National Downshifting Week 2006

[Tracey Smith]

Hi All,

Sorry for my absence and I must confess, I don't get around to posting much these days, but I am busy spreading the word about simpler, greener living in the UK and abroad, with a passion!

This is just a little update on NDW.

National Downshifting Week 2005 was nothing short of amazing.

I did an 18 day countrywide tour to talk about it on the BBC Radio, in the papers and other media and it was incredibly well received.

So much so, one day, I gave 3 live radio broadcasts before lunch.....

There were so many people clearly interested in taking things down a gear and all of my requests to discuss it were surprisingly accepted.

Plans for NDW 2006 are underway and there will be a lot of interactive events around the country. I cannot reveal any details now, but nearer the time, you just try and stop me!

It is clear there is a revolution of folks, not just in the UK but worldwide, who are fed up with what they are being told to buy, how to keep up with the Jones' and so on, not to mention the credit that is being flung at them from every direction! They are not interested. They want the greatest commodity of all - time to spend with the ones they love and to live simpler.

As long as I have a pen in my hand, I will continue to write about the simple ways folks CAN get into this way of life, embracing their environment and the world around them.

I am just a tiny fish in an ocean full of writers. I ask you please to spread the news and pass on the address of www.DownshiftingWeek.com and get it talked about!

As far as public awareness of the important green issues affecting us all, I believe it is far more effective to encourage people to change their ways, than it is to bully them into doing so and that's one of the primary aims of this campaign.

If people start recycling and moving towards organic food and thinking responsibly about the purchase of their next vehicle and car-sharing for example, because they WANT to, the positive vibes will spread.

Thank you x

Tracey Smith
Columnist, Broadcaster
& Creator of
www.DownshiftingWeek.com

[Tracey Smith]

[redimp]

A link back to this website might help.

[Tracey Smith]

Hi Redclanger,

There are two above, but if they are giving you trouble, try

www.DownshiftingWeek.com

Cheers!

[redimp]

Sorry - a link back to this site from yours - did follow yours - very interested in downsizing in the long term - that is one of the reasons for having a lottie - suck it and see on a smaller scale so to speak.  I just though users of your site might like to see how easy it is to come by a wide spectrum of helpful and friendly advice.

[Tracey Smith]

;D Hi Redclanger,

....sorry.....what a donut.  Read that right the wrong way.

Yes, I think a link back to this site is a very good idea.  I shall organise it today.

Must drop a line to Admin to see what they would like in the intro.

You are absolutely right, the link from the Allotments to Downshifting is a strong one.  People think they have to go the whole hog and move to the country to make a few changes to their lives and that's just ridiculous!

Taking on an allotment and getting to grips with bit of organic planting is one of the most amazing first steps.

I will let you know when the link is live.

All the best,

Tracey Smith
Columnist, Broadcaster
& Creator of
www.DownshiftingWeek.com

[Jesse]

I agree fully, one of the first steps I took on the downshifting route was getting an allotment and I've not looked back. I've now got chickens in the garden for both meat and eggs, have a smallholder raising a pig for me (I'll be learning how to make bacon, sausages and ham later in the year), have sourced all my meat (beef and lamb) from local and mostly organic farmers rather than buying from the supermarkets, I recycle a lot more than I did in the past, I have reusable shopping bags which I remember to take when I do the shopping, make a lot of my own food (cheese, jams, cordial, pickles, yoghurt, ice-cream etc.), I waste a lot less than I did previously, and so it goes on. I think once inspired the list of things you can do to aim for a self reliant/downsized lifestyle are endless. And the best part is I haven't watched TV for months as I'm too busy enjoying myself doing all these lovely things and learning new skills all the time, it's great.  :D

[Tracey Smith]

Hi Jesse,

What an inspirational post!

I agree it is quite infectious - I am waiting for my bread to rise as we 'speak'  ;D

Have you ever considered giving a talk at a local school or Womens Organisation?  You have so much knowledge you could pass on and I am sure both would probably be interested.

Tracey Smith
Columnist, Broadcaster &
Creator of National Downshifting Week
www.DownshiftingWeek.com

[Jesse]

I haven't considered that yet because I'm still in the learning phase for most of these things myself. But I have inspired a few friends to try new crafts and the biggest accomplishment was getting a family member to switch from buying battery farmed eggs to free range which is great to see. Today being the last day of school my son went off with a present for each of his two teachers, both got a handmade bar of soap and a jar of jam (one raspberry and one gooseberry), the soap he didn't help me make because it's too dangerous (he's only 6) but he did package it and write the labels, and the jam was very much made by him apart from the hot cooking stage, he helped water the raspberries and gooseberries, pick the fruit, wash it, top and tail the gooseberries, helped weigh out all the ingredients, once the jars had cooled he helped me label them. He was so pleased to be able to give his teachers something he had helped make, far better than a box of bought chocolates and a great learning experience for my son at the same time. :)

[kelso]

But isn't true downsizing horendously expensive? I mean how much could you do as a single parent living in a council house in Woolwhich? ::)

[wardy]

I think you do what you can.  We don't all have to go the whole hog and give up work though some do and it makes them very happy.  My husband is still working hard but loves our allotment which helps him unwind as he just loves to potter about in the shed or sit sunbathing with the radio and a can in his hand just chilling.  Everyone can recycle and make compost.  Kids I find get right into it (well young ones that is  :))   Growing stuff instead of getting it from the shop gives enormous satisfaction.  One courgette costs 76p round here!  My mate keeps hens and she sells me eggs for my B & B so we're both happy.  I'm trying to persuade her to get a pig and then I'll be sorted  ;D   The whole point of downsizing though I think is to become less of a consumer.  The more stuff you have the more it weighs you down.  When we were renovating our house my old man got fed up of shifting his clothes about so he gave them all to charity.  He doesn't miss them at all.  He didn't need 50 shirts  ;D

[Jesse]

Absolutely Wardy, you don't have to do the whole hog. Miers, take the first step, for example get an allotment or grow some veg in your garden (you've probably already done this or are thinking about it), once you'd done that you'll think about what else you can do, take one step at a time, no matter how small, and before you know it you'll have made lots of changes in your life, the donwshifting website has lots of suggestions, a lot of them are small and simple things we can all do. For most of us, giving up work will never happen, but we can all do a little to head in the right direction. :)

[kelso]

Sounds lovely. But without time, money space etc. Isn't all a bit suburban for those that live the inner cities with no garden or money to speak of. You talk of buying organic beef / lamb / pork, but it is stupidly expensive and hard to get.
Oh well there's always the lottery and my mum's back garden until then. :)

[wardy]

Yes I suppose organic beef is dear - even non-organic is expensive.  I don't eat it very often  :)  Most of us can't find room for cattle etc in our suburban back yards but I'd keep hens if not for my dog  :)   In inner cities though there are allotments knocking about which provide scope for growing your own.  I used to have a titchy back yard and grew all sorts in it.  I think the tinier the garden the more creative you have to be to get everything in that you want to grow.  Instead of clematis climbing the wall by the door I had a runner bean  ;D

[Jesse]

Miers I completely understand where you're coming from and sadly not everyone has a huge budget to do all the things they'd like to. But you have the right attitude by doing a little, using your mum's back garden is doing something and that's much better than doing nothing at all. Keep looking out for the things you can do and the things you can't can always be put on the "to do one day" pile. :)

[kelso]

The sentiments of growing a little organic food are fine. But downsizing is now a market force for the well healed. What does downsizing mean? Not so long ago I meant purchasing a smaller house after retirement.
The majority of "downsizers" I've come across are the "Margot's" of this world and not the "Good's". ???

[wardy]

I think that would have been a much funnier prog with Margot and Jerry as the drop outs.  Jerry gets the sack in favour of the cleverer Tom and M & J have to start living off dole money and growing their own  ;D  With those nails  ;D ;D

Sorry to trivialise but couldn't help myself  :)

[Linda]

I think Miers has a good point. I'd love to live in the country, keep hens and have a big veg garden, who wouldn't?

Unless we win the lottery, we are stuck in our terraced house with 3mx5m back yard (in full shade, so no veg there, and a clause about keeping hens). I hve 3 lovely, sunny allotments on which we are not allowed to keep livestock or bees.

I grow a lot of our food, which wehn the children were small was just as well as we earn very little money. We currently live on about £120 a week. Fortunately we have no mortgage or rent to pay!!

And that doesn't mean we have 'time' either. I work 4 days a week and care for my mentally ill other half, who works about 4 days a month.

We just about manage to keep a car on the road, buy clothes mostly in charity shops, don't go on holiday.

We'd love to 'downshift'. Thing is, what to?

[Tracey Smith]

It is healthy to see so much debate being created around this subject.

While I appreciate everybody has a different view and opinion of what it entails, I suppose the best collective explanation of it is, downshifting is a slow down of your time and/or financial commitments.

There are so many different levels and layers to downshifting as well - what suits one may not suit another.  There is no universal standard to which it is measured.

That said, everybody, without exception is able to look at their time and financial budgets and cut back, if they want to.  There are always pockets of time/money spent, perhaps because people are stressed out, that could be saved if they were more relaxed.  The cycle can be broken

The issue of organics is a huge one, but there are no doubts, it is better to have meat that has no growth hormone, antibiotics etc and fruit and vegetables minus harmful chemicals and radiation treatment!  The health benefits alone are tremendous and anybody can grow a couple of things even in the tiniest of gardens, even on the stairwell if you have no garden!

Also, organic meat holds its size when cooked, has far more flavour and bite to it than other meat and is around 50p per pound more expensive than other meat.  Downshifting and eating better food can happen, but you may have to adjust other budgets to accommodate it and your family will vote with their tummies and health!

Downshifting is not 'only' for the well heeled, it is for anybody that wants to take things down a gear, be more resourceful, use their imagination more, care for our environment more by reducing energy costs - the list is endless. So many green issues go hand in hand with a downshift, because people find themselves embracing their environment, perhaps for the first time - it is a wake up call!

The bottom line for downshifting is this, it is about making your life simpler, so you are less stressed. If you are less stressed, you see everything differently.

You can downshift in your own four walls and do not need to involve an estate agent at all!  Lots of people have traded highly stressed work environments for enterprises they can do from home.  Often this involves less salary, but you have all the other benefits of no commuting and wasted hours to put into the think tank.

Simple downshifting changes are infectious.  If you do well making your own soup for example, you might find you want to start baking your own bread.  This will pull you back from taking the processed options when shopping, buying more from raw and saving money there.

I could go on and on!  :)

So, do as much or as little as you want, just like Wardy said and the most important piece of advice of all, is enjoy it!  That is what downshifting is all about, enjoying the ride.

Wishing you all well with your own personal journeys.

Tracey Smith
Columnist, Broadcaster &
Creator of National Downshifting Week
www.DownshiftingWeek.com

[aquilegia]

In the long term, it's the plan.

I would love to go totally self sufficient. But that's the unobtainable dream as far as I'm concerned.

We have the mortgage to pay (even though we've only got a small 2-bed flat) and I'd neeed a garden at least three times the size to feed us both. We can't afford to move to the country or buy more land and I don't think I'd cope with an allotment (getting away from my garden would be a struggle!)

But I do my bit.

I've been vegetarian for 16 years and hubby has been since the start of this year (and for the 7 years we've been living together/married he hasn't eaten meat at home).

I cook everything myself, we never have ready meals.

I buy only organic eggs, bread flour (make all own bread, but with machine!), milk and mostly cheese (not much choice).

Buy fruit/veg from farm shop. Unfortunately not organic, but in my area that would mean going to a supermarket and spending 4 times as much for half (or less) choice. Plus of course, I grow my own organically.

I've also been getting more environmentally conscious this year - have got energy efficient light bulbs where I can, use Ecover products, and have replaced bubble bath with oats, recycled toilet roll, among other things.

we've been regiously composting and recycling for years. (I even collect garden waste from neighbours - my compost bins are overflowing - I have 10 bags that I couldn't fit into them!) I also collect the water that runs before it's hot in 4pt milk bottles to water the garden (I can fill three before it gets hot!) (incidentally someone I told this too recently thought I was insane for doing this!) As well as having a waterbutt (I think I might get another one).

Also I only work four days a week and have a much simpler job which gives me more time and energy to do what I want. I was talking to someone recently who thought my current job (admin) was just a stop-gap until I worked out what I wanted to do with my life after ditching in my previous career. But this is what I want to do - work in order to earn enough to pay for things and spend the rest of my time enjoying life. Ideally I'd like to drop another day at work! I'm so much happier now in what I enthusiastically acknowledge to be a boring job than I was in my high-powered job!

It is more expensive, but we don't have a car, don't buy rubbishy expensive junk food, don't go on holiday, don't buy flashy clothes or other things we really don't need. I wonder if all this is connected to the fact that we rarely watch TV. Films, yes, but only TV prog at the moment is GW!

now that I've finished rambling, I'm off to read the website...

[aquilegia]

Also I'm the Green Champion at work, which means I've started up and I run recycling schemes. Trying to work out the logistics of a composting scheme, but as we don't have any grounds, I reckon I'd have to take it all home to compost. Which could be a bit gross! (I'm fine taking my own apple core home, but maybe not other people's!) And as I'm the stationery buyer, I ensure we buy recycled where possible.