Keep em keen, keep em green

Thanks to Pudsk for alerting me to Wandsworth's new green agenda.

For the record - here are my pledges:

* Push the off button and don't leave electrical appliances on standby: I already
* Sign up for a Home Energy Check with the Energy Saving Trust: I pledge to
* Walk short journeys of one mile or under: I already
* Drive down vehicle emissions and run my car in a more environmentally friendly way: Not yet
* Use the orange sack or orange banks to recycle all my paper and card, tins and cans, aerosols, glass bottles and jars and plastic bottles: I already
* Drink tap water rather than bottled water: Not yet
* Turn off the tap when brushing my teeth: I already
* Replace one bath a week with a shower: Not yet
* Stop taking plastic carrier bags from shops: I already I'm not always successful, but really try
* Write a shopping list and stop buying more food than I need: Not yet
* Not use pesticides in my garden: I already No, it's harmony with the slugs apart from those unlucky enough to come across "slug stinger" tape round my pots
* Plant a window box: I already Very nice geraniums, since you ask
* Leave washing to dry in the open air instead of using the tumble dryer: I already
* Replace all light bulbs in my home with energy saving bulbs when they run out: I already However, I think it is a myth that they last 7 years, some I've had to replace them much sooner than that. Very annoying bought a special shaped ecobulb the other day for about £15, but it blew when I put it on a dimmer switch - be warned!
* Get on my bike and cycle to school or work: I already Hooray for my lovely bike
* Leave my car at home and use public transport to go to work: I already Don't have a car, but do catch tube when I don't cycle
* Reduce the amount of junk mail I receive: I already Yep, have got a "no junk mail" sign and put myself on the mail preference service. Not entirely effective. Plus Abbey send me a pile of credit card cheques every month despite my repeated pleas not too.
* Find a new home for unwanted household items: Not yet well ish, do take quite a bit to the charity shop, but I am a bit of a hoarder
* Put a Hippo or a save-a-flush device in my toilet cistern: I pledge to - I used to have one, really easy way to save water. Hoping to get a double flush loo when I get a new bathroom
* Use water collected in a water butt to water my garden: I already v proud of my water butt, thanks Mum
* Buy products made from recycled materials, such as paper for my printer: I already
* Have milk delivered by local milk man: I already doesn't say why this is on the list, but certainly reduces a lot of plastic waste
* Give a home to birds by putting up a nesting box: Not yet I'm sorry little birds. I did try to feed you but you never visited the seed balls I put up and they melted last summer. I do have a box for red Mason bees though (sadly uninhabited).
* Plant native plants in my garden: I already Apple tree... actually thinking about it, not much else
* Sign up to a renewable energy provider: I already from Ecotricity
* Insulate my home effectively: Not yet Don't have a roof, but have been meaning to get that shiny stuff to put behind the radiators for ages
* Join a car club or car share: Not yet
* Take a 'no flying' holiday this year: I already Brecon Beacons here I come!
* Use a home composter for my garden and kitchen waste: I already in a wormery I designed which houses worms from my Mum's compost heap
* Encourage my school or work place to set up a recycling scheme: Not yet Not officially! I take home all bits of cardboard and stuff from work to recycle at home.
* Have my water company install a water meter: Not yet I know I should, just one of those things that seems like a lot of hassle.... bad me
* Volunteer to make Wandsworth's waterways cleaner and more bio diverse places: Not yet but it sounds fun
* Use green cleaning products: I already
* Reduce my 'food miles' by buying seasonal fruit and vegetables produced in the UK whenever possible: Not yet I try to shop at our local greengrocers when I can. Plus he's cheaper than the supermarket
* Construct a pond to provide homes for water loving wildlife: Not yet Although mini-pond in bucket plans afoot.
* Use grey water to water my garden: Not yet Although a really good eco tip is to stand a bucket in the shower to catch the water while its warming up. Enough to water all my plants. I've stopped doing it, so now should start doing it again.

I'm afraid I've not made that many pledges, so as not to let myself down.

I think these are all really good ideas, but I think its still a bit depressing that I think these are important and helpful things to do, but their effect is so limited. You could do all of these things for a year and wipe out all the good with one Easyjet flight.