At Home With Rob Holdway

[Mike]

Hi all we received this via email today....

Hello - please can you post this on your forum?

I'm writing a feature for a magazine called 'At Home With Rob Holdway' (each issue is about a different personality, and this month it's the turn of eco expert and presenter of Channel 4's TV show Dumped, Rob
Holdway). The magazine will be full of features about environmental issues.

My feature is called 'We're a green family' and I need to find one family (either a couple with children, or a couple with no children)
who have recently (in the last few months or few years, ideally) started to do all they can to make the planet a better place - who
have become really proactive about making changes to as many areas of
life as possible. The aim of the feature is to try and persuade others to do their bit, too.

So, for example, have they:
* Taken up government grants to re-insulate their loft?
* Changed their boiler?
* Installed solar panels?
* Switched to low-energy lights, and turn off lights when they leave the room?
* Switched to an energy efficient car or even switched to an electric
car?
* Switched to riding bikes to work etc, or walk to school, take the train rather than drive?
* Switched to holidaying at home rather than flying? But if they fly, do they do carbon offset it, and do they choose resorts with good
environmental record?
* Taken all appliances off standby?
* Turned down the thermostat, and put on extra jumper?
* Switched to buying local, seasonal food and using organic box schemes? Do they avoid food with palm oil?
* Started growing food - in the garden or allotment?
* Started washing at lower temperatures, and using green cleaning products?
* Switched to using the shower more often rather than bath, do they share bath water; turn off the tap when brushing teeth?
* Stopped buying bottled water?
* Stopped using plastic carrier bags?
* Properly disposed of all their domestic appliances, batteries etc?
* Have they changed their banking to companies with ethical investment policies? Do they shop ethically – buy Fairtrade, avoid Primark etc
* Will they vote according to a party’s environmental policies, or simply vote for the Green Party?
* Do they do any eco volunteer work – planting trees, rebuilding dry
stonewalls?

Any family taking part needn't have answered ''yes' to all these - although that would be wonderful! - but a fair smattering would be
great.

I'm also interested in finding out what or who prompted them to make the change in the first place, how their children find it, and whether
they see a tangible difference in household bills etc.

All it would involve would be a phone chat with me, and we'd also ask if we can use some snaps of the family to illustrate the article.

If you know anyone who might be interested, please do get in touch by 2/10/08.
Many thanks!
Olivia Holcombe
Email: olivia.holcombe@googlemail.com

So anyone out there interested get in touch, though youll have to be quick

[Green Beginnings]

Thank you - that is an excellent list to work toward. We do quite well but could always do more.

I'm never very up to date with the news so what is the Primark issue? I don't have a Primark and never shop there so I am not guilty (phew!). Would I be right in guessing that the price of the clothing reflects the conditions in which they are made and by whom?

[Mike]

I think the Primark thing is about the sourcing of such cheap clothing. Ie the ethical issues surrounding people who can afford to produce jumpers at a cost to the consumer of £4

See here:
Primark is named as least ethical clothes shop - This Britain, UK - The Independent