earthly: Issue 1

earthly

no. 1

march 22

little changes make a big difference

green hero

saving our seas

hooked on crochet

activist Tolmeia Gregory on fashion, protests and podcasts

how 3 marine animals are struggling and need your help!

the new trend in town part of the slow fashion movement

follow earthly

@theearthlymag @theearthlymag theearthlymag@gmail.com @theearthlymag

2

Natalie

I care about fighting against climate change because I see so little being done about such a big global issue.

Little known fact about me?

I do a really good guinea pig impression.

Jordan

Snow leopards, polar bears and turtles are going to be gone if we don’t make a change. I, the baby faced boxer am going to be doing my part!

Ashleigh

If more people get involved in the fight against climate change, more can be done to save our planet.

Little known fact about me? I’ve been veggie for 14 years.

e h t t e t a e m! e m Persia

I have a passion for ensuring our planet remains a home for us and our wildlife for years to come.

Little known fact about me?

I’m food obsessed and spend most of my spare time watching cooking videos.

3

Tom

If I don’t do my part, my kids won’t be able to experience the same world I have.

Little known fact about me?

I was due to grade for my black belt in karate but then lockdown happened!

Sophie

I’m passionate about climate change because the polar bears, bees, and turtle can’t help themselves.

Little known fact about me? I enjoy taking disposable photos.

contents activist Tolmeia Gregory

hooked croche

10

26

the earthly edit 24

8

positive news

4

16

34

saving our sea life

green festival

would you rent clothes?

d on et

ls

38

how veganism is changing 46

41

healthy living

45

how to grow

50

recipes

5

Did you know you can compost your pet’s waste? But do your research first, especially if you are producing vegetables or fruit to eat.

6

r l d o w  positive news  green hero  saving our sea life

8

positive news

people and projects doing good around the globe

tr Free ansport As of January 31st, 2022, people with disabilities, under 22s, over 60s and carers can benefit from free bus travel in Scotland.

The Scottish government scheme aims to transform bus travel to support young people and families. Thousands of young people have already applied and received their card meaning they can now start travelling for free. This means 2.3 billion people will receive free bus travel which in turn means less cars on the road helping reach net zero emissions by 2045.

Animal rights Iceland’s minister of Fisheries and agriculture has announced that by the end of 2023 whale licencing will be discontinued, ending the nations whaling practices due to rapid increases in global demands. Over the years the practice has drawn public anger and criticism as well as a wrath of global marine life activists and environmentalists. News was gladly welcomed by many including the wildlife charity Whale and Dolphin conservation (WDC) who have been campaigning for 30 years for an end to Iceland’s whaling industry.

ll Shopp i f e R ing Refill Shopping – Shopping companies in the UK such as Morrisons, Marks & Spencer, Waitrose and Ocado have all committed to installing refilling stations in their stores. The initiative is intended to reduce supermarket’s plastic waste by making shopping for certain items packaging-free. If this continues across the globe we could be looking at a completely package free future, cutting out approximately 59 billion pieces of single use plastics that supermarkets use annually.

Animal licencing Panama has now enshrined the rights of nature into law. The wildlife rich country in Central America now recognises nature’s “right to exist, persist and regenerate” aswell as the “right to be restored after being affected directly or indirectly by any human activity.” The country recently introduced new legalisation that grants rivers, trees, mountains and oceans similar rights to people, corporations, and authorities such as the government.

Panama now join Bolivia, Mexico and New Zealand among others who now recognise the rights of the natural world.

9

green hero

Tolmeia Gregory The 21-year-old climate activist talks to Ashleigh Poole about fashion, protests and podcasts

“I

t’s past the point we can stop it, it’s now how can we stop it from being so bad.”

Tolmeia Gregory is a 21-year-old climate activist and artist based in Gloucestershire. Previously an aspiring fashion designer, her eyes were opened to the reality of the world we’re living in after watching a documentary on the frightening impacts of the fashion industry, the contributor to climate change. From importing stock, to transport, to production and waste, the brutal journey is ruining our cherished planet.

10

W

hen she was 11 years old, Tolmeia began a fashion blog, where she regularly enjoyed exploring the style world. Her blog eventually led to her discovery of climate change and its links to fashion. She realised that the climate crisis was real and felt the urge to inspire.

In 2015, she watched the documentary The True Cost. The film focuses on several areas of the trade, exploring how workers are treated in factories to how waste affects our natural resources like rivers and soil. “I always saw myself becoming a fashion designer.

It was through going on that journey that I realised I didn’t want to be a part of the system.”

Tolmeia explains that the industry effects all parts of our lives, it doesn’t fall under a single issue.

“Once you know about it, it’s very hard to look away and not do something.” The young activist has been participating in the heart of activism for just over three years now, beginning in 2018. The first time she truly felt empowered was during a climate strike in London in 2019. “There were like 30,000 young people. I was like ‘Okay, I’m not alone in this.’”

Climate strikes have very recently become popularised by

young climate activists such as Greta Thunberg. In September of 2019, some of the largest climate strikes in history took place.

Organisers reported that over four million people were a part of this stand to protest the government’s lack of action on the climate crisis.

“Strikes have been really powerful throughout history, and not just for climate reasons,” Tolmeia points out. “They can be so powerful, but they can’t be done on their own – they need to be alongside other action to be successful.”

The illustrator has dealt with lots of grief through her journey as a young climate activist. “After a certain point of reading about climate change, there’s not much more you can do without being like… there’s no hope.” Tolmeia says that she defeats this feeling by putting her focus into joy. “I do this by imagining a positive future. I’m very much interested in thinking about what the world could be.”

Her podcast, Idealistically, explores this method and discusses possibilities for the future. The enthusiastic host brings in guests to converse about what they want their ideal world to look like. “I really enjoyed the episode I did with Leena Norms, who is a YouTuber.

“Once you know about it, it’s very hard to look away and not do something.”

11

‘Alone’ by Tolmeia Gregory

12

She was very creative in what she spoke about and had actual ideas that could be put in place.

Tolmeia says she thinks that the idea of young people being our only hope for the future is one of the worse things: “someone actually looked me in face and told me she was waiting for young people to do it, really?”

Tolmeia explains that fossil fuel companies and scientists have all known about the science behind climate change since before the younger generation were even born. “It’s like a death sentence, to put that on young people.

Because you’re waiting till we are actually in that position and can make that change.”

Tolmeia also advises young people to think about their sources of fashion. Growing up, Tolmeia began purchasing her garments in sustainable stores. According to This Is Local London, sales in charity shops had an increase of £29 million in 2018 from the previous year.

With the rise of vintage clothing and Y2K looks, it’s no wonder the popularity of charity shopping

is cumulating drastically. It’s a very accessible method of being ethical and sustainable.

Tolmeia also references apps like Depop and Vinted. “These apps are great places for young people to be looking at. I mean, eBay’s been around for decades!”

Recently, PrettyLittleThing have announced that they are going to be releasing a similar online space. “I see it being a big form of greenwashing, so it will be interesting to see where it goes,” she shrugs.

The activist gave some advice for young people wanting to help the environment, and it all starts with community. “Find a group of people and don’t do it alone. It’s a big burden to take on independently and finding community has been so important for me.”

You can access the climate activist community on social media, or research online for a group already set up. You could even begin small and create your own community with your friends or, as Tolmeia says, “just put some feelers out there.”

Tolly’s cultural highlights book: All We Can Save by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson and Katharine Wilkinson

‘An anthology of essays and art by all women, if you’re already interested in saving planet this is a good one.’

podcast:

Drilled with Amy Westervelt

‘A Great climate podcast.’

film:

Don’t Look Up

‘Not the perfect representation but does hit on some key points.’

13

Illustration by Tolmeia Gregory 14

Kitchen waste such as peels and clippings can be added to your garden compost to decompose

savin sea

Climate change affects m We find out how and what’s being done a

by Natalie

ng our life

marine life in our oceans. and the changes we can all make to help

e Cooper

‘S

turtles

ave the turtles’ is a well-worn phrase, but other than ditching plastic straws, do you actually know what you can do to help save them? We caught up with executive director of Turtle Conservancy, David Godfrey, who expressed the danger climate change poses on our sea turtles and what little changes you can make to help.

“Climate change affects their lives, their habitat, what they eat and how they are able to reproduce,” he told us.

“Due to climate change, the frequency of powerful storms that hit places like Florida Costa Rica and elsewhere in the Caribbean and in tropical environments where turtles generally nest, are high. We now see stronger storms causing more unique events where there’s lots of erosion all at once, affecting the beaches they nest on.

18

“The other thing which is happening is sea level rise. As the sea rises, it encroaches onto and erodes nesting beaches. In an underdeveloped world, that wouldn’t be a huge problem, because of course the climate has changed many times over the millennia and turtles around for millions of years, yet turtles adapt. But we human beings like to live on the beach. We build things right up to the dune line, and when that erosion starts to happen. We put up walls to protect our property or roads or bridges and the sea level rise and erosion means that the habitat isn’t replaced.

“In relation to temperature, obviously it’s getting warmer, there are lots of beaches that are hotter during the summers, even a few degrees hotter.

When eggs with hatchlings are incubating inside the nest, there’s what’s called the ‘pivotal temperature’. In a certain phase of the incubation process, the

temperature inside the nest determines whether the egg is going to become female or male. It called ‘temperature dependent sex’. So, when you have beaches that are a lot hotter, you have nest that is producing predominantly females (warmer temperature produces female slightly cooler temperatures males). The exact ramifications of that aren’t well understood right now, but generally if it’s favouring one sex it’s a problem, but we don’t yet know how bad of a problem.

“The biggest thing we do at the Sea Turtle Conservancy is change people’s attitudes about turtles and about our role in the world. There are all kinds of approaches that people can take in response to climate change that are worse for turtles, so we try to create laws and regulations and change attitudes on people to do things the right way, for not just ourselves, but for creatures like sea turtles.”

What can you do to help?

“We are affecting the climate by the choices we made as individuals, as nations, and as a world. You can make little choices in your life which, and if everyone does, can make a big difference: ‘think globally, act locally’.”

19

polar bears

20

T

he heart-breaking image of a polar bear sitting on a melting iceberg is a sad icon of climate change. But what is actually happening in the arctic?

David Meanwell, director of Bear Conservation UK gave us the rundown.

“Polar bears spend the majority of their lives out on the sea ice of the Arctic,” he says. “Anything that affects this habitat is likely to affect polar bears and there is already evidence that adverse effects are taking hold. Ice is forming later, and the ice cap is thinning.

“The bears are very specialised animals and will likely find it impossible to adapt fast enough to survive climate-driven changes for their long-term survival as a wild species.

“There are already signs of increased human activity in polar bear habitat, notably oil and gas exploration and extraction, mining, and development. The bears are vulnerable to this increased human disturbance, particularly denning mother bears with cubs.”

“We know what we need to do to stop climate change and we already have the necessary technology to do it. What we need now, as individuals, companies and governments, is the will to do it.

When we have that the polar bears will be saved.”

What can you do to help?

 Read and learn all they can about climate change, what causes it, how it can be stopped and reversed.  Talk about what you have learned and encourage your friends and families to get involved too.  Write to government representatives and companies who are driving climate change. Tell them why they need to act immediately before it’s too late for polar bears and, ultimately, all the other species on Earth.  Try and reduce your own carbon footprint: eat less meat, reduce use of single-use plastics, walk, cycle, use public transport.  Support environmental organisations and those working with and for polar bears.

21

dolphins

A

fter the chilling documentary Seaspiracy was released, dolphins have been at the foreground of people’s mind. But the acrobatic creatures are facing the brunt of climate chance head on. Danny Groves, Author at Whale & Dolphin Conservation UK explained to us the challenges they face and how you can help.

“Dolphins play a vital part in helping maintain a healthy ocean, and a healthy ocean helps combat climate change. Many species are shifting away from previously important habitats as (towards the poles for example) as sea temperatures increase and ice melts. These can pose a real problem in many ways as populations move into areas that might put them at risk from fishing fleets, and vessel traffic for example.

“We raise awareness of the impacts that plastic in the ocean has on whales and dolphins and encourage supporters to make changes in their lives to prevent plastic on land reaching the sea where it can be ingested by marine mammals.”

What can you do to help?

“There is hope!” says Danny. “We would encourage people to visit our website (whales.org) and back our fight against the daily threats that whales and dolphins face from hunting, industrial fishing, capture and habitat destruction. By supporting our work and lending their voices to our campaigns we can, together, create a healthier ocean - a world where every whale and dolphin is safe and free.”

22

t s y e l f e il  the earthly edit  hooked on crochet  green festivals  eco fitness

circular&co. reusable cup This amazing cup is made from your old used coffee cups! with a 10 year lifespan, you can sip your coffee knowing you have saved coffee cups ending up in landfill. £14.95 circularandco.com

1

the ea ed

earthly’s top pick clean and ec

by Natal

2

Floragy face mask trio Relax knowing you have done your little bit to help the planet and your skin. The natural formula comes in banana + coconut, strawberry + coconut and matcha + peppermint. £15 floragy.co.uk

24

3 Earthy nail polish This is a long lasting, high shine, plant based, cruelty free, and vegan nail polish with a return and reuse program for a circular economy. With a chic bamboo lid, the varnish is silky smooth, glossy and very long lasting.

The formula is very impressive, considering it is vegan. It withholds day to day wear and for the price, we are highly impressed! £7.99 each earthynailpolosh.com

arthly dit

4

ks for items green, co-friendly!

The Recycled Candle Company pillar candle

lie Cooper

If you have any old candles kicking about, this is a company who can recycle your old ones into brand new ones! If not, there are plenty of recycled candes you can get your hands on. £18 therecycledcandlecompany.co.uk

Images

WiseSip evermore toothbrush Did you know that every toothbrush ever made still exists today? Over 264 million plastic toothbrushes are thrown away every year in the UK alone. therefore, this stylish bamboo toothbrush can help you combat this problem. £16.95 wisesip.co.uk

5

25

hooked on

How the trend is benefiting our world by

T

he fashion industry is one of the biggest contributors to climate change. It accounts for ten percent of global carbon emissions which is more than aviation and the shipping industry combined (4.6% according to UK Research and Innovation and the Air Transport Action Group). Clothing comes under many different causes of global emissions. To give you an idea, it begins with the production of the product, with the shipping of materials coming under this step, and then the clothing is transported to stores. Finally, it’s down to how the consumer disposes of the product that makes 26

up the total number of emissions caused by the item of clothing.

We live in a consumer driven world. This means, through our own fault, that the fashion industry works to produce as much as possible, and as quickly as it can be done, to satisfy consumer needs. We are a materialistic society that has unfortunately become used to this easy and cheap way of shopping - this is drastically eroding our environment. The industry relies on consumers never ending addiction to this way of production. Fast fashion is all about responding to consumer tastes which are forever changing, as quickly as possible. Brands also offer incredibly cheap garments which lures their customers in. You might remember the controversy regarding PrettyLittleThing’s 99% off sale back in November last year. Activists called out the brand and rightly so. By selling clothes at such a low cost, the brand encourages mass consumption which undoubtedly leads to mass waste – together, our generation could help put a stop to the destruction of our amazing Earth, just by changing our lifestyles!

Fast fashion coincides with influencers and what they are sporting in their social media photoshoots, of course. A celeb might pose in a stylish ‘fit, which leads to their followers demand for a recreation of the look, which is when all the brands race to be the first to provide the consumers with an exact replica.

n crochet

y encouraging the slow fashion movement

by Ashleigh Poole

27

This is why the flurry of small business supporting stars on platforms such as Instagram is so important right now. The more these influencers promote small, independent business on their largely followed platforms, the more likely slow fashion is to catch on to a wider audience, and awareness is so important in helping our planet.

So have a sort through who you follow, are they an example who you want to be, or do you follow them because everyone else is?

This is why here at Earthly, we want to explore and educate our readers on more sustainable process, starting with your wardrobe. Today we’re looking at the trend of crochet, its rise into the fashion world and how it’s a life saver when it comes to helping our beloved planet.

Crochet is a craft where yarn is used to create a fabric that can then be used for garments. It’s quite similar to knitting, but a different stich is used. Crochet can be a great hobby for both beginners and those who are more advanced, and you’ll end up with something you can keep forever too, not to mention it will be so much more sustainable than your old worn out pair of high street jeans. The trend has even been popularised by the likes of celebrities such as Tom Daley, who was seen contently crafting on the sidelines of the Olympic pool.

The famous diver took to TikTok to show his new crochet creations: a case for his shining gold medal and a carefully curated Olympic themed cardigan, donning the event’s iconic five ring logo.

Tom is not the only celebrity taking up the craft of crochet.

28

29

You might remember Bernie Sander’s winterwear at Joe Biden’s inauguration at the beginning of last year. His cosy crochet mittens became the centre of virality, with the photo becoming a meme across all platforms of social media.

So, why did we choose crochet as this issue’s trend? As young people looking to save the world, we’re all looking for creative outlets that can benefit our lives while simultaneously benefitting our dying planet. Crochet comes under the term ‘slow fashion’, which you may have heard of. The movement supports manufacturing with respect to people, the environment, and animals.

You don’t necessarily have to make your own garms, but just buying from a local shop or an independent store online would help our planet massively!

Take a look on Insta, there are loads of small businesses creating cute clothes that advertise there.

30

If you’re looking to get clued up on ethical fashion, take a look at the slow yarn movement.

Slow yarn is any yarn that’s been handmade or dyed by a singular person, not by machine.

To some, this might be an extreme – surely creating the product is enough? But the yarn that’s purchased in big department stores is full of manufactured chemicals and fibres and, like most clothes from high street stores, has a history oF exploitation (of our planet as well as workers).

Both of these terms, the slow fashion and the slow yarn movement come under one huge ecoconscious mindset: ‘the Slow Living movement’.

This is a term that generally covers an ecoconscious mindset – and this can mean many things. Just by changing your thought process and your way of living, you can help change our world for the better. This has influenced the way artists crochet: carefully, thoughtfully and 31

who’s wearing what 1 Zac: Blue Hat 2 Natalie: Natalie Bralette 3 Ashleigh: Shell Earrings 4 Leonah: Daisy Earrings 5 Lucy: Strawberry Cardigan 6 Zac: Pink Bralette 7 Leonah: Claire Cardigan 8 Leonah: Green Wrap Top 9 Natalie: Strawberry Cardigan with Natalie Bralette 10 Leonah: Green Wrap Top, Ashleigh: Pink Bralette, Natalie: Natalie Bralette, Lucy: Floral Bralette.

All crochet is created by Abigail Cooper at Made by Minky crochet. You can find her via @madeby.minky on Instagram.

32

33

Green f

We speak to Ben Hardy, an events manager and ask how he keeps festivals gree throughout events. Take a look at the ways you can help when going to festival

T

he festival market is at an all-time high, whatever taste of music you may have there is an event for you this summer. There has been some progress the past few years in making festivals more sustainable, with a lot of them going green- like Greenman festival, Green Gathering, Edinburgh Fringe, Glastonbury and Shambala.

However, as festivals get more popular, with a much bigger audience than ever before, concerns are raised around how much waste and energy is used within festivals.

Over the past few decades the amount of rubbish generated from festivals is an environmental disaster, so it’s important that festivals throughout the UK take a turn and become greener and more sustainable. After having a fun weekend at festivals, camping and partying all weekend, problems are developed when it is time to leave.

There are thousands of tents, clothes, sleeping bags and booze left behind which, majority of the time, all gets sent to landfills. Around 80% of waste generated from a festival comes from the people who attend them- according to the Metro, 60,000 tents were left behind after Reading festival when it came to an end.

Ben Hardy, an events manager, gave us a rundown of his thoughts about the way festivals are handling climate change. “We pay for people to come clean up after the festival instead of getting volunteers, we want proper professionals. However, our rubbish is recycled and doesn’t go into landfills which we have been doing for 8 years”.

For festivals to become even more sustainable they need to look into how people are arriving and leaving the venue. The mode of transport is a crucial factor in making a more environmentally friendly festival as we need to be lowering the release of harmful gases into the atmosphere as this has less of an impact on the environment- there needs to be less cars and more people taking the bus, train, cycle or even walk if you are at a reasonable distance away from the venue to do so.

Ben Hardy expressed his opinion on this, “A lot of people need to cycle/train/bus to the festival, however this is standard practice, everyone needs to be doing this in all circumstances with their everyday life. A festival is a memory… if we make everyone see that it is so easy to make such simple changes within a festival then they would put these actions in place with their everyday life.”

By festivals encouraging people who are attending to take more environmentally friendly ways to arrive and leave, they would potentially take this into consideration with their everyday life - which would do the world of good for the Earth!

33.

festivals

en, talking about the importance of recycling and using sustainable practice ls and also some of the most green festivals throughout the United Kingdom.

Everyone thinks that going plastic free at a festival is important, however Ben makes a clever point. “In the industry people have been championing sustainable practice. In Glastonbury they have been recycling … the industry has finally woken up to it- for example you can pay for a reusable cup, which will get rewashed and rewashed but if you evaluate more carbon is generated to get the cup shipped to the festival and the amount of water used to get the cup rewashed”.

Making all festivals more sustainable and better for the environment is not easy to achieve. People need to know the real lasting damages festivals have on climate change, so by educating everyone about the impact their actions can have on the environment and actually putting these actions into place will be better for Earth in the long run.

How can you help

Do your researchIf you are thinking about going to a festival this year, go to a green festival!

Water bottles Take your own reusable water bottle with you! There is no need to be buying plastic water bottles

Clean up after yourselves

Group up!

Take your tents, sleeping bags and rubbish with you! I recommend taking a bin bag with you, where you can collect all you rubbish up with you, and then dispose of it correctly.

If you are going with friends, travel down together! If that’s by bus, train, or walking. If there’s no way of that happening then take big groups of you in a car!

34

The big 4: Green festivals Shambala

Glastonbury

Shambala festival, located in Northamptonshire, England has always been an environmentally minded festival. Within five years they have reduced their onsite carbon footprint by 81% and have been awarded the ‘A Greener Festival Award” in 2013 and 2014.

From audience donations they have been able to invest in wind turbine which help them be carbon net positive. They have also banned single use plastic water bottles.

Glastonbury. The ultimate British Festival Experience. Held annually in Somerset, they have worked to minimise their footprint, for example reducing road delivery, by building two onsite reservoirs and a wholesale food market. Glastonbury has planted 10,000 trees and take their recycling efforts to a whole different level by making sure all rubbish is recycled correctly. They also donate all the profit they make to charties such as Water aid, Green peace and Oxfam.

https://www.shambalafestival.org/

Love Saves the Day Love Saves the Day is a festival ran over two days located in Bristol (UK’s first green capital). This festival is Bristol’s first music festival to bring in reusable cup system in order to stop plastic cups going to landfill. To stop a large amount of carbon emission the festival promotes to use public transport when arriving and leaving the festival. They also promote cycling routes around the city. https://www.lovesavestheday.org/

35

https://www.glastonburyfestivals. co.uk/

Bestival

Bestival aims for a zero landfill and any un-recyclable waste that is produced is then converted from waste to energy at the gasification point. Bestival works hard in sourcing anything locally if that’s marquees production vehicles and food. They use the massive platform they have to educate and engage those on the responsibility we all have on helping the environment. https://www.campbestival.net/

w”

your ea

We asked our readers Menstru “I’ve never used menstrual cups but Organic c I know that they’re more environmentally friendly so I’d be Renting willing to try them out. I’ve heard really good things.“

“Instead of renting clothes, I think I would rather own them myself personally, I see it as being quite false as you show the world you own an item of clothing but really you don’t.”

“Organic condoms sound interesting, as long as that they are clean and dont spread bacterial infections or STI’S. If they are 100% clean, I’d use them.”

“If I had periods more regually then I would use menstrul cups, but they are just too expensive as a student.”

38

w”

w”

arthly ...

for their thoughts on: ual cups condoms clothes

“Renting clothes is an incredible idea! It has become more popular over the past year or so. I can see the benefits, but personally, I would only do it for special events or occasions.”

“If I was going to an event like a prom or a wedding then yes I would definitely rent a dress.

But I don’t see the point in renting everyday clothes.”

“I probably would use menstrul cups as I know they don’t contain many chemicals in them which could cause infections. The environmental benefits are cool as well.”

“If I am being honest I have never heard of organic condoms before! I would definitely give them a go. I am allegic to latex so it looks like a nice alternative.”

w”

39

You can save 15% on your energy bill by turning your water heater down 20 degrees !

Go green while getting fit Jordan Gower meets fitness expert Jude Sutton to delve into the world of sustainability and healthy living

on t t Su

Ju d e

Looking to workout and be sustainable, cost efficient and consistent is hard. “It isn’t a lifestyle for everyone,” says Jude Sutton. But there are some simple ways to make a change. Here, the 20-year old fitness enthusiast from Worcestershire, gives earthly his tips.

“It’s important to stay consistent. Don’t be disheartened if you can’t do as much as other people.” Consistency, belief in the process and heart are the key tips Jude would give in becoming more fit. Together with Jude, we compiled four ways to go green while getting fit.

41

Best foot forward Walking instead of driving is a key simple step in getting healthy, the green way. On average your car emits around 411 grams of CO2 per mile, to put that into perspective that is around the same as half a bag of sugar per mile. You also will obviously save a little bit of money. On average a 9 mile journey will cost you about £1.50 - £2.00 of petrol money. “These resources we use for cars like fossil fuels don’t last forever,” says Jordan.

“If you walk, you get the physical and mental benefits.”

Home workouts A big issue for a lot of people is the insecurity surrounding going to the gym. And some people prefer to workout in solitude. There are many benefits to working out at home. “You save a lot of money, since people get a subscription to the gym but don’t always go, make excuses,” says Jude.

You could save up to £50 a month, depending on your gym, and you can workout whenever you like.

“Something you can do from home is just as good, because you can wake up and workout or before you go to bed,” says Jude.

42

Diet “Do one thing at a time, don’t jump right in, you're going to start craving the things you can’t have, just start one thing at a time,” Jordan says about how to begin a healthy eating plan. “When it comes to losing weight, the diet is more important than the actual physical work.” So spending the money on eco-friendly and efficient food is the true key to losing weight.

He also advises trying a plant-based diet. “At the start of last year, I wanted to switch things up. I didn’t feel the need to eat meat and dairy products any more,” he explains.

Post workout Using natural shampoo and body washes are proven to benefit hair, help maintain a healthy PH balance and moisturise and protect our skin, along with being better for the environment. Says Jude: “You should definitely try using some sort of sustainable source of body wash and shampoo.”

43

o d o f  how to grow  plant-fueled ambition  recipes

Propagation is the breeding of plants processed by plant cuttings. It’s a fun and environmentally friendly way of growing new herbs from old ones

how to grow...

Spring onions

Garlic

Mint

Basil

A delicious herb that elevates any dish and offers a fresh bite. To re-grow simply trim off the end of the root allowing a few cm from the end still showing the green part of the onion, this will help grow your onions faster. Place them in a glass of clear water with the water just above the point where the onions start to turn green.

Once you have some small growth plant the onions in some soil deep enough to cover the roots.

Water well and within a month the onions should be ready to harvest. You can repeat this process up to 4/5 times before they will need replacing.

Mint is a very versatile herb; it can be used to enhance both savoury and sweet dishes. When choosing your cutting you need to select a leaf from the top of the plant. Make sure the cutting is around 8cm in length. Place the stems in a glass of water measuring around 2.5cm, growth should start to appear within a few weeks leaving enough time for mature growth. Once this has appeared plant the herb in moist soil making sure there is a drainage hole to avoid rotting. Watch your mintgrow and flourish.

Garlic is used throughout the kitchen to add an extra burst of flavour to dishes. Start by removing a clove of garlic from the bulb, leaving it in its skin. Place the garlic in damp kitchen roll and place in a warm location. Within two days sprouting will occur. Transfer the garlic into a container (a shot glass is perfect) and fill half way with water. If the water turns cloudy replace with fresh water. Your garlic should flourish and once it’s between four-seven inches tall it’s ready for harvest. Trim off the top third of the sprout and enjoy fresh or refrigerate.

One of the most enjoyed herbs to elevate Italian dishes. Start by taking a cutting thats four to six inches long (for best results trim below a leaf node) and remove any leaves from the bottom third of the stem. Place the stem in a glass of water making sure no leaves are submerged. Growth should appear within 10-14 days. When the roots are an inch or two long place them in a container filled with moist soil making sure the soil is firm around the stem. Place in a warm light area and watch your basil grow.

Words: Persia Lee

45

Bakewell tart

Browned Butter Pecan Cookie

46

Caramelised Onion & Thyme tart

plant-fuelled ambition

An insight into a vegan business featuring Sarah Jackamen

“I watched a squirrel get hit by a car whilst I was chowing down on a ham sandwich. I just thought to myself what am I doing? I can’t get this upset by a death of a squirrel and quite happily give money to animal agriculture that results in the death of animals that I’m supposed to care about.”

Sarah Jackamen a vegan, food loving baker from Stroud started her business in 2015. With her brother being gluten free and herself being vegan she says: “I started to bake that way, at first I found it really hard. There was nowhere to get vegan and gluten free food let alone just vegan food. So, I started cooking in my kitchen and six months later I started selling.” When starting out Sarah found there was a demand for vegan and gluten free baking aside from her and her brother. “I found that a lot of people who are gluten free also have a sensitivity to dairy, so it just made sense to bake that way.”

Vegan journey She started out vegetarian first before making the jump to veganism. “My vegetarianism lasted six weeks. Once you start getting into the ethical side of things the doors open and they carry on opening and I thought well, I can’t be an ethical vegetarian because of the dairy industry so very quickly I became vegan. When asked the best advice Sarah would share to anyone wanting to try a plant-based diet she says: “A lot of people that go vegetarian or vegan they slip up on purpose or accidently. You can’t beat yourself up about it. Don’t let it take away from the amazing things you’re doing. Each dinner you’re having without the meat and dairy is a good thing.”

Raised eyebrows Running an independent business can be hard, especially when the products you sell once generated a raised eyebrow. “When I first started, I refrained from using the word vegan for my business. I used egg, dairy, and gluten free. I found the word vegan put a lot of people off.” Sarah describes there was a breaking point in her career when people started appreciating vegan food rather than turning a blind eye. “In 2018 I saw a shift across generations. Vegan was no longer a suspicious word and people stopped pulling faces. People are curious now. Even if they don’t buy anything they have questions. It’s nice to see the curiosity in people.”

Changing attitudes There’s so much more to vegan food then just taking away the meat and replacing it with vegetables “I love my Linda McCartney sausages and my oven chips. People always think vegan food is nuts, fruits and leaves. That is not the case. People eat in moderation and that includes junk food.” At the start of this year world-wide brands known as McDonalds and Burger King realised some vegan items to their menu. “I was quite excited to see the fast-food joints release these items. They might grab a few people that turns into ‘oh vegan food can actually taste good’ and start them on a journey.”

Baking science Aside from vegan food being more than just vegetables Sarah shares the science element to creating her bakes. “Chemistry and IT were my worst subjects in school and now I do a job that is pretty much about chemistry because you are essentially taking one ingredient that does a chemical reaction in a product, taking it away and replacing it with something that does the exact same reaction for the product.”

@Jackbakesstroud Words: Persia Lee

47

Putting the environment first Being vegan and creating the goods that she does already has an amazing impact on the environment. Sarah shares how she takes it one step further: “When I have a lot of stock left over from an event I take to Instagram to share it and offer free delivery in the Gloustershire area. It always sells out meaning no waste.” Sometimes Sarah is met with challenging demands from customers but finds a solution with a little bit research “A lot of people want products that are refined sugar and that includes agave nectar, date syrup etc that means it need to get flown or shipped in. I found we grow a lot of beet sugar in the UK that is a refined sugar, so I do use that as much as I can.” Being a small business Sarah loves to shop locally as much as she can to support her peers. “One of my friends makes cider so in the autumn months he gives me loads of apples which I make apple sauce from which is actually my egg replacement.”

Inspiration When it comes to inspiration Sarah strays away from chefs’ and bloggers. “My products come from what I want to eat. Everything starts from a craving. I do some research for a rough structure. Everything takes a long time to perfect. At Christmas I sold mince pies- that recipe took 3 months to perfect.” She later goes on to describe the process as: “trial and error.” Sarah’s hard work pays off as she has attracted customers that don’t follow a plant-based diet. “I get quite a few non vegan or gluten free customers.

Mainly older men, they’ll come and get their leek and broccoli tart every Saturday they just like the taste. It’s a nice feeling, you know you have nailed it then.

Looking to the future As Sarah looks to the future, she shares her hopes: “Everything I’m doing currently is at home and I’m desperate to find a space with a proper oven and stainless-steel surfaces. I’d like to have somewhere that isn’t filled to the brim with packaging. I might have to get into my car to make my business work. I’d love to have a space to work in.” As the climate crisis continues we hope more businesses can adopt the same work ethic and tasty vegan creations as Sarah.

Custard Tart

Pecan Pie 48

Double chocolate cookies Words: Persia Lee

49

50

lentil wraps

Only two ingredients and high in protein Words: Persia Lee

SERVINGS: 2

PREPPING TIME: 20 MINUTES

INGREDIENTS 1 cup red lentils 1 cup of water half a teaspoon of sea salt (optional) 1 pinch of pepper (optional) 1 tablespoon of olive oil (optional)

Our favourite filling : black beans and leeks fried with cumin and paprika cherry tomatoes cucumber potato vegan cheese vegan mayo or yogurt hot sauce corriander to garnish

COOKING TIME: 6 MINUTES

DIRECTIONS 1. Measure out the red lentils and

pour into a large bowl then add water 2. Let the mixture sit for 4 hours before blending into a smooth consistency 3. Once blended add a pinch of salt and pepper (if making sweet wraps substitute the salt and pepper for sugar) and the olive oil.

4. Heat a non-stick pan with a drizzle of oil on medium-high heat 5. Using a ladle add some mixture to the pan spreading out evenly about 1cm in thickness. Fry the mixture for 3/4 minutes on each side before taking off the heat

NOTE: This mixture can last up to 3 days in the fridge before frying 51

52

so earthly cocktail

Smooth, refreshing and full of earthiness

SERVINGS: 1 PREPPING TIME: 5 MINUTES

INGREDIENTS ice 3 sprigs of apple mint 2 shots of dry gin generous squeeze of lime juice 100ml of apple juice topped with tonic

Our favourite ways to enjoy:

DRINKING TIME: 30 SECONDS/ 30 MINUTES

DIRECTIONS 1. Place sprigs of apple mint into a

cocktail shaker 2. Add shots of gin and muddle 3. Add ice, lime juice and apple juice 4. shake!

5. Pour into a chilled glass using a strainer 6. Top with tonic

while gardening at a summer barbeque before a wdinner party unwinding with a book

NOTE: This cocktail can be enjoyed alcohol free by remvoing the gin Words: Persia Lee

53

final thoughts

Greta Thunberg on... our future: “Change is coming, whether you like it or not”

the lack of urgency: “I want

you to act as if the house is on fire, because it is”

her climate movement: “I have learned you are never too small to make a difference”

us as a society: “Together and united we are upstopable”

what our leaders need to do: “You must take action. you

must do the impossible becuase giving up is never an option”

the impact of climate change: “How dare you. you

have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words. yet I am one of the lucky ones. people are suffering.”