Karen says:

The Rubbish Diet blog has been shortlisted for the MediaGuardian Innovation Awards 2009, in the independent media category.

Needless to say I am chuffed to bits…what a fantastic platform to promote the power of household waste reduction and the opportunities for Zero Waste. The awards ceremony will be in March when the winners of each category will be announced.

A huge congrats to Karen. We had the pleasure of meeting her last September on our visit to London. Head over to The Rubbish Diet to read more, and look out for the results late in March at the MediaGuardian Innovation Awards site.

We intend to take our results, whatever they may be, to politicians and to the public via the media in early 2009.

via Treehugger

Three very high profile pieces of news recently regarding waste and litter. Firstly, we had Anya Hindmarch and We Are What We Do‘s infamous “I Am Not A Plastic Bag“, which over the last few weeks became the must-have item, and threw the reuseable bag squarely into the public eye and the fashion world.

Modbury has achieved the status of Great Britain’s first plastic bag-free town after being inspired by an episode of the BBC nature series Natural World, entitled Message in the Waves. Here’s an excerpt from their shopowners’ open letter to the town:

Dear Modbury Resident,

We, the traders and shopkeepers of Modbury, wish to invite you to help us make Modbury become the first town in the British Isles to be plastic shopping bag free…As you will all be aware Modbury is the last trading town before you reach some of the most beautiful beaches in South Devon. In making this transition we hope you will join us and, together, we can actively demonstrate our responsibility and commitment towards our local environment.

Meanwhile, bestselling author Bill Bryson, nominee for president of the Campaign to Protect Rural England, has declared his intentions to initiate a major campaign against litter. Bryson said:

Almost everybody who lives in this country loves to go out into the countryside and just be there and walk around in it and enjoy the views and all that greenery and fresh air, and it’s really important that this generation does all it can to preserve that.

It is clear from these 3 events that things are hotting up, and people across the country are realising that it is up to us. WE have to get moving, without waiting for a government to tell us what to do. We can pick up rubbish, say no to plastic bags, save water, save energy and above all, talk to each other about it.

What are you doing? Comment below to tell us.

Lewis said she was hopeful that her ambition for a rubbish-free world within 10 years would be successful.

“It’s not just plastic bags, ” she said, “but all kinds of rubbish. Broken political promises, three for the price of two things and all that crap. It’s very urgent.”

Read the full article.

The Baglady, who is Irish, has declared she will live the next decade dressed entirely in carrier bags to highlight waste. UK shops give away 17 billion plastic bags every year – 290 each, apparently. (Not my maths.) Indeed, if I keep reading Organic Life, I may go the way of The Baglady…

Read the rest of Kate Muir’s article on the Times’ website.

Shirley Lewis the Baglady from the North and Elizabeth Davidson, Green Party candidate for the imminent Dail elections in the South, have warmly welcomed the vote by Sinn Fein to cooperate fully with the Police Service of Northern Ireland, and have now called on the leaders of the DUP to respond in the same spirit of moving forward.

‘There is no time left for arguing politics or religion,’ they said. ‘We need to wake up and realise that the future of the whole earth is in danger; and take action accordingly.

‘Because we are a small country with a rare, surviving sense of community, we can find ways of doing this.

‘We in Ireland, North and South, can take the lead here, but we must begin at once. Democratically elected representatives must accept the responsibility and trust that has been placed on/in them, and step forward in a spirit of hope and co-operation.

Politicians not prepared to sit at the same table and work together should not stand for parliament. They should stand aside to make room for those with the courage and vision to work towards the resolution of the environmental crisis we face in this country and the world.

Elizabeth and Shirley have called for urgent action on environmental issues such rivers, packaging, local food production, public transport – along with law and order issues.

Contact:

Elizabeth: mob. 00353.876358444; elizdavidson@eircom.net

Shirley/Baglady: home: 028.25639609; shirley@bagladyproductions.org

In the January issue of Organic Life magazine.

Alan Knight (Sustainable Development Commissioner) begins:

“She might cause trouble”, warns the conference organiser, pointing to a lady striding proudly down the aisle.

In a glowing article, Knight goes on to say:

It cannot any surprise that both Australia and Ireland both have progressive policies to reduce our addiction to the single use carrier bag.

She is no old bag, but a high achiever who deserves nothing but respect for tackling such a serious environmental issue.

In the same issue, Jonathan Porritt says

We have a government which is eloquent in portraying the importance of climate change, but advocates a $5 to Malaga.

2007 will see more companies breaking ranks from the defensive rhetoric of their trade associations, to seek competitive advantages by tackling the big problems head on.