Today’s challenge is: “Borrow or buy an energy monitor. Watch your energy use for the next month and see where you can decrease consumption”.

I’ll need to look into getting an energy monitor then! However, this is something that has been foremost in Linda and I’s minds since we started our business. As we need to use the computer so much, we’ve noticed our energy use going up at home – especially when we think about all the other energy use working from home invariably involves! But, we are making an active effort to lower our consumption – every kick in the right direction helps!!

Peace Out

Today’s challenge was: “Make do and mend. Refashion and mend old clothes and fabrics so they last longer”

This ones quite a tricky one for me to try – on one hand, I usually keep my clothes for quite a few years – I’ve got a few T-shirts that pre-date Linda and I marrying, even pre-dating us getting together! (thats 6.5 and 9 years respectively). On the other hand, I’m not very good at sewing or anything like that! When I visited Pakistan last year, I had to re-sew  button on my trousers, took  me 40 minutes!! Ah well, it’s good to learn new skills!

Peace Out

And I’m done!

As I write this I’m enjoying a ‘biscuit’ of the variety found in the State of Georgia, USA – a Mexican cheese scone to us!

I’m not gonna lie, its been tough, I’ve struggled. Not as much with the hunger, mostly with the
lack of variety in the food I’ve been eating.

Doing this challenge really makes you think, about how fortunate we are here in the west with the quantity of food we can enjoy, and also in the variety of food we can enjoy!

I know that so many people don’t have any choice about how and what they eat- but I admire them for getting on with it, for persevering.

Today, my thoughts were all abouot food. I was counting down the hours until I could eat more, I was dreaming of the things I would enjoy….

Not the ideal end to the challenge – sure, my prayers this week were focused on the people I met in Israel/ Palestine, in Nepal, in Pakistan and on so many other people I’ve never met. But my thougths weren’t. My thoughts were on myself, on what I was doing, on what I was depriving myself of. The whole way through I always had the optionnto give up at any point and eat what I wanted – how many don’t have the same choice?

Have you done the challenge, or similar? How did you get on?

Peace Out…..

Another day down, another day closer to eating again! Is that bad? At this stage I’m starting to think less and less about my friends in need around the world, and more and more about the food I’m looking forward to eating again. Its only been 4 days boy! Come on!

I’m struggling with this, if you couldn’t tell. Struggling at the small quantities of food; struggling at the lack of variety of food; struggling at only drinking water; struggling to remember why I’m doing this.

I’ve noticed some interesting reactions in the people around me as I do this though. Some are incredibly supportive; some just don’t get why I’m doing it; some disagree with the notion period; some seem to think that they can’t mention food around me?…..

I expected different reactions from people – some individuals have surprised me (positively and negatively) with their reactions.

I have to admit that I am a wee bit disappointed in myself. Today I’ve barely thought about why I’m doing this, about the people I’m meant to be trying to empathise with; about the people I’ve met around the world who genuinely eat like this. I’m more focused on pancakes at the end of the challenge……poor show. I hope I do better for the rest of the challenge, all 21 hours that I have left….

Peace Out

Todays challenge is a long lasting challenge – set until the next leap year! It is: ‘Choose one carbon action and stick to it for four years – until the next leap year!’

I thought about looking forward in the leaflet and picking a future one, but thought I should pick one of the ones we’ve already covered in the leaflet. I’m going to go for Day 1′s challenge: ‘remove one light bulb in your home and live without it…….

Why this challenge? Mostly because its the one I’m most likely to keep going for four years! Partly because I’ve discovered that it is actually very doable – I’ve become a lot more careful aboutnturning lights on and off and leaving them on….should make a difference in my life, and hopefully (very slightly) further reaching…

Hows your fast going?

Peace Out