Agree it is not exactly pleasant at this time of year, we do have to wrap up to pay a visit, but we've not had an inside or flushing toilet for nearly 10 years.

Original poster
Yarrow · 05/02/2007 21:22

Hooray! anywhere near perthshire? ok so its central but still north, and I'm from the west so we are definetly east if you know what I meant

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frogdelalune · 05/02/2007 21:23

Try here for indoor toilets.

frogdelalune · 05/02/2007 21:28

I'm South West Scotland, quite a way away

Original poster
Yarrow · 05/02/2007 21:33

Good link. thankyou. will investigate further.

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frogdelalune · 05/02/2007 21:39

I'm off to curl up next to the burner with a book and a coffee. Night night.

Original poster
Yarrow · 05/02/2007 21:42

too excited about my new toilet! wont sleep now...

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majorstress · 06/02/2007 12:19

respect! is right. But could you improve your insulation-curtain lining, draftproofing, loft? so you make better use of your heat? Maybe you don't need to get quite so cold.

some local councils organise or give grants for this stuff- here's one I googled for Perthshire and Agenda 21 (a magic term that always turns up loads of good contacts(fingers crossed my first link!)

Try this

expatinscotland · 06/02/2007 12:23

If you think it's knackering now, try 50 years from now when there's really no choice.

majorstress · 06/02/2007 14:13

agree with that.

mousiemousie · 06/02/2007 20:04

Brrrrrr!

Sympathy for the scottish cold weaqther Yarrow!

tirnanog · 06/02/2007 20:44

Yarrow you asked earlier about wood ash and it's uses,we collect it up and use it to fertilize our veggie patch.
Hope you are feeling less weary

Original poster
Yarrow · 06/02/2007 20:47

we are all nice and cozy tonight thankyou very much, dh is makin marmalade on the rayburn so the house smells brilliant. I was just havin a 'moment' yesterday and feel loads better today, thankx for all support.
Expat- I will be in my 80's 50 yrs from now but hopefully still able to grow a few veggies and chop kindling etc as I've learnt those skills, but we are living this way so that maybe my kids and their kids will have less of a crap dangerous polluted planet to live on. I'm making a f-ing huge effort, completely changed my life and wish more people would, but they bloody don't.. so well intitled to a wee moan on cyberspace once in a while me thinks, thank you

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Original poster
Yarrow · 06/02/2007 20:50

thankx tirnanog- we do collect it and put on compost, but it is everywhere in house. is there not a anti-ash attracting er.. thing that I could use? obviously will have to invent it!

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Rumpel · 06/02/2007 20:50

Sounds heavenly oh for an open fire and a raeburn and NO neighbours. It's knackering having children and husband anyway so no sympathy from me I'm afraid as I am extremely jealous!

tirnanog · 06/02/2007 20:51

Oh and if you ever want to borrow the donkey...........

Original poster
Yarrow · 06/02/2007 20:54

can it snort ash?

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