Aloha kakou! Am happy to announce to GGG readers that I will now be blogging from the middle of the Pacific Hawaii! My NP partner Marti and I are leading KAHEA a non-profit working on environmental and cultural conservation here in the Islands. It is both incredibly challenging and incredibly exciting workthere are so many pressing problems and so much ahead for us.
Indeed I have never felt such a sense of purpose and urgency in my worknot simply that the work I am doing is meaningful but that the work I am doing is truly part of something greater a small contribution to things that might actually change the future of this place. And for the better.
Perhaps unconsciously I have always considered myself to be

I have recently transgressed (again) from being vegetarian to vegan. Since I was 12 I have been going through stages of being vegetarian and vegan and for about four years I was weak and went back to animal based food and products. However I am now 100% COMMITTED to being vegan and will never ever go back to animal based food or products.
Important! I am not writing this post nor will I be writing the subsequent Veganism posts with the aim of converting you all to being Vegan. Instead I am writing about veganism to share with you an element of my life and also to hopefully start a discussion / debate on GGG how our lifestyle choices can affect the planet and even our health (whether in negative or positive ways)
So you may be asking Why vegan? Well I personally believe in the vegan principles and ethics. Also I am now 100% committed to being vegan because it is better for the environment and also my health.
Principles and Ethics
Some may argue that we are born omnivores (meat and veg) and that eating and using animal based products is only natural. But is killing any animal (including human) natural? Is exploiting any animal (including human) keeping them locked up in pain and suffering natural?
I dont think that it is natural at all. Yes in the animal kingdom and in the circle of life some other animals kill other animals for food and some even fun. But these animals do not have choice as humans we have a choice to choose that no animal including humans suffer in order for us to survive as a species. We do not need to eat animals to survive. We do not need to exploit anyone or anything including animals humans or the planet to survive.

For more information about vegan principles and ethics then please watch the The philosophy of Vegan Values: The practice of non-violence Youtube video go to the Veganism article on Wikipedia or go to The Vegan Society website.
Environmental Benefits
Being a vegan is better for the environment compared to an animal based diet because fewer resources are used.
Here is a simple demonstration:
Land + Water + Energy = Crops
Land + Water + Energy + Crops = Livestock and dairy products
I could go into this in much further detail but the post would be far too long. However hopefully from the simple diagram you can see by eating meat or having dairy products additional resources are being used. So to me it makes sense to just eat the crops. Yes energy and land is needed to grow crops and I will write more about vegan farming / agriculture in another post.
If you want more information about the environmental benefits of being vegan then please check out an interesting online essay called Logical Environmental Reasoning for a Vegetarian Lifestyle.
Also some food for thought is in

Grass is GREEN. Green beans are GREEN. And I can buy contact lenses and make my eyes GREEN. And now there is a huge movement called GREEN! Building materials clothing beauty supplies oh my! I am thrilled to be a part of it though I must admit sometimes I find myself blue.
I cant seem to find things that are the

Have you ever considered whether good lives have to cost the earth? Well a diverse group of people have considered the question and their answers were documented in a book (with the question as the title) edited by Andrew Simms and Jo Smith.
Before I started reading the book I already had an answer to the question myself and that is No. It has always been my belief and my experience (even as a child) that a good / happy life does not have to cost the earth. To me the simple / free pleasure are always the best for example:
* Just peacefully being with my loved ones
* Volunteering my time to help people and also the planet
*Breathing the fresh air of the countryside
*The taste of freshly picked organic food from my garden
*The beautiful sound of bird song
*Walking along the beach with my fiancé
As you may have gathered from some of my posts I always aim to consume as little as possible in life as it is my belief and the book also supports this that.

At the moment we cant seem to escape the doom and gloom of the economic downturn and predicted recession. With soaring oil and food prices one positive that may well come out of the situation is that people will curb their spending which will in turn lead to a cut in consumption and less wastage of resources.

Living a green lifestyle and saving money in my view has always gone hand in hand so I have picked 7 ways you can cut your carbon footprint and your budget at the same time.
1.Buy preloved
Find your nearest furniture reuse centre tip shop car boot sale or local charity shops and get your hands onsome great preloved bargains. Buying clothes books cds furniture and household items second hand is a great way of recycling and saving money.
2.Ditch your motor and join a car club

Car clubs are growing in popularity and schemes exist mainly in bigger cities down south although hopefully it wont be long before they spread nationwide. If you are a city dweller ditching your car and joining a car club can save you literally thousands of pounds a year. It is estimated that for every member that joins a car club they reduce their car usage by 50%
3.Work from home
Working from home not only saves you time and money its often greener too. Cutting transport time and petrol costs are the main benefits but there are many more reasons why its greener to work from home.
4.Grow your own food
Growing your own fruit veg and herbs not only saves you money but also reduces food miles and waste packaging. I love gardening myself and find it a great way to relax breathe in the fresh air and unwind after a hard days work.
5.Cycle to save money
Cycling to work or nipping into town on your bike has so many benefits. Parking is free its great exercise zero emmissions cheap as chips and fun to boot. If you dont have a bicycle post a message on your local freecycle group or check out your nearest tip shop for a preloved one
6.Embrace the Downshifting Movement
Downshifting is about slowing down your pace of life and finding a better worklife balance. This means embracing living with less and leading a simpler cheaper greener and happier life. Perfect for those of you out there wanting to save cash. To learn more about the movement visit the downshifting website and for some easy downshifting tips to get you started visit this link.
7. Plan a weekly menu
Even Gordon Brown has warned us about the amount of food we waste and it is estimated that an average household throws away a staggering

Heres a message from the GGG team to wish all of our readers a merry and peaceful festive season and a happy New Year!
If youre celebrating over the next couple of weeks heres a look back at some 2008 Green Girls Global articles to help you have a greener Christmas.
January Junk Yard Challenge
Get creative with your holiday waste.
February Going Green on Love Products
Treat someone special with this green gift
March Eco Sins
This time of year often leads to over indulgence. Reflect on your eco sins and repent!
April Big Green Purse Review
Shopping shopping shopping! Make sure your purse is a brighter shade of green.
May Balloon Litter
We love the colours and glitter of the festive decorations but dont make nature pay for them.
June In the Closet :: Know your Clothing
Searching for that perfect party frock? Get familiar with the labels.
July Are you doing bokashi?
What do do with all those veggie peelings from your Chrimbo dinner? Bokashi!
August Downsizing for the Environment
Think twice before you ask for more prezzies.
September 7 Eco Tips to Beat the Credit Crunch
If youre going to feel the pinch its at this time of year. Use these tips to help you through/
October A Hand Made Statement
Try making some gifts by hand and create your craft manifesto at the same time.
November Discover your Local Country Market
If you really must buy brussel sprouts get them from your local farmers market
December Breathing Spaces Christmas Song
Take a moment to think about the wildlife and do your conservation bit.
Have a good one!
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Im really pleased to announce that the UKs very first Eco Chic Wedding & Home Show will take place on Sunday 8th March 2009 from 11-4 in Birmingham. I have joined forces with fellow green girl Katie from Ethical Weddings and Michelle from Just The Thing to organise this event and we are really excited about the prospect.

Set amid the breathtaking splendour of the Birmingham Botanical Gardens in leafy Edgbaston this exclusive wedding and home event will bring together the very best the UK has to offer in green & ethical weddings and living.
Everything an environmentally conscious couple could wish for will be laid out in one stunning location. Dresses occasionwear accessories photography flowers gifts honeymoon destinations venues cakes and much much more. It will be the perfect opportunity to see touch taste and try before you buy all the essentials for your Big Day. On display will also be eco friendly homewares linens and the ultimate in eco chic interiors.
We thought it would be a good idea to bring together the wedding and home elements to show that going green isnt just about one day. Whether couples are living together already or setting up home for the first time most see their wedding as marking a new beginning with the chance to make some new changes to their home and lifestyle.
We would love to invite everyone to the show so whether you are getting married this year or next or would like to make your home greener please visit the show website for more details. If you are keen to attend more green and eco events in 2009 then see our green event listings page.
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Some time back I blogged about the first carbon neutral triathlon which my sister helped organise with the Crystal Palace Tri club as she was concerned about the environmental effect of the race. It involved making the event as environmentally friendly as possible and generally making competitors marshalls and visitors aware of the impact of the race and encouraging them to help reduce this.
After returning from a lovely holiday in Nice this week which included watching my sister compete in the Iron Man France competition which involves a 4km swim followed by a 180km bike ride topped off with a marathon. (No Ive not made a mistake with the numbers and distances they really do make them run swim and cycle that far) I was pleased to see that the organisers had taken some measures to address their eco-responsibility.
As soon as competitors entered an expo area to register for the race there were stands which had information about the recycling facilities available and the importance of the flora and fauna in the region along with other related info. Each competitor was given a pack which included a supplement about the green aims for the race. I wont list all their efforts but those of you who are interested can read more about their mission here.
With over 2500 competitors eating energy bars and drinking water on the move it was estimated that the level of waste would be no small matter. Along with almost 70000 spectators in Nice and in many of the villages along the cycle route litter was also an issue that had to be tackled.
Although there could have been other strategies Im glad that the organisers had a green policy in place and that they made a great effort in their first attempt at making the event sustainable. They had to start somewhere and Im hoping they will build on this years race to make the next competition even more of a low impact affair.
Lets hope other sporting events take their lead as vast amounts of energy and waste could be saved not to mention the potential for engaging the public in being greener.
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Were here on Green Girls Global so its a fair assumption that were into being green and doing our bit for the planet. Were probably keen enthusiastic to varying degrees and generally interested in making a difference to the environment.
But sometimes things can go a little bit too far.
When youre passionate about something its easy to get carried away with your enthusiasm. And from the other persons perspective our behaviour can end up being downright strange!
Going green is one of those risky areas where rational behaviour easily pops out of the window for a cup of organic herbal tea with the fairies.Going green is supposed to be about caring for the planet reconnecting with the seasons and generally being what used to be called a